JRPGshave many tropes that define the genre, all stemming from Japanese culture. These include anime aesthetics, storytelling centered on internal conflicts, and a focus on developing character backstories.
I have mixed feelings about one of the most well-known tropes in JRPGs, which is turning enemies into friends.When people say Naruto used “Talk no Jutsu” to resolve a conflict instead of fighting, this is exactly what they’re talking about.
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It’s a common cliché in Japanese media, and if you’ve played any game, watched any series, or followed any anime from Japan, you’ve probably seen it before. It’s common to see JRPG antagonists becoming our friends or even party members.
However, this transition from enemy to ally doesn’t always feel natural or coherent with the story. In this list, I’ll showcase 10 JRPGs where enemies become friends, whether by becoming permanent cast members or simply having a change of heart in their final moments.
There will be spoilers ahead for all the games mentioned.
10Regal Bryant
Tales of Symphonia
Tales Of Symphonia Remastered
Regal is one of the party members inTales of Symphonia, but he was an enemy before joining.He might be the best example of the difference between a villain and an enemybecause, from the very first battle against him, you can tell he’s reluctant.
The Pope of Tethe’alla sent Regal to capture Colette, but he hesitates upon seeing Presea. Regal attempts to destroy Presea’s Exsphere during our second encounter with him, leading the party to fight and defeat him. Colette heals Regal, and upon awakening, he decides to help the group.
As the journey unfolds, Regal proves to be far more knowledgeable than the other party members in worldly wisdom, hinting that the convict is more than meets the eye. Eventually, it’s revealed that he was responsible for Presea’s sister’s death and that her essence now resides in the girl’s Exsphere—one of the mostheartbreaking plot twistsinTales of Symphonia.
Having killed Alicia, Regal swore never to use his hands for harm again, which is why he keeps them bound, fighting only with kicks. Between you and me, a well-connected kick is way deadlier than a punch.
Breath of Fire IV
Ursula is on the lighter side of what you’d call an enemy. As a commander in the Fou Empire, her duty is to capture the other half of Yorae,Breath of FireIV’sprotagonist, Ryu.
However,as soon as she encounters the dragon boy, she also witnesses some of the Empire’s more sinister methods and starts questioning their ways. She chooses to accompany Ryu and his party, serving as an imperial escort and a close observer.
The more time she spends with Ryu, the more she realizes he isn’t the villain the Empire painted him to be. On the other hand, as she advances deeper into Imperial territory, she sees that the current emperor doesn’t care about his people.
In the end, after General Rhun dies, her adoptive grandfather, Ursula, decides to stand with Ryu to end Imperial corruption and thwart Fou-Lu’s plans involving our draconic protagonist.
8Goro Akechi
Persona 5 Royal
It’s hard to say that Goro Akechi fromPersona 5is necessarily a friend. I consider him an enemy who became a party member—but with a huge caveat exclusive toPersona 5 Royal.
In the original game,Goro Akechi pretends to be an ally to the Phantom Thieves, reveals his ability to enter the Metaverse, and even joins the group while infiltrating Niijima’s Palacebefore betraying Joker in one of the best JRPG plot twists. Ultimately, Akechi chooses to sacrifice himself to help the Phantom Thieves.
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However, inPersona 5 Royal, a third semester was added, where Goro Akechi returns. The detective openly expresses his resentment toward the Phantom Thieves and hints that he’s only alive due to Maruki’s reality-altering powers. But he rejects this false reality and fights alongside the Phantom Thieves to take down Maruki.
At the end ofRoyal, if the player refuses Maruki’s fabricated world, it’s implied that Goro Akechi dies again. That is until a post-game cutscene shows a glimpse of what appears to be a living Akechi wandering around, leaving theending open to interpretation.
Chrono Cross
I could argue that half ofChrono Cross’scast goes from enemy to friend after Serge swaps bodies with Lynx, but that would be lazy. Instead, I’ll go with my dear dragoness, Harle, for this topic.
Harle is such an enigmatic character that it’s hard to label her as either enemy or friend. At first, she’s seen accompanying the real Lynx, determined to thwart our plans. She burns down Radius’s house and can even be fought as an optional boss.
However,after Serge becomes Lynx, she helps more than she hinders, despite knowing the truth. As the game progresses, her true identity is revealed—probably my first mind-blown JRPG plot twist—and it turns out she was always guiding us toward the Frozen Flame.
On one hand, she was an agent of the Dragon God, using Serge to retrieve the Frozen Flame. On the other hand, despite being an empty shell, she gradually developed feelings for the protagonist, leading to internal conflict over her original mission.
Ultimately, however, she became just another fragment ofthe Dragon God, whom we mercilessly defeated.
Tales of the Abyss
Asch, or Luke, is one of the most unique characters in the entireTales ofseries. In short,Tales of the Abyss’sprotagonist, Luke Fon Fabre, is a replica of Asch, who was kidnapped as a child to become the perfect soldier for the villain Van.
