Sephiroth (Final Fantasy)

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the concept used in Kabbalah, see Sefirot.

Sephiroth
Final Fantasy character
Sephiroth artwork by Tetsuya Nomura for Final Fantasy VII
First gameFinal Fantasy VII (1997)
Created byTetsuya Nomura
Kazushige Nojima
Designed byTetsuya Nomura
Voiced by
In-universe information
RaceHuman/Jenova hybrid
WeaponMasamune

Sephiroth (

the Planet by harnessing its life force and annihilating all life on it in order to become a god amidst the destruction. Sephiroth's background and role in the story are expanded upon in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. Additionally, he appears as a guest character in other video games and media, such as a recurring boss in the Kingdom Hearts series and as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
.

Character designer

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion
(2022), replacing Newbern's English performance in the original game.

Sephiroth has been well-received within the video game community and is highly ranked on many lists of the best video game villains and Final Fantasy characters based on his role in the narrative and his high challenge level. He was also the subject of analysis as a Final Fantasy villain who lost his humanity upon learning of his alien heritage, and how he attempts to corrupt Cloud by exploiting his mental weaknesses.

Concept and creation

The legendary Sasaki Kojirō served as inspiration for Sephiroth.

Sephiroth was designed by Final Fantasy VII's character designer

Mako addiction, resulting in a semi-conscious state as a result of high exposure to Mako energy.[6] Sephiroth was also intended to manipulate Cloud into believing that he was a creation of his will, but this aspect of the story was later abandoned. In another cut scene, when Sephiroth's physical body is first seen in the Northern Crater, it was to be female.[7] Yoshitaka Amano, who had handled character illustrations for previous Final Fantasy titles, noted a contrast between Cloud, a "young, passionate boy", and Sephiroth, a "more mature and cool" individual, as "intriguing", though not unusual as a pairing.[8] Jason Greenberg, the only artist working on the original PC port, recalled a crash bug that happened during Sephiroth's Super Nova (スーパーノヴァ, Sūpānova) technique. Near the end of the development cycle, many team members were done with their work and helped to test the game as much as possible. Greenberg spent nearly 24 hours playtesting battle during development.[9]

Sephiroth has long silver hair and bright cyan eyes with catlike pupils, and wears a black coat with metallic pauldrons. Since his transformation into Safer Sephiroth in the game's final battle, Sephiroth has had a single black wing on his back, referencing his theme song "One Winged Angel".[10] When Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII was released, the staff claimed that the wing was black to suggest evil.[11] Nomura has stated that Sephiroth was made to be a contrast to the game's main protagonist, Cloud, who was originally designed to have slicked-back, black hair.[12]

The katana nicknamed Kanze Masamune in the Tokyo National Museum. National Treasure.

His weapon, the "Masamune" (正宗), which has been featured in numerous Final Fantasy titles, is an elongated

nodachi that he learned to use during his days in SOLDIER.[13] The Masamune is named after the famous Japanese swordsmith Goro Nyudo Masamune, whose blades are considered national treasures in Japan.[14] When designing Cloud and Sephiroth, Nomura was influenced by his view of their rivalry mirroring the legendary animosity between Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojirō, with Cloud and Sephiroth being Musashi and Kojirō respectively. Sephiroth's look was defined as "kakkoii", a Japanese term combining good looks with coolness.[15]

Director

Remnants" who appear in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children.[16]

A photo of Toshiyuki Morikawa
George Newbern
Tyler Hoechlin
While in Japanese Toshiyuki Morikawa consistently voiced Sephiroth, multiple actors voiced him in English: Lance Bass, George Newbern, and Tyler Hoechlin.

For Advent Children, the film sequel to Final Fantasy VII, scriptwriter Kazushige Nojima thought that the film's plot would be less entertaining without Sephiroth. His revival in the film was introduced in the early stages of development, but the official decision as to how to bring him back was not reached until later. Nomura originally planned to have him appear from the start, but as it took the staff two years to develop his design, the idea of his presence throughout the film was scrapped, and it was decided instead to have him only appear onscreen for a short time. Sephiroth was designed for the film to emphasize his other-worldliness, such as the fact that he is never seen blinking or breathing, and his voice is always monotone and calm. In the film, the staff stated that his strength had considerably increased, to the point that he had "ascended to a new level of existence".[17]

Despite initially encountering problems as to who would voice him, Nomura said that once Toshiyuki Morikawa auditioned for the role, they knew they had their actor. Morikawa was instructed by the staff to speak all of Sephiroth's dialogue as if he felt superior to every other character in the film. The voice director and Morikawa agreed to make Sephiroth's voice sound calm to the point that he believes he cannot lose to Cloud, suggesting to Morikawa that he may reappear at some point in the future.[17] In the prequel Crisis Core, Morikawa portrayed Sephiroth in a charismatic fashion, as early on Sephiroth is presented as a hero.[18]

