Sephiroth Is Like A Pet Hamster Because He's Always Trying To Get Killed In Incredibly Strange And Unusual

Totally agree!

The English localization is the audible reference language for almost all the non-Japanese speaker players (and the only one besides Japanese with specific lip-sync), it's absurd even to think that a professional company could make arbitrary changes without consulting the game developers and get away with it.

What are your thoughts on final fantasy 7 remake's localization

I enjoyed it! Both the Remake and Intermission—Yuffie's VA soared and I really like how they captured her characterization.

There's a pool of people in the fandom who have contention with it (some of which comes with A LOT of misunderstandings about localization, in general, but that's a lot of other branched conversations), but if I'm just speaking on the "what" [the content]—overall how the developers handled the ENG localization was pretty good and enjoyable. Most of what comes to mind makes sense contextually, and even after comparing it to the JPN (which I enjoy too, the VAs are as great as usual since they didn't really change), you can find the differences and common ground between them. In some scenes you have your typical levels of "different branches from the same tree" or "different part of the same branch" in direction, but overall the script still captures the same tonality and excitement of the JPN version. There are some VAs I know people didn't like at first (like Zack), but he's grown on me now. Otherwise, everyone is excellent to my ears.

It was a long wait, but I'm glad we're finally in the era of the remake of this game.

Aerith in the Sleeping Forest

Patreon | Redbubble

Hi, thank you for your brilliant insights. Maybe it's just a coincidence of the English localization, but do you think there is any thematic relation between Cloud and Tifa's Promise and the Promised Land? (meaning the PL as a state of enlightenment and fulfillment, and considering the Promise with all it's consequences in the story, not just as two separate elements)

I have to be honest here about the limits of my knowledge. I don't speak Japanese so I don't feel comfortable making a hard conclusion about that. That having been said, I believe so yes. As far as I can tell "the promised land" is a pretty literal translation of Yakusoku no ji (約束の地)

Yakusoku (約束) literally meaning promise, "no"(の) meaning "of" and "ji" (地) literally translating to ground or earth. Personally I highly doubt that that would be an accident, and I think the meaning is pretty clear. If we look at the concept of the promised land as a state of supreme bliss, then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how that might apply to Clouds case. The core desire of true Cloud was to be capable of protecting people, specifically Tifa, his failure to do so is what leads to his fake persona and eventual AC depression. "The promise" is in itself something that is highlighted as being of special significance both inside the game and out. It's routinely mentioned in Ultimania, and if you remember back to the FFVII:remake announcement it also had the line "the promise has been made". The promise, reunion, the promised land, these things are all more significant than just words, they're returning concepts that have had real thought put into them by the developers. Concerning the promise, it is all about protecting Tifa, which is Clouds deepest desire, it is his state of happiness, to be the hero Tifa can depend on. When Tifa and Cloud enter the lifestream together, Cloud returns to his true self, and along with that realization comes the reveal that Cloud did come for Tifa, he fulfilled his promise, not as a soldier, but as his own flawed human self. Through his return to his true self, he fulfills his promise, thereby reaching his desired state of being, which then directly leads into his coming together with Tifa underneath the highwind. Sometimes I find myself thinking "what if this is all a happy coincidence, what if SE simply struck thematic gold without realizing it?", but this is one of the cases where I think it's just too perfect for it not to be consciously intended. In one fell swoop Cloud fulfills his promise, breaks through his fake self, obtains the inner power needed to vanquish the external threat, obtains that which he has been seeking, together with the girl named after the sefira of balance between strength and beauty? A girl who lives at the 7th heaven. Who is also thematically linked to Valkyries, aka, the lovers of heros?

No, that's all too big of a coincidence, I know I said I didn't want to make too definite of a conclusion, but I feel like these things have to have been by design. If they weren't, I wouldn't just be shocked, I'd be disappointed.

Talk about a coincidence!

Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII Remake Parallels

A TOKEN OF APPRECIATION

Crisis Core:

During their first encounter, Zack and Aerith spend some time together at the market, but a kid steals Zack’s wallet. Local people and shopkeepers are reluctant to help him find the kid, but in the end the Accessory seller apologizes with Zack for having misjudged him...

Clerk: Hey, Aren't you...You are! The guy who was chasing that kid around! I heard about you from the neighborhood folks. I thought you were just some dumb outsider, but it turns out you're a pretty good guy. I'm sorry we misjudged you, this is just a small token of our appreciation.

...and he gives him some items (best reward consist in: 1 Soma, 1 Hi-Potion and 1 Remedy). Then Zack buys the pink ribbon for Aerith.

Remake: 

In Chapter 3 Tifa and Cloud go around the slums of Sector 7 to change water filters and collect money (Water filters - Water tower...am I overthinking? Anyway). At the end of the side quests they head back to Stargazer Heights (that water tower again!) and have a conversation with Marle. At first Marle is rather prejudiced against Cloud, but she seems to change her mind when she sees Tifa happy after spending some time with him:

Marle: Take care you two! ...Oh? You're looking pretty chipper!

Tifa: Uh...I don't feel that different.

Marle: Must be my imagination then. Anyway! Keep your wits about you, merc! A token of my appreciation. Be good to her.

At the end of the conversation she gives him a Crescent Moon Charm. This accessory is used to reduce damage when equipped by non-active characters (so from the perspective of Cloud, he can use it to protect the others).

The description of this charm is VERY interesting...