Like anyone who was kidnapped as a child, Asch grew up bitter and obsessed with revenge. When he crosses paths with the main party, he shows a toxic disdain for Luke, calling him a failure and belittling him at every opportunity.
However, there are several moments whereAsch helps the group, even showing a certain reluctant camaraderie. On rare occasions, he seems to acknowledge that Luke is his own person, though he never says it outright.
On the eve of the final battle, Asch sacrifices himself, transferring his power to Luke and ensuring the world’s survival. However, in the ending, there’s a subtle nod that Asch survived by merging with Luke. The fanbase believes Luke’s consciousness is in Asch’s body.
Dragon Quest XI
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Hendrik is the last party member to join the cast ofDragon Quest XI. This event is so unexpected that many official walkthroughs always hide his name to avoid spoiling anything.
The knight of Heliodor is the kind of character we hate to love. At first,he comes off as super stoic, determined to capture our protagonist as he blindly follows his code of honor without questioning his superiors. We know he’s wrong the whole time, but it doesn’t matter.
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Hendrik hunts the party worldwide until he eventually realizes he is chasing the wrong person. But by then, it’s too late, and the whole world suffers severe consequences for the destruction of the World Tree. The party also loses onedear party member.
In this new world, united in resisting the Lord of Shadows, Hendrik and the Luminary finally see eye to eye and decide to join forces to reclaim Heliodor and save the rest of Erdrea.
4Albel Nox
Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
Star Ocean: Till the End of time
Albel Nox is an optional party member inStar Ocean: Till the End of Time, so there’s a chance you might skip him in your playthrough and never have the swordsman become a friend of sorts.
Albel the Wicked is the captain of the Black Brigade of the Kingdom of Airyglyph. He constantly mocks Fayt and the party, showing ruthless behavior in every encounter.
However,behind this cruel visage hides a tragic past. Albel failed a trial by fire (literally), which led to his father’s death and caused him to shut down emotionally.
At first, Airyglyph believes Fayt is an enemy and sends its soldiers to fight him, including Albel. On two occasions, Albel shows mercy to Fayt, leading the kingdom to suspect him of treason and locking him up. Eventually, Albel is pardoned and sent on a mission with Fayt to defeat a dragon.
From then on, if the player makes the right choices and treats Albel amicably, the swordsman joins the team. I recruited him accidentally in my first playthrough because I didn’t know he was optional—and I’m glad I did. Albel was a menace in battle and my second favorite character to play.
3Kain Highwind
Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy 4
Kain is an unusual case because he’s a friend who becomes an enemy, then a friend again… then an enemy, and finally a friend one last time. He was possibly the first major “betrayal” in the JRPG world. It was shocking at first but less impactful once we discovered he was being mind-controlled rather than acting of his own free will.
I vividly remember the scene because I’ve always loved Dragoons as aFinal Fantasyjob. InFinal Fantasy IV,we initially play alongside Kain for a while before he leaves the party. It’s later revealed that he was being mind-controlled by Golbez. But deep down, his resentment and envy towards Cecil were real.
Eventually, Kain officially rejoins the group and remains a core member until the end of the game, except in the GBA version. He wants to atone for everything he did and lends his lance and jumping skills to his friend Cecil till the end.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
In my humble opinion,Jin is one of the most badass characters in theXenoblade Chroniclesseries. At first, he seems like an edgy Blade with a signature Tetsuya Nomura design and a shallow personality.
However, asXenoblade Chronicles 2progresses, we begin to understand—and even sympathize with—Jin’s motivations. The Blade, leader of the Torna organization, believes that humans treat Blades too cruelly, reducing them to nothing more than tools.
To change this, he seeks to destroy the world and the Architect, the creator of the Blades. However, after numerous confrontations with Rex, Pyra, and Mythra, Jin realizes that not all humans are the same, and some treat Blades with the kindness and care they deserve.
In his final moments, Jin sacrifices himself for the main group, protecting them from Amalthus and giving them the chance to continue ascending the World Tree. With his death, the Blade finally finds peace. I highly recommend playing theXenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Countryexpansion if you want to learn more about Jin’s backstory and motivations.
Chrono Trigger
Magus, or Janus for the intimate, is initially considered the main antagonist ofChrono Trigger. Not only had he warred against Guardia and transformed Glenn into a frog, but we also spent most of the game believing he was responsible for creating Lavos, the destroyer of the future.
But when we visit the magnificent floating city of Zeal, we learn more about the sorcerer’s past.Magus was trying to summon Lavos to kill him to save his sister, Schala. Okay, he did some questionable things in the process, but his heart was in the right place. Probably.
I didn’t know Magus could be recruited the first time I played, so in the final confrontation with Frog, I struck him down. My brother, however, always had a crush on warlocks and decided to spare him. When we discovered this led to Magus joining the party, I deeply regretted my choice and restartedChrono Triggerin New Game+to recruit him.
The only downside is that if we let Magus live, Frog remains cursed and never regains his human form. This is a bummer because the price of keeping the Triple Tech Omega Flare is denying our honorable knight the chance at a traditional life.
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