Concerning Aerith... (Massive Spoilers)

[Squall of SeeD]

It has long been claimed by many that Final Fantasy VII was incomplete, an intended resurrection of Aerith being left out due to time constraints. While true that the original Japanese release suffered from time constraints, and despite pushing back the release date a full month to work on the game longer, they still failed to add in a pivotal scene of backstory (Cloud's flashback in the Shinra Mansion basement on Disc 3 in which remembers his and Zack's escape from Nibelheim), a boss fight against Diamond WEAPON, the two optional mega bosses (Ruby and Emerald WEAPONs), and a few other small things that were added into the North American release.

Once the game was released in Japan, they added these things in, having over half a year to program them in. Despite this, many fans having continued to argue that -- for whatever reason -- something as pivotal to the plot as Aerith being revived was not added in during the six months of extra time the developers were given to work on the matter, despite them adding in things like the WEAPON boss battles and a few other things that were insignificant in comparison to such a massive plot element as this.

There has been rumour after rumour after rumour that Aerith was either intended to be revived or could be. To this day, many who even are aware that Aerith can't be revived believe that the developers once intended for her to be. I now have the proof that such a resurrection was never intended, even from the inception of the idea.

In the May 2003 issue of the United Kingdom video game magazine known as EDGE (quite possibly the most professional, best organized, and all around greatest video game magazine around), there is a six-page "Making of..." feature on Final Fantasy VII (there's a six-page "Making of..." feature in the back of every issue they release), in which Yoshinori Kitase (Co-Scenario Writer and Director of Final Fantasy VII) and Tetsuya Nomura (Character Designer of Final Fantasy VII) are interviewed.

During the course of the interview, Nomura speaks about what he intended in coming up with Aerith's death, and Kitase speaks on the fans' responses to her death. Here follows that part of the interview, along with picture proof that this issue of the magazine exists, and that the interview and dialogue I speak of is present within the issue.

Nomura, concerning Aerith's death:

Back at the time we were designing the game, I was frustrated with the perennial cliche where the protagonist loves someone very much and so has to sacrifice himself and die in a dramatic fashion to express that love. We found this was the case in both games and movies, both easter and western. But I wanted to say something different, something realistic. I mean, is it right to set such an example to people?

Kitase follows that up with this:

In the real world, things are very different. You just need to look around you. Nobody wants to die that way. People die of disease and accident. Death comes suddenly and there is no notion of good or bad attached to it. It leaves, not a dramatic feeling, but a feeling of emptiness. When you lose someone you loved very much you feel this big empty space and think 'If I had knowni this was coming I would have done things differently.' These are the feelings I wanted to arouse in the players with Aerith's death relatively early in the game. Feelings of reality and not Hollywood."

Kitase, concerning the fans' responses to Aerith's death:

The world was expecting us to bring her back to life, as this is the classic convention. But we did not. We had decided this from the beginning. There was a lot of reaction from Japanese users. Some of them were very sad about it, while others were angry. We even received a lengthy petition addressed to our scenario writer asking for Aerith's revival. But there are many meanings in Aerith's death and that could never happen.


And here's the magazine shots. First, Kitase's words on Aerith being intended to remain dead:
Linkage (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Edge%20--%20May%202003%20Issue%20123/AerithWasSupposedToStayDead.jpg).
Linkage 2 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Edge%20--%20May%202003%20Issue%20123/AerithWasSupposedToStayDead2.jpg).

Next, Nomura's words on Aerith's death:
Linkage (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Edge%20--%20May%202003%20Issue%20123/NomurasIdeas.jpg).
Linkage 2 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Edge%20--%20May%202003%20Issue%20123/NomurasIdeas2.jpg).
Linkage 3 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Edge%20--%20May%202003%20Issue%20123/NomurasIdeas3.jpg).

