When it comes to video game protagonists, few are as memorable as Final Fantasy VII‘s Cloud Strife. He’s not only one of the best characters in the Final Fantasy franchise, but also one of its most enigmatic. From his dark past with the evil Shinra organization to his internal struggles throughout the events of Final Fantasy VII, to say that Cloud is a complex and tragic character would be something on an understatement.
Many of the facts about Cloud’s character and background were introduced in subsequent games and some exist only in the series’ lore. By scouring through interviews and analyzing the other games in which he has appeared though, it’s possible to paint a much clearer picture of the spiky-haired soldier.
10 Smash Wasn’t His First Fighting Game
Although Smash is undoubtedly the bigger title, Cloud’s first appearance in a fighting game actually came almost two decades earlier. He was one of six Final Fantasy VII characters to appear in the 1998 fighting game Ehrgeiz: God Bless the Ring, which released in arcades and on PlayStation. Along with the Cloud, players can also find Tifa, Sephiroth, Yuffie, Vincent, and Zack in the game. He was also considered as a guest character for the PS2 version of Soulcalibur II, but Tekken’s Heihachi was ultimately chosen instead.
Outside of fighting games, Cloud appears in the Kingdom Hearts, Itadaki Street and Yo-Kai Watch franchises as well as numerous Final Fantasy spinoff titles. Although not explicitly stated to be him, there’s also a character in World of Warcraft who looks remarkably similar to Cloud. He goes by the name of Koraud and can be found standing next to a woman selling flowers.
9 He Was Inspired By A Legendary Japanese Swordsman
Folklore and legends have always had a big influence on the Final Fantasy series. That was once again the case when it came to the rivalry between Cloud and Sephiroth, which was inspired by Asian mythology. Cloud was partly based on a Japanese Ronin named Miyamoto Musashi whilst the inspiration for Sephiroth came from Miyamoto’s bitter rival, Sasaki Kojirō.
The two men were long-time rivals and took part in a fierce duel in 1612. Sasaki wielded an abnormally long Katana, while Miyamoto used a wooden sword crafted from the oar of his boat. Despite Sasaki seemingly having the edge, Miyamoto was able to dodge his attacks and eventually emerged victorious. This legendary battle had a huge influence on Cloud and Sephiroth’s relationship as well as their final battle.
8 He Attaches The Buster Sword To His Back Using A Magnet
YouTube channel AWE me once recreated Cloud’s iconic Buster Sword as part of their Man at Arms series. The finished weapon was so heavy that it required two men to effectively wield it, leading some to question how exactly Cloud is able to use it so effortlessly. It’s possible that he’s just incredibly strong due to Hojo’s Mako experiments, but this doesn’t explain how the sword is able to attach to his back.
Thankfully, concept art for the original release of Final Fantasy VII provides an answer to this question. It shows a small magnet attached to the back of Cloud’s suspenders and explains that it is used to hold swords in place. This seems to be something that is part of the SOLDIER uniform, as Zach is also shown to have a similar magnet on his back.
7 His Voice Hasn’t Always Been The Same
The original release of Final Fantasy VII didn’t contain any voice acting. Since then though, Cloud has had a voice on numerous occasions. Although Takahiro Sakurai has provided the voice for Cloud in every Japanese release, Cloud’s English voice actor has not always been the same.
The role of Cloud was first given to Steve Burton, who featured in Advent Children, the Kingdom Hearts games and many other Final Fantasy spinoff titles. Despite Burton having held the role for 16 years though, he was replaced with Cody Christian for Final Fantasy VII Remake. Cloud wasn’t the only one to be recast either, with all of the game’s key characters receiving new voice actors.
6 His Hometown Was Inspired By Norse Mythology
Many of the elements found throughout the Final Fantasy series are inspired by mythology. This is perhaps most evident when looking at the franchise’s Summons, but mythology also inspired the names of several of the locations found throughout Final Fantasy VII.
Cloud and Tifa’s hometown Nibelheim is named after Niflheim, one of the nine realms detailed in Norse Mythology. Those who played the 2018 title God of War will likely know that Niflheim was said to be the home of the dwarves. The city of Midgar was inspired by the Norse realm of Midgard and Gaia, the planet itself, was named after a Greek goddess said to personify the Earth.
5 He Hasn’t Always Played The Part Of The Protagonist
To many, Cloud is one of the best and most recognizable protagonists in all of gaming, but he was actually an antagonist in one of the titles in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII was a Japanese mobile game that served as a prequel to Final Fantasy VII. It delved a little deeper into the history of the Turks and Avalanche as well as Cloud’s time as a Shinra guard.
Cloud is encountered several times throughout the game and can even be fought as a boss monster in the game’s training mode. He also has altercations with several members of Avalanche, which makes his decision to later join them a little strange. Unfortunately the game never received an official Western release, so whilst the events of the game are considered canon, most Western fans never got the chance to experience them.
4 He Has Two Birthdays
According to the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega guide, Cloud was born on the 11th of August. In Final Fantasy Tactics, however, it’s stated that Cloud’s birthday is August 19th. It’s generally accepted that the birthday given in the Ultimania guide is accurate and subsequent titles have treated this as canon.
Interestingly, Final Fantasy Tactics also suggests that Cloud is an Aquarius, which wouldn’t make sense regardless of which birthday is correct. Being born between July 22nd and August 22nd would make Cloud a Leo. Aquarius is the star sign given to people born between January and February 19th, so Final Fantasy Tactics is not even close.
3 Final Fantasy VII Isn’t The Only Game In Which He Cross-dresses
The ribbon is one of the most useful accessories in the Final Fantasy franchise. Its effects vary from title to title, but it usually grants immunity to most or all status ailments. It’s not something that the party will need to have constantly equipped, but there are some fights where ribbons are something of a necessity due to the high number of status ailments that certain enemies dish out.
One of the many games that includes ribbons is Final Fantasy Tactics, a game in which Cloud also makes an appearance. In the game, only female characters are able to equip the ribbon accessory. If the player unlocks Cloud though, it’s possible to equip him with one, which, according to the lore of Ivalice at least, is the equivalent of dressing him in women’s clothing.
2 He Has His Own Fragrance
When celebrities reach a certain level of fame, it’s not uncommon for them to release their own signature scent. Square Enix obviously felt that Cloud had reached this level and decided that it was time for him to get in on the act. ‘Cloud Strife’ was sold at the 2009 Tokyo Game Show and was rereleased several years later. It cost the equivalent of $78 per bottle, but, like most of the Final Fantasy merchandise, was never made available in the West.
These days there are numerous fragrances based on video games, with Persona and Resident evil themed colognes being some of the more unusual examples. Why anybody would want to smell like the Nemesis from Resident Evil is likely a mystery to many. That said, there are also some serious question marks over why anyone would want to smell like a spiky-haired sell-sword.
1 Two Of His Most Iconic Features Almost Didn’t Make It Into The Game
When considering Cloud’s appearance, there are two things that stand out more than anything else. His spiky blond hair and ridiculously large sword. They are two of the features which make Cloud such an iconic character and define his look. Were it not for one man though, these features may have been completely different.
Cloud’s original character design had slicked-back brown hair and his sword was nowhere near as large. The alterations were made by Final Fantasy VII character designer Tetsuya Nomura, who wanted Cloud to have a ‘giant kitchen knife’ style weapon and felt that he would appear less masculine – and thus be more relatable – if he had spiky blond hair. Nomura would go on to make more changes to Cloud’s character when directing Final Fantasy VII Remake, but none were anywhere near as significant.
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