Aerith Gainsborough
Encyclopedia
— spelled Aeris Gainsborough in the English releases of Final Fantasy VII
and Final Fantasy Tactics
— is a player character in Square
's (now Square Enix
) console role-playing game Final Fantasy VII
. She was designed by Tetsuya Nomura
with influence from Yoshinori Kitase
, Hironobu Sakaguchi
and Yoshitaka Amano
.
In Final Fantasy VII, Aeris is a 22-year-old woman who joins AVALANCHE
. As the story progresses, AVALANCHE begin to pursue the antagonist Sephiroth, and the player learns that Aeris is a Cetra, or "Ancient", one of the planet's oldest races. Aerith has also appeared in the later-released Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
and Kingdom Hearts series.
Her voice actors are Maaya Sakamoto
in the Japanese versions of the Kingdom Hearts series and Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, singer and actress Mandy Moore
in the English version of Kingdom Hearts
, actress Mena Suvari
in the English versions of Kingdom Hearts II
and Advent Children, and Andrea Bowen
in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
. Aerith and the events surrounding her death in Final Fantasy VII have met with an overall positive reception from critics and fans.
for the cost of one date. She is eventually apprehended, but once again rescued by Cloud and company. Aeris then joins them in the pursuit of Sephiroth
, while embarking on a journey of self-discovery.
After a failed attempt to foil Sephiroth's theft of the Black Materia, Aeris ventures alone into the Forgotten City for an unknown purpose. Cloud and his companions give chase, eventually finding her praying at an altar. As Aeris looks up to smile at Cloud, Sephiroth appears and kills her by impaling her through the torso
. Cloud carries Aeris' body out into a lake in the Forgotten City, and releases her back to the Planet. The party later learns the reason for Aeris being in the Forgotten City; through her White Materia, Aeris was able to summon Holy, the only force capable of repelling the ultimate destructive magic, Meteor. Though Aeris successfully casts Holy before her death, it is held back by the power of Sephiroth's will. When Sephiroth was finally defeated and Holy was released, it appears that it was too late to function as effectively as it should, for Meteor—already summoned by Sephiroth and set on a collision course with the Planet—has come too near the Planet's surface. While Holy clashes with Meteor, attempting to prevent its impact, the gravity of both Meteor and the Planet pulling on the spell in opposite directions weakens it, leaving it with too little room to take effect. The Planet's Lifestream then flows forth from within the planet, intervening with Holy and Meteor, and acting as a battering ram while aiding in the destruction of Meteor.
, several years before the main events of Final Fantasy VII, Aerith becomes the target of AVALANCHE
, who seek to prevent the Shinra Corporation from being able to make use of the last Cetra. They intend to learn the whereabouts of the Promised Land from her for their own purposes, and a member of the Turks tries to protect her.
Aerith makes several appearances in the CGI film Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, as Cloud's spiritual guide, urging him to move on in life, to forgive himself for the tragedies that were beyond his control and that she never blamed him for her death. During their spiritual reunion, Aerith speaks to Cloud in an open meadow laden with flowers, cheerfully and kindheartedly poking fun at how he needlessly burdens himself with the past, but acknowledges his suffering and offers kind words of support. One of Aerith's interactions with Cloud comes when each member of the original game's party helps in Cloud's final attack against Bahamut SIN; she appears as the last party member to assist Cloud. She also appears in the final scene of the movie, along with Zack, where she gives Cloud more words of encouragement before she and Zack walk into the light. Near the end of the film, it is discovered that water mixed with the Lifestream flows beneath the flowerbed in Aerith's church, which manifested as a cure for the Geostigma disease.
Aerith also appears in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
. At the age of 15, Aerith met Zack
, for whom she developed feelings during his stay in Midgar. Aerith and Zack developed a romantic relationship, but Zack was killed at the end of Crisis Core after being held in a Mako chamber for four years in the Shinra Mansion basement. During those years, Aerith helped her adopted mother earn a living by growing and selling flowers, a job that results in her meeting Cloud in the beginning of Final Fantasy VII.
