In April 2000, José Rabadán, a teenager from Murcia (Spain) killed both of his parents and his sister with a katana. The media accused Final Fantasy VIII of inducing Jos to do it, with one magazine stating, "he was just imitating his hero, Squall" who, in a moment of the story thinks that he must kill Spoiler: someone close to him: Rinoa.

However, José Rabadán hadn't finished the game, nor even reached the point in which this event occurs, proving the article to be jumping to conclusions. José was arrested and spent eight years in jail. He has since been known by the nickname of "El asesino de la Katana" (The Katana Killer).