Final Fantasy 2 Designer Reveals True Inspiration for Minwoo Three Decades Later

Final Fantasy 2 players will remember Minwu, a temporary playable character and the protagonist of the bonus campaign, Spirit of Rebirth. The character is set to have a special ability in the upcoming mobile game Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy, prompting Final Fantasy 2 designer Akitoshi Kawazu to comment on the character 37 years later (thanks, Automaton).

37 years revealed

Minwu is depicted with a turban, desert robes, and dark skin, suggesting his design was inspired by Middle-Eastern cultures. However, Kawazu reveals that Minwu is actually based on a Chinese general named Wu Qi from the Warring States period.

“Minwu, when written in kanji, becomes 呉明. He was modeled after Wu Qi, a military general and philosopher during China's Warring States period. Wu Qi was a famous military strategist whose treatises on the art of war are considered equal to Sun Tzu,” Kawazu writes.

Wu Qi was a reformer, who turned the state of Chu (modern day Hubei and Hunan) into a powerhouse by reforming its corrupt government. He was assassinated after the death of King Dao, who was his primary supporter.

Kawazu's comment surprised Japanese players, as Minwu's name is often spelled phonetically using katakana, and many were unaware of the kanji connection between Minwu and Wu Qi.

Minwu has appeared in several spin-offs since his initial appearance in Final Fantasy 2, including Final Fantasy Record Keeper and Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia. As usual in Final Fantasy, there are separate, distinct characters who share Minwoo's name, and they are the White Wizards.

Kawazu has spent his entire career with Square Enix, beginning his journey with the company in 1987, when he worked as a game designer on the original Final Fantasy. Kawazu has been working on the Saga series since 2012, where he has held several roles, including executive producer, director, and writer.

Dissidia Duellum was announced a week before Final Fantasy, and is set to release in 2026 for Android and iOS.