Kawaii, a Japanese word encompassing traits like cuteness & adorability, is a major cultural export from the Land of the Rising Sun.
It’s baked into everything we love about Japanese culture.
Nearly every shōnen manga/anime has a cute creature (sometimes person) that injects levity into what could otherwise be a rather serious tale.
And of course, Japanese video games are no different.
While FFXIV contains plenty of serious and significant moments (mostly in the Main Scenario questline), there’s an abundance of kawaii everywhere in the game – including the mount selection.
Whether one chooses to ride around on one of the game’s terrifying dragons or high-tech machinations is up to each player.
I’m a fan of the Mount Roulette feature (a button that randomly chooses a mount for you), and sometimes after a string of intense mounts, it’s a real mood-lifter when a member of the cutie squad comes out.
If you’re looking to imbue a certain Je ne sais kawaii into your mount collection, check out my top ten picks for the cutest of them all.
This is the strangest pick on the list, but hear me out.
I know that Eldthurs is a giant fiery yeti. And I know I just got done talking about balancing one’s collection of intimidating mounts with lighthearted ones.
But when I look at Eldthurs I just see a big ol’ goofball.
Also, taking into consideration Hello Kitty’s face as the gold standard for kawaii features, an argument can be made for Eldthurs’s derpface as a reasonable comparison.
The backward flying animation is endearingly goofy, and Eldthurs always seems to be chewing on a big piece of sod.
While not classically cute per se (small with cartoonish features), Eldthurs definitely dips into a few categories for me, cute being one of them.
How to get: The Eldthurs Horn is acquired by opening Gold Coffers in The Forbidden Land, Eureka Pyros (quite a rare drop).
Carbuncle has gone through many iterations in the Final Fantasy series, arriving at this cute cross between a fox, a dog, a cat, and the mythical nine-tailed kyuubi from Japanese folklore.
One thing has endured: a precious gemstone between the eyes.
Carbuncle has adorable kitty paws, big curious eyes, and sparkles constantly amid a lovely bodily glow.
This mount looks great riding at nighttime.
Carbuncle has always been associated with the Summoner, but any job can tame the mount.
And it comes in three colors (Aquamarine, Rubellite, and Citrine), so be sure to pick your favorite, or just pick them all!
How to get: Each color Carbuncle Whistle can be purchased from the FFXIV Online Store for $24.
There’s countless videos of pandas sneezing, cuddling with each other, chewing bamboo and losing their balance – they’re essentially an unlimited source of kawaii.
Fortunately for everyone, there’s a panda you can ride in FFXIV!
Mystic Panda has an adorably slothful gait on the ground that rings true to our collective panda-imagination.
When it’s airborne, bamboo leaves spring forth from its body, and it runs atop haloes of light.
How to get: The Mystic Panda Pipe can be purchased from the FFXIV Online Store for $24.
Korpokkur are usually quite small – the first we see one is the Korpokkur Kid minion from the St. Mocianne’s Arboretum dungeon – and yet its cute features remain when blown up to massive size.
Squished face, check.
Rotund body, check.
Twiggy limbs, check.
This mount is a multifaceted mossy puffball of precious proportion.
Like many other mounts on this list, it has a beautiful glow, sparkles, and sheds light rings in flight.
How can you say no to a paunchy green sprout with beady little eyes?
How to get: The Korpokkur Kolossus Horn can be acquired at the Gold Saucer for 750,000 MGP.
The Mikoshi mount is one of the largest in size on this list, though the cuteness comes in the form of eight small Namazu that carry your character proudly in an extravagant palanquin.
These cartoonish catfish won my heart with their little robes and circlets. And each one wears a bell that jingles as they jump.
There’s one Namazu that doesn’t seem to be having the greatest time – but the distressed look on its face makes it the most charming of the bunch.
I hope it gets a lunch break soon!
Mikoshi in flight is what gets me (the Namazu haphazardly dangling from the palanquin). It’s a wonder they don’t fall off.
There’s even an adorable mount-specific action, ‘Wasshoi,’ in which the gang throws sparkles in the air and does a wholesome cheer.
How to get: The Mikoshi Flute can be purchased for 20 Namazu Koban after reaching Rank 8 (Bloodsworn) with the tribe.
And what it lacks in a sizable scale it makes up for in sizable cuteness.
Pretty much every playable race will appear small on this mount, barring the Lalafell.
The Great Vessel houses the Great Serpent of Ronka, initially a minion reward for completing a questline in The Rak’Tika Greatwood. It looks more like a cross between a plump bee and a caterpillar than a snake… but the snake idea is there, and it’s adorable nonetheless.
Poking its round head out of its pot, the little guy has a front row seat to whatever adventures you decide to go on.
Musical notes float around you as you fly, and as a bonus, the mount specific action “Peculiar Light” remains from using it on the beast tribe quests.
How to get: The Ronkan Flute is purchased with 18 Qitari Compliments after reaching Rank 7 (Sworn) with the tribe.
Topping the list is the most special puffball with twiggy limbs, the Albino Karakul.
It’s really hard not to be completely enamored at first sight.
It has the cutest upturned snout and twisty tail.
Karakul are usually black, making this one quite special (and more akin to a real-world sheep), and a black sheep amongst its kind.
Its running animation is a precious prance, plus it’s got an adorable little bell dangling from its neck, and every now and then it’ll shake out its head and those little ears go along for the ride.
How to get: You have to be a master crafter participating in the Ishgardian Restoration to acquire the Albino Karakul Horn (8,400 Skybuilders’ Scrips).
Max has been playing MMORPGs since he was a preteen. He's quite keen on the Final Fantasy and World of Warcraft franchises, mostly playing DPS classes because, well, tanking and healing is a ton of responsibility. Max took his love of all things Japan to a year-long study abroad program, giving him a front row seat to his favorite things. You could say it was... quite the fandom spot for him (*^-^*);;
