This FF8 Symbol Merits More Appreciation

The Final Fantasy series features countless unforgettable locations. From Elfheim in the original Final Fantasy, Midgar in Final Fantasy 7, to Limsa Lominsa in Final Fantasy 14, every one has earned a special place in fans' hearts, and they admire the distinctive idiosyncrasies that make these areas so unique. However, when it comes to one location that merits more praise than the rest, it is certainly Balamb Garden from Final Fantasy 8, not only because of its beautiful design, but additionally for being a incredibly bizarre school.

An Pure Movie Reveal

Before, we must address the obvious. Balamb Garden turning into an flying vessel and escaping from a missile attack was pure cinema. This location was not only designed to be a academy for mercenaries. It is a traveling base that allows them to establish new tactics and relocate, depending on the needs of those in charge. Many readily regard it as one of the best airship concepts in the series, along with Final Fantasy 10's Fahrenheit and several of the Final Fantasy 12 military airships.

This change of Balamb Garden into an airship remains one of the most unforgettable moments in video game history.

A First View of a Brooding Home

When we start playing Final Fantasy 8 and see Quistis leading Squall out of the infirmary, we get our first glimpse of the location this brooding-looking teenager calls home. A sweeping shot begins from the ground of the school and rises to focus on the impressive size of the building. Balamb Garden has a design that makes it feel futuristic, but also divine. The curvy structures evoke a specifically late ‘90s concept of how the future would look. On the other hand, because of the golden features on the building and the long trails of light emanating from the massive glowing halo on top of the school, Balamb Garden evokes a massive angel. It was created to be a serene place — too peaceful for an academy that transforms teenagers into mercenaries.

An Memorable Soundtrack

Complementing the tranquility that the design of Balamb Garden conveys, we have the school’s soundtrack. One of the most cherished recollections I have from my youth is strolling around the main area of Balamb Garden, seeing those fish statues spraying water, and listening to the soothing theme song. The problem is that it continues playing in your head forever. Whenever it comes back to my mind, I’m compelled to look up on YouTube for a 3-hour-long “Balamb Garden” song video. The sole way to get it out of playing inside my head is to overdose of it.

• Gentle tune that sticks in your mind
• Central courtyard with water features
• Nostalgic feelings for many players

The Compelling School

Balamb Garden is fascinating as a location and also an institution. For starters, it accepts kids from 5 to 15 years old to turn them into mercenaries, but it appears like a giant church. There are many military schools in RPGs, like in Trails of Cold Steel, but not one look less militaristic than Balamb Garden.

A Paradoxical Motto

If you access the Balamb Garden Network using one of the in-game terminals, you learn that the slogan of the institution is “Work hard, study hard, and play hard.” I’m sorry, but I never have the feeling that those teenagers training to be mercenaries are “playing hard” — except for Zell. However, considering that the training center, where students find real monsters they can defeat, is the sole place in the entire school accessible at any time during the day, perhaps that’s what they intend by “playing.” While training is the key aspect of a student’s life in Balamb Garden, their nutrition is poor, since students are consuming so many frankfurters that the staff have no other response to say except “No more hot dogs today.”

Strict Regulations

Students are controlled by a strict set of rules, which, on one hand, we should expect from a military school, but conversely seems oddly funny. First, there’s not a dress code in the school, but they are not allowed to leave their dorms in the evenings, except it’s for training. A student may be dismissed if they lag in their studies, for aggressive acts, and for… “sexual promiscuity.” It might not look like it, but Balamb Garden is truly concerned about its students’ sex life. The school officially recommends that students “take time to think things through before starting a relationship.” (After all, the real threat of being a student of Balamb Garden is romantic relationships, not battling with weapons and cutting each other's faces like Squall and Seifer were doing in the intro cutscene.)

More Than Just Appearance

Starting with the refined advanced design of the building to the ironies and dubious practices of the school, there are countless elements of Balamb Garden to admire. Many of us like to joke about Squall, but Balamb Garden reminds us that there’s greater depth to Final Fantasy 8 than only surface appeal.