That's looking like a pretty good start, ZSB. You look like you've improved from your earlier stuff over on Inc., especially where highlighting is concerned. His (your?) shirt could do with a little more contrast and maybe a darker tone in there somewhere, but overall, it's not bad at all. Good job.
And thanks, Inc. I share a similar dream.
Got his base tones and shaping done. Now I just have to start shading everything. Still not 100% on his weapon, but that thing's pretty funky in design to begin with, nevermind at several thousandths of the in-game scale and held at a different angle. But it's good enough for now, I think. Also got him in the right dimensions for the FFVI battle screen. Of course, he takes up literally half of that screen, but since hypothetically there'd just be Lightning's sprite on there with him, I think it's fine.
And on the note of 'why the hell not,' I figure I'll display the horror that is the in-progress sheet. Just about all of my WIP sprites look like this up until the last touches, actually.
http://i.imgur.com/4iP8y64.png