For

Yuichiro Umehara was shocked upon being cast for Sephiroth's role in the game, pressured due to how Morikawa already established Sephiroth's popularity in previous installments. He was influenced by Morikawa's presence when recording for the game, to the point he feared Sephiroth did not sound as young as the demands requested. As a result, he often talked with the director and staff about how he should sound.[21]

Musical themes

"Advent: One-Winged Angel"
The revised "One-Winged Angel" theme in Advent Children.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

In Final Fantasy VII, Sephiroth is the focus of two pieces of music written by series composer

G4's Game Makers (formerly Icons), Uematsu revealed that the piece was designed to be a fusion of the musical styles of Russian composer Igor Stravinsky and rock musician Jimi Hendrix.[16] The song revolves around his character, as this was what Uematsu was thinking about when writing it.[22] Two official covers have been done of the song. The first is an orchestration used in Kingdom Hearts, arranged by the series' composer Yoko Shimomura. The second is used in Advent Children, which plays throughout the battle between Cloud and Sephiroth and features the progressive metal stylings of Nobuo Uematsu's former band The Black Mages, as well as orchestral elements and new lyrics. There is also a fourth version titled "Vengeance on the World", which plays in Crisis Core.[23]

Appearances

In Final Fantasy VII

Ever since his transformation into the boss "Safer Sephiroth", the character has always been illustrated alongside a black wing, symbolizing his dark and divine nature.

Sephiroth is the main antagonist in Final Fantasy VII, who first appears after assassinating President Shinra.[24] It is revealed over the course of the game that Sephiroth was once the most powerful member of SOLDIER, Shinra's elite military division, who was celebrated as a heroic veteran of the Shinra-Wutai war.[25] After the war, Sephiroth was sent on a mission to the village of Nibelheim, where he discovered that he was the product of a biological experiment that combined a human fetus with tissue from the extraterrestrial lifeform Jenova.[26][27] Upon discovering the truth of his origins and the experiments that created him, Sephiroth developed an intense hatred for Shinra, which developed into hatred for all life.[28] After learning that Jenova, who he comes to consider his "mother", attempted to take control of the Planet 2,000 years ago, he decided to follow in her footsteps and become a god who would rule over the Planet.[29] He burnt down Nibelheim, resulting in the deaths of many people, but was assumed dead after a confrontation with Cloud inside a nearby Mako reactor; this event came to be known as the Nibelheim incident. However, Cloud does not believe he killed Sephiroth, since his skill and might dwarfs his, and acknowledges Sephiroth most likely had won, but spared him for unknown reasons.[10][30] However, a few years later, Sephiroth reappears, determined to continue with his mission.[24]

His plan to become a god is based upon his belief that he can merge with the Planet's

Lifestream, taking control of it and the Planet itself. To do so, he must summon Meteor, a destructive meteorite entity from outer space capable of catastrophically damaging the Planet. At this point, the Lifestream will flow to attempt to heal the injury, allowing Sephiroth to merge with it and its Spirit Energy.[31] Despite appearing multiple times throughout the game, it is revealed that Sephiroth's physical body is actually sealed in the Northern Crater. The Sephiroth Cloud and his allies fought were parts of Jenova's body taking on his appearance and remotely controlled by Sephiroth from the Planet's core.[32] In the game's final battle, Sephiroth takes on two final forms. The first is called Bizarro Sephiroth, which is known as Libath Sephiroth (リバース・セフィロス, Ribāsu Sefirosu) in the original Japanese version, meaning "The Core of Sephiroth" or "Sephiroth's Core" in Hebrew (ליבת ספירות). The second is called Safer Sephiroth, which is known as Seifa Sephiroth (セーファ・セフィロス, Sēfa Sefirosu) in the original Japanese version, meaning "Final Sephiroth" or "The Last Part of Sephiroth" in Hebrew (סיפא ספירות). After his defeat, Sephiroth reappears in Cloud's mind, but is once again defeated.[10]
Despite his defeat, the Meteor still hits the planet, but only the city of Midgar is destroyed, since Aerith's magic reduces the damage.

In Compilation of Final Fantasy VII

Sephiroth makes several cameo appearances in the Final Fantasy VII prequel,

Lucrecia Crescent, discusses the experiments which gave birth to him.[10]

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

He is one of the main characters in the Final Fantasy VII prequel

Genesis Rhapsodos and Angeal Hewley,[36][37] This game also depicts the Nibelheim incident, where Sephiroth appears as a boss.[38] Executive producer Yoshinori Kitase was pleased with Sephiroth's role in Crisis Core, feeling that he was given a more human side.[39]

Remake and Rebirth continuity

Sephiroth appears in

final boss
. Defeated, Sephiroth spares Cloud and gives him "seven seconds until the end" before disappearing, leaing behind only a fallen black feather.

In Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Sephiroth appears as a playable character and party member in the game's first chapter "Fall of a Hero", which depicts their survey for the Nibeheim's reactor, and his villainous origins with the infamous Nibeheim incident. In the present time, Sephiroth taunts Cloud again with illusions. He is then pursued by Cloud ans the party, where they encounter Sephiroth-clones as well. Sephiroth later manipulates Cloud into giving him the "Black Materia" to summon Meteor. When Aerith attempts to stop him by summoning Cloud into an alternate reality, Sephiroth appears behind and swiftly kills her, prompting the party to avenge her. However, Sephiroth transforms as "Sephiroth Reborn" and upon defeat, flees in the northern regions.

Other appearances

Sephiroth's first appearance outside Final Fantasy VII was as a selectable character in the fighting game Ehrgeiz.[40] A redesigned Sephiroth also appears in the North American and European versions of Kingdom Hearts as an optional boss character in Olympus Coliseum.[41][42] Lance Bass voiced Sephiroth in the game, while in subsequent titles he was replaced by George Newbern. In the Japanese re-release of the game, Final Mix, an additional scene was added in which Sephiroth fights Cloud, although the result of the fight is not revealed. Sephiroth was not included in the sequel Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, as director Tetsuya Nomura could not give him a storyline related to Cloud, and feared negative fan response if Sephiroth did not have a notable role in the story.[43] He reappears as an optional boss in Kingdom Hearts II, where he is first encountered by the series' protagonist, Sora, and then Cloud, who is pursuing him.[44] When Sephiroth battles Cloud, both of them disappear, with Sora believing that they went somewhere else to continue their fight.[45] Nomura said that in the game, Sephiroth represents Cloud's dark side, in contrast to Tifa Lockhart, who represents his light side.[46] Although Sephiroth does not appear in the prequel Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, he is mentioned as a hero that Zack Fair aspires to be. The staff, however, did not know if they would portray him as a being of darkness like he was depicted as in other titles.[47] Due to Sephiroth's many appearances as a boss in the Kingdom Hearts series, Square Enix decided he would not return in Kingdom Hearts III, as it would be redundant.[48] Sephiroth also appears in the Itadaki Street games Special and Portable as an unlockable playable character.[49][50]

Sephiroth was also the representative villain of Final Fantasy VII in

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate as a weapon, which was designed as a single black wing, referencing Sephiroth's appearance during the final battle of Final Fantasy VII.[60] Sephiroth was included as a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, as the third fighter in Fighters Pass Vol. 2.[61] Despite being officially released on December 22, 2020, he was made available five days prior for a limited time via an event called the Sephiroth Challenge, in which the player must defeat him in a Final Fantasy-themed stamina match.[62]

Cultural impact

Merchandise

Sephiroth has served as the basis for several types of merchandise, such as the "Extra Knights" action figures first published by

super deformed style was featured in the first two volumes of a promotional collection.[67]

Products not connected to the release of games or films have also been produced. These include a figure as part of the Final Fantasy Trading Arts Vol. 1 series,[68] a set as part of the Square Minimum Collection alongside Cloud, and a rare figure of "Safer Sephiroth" as part of the Final Fantasy Creatures series (Chromium). "Reverse Sephiroth" was also released as a normal figure in volume 2. A figure based on his appearances in the Kingdom Hearts games was released in the second series of the Play Arts Kingdom Hearts sub-line.[69] Some replica weapon companies have produced replicas of Sephiroth's sword, the Masamune, as a 6-foot-long (1.8 m) katana with a stainless steel unsharpened blade.[70][71] A statue at Kyoto University depicting Sephiroth was also made.[72] Sephiroth received an amiibo figurine for use in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which was released in January 2022.[73]

The OLED update to the Steam Deck, which was announced in 2023, replaces the system's accelerated processing unit (APU), built using 7 nm processing and nicknamed Aerith, with a newer 6 nm-based APU named Sephiroth.[74]

Reception

On multiple occasions, numerous gaming magazines, including

Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition,[75] described Sephiroth as one of the best video game bosses,[76][77][78] and best villains from both the Final Fantasy series and in video games.[79][80] Dave Smith of IGN called him the "heavyweight champion of Final Fantasy villains", and praised his appearance and backstory.[81] Sephiroth was also named the 14th-best character of all time in Dengeki PlayStation's retrospective awards feature about the original PlayStation.[82] Professional wrestler Kenny Omega wore a Sephiroth-style ring outfit with a "One-Winged-Angel" entrance at Wrestle Kingdom 17,[83] and additionally sported the attire as part of a downloadable content bundle in the 2023 remake of the 2014 game Like a Dragon: Ishin!.[84] Adi Shankar cites Sephiroth as an artistic and stylistic influence.[85]

Critical response

A reader's choice poll organized by GameSpot placed Sephiroth as the best boss of all time, receiving five times more votes than Bowser, who finished in second place; most of the comments noted the difficulty of the final fight against him, as well as its distinctive elements when compared to other games.[86] His boss battle appeared in 1UP's "25 More of the Most Badass Boss Fights Ever" in which the staff praised how the original battle from Final Fantasy VII was expanded in the title.[87] AnimeFringe called him "the most notorious villain in the entire Final Fantasy series" and "quintessential bishōnen in the eyes of many fans -- male and female", comparing him with Kefka and praising his complexity.[88] According to Inside Games, Sephiroth stands out from previous Final Fantasy games because his humanity and heroic nature is early explored which draws parallels to famous figures like Sasaki Kojiro or the lead character from Vampire Hunter D.[89]

The scene in which Sephiroth kills Aerith has also prompted much commentary.

