How to fall in love with an imaginary girl you've never met

If you want me to like a track off of any video game soundtrack, just title it as somebody's theme. I don't need to know who the character is, nor do I need to have played the game. I probably don't need to know the game even exists, but if it's somebody's theme, I'll eat it up. Point in case: give a listen to track six from the album Final Fantasy Song Book: Mahoroba. I've played Final Fantasy VII for all of two hours, never even MET Yuffie, and yet that's my favorite arrangement on the album. There's no logic behind it, so don't ask me to explain it. I just know that it is.

The reason why I bring this up is because of a certain character theme from Final Fantasy XII, namely Penelo's. Honestly, I've only played the game for five or so hours - sorry, Street Fighter is just much more engaging/controller-smashing - but the music captured me in an instant. FFXII actually captures the feel of a unique world that I didn't get from any previous Final Fantasy, and I'm going to bet the music is the keystone. But I digress.

Penelo's Theme is very tame and demure to the ear, but at the same time it has a notion of subtlety about it. I imagine it has something to do with the instrumentation; it starts with wind instruments (not that I could possibly identify them by ear) while string instruments slowly work their way into the harmony. Maybe I just don't listen to enough music, but the sound certainly was novel to my ears.

Now enter the Final Fantasy Tactics A2 (notice the clever omission of the word "advance" on Square's part) soundtrack. Also composed by Sakimoto, so it's another soundtrack with his finger-, foot-, and faceprints all over it (I'll note here that Ayako Saso does a single track in this game, and its integration is superb) . Lo and behold, however, a surprise track: disc two, track number nine: The Sky Pirate From The East. Title seems innocuous enough, but I've played enough of FFXII to know that Vaan has some kiddy dream about being an outlaw with wings or something. Give it a listen and it's Penelo's Theme turned on its head.

Rather than having winds at the front and strings at the back, the FFTA2 arrangement turns that around. It's a sound much more typical of what you'll find in video games, but I find I like it more in the end. So when I previously had a track I almost could not stop listening to, now I have a version of it that's going on single loop for several days.

And you know what? I don't know jack about Penelo other than that girl who follows Vaan around for a little bit. Know what else? I don't really feel like knowing any more. I enjoy the music, and that's good enough for me. But of course, this is coming from the guy who will buy a game because he liked the soundtrack. Take it (whatever "it" may be) with a grain of salt, and use it to flavor your dinner.

No, I don't know what that means either.