Romanticizing a Mental Health Crisis? Revisiting the Lifestream Sequence

The Lifestream sequence refers to an event late in Final Fantasy VII's story that, after much disarray in Cloud Strife's alleged background, serves to untaggle the truth of his past. Prior to this, Cloud leaves the party for the first time after he suffered a mental breakdown in Northern Crater and subsequently fell into the … Continue reading Romanticizing a Mental Health Crisis? Revisiting the Lifestream Sequence →

Did Aeris Know the “Real” Cloud?

A major argument against Cloud and Aeris's romantic relationship is that Cloud and Aeris only interacted in disc 1 of the game - a period in which Cloud was knee-deep in his identity crisis, which was not resolved until the game's second disc. Auxiliary claims allege that Cloud is actually role-playing Zack in disc 1, … Continue reading Did Aeris Know the “Real” Cloud? →

On First Love (And Second): A Final Fantasy Tradition

Final Fantasy VII has confounded its fanbase for decades with its notoriously messy romance threads. The infamous love triangle between Cloud, Aeris, and Tifa is further confounded by Aeris's own alleged love triangle between Cloud and her "first love," Zack. To some fans, this simplified the story: rather than accept an ambiguous love story between … Continue reading On First Love (And Second): A Final Fantasy Tradition →

Aerith is Cloud’s “Cherished” Person – A “Taisetsu Na” Compilation

The phrase 大切な者 (たいせつなもの: taisetsu na mono) is often used to describe Aeris's value to Cloud. 大切な人 (たいせつなひと: taisetsu na hito). Taisetsu itself means "important" or "significant" - but in this context, the meaning is also "precious," "valuable," "dear," "cherished," or "beloved." Source In both cases, a noun is added to this adjective. The first … Continue reading Aerith is Cloud’s “Cherished” Person – A “Taisetsu Na” Compilation →

The Perfect Girl For Cloud, According to Cloud’s Mom (Hint: It’s Aerith)

After Aeris contracts Cloud to be her bodyguard (in exchange for one date), she brings him to her house in Sector 5, where she lives with her mother, Elmyra. It's a quaint, homey cottage surrounded by flower gardens - a sharp visual contrast from the rest of the cyberpunk junkyard of Midgar's slums that Cloud … Continue reading The Perfect Girl For Cloud, According to Cloud’s Mom (Hint: It’s Aerith) →

All the times Cloud and Aerith are called a couple in Chapter 9

Cloud and Aerith have one major purpose in Chapter 9 of Final Fantasy VII Remake, and it isn't to rescue Tifa from Don Corneo's mansion - it's to convince everyone around them that they are in a romantic relationship. Which they do - without even trying. [Bandit] Hold it right there, lovebirds! [Barker] Welcome to … Continue reading All the times Cloud and Aerith are called a couple in Chapter 9 →

HOLLOW: Cloud’s Ballad to Aerith

Final Fantasy VII Remake's soundtrack flaunted clever rearrangements and medleys of beloved tracks from the original game, but the game's end credits theme song was something completely new. Legendary Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu returned to compose the piece, which featured vocals performed by Yosh of Survive Said The Prophet. FF7 lead writer Kazushige Nojima … Continue reading HOLLOW: Cloud’s Ballad to Aerith →

30th Anniversary “Farewell” Exhibit Featured Clerith

In honor of the Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary in 2018, from January 22 to February 28, Square Enix held a “Farewell Stories Exhibition” at the Mori Arts Center Gallery in Roppongi Hills, Tokyo. As the title implies, the exhibits were focused on the sad "farewell" stories of the Final Fantasy series, exploring tragic good-byes and … Continue reading 30th Anniversary “Farewell” Exhibit Featured Clerith →