, Aeris appears as a flower girl. Later, a group of criminals harasses Aeris for the money she and her mother owe. After pleading for a postponement, Aeris is told to sell her body instead of flowers. Cloud appears and the player engages in battle with the group, letting her escape. Itadaki Street Special features a playable version of Aerith, as well as other Final Fantasy VII characters Tifa Lockhart
, Cloud Strife
, and Sephiroth
. She also appears Itadaki Street Portable with the same characters from Special, with the addition of Yuffie Kisaragi
. Hoshi o Meguru Otome (Maiden who Travels the Planet), a novelization written by Benny Matsuyama and appearing in the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω guide, follows Aerith immediately after her death in Final Fantasy VII. While not playable, Aerith appears in the fighting game Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
as an assistant character. In LittleBigPlanet 2
, Aerith is featured as a downloadable character model.
Aerith makes an appearance in the Kingdom Hearts
series. She is a member of a group dedicated to defeating the Heartless; the group also includes other Final Fantasy VII characters and Leon of Final Fantasy VIII
. The design of Aerith's attire had minor changes from Final Fantasy VII. In the plot of Kingdom Hearts, Aerith suggests and helps with a method for defeating the Heartless to protagonists Donald Duck
, Goofy
and Sora. Throughout the game, she gives advice to the player. She also appears in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
as a perceptive figment of Sora's memories. Aerith returns in Kingdom Hearts II
, wearing a modified version of her dress in Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII
. Aerith, Leon
, and Yuffie
run a restoration committee for the town of Hollow Bastion.
with influence from director and scenario writer Yoshinori Kitase
and Hironobu Sakaguchi
. Yoshitaka Amano
created conceptual artwork of Aerith for Final Fantasy VII, which also helped to influence her design. She has green eyes and long brown hair tied in a braid with a pink ribbon. She wears a long pink dress, a bolero jacket, and brown hiking boots. The long dress was designed to appear ladylike and as a contrast to Tifa Lockhart
's miniskirt
. Her green eyes were meant to symbolize nature and also served as another contrast to Tifa's brown ones. Nomura re-designed Aerith similarly for Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, but her design was updated in Kingdom Hearts
with the removal of her bolero jacket, which made her attire resemble her as Amano had drawn her. Other changes included the addition of bracelets and a belt. Nomura modified her dress in Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII
to add white and green colors, and that version was used as a base for her design in Kingdom Hearts II
.
Aerith's original Japanese name is エアリス Earisu, eaɽisu̥. This has been transliterated to "Aeris" in Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy Tactics, but later as "Aerith". Both transliterations have basis, as the Japanese "su" (ス) is used when transcribing "s" (/s/) and "th" (/θ/) to Japanese. However, official Japanese material uses the spelling "Aerith", and developers have stated that "Aerith" is a near-anagram of "Earth".
In early planning stages of Final Fantasy VII, Aerith was to be one of only three protagonists. Before this, Kitase and Nomura decided that one character would have to die, and after creating the three characters, decided on Aerith after a long debate. Nomura stated in a 2005 Electronic Gaming Monthly
interview: "Cloud's the main character, so you can't really kill him. And Barrett... [sic] well, that's maybe too obvious". This was not changed after other protagonists were created. While designing Final Fantasy VII, Tetsuya Nomura was frustrated with the "perennial cliché where the protagonist loves someone very much and so has to sacrifice himself and die in a dramatic fashion to express that love". He found that this appeared in both film
s and video games from North America and Japan. "Is it right to set such an example to people?" Kitase concludes:
While reflecting on the game, Tetsuya Nomura claims that "Death should be something sudden and unexpected, and Aerith's death seemed more natural and realistic", and "When I reflect on Final Fantasy VII, the fact that fans were so offended by her sudden death probably means that we were successful with her character. If fans had simply accepted her death, that would have meant she wasn't an effective character." Rumors have circulated that Aerith can be resurrected in Final Fantasy VII or that the possibility was removed in development. "The world was expecting us to bring her back to life, as this is the classic convention". A lengthy petition asking for Aerith's revival by Japanese players was sent to Kitase. However, Kitase states that "there are many meanings in Aerith's death and that could never happen".
associated with Aeris is played several times throughout Final Fantasy VII. It is first heard during the flashback scenes with Aeris' mother at her house, and is repeated as she is killed by Sephiroth. The piece "Flowers Blooming in the Church" is based on this theme. This piece is extremely popular among Final Fantasy fans, and has inspired an orchestral version, a piano version, and a vocal version performed by the artist RIKKI
, who also performed "Suteki Da Ne" for Final Fantasy X
, in the form of 'Pure Heart'. It is composed by famed Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu
. A piano arrangement of the theme appears twice in Advent Children, and the track "Water" also echoes shades of the theme. The opening phrase of "Aeris' Theme" appears just prior to the climax of the track "Divinity II", which shortly after includes as its final line the Latin phrase "Sola Dea fatum novit," or "Only the goddess knows fate." "Aeris' Theme" is also featured during the end credits of the movie. It has been reinterpreted on the OverClocked ReMix
Final Fantasy VII compilation Voices of the Lifestream
.
