Cloud Strife
Encyclopedia
is a fictional character and the main protagonist
in Square
's (now Square Enix
'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
. Cloud's appearance is marked by spikey blond hair, striking blue eyes, dark clothing and his , which previously belonged to his friend Zack Fair
. Cloud is voiced by Takahiro Sakurai
in Japanese, and in English by Steve Burton.
In Final Fantasy VII, Cloud is a mercenary and self-proclaimed ex-member of SOLDIER, a select, genetically augmented
military unit operating under the defacto world government
and megacorporation Shinra Electric Power Company. Fighting against Shinra in the resistance group 'AVALANCHE' and driven by a feud with the primary antagonist, Sephiroth, Cloud learns to accept his troubled past and adapts to his role as a leader. Cloud has also appeared in several other titles outside the Final Fantasy VII continuity such as Itadaki Street Special, Final Fantasy Tactics
, Dissidia: Final Fantasy
, Ehrgeiz
and the Kingdom Hearts series.
Cloud has garnered a primarily positive reception by critics. Described as "iconic," the character has been ranked highly in various published character lists. Cloud remains popular among fans, and continues to place highly in popularity polls. Cloud has also become the basis for a variety of merchandise, such as action figure
s and jewellery.
, some depending on the player's choices. When confronted by his childhood friend and AVALANCHE member, Tifa
, Cloud agrees to keep his boyhood promise to protect her, continuing his AVALANCHE membership despite never having become a famous hero. Following the player's departure from Midgar, Cloud is appointed group leader by the other members of the party, upsetting Barret
, AVALANCHE's original leader.
In interacting with Aerith
, a flower girl wanted by Shinra and sole survivor of an ancient race known as the Cetra, Cloud's character is further expanded upon. He shows increased signs of good-natured humor and protectiveness, as opposed to his antagonistic use of sarcasm with Barret or comparative coolness to everyone other than Tifa that he has previously spoken with. Aerith, in turn, reciprocates this attitude, offering her assistance to lead Cloud back to Sector 7 and to rescue Tifa in Sector 6, despite Cloud being her bodyguard and the danger present. Aerith also inquires about Cloud's romantic life, and, depending on the player's dialogue choices and actions, could be one of several characters to take Cloud on a "date" at the Golden Saucer, an enormous amusement park, along with Tifa, and less seriously, Barret and optional character Yuffie
. This love triangle
aspect between Cloud, Tifa and Aerith is primarily focused on in the first disc, and at times is used to humorous effect
.
When the player arrives at the inn in the town of Kalm, Cloud narrates to the group his history with Sephiroth, a legendary member of SOLDIER and the game's primary antagonist. According to Cloud, the two were "war buddies," having worked together on previous missions prior to the one in Nibelheim. Having joined SOLDIER to emulate Sephiroth, Cloud states in the flashback
that he signs up for "big missions" whenever they become available, as the war had already ended and thus his chances for fame. When Sephiroth, upon discovering documents surrounding the nature of Jenova and his birth, mistakes himself to be a Cetra and razes Nibelheim, Cloud chases after him. Finding Tifa wounded by Sephiroth at the Mt. Nibel Mako Reactor, Cloud discovers Sephiroth releasing Jenova, an extraterrestrial life-form and Sephiroth's "mother," from imprisonment. Cloud relates to the group that he then confronted Sephiroth, but he is unable to remember the events directly following.
In fact, these events did not occur as Cloud describes; rather, they are an amalgamation of Cloud's actual past (as a member of the Shinra army who failed to enter SOLDIER) along with his friend Zack
's own past, mixed with memories gleaned from Tifa's mind, created out of a combination of shame, Jenova cells and manipulation by Sephiroth. The effects of this self-fabrication are made noticeable to the player prior to Cloud's discovery of the truth—Cloud, at mention of names from the past or moments related thereto, will experience a brief flashback and collapse momentarily, suffering from apparent physical pain, and visual and audio cues are given to indicate discrepancies. It is not until after he and Tifa fall into the Lifestream that he, with her encouragement, can piece his past back together, and restore his own personality from underneath the amalgam where he had subconsciously hidden it, and dismisses Sephiroth's deceit that he is an artificially-constructed Sephiroth-clone.
In the cell phone game Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII
, Cloud appears in a minor role. During the course of the game, which takes place over the six years leading into Final Fantasy VII, the player encounters Cloud while he works in Shinra to be a SOLDIER, assisting Shinra's group Turks in one of their missions and repraising the events from Nibelheim's rise.
In the CGI
film Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, Cloud, two years following the conclusion of Final Fantasy VII, lives with Tifa in the city of Edge, working as a delivery boy
for the "Strife Delivery Service" that Tifa set up in her new bar, having given up his life as a mercenary. Staying with them is Marlene, Barret's adopted daughter, and Denzel, an orphan with a rampant and deadly disease called Geostigma. When confronted by Tifa following the disappearance of Denzel and Marlene, it is revealed that Cloud suffers from the effects of Geostigma, and he responds that he is unfit to protect his new family and other friends. However, when urged by Tifa to let go of the past, Cloud sets out for the Forgotten City in search for the children, and confronts Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo, genetic remnants of Sephiroth left behind before he could diffuse into the Lifestream completely. In confronting Kadaj, the battle takes them back to Aerith's church, where the Lifestream-influenced water cures Cloud of his Geostigma. Kadaj later merges with the remnants of Jenova, causing Sephiroth to be reborn. When Sephiroth is once again defeated, he dissipates, leaving a dying Kadaj in his place. At the movie's end, Cloud reunites with his friends, sees Aerith and Zack and assures them that he will be fine.
Cloud is also featured in the novella On the Way to a Smile, in which set between Final Fantasy VII and Advent Children. The chapter "Case of Tifa" shows his life alongside Tifa, Marlene and Denzel. Cloud is also one of the main characters in the original video animation
Last Order: Final Fantasy VII
. It depicts Cloud in two events that were shown in flashbacks in Final Fantasy VII; one at Nibelheim when he fights Sephiroth, and the other while escaping from Shinra with Zack.
Cloud appears in a supporting role in Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII
. A year after the events of Advent Children, Cloud, working alongside Barrett and Tifa, lends his support to the ground forces of the World Regenesis Organization and Vincent Valentine
in their siege of Midgar and counterattack against the rogue Shinra military unit, Deepground. In the prequel Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Cloud is presented as a young Shinra infantryman who befriends Zack. During the game's conclusion, a dying Zack gives Cloud his Buster Sword, telling him that he is his legacy, as he goes to Midgar reprising the start of Final Fantasy VII.