The proof of the magazine's existance:
Linkage (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Edge%20--%20May%202003%20Issue%20123/Edge--May2003Issue123.jpg).
Linkage 2 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Edge%20--%20May%202003%20Issue%20123/Edge--May2003.jpg).
Linkage 3 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Edge%20--%20May%202003%20Issue%20123/Edge--TheMakingofFFVII.jpg).
Linkage 4 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Edge%20--%20May%202003%20Issue%20123/Edge--TheMakingofFFVII2.jpg).
Linkage 5 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Edge%20--%20May%202003%20Issue%20123/Edge--TheMakingofFFVII3.jpg).
Linkage 6 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Edge%20--%20May%202003%20Issue%20123/Edge--TheMakingofFFVII4.jpg).
Linkage 7 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Edge%20--%20May%202003%20Issue%20123/Edge--TheMakingofFFVII5.jpg).
Linkage 8 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Edge%20--%20May%202003%20Issue%20123/Edge--TheMakingofFFVII6.jpg).
Linkage 9 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Squall_of_Seed/Edge%20--%20May%202003%20Issue%20123/Edge--TheMakingofFFVII7.jpg).

And there you have it. Proof from the Director and Co-Scenario Writer of Final Fantasy VII -- as well as the Producer of Advent Children -- that no revival of Aerith was ever intended.


I realize that for some here this wasn't needed, but I've found that even among many well-informed gamers, the concept that the idea was once intended was believed. I'm just making this to ensure that the facts of the matter are brought to light.

[Armisael]

:jap:
Great search!^_^

[Squall of SeeD]

Dammit. I meant to edit the spoilers out of the Thread title. Gah. I can't edit it out. I'm going to try to delete the Thread, then remake it.

Edit: Well, damn. We can't delete our own Threads. ::goes to get a Moderator's aid::

Edit 2: And done. Thanks go to Yamaneko for the edit.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

This would look good in the FAQ thread.

[Squall of SeeD]

This would look good in the FAQ thread.

That it would. I hadn't thought of that. Perhaps a friendly Moderator will add it in.

[boys from the dwarf]

So what if its unfinished. its still a great game but i suppose it could of been better if they had complted it fully.

[Squall of SeeD]

So what if its unfinished. its still a great game but i suppose it could of been better if they had complted it fully.

You're missing the point of the Thread. It isn't unfinished. They completed the game before bringing it to North America. This Thread is specifically about Aerith and her ressurrection -- or lack thereof.

[SadisticStreetSoldie]

Thank God!!! What kind of losers would actually make a petition for something as unimportant as bringing a video game character back to life?!

[TurkSlayer]

Bravo Squall of SeeD! Someone needed to do this! I have gotten extremely tired of people thinking Aeris can be revived, or should have been! Killing a character and then bringing them back would have screw up the plot, but people don't seem to realize that! I am glad that it has finally been resolved.

[vg_freddy]

great investigation! i thought this, i mean, why an unfinished game?

[KoShiatar]

Great job. And yes, I think one of the things that make Aeris' death so emotionally strong and all was the fact that she stayed dead.

[Vyk]

Unfortunately I have to agree. But I still want her back.

Was someone messing with this thread recently? I tried to get here through the "new posts" links and it said it didn't exist. So I had to come here through the FF7 forum itself. But I don't see how that'd make a difference. Really odd...

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

I made a copy of this thread, deleted all the posts except the first one, and then merged it into the FAQ thread. So it was probably that.

[theundeadhero]

All in all Aeris's death is symbolic to the feeling of pain and loss Mr. Sakaguchi (SP?) felt due to the recent death of his mother at the time.

[Squall of SeeD]

All in all Aeris's death is symbolic to the feeling of pain and loss Mr. Sakaguchi (SP?) felt due to the recent death of his mother at the time.

That's one of the greatest myths of the Final Fantasy mythos that's actually false. Sakaguchi's mother actually died in 1988-1989 (in the foreword to The Making of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within book which was released in 2001, he said that he had lost his mother 13 years before that point in time). It inspired him in his creations to explore the concept of death in a mathematical and quantifiable manner (thus, the concept of people being born from the Planet's own Spirit Energy, and then returning to it, a recurring theme in Final Fantasy since VII). Aerith's death was Nomura's idea, which Yoshinori Kitase approved for reasons I've quoted above, and which Sakaguchi approved because he wanted the game to explore death.