FMV sequence of Sephiroth appearing in front of the Nibelheim fire "might be one of the most recognizable cutscenes ever to grace video games".[91][92][93][94]

However, some game editors have criticized Sephiroth's character. IGN's Smith has stated that "Sephiroth was certainly a good-looking fellow, but his motivations were about as clear as mud".[95] When comparing Sephiroth with the Final Fantasy VI villain, Kefka Palazzo, GamesRadar commented that he "seems as interesting as a dead accountant painted brown",[96] while Screen Rant said that "Sephiroth is an iconic character, but not the most interesting villain to emerge from the Final Fantasy franchise".[97] GameSpy editor Ryan Scott called Sephiroth the "King of Overrated Characters" during its villain feature for Dissidia Final Fantasy, arguing that gamers were impressed by him only because of his design and him murdering Aerith.[98]

Critics have also commented on Sephiroth's role in works. Destructoid noted there was a message within the writing of the film regarding the characters' lives in Midgar, as the people of Midgar are able to move on with their lives, but Cloud is unable to due to past trauma. They compared this to how the team behind Final Fantasy VII and its fans are still attached to it and unable to move on.[99] Kotaku saw the focus on Midgar's ruins as a parallel with psychological trauma due to how its survivors are suffering from Geostigma, a disease that cannot be fought physically, in contrast to Cloud's fights with Sephiroth.[100] Yoshinori Kitase stated that the popularity of the fight between Cloud and Sephiroth caused Japanese gamers to do a remake of it for Dissidia Final Fantasy and expected that Western fans would also emulate it.[101] In relation to Crisis Core, IGN AU said that "even Sephiroth gets his moments in the sun", praising the depth in his backstory, which would later make his boss battle more entertaining.[102] IGN UK had a similar sentiment, stating that his character was granted "a more human dimension" and enjoying the events from before his descent into villainy.[103][104] Though Meristation found Sephiroth to be more friendly in the prequel, his relationship with Genesis was criticized for influencing his decisions rather than him acting of his own will.[105]

The idea that there are four characters with Sephiroth's name led VG247 to note the remake still had its own mysteries that original players would not understand while the title.[106] Siliconera described this incarnation of Sephiroth as haunting, due to how he often appears within Cloud's hallucinations across the plot.[107] Electronic Gaming Monthly felt the remake's depiction of Sephiroth was more menacing than in the original due to his constant threats towards Cloud.[108] Tyler Hoechlin's work as Sephiroth was the subject of praise.[109][110] Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis's depiction of a young Sephiroth drew praise from fans.[111] Sephiroth being playable in Rebirth also attracted positive response due to his friendlier relationship with Cloud during their visit to Nibelheim.[112][113][114]

Several writers also noted Sephiroth's overpowered nature as a Kingdom Hearts boss, noting that, regardless of the player's skill, "walking away from this match unscathed" is not possible, and stating that the fight was more difficult than the entirety of Final Fantasy VII.[115] AnimeFringe stated that only advanced gamers would be able to defeat Kingdom Hearts's Sephiroth, as the player has no backup and his "devastating attacks can kill in seconds".[42] After the addition of Sephiroth to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Masahiro Sakurai acknowledged the belief that there are too many sword fighters in the roster, stating that "Well, even if it is another sword fighter, it will be fine as long as we balance them properly".[116] Chris Carter of Destructoid and Ethan Gach of Kotaku both praised the addition of Sephiroth.[117][118]

Analysis

In Reverse Design: Final Fantasy VII, it was noted that Sephiroth's desire for world domination makes him come across as simpleminded, but the lack of humanity in his background serves as the cause for this characterization. It was also noted that Sephiroth may come across as lost in his own insanity, he is also intelligent and cunning.[119] In the book The World of Final Fantasy VII: Essays on the Game and Its Legacy, it is stated that Sephiroth's realization of his connection with Jenova and his descent into villainy caused him to lose his humanity makes him comparable to Satan. Like Satan, Sephiroth claims he will never die, most notably in Advent Children, as upon being defeated by Cloud, he tells him "I will never be a memory". His origins as a test subject to Hojo have been compared to Frankenstein's monster.[120]

Although Sephiroth is not based on any mythical figure, in The Secret Mythology of Final Fantasy, his final boss form was compared to

PCGamer saw Sephiroth as Cloud's shadow, who he has to surpass as his mental issues and vulnerability are connected to their past,[122] which Kotaku agreed with.[100]

