Rikku Rikku is an Al Bhed girl who is a playable character in both " Final Fantasy X " , and its direct sequel , " Final Fantasy X - 2 " . Before the events of " Final Fantasy X " , Rikku ' s mother died in an incident involving a faulty machina . Rikku ' s father is Cid , the leader of the Al Bhed faction , and she has an older brother named Brother . Cid ' s sister ( Rikku ' s aunt ) married summoner Braska , Yuna ' s father , thus making him Rikku ' s uncle . Rikku and Brother are Yuna ' s maternal cross cousins . In " Final Fantasy X " , Rikku is the first friend Tidus makes in Spira , and she becomes Yuna ' s final guardian on her pilgrimage . In " Final Fantasy X - 2 " , Rikku convinces Yuna to become a sphere hunter , and accompanies her on her personal quest that evolves into a bid to save Spira again . Profile . Appearance . In " Final Fantasy X " , Rikku is fifteen years old and has medium - length blonde hair in a ponytail and braided pigtails with orange feathers . She has the Al Bhed trademark green eyes with swirled pupils , although in FMV cutscenes in " X - 2 " , Rikku ' s eyes have normal pupils instead . When she is first met aboard the salvage ship , Rikku wears a full Al Bhed combat diving suit that conceals her identity . When she joins Yuna ' s pilgrimage and sheds the suit , she wears a pair of flared green short - shorts with an orange belt and an orange sleeveless tank - top with side straps and two long blue ribbons hanging from the back . She wears a pair of goggles around her neck , a pair of boots , a gauntlet and arm guard for her right arm and a large protective forearm mitt for her left . Around her right thigh she keeps a pouch for her alchemy materials and equipment . Rikku ' s nails are painted yellow . Despite carrying goggles around her neck and wearing them while salvaging and piloting machina , Rikku never wears her goggles again after she takes them off on the Moonflow . Rikku ' s " Final Fantasy X HD Remaster " cutscene model lacks earrings . In " Final Fantasy X - 2 " , the now 17 - year - old Rikku wears her longer hair loose and braided , tied atop her head , adorned with colorful beads , and held by a blue bandanna . Rikku has unique outfits for each of the thirteen dressphere s used in combat with details that distinguish her from Paine and Yuna . Rikku ' s default look is the Thief dressphere , where she wears a yellow g - string bikini and an olive green mini - skirt , carrying two pouches at her waist and ruffle sleeves . A long yellow and red scarf hangs loosely around her neck . Wearing the Thief dressphere in combat , she wields two red dagger - like blades designed for rapid attacks . In other dresspheres , she wields Yuna ' s Tiny Bee guns and summoning staves El Dorado and Spiked Rod , as well as Tidus ' s Crystal Sword , Auron ' s Katana blade and his Masamune katana . Her deck theme for the Lady Luck dressphere is clubs , and her Mascot dressphere is a Cait Sith . In " Kingdom Hearts II " , Rikku ' s hairstyle remains unchanged and her default Thief dressphere has a minor changes : she wears a yellow tube top and an orange skirt with two yellow ribbons and white ruffle sleeves . Her long scarf is now red with an orange tint . She now wears white knee - high socks and her boots are white with blue folded sleeves . Personality . In " Final Fantasy X " , Rikku is kind - hearted , spirited , happy - go - lucky , and energetic , which sometimes clashes with the more stoic group members . She looks up to Lulu as a role model , being impressed with her calm level - headed nature . Rikku tries to maintain a positive outlook but there is a stark contrast when she is upset , and despite her outwardly happy exterior , she carries some insecurities , particularly when it comes to her future and what she wants to be . Rikku is bilingual and skilled in chemistry and alchemy . She suffers from astraphobia , the fear of lightning , after a mishap involving Brother and a stray Thunder spell in her youth , but has overcome it by " Final Fantasy X - 2 " by camping out in the Thunder Plains for a week . Rikku is also very loyal to Yuna — whom she affectionately calls " Yunie " — and is the most vocal opponent against the ongoing pilgrimage . She bonds with Tidus , perhaps because of their similar personalities and devotion to Yuna . In " Final Fantasy X - 2 " , remaining loyal to her cousin Yuna , Rikku continues to care about her welfare while encouraging her to have more fun in life . She is now Yuna ' s role model as Yuna sometimes copies her erratic behavior and unique expressions , though Rikku sometimes reprimands Yuna for using foul language . Rikku remains the ever upbeat and somewhat reckless