Cloud's character has also appeared in games outside of the Final Fantasy VII continuity. He is one of several playable Final Fantasy VII characters in Itadaki Street Special for the PlayStation 2
and Itadaki Street Portable for the PlayStation Portable
. In Chocobo Racing
, Cloud is a hidden character that rides a motorcycle. Cloud is a playable character in the PlayStation version of Ehrgeiz
, but like the other Final Fantasy VII characters present in the game, he has no storyline. Cloud and Tifa are the only Final Fantasy VII characters with a third costume or a story mode title; Cloud's depicts him in his Shinra infantryman attire, and his title is 'Guardian'. Cloud is the representing Final Fantasy VII in Dissidia: Final Fantasy
, a fighting game that uses characters from the Final Fantasy games. His fight against Sephiroth in such game was based on their fights from Final Fantasy VII and Advent Children. Along with the entire cast, Cloud reappears in the prequel Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
as a Warrior of Chaos. Concerned for Tifa who is one the opposite side, Cloud tries to defeat Chaos alone but is nearly killed. He is later saved by the goddess Cosmos to become one of her warriors. Cloud's main outfit is based on Yoshitaka Amano
's original artwork concept, while his Kingdom Hearts outfit serves as a downloadable content. In LittleBigPlanet 2
, Cloud is featured as a downloadable character model.
In the PlayStation game Final Fantasy Tactics
, Cloud is a playable secret character
the player is able to recruit. He is accidentally pulled into the world of Ivalice
by an ancient machine called "the Celestial Globe," which was activated by Ramza Beoulve in Goug Machine City. Cloud is disoriented after arriving in Ramza's world, and after a short exchange with Ramza and the others, he leaves. He wanders into Zarghidas Trade City, where he encounters a flower girl named Aerith, and it is implied that she reminds Cloud of the Aerith in the original game, including his grief of her death. As Cloud is leaving the area, Aerith is accosted by a man demanding payment. Cloud returns to help Aerith escape as Ramza and his party catch up to him. After the battle, he joins Ramza's party as a playable character, although he cannot perform any of his signature attacks until the player tracks down his sword.
In Kingdom Hearts, Cloud appears in the Olympus Coliseum world. He is depicted with a claw and a crimson cape, and the blade of his sword is wrapped in bandages. Nomura has stated that Cloud's left arm was inspired by Vincent Valentine
, noting that, in this game, the character was supposed to illustrate a "demon-like" appearance due to his ties to the "dark side." He has been hired by Hades to kill Hercules, but must fight Sora
as a prerequisite. After the fight, Hades sends Cerberus
to attack Cloud and Sora, who are then saved by Hercules. Cloud meets with Sora afterward and explains that he is searching for someone. During the credit roll at the end of the game, Cloud is shown reuniting residents of Hollow Bastion although Nomura stated that the answer to the person Cloud was looking for was up to the players. A memory-based version of Cloud continued his role in the series in the Game Boy Advance
sequel Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
as a boss
in the Olympus Coliseum and later as a summon card for Sora. Cloud appears again in Kingdom Hearts II
, depicted in his Advent Children attire. He is searching for Sephiroth, and is himself being sought out by Tifa. Cloud later fights alongside Leon
's team during the Heartless invasion of Hollow Bastion. Should the player choose to engage Sephiroth and win the battle, Cloud returns and engages Sephiroth which ends with both of them disappearing in a flash of light after Tifa gives Cloud her support. Sora concludes that Cloud is still fighting with Sephiroth, and will not stop until he is defeated. A digital replica of Cloud also appears in Kingdom Hearts coded
once again in Olympus Coliseum, but helping data versions of Sora and Hercules to battle the data Hades.
with influences from Yoshinori Kitase
, Kazushige Nojima
and Hironobu Sakaguchi
. Originally conceptualized by Sakaguchi as one of only three playable characters in early planning stages for Final Fantasy VII, Cloud's character saw greater oversight by Nomura than with other characters in previous Final Fantasy projects. Nomura was called upon to supervise Cloud's various lines and personality traits. Kitase and Nojima, meanwhile, were in charge of developing Cloud's background and his relationship with the character of Sephiroth. When being appointed to write the scenario, Cloud's false persona was already determined, with Nojima inspired by the character's first appearance in the story. As the story continued, Nojima focused in making Cloud more mature hoping it could be noticed by the players. Nojima incorporated the character of Zack Fair
to the game to expand the mysteries behind Cloud's background which still were not decided. In expanding Cloud's character individuality, the staff wanted him to be interesting to players, and focused in working in all his manners and his phrase "Not interested" which is repeated various times in the game. When first reading Nojima's scenario, Kitase was surprised by Cloud's persona as he was not simple-minded, feeling him fresh. The love triangle
between Cloud, Tifa Lockhart
and Aerith Gainsborough
was also an aspect the staff found new in the series. Nojima deceived such aspect based on the "high school romance comedy" concept he thought was simple.
In early drafts, Cloud was meant to act as an alter ego
for Sephiroth when he is influenced to believe he was not the real Cloud, but a creation born from Sephiroth's will. As in Final Fantasy VII, Cloud would later realize he is the real Cloud, and the reason why Sephiroth could control his mind and body were because of Shinra's experiments and a weakening within his will. Additionally, he was meant to have scarred Tifa prior to the game's events though the reasons for such an action were unknown. Another scene, implying both of them having sex, was proposed by Masato Kato
, one of the event planners, but was replaced with a toned down version by Kitase in which a risqué line is followed by a fade to black
. In an interview Nojima stated none of them thought it would be something so important at the time.
Nomura has said the original parameters of Cloud's character design called for slicked-back, black hair with no spikes. This depiction was to serve as a contrast to the long, flowing silver hair of the game's lead antagonist, Sephiroth. However, to make Cloud stand out more and emphasize his role in the game as the lead protagonist, Nomura altered Cloud's design to give him spiky, bright, blonde hair. Cloud's appearance is also marked in Final Fantasy VII with his dark blue SOLDIER outfit, blue eyes and standing 5 feet 8 inches (173 cms). Cloud's weapon, the Buster Sword, was originally smaller from its final form in the game, but its height increased as Nomura redesigned Cloud. Nomura nicknamed it "the Giant Kitchen Knife" because how he originally envisioned it. The sword was also meant to be held on his back with the use of magnets and have a small chain. Kitase said of the character:
Nojima has expressed the dynamic of the relationship between the player and the main character in a Final Fantasy title is something he always puts thought into, and with Final Fantasy VII, Cloud's subdued nature led him to write scenes with the character in such a way the players would be placed in the position of deciding for themselves what the character was thinking. Nomura believes the reason why Cloud has become popular within gamers is due to the impact from his personality made in Nojima's scenario.
commented "It sounds cool!" considering the fact that gamers who have finished Final Fantasy VII would find it hard to imagine how Cloud smiles and that by reading the script to such a scene, he was inspired to write the score.