See also

  • List of Final Fantasy VII characters

References

  1. ^ Wade, Jessie (June 10, 2019). "Final Fantasy VII Remake: Breaking Bad, Supergirl Stars in Voice Cast - E3 2019". IGN. Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
  2. ^ "Sephiroth Biography". IGN. Archived from the original on February 6, 2008. Retrieved January 29, 2008.
  3. ^ Knight, Sheila (2003). "Tetsuya Nomura 20s". FLAREgamer. Archived from the original on April 20, 2013. Retrieved April 13, 2006.
  4. ^
    ISBN 978-4-7575-2560-3
    .
  5. ^ "Nomura, Kitase and Nojima Discuss Final Fantasy VII's Development". Andriasang. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2012.
  6. ISBN 4-7575-1520-0
    .
  7. ISBN 4-7575-1520-0
    .
  8. ^ The Art of Final Fantasy VII: An Interview with Yoshitaka Amano. Polygon. January 9, 2017. Event occurs at 2:21. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  9. ^ Fenlon, Wes (April 25, 2017). "Why the hell do they have mouths: a Final Fantasy 7 PC retrospective". Pc Gamer. Archived from the original on May 4, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  10. ^
    ISBN 978-4-7575-2560-3
    .
  11. ISBN 978-4-7575-2126-1
    .
  12. ^ McLaughlin, Rus (April 30, 2008). "IGN Presents: The History of Final Fantasy VII". IGN. Archived from the original on September 17, 2008. Retrieved September 14, 2008.
  13. ^ Final Fantasy VII instruction manual
  14. ^ "Final Fantasy Retrospective Part XIII". GameTrailers. November 2, 2007. Archived from the original on May 19, 2009. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
  15. ^ blackoak. "Final Fantasy VII – 1997 Developer Interviews". Shmuplations. Archived from the original on September 23, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  16. ^ a b Tetsuya Nomura (Director) (April 25, 2006). Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Distance: The Making of Advent Children (DVD). Square Enix.
  17. ^
    ISBN 4-7973-3498-3
    .
  18. ^ "Voice Acting Cast List". Dengeki Mao. ASCII Media Works. October 2007.
  19. ^ "Square Enix's Kitase Says Sephiroth's Original Appearance Was Handled Like Jaws'". Siliconera. April 17, 2020. Archived from the original on April 27, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  20. ^ Final Fantasy VII Remake Ultimania. Square Enix. 2020. Archived from the original on January 9, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  21. ^ Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis EN [@FFVII_EC_EN] (September 29, 2023). "Here's a short message from Yuuichirou Umehara, the voice of Young Sephiroth! He talks about his casting experience and feelings on voicing the character, so be sure to give it a watch!" (Tweet). Retrieved February 5, 2024 – via Twitter.
  22. ^ a b North, Dale (April 17, 2009). "Destrucoid interview: Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu". Destructoid. Archived from the original on October 28, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  23. ^ "Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Original Soundtrack". SquareSound. Archived from the original on July 12, 2008. Retrieved November 20, 2007.
  24. ^ a b Square Co (September 7, 1997). Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation). SCE America. Cloud: Did you see him? Did you see Sephiroth? / Palmer: Yeah, I saw him!! I saw him with my own eyes! / Cloud: You really saw him? / Palmer: Uh! Would I lie to you at a time like this!? And I heard his voice too! Um, he was saying something about not letting us have the Promised Land.
  25. ^ Square Co (September 7, 1997). Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation). SCE America. Cloud: I want to join SOLDIER. I'm going to be the best there is, just like Sephiroth!
  26. ^ Square Co (September 7, 1997). Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation). SCE America. Sephiroth: Exactly. And it's Hojo of Shinra that produced these monsters. Mutated living on organisms produced by Mako energy. That's what these monster's really are./Cloud: Normal members of SOLDIER? You mean you are different? H... hey, Sephiroth!/Sephiroth: N... no... Was!? Was I created this way too?!
  27. ^ Square Co (September 7, 1997). Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation). SCE America. Sephiroth: The Jenova Project wanted to produce people with the powers of the Ancients... no, the Cetra. ...I am the one that was produced.
  28. ^ "Script: "Advent Children Complete" – The Lifestream". May 8, 2013. Archived from the original on February 2, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  29. ^ Square Co (September 7, 1997). Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation). SCE America. Sephiroth: They've come again, mother. With her superior power, knowledge, and magic, Mother was destined to become the ruler of the Planet. But they… Those worthless creatures are stealing the Planet from Mother. But now I'm here with you so don't worry. / Cloud: What about MY sadness!? My family... friends... The sadness of having my hometown taken away from me!? It's the same as your sadness! / Sephiroth: Ha, ha, ha... my sadness? What do I have to be sad about? I am the chosen one. I have been chosen to be the leader of this Planet. I have orders to take this planet back from you stupid people for the Cetra. What am I supposed to be sad about?
  30. ^ Square (September 7, 1997). Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation). SCE America. Aeris: What happened to Sephiroth? / Cloud: In terms of skill, I couldn't have killed him. / Tifa: Official records state Sephiroth is dead. I read it in the newspaper. / Aeris: Shinra, Inc. owns the newspaper, so you can't rely on that information. / Cloud: ......I want to know the truth. I want to know what happened then. I challenged Sephiroth and lived. Why didn't he kill me?
