Ayla (Chrono Trigger)

Ayla was created by Chrono Trigger director Takashi Tokita and illustrated by Akira Toriyama. She is a cave woman who lives in the year 65,000,000 BC. Tokita was inspired by singer Ouyang Fei Fei when making her and her name was taken from the Clan of the Cave Bear character of the same name.{{cite web |url=https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/moviesandtv/columns/moviebob/10246-Rock-On.2 |title=Rock On |work=Escapist Magazine |last=Chipman |first=Bob |date=March 22, 2013 |access-date=June 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531192722/https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/moviesandtv/columns/moviebob/10246-Rock-On.2 |archive-date=May 31, 2019 |url-status=live }} He also added her due to a lack of simple, instinct-driven characters and the potential for humor. He identified her as his favorite character in the game.{{cite magazine |date=March 1995 |magazine=Famicom Tsūshin |title=Kaihatsu Shuuryou}} Her design, along with fellow protagonist Robo's, was the one that changed most of the main cast. Ayla's hair was originally straight, but graphic designer Masanori Hoshino wanted her hair to be a "wilder, wavy style," so they had Toriyama change it. Her design was changed to be neater and tidier.{{cite book | year=1995 | editor=V-Jump | title=Chrono Trigger V-Jump Player's Guide | page=189 | language=Japanese | publisher=V-Jump}} Ayla's breasts originally had more bounce until producer Kazuhiko Aoki made them reduce it, though the bounce is somewhat retained in the final version.{{cite web|author=blackoak |url=http://shmuplations.com/chronotrigger2/ |title=Chrono Trigger – 1995 Developer Interview Collection |work=Shmuplation |access-date=June 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124172004/http://shmuplations.com/chronotrigger2/ |archive-date=November 24, 2018 |url-status=live }} Also cut from the English version of the game was her love of sake.{{cite book|page=200|date=February 2018|title=The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers|volume=3|author=Szczepaniak, John|publisher=SMG Szczepaniak}}

Ayla is possibly bisexual, as suggested in a piece of dialogue in the Japanese version between her, Crono, and Lucca Ashtear, where she identifies that she is attracted to both of them due to their power.{{cite web |url=http://scalar.usc.edu/works/chronicles/sexuality-snes |title=Sexuality |work=Nouspace Publications |last=Brookman |first=Madeleine |date=August 6, 2015 |access-date=June 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531174718/http://scalar.usc.edu/works/chronicles/sexuality-snes |archive-date=May 31, 2019 |url-status=live }} The scene was changed in the English version, instead having Ayla show respect for Lucca's power. In the English version of Chrono Trigger on the Nintendo DS, the scene is written to only imply Ayla's attraction to Lucca.{{cite web |url=http://scalar.usc.edu/works/chronicles/sexuality-nds |title=Sexuality |work=Nouspace Publications |last=Brookman |first=Madeleine |date=August 5, 2015 |access-date=June 2, 2019}} In both Japanese and English, Ayla speaks in caveman speech.{{cite web |url=http://scalar.usc.edu/works/chronicles/history-and-features-of-the-chrono-trigger-snes-release |title=History and Features of the Chrono Trigger SNES Release |work=Nouspace Publications |last=Brookman |first=Madeleine |date=August 5, 2015 |access-date=June 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531181815/http://scalar.usc.edu/works/chronicles/history-and-features-of-the-chrono-trigger-snes-release |archive-date=May 31, 2019 |url-status=live }} Her vocabulary is considered rude by others, and she uses the personal pronoun "あたい" in Japanese to refer to herself, which represents femininity and toughness. The English version loses this context in localization.{{cite web |url=http://scalar.usc.edu/works/chronicles/character-names-and-personalities |title=Character Names and Personalities |work=Nouspace Publications |last=Brookman |first=Madeleine |date=August 5, 2015 |access-date=June 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531174741/http://scalar.usc.edu/works/chronicles/character-names-and-personalities |archive-date=May 31, 2019 |url-status=live }}