Cloud's design in the film is a combination of a total of eight designs the staff made which were from deformed to realistic designs. In contrast to his hair, Cloud's clothes were difficult to make in the film. Cloud's new weaponry in the film was created based on jokes by fans who commented that because Cloud's weapon in the original game had an enormous height, in the sequel, he goes with sheer numbers. Although it does not have an official name, the staff named it the Fusion Swords during the film's development. The concept was to have Cloud hold six swords totally that he would carry on his back, but it then changed to six interlocking swords. Although the film's staff thought doing sequences with the Fusion Swords was impossible, they decided to make it as they then found as an interesting twist to the battles. Cloud's new motorcycle, Fenrir, was designed by Takayuki Takeya who was asked by the staff to have an upgraded version of Cloud's "Hardy-Daytona" motorcycle from Final Fantasy VII. As development continued, the bike got bigger with Takeya feeling its heaviness gave an impact that worked well within the movie.
Cloud's Japanese voice actor, Takahiro Sakurai
, first voiced his character in Kingdom Hearts with the idea Cloud was a different character from the one of Final Fantasy VII game, which he was a fan of. For Advent Children Nomura wanted Cloud and Vincent's voices to contrast with each other because of their similarities. Sakurai expressed pressure for voicing Cloud as it was the sequel from the Final Fantasy VII. Although he did not mind whether critical response regarding his work was positive or not, Sakurai claims he only received praise. When voicing him, Sakurai has in mind that his silence is more expressive than his dialogues and that because of his burdens, he notes Cloud is shown to be a weak person. For Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
, Cloud was noted by Sakurai to be more normal and more expressive. The final scene in which Cloud screams over Zack's death was the one in which Sakurai worked the most on, as it left the biggest impression on him. Sakurai has come to regard Cloud as a very important character in the series as it reminds him of his own past, and he is still impressed he was able to contribute as his voice actor because he considers himself to be a Final Fantasy VII fan. In the English adaptations, Cloud has been voiced by Steve Burton
who enjoyed dubbing the character and was surprised by how fans recognized him for his work. He also commented on Cloud's character calling him "[one of the] coolest characters there is" and considers himself lucky for having voiced him.
stated the character set a trend for role-playing game heroes. "The spiky blond hair and the gigantic Buster Sword have become instantly identifiable icons, recognized by gamers around the world." GameDaily
concurred, listing Cloud as an example of the "spiky-haired hero with a strange weapon", though stating that they have no problem with Cloud's spiky hair in particular. He was named best character of all time in Dengeki PlayStation
s retrospective awards feature about the original PlayStation
. Electronic Gaming Monthly
placed him seventh in their "Top Ten: List of Videogame Characters." UGO placed him at the top on their list of "Top 25 Japanese RPG Characters". IGN placed him third in its "Top 25 Final Fantasy Characters" feature. He had the same rank in IGN's "Final Fantasy VII: Top 10 Characters". GamesRadar
listed Cloud as the second best Final Fantasy hero of all the time stating "he’s one of the most well-rounded and thought-out characters in the series". He was also the second best Final Fantasy character in an article by Videogamer.com who labelled him as a "poster boy for the entire JRPG genre." GameSpot
also made a video titled "Greatest Game Hero: Cloud Strife" featuring scenes based on his character. Publishing an article focused on his past and his personality, RPGamer
editor Aujang Abadi called Cloud "one of the most complex characters Square has created" as well as "the first truly complicated main character." Kurt Kalata of Gamasutra
praises certain aspects of Cloud's characterization, noting that he is "neither hero
nor anti-hero" but rather "somewhat of a weakling" with grandiose delusions
and psychological issues, and one of the first unreliable narrator
s in a role-playing video game. Unicorn Lynx of MobyGames
described him as "one of the most complex characters ever seen in a game" due to how he has to deal with "his own deep psychological problems" and "the truth about his very existence" while taking responsibility as a leader.
GameCritics leveled some criticism against the character, stating that, while Final Fantasy VII had "some of the most complex characters ever created, by video game standards," some of them were "paper-thin" and Cloud had "childish motivations" compared to the characters in "Citizen Kane
or the complexities of characters exhibited in Martin Scorsese
's Taxi Driver
." Cloud's and Aerith's relationship was also third in GamesRadar's "Top 10 Square Enix Couples" with its writer stating "It's a classic love story", while IGN ranked it ninth in their "Best Videogames Couples". 1UP.com
featured him in their article "Top 5 Final Fantasy Character Types" in which Cloud was in the second category, "The Sullen Asshole", alongside with Squall Leonhart
from Final Fantasy VIII
and Cecil from Final Fantasy IV
. On the other hand, Edge
described Cloud as an example of "excellent design and characterization." They also commented that his design "inspired many a Japanese teen to adopt his exact spiky, yellow hairstyle." GameDaily ranked him fifth on their list of the "Top 25 Gaming Hunks", with praise on his design and weapon. Famitsu
issue #1103 featured Cloud on its cover and gave him a seven-page tribute, showing his many appearances through the years. During February 2010, Famitsu readers voted Cloud as the third best video game character. In the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition
from 2011, he was voted as the fifth best video game character. In an ASCII Media Works
poll in which fans voted selected whose video game or manga character would like to name their children after, Cloud's name was third in the male category.
Reception among fans has been predominately positive. According to IGN, "he is probably the most famous hero in the history of the Final Fantasy series," and that, although "his star has faded somewhat over the last decade and change, maybe it's just a consequence of overexposure," and "he'll probably still be an icon ten years from now." IGN listed him as a possible character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
, though he was not chosen as the "reader's choice." In one of IGN's 2007 "Hero Showdowns," Cloud was pitted against Link, though Link was voted the favorite. The character was placed in similar contests by GameFAQs
, winning the "Character Battle II" (2003) and finishing second in the "Character Battle III" (2004) and the "Battle Royale" (2006). GameSpot featured him in their poll "All Time Greatest Game Hero". GamesRadar featured him in "RPG Emo
-Off", in which they stated Cloud became "most emo character of all JRPGs" until he was defeated by Genesis Rhapsodos. In an Oricon
poll from 2008, Cloud was voted as the second most popular video game character. He was also second in "men's category" and third in "women's category". Cloud has also been included in some unorthodox lists; these include IGN's "Worst Videogame Haircuts", "Top Videogame Sword Masters" and ScrewAttack
's "Top Ten Coolest Characters". GamesRadar featured Cloud's disguising scene as a woman in "Gaming's most piss poor disguises", citing how feminine he looks.