  31. ^ Square Co (September 7, 1997). Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation). SCE America. Aeris: How do you intend to become one with the Planet? / Sephiroth: It's simple. Once the Planet is hurt, it gathers Spirit Energy to heal the injury. The amount of energy gathered depends on the size of the injury. ...What would happen if there was an injury that threatened the very life of the Planet? Think how much energy would be gathered! Ha ha ha. And at the center of that injury, will be me. All that boundless energy will be mine. By merging with all the energy of the Planet, I will become a new life form, a new existence. Melding with the Planet... I will cease to exist as I am now. Only to be reborn as a 'God' to rule over every soul. / Aeris: An injury powerful enough to destroy the Planet? Injure... the Planet? / Sephiroth: Behold that mural. The Ultimate Destructive Magic... Meteor.
  32. ^ Square (September 7, 1997). Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation). SCE America. Cloud: Jenova's cells... ...hmm. So that's what this is all about. The Jenova Reunion... / Tifa: Not Sephiroth!? You mean all this time it wasn't Sephiroth we've been after? / Cloud: I'll explain later. Right now, the only thing I'm thinking about is beating Sephiroth. / Tifa: But Sephiroth is...... / Cloud: He's here. The real Sephiroth is just beyond here. It's both incredibly wicked and cruel... But it's releasing a powerfully strong will from deep within this planet's wound.
  33. ^ Last Order: Final Fantasy VII (DVD). Square Enix. September 2005. Archived from the original on January 23, 2009. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  34. ^ Tetsuya Nomura (Director) (September 2005). Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (DVD). Square Enix.
  35. ISBN 978-4-7575-2462-0
    .
  36. ^ Square Enix (August 24, 2008). Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation Portable). Tseng: Genesis and Angeal. Those two were Sephiroth's only friends.
  37. ^ Square Enix (August 24, 2008). Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation Portable). Sephiroth: Angeal has been sighted. / Zack: So it's search and destroy? / Sephiroth: The army is mobilizing, but there's still time. You and I will find them before they do, and... / Zack: And WHAT? / Sephiroth: fail to eliminate them.
  38. ^ Square Enix (August 24, 2008). Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation Portable). Level/area: Hojo's Laboratory.
  39. ^ McCarthy, Dave (April 28, 2008). "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII UK Interview". IGN. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved September 14, 2008.
  40. ^ "Ehrgeiz Hints & Cheats". GameSpot. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
  41. ISBN 0-7440-0198-6
    .
  42. ^ a b Crocker, Janet; Smith, Lesley; Henderson, Tim; Arnold, Adam (December 2005). "The Legacy of Final Fantasy VII". AnimeFringe. p. 2. Archived from the original on June 13, 2008. Retrieved August 18, 2010.
  43. ISBN 978-4-7575-1344-0
    .
  44. ^ Sora: Oh, Cloud! / Donald: Whatcha doing? / Cloud: I'll get him. This time, we settle it. Me, and the one who embodies all the darkness in me. / Donald Duck: I thought you looked kinda different, Cloud. / Cloud: If I do, it's his fault. / Sora: Whose? / Cloud: Sephiroth. Tell me if you see him. / Sora: Okay. What's he look like? / Cloud: Silver hair. Carries a long sword. / Sora: Sure. Well, be seeing you, Cloud. / Cloud: Be careful. He messes with your head, makes you think darkness is the only way. Square Enix (March 28, 2006). Kingdom Hearts II (PlayStation 2). Square Enix U.S.A., Buena Vista Games.
  45. ^ Goofy: Where'd they go? Do ya think they made it back to their own world? / Sora: They went somewhere else... Cloud went to fight a great battle--to defeat the darkness inside him. Square Enix (March 28, 2006). Kingdom Hearts II (PlayStation 2). Square Enix U.S.A., Buena Vista Games.
  46. ISBN 978-4-7575-1621-2
    .
  47. ISBN 978-4-7575-2788-1
    .
  48. ^ "Kingdom Hearts III development team still debating whether to include Sephiroth secret boss battle". Gematsu. July 19, 2017. Archived from the original on July 19, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  49. Paon (December 22, 2004). Itadaki Street Special (PlayStation 2) (in Japanese). Square Enix
    .
  50. Paon (May 26, 2006). Itadaki Street Portable (PlayStation Portable). Square Enix
    .
  51. ^ Torres, Ricardo & Thorsen, Tor (May 12, 2007). "Final Fantasy XIII, Dissidia rock Square Enix Party". GameSpot. Archived from the original on May 14, 2007. Retrieved May 12, 2007.
  52. ISBN 978-4-7575-2488-0
    .
  53. ^ Gantayat, Anoop (September 14, 2010). "This Week's Pre-TGS Flying Get". Andriasang. Archived from the original on September 16, 2010. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
  54. ^ "Sephiroth and Laguna Costumes Hit Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy Next Week". Andriasang. Archived from the original on December 25, 2012. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  55. ^ Gantayat, Anoop (October 26, 2010). "Check Out Tifa in Dissidia Final Fantasy". IGN. Archived from the original on March 17, 2011. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  56. ^ "Sephiroth from FF7 Remake Comes to Final Fantasy Brave Exvius". Bleeding Cool. August 5, 2021. Archived from the original on May 4, 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  57. ^ "Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy's Second Tier Stars". Siliconera. December 26, 2011. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  58. ^ Rubenstein, Jeff (October 8, 2008). "TGS 08: Sackboy Old Snake and Sephiroth to join LittleBigPlanet". PlayStation.Blog. Archived from the original on September 21, 2011. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