referred to her as a "gaming legend". RPGamer
stated that although Aerith "represented the token damsel in distress", she "broke the mould in terms of personality", possessing "an admirable pluck that was not brassy nor off-putting". Aerith has also been included in most of GameFAQs
' "Character Battle" contests, though she progressed only a few rounds each time. In February 2007, she was listed in Tom's Games list of "Top 50 Greatest Female Characters in Video Game History", citing her death scene and the beauty of her appearance and personality. In late 2007, Aerith was named 5th best character of all time in Dengeki PlayStation
s retrospective awards feature about the original PlayStation
. IGN
ranked her the number two top Final Fantasy VII character—a rank higher than the game's protagonist, Cloud Strife
. GameTrailers
ranked her at the top of "Top 10 Babes who Are out of Your League". During February 2010, Famitsu
readers voted Aerith as the 24th best video game character. Her relation with Cloud has also received positive response, with the two appearing in the The Inquirer
s list of most memorable video game couples while IGN listed them in their article of "Best Videogame Romances"
Her death in Final Fantasy VII has received a great deal of attention. Players commented on message boards and blogs about the emotional impact the scene held. Fans submitted a petition to Yoshinori Kitase requesting her return. GameSpy
numbers her demise as the 10th greatest cinematic moments in video game history. Its readers voted it the second most cinematic moment in video games. GamePro
considers her death sequence to be the greatest of all gaming moments. Tom's Games called the scene "one of the most powerful and memorable scenes of the Final Fantasy series—or any other game, for that matter." Edge
called her death the "dramatic highpoint" of Final Fantasy VII, and commented reintroducing her through the related Final Fantasy VII titles "arguably undermines this great moment". In 2005, Electronic Gaming Monthly
listed Final Fantasy VII number six in their list of "10 Most Important Games", stating without it, "Aeris wouldn’t have died, and gamers wouldn’t have learned how to cry." GamesTM commented her death helped establish the popularity of Final Fantasy VII. ScrewAttack
has added Aerith's death in their "Top 10 OMGWTF Moments" referring to it as one of the "touchiest moments in video game history".
Final Fantasy VII
is a role-playing video game developed by Square and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was originally released in 1997 for the Sony PlayStation and was re-released in 1998 for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers and in 2009...
and Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy Tactics
is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square for the Sony PlayStation video game console. It is the first game of the Final Fantasy Tactics series and was released in Japan in June 1997 and in the United States in January 1998...
— is a player character in Square
Square Co.
was a Japanese video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. It merged with Enix in 2003 and became part of Square Enix...
's (now Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
) console role-playing game Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII
is a role-playing video game developed by Square and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was originally released in 1997 for the Sony PlayStation and was re-released in 1998 for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers and in 2009...
. She was designed by Tetsuya Nomura
Tetsuya Nomura
is a Japanese video game director and character designer working for Square Enix , best known for his work on both the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts series.-Time before Square:Nomura was born in Kōchi, Japan...
with influence from Yoshinori Kitase
Yoshinori Kitase
is a Japanese game producer and former game director that has been working for Square Enix since April 1, 1990. He is mostly known for his work on the role-playing video game series Final Fantasy and is currently the manager of 1st Production Department....
, Hironobu Sakaguchi
Hironobu Sakaguchi
is a Japanese game designer, game director and game producer. He is world famous as the creator of the Final Fantasy series, and has had a long career in gaming with over 100 million units of video games sold worldwide...
and Yoshitaka Amano
Yoshitaka Amano
is a Japanese artist. He began his career as an animator and has become known for his illustrations for the anime Vampire Hunter D and for his character designs, image illustrations and title logo designs for the Final Fantasy video game series developed by Square Enix . His influences include...
.