Arnold Katayev from PSXextreme praised Cloud's redesign from Kingdom Hearts as one of best ones from the game, noting how it is a "hybrid" of his and Vincent Valentine's designs. AnimeFringe stated Cloud's appearance in Kingdom Hearts was one of the things that excited the Final Fantasy VII fans the most. Despite finding his boss battle as one of the most challenging of Olympus Coliseum, they still referred to it as "nothing when compared to Sephiroth['s]." His development in Advent Children was praised by Todd Douglass Jr. from DVD Talk
as one of the best parts from the film. 1UP commented that Cloud's guilt about Aerith's death was effective to move viewers, yet he thought such scenes were "manipulative". His redesign also received positive comments, with focus on his "unbreakably perfect hair." Joystiq
's Andrew Yoon stated that the director's cut
version of the film is better than the original in giving more depth to Cloud's development to the point of "humanizing [him]." On the other hand, Mania Entertainment writer Briana Lawerence listed Cloud second in the article "10 Male Headaches of Anime" criticizing his feeling of guilt about Aerith's death seen in the film. RPGamer referred to Cloud's overcoming Aerith's death as one of the primary parts of the film and called his fight sequences as "the most creative and impressive scenes." A GamesRadar article of "Classic game characters" featured, Cloud's redesigns across his appearances was analysed with comments on how each of his designs bear various similarities, yet they are sightly different.
that Cloud's likeness has produced some of the company's best-selling items, and said that fans could look forward to further adaptations of the character in the future. Popular models include Cloud's Advent Children figurine and Hardy Daytona Bike set, having sold particularly well in European and North American markets. Square has also released two promotional books primarily focusing on Cloud's character: Cloud Vol 1, which was released in 2007 and Cloud message, in late 2008.
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
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...
's) 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...
and several of its sequels and spin-offs
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...
. His original design was created by Final Fantasy VII character designer 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...
. Cloud's appearance is marked by spikey blond hair, striking blue eyes, dark clothing and his , which previously belonged to his friend Zack Fair
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...
. Cloud is voiced by Takahiro Sakurai
Takahiro Sakurai
is a voice actor who was born in Aichi. He is a member of 81 Produce; his height is .Many of his roles are handsome men. However, he has also voiced reluctant heroes as well as the occasional villain...
in Japanese, and in English by Steve Burton.
In Final Fantasy VII, Cloud is a mercenary and self-proclaimed ex-member of SOLDIER, a select, genetically augmented
Supersoldier
Supersoldier is a term often used to describe a soldier that operates beyond normal human limits or abilities. Supersoldiers are common in science fiction literature, films, TV programs, computer, conspiracy theories, and video games, but have also made appearances in other related genres, such as...
military unit operating under the defacto world government
World government
World government is the notion of a single common political authority for all of humanity. Its modern conception is rooted in European history, particularly in the philosophy of ancient Greece, in the political formation of the Roman Empire, and in the subsequent struggle between secular authority,...
and megacorporation Shinra Electric Power Company. Fighting against Shinra in the resistance group 'AVALANCHE' and driven by a feud with the primary antagonist, Sephiroth, Cloud learns to accept his troubled past and adapts to his role as a leader. Cloud has also appeared in several other titles outside the Final Fantasy VII continuity such as Itadaki Street Special, 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...
, Dissidia: Final Fantasy
Dissidia: Final Fantasy
is an action RPG/fighting game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation Portable as part of the campaign of the Final Fantasy series 20th anniversary. Information on the game was first released during the "Square Enix Party" event of May 2008...
, Ehrgeiz
Ehrgeiz
, fully titled Ehrgeiz: God Bless The Ring, is a 3D fighting game developed by DreamFactory and published by Namco in 1998 for the arcade platform. It was first ported to the PlayStation and published by Square Co...
and the Kingdom Hearts series.
Cloud has garnered a primarily positive reception by critics. Described as "iconic," the character has been ranked highly in various published character lists. Cloud remains popular among fans, and continues to place highly in popularity polls. Cloud has also become the basis for a variety of merchandise, such as action figure
Action figure
An action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
s and jewellery.
Final Fantasy VII
In Final Fantasy VII, Cloud is introduced as a mercenary and former member of SOLDIER, 1st Class, an elite military unit operating under the Shinra Company. Presented at the game's start as apathetic to anything unrelated to his job, Cloud's blasé attitude towards the goals of AVALANCHE, a resistance group fighting against Shinra, and the threat posed to the planet causes conflict with the other characters, and his background produces misgivings as to Cloud's motivations and trustworthiness. Cloud, meanwhile, takes pride in his past, confident in his abilities as a "former member of SOLDIER." Despite appearing detached to members of AVALANCHE in the game's introductory sequence, Cloud does display moments of camaraderieComrade
Comrade means "friend", "colleague", or "ally". The word comes from French camarade. The term is frequently used by left-wing organizations around the globe. "Comrade" has often become a stock phrase and form of address. This word has its regional equivalents available in many...
, some depending on the player's choices. When confronted by his childhood friend and AVALANCHE member, Tifa
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 agrees to keep his boyhood promise to protect her, continuing his AVALANCHE membership despite never having become a famous hero. Following the player's departure from Midgar, Cloud is appointed group leader by the other members of the party, upsetting Barret
Barret Wallace
is a player character in Square Enix's role playing game Final Fantasy VII. Created by character designer Tetsuya Nomura, he has since appeared in the CGI film sequel, Final Fantasy VII Advent Children as well as other games and media in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series...
, AVALANCHE's original leader.
In interacting with Aerith
Aerith Gainsborough
— spelled Aeris Gainsborough in the English releases of Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy Tactics — is a player character in Square's console role-playing game Final Fantasy VII...
, a flower girl wanted by Shinra and sole survivor of an ancient race known as the Cetra, Cloud's character is further expanded upon. He shows increased signs of good-natured humor and protectiveness, as opposed to his antagonistic use of sarcasm with Barret or comparative coolness to everyone other than Tifa that he has previously spoken with. Aerith, in turn, reciprocates this attitude, offering her assistance to lead Cloud back to Sector 7 and to rescue Tifa in Sector 6, despite Cloud being her bodyguard and the danger present. Aerith also inquires about Cloud's romantic life, and, depending on the player's dialogue choices and actions, could be one of several characters to take Cloud on a "date" at the Golden Saucer, an enormous amusement park, along with Tifa, and less seriously, Barret and optional character 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...
. This love triangle
Love triangle
A love triangle is usually a romantic relationship involving three people. While it can refer to two people independently romantically linked with a third, it usually implies that each of the three people has some kind of relationship to the other two...
aspect between Cloud, Tifa and Aerith is primarily focused on in the first disc, and at times is used to humorous effect
Comic relief
Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.-Definition:...
.
When the player arrives at the inn in the town of Kalm, Cloud narrates to the group his history with Sephiroth, a legendary member of SOLDIER and the game's primary antagonist. According to Cloud, the two were "war buddies," having worked together on previous missions prior to the one in Nibelheim. Having joined SOLDIER to emulate Sephiroth, Cloud states in the flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
that he signs up for "big missions" whenever they become available, as the war had already ended and thus his chances for fame. When Sephiroth, upon discovering documents surrounding the nature of Jenova and his birth, mistakes himself to be a Cetra and razes Nibelheim, Cloud chases after him. Finding Tifa wounded by Sephiroth at the Mt. Nibel Mako Reactor, Cloud discovers Sephiroth releasing Jenova, an extraterrestrial life-form and Sephiroth's "mother," from imprisonment. Cloud relates to the group that he then confronted Sephiroth, but he is unable to remember the events directly following.