individual , occasionally causing trouble for her friends , and also remains insecure about her future . Rikku fears snakes , sometimes shouting " Snake ! Snake ! Snaaaaaaake ! " when entering battle against a snake - like enemy such as a Recoil . In " Final Fantasy X - 2 : Last Mission " , it ' s revealed that Rikku can ' t help herself when it comes to caring too much about other people , whether or not it ' s any of her business . She has some jealousy towards Yuna , for having a significant other in her life and that she ' s able to stay in one place and settle down . Rikku is still unsure about her future and when others think of it as strange for her to worry , she gets defensive as they make it sound as though she doesn ' t think about anything important . Story . " Final Fantasy X " . During Rikku ' s childhood , a machina went on a rampage and her mother was killed . Rikku was attacked by a fiend while playing on the beach and Brother aimed a Thunder spell at the fiend to fend it off , but the spell missed and hit Rikku instead , leaving her with a fear of thunder . After Tidus is ambushed by a fiend in the Underwater Ruins , he is rescued by a group of Al Bhed led by Rikku . While the others believe him to be a fiend in human form , Rikku objects to killing Tidus and instead knocks him out so he can be taken to the Al Bhed Salvage Ship . As the bilingual member of the group , Rikku enlists Tidus in reactivating an underwater power plant to salvage a sunken airship . Striking up a friendship and surprised by his claims of hailing from Zanarkand , Rikku promises to take him to Luca so he can find someone he knows . The two are separated when Sin attacks the ship and Tidus is washed overboard . Tidus drifts to Besaid and ends up joining Yuna on her pilgrimage . When Yuna ' s group crosses the Moonflow via Shoopuf , Rikku pilots an underwater machina to kidnap her and stop her pilgrimage , but Tidus and Wakka dive in after her and save Yuna by destroying Rikku ' s machina . Ejecting from the damaged machina , Rikku washes ashore and Tidus finds her . Rikku discards her Al Bhed uniform to move about incognito and joins Yuna ' s pilgrimage as her final guardian . While the others know of her heritage , Rikku ' s status as an Al Bhed is concealed from Wakka , who does not approve of the Al Bhed for personal reasons . Though she enjoys the hospitality at Guadosalam , Rikku stays out of the Farplane while the others go for a visit , saying that the images of the dead Farplane conjures for its visitors are mere memories , and she prefers keeping her memories to herself . Rikku ' s astraphobia is revealed while the group cross the Thunder Plains , pleading with the others to rest at the nearby Rin ' s Travel Agency . Auron ' s harshness causes an upset Rikku to momentarily overcome her fear by the time they reach Macalania Woods . On the way to Macalania Temple , Rikku defends Yuna from her brother when he attempts to kidnap her . When she tells him she will protect Yuna using her native tongue , Rikku finds herself insulted by a shocked Wakka . She retorts by telling him to think for himself for once without Yevon ' s influence , and show proof of his claims that her people are to blame for Sin . If Tidus rides a machina sled with Rikku to Macalania Temple , she reveals she is Yuna ' s cousin and articulates in a roundabout way that Yuna will die if she continues her pilgrimage , but Tidus is oblivious . At Macalania Temple , a guard , disbelieving an Al Bhed could be a guardian to a summoner , denies Rikku entry until Auron comes to her defense . After the group confront Seymour for his role in murdering his father , Jyscal Guado , which escalates into a battle that kills Seymour , they are pursued by the Guado and fall to the bottom of the frozen Lake Macalania , where they are whisked away by an encounter with Sin . The party regroups on Bikanel Island but cannot find Yuna . Rikku leads the others to the Al Bhed Home that is under attack by the Guado . They locate Rikku ' s father , Cid , and Rikku reveals to an unaware Tidus that Yuna will die if she performs the Final Summoning . They escape on the airship the Al Bhed had restored from the salvage operation Tidus participated briefly in . At Bevelle , the party drops in on Yuna ' s forced wedding ceremony to the now - unsent Seymour but are forced to watch it continue while held at gunpoint . After Yuna escapes on Valefor , Rikku tosses a flash bomb to blind Seymour and the warrior monks so that the group can retreat into Bevelle Temple . After Kinoc holds them up , Rikku tries to warn Tidus not to exit the Chamber of the Fayth with Yuna , but it is too late , and they are arrested and held on