In Final Fantasy VII, Aeris is a 22-year-old woman who joins AVALANCHE
Avalanche
An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
. As the story progresses, AVALANCHE begin to pursue the antagonist Sephiroth, and the player learns that Aeris is a Cetra, or "Ancient", one of the planet's oldest races. Aerith has also appeared in the later-released Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Compilation of Final Fantasy VII is a series of games and animated features developed by Square Enix based in the world and continuity of Final Fantasy VII...
and Kingdom Hearts series.
Her voice actors are Maaya Sakamoto
Maaya Sakamoto
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, actress, and voice actress. She made her debut as a voice actress in 1992 as the voice of Chifuru in the anime series Little Twins, but is more well known for her role as Hitomi Kanzaki in the hit anime series The Vision of Escaflowne...
in the Japanese versions of the Kingdom Hearts series and Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, singer and actress Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore
Amanda Leigh "Mandy" Moore is an American singer-songwriter, actress and fashion designer. Moore became famous as a teenager in the late 1990s, after the release of her teen pop albums So Real, I Wanna Be with You, and Mandy Moore. In 2007, she took an adult pop-folk direction with the release of...
in the English version of Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts
is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The first game in the Kingdom Hearts series, it is the result of a collaboration between Square Enix and The Walt Disney Company. The game combines characters and settings from Disney...
, actress Mena Suvari
Mena Suvari
Mena Alexandra Suvari is an American actress, fashion designer, and model. Shortly after beginning her career as a model, she appeared in guest roles on 1990's television shows such as Boy Meets World and High Incident...
in the English versions of Kingdom Hearts II
Kingdom Hearts II
is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and published by Buena Vista Games and Square Enix in 2005 for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console...
and Advent Children, and Andrea Bowen
Andrea Bowen
Andrea Lauren Bowen is an American actress who is best known for playing Julie Mayer on Desperate Housewives . She has won two SAG Awards.-Biography:...
in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix for the PlayStation Portable. First released in 2007, the game is a prequel to the video game Final Fantasy VII and is also the sixth installment in metaseries Compilation of Final Fantasy VII which includes products related to the game...
. Aerith and the events surrounding her death in Final Fantasy VII have met with an overall positive reception from critics and fans.
Final Fantasy VII
Aeris Gainsborough is introduced as a flower seller, when she briefly converses with Cloud Strife, a mercenary who is fleeing from the bombing of a Mako reactor by himself and AVALANCHE. The two later meet in Aeris' church in the Sector 5 slums, where she is faced with the possibility of being captured by the Turks. Aeris asks Cloud to be her bodyguardBodyguard
A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
for the cost of one date. She is eventually apprehended, but once again rescued by Cloud and company. Aeris then joins them in the pursuit of Sephiroth
Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)
is a fictional character in the role-playing game Final Fantasy VII developed by Square Co. He is introduced there as the main antagonist. Character designer Tetsuya Nomura wanted his role in the story to be different from the other Final Fantasy villains while his design is intended to contrast...
, while embarking on a journey of self-discovery.
After a failed attempt to foil Sephiroth's theft of the Black Materia, Aeris ventures alone into the Forgotten City for an unknown purpose. Cloud and his companions give chase, eventually finding her praying at an altar. As Aeris looks up to smile at Cloud, Sephiroth appears and kills her by impaling her through the torso
Torso
Trunk or torso is an anatomical term for the central part of the many animal bodies from which extend the neck and limbs. The trunk includes the thorax and abdomen.-Major organs:...
. Cloud carries Aeris' body out into a lake in the Forgotten City, and releases her back to the Planet. The party later learns the reason for Aeris being in the Forgotten City; through her White Materia, Aeris was able to summon Holy, the only force capable of repelling the ultimate destructive magic, Meteor. Though Aeris successfully casts Holy before her death, it is held back by the power of Sephiroth's will. When Sephiroth was finally defeated and Holy was released, it appears that it was too late to function as effectively as it should, for Meteor—already summoned by Sephiroth and set on a collision course with the Planet—has come too near the Planet's surface. While Holy clashes with Meteor, attempting to prevent its impact, the gravity of both Meteor and the Planet pulling on the spell in opposite directions weakens it, leaving it with too little room to take effect. The Planet's Lifestream then flows forth from within the planet, intervening with Holy and Meteor, and acting as a battering ram while aiding in the destruction of Meteor.
Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
In Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VIIBefore Crisis: Final Fantasy VII
is a Japanese action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in 2004. It was the first original game to be produced by Square Enix exclusively for mobile phones, and was released on NTT DoCoMo's FOMA iMode line of phones on a monthly subscription basis...
