When one talks about some of the greatest JRPGs of all time, it goes without saying that Final Fantasy X would definitely rank pretty high up in this list. After all, the fact of the matter is that this series is full to the brim with some of the greatest games ever made, and the tenth mainline entry is no exception to this rule.
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The first Final Fantasy game for the PlayStation 2 was nothing short of a resounding success and ended up being the last title under the Squaresoft moniker before their merger with Square Enix. The characters of this game were definitely a massive highlight, with Wakka being one of the many characters that gamers will look back on fondly long after they're finished with this masterpiece.
Keeping this character in mind, here are ten things about Wakka that most fans had no idea about.
10 Wakka Means "Water" In The Ainu Language
The Ainu language is an indigenous language prevalent in Hokkaido, and Wakka ends up having a rather literal meaning in this tongue.
The translation of Wakka in Ainu is "water" — something that makes perfect sense, given Wakka's obsession with Blitzball.
9 There's A Song Called "Wakka's Theme" That Doesn't Appear In The Game
One thing about Wakka that is certainly somewhat of a missed opportunity is the fact that his character theme doesn't even appear in the game.
That being said, the player can still listen to this track by purchasing it at Luca's Sphere Theater, making it one of the few extra tracks obtainable in this area that doesn't appear otherwise in the game at all.
8 He's Supposed To Be Heavier In Final Fantasy X-2, Even Though His Model Is The Same
Wakka becomes the butt of a ton of fat jokes in Final Fantasy X-2, which is rather odd given the fact that his model remains the same across both games.
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While this might've been just a lazy oversight of sorts, one can't deny that it's an immersion-breaking omission that leads players to believe that the other characters are just being extremely mean towards Wakka.
7 He And The Other Members Of The Besaid Aurochs Have Double Letters In Their Name
One interesting thing to note about Wakka's name — along with the rest of the Besaid Aurochs — is the fact that he and the other members of his team have recurring double letters in all their names.
Wakka, Datto, Letty, Jassu, Botta, Keepa, and even Chappu all share this similarity, which was definitely an intentional move by the developers.
6 His Son's Name Is "Future" In The Al Bhed Language
There was a time when Wakka hated the Al Bhed and machinery in general, but his bigoted hatred ended up dissipating over time after he realized that the people of his own faith were capable of the same atrocities. Of course, the fact that Rikku became a close friend of his certainly expedited matters as well.
So, the fact that Wakka's son — Vidina — is named after the word "future" in the Al Bhed language is a testament to how much he's really grown as a character.
5 Wakka's Ultimate Weapon Was Owned By Another High Summoner Who Was Also A Blitzball Champion
The World Champion is Wakka's Ultimate Weapon, which just so happens to be a bladed blitzball that was owned by a rather important figure in the past.
This Ultimate Weapon was owned by another high summoner who also happened to be a famed blitzball champion, making it the perfect weapon of choice for someone like Wakka.
4 He's Got The Best Accuracy And Second-Best Strength In The Game
For someone who seems rather useless in battle — given the fact that he uses a blitzball in battle, after all — it's surprising just how effective he can really be in battle, if given the opportunity.
Wakka rarely — if ever — misses with his attacks due to his extremely high Accuracy stat. This, coupled with his surprisingly adept Strength to boot — the second-best in the game, in fact — makes him one of the best attackers to have in the party.
3 He Used To Be A Guardian For Another Summoner, But Got Too Into Blitzball To Fulfill His Duties
Apparently, before accompanying Yuna as a Guardian, Wakka was actually assigned to another summoner. However, due to his obsession with blitzball, he ended up skirting his duties instead.
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The same isn't the case for Yuna, where he retires after a match with the Besaid Aurochs... although it's definitely rather odd that the player can still recruit him in their team regardless.
2 His Second Overdrive Is Arguably The Best One He Has
Wakka's damage potential is something that has already been touched upon, and these offensive numbers can be cranked up even further with the application of his Overdrive.
His second Overdrive, in particular, is excellent and can deal a massive amount of damage once the player gets a hang of aligning the reels with pinpoint precision. With maxed-out stats, a perfect Attack Reel Overdrive can decimate most enemies with ease.
1 Wakka's Voice Actor Is A Pretty Familiar Name In The Industry
John DiMaggio is a name that most people would definitely be familiar with. After all, he's famous for roles such as Bender on Futurama, Marcus Fenix in the Gears of War franchise, Jake the Dog on Adventure Time, and Dr. Drakken on Kim Possible, among other notable roles.
In Final Fantasy X itself, DiMaggio voices both Wakka and Kimahri, pulling double duty with the greatest of ease. Aside from these roles, he's also known for voicing Gilgamesh throughout the Final Fantasy series.