After sifting through countless submissions of impressive artwork, the judges for Final Fantasy XI's 9th Anniversary Fan Art contest have selected their picks for the best of the best. This year's theme was the aforementioned anniversary, and all contest entries had to adhere to that guideline, but aside from that, the only limitations were the artists' imaginations. With media ranging from paints and inks to food, the pieces were breathtaking to say the least, though in the end, it was ZAM's own Pikko who received the coveted Crystal Prize! Congratulations to her and the rest of the winners!

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From Playonline.com:

May 16 marked the ninth full year of FINAL FANTASY XI's service, and in honor of the occasion, we beseeched you adventurers to craft some novennial-themed works of art.

At long last, our meticulous panel of judges from the development and operations teams has emerged from their chambers, the names of the 9th Anniversary Fan Art Contest's top five artists clenched securely in the palm of one judge's hand!

Proceed onwards for your viewing pleasure.

Works that received special consideration or other awards will be posted in the Topics section soon after, along with other adventurers' masterpieces.