Ayla appears in Chrono Trigger as one of seven protagonists. She first appears when Crono and allies appear in the year 65,000,000 BC where she saves them from a race called Reptites. She recognizes their power and invites them back to her village for a celebratory party. She challenges Crono to a drinking contest (soup eating contest in the US version) with a valuable Dreamstone as a prize that Crono wins. The Gate Key, an object Lucca created to travel through time, is stolen by Reptites and its leader Azala due in part to her partner Kino, and they manage to take it back. After an assault on antagonist Magus, they are sent back to 65,000,000 BC by a time portal created by fellow antagonist Lavos. When they awaken, Ayla joins their party and assists them in their quest to prevent Lavos from destroying the world in 1999 AD. After assaulting the Reptites and Azala, Lavos begins to come down to Earth. Ayla tries to save Azala, but Azala resigns herself to death. Ayla and company escape and Lavos then makes impact with Earth. This causes the world to enter an ice age and the Reptites to go extinct. The name Lavos is given by Ayla ("la" meaning "fire" and "vos" meaning "big" in Iokan), and she continues helping them defeat Lavos. When Lavos is defeated, Ayla returns to 65,000,000 BC and marries Kino. It is revealed that fellow protagonist Marle is a descendant of Ayla and Kino.

Since appearing in Chrono Trigger, Ayla has received positive reception. Bitmob staff called Ayla their favorite character in the game due to her beauty and power.{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/2009/05/25/the-rime-of-the-ancient-rpger-chrono-trigger/ |title=The Rime of the Ancient RPGer: Chrono Trigger |work=Venture Beat |date=May 25, 2009 |access-date=June 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190602121618/https://venturebeat.com/2009/05/25/the-rime-of-the-ancient-rpger-chrono-trigger/ |archive-date=June 2, 2019 |url-status=live }} Author Madeleine Brookman discussed Ayla's defiance of gender norms, noting that her otherwise "inherently sexualized" outfit is still less restrictive than women's outfits in other time periods and that her proposing to Kino is uncommon based on percentages of women proposing to men in 2014.{{cite web |url=http://scalar.usc.edu/works/chronicles/gender-norms-ps |title=Gender Norms |work=Nouspace Publications |last=Brookman |first=Madeleine |date=August 6, 2015 |access-date=June 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531183435/http://scalar.usc.edu/works/chronicles/gender-norms-ps |archive-date=May 31, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://scalar.usc.edu/works/chronicles/gender-norms-snes |title=Gender Norms |work=Nouspace Publications |last=Brookman |first=Madeleine |date=August 6, 2015 |access-date=June 2, 2019}}{{cite web |url=http://scalar.usc.edu/works/chronicles/anime-aesthetic-ps |title=Anime Aesthetic |work=Nouspace Publications |last=Brookman |first=Madeleine |date=August 5, 2015 |access-date=June 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531181800/http://scalar.usc.edu/works/chronicles/anime-aesthetic-ps |archive-date=May 31, 2019 |url-status=live }} Loraine for Autostraddle had an initially negative reception due to her outfit, but was more positive due to her defiance of gender roles. She discusses her dominant role in her relationship, her powerful position, and stats that are more typical of male role-playing game characters.{{cite web |url=https://www.autostraddle.com/bout-of-nostalgia-chrono-trigger-makes-us-all-heroes-235400/ |title=Bout of Nostalgia: Chrono Trigger Makes Us All Heroes |work=Autostraddle |author=Loraine |date=June 14, 2014 |access-date=June 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526025432/https://www.autostraddle.com/bout-of-nostalgia-chrono-trigger-makes-us-all-heroes-235400/ |archive-date=May 26, 2019 |url-status=live }} Author Francis Montpetit discussed how Ayla breaks away from "militarized masculinity" by having her being the strongest among the protagonists.