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"FINAL FANTASY XIII - The Promise"

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"Just like 'Prelude', I was feeling my way around as I wrote this piece since the world of FF was yet to be revealed. I had about four demos and by incorporating ideas from Mr Toriyama (the Director), I made one arrangement to another to form the piece. So I feel that Mr Toriyama and I wrote this together. At the end, we asked Mr. Toshiyuki Omori to turn it into orchestrated piece by adding harp to the intro piano part and also changing the outro sound from synthesizer to strings. He actually said that the synthesizer wasn't bad at all, but it was the first one to be played in the demo version and I insisted on the live instruments."

—Masashi Hamauzu

"FINAL FANTASY XIII - The Promise" (FINAL FANTASY XIII ～誓い～, FINAL FANTASY XIII ~Chikai~^?) is a prominent theme of Final Fantasy XIII, and is considered its main theme. It was composed by Masashi Hamauzu.

1 Game appearances
2 Arrangement Album appearances
- 2.1 Piano Collections: Final Fantasy XIII
- 2.2 Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy Returning Home
  - 2.2.1 Lyrics
3 Compilation Album appearances
- 3.1 W/F: Music from Final Fantasy XIII
- 3.2 W/F: Music from Final Fantasy XIII -Gentle Reveries-
4 References

Game appearancesEdit

Final Fantasy XIIIEdit

As the game's main theme, "The Promise" is heard several times in Final Fantasy XIII. It has several arrangements and is also included in many tracks. The track itself is heard in-game at the title screen, and is the second track of the original soundtrack's first disc.

A "prototype" version of the theme is included in the Final Fantasy XIII: Original Soundtrack PLUS.

Arrangements of "The Promise" include "Serah's Theme", the twenty-second track of the soundtrack's second disc, which is a vocal arrangement performed by Frances Maya used in several cutscenes involving Serah or her crystallized tear: it also replaces Eternal Love in the overseas versions. Another vocal arrangement is "Sunleth Waterscape", which is the eponymous location's background theme and the sixteenth track of the second disc, and was also performed by Frances Maya. "In the Sky that Night" is another arrangement used for flashbacks of the Bodhum Fireworks Festival (with the sole exception of Hope's), and the fourteenth track of the soundtrack's first disc. Another prominent arrangement of "The Promise" is "The Archylte Steppe", the background theme for the eponymous location and the third track of the soundtrack's fourth disc. Finally, "Fabula Nova Crystallis", the sixteenth track of the soundtrack's fourth disc, which plays during the final cutscenes of the game before the final battle.

"The Promise"'s motif is also included in several other tracks, including "Forever Fugitives"; "Glory's Fanfare"; the background theme for the ending cutscene of the game, "Determination". "FINAL FANTASY XIII ~Miracles-" includes the motif of "The Promise" at its conclusion, and is the seventeenth track of the soundtrack's fourth disc. The "Ending Credits" are an extended orchestral performance of "The Promise", and is the twenty-second track of the soundtrack's fourth disc.

The lyrics for "Serah's Theme" and "The Sunleth Waterscape" were revised for the English localization of Final Fantasy XIII (even though the original recordings were already in English) because of the opinion of the English-language staff that the lyrics needed to sound more natural to native speakers.

^[1]

An instrumental version of "Sunleth Waterscape" has been released on the Final Fantasy XIII: Original Soundtrack PLUS album.


"Serah's Theme"

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"Serah's Theme" LyricsEdit

Japanese VersionEdit

Make my wish come true, let darkness slip aside

Hiding all our hope, mocking what we treasure

Battles we can win, if we believe our souls

Hang in for the light, till dawn

Fate will not leave you, hate will not heal you

Pray and one day, peace shall flow everywhere

Overseas VersionEdit

Make my wish come true, let darkness fade to light

Show me there's still hope, show me it's not over

Battles we can win, our struggle lies within

Will we live to greet the dawn?

Love will not leave you, hate will not heal you

Promise me one day that peace shall reign


"Sunleth Waterscape"

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"Sunleth Waterscape" LyricsEdit

Japanese VersionEdit

Step into the rainbow, find another view

Chase the tender light, borders let's cross over

Ready to define the mists inside your heart?

Take a breath and start your life

Waves of a new day

Clear all the gloom away

Hope is what we simply need to proceed

Waves of a new day

Clear all the gloom away

Hope is what we simply need to proceed

Overseas VersionEdit

Step into the rainbow, world you never knew

Chase the heights of light, soar beyond your sorrows

Dance among the colors, let them be your dreams

Close your eyes and see anew

Dawn of the new day

Clears all the gloom away

This is the hope that we need to go on

Dawn of the new day

Clears all the gloom away

This is the hope that we need to go on

Final Fantasy XIII-2Edit

"The Promise" can be heard in some cutscenes of Final Fantasy XIII-2, and Final Fantasy XIII's original "Serah's Theme" makes several appearances as well due to the protagonism of the character, for example when in New Bodhum, Serah tells Noel Kreiss about how Snow Villiers left her and started his search for Lightning, and in the Fate and Freedom paradox ending. "The Promise" was also used in the debut trailer for the game's sequel, Final Fantasy XIII-2. "Fabula Nova Crystallis" plays during the secret ending of Requiem of the Goddess downloadable content scenario.

"Sunleth Waterscape" returns in Final Fantasy XIII-2 as the backing track for Sunleth Waterscape -400 AF- and the southern section of -300 AF-. The original Japanese version are used in all localisations, and the overseas lyrics are not used at all in the game.

Dissidia 012 Final FantasyEdit

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"The Archylte Steppe" from Final Fantasy XIII

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"The Archylte Steppe -original- from FINAL FANTASY XIII" appears in Dissidia 012 as the overworld music for Lightning, and is the fifteenth track of the second disc of the Original Soundtrack.

"The Promise" was also included in the medley of ending themes created for Dissidia 012's "DISSIDIA 012[duodecim]-ending- from DISSIDIA 012[duodecim] FINAL FANTASY", the twentieth track of the soundtrack's second disc. It is the last theme to play before the themes representing the two Dissidia titles.

Theatrhythm Final FantasyEdit

"The Promise" and "Sunleth Waterscape" appear in Theatrhythm for Final Fantasy XIII's Series Mode as its Opening and Field music, respectively. "Sunleth Waterscape" is also one of two themes chosen for Theatrhythm's downloadable 3DS eShop Demo.

"Archylte Steppe" is a bonus Field theme available as Downloadable Content.

Arrangement Album appearancesEdit

Piano Collections: Final Fantasy XIIIEdit

A piano arrangement combining "FINAL FANTASY XIII - The Promise" with "Sunleth Waterscape" was included in Piano Collections: Final Fantasy XIII. It is the second track of this album.

Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy Returning HomeEdit

An orchestral performance of "Fabula Nova Crystallis" with the lyrics of "Serah's Theme", conducted by Arnie Roth, performed by the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra and Frances Maya is present on the third Distant Worlds album. It was originally performed in Tokyo in November 2010. It is the eight track of the second disc.