In Final Fantasy V, main character Bartz Klauser has been interpreted as gay or bisexual, particularly after his depictions in Dissidia Final Fantasy (2008), in which Bartz mimics male and female mannerisms, and in Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy (2011), in which he has one outfit that consists of a dancer’s red shirt, open at the top and tied at his waist, and is depicted in official art for said costume somewhat flamboyantly.
In the original Final Fantasy V, Bartz is attracted to a sleeping Faris before the characters realise that she is a woman (see excerpt from Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario below). The text of the book positions this as foreshadowing of the revelation of Faris being a biological female, and is unfazed by the revelation that she is a woman. Bartz also finds Faris attractive when she later wears an elegant dress, which some fans further interpret as evidence of his bisexuality.
Image Source: Studio BentStuff, Ed. (2008). Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania: File 2: Scenario. Tokyo: Square Enix Co. LTD. p.139
LGBTQ references in this game series:
Final Fantasy V (1992): Faris Scherwiz, Bartz Klauser
Final Fantasy VII (1997): Ambiguous Characters; Cross-Dressing; Mukki
Final Fantasy VIII (1999): Adel
Final Fantasy IX (2000): Quina Quen
Final Fantasy X (2001): Tidus, Brother and Wakka
Final Fantasy XIII (2009): Fang and Vanille
Final Fantasy XIV (2014): Same-sex marriage, Gay NPC couple
Citations:
- So…is Gartz gay? Retrieved from http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/605802-dissidia-012-duodecim-final-fantasy/61050223
- Studio BentStuff, Ed. (2008). Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania: File 2: Scenario. Tokyo: Square Enix Co. LTD.
LGBTQ Video Game Archive 