Does Yoshi P Hate FF9?

[VictorSpoils]

...I'm not sure you know what game Final Fantasy IX is. It's been beloved for pretty much its entire life, barring some people who had kneejerk negative reactions going from the Dark And Serious VII and VIII to the very Disney-esque IX. It's one of the most broadly well-regarded games in the series across all regions; it's frequently ahead of XIV, with the largest poll to my knowledge being done in 2020 and putting IX at fourth, with XIV in fifth. (X, VII and VI were ahead of it.)

And Zidane actually does connect his weapons in FFIX; item synthesis lets you jam two of his daggers together to make a dual-bladed weapon, which is his other weapon style. Dissidia adapts this by having him do exactly what Viper does.

I'd recommend playing FFIX, since you don't seem to have any experience with it. It's a good game, you'll probably like it.

I've played it twice, actually. Though that assumption is not entirely unsound considering how many detractors of other FF games admitted to not even playing them. FFIX not appearing in other media as often as other FF games has always been a sore spot for you guys.

Unfortunately, Dissidia is its own canon and does not represent the gameplay of each individual FF game. Like, there's a composite WoL character for FFI and Y'shtola can wield Thyrus as a weapon alt. Synthesis is also an asspull since the dual weapons do not disconnect and none of them resemble their individual counterparts, nor does that feature play into the VPR weapons in XIV. It would be more logical to assume they were an ode to the judge weapons in FFXII, which do disconnect and happen to go nicely with the Law's Order Scouting set as you probably saw.

Regardless, I don't recall any mention of Yoshi saying there's a job connection. Though given his track record lately (whether he's been misconstrued or not) that would probably be for the best.

[Cilia]

It would be more logical to assume they were an ode to the judge weapons in FFXII, which do disconnect and happen to go nicely with the Law's Order Scouting set as you probably saw.

Regardless, I don't recall any mention of Yoshi saying there's a job connection.

Considering the heavy influence of IX on Dawntrail you'd have to be a huge dummy not to draw the connection; and while Ivalician influence on XIV is undeniable, Dawntrail's had it as light as it's ever been. (Whether you personally like that is another matter).