Fandom can inspire some pretty crazy projects, but this one might take the cake, as a dedicated Final Fantasy XIV fan has created a life-size bronze statue of his Warrior of Light. The original creator, u/icanit, showcased the incredible project on Reddit earlier today.
The sculpture, which measures 150cm in height, depicts Au Ra Paladin in full armor, wielding a sword and shield. It took the creator over 450 hours over half of a year to sculpt, but as per replies in the thread: “most time was spent on deciphering armor design from shifty in-game textures, and making armor, sword and shield decorations with small details.”
For those wondering just what armor set it is, Yoko Akatsuki, the subject of the statue, is decked out in Eureka Elemental Armor. The set, obtainable from Eureka, complete with the Excalibur Zeta sword, might just have taken the creator as much time to grind in-game as it did to sculpt it from bronze.
Still, icanit states in the Reddit thread that another reason the sculpt took so long is the fact their character is an Au Ra. With any other race, they would be “free from several days of making perfect dragon scales on tail, head, and horns.”
What’s more unbelievable is that the creator isn’t a professional bronze sculptor; this is only a hobby that was taken up specifically to create this statue. Icanit’s day job is Software Developer.
But even more incredible to think about is the potential longevity of this statue. Bronze historically was a popular material for statues in antiquity, and as several Reddit users pointed out, this WoL statue has the potential to survive for hundreds if not thousands of years. There are examples of bronze statues from the Hellenistic period, which was over 2000 years ago, that have survived to this day.
While it's unlikely that anyone will be playing Final Fantasy XIV in the year 4023, there is a chance, no matter how slim, that this incredible statue will survive as a memento of the game.
Image gallery credit: Yoko Akatsuki from Phoenix EU Light DC
