In the next few days, Square Enix will release Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and fans are excited. It’s the second game in the Final Fantasy VII Remake series whereby the developers of the original 1997 release decided to rewrite the story wholesale. Remake received critical acclaim when it was released on April 10th, 2020. The gameplay was stellar of course, but the story choices and Square Enix’s ethics department were flies in the ointment for some people.
Remaking a Legend
The legendary artist John Joseco took the time to discuss his expectations, fears, and hopes for the ultimate pairing in the Final Fantasy VII Remake series. He’s most well-known for his top-tier waifu fan art, which you should check out as soon as possible. He was clear in how much he enjoyed Remake when it was released. He had this to say when asked if he would suggest the original release or Remake.
“Ohhh that’s hard to say, but I feel one would appreciate Remake more if they played the original. It’s fun to see all the changes they made. There are mods out there that really improve the original a whole lot.”
Concerning Changes
While the changes to the story were exciting to see play out, many people shared their concerns online. Some changes fleshed out the story of Final Fantasy VII, but others were confusing, such as characters who previously died surviving their ordeals. The changes to the story in 2020 were a source of both excitement and concern for John.
“I was iffy on the direction they were going in Remake though. Cautious about what they’ll do with that.
Oh yes about Zack. Made my head go what? Seeing Biggs alive at the end of Remake also got me scratching my head. I thought the Sector 7 Plate drop in the original was better than what they did in Remake. I’m keeping an open mind this time around (with Rebirth).
I don’t think she (Jessie) should be alive, but then again, Biggs is alive. Their story is done. I don’t know what bringing them back would achieve.”
Many gamers have been questioning what the developers might do with that one scene that everyone clearly remembers from the original game. There’s no way they would change it in Rebirth, right? However, nothing is certain anymore. They could do anything. With regards to the monumental scene when Sephiroth cuts Cloud’s party down by one, John Joseco makes his opinion on possible changes quite clear.
“I hope not, but a tiny part of me wants to see something different. It’s very iconic. I’m very anxious about it. It’s anything goes now. They showed they’re willing to change the status quo and that makes me excited and fearful at the same time haha.”
A Timeless Tale
Final Fantasy VII is the most popular entry in the Final Fantasy series for a reason. Spinoff games, a CG movie, an anime movie, novels, etc. There is plenty to enjoy. Ah, anime Tifa. John Joseco made his love of this game quite clear.
“Oh, I’ve been a big fan for a very long time. It’s been 27 years since Final Fantasy VII came out and it’s still going strong today. It just shows how good this game is. The story, characters, music, and everything else are just so good. There’s a reason why this game is so beloved. I can’t wait to dive in with everyone else and I’ll continue to draw fan art of these beloved characters for years to come! I have done quite a few of them in the early days and throughout the years. I’ve been drawing some Tifa and Aerith lately.”
One of the most heated shipping wars in gaming history revolves around Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith. As for me, I ship Cloud and Tifa. Aerith is dead, and she seemed to have more of a connection with Zack. John weighed in on this like a champ.
“In the early days of Final Fantasy VII, I was strongly Cloud x Aerith. After playing Remake, I do love the Tifa and Aerith friendship. I ship them. A Cloud x Tifa x Aerith could also be in play.”
The Coming Rebirth
Despite these concerns, many are looking forward to playing Rebirth. The scene with Tifa on the beach seems to indicate that the ethics department lost a battle. Of course, John is quite looking forward to Rebirth when it releases.
“I’m hyped and I did pre-order the Deluxe Edition. You bet I played the demo and I believe you do get bonuses from completing it. There were two areas you got to play that were in the original. Junon was pretty different which was a surprise. I can’t wait to see what else was changed or expanded upon.”
Such a legendary series with a global audience is bound to attract creative sorts like John. There’s an incalculable amount of fan art and fan fiction on the internet. Final Fantasy VII was released in 1997, so counting fan works is impossible. It’d be easier to count the stars in the sky, the blades of grass in a park, or the grains of sand on a beach.
The Remake series redesigned some of the characters. Especially Tifa. Square Enix’s ethics department found her original bust size to be unethically large. Complaints were leveled against the ethics department because their department must be a tax write-off or something. Still, this didn’t stop the fans from idolizing Best Girl in their own way. When asked if the Remake designs changed how he drew the characters, John was quick to shut down such notions.
“No, because the beauty of being an artist is that you can change the bust size no matter what she wears. I will say giving her stockings was certainly a choice.”
The spats also eliminated upskirt shots. That was a choice and one with which I don’t agree. Thank goodness for those mods.
We’ll see if this sequel lives up to all of the hype when Rebirth releases in just a few days. Magic will be cast, swords will be swung, and an inordinate amount of time will be spent on the beach for no particular reason whatsoever.
John is clearly excited for Rebirth. He left one final message to those who appreciate his work.
“Thank you J-List for having me and thank you to all those who enjoy my art!”
I’d like to thank the legendary John Joseco again for taking the time to hang out and discuss Final Fantasy VII. If you’d like to check out his work — and trust me when I say that you do — follow his artwork on his Hand Drawn Curves home page, his HDC Twitter (X) page, his primary Twitter (X) page, and his DeviantArt page. You can also watch him draw on Picarto, and support his work on Patreon.
He also writes and draws the Hunters of Salamanstra webcomic. You can check the series’ Twitter (X) and Facebook pages for updates.
Are you going to play Final Fantasy VII Rebirth? What do you think of the changes they made to the story? What is your favorite pairing? Let us know in the comments below.
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A Final Fantasy fan can never have enough Best Sword Boy merch. The Cloud Strife BRING ARTS Kai Action Figure from Final Fantasy is available for purchase right now.
