Ishikawa commissioned Smile T__T

[kiotsukete]

Link

This is how heroes die lol. /s
(Or "If you don't die a hero something something you live long enough to become a villain yadda yadda.").

Ok jokes aside, I do think it was a very poor choice on her part tbh (and it could imply that she had more influence on the story's writing process than I hoped, rip).

But hey at least now we know what the song's inspiration was: Musical.

So it seems, despite certain claims, not liking Smile doesn't make you a terrible person after all. Phew!

Soken's reaction is very relatable though.

Yeah, song styles were really all over the place in DT and often don’t fit with the setting.

If Tural is supposed to be FF14’s version of Central/South America, I would have liked the ending theme to be more representative of the culture instead of a Broadway musical. For that matter, I always found it bizarre that the BGM for the capital city of all places is 40’s swing/big band.

[Nebelheim]

Yeah, song styles were really all over the place in DT and often don’t fit with the setting.

If Tural is supposed to be FF14’s version of Central/South America, I would have liked the ending theme to be more representative of the culture instead of a Broadway musical. For that matter, I always found it bizarre that the BGM for the capital city of all places is 40’s swing/big band.

I also feel the musical styles/genre's were all over the place this expansion and lacked as much focus as previous expansions where everything fit music wise.

[JRosa]

Yeah, song styles were really all over the place in DT and often don’t fit with the setting.

If Tural is supposed to be FF14’s version of Central/South America, I would have liked the ending theme to be more representative of the culture instead of a Broadway musical. For that matter, I always found it bizarre that the BGM for the capital city of all places is 40’s swing/big band.

I walked in Tuliyollal expecting to hear Final Fantasy latin american style music. Instead i was greeted with the Monsters Inc opening theme.

[mallleable]

Smile is the perfect song to build a bomb train of friendship to.

[Elkanah]

The first time I heard it, I thought the expansion was done (and we saw some after-cutscenes) like we normally do. Then I realized that I wasnt even at 100 and we had a lot more story. My thought was "WHAT IS GOING ON???". Ending song was good, but the placement of it after the events of Solution 9 and the final dungeon were... questionable. I enjoyed the song. Just not sure I liked how it was presented at the end of the final credits lol

[Astronis]

(and it could imply that she had more influence on the story's writing process than I hoped, rip).

Ishikawa's fingerprints are all over Dawntrail.

[PaulusHamsteru]

The only good thing about Smile is the instrumental.

[Papayatar]

Oh ok so she wanted a musical song for an end theme. I 1000% get that for that song. It’s still just a meh song but its placement was what made it bad and more unlikeable tbh. It’s honestly a bit of an earworm.

But also! This also makes sense for why it feels kinda off for Soken’s usual work. Making music for musicals isnt his wheelhouse so he did the best he could. I wonder if he consulted anyone who’s background is musicals or did he just watch Blue’s Brothers a few times and YOLO it lol.

Also x2 this puts the “black gospel” thing to rest cuz it never was.

[PercibelTheren]

The hate of Smile feels so overblown. It's not a musical marvel but it's so harmlessly cheesy.

Can people just dislike things without pretending that it's the end of the world that a thing they don't like exists.

Yeah I don't really get the hate, either. It's not the best song in FFXIV by far but it's also nowhere near as bad. People here are acting like it's the antichrist.

[Moqi]

I can't stand the singer's voice, it's more screeching than singing.

The song is bad but the singer makes it unbearable.