In fact, these events did not occur as Cloud describes; rather, they are an amalgamation of Cloud's actual past (as a member of the Shinra army who failed to enter SOLDIER) along with his friend 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...
's own past, mixed with memories gleaned from Tifa's mind, created out of a combination of shame, Jenova cells and manipulation by Sephiroth. The effects of this self-fabrication are made noticeable to the player prior to Cloud's discovery of the truth—Cloud, at mention of names from the past or moments related thereto, will experience a brief flashback and collapse momentarily, suffering from apparent physical pain, and visual and audio cues are given to indicate discrepancies. It is not until after he and Tifa fall into the Lifestream that he, with her encouragement, can piece his past back together, and restore his own personality from underneath the amalgam where he had subconsciously hidden it, and dismisses Sephiroth's deceit that he is an artificially-constructed Sephiroth-clone.
Compilation of 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...
, Cloud appears in a minor role. During the course of the game, which takes place over the six years leading into Final Fantasy VII, the player encounters Cloud while he works in Shinra to be a SOLDIER, assisting Shinra's group Turks in one of their missions and repraising the events from Nibelheim's rise.
In the CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
film Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, Cloud, two years following the conclusion of Final Fantasy VII, lives with Tifa in the city of Edge, working as a delivery boy
Delivery (commerce)
Delivery is the process of transporting goods. Most goods are delivered through a transportation network. Cargo are primarily delivered via roads and railroads on land, shipping lanes on the sea and airline networks in the air...
for the "Strife Delivery Service" that Tifa set up in her new bar, having given up his life as a mercenary. Staying with them is Marlene, Barret's adopted daughter, and Denzel, an orphan with a rampant and deadly disease called Geostigma. When confronted by Tifa following the disappearance of Denzel and Marlene, it is revealed that Cloud suffers from the effects of Geostigma, and he responds that he is unfit to protect his new family and other friends. However, when urged by Tifa to let go of the past, Cloud sets out for the Forgotten City in search for the children, and confronts Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo, genetic remnants of Sephiroth left behind before he could diffuse into the Lifestream completely. In confronting Kadaj, the battle takes them back to Aerith's church, where the Lifestream-influenced water cures Cloud of his Geostigma. Kadaj later merges with the remnants of Jenova, causing Sephiroth to be reborn. When Sephiroth is once again defeated, he dissipates, leaving a dying Kadaj in his place. At the movie's end, Cloud reunites with his friends, sees Aerith and Zack and assures them that he will be fine.
Cloud is also featured in the novella On the Way to a Smile, in which set between Final Fantasy VII and Advent Children. The chapter "Case of Tifa" shows his life alongside Tifa, Marlene and Denzel. Cloud is also one of the main characters in the original video animation
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
Last Order: Final Fantasy VII
Last Order: Final Fantasy VII
, also abbreviated as Last Order or LO, is a 2005 Japanese anime original video animation produced by Madhouse and released by Square Enix. It was directed by Morio Asaka and produced by Masao Maruyama, Jungo Maruta, and Akio Ofuji. Tetsuya Nomura acted as the supervising director...
. It depicts Cloud in two events that were shown in flashbacks in Final Fantasy VII; one at Nibelheim when he fights Sephiroth, and the other while escaping from Shinra with Zack.
Cloud appears in a supporting role in Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII
Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII
is an action role-playing third-person shooter video game developed and published by Square Enix in 2006 for the PlayStation 2. It is part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII metaseries, a multimedia collection set within the universe of the popular 1997 video game Final Fantasy VII...
. A year after the events of Advent Children, Cloud, working alongside Barrett and Tifa, lends his support to the ground forces of the World Regenesis Organization and Vincent Valentine
Vincent Valentine
is an optional player character in Square Enix's console role-playing game Final Fantasy VII. Designed by Tetsuya Nomura, he also appears in various titles from the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, a series of prequels of and sequels of Final Fantasy VII, and is the protagonist in the third-person...
in their siege of Midgar and counterattack against the rogue Shinra military unit, Deepground. In the prequel 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...
Cloud is presented as a young Shinra infantryman who befriends Zack. During the game's conclusion, a dying Zack gives Cloud his Buster Sword, telling him that he is his legacy, as he goes to Midgar reprising the start of Final Fantasy VII.
Other
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Itadaki Street Portable for the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
. In Chocobo Racing
Chocobo Racing
Chocobo Racing, known in Japan as is a racing game for the PlayStation game console. The game was developed by Square Co., creators of the Final Fantasy series of video games. The game was first released in Japan in March 1999...
, Cloud is a hidden character that rides a motorcycle. Cloud is a playable character in the PlayStation version of Ehrgeiz
Ehrgeiz
, fully titled Ehrgeiz: God Bless The Ring, is a 3D fighting game developed by DreamFactory and published by Namco in 1998 for the arcade platform. It was first ported to the PlayStation and published by Square Co...
, but like the other Final Fantasy VII characters present in the game, he has no storyline. Cloud and Tifa are the only Final Fantasy VII characters with a third costume or a story mode title; Cloud's depicts him in his Shinra infantryman attire, and his title is 'Guardian'. Cloud is the representing Final Fantasy VII in Dissidia: Final Fantasy
Dissidia: Final Fantasy
is an action RPG/fighting game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation Portable as part of the campaign of the Final Fantasy series 20th anniversary. Information on the game was first released during the "Square Enix Party" event of May 2008...
, a fighting game that uses characters from the Final Fantasy games. His fight against Sephiroth in such game was based on their fights from Final Fantasy VII and Advent Children. Along with the entire cast, Cloud reappears in the prequel 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 a Warrior of Chaos. Concerned for Tifa who is one the opposite side, Cloud tries to defeat Chaos alone but is nearly killed. He is later saved by the goddess Cosmos to become one of her warriors. Cloud's main outfit is based on 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...
's original artwork concept, while his Kingdom Hearts outfit serves as a downloadable content. 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...
, Cloud is featured as a downloadable character model.
In the PlayStation game 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...
, Cloud is a playable secret character
Secret character
A secret character can be a player character or a non-player character in a video game that must be unlocked by completing a goal within the game...
the player is able to recruit. He is accidentally pulled into the world of Ivalice
Ivalice
is a fictional location in the Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Vagrant Story universe. The world was conceived by Yasumi Matsuno when he joined Square Co. in 1995, and has since been expanded upon by several games, with more yet due with the Ivalice Alliance series...
by an ancient machine called "the Celestial Globe," which was activated by Ramza Beoulve in Goug Machine City. Cloud is disoriented after arriving in Ramza's world, and after a short exchange with Ramza and the others, he leaves. He wanders into Zarghidas Trade City, where he encounters a flower girl named Aerith, and it is implied that she reminds Cloud of the Aerith in the original game, including his grief of her death. As Cloud is leaving the area, Aerith is accosted by a man demanding payment. Cloud returns to help Aerith escape as Ramza and his party catch up to him. After the battle, he joins Ramza's party as a playable character, although he cannot perform any of his signature attacks until the player tracks down his sword.