trial for treason . Rikku is thrown into the Via Purifico with Tidus and Wakka but they escape from the dungeon ' s monster and reunite with Yuna and the others . On Bevelle ' s Highbridge , Seymour transforms into Seymour Natus and confronts the group . They defeat him and flee to the Macalania Woods where Rikku hopes Yuna would quit her pilgrimage now that they know the truth about Yevon ' s corrupt ways , and although Yuna is set on continuing Rikku and Tidus decide to come up with a way to save her . During the group ' s climb up Mt . Gagazet to the Zanarkand Ruins , Rikku becomes increasingly distraught over Yuna ' s impending fate and pleads with her not to go through with it . Yuna comforts Rikku and thanks her for her help , but Rikku refuses to accept Yuna ' s choice . Within the Zanarkand Dome , the party learns of the Final Summoning ' s true nature as a continuation of Sin , and Rikku is overjoyed when Yuna rejects it as a false rite . The party decides to fight Sin via other means and Rikku tells Shelinda to spread word of the plan to pacify Sin by using the " Hymn of the Fayth " . They fly the airship into the calmed Sin and traverse its innards to reach the core . After Wakka makes his peace with her people , Rikku joins the others in defeating Jecht in his Final Aeon form to destroy Yu Yevon . As Yuna sends her aeons , Auron dissolves into pyreflies and departs for the Farplane . With Yu Yevon no more , Sin , the fayth , the aeons , and Tidus begin to fade . The party returns to the airship and Tidus says his goodbyes to everyone , but Rikku does not accept his departure , saying they will meet again . Some time later , Rikku is present with Lulu , Wakka , and Kimahri as Yuna delivers a speech in Luca Stadium to announce the onset of the Eternal Calm . In the two years that have passed since Sin ' s destruction , Rikku has traveled all over Spira , salvaging machina and teaching people how to use them . She often takes the time to visit Yuna on Besaid . Rikku has even overcome her fear of thunder by camping out in the Thunder Plains for a week . She and Brother have fallen out with Cid and have founded the Gullwings , an Al Bhed sphere hunting group based on their airship , the " Celsius " , with the help of Brother ' s friends , Buddy and Shinra . They are eventually joined by a young woman named Paine . One day , Rikku rushes to Besaid on an Al Bhed ship to show Yuna a sphere Kimahri found on Mt . Gagazet displaying an imprisoned man resembling Tidus . Rikku invites Yuna to accompany her to Kimahri to learn more about the sphere , but Wakka says Yuna is too busy with visitors . Rikku argues that Yuna should embrace her new lease on life and after Yuna decides to journey again , Rikku reveals she brought new clothes for her to go " incognito " . At Yuna ' s insistence , they leave Besaid immediately and embark on a new adventure . " Final Fantasy X - 2 " . The Gullwings gain a rivalry with the Leblanc Syndicate , another sphere hunting group , led by Leblanc . One day , Leblanc steals Yuna ' s Garment Grid and performs a concert in Luca while posing as Yuna . Rikku and Paine crash the concert while Yuna dons a moogle costume to keep a low profile . Rikku and Paine chase Leblanc out to the docks and Yuna joins the fray and reclaims her Garment Grid . The Gullwings explore the recently discovered Floating Ruins at the peak of Mt . Gagazet and claim the treasure sphere that contains images of Zanarkand . At the Zanarkand Ruins they find half a sphere . The Gullwings travel throughout Spira and encounter many old and new friends , including the three most influential Spirans : Youth League leader Nooj , New Yevon Praetor Baralai , and Gippal , leader of the Machine Faction . Gippal , a ladies ' man and an old friend of Rikku ' s , embarrasses her with a crack about the two of them having " made quite the couple " . News spreads about an " awesome sphere " found in Kilika , which draws the attention of both the Youth League and New Yevon . The Gullwings seize the sphere whose footage displays the mysterious man who resembles Tidus standing before a large weapon , mentioning someone named Lenne . The awesome sphere is returned to either the Youth League or New Yevon , and it is learned from Nooj or Baralai the colossal weapon is called Vegnagun . Leblanc broke into the airship and stole the Gullwings ' broken sphere from the Zanarkand Ruins , and in Leblanc ' s headquarters , Chateau Leblanc , the girls discover Leblanc already had the other half and stole their half to make it whole . After watching the restored sphere it is learned Vegnagun lies hidden underneath Bevelle . Forming a truce with the Leblanc Syndicate , the sphere