A charm imbued with the fervent desire to be by one’s side for eternity.

And...it is identical to the earring Tifa wears with her default dress at Wall Market!  🌙

Or better: the moon earring already existed in the OG as it was part of Tifa’s outfit to see Don Corneo. The devs created this new accessory and shaped it exactly like her earring, giving it a new significance since it represents a connection between Cloud and Tifa. 

The same exact thing that happened in Crisis Core with Aerith’s ribbon! 🎀

What a coincidence!   

Sephiroth print avaliable : https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/lukrevadraws/

FFVII Remake Easter Eggs and compilation continuity - Part 3: ADVENT CHILDREN

     KIDS

Feeling close to death, Biggs asks Cloud to take care for him of the orphans of the Leaf House. Cloud refuses implying that he doesn’t like kids. Anyway, not even one year later he will take care of both Marlene and Denzel, two orphans.

     SPARE GLASSES

In the movie Rude broke his glasses during the fight with the Remnants but he immediately replaced them with another pair. The same happens in the Remake in Chapter 8, during the fight against Cloud and Aerith. 

     AERITH’S CHURCH

The design of Aerith’s church is almost the same of the one showed in Advent Children.

     AERITH AND MARLENE

Just before the plate fall, Aerith goes to Seventh Heaven to save Marlene and the two share a sort of mysterious interaction. Despite having known her for so little, after two years Marlene will still be very fond of Aerith. She’ll have her same hairstyle but she’ll also be “special” since she’ll be the only kid not affected by Geostigma and she’ll perceive Aerith’s presence during the battle against Sephiroth. 

     SEVENTH HEAVEN

On the wall of Seventh Heaven there are some AC references: a picture of the future Seventh heaven and a blurred photo of future Barret, Marlene, Nanaki and Cait Sith.

     GEOSTIGMA

When Cloud met Sephiroth in the drum, he grabbed his left arm in pain while being mentally tortured - the same arm that will be affected by Geostigma.

     MOTORCYCLE FIGHT

The motorcycle fight with Roche recalls the chase on the highway of Midgar-Edge with the Remnants.

     WHISPERS

In Chapter 18 the Whispers mysteriously started cyrcling around the Shinra tower the same way the corrupted Lifestream will do in Advent Children.

When Sephiroth delivere the line “Destiny comes”, the Whispers started escaping in every direcion from the top of the Shinra tower. The same happens in the movie when the Lifestream finally erupts in the church. 

     VISIONS

During the battle against Whisper Harbinger, all the members of the group have some visions of the future, taken directly from the movie. 

     THE REMNANTS

Whisper Harbinger summons three “entities from a future timeline that have manifested in the present day", that the Ultimania confirms being manifestations of the Remnants:

Whishper Rubrum is a swordsman like Kadaj; 

Whisper Viridi is a pincher like Loz;

Whisper Croceo is a shooter. 

When they materialize Whisper Rubrum appears in front of Cloud and Whisper Viridi in front of Tifa (in the movie Cloud fought against Kadaj and Tifa against Loz).

After the battle the three entities merge together in Whisper Bahamut (in the movie the three remnants summoned Bahamut SIN).

     SEPHIROTH

Remake Sephiroth seems to have already experienced the events of Advent Children. In the original story he seemed to be indifferent about Cloud’s feelings, considering him no more than a numb clone, while in the Remake he started mentally tormenting him from the beginning.

Tell me what you cherish most, give me the pleasure of taking it away.

7R: You’re too weak to save anyone. Not even yourself. - You’ve failed again, I see.

AC: I’m not fit to help anyone. Not my family. Not my friends. Nobody.

     FINAL BATTLE

Sephiroth starts the final battle with the same gesture he used in the movie to summon the corrupted Lifestream.

He throws at the enemies debris of a destroyed Midgar like in the movie.

In both installments there’s a huge swirl of corrupted Lifestream in the sky.

Sephiroth shows one single black wing like he did in the final stages of the battle in Advent Children.

-

For the other parts refer to the masterpost

Marlene knows him well.

Marlene is a smart kid.

Trust Marlene.

One thing about fandom culture is that it sort of trains you to interact with and analyze media in a very specific way. Not a BAD way, just a SPECIFIC way.

And the kind of media that attracts fandoms lends itself well (normally) to those kinds of analysis. Mainly, you're supposed to LIKE and AGREE with the main characters. Themes are built around agreeing with the protagonists and condemning the antagonists, and taking the protagonists at their word.

Which is fine if you're looking at, like, 99% of popular anime and YA fiction and Marvel movies.

But it can completely fall apart with certain kinds of media. If someone who has only ever analyzed media this way is all of a sudden handed Lolita or 1984 or Gatsby, which deal in shitty unreliable narrators; or even books like Beloved or Catcher in the Rye (VERY different books) that have narrators dealing with and reacting to challenging situations- well... that's how you get some hilariously bad literary analysis.

I dont know what my point here is, really, except...like...I find it very funny when people are like "ugh. I hate Gatsby and Catcher because all the characters are shitty" which like....isnt....the point. Lololol you arent supposed to kin Gatsby.

"Absolutely no one comes to save us but us."

Ismatu Gwendolyn, "you've been traumatized into hating reading (and it makes you easier to oppress)", from Threadings, on Substack [ID'd]

CHAINSAWMAN SPOILER!

Denji bragging about his previous dates..

...His actual previous dates

A good match indeed