In Kingdom Hearts, Cloud appears in the Olympus Coliseum world. He is depicted with a claw and a crimson cape, and the blade of his sword is wrapped in bandages. Nomura has stated that Cloud's left arm was inspired by Vincent Valentine
Vincent Valentine
is an optional player character in Square Enix's console role-playing game Final Fantasy VII. Designed by Tetsuya Nomura, he also appears in various titles from the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, a series of prequels of and sequels of Final Fantasy VII, and is the protagonist in the third-person...
, noting that, in this game, the character was supposed to illustrate a "demon-like" appearance due to his ties to the "dark side." He has been hired by Hades to kill Hercules, but must fight Sora
Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
is a fictional character and the main protagonist of Square Enix's best-selling Kingdom Hearts series. Introduced in the series' first game in 2002, Sora is a cheerful teenager who originates from Destiny Islands and has been best friends with Riku and Kairi since early childhood. When they plan to...
as a prerequisite. After the fight, Hades sends Cerberus
Cerberus
Cerberus , or Kerberos, in Greek and Roman mythology, is a multi-headed hound which guards the gates of the Underworld, to prevent those who have crossed the river Styx from ever escaping...
to attack Cloud and Sora, who are then saved by Hercules. Cloud meets with Sora afterward and explains that he is searching for someone. During the credit roll at the end of the game, Cloud is shown reuniting residents of Hollow Bastion although Nomura stated that the answer to the person Cloud was looking for was up to the players. A memory-based version of Cloud continued his role in the series in the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
sequel 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 boss
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
in the Olympus Coliseum and later as a summon card for Sora. Cloud appears again 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...
, depicted in his Advent Children attire. He is searching for Sephiroth, and is himself being sought out by Tifa. Cloud later fights alongside 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 ;...
's team during the Heartless invasion of Hollow Bastion. Should the player choose to engage Sephiroth and win the battle, Cloud returns and engages Sephiroth which ends with both of them disappearing in a flash of light after Tifa gives Cloud her support. Sora concludes that Cloud is still fighting with Sephiroth, and will not stop until he is defeated. A digital replica of Cloud also appears in Kingdom Hearts coded
Kingdom Hearts coded
is an episodic puzzle video game developed and published by Square Enix, in collaboration with the Walt Disney Internet Group for mobile phones. It is the fourth installment in the Kingdom Hearts series and is set after the events of the Kingdom Hearts II. The story focuses on a message written in...
once again in Olympus Coliseum, but helping data versions of Sora and Hercules to battle the data Hades.
Concept and creation
Cloud was one of the first two characters designed for Final Fantasy VII 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 influences 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....
, Kazushige Nojima
Kazushige Nojima
is a Japanese game scenario writer and is the founder of Stellavista Ltd.. He is best known for writing parts of Square Enix's Final Fantasy video game series—namely Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X-2—and the Kingdom Hearts series...
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...
. Originally conceptualized by Sakaguchi as one of only three playable characters in early planning stages for Final Fantasy VII, Cloud's character saw greater oversight by Nomura than with other characters in previous Final Fantasy projects. Nomura was called upon to supervise Cloud's various lines and personality traits. Kitase and Nojima, meanwhile, were in charge of developing Cloud's background and his relationship with the character of Sephiroth. When being appointed to write the scenario, Cloud's false persona was already determined, with Nojima inspired by the character's first appearance in the story. As the story continued, Nojima focused in making Cloud more mature hoping it could be noticed by the players. Nojima incorporated the character of Zack Fair
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...
to the game to expand the mysteries behind Cloud's background which still were not decided. In expanding Cloud's character individuality, the staff wanted him to be interesting to players, and focused in working in all his manners and his phrase "Not interested" which is repeated various times in the game. When first reading Nojima's scenario, Kitase was surprised by Cloud's persona as he was not simple-minded, feeling him fresh. The love triangle
Love triangle
A love triangle is usually a romantic relationship involving three people. While it can refer to two people independently romantically linked with a third, it usually implies that each of the three people has some kind of relationship to the other two...
between Cloud, 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...
and Aerith Gainsborough
Aerith Gainsborough
— spelled Aeris Gainsborough in the English releases of Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy Tactics — is a player character in Square's console role-playing game Final Fantasy VII...
was also an aspect the staff found new in the series. Nojima deceived such aspect based on the "high school romance comedy" concept he thought was simple.
In early drafts, Cloud was meant to act as an alter ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
for Sephiroth when he is influenced to believe he was not the real Cloud, but a creation born from Sephiroth's will. As in Final Fantasy VII, Cloud would later realize he is the real Cloud, and the reason why Sephiroth could control his mind and body were because of Shinra's experiments and a weakening within his will. Additionally, he was meant to have scarred Tifa prior to the game's events though the reasons for such an action were unknown. Another scene, implying both of them having sex, was proposed by Masato Kato
Masato Kato
is a Japanese video game artist, scenario writer and director. In the early days of his career, he was credited under the pseudonyms of "Runmaru" and "Runmal".- Biography :...
, one of the event planners, but was replaced with a toned down version by Kitase in which a risqué line is followed by a fade to black
Fade (lighting)
In stage lighting, a fade is a gradual increase or decrease of the intensity of light projected onto the stage. The term fade-in refers to gradually changing the lighting level from complete darkness to a predetermined lighting level. A fade-out refers to gradually decreasing the intensity of...
. In an interview Nojima stated none of them thought it would be something so important at the time.
Nomura has said the original parameters of Cloud's character design called for slicked-back, black hair with no spikes. This depiction was to serve as a contrast to the long, flowing silver hair of the game's lead antagonist, Sephiroth. However, to make Cloud stand out more and emphasize his role in the game as the lead protagonist, Nomura altered Cloud's design to give him spiky, bright, blonde hair. Cloud's appearance is also marked in Final Fantasy VII with his dark blue SOLDIER outfit, blue eyes and standing 5 feet 8 inches (173 cms). Cloud's weapon, the Buster Sword, was originally smaller from its final form in the game, but its height increased as Nomura redesigned Cloud. Nomura nicknamed it "the Giant Kitchen Knife" because how he originally envisioned it. The sword was also meant to be held on his back with the use of magnets and have a small chain. Kitase said of the character:
Nojima has expressed the dynamic of the relationship between the player and the main character in a Final Fantasy title is something he always puts thought into, and with Final Fantasy VII, Cloud's subdued nature led him to write scenes with the character in such a way the players would be placed in the position of deciding for themselves what the character was thinking. Nomura believes the reason why Cloud has become popular within gamers is due to the impact from his personality made in Nojima's scenario.