hunters enter the underground passage under Bevelle formed after the fayth ' s disappearance and find a secret complex filled with machina . When YRP reach Vegnagun ' s lair , they face an antagonistic Bahamut and the girls are forced to fight it . Vegnagun is gone and a large hole is left in its place . Fiends pour out of the temples , and Nooj , Baralai , and Gippal go missing . After defeating a possessed Ixion in Djose Temple its surprise death blow attack sends Yuna falling down the hole in the former Chamber of the Fayth and into the Farplane . Rikku , Paine , and the others soon hear from Yuna again when she emerges in the Bevelle Underground . Back on the " Celsius " , Yuna tells everyone about Shuyin and Lenne who lived during the times of the Machina War a thousand years ago , and Lenne ' s spirit coalesced into a sphere , which the Gullwings now use as the Songstress dressphere . After learning about Shuyin and Lenne from Maechen after Yuna ' s 1000 Words concert , Rikku pities Shuyin , as two years ago , she , too , went to great lengths to try and save Yuna from a tragic fate . Now knowing the holes in the temples lead to the Farplane , Yuna plans talking to Shuyin and tell him how Lenne felt . Rikku feels that people are always leaving her behind , but Yuna thanks her for ' kidnapping ' her and letting her join the Gullwings . YRP descend into the depths of the Farplane in search of Shuyin and Vegnagun . After destroying Vegnagun and defeating Shuyin , Lenne ' s spirit puts Shuyin ' s hatred to rest and they return to the Farplane together . The Gullwings leave Spira ' s leaders at Luca and ride the " Celsius " to Besaid where Yuna reunites with a revived Tidus . " Final Fantasy X - 2 . 5 ~ Eien no Daishō ~ " . After Yuna and Tidus reunite on the Besaid shore , everyone returns to Besaid Village for a celebration . Rikku talks with Tidus and notes he hasn ' t changed a bit before introducing him to Paine . When Tidus ' s concentration begins to falter mid - conversation and he begins making glances for Yuna who is still busy at the temple , Rikku takes back her claim and says Tidus has changed . She notes that although he looks the same , he is not the same lighthearted Tidus he was two years ago . Over the next three months , the Gullwings have gone their separate ways . Each girl receives a letter that calls the trio back together at Luca to explore the recently discovered Iutycyr Tower . With Buddy and Brother out shopping , Paine flies them to Iutycyr on the " Celsius " . Rikku says they can fly to the top , but Paine thinks they should obey the letter and climb the tower . As they explore the ruins , they discuss what they had been doing since they had separated . Rikku has continued to salvage machina and works on missions and relays the status of their other friends throughout Spira . She is at constant odds with Yuna , claiming Yuna doesn ' t want to see her anymore and questions why Yuna stays on Besaid with Tidus instead of doing something exciting . Rikku doesn ' t know what she wants to do with her life , and expresses jealousy towards Yuna for settling down , something Rikku feels she ' s unable to do . She says Yuna is wasting her life away , but Yuna says Rikku is only fooling herself by keeping busy . Paine breaks them up , but Rikku claims that Paine doesn ' t care about others , and Yuna says that Rikku cares about others too much . Paine questions the point of reuniting if they ' re only going to fight . Paine reveals she sent the letters because she felt something was missing as she traveled Spira by herself after they split up . She had made up the part about something worth seeing at the top of the tower , but had wanted the girls to have another adventure like they did as the Gullwings . Yuna resolves to keep going regardless , but Rikku wonders what ' s going to become of them afterward . The girls learn that they have changed and fear growing further apart as long as they ' re together . Yuna believes they had gotten along before only because they had to work together . Reaching the top , the group finds only a broken - down machina . Rikku expresses her disappointment , but Paine claims to see something . They realize they had become different people during their time apart . They decide to go their separate ways but to always cherish the memories of their time together . With their friendship renewed , the machina springs to life and their adventures continue . Gameplay . " Final Fantasy X " . Rikku is a playable party member , who functions similar to both a Thief and a Chemist . She uses claws for weapons , and targes as armor . Her default abilities are Steal and Use . Her Sphere Grid path makes her