{{cite web |url=https://www.academia.edu/3050175 |title=Chrono Trigger - Analyse historique basée sur la jouabilité et la technologie |work=Academia.edu |last=Montpetit |first=Francis |year=2012 |access-date=June 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190602101355/https://www.academia.edu/3050175/Chrono_Trigger_-_Analyse_historique_bas%C3%A9e_sur_la_jouabilit%C3%A9_et_la_technologie |archive-date=June 2, 2019 |url-status=live }} Playboy model Pamela Horton identified Ayla as one of her favorite video game characters due to her assertiveness and independence.{{cite web |url=http://nerdreactor.com/2013/08/23/interview-with-playboys-pamela-horton/ |title=Interview with Playboy's Playmate and Gamer Next Door's Pamela Horton |last=Nguyen |first=John |date=August 23, 2013 |access-date=June 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531192719/http://nerdreactor.com/2013/08/23/interview-with-playboys-pamela-horton/ |archive-date=May 31, 2019 |url-status=live }} She cosplayed as Ayla, and it was the only cosplay she had done.{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/2012/10/20/playboys-miss-october-talks-about-gamer-stereotypes-and-breaking-into-the-game-business/ |title=Playboy's Miss October talks about gamer stereotypes and breaking into the game business |work=Venture Beat |last=Takahashi |first=Dean |date=October 20, 2012 |access-date=June 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531192719/https://venturebeat.com/2012/10/20/playboys-miss-october-talks-about-gamer-stereotypes-and-breaking-into-the-game-business/ |archive-date=May 31, 2019 |url-status=live }} Meghan Sullivan for IGN praised her introduction and her scene with Azala as two of the best in video games.{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/04/02/the-best-first-encounters-in-video-games |title=The Best First Encounters in Video Games |work=IGN |last=Sullivan |first=Meghan |date=April 2, 2013 |access-date=June 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531184523/https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/04/02/the-best-first-encounters-in-video-games |archive-date=May 31, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/07/03/a-look-back-at-chrono-trigger |title=A Look Back at Chrono Trigger |work=IGN |date=July 3, 2008 |access-date=June 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190602214948/https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/07/03/a-look-back-at-chrono-trigger |archive-date=June 2, 2019 |url-status=live }} John P. Hussey of RPGFan however found her forgettable.{{cite web |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/Chrono_Trigger_DS/ |title=Chrono Trigger |website=RPGFan |last=Hussey |first=John P. |date=January 5, 2009 |access-date=June 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531192718/http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/Chrono_Trigger_DS/ |archive-date=May 31, 2019 |url-status=live }} Author Michael P. Williams felt that she came close to the "dumb blonde" stereotype, but avoids it by being the most capable member of the cast. He cites her nobility and pragmatism as examples of this.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mPuEDwAAQBAJ |title=Chrono Trigger: Boss Fight Books #2 |publisher=Boss Fight Books |last=Williams |first=Michael P. |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-940535-01-2}} He also called her the sexiest character in the game. A statue featuring Ayla, Crono, and Robo was shown at Toy Fair 2010.{{cite web |url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/98455-Incredible-Chrono-Trigger-Statues-Shown-at-Toy-Fair-2010 |title=Incredible Chrono Trigger Statues Shown at Toy Fair 2010 |work=Escapist Magazine |last=Goldman |first=Tom |date=February 19, 2010 |access-date=June 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526022124/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/98455-Incredible-Chrono-Trigger-Statues-Shown-at-Toy-Fair-2010 |archive-date=May 26, 2019 |url-status=live }}

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{{Chrono series}}

Category:Chrono (series) characters

Category:Female characters in video games

Category:Fictional bisexual women

Category:Fictional clubfighters

Category:Fictional hunters in video games

Category:Fictional prehistoric characters

Category:Video game characters based on real people

Category:Video game characters designed by Akira Toriyama

Category:Video game characters introduced in 1995

Category:Video game characters with superhuman strength