Development for related games
For Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, Nomura agreed to direct the project, largely in part because of his attachment to the character of Cloud. Although Nomura stated Cloud was a more upbeat character in Final Fantasy VII, he chose a Cloud whose personality would be more familiar to gamers, and the script was written to explain the reasons for Cloud's state. Nomura, on explaining Cloud's situation in the film, said "Cloud tried to lead his life positively after the end of FF7 but he cracked... The sin which Cloud thinks he owns is not anyone's fault in particular. It is something Cloud has to overcome by himself." Nojima said the theme of the story is one of redemption. "If you want to be forgiven, you have to take the hard path in life." Cloud, in choosing to fight against Sephiroth once again, is finally "given healing and forgiveness." Nomura concluded, "Cloud seems to be a weak guy. Generally, heroes are strong, cool and don't have any weaknesses... Although Cloud is a jerk sometimes, he is really human-like. It's through redemption from his friends and having children to protect that he becomes stronger." Cloud's feelings of guilt and regret for not being able to save his friends Zack and Aerith which are symbolized through a grey wolf that appears in scenes in which Cloud thinks about them. The wolf disappears in the film's end as Cloud comes in terms with his feelings. One of the staff's favorite scenes was the one in which Cloud smiles in an embarrassing way towards a group of children. Nomura liked it as there was almost no dialogue, and the expression in his face already gave viewers his feeling. Composer Nobuo UematsuNobuo 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...
commented "It sounds cool!" considering the fact that gamers who have finished Final Fantasy VII would find it hard to imagine how Cloud smiles and that by reading the script to such a scene, he was inspired to write the score.
Cloud's design in the film is a combination of a total of eight designs the staff made which were from deformed to realistic designs. In contrast to his hair, Cloud's clothes were difficult to make in the film. Cloud's new weaponry in the film was created based on jokes by fans who commented that because Cloud's weapon in the original game had an enormous height, in the sequel, he goes with sheer numbers. Although it does not have an official name, the staff named it the Fusion Swords during the film's development. The concept was to have Cloud hold six swords totally that he would carry on his back, but it then changed to six interlocking swords. Although the film's staff thought doing sequences with the Fusion Swords was impossible, they decided to make it as they then found as an interesting twist to the battles. Cloud's new motorcycle, Fenrir, was designed by Takayuki Takeya who was asked by the staff to have an upgraded version of Cloud's "Hardy-Daytona" motorcycle from Final Fantasy VII. As development continued, the bike got bigger with Takeya feeling its heaviness gave an impact that worked well within the movie.
Cloud's Japanese voice actor, Takahiro Sakurai
Takahiro Sakurai
is a voice actor who was born in Aichi. He is a member of 81 Produce; his height is .Many of his roles are handsome men. However, he has also voiced reluctant heroes as well as the occasional villain...
, first voiced his character in Kingdom Hearts with the idea Cloud was a different character from the one of Final Fantasy VII game, which he was a fan of. For Advent Children Nomura wanted Cloud and Vincent's voices to contrast with each other because of their similarities. Sakurai expressed pressure for voicing Cloud as it was the sequel from the Final Fantasy VII. Although he did not mind whether critical response regarding his work was positive or not, Sakurai claims he only received praise. When voicing him, Sakurai has in mind that his silence is more expressive than his dialogues and that because of his burdens, he notes Cloud is shown to be a weak person. For 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...
, Cloud was noted by Sakurai to be more normal and more expressive. The final scene in which Cloud screams over Zack's death was the one in which Sakurai worked the most on, as it left the biggest impression on him. Sakurai has come to regard Cloud as a very important character in the series as it reminds him of his own past, and he is still impressed he was able to contribute as his voice actor because he considers himself to be a Final Fantasy VII fan. In the English adaptations, Cloud has been voiced by Steve Burton
Steve Burton
Jack Stephen "Steve" Burton is an American actor who played Jason Morgan on General Hospital from 1991 to 2000 and subsequently since 2002...
who enjoyed dubbing the character and was surprised by how fans recognized him for his work. He also commented on Cloud's character calling him "[one of the] coolest characters there is" and considers himself lucky for having voiced him.
Critical reception
The character of Cloud has been overall well received by critics. IGNIGN
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...
stated the character set a trend for role-playing game heroes. "The spiky blond hair and the gigantic Buster Sword have become instantly identifiable icons, recognized by gamers around the world." GameDaily
GameDaily
GameDaily was a video game journalism website based in the United States. Launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads, The site changed its business model from a flat fee per download CDN distributed service network to an...
concurred, listing Cloud as an example of the "spiky-haired hero with a strange weapon", though stating that they have no problem with Cloud's spiky hair in particular. He was named 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...
. 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...
placed him seventh in their "Top Ten: List of Videogame Characters." UGO placed him at the top on their list of "Top 25 Japanese RPG Characters". IGN placed him third in its "Top 25 Final Fantasy Characters" feature. He had the same rank in IGN's "Final Fantasy VII: Top 10 Characters". GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
listed Cloud as the second best Final Fantasy hero of all the time stating "he’s one of the most well-rounded and thought-out characters in the series". He was also the second best Final Fantasy character in an article by Videogamer.com who labelled him as a "poster boy for the entire JRPG genre." GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
also made a video titled "Greatest Game Hero: Cloud Strife" featuring scenes based on his character. Publishing an article focused on his past and his personality, 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...
editor Aujang Abadi called Cloud "one of the most complex characters Square has created" as well as "the first truly complicated main character." Kurt Kalata of Gamasutra
Gamasutra
Gamasutra is a website founded in 1997 for video game developers. It is owned and operated by UBM TechWeb , a division of United Business Media, and acts as the online sister publication to the print magazine Game Developer...
praises certain aspects of Cloud's characterization, noting that he is "neither hero
Hero
A hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion...
nor anti-hero" but rather "somewhat of a weakling" with grandiose delusions
Grandiose delusions
Grandiose delusion or delusions of grandeur is principally a subtype of delusional disorder that can occur as a wide range of mental illness, including in two thirds of those in manic state of bipolar disorder, half those with schizophrenia and a substantial portion of those with substance abuse...
and psychological issues, and one of the first unreliable narrator
Unreliable narrator
An unreliable narrator is a narrator, whether in literature, film, or theatre, whose credibility has been seriously compromised. The term was coined in 1961 by Wayne C. Booth in The Rhetoric of Fiction. This narrative mode is one that can be developed by an author for a number of reasons, usually...
s in a role-playing video game. Unicorn Lynx of MobyGames
MobyGames
-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...
described him as "one of the most complex characters ever seen in a game" due to how he has to deal with "his own deep psychological problems" and "the truth about his very existence" while taking responsibility as a leader.