, several years before the main events of Final Fantasy VII, Aerith becomes the target of AVALANCHE
Avalanche
An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
, who seek to prevent the Shinra Corporation from being able to make use of the last Cetra. They intend to learn the whereabouts of the Promised Land from her for their own purposes, and a member of the Turks tries to protect her.
Aerith makes several appearances in the CGI film Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, as Cloud's spiritual guide, urging him to move on in life, to forgive himself for the tragedies that were beyond his control and that she never blamed him for her death. During their spiritual reunion, Aerith speaks to Cloud in an open meadow laden with flowers, cheerfully and kindheartedly poking fun at how he needlessly burdens himself with the past, but acknowledges his suffering and offers kind words of support. One of Aerith's interactions with Cloud comes when each member of the original game's party helps in Cloud's final attack against Bahamut SIN; she appears as the last party member to assist Cloud. She also appears in the final scene of the movie, along with Zack, where she gives Cloud more words of encouragement before she and Zack walk into the light. Near the end of the film, it is discovered that water mixed with the Lifestream flows beneath the flowerbed in Aerith's church, which manifested as a cure for the Geostigma disease.
Aerith also appears in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix for the PlayStation Portable. First released in 2007, the game is a prequel to the video game Final Fantasy VII and is also the sixth installment in metaseries Compilation of Final Fantasy VII which includes products related to the game...
. At the age of 15, Aerith met Zack
Zack Fair
is a fictional character from the Final Fantasy series by Square Enix. He first appeared as a non-player character in the role-playing game Final Fantasy VII. In the story, Zack is a late member from the paramilitary organization SOLDIER developed by the megacorporation Shinra Electric Power Company...
, for whom she developed feelings during his stay in Midgar. Aerith and Zack developed a romantic relationship, but Zack was killed at the end of Crisis Core after being held in a Mako chamber for four years in the Shinra Mansion basement. During those years, Aerith helped her adopted mother earn a living by growing and selling flowers, a job that results in her meeting Cloud in the beginning of Final Fantasy VII.
Other appearances
Aerith's character has appeared in games outside of the Final Fantasy VII continuity. In Final Fantasy TacticsFinal Fantasy Tactics
is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square for the Sony PlayStation video game console. It is the first game of the Final Fantasy Tactics series and was released in Japan in June 1997 and in the United States in January 1998...
, Aeris appears as a flower girl. Later, a group of criminals harasses Aeris for the money she and her mother owe. After pleading for a postponement, Aeris is told to sell her body instead of flowers. Cloud appears and the player engages in battle with the group, letting her escape. Itadaki Street Special features a playable version of Aerith, as well as other Final Fantasy VII characters Tifa Lockhart
Tifa Lockhart
is a player character in Square Enix's role playing game Final Fantasy VII. Created by character designer Tetsuya Nomura, she has since appeared in the fighting game Ehrgeiz and cameo appearances in other titles, as well as the CGI film sequel to Final Fantasy VII, Advent Children and related games...
, Cloud Strife
Cloud Strife
is a fictional character and the main protagonist in Square's role-playing game Final Fantasy VII and several of its sequels and spin-offs. His original design was created by Final Fantasy VII character designer Tetsuya Nomura...
, and Sephiroth
Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)
is a fictional character in the role-playing game Final Fantasy VII developed by Square Co. He is introduced there as the main antagonist. Character designer Tetsuya Nomura wanted his role in the story to be different from the other Final Fantasy villains while his design is intended to contrast...
. She also appears Itadaki Street Portable with the same characters from Special, with the addition of Yuffie Kisaragi
Yuffie Kisaragi
is a fictional character in the Final Fantasy video game series. She was first introduced as a secret character in the role-playing video game Final Fantasy VII in 1997 and since then also made appearances in the CGI movie Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, the Final Fantasy VII spinoff games...
. Hoshi o Meguru Otome (Maiden who Travels the Planet), a novelization written by Benny Matsuyama and appearing in the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω guide, follows Aerith immediately after her death in Final Fantasy VII. While not playable, Aerith appears in the fighting game Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
is a 2011 fighting game published by Square Enix for the PlayStation Portable as part of the Final Fantasy series. It was developed by the company's 1st Production Department...
as an assistant character. In LittleBigPlanet 2
LittleBigPlanet 2
LittleBigPlanet 2 is a puzzle platformer video game, centred around user-generated content. The game is developed by Media Molecule, published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe for PlayStation 3 and was originally scheduled for release in November 2010 but was delayed until January 2011...