[Ravenmorghane]

What I want to know is why some people refer to her as 'Aerith' .. just because ya have a lisp doesnt mean you have to write with one! it even sounds annoying in my head! And I knew Aeris wouldn't be resurrected, that would totally defy the point of her dying in the first place (to give Cloud the motivation he needed amongst other things)

[Squall of SeeD]

What I want to know is why some people refer to her as 'Aerith' .. just because ya have a lisp doesnt mean you have to write with one! it even sounds annoying in my head! And I knew Aeris wouldn't be resurrected, that would totally defy the point of her dying in the first place (to give Cloud the motivation he needed amongst other things)

When using the phoenetic values of Japanese Romanji (basically, "Englishized Japanese") there's no lisp. The "th" would have a sound similar to the English "s."

[Ravenmorghane]

What I want to know is why some people refer to her as 'Aerith' .. just because ya have a lisp doesnt mean you have to write with one! it even sounds annoying in my head! And I knew Aeris wouldn't be resurrected, that would totally defy the point of her dying in the first place (to give Cloud the motivation he needed amongst other things)

When using the phoenetic values of Japanese Romanji (basically, "Englishized Japanese") there's no lisp. The "th" would have a sound similar to the English "s."

dude you know way too much

[BackRoomKid]

dude you know way too much

get used to it...squall of seed is a scholar of FF

but he is right...i did my own research on the "-th" pronunciation of Aeris/Aerith name and it's correct, there's a thread about it

as for Aerith's death...it's good they never resurrected her, Final Fantasy has always been the FANTASY genre but I love that it has a very good REALITY in it

[TasteyPies]

What I want to know is why some people refer to her as 'Aerith' .. just because ya have a lisp doesnt mean you have to write with one! it even sounds annoying in my head! And I knew Aeris wouldn't be resurrected, that would totally defy the point of her dying in the first place (to give Cloud the motivation he needed amongst other things)

When using the phoenetic values of Japanese Romanji (basically, "Englishized Japanese") there's no lisp. The "th" would have a sound similar to the English "s."

Well, if it SOUNDS like s wouldn't the correct trnslation be "Aeris"? When I see Aerith I pronounce it with the lisp so the th = s idea has failed, for me at least.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

It sounds like "s" because, despite the intention, people who were raised speaking Japanese can't make a "th" sound very well, like how people who weren't raised speaking Spanish often have trouble rolling their Rs.

[fire_of_avalon]

I don't understand why so many people are like OMG BRING HER BAAAAAAAAAACK. She was a good character, but she fulfilled her portion of the story. If she could come back, FFVII wouldn't be as good as it is. Period the end. Lala.

[Ravenmorghane]

It sounds like "s" because, despite the intention, people who were raised speaking Japanese can't make a "th" sound very well, like how people who weren't raised speaking Spanish often have trouble rolling their Rs.

Well they shouldnt have translated it with 'th' then, plus I really have a thing about lisps, they go right through me (no offence to anyone) it just sounds better with an 's'. Not that its important or anything.
As for the poor girl, shes definately better off dead and staying that way. just wish the same was true for that irritating cait sith creature!

[The True seeD]

dude you know way too much

Here's the cool thing... if you listen to him, you'll learn stuff. He's right 99.9% of the time. :D

[Ravenmorghane]

Here's the cool thing... if you listen to him, you'll learn stuff. He's right 99.9% of the time. :D[/QUOTE]

Thats amazing, I thought I knew a lot, but this guy . Reminds me of a close mate of mine who knows almost every loophole round the British law. And can speak several languages. Fascinates me!

[Francis Begbie]

Squall of SeeD - You're fingers amuse me.

[Raven Nox]

Well, I glad someone finally cleared this all up. Aerith has to many rumors around her, it's kinda annoying after a while, at first, I thought it was funny though.

Aerith and Aeris and said the same way, ok people!! Geez... the japanese use the character "su" for the english "th" sound, so it's directly translated as "Aerith", but the translators didn't want to confuse english players so they spelled it as it was said: "Aeris"
However that created more probelms of course... I hope AC spells it Aerith and says Aeris so people might understand this.

[Croyles]

well done squall of seed, you have finally cleared this up in a very well known FF forum, so hopefully this will spread, along with the evidence. :thumb:

[Presea_Combatir]

Wow.. thanks.