GameCritics leveled some criticism against the character, stating that, while Final Fantasy VII had "some of the most complex characters ever created, by video game standards," some of them were "paper-thin" and Cloud had "childish motivations" compared to the characters in "Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film, directed by and starring Orson Welles. Many critics consider it the greatest American film of all time, especially for its innovative cinematography, music and narrative structure. Citizen Kane was Welles' first feature film...
or the complexities of characters exhibited in Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
's Taxi Driver
Taxi Driver
Taxi Driver is a 1976 American drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader. The film is set in New York City, soon after the Vietnam War. The film stars Robert De Niro and features Jodie Foster, Harvey Keitel, and Cybill Shepherd. The film was nominated for four Academy...
." Cloud's and Aerith's relationship was also third in GamesRadar's "Top 10 Square Enix Couples" with its writer stating "It's a classic love story", while IGN ranked it ninth in their "Best Videogames Couples". 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
featured him in their article "Top 5 Final Fantasy Character Types" in which Cloud was in the second category, "The Sullen Asshole", alongside with Squall Leonhart
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 ;...
from 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...
and Cecil from Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy IV
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square in 1991 as a part of the Final Fantasy series. The game was originally released for the Super Famicom in Japan and has since then been rereleased for many other platforms with varying modifications. An enhanced remake with 3D graphics...
. On the other hand, 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....
described Cloud as an example of "excellent design and characterization." They also commented that his design "inspired many a Japanese teen to adopt his exact spiky, yellow hairstyle." GameDaily ranked him fifth on their list of the "Top 25 Gaming Hunks", with praise on his design and weapon. 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...
issue #1103 featured Cloud on its cover and gave him a seven-page tribute, showing his many appearances through the years. During February 2010, Famitsu readers voted Cloud as the third best video game character. In the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition
Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition
Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition is a Guinness World Records book dedicated to video games. The first edition was released in February 2008 in association with the video games world records' tracking organization Twin Galaxies. The second edition was released in 2009...
from 2011, he was voted as the fifth best video game character. In an ASCII Media Works
ASCII Media Works
is a Japanese publishing company in the Kadokawa Group which formed on April 1, 2008 as a result of a merger between ASCII and MediaWorks where MediaWorks legally absorbed ASCII. Despite this, the former president of ASCII, Kiyoshi Takano, became the president of ASCII Media Works. The company...
poll in which fans voted selected whose video game or manga character would like to name their children after, Cloud's name was third in the male category.
Reception among fans has been predominately positive. According to IGN, "he is probably the most famous hero in the history of the Final Fantasy series," and that, although "his star has faded somewhat over the last decade and change, maybe it's just a consequence of overexposure," and "he'll probably still be an icon ten years from now." IGN listed him as a possible character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
, though he was not chosen as the "reader's choice." In one of IGN's 2007 "Hero Showdowns," Cloud was pitted against Link, though Link was voted the favorite. The character was placed in similar contests by 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,...
, winning the "Character Battle II" (2003) and finishing second in the "Character Battle III" (2004) and the "Battle Royale" (2006). GameSpot featured him in their poll "All Time Greatest Game Hero". GamesRadar featured him in "RPG Emo
Emo
Emo is a style of rock music and its associated subcultureEmo may also refer to:- Businesses :* Emo , an Irish oil company and filling station chain* Emo Speedway, a racetrack in Emo, Ontario...
-Off", in which they stated Cloud became "most emo character of all JRPGs" until he was defeated by Genesis Rhapsodos. In an Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
poll from 2008, Cloud was voted as the second most popular video game character. He was also second in "men's category" and third in "women's category". Cloud has also been included in some unorthodox lists; these include IGN's "Worst Videogame Haircuts", "Top Videogame Sword Masters" and 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...
's "Top Ten Coolest Characters". GamesRadar featured Cloud's disguising scene as a woman in "Gaming's most piss poor disguises", citing how feminine he looks.
Arnold Katayev from PSXextreme praised Cloud's redesign from Kingdom Hearts as one of best ones from the game, noting how it is a "hybrid" of his and Vincent Valentine's designs. AnimeFringe stated Cloud's appearance in Kingdom Hearts was one of the things that excited the Final Fantasy VII fans the most. Despite finding his boss battle as one of the most challenging of Olympus Coliseum, they still referred to it as "nothing when compared to Sephiroth['s]." His development in Advent Children was praised by Todd Douglass Jr. from DVD Talk
DVD Talk
DVD Talk is a website for DVD enthusiasts founded in January 1999 by Geoffrey Kleinman when DVDs and DVD players were first beginning to hit the market.The site started as an online forum, an email newsletter, and a page of DVD news and reviews...
as one of the best parts from the film. 1UP commented that Cloud's guilt about Aerith's death was effective to move viewers, yet he thought such scenes were "manipulative". His redesign also received positive comments, with focus on his "unbreakably perfect hair." Joystiq
Joystiq
Joystiq is a video gaming blog founded in June 2004 that has since become one of the most successful sites within the Weblogs, Inc. family of weblogs. It is the centerpiece of WIN's own network of video gaming blogs, which also includes a blog dealing specifically with the popular MMORPG World of...
's Andrew Yoon stated that the director's cut
Director's cut
A director's cut is a specially edited version of a film, and less often TV series, music video, commercials, comic book or video games, that is supposed to represent the director's own approved edit...
version of the film is better than the original in giving more depth to Cloud's development to the point of "humanizing [him]." On the other hand, Mania Entertainment writer Briana Lawerence listed Cloud second in the article "10 Male Headaches of Anime" criticizing his feeling of guilt about Aerith's death seen in the film. RPGamer referred to Cloud's overcoming Aerith's death as one of the primary parts of the film and called his fight sequences as "the most creative and impressive scenes." A GamesRadar article of "Classic game characters" featured, Cloud's redesigns across his appearances was analysed with comments on how each of his designs bear various similarities, yet they are sightly different.
Merchandise
Cloud has served extensively as a basis for a variety of merchandise, including figurines and jewelry. Kanji Tashiro, Square Enix's manager of merchandise, said at the 2008 San Diego Comic-ConComic-Con International
San Diego Comic-Con International, also known as Comic-Con International: San Diego , and commonly known as Comic-Con or the San Diego Comic-Con, was founded as the Golden State Comic Book Convention and later the San Diego Comic Book Convention in 1970 by Shel Dorf and a group of San Diegans...
that Cloud's likeness has produced some of the company's best-selling items, and said that fans could look forward to further adaptations of the character in the future. Popular models include Cloud's Advent Children figurine and Hardy Daytona Bike set, having sold particularly well in European and North American markets. Square has also released two promotional books primarily focusing on Cloud's character: Cloud Vol 1, which was released in 2007 and Cloud message, in late 2008.
External links
- Cloud Strife character profile at the official Square Enix Final Fantasy VII website
- Cloud Strife on the Final Fantasy Wiki