, Aerith is featured as a downloadable character model.
Aerith makes an appearance in the Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts
is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The first game in the Kingdom Hearts series, it is the result of a collaboration between Square Enix and The Walt Disney Company. The game combines characters and settings from Disney...
series. She is a member of a group dedicated to defeating the Heartless; the group also includes other Final Fantasy VII characters and Leon of Final Fantasy VIII
Final Fantasy VIII
is a role-playing video game released for the PlayStation in 1999 and for Windows-based personal computers in 2000. It was developed and published by Square as the Final Fantasy series' eighth title, removing magic point-based spell-casting and the first title to consistently use realistically...
. The design of Aerith's attire had minor changes from Final Fantasy VII. In the plot of Kingdom Hearts, Aerith suggests and helps with a method for defeating the Heartless to protagonists Donald Duck
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
, Goofy
Goofy
Goofy is a cartoon character created in 1932 at Walt Disney Productions. Goofy is a tall, anthropomorphic dog, and typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled fedora. Goofy is a close friend of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck...
and Sora. Throughout the game, she gives advice to the player. She also appears in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and Japanese studio Jupiter and published by Square Enix in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance. The game serves as an intermediary between the two larger-scale PlayStation 2 games in the Kingdom Hearts series. It was one of the first GBA games to...
as a perceptive figment of Sora's memories. Aerith returns in Kingdom Hearts II
Kingdom Hearts II
is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and published by Buena Vista Games and Square Enix in 2005 for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console...
, wearing a modified version of her dress in Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII
Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII
is a Japanese action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in 2004. It was the first original game to be produced by Square Enix exclusively for mobile phones, and was released on NTT DoCoMo's FOMA iMode line of phones on a monthly subscription basis...
. Aerith, Leon
Squall Leonhart
is the main protagonist of Final Fantasy VIII, a role-playing game by Square . He was designed by Tetsuya Nomura, with heavy influences coming from game director Yoshinori Kitase. Squall has appeared in several other games, such as the Kingdom Hearts series, where he appears under the name ;...
, and Yuffie
Yuffie Kisaragi
is a fictional character in the Final Fantasy video game series. She was first introduced as a secret character in the role-playing video game Final Fantasy VII in 1997 and since then also made appearances in the CGI movie Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, the Final Fantasy VII spinoff games...
run a restoration committee for the town of Hollow Bastion.
Concept and creation
Aerith of Final Fantasy VII was designed by Tetsuya NomuraTetsuya Nomura
is a Japanese video game director and character designer working for Square Enix , best known for his work on both the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts series.-Time before Square:Nomura was born in Kōchi, Japan...
with influence from director and scenario writer Yoshinori Kitase
Yoshinori Kitase
is a Japanese game producer and former game director that has been working for Square Enix since April 1, 1990. He is mostly known for his work on the role-playing video game series Final Fantasy and is currently the manager of 1st Production Department....
and Hironobu Sakaguchi
Hironobu Sakaguchi
is a Japanese game designer, game director and game producer. He is world famous as the creator of the Final Fantasy series, and has had a long career in gaming with over 100 million units of video games sold worldwide...
. Yoshitaka Amano
Yoshitaka Amano
is a Japanese artist. He began his career as an animator and has become known for his illustrations for the anime Vampire Hunter D and for his character designs, image illustrations and title logo designs for the Final Fantasy video game series developed by Square Enix . His influences include...
created conceptual artwork of Aerith for Final Fantasy VII, which also helped to influence her design. She has green eyes and long brown hair tied in a braid with a pink ribbon. She wears a long pink dress, a bolero jacket, and brown hiking boots. The long dress was designed to appear ladylike and as a contrast to Tifa Lockhart
Tifa Lockhart
is a player character in Square Enix's role playing game Final Fantasy VII. Created by character designer Tetsuya Nomura, she has since appeared in the fighting game Ehrgeiz and cameo appearances in other titles, as well as the CGI film sequel to Final Fantasy VII, Advent Children and related games...