  59. ^ Gantayat, Anoop (July 13, 2011). "Final Fantasy VII LittleBigPlanet 2 Costume Pack Hits Tomorrow". Andriasang. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
  60. ^ "Sephiroth From Final Fantasy 7 Appeared In Monster Hunter As A Weapon". ScreenRant. March 26, 2021. Archived from the original on May 4, 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  61. ^ McWhertor, Michael (December 10, 2020). "Sephiroth is coming to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate". Polygon. Archived from the original on May 4, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  62. ^ Walker, Ian (December 10, 2020). "Sephiroth Is Coming To Smash". Kotaku. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  63. ^ "Final Fantasy VII 7 Legendary Soldier Sephiroth Extra Knights Figure". Amazon. Archived from the original on March 8, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
  64. ^ "Interview: Square Enix's National Manager of Merchandise, Kanji Tashiro". Anime News Network. August 3, 2008. Archived from the original on August 5, 2008. Retrieved July 5, 2008.
  65. ^ "Square Enix trademarks Ever Crisis and The First Soldier, is a Sephiroth game on the way?". January 12, 2021. Archived from the original on May 5, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  66. ^ Gartenberg, Chaim (April 8, 2021). "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children is getting a 4K HDR remaster on June 8th". The Verge. Archived from the original on May 5, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  67. ^ Wigler, Josh (April 13, 2020). "'Final Fantasy VII Remake' Is the Best Thing on Your TV Right Now (Opinion)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 5, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  68. ^ "Final Fantasy Trading Arts Figures Sets of 4 (Cloud Strife, Rinoa Heartilly, Sephiroth & Yuna)". Amazon. Archived from the original on March 8, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
  69. ^ "Disney Square-Enix Kingdom Hearts 2 Play Arts Action Figure Sephiroth (Arena)". Amazon. Archived from the original on March 8, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
  70. ^ "Sephiroth Masamune Wooden Sword". Amazon. Archived from the original on March 8, 2024. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
  71. ^ "HUGE 68 inch Sephiroth Masamune Sword". Amazon. Archived from the original on March 8, 2024. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
  72. ^ "Sephiroth University Statue Welcomes Students to Study (Update)". Siliconera. February 25, 2021. Archived from the original on May 5, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  73. ^ "SSBU Sephiroth, Steve, Alex, Mythra, and Pyra amiibo Confirmed". Siliconera. October 5, 2021. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  74. Games Radar. Archived
    from the original on November 10, 2023. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  75. Gamasutra. February 16, 2011. Archived from the original
    on May 12, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
  76. ^ of EGM magazine, ed. (2005). Electronic Gaming Monthly, October 2005. Ziff Davis. pp. 72–73.
  77. ^ "The Top Ten Boss Fights". Game Informer: Issue 181. May 2008. p. 20.
  78. ^ "The 10 best PlayStation boss fights ever - Page 6 of 10 | PS3 Features". Official PlayStation Magazine. May 25, 2012. Archived from the original on May 29, 2014. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  79. ^ Schwartzman, Cary (October 2, 2001). "Top 10 Villains in Games". GameSpy. Archived from the original on July 9, 2007. Retrieved December 29, 2009.
  80. ^ "The 47 Most Diabolical Video-Game Villains of All Time". PC World. April 2, 2008. Archived from the original on November 28, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2009.
  81. ^ Smith, David (March 28, 2008). "Final Fantasy VII: Top 10 Characters". IGN. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved March 1, 2009.
  82. ^ Gantayat, Anoop (November 22, 2007). "Nomura Talks FFXIII". IGN. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved November 22, 2007.
  83. ^ Zwiezen, Zack (January 4, 2023). "Famous Wrestler Cosplays as Sephiroth at Japan's Largest Wrestling Event". Kotaku. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
  84. ^ Liu, Stephanie (January 27, 2023). "Kenny Omega and Rahul Kohli to Appear in Like a Dragon: Ishin". Siliconera. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  85. ^ Vincent, Brittany (July 7, 2017). "'Castlevania' Netflix producer Adi Shankar talks video games and the epic movie-mashup he never made". Mic. Archived from the original on July 9, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  86. ^ "Top Ten Boss Fights". GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 8, 2008. Retrieved April 28, 2008.
  87. 1UP.com. Archived from the original
    on July 16, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
  88. ^ Crocker, Janet; Smith, Lesley; Henderson, Tim; Arnold, Adam (December 2005). "The Legacy of Final Fantasy VII". AnimeFringe. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 11, 2008. Retrieved August 18, 2010.
  89. ^ "なぜ「セフィロス」はライバルキャラとして圧倒的人気を誇るのか？『FFVII』異彩を放ち続ける"片翼の天使"の魅力". Inside Games. November 8, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  90. GamesRadar. Archived from the original