agile , and gives decent HP and moderate Strength . Her Overdrive is Mix , which can combine items to many possible effects , potentially stronger than equivalent spells . Her Celestial Weapon is Godhand , which is unique due to its Gillionaire ability which doubles Gil earned . Rikku is also one of the three characters that can fight underwater , along with Tidus and Wakka . " Final Fantasy X - 2 " . Rikku returns as a party member , having access to dressphere s , with her default sphere being Thief . Her special dressphere is the Machina Maw and her Mascot dressphere is the Cait Sith . As a Trainer her pet is a monkey called Ghiki . Rikku specializes in elemental and physical attacks and magic . Rikku is fought as a possessed boss in the Den of Woe . Rikku can be used in blitzball during chapter 5 . A Rikku Sphere Break coin is available , won from the " Bevelle Core Sphere " player in the Luca Stadium . Creation and development . Voice . Rikku ' s Japanese voice actress is Marika Matsumoto . Rikku shares her Japanese voice actress with Mutsuki Chiharano from " Final Fantasy Type - 0 " . She is voiced by Tara Strong in the English version . Tara Strong stated that she started voicing Rikku by first receiving the original recordings in Japanese , and that she received character ' s overall description to help her portray the character . Tara said Rikku was easy to portray and quite straightforward . In the " Final Fantasy X - 2 HD Remaster " Rikku will occasionally say lines in Japanese during battle . These lines were done by her English voice actress , Tara Strong . This is because in the original " Final Fantasy X - 2 : International + Last Mission " Square got the English voice actresses to record the new English battle dialogue for the Festivalist and Psychic dresspheres , and recorded Japanese quotes one might hear any time during a battle . For Rikku these new quotes are " Kono ! " ( You little . . . ! ) , " Yossha ! " ( Alright ! ) , " Choi choi tte kanji " ( Feeling good ! ) and " Wasshooi ! " ( Heave - ho ! ) . Rikku ends a lot of lines with " You know . " This was decided to be her vocal tic because it was an easy way to end sentences in an environment where the lip animations matched the Japanese voice work , the characters often ending their lines with an open mouth . Rikku , as well as her English voice actress ; , has received several awards for her portrayal . In 2004 , Tara Strong was the co - winner of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences award for " Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance - Female " for her portrayal of Rikku in " Final Fantasy X - 2 " . Musical themes . " Rikku ' s Theme " in " Final Fantasy X " is a variant of the theme of the Al Bhed , " Oui are Al Bhed " , and plays when Tidus reunites with her on the northern bank of Moonflow . " Rikku ' s Theme " is arranged for piano on the " " album . Her themes in " Final Fantasy X - 2 " are two fast , upbeat pop themes that have been vocalized on the " " album . The vocal versions of the themes are sung by Rikku ' s Japanese voice actor , Marika Matsumoto . Other appearances . Rikku has appeared in the following games in the " Final Fantasy " series : Non - " Final Fantasy " guest appearances . Rikku has made guest appearances in the following non - " Final Fantasy " games : Other media . " Dead Fantasy " . Rikku appears in the fan - made " Dead Fantasy " short films by Monty Oum in her " Final Fantasy X - 2 " attire , along with Yuna , Rinoa , , Tifa , Cloud , and " Dead or Alive " characters . Monty had stated Rikku would be going through multiple dressphere changes in her battle against her main enemy , Ayane . Throughout " Dead Fantasy " and " Dead Fantasy II " Rikku aids her cousin Yuna to fight the ninja half - siblings , Kasumi and Ayane , soon aided by Hitomi to fight them in a handicap . Rikku tries to sphere change during " Dead Fantasy II " , but is interrupted . Rikku is mostly seen fighting Ayane and being aided by Kairi . Rikku eventually knocks Ayane to one of the conjure portals that Rinoa had created . In both previews of " Dead Fantasy VI " , Rikku and Ayane clash weapons before she sphere changes multiple times in an underground cavern and its hidden laboratory . Later , she uses her special dressphere , the Machina Maw , against Ayane . Rikku ' s fighting style is based on Capoeira with added agility and proficiency with dual daggers . Her grunts are from Xianghua from " Soul Calibur " , voiced by Aya Hisakawa . Rikku also appears in the " Dead Fantasy - Gee " music video in her " Final Fantasy X " attire . She plays the role of Lee Soonkyu , also known as " Sunny " , one of the members of Girls Generation .