's miniskirt
Miniskirt
A miniskirt, sometimes hyphenated as mini-skirt, is a skirt with a hemline well above the knees – generally no longer than below the buttocks; and a minidress is a dress with a similar meaning...
. Her green eyes were meant to symbolize nature and also served as another contrast to Tifa's brown ones. Nomura re-designed Aerith similarly for Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, but her design was updated in Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts
is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The first game in the Kingdom Hearts series, it is the result of a collaboration between Square Enix and The Walt Disney Company. The game combines characters and settings from Disney...
with the removal of her bolero jacket, which made her attire resemble her as Amano had drawn her. Other changes included the addition of bracelets and a belt. Nomura modified her dress in Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII
Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII
is a Japanese action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in 2004. It was the first original game to be produced by Square Enix exclusively for mobile phones, and was released on NTT DoCoMo's FOMA iMode line of phones on a monthly subscription basis...
to add white and green colors, and that version was used as a base for her design in Kingdom Hearts II
Kingdom Hearts II
is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and published by Buena Vista Games and Square Enix in 2005 for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console...
.
Aerith's original Japanese name is エアリス Earisu, eaɽisu̥. This has been transliterated to "Aeris" in Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy Tactics, but later as "Aerith". Both transliterations have basis, as the Japanese "su" (ス) is used when transcribing "s" (/s/) and "th" (/θ/) to Japanese. However, official Japanese material uses the spelling "Aerith", and developers have stated that "Aerith" is a near-anagram of "Earth".
In early planning stages of Final Fantasy VII, Aerith was to be one of only three protagonists. Before this, Kitase and Nomura decided that one character would have to die, and after creating the three characters, decided on Aerith after a long debate. Nomura stated in a 2005 Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
interview: "Cloud's the main character, so you can't really kill him. And Barrett... [sic] well, that's maybe too obvious". This was not changed after other protagonists were created. While designing Final Fantasy VII, Tetsuya Nomura was frustrated with the "perennial cliché where the protagonist loves someone very much and so has to sacrifice himself and die in a dramatic fashion to express that love". He found that this appeared in both film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s and video games from North America and Japan. "Is it right to set such an example to people?" Kitase concludes:
While reflecting on the game, Tetsuya Nomura claims that "Death should be something sudden and unexpected, and Aerith's death seemed more natural and realistic", and "When I reflect on Final Fantasy VII, the fact that fans were so offended by her sudden death probably means that we were successful with her character. If fans had simply accepted her death, that would have meant she wasn't an effective character." Rumors have circulated that Aerith can be resurrected in Final Fantasy VII or that the possibility was removed in development. "The world was expecting us to bring her back to life, as this is the classic convention". A lengthy petition asking for Aerith's revival by Japanese players was sent to Kitase. However, Kitase states that "there are many meanings in Aerith's death and that could never happen".
Musical theme
A leitmotifLeitmotif
A leitmotif , sometimes written leit-motif, is a musical term , referring to a recurring theme, associated with a particular person, place, or idea. It is closely related to the musical idea of idée fixe...
associated with Aeris is played several times throughout Final Fantasy VII. It is first heard during the flashback scenes with Aeris' mother at her house, and is repeated as she is killed by Sephiroth. The piece "Flowers Blooming in the Church" is based on this theme. This piece is extremely popular among Final Fantasy fans, and has inspired an orchestral version, a piano version, and a vocal version performed by the artist RIKKI
RIKKI
, professionally known as , is a Japanese folk singer.Born in Amami Ōshima, Japan, she began to sing traditional Japanese music when she was four years old. Later, at the age of 15, Rikki was the youngest winner ever to win the "Grand Prix" of the Japanese traditional folk music awards...
, who also performed "Suteki Da Ne" for Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square as the tenth title in the Final Fantasy series. It was released in 2001 for Sony's PlayStation 2, and will be re-released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in 2012...
, in the form of 'Pure Heart'. It is composed by famed Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu
Nobuo Uematsu
is a Japanese video game composer, best known for scoring the majority of titles in the Final Fantasy series. He is considered as one of the most famous and respected composers in the video game community...
. A piano arrangement of the theme appears twice in Advent Children, and the track "Water" also echoes shades of the theme. The opening phrase of "Aeris' Theme" appears just prior to the climax of the track "Divinity II", which shortly after includes as its final line the Latin phrase "Sola Dea fatum novit," or "Only the goddess knows fate." "Aeris' Theme" is also featured during the end credits of the movie. It has been reinterpreted on the OverClocked ReMix
OverClocked ReMix
OverClocked ReMix, also known as OC ReMix and OCR, is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and paying tribute to video game music through arranging and re-interpreting the songs with new technology and software, as well as by various traditional means...