    on June 15, 2011. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
  91. ^ Gouskos, Carrie. "Lucky Seven". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 7, 2009. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
  92. GamesRadar. Archived from the original
    on June 15, 2011. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
  93. ^ Scheeden, Jeese (October 12, 2009). "Big Boss of the Day: Sephiroth". IGN. Archived from the original on April 8, 2010. Retrieved February 18, 2010.
  94. ^ Scheeden, Jeese (November 11, 2009). "Big Baddie Brawl: Sephiroth vs. Liquid Snake". IGN. Archived from the original on November 15, 2009. Retrieved February 18, 2010.
  95. ^ Smith, David (November 22, 2000). "Final Fantasy IX review". IGN. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved November 20, 2007.
  96. GamesRadar. Archived from the original
    on June 15, 2011. Retrieved January 5, 2009.
  97. ^ "Final Fantasy Villains More Interesting Than FF7's Sephiroth". ScreenRant. August 19, 2021. Archived from the original on May 6, 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  98. ^ "The Villains of Dissidia Final Fantasy: Sephiroth". GameSpy. August 6, 2009. Archived from the original on August 10, 2009. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
  99. ^ "The message to fans in Advent Children Complete". Destructoid. May 25, 2009. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  100. ^ a b "15 Years On, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Is A Lot Smarter Than I Remember". Kotaku. September 14, 2020. Archived from the original on May 13, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  101. ^ "Welcome to the DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY Developer Blog!". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  102. ^ Kolan, Patrick (June 19, 2008). "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII AU Review". IGN AU. Archived from the original on February 11, 2009. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  103. ^ McCarthy, Dave (June 13, 2008). "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII UK Review". IGN UK. Archived from the original on November 14, 2011. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  104. ^ "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on April 15, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  105. ^ "Crisis Core y la desmitificación de Final Fantasy VII". Meristation. June 29, 2022. Archived from the original on May 17, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  106. ^ "There are four Sephiroths in Final Fantasy 7 Remake". VG247. April 29, 2020. Archived from the original on May 10, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  107. ^ "The Final Fantasy VII Remake Sephiroth Appearances Help Him Haunt the Cast". Siliconera. April 28, 2020. Archived from the original on May 5, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  108. ^ McCarter, Reid (April 6, 2020). "Final Fantasy VII Remake review". EGM. Archived from the original on April 7, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  109. ^ Howard, Jessica (December 6, 2022). "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion Review - Conflict Resolved". GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  110. ^ Stevens, Colin (December 7, 2022). "Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion Review". IGN. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  111. ^ "Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis fans are losing it over young Sephiroth". August 31, 2023. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  112. ^ "Final Fantasy VII Rebirth preview Sephiroth now playable and he calls Cloud's name". TechRadar. September 21, 2023. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  113. ^ "Final Fantasy VII Rebirth PlayStation Cloud Strife Sephiroht Demo Chocbo". DeadLine. September 21, 2023. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  114. ^ "Playing as Sephiroth in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth Makes You Feel Like the Ultimate Badass". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 25, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  115. ^ "The Hardest Bosses of All Time". GamerHelp. Archived from the original on January 25, 2008. Retrieved April 28, 2008.
  116. ^ "Tired of sword users in Smash Ultimate? Sakurai says don't blame him". Destructoid. March 5, 2021. Archived from the original on May 6, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  117. ^ "The Sephiroth Boss Fight Is The Most Fun I've Had In Smash Bros. Ultimate In A While". Kotaku. December 18, 2020. Archived from the original on May 6, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  118. ^ "Sephiroth is here to stay in Smash, and he brought banger music tracks". Destructoid. December 18, 2020. Archived from the original on May 6, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  119. ISBN 978-1-138-32410-7. Archived
    from the original on May 6, 2023. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  120. ISBN 978-1-4766-4725-8. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  121. ISBN 979-12-202-8408-0. Archived
    from the original on May 13, 2023. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  122. ^ Ridsdale, Jack (April 6, 2020). "Final Fantasy 7 is important because it lets its men be vulnerable". PCGamer. Archived from the original on April 9, 2020. Retrieved February 4, 2023.

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to Sephiroth.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sephiroth.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sephiroth_(Final_Fantasy)&oldid=1218505139"