Final Fantasy VII compilation Voices of the Lifestream
Voices of the Lifestream
Voices of the Lifestream is an unofficial tribute album released by OverClocked ReMix in honor of Nobuo Uematsu's score for the popular video game, Final Fantasy VII. The album was released on September 14, 2007, to coincide with the 10th anniversary of Final Fantasy VII...
.
Reception
Aerith has received an overall positive reception. GamesTMGamesTM
GamesTM is a UK-based, multi-format video games magazine, covering many video game platforms including PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 2, PC games, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS and Arcade machines...
referred to her as a "gaming legend". RPGamer
RPGamer
RPGamer is a media and news website dedicated to covering computer and video game RPGs. Its coverage includes North American game news, European game news, Asian game news, gaming industry news, game reviews, game previews, hands-on game impressions, gaming conventions, game merchandise, release...
stated that although Aerith "represented the token damsel in distress", she "broke the mould in terms of personality", possessing "an admirable pluck that was not brassy nor off-putting". Aerith has also been included in most of GameFAQs
GameFAQs
GameFAQs is a website that hosts FAQs and walkthroughs for video games. It was created in November 1995 by Jeff "CJayC" Veasey and was bought by CNET Networks in May 2003. It is currently owned by CBS Interactive. The site has a database of video game information, cheat codes, reviews, game saves,...
' "Character Battle" contests, though she progressed only a few rounds each time. In February 2007, she was listed in Tom's Games list of "Top 50 Greatest Female Characters in Video Game History", citing her death scene and the beauty of her appearance and personality. In late 2007, Aerith was named 5th best character of all time in Dengeki PlayStation
Dengeki PlayStation
is a Japanese gaming magazine published by ASCII Media Works . The magazine originally featured information pertaining to PlayStation video games, but since then has also incorporated information from PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Portable games...
s retrospective awards feature about the original PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
ranked her the number two top Final Fantasy VII character—a rank higher than the game's protagonist, Cloud Strife
Cloud Strife
is a fictional character and the main protagonist in Square's role-playing game Final Fantasy VII and several of its sequels and spin-offs. His original design was created by Final Fantasy VII character designer Tetsuya Nomura...
. GameTrailers
GameTrailers
GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...
ranked her at the top of "Top 10 Babes who Are out of Your League". During February 2010, Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
readers voted Aerith as the 24th best video game character. Her relation with Cloud has also received positive response, with the two appearing in the The Inquirer
The Inquirer
The Inquirer is a British technology tabloid website founded by Mike Magee after his departure from The Register in 2001. In 2006 the site was acquired by Dutch publisher Verenigde Nederlandse Uitgeverijen...
s list of most memorable video game couples while IGN listed them in their article of "Best Videogame Romances"
Her death in Final Fantasy VII has received a great deal of attention. Players commented on message boards and blogs about the emotional impact the scene held. Fans submitted a petition to Yoshinori Kitase requesting her return. GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
numbers her demise as the 10th greatest cinematic moments in video game history. Its readers voted it the second most cinematic moment in video games. GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
considers her death sequence to be the greatest of all gaming moments. Tom's Games called the scene "one of the most powerful and memorable scenes of the Final Fantasy series—or any other game, for that matter." Edge
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
called her death the "dramatic highpoint" of Final Fantasy VII, and commented reintroducing her through the related Final Fantasy VII titles "arguably undermines this great moment". In 2005, Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
listed Final Fantasy VII number six in their list of "10 Most Important Games", stating without it, "Aeris wouldn’t have died, and gamers wouldn’t have learned how to cry." GamesTM commented her death helped establish the popularity of Final Fantasy VII. ScrewAttack
ScrewAttack
ScrewAttack . is a video game-related website that showcases original entertainment for an audience of video game enthusiasts. Its content is also shown on GameTrailers and IGN...
has added Aerith's death in their "Top 10 OMGWTF Moments" referring to it as one of the "touchiest moments in video game history".
External links
- Aeris Gainsborough character profile at the official Square Enix Final Fantasy VII site
- Aerith Gainsborough on Final Fantasy Wiki at Wikia