By For many years, Final Fantasy enthusiasts have battled in the shipping controversies and continue to argue who, canonically, is truly destined for Cloud, yet Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s creator Naoki Hamaguchi desires no involvement in the conflict – he merely wishes to see the spiky-haired hero joyful.
The original Final Fantasy 7 never overtly established a romantic link between Cloud and his companions, but there were sufficient hints in the dialogue for fans to draw their own conclusions. There’s Tifa, Cloud’s childhood friend who understands him better than he knows himself. Then there’s Aerith, a beacon of renewed optimism for Cloud and the whole team. Quite the dilemma, indeed.
Therefore, when we conversed with Naoki Hamaguchi about everything from AI to love stories, we had to inquire about which character he prefers. Tifa or Aerith? “That’s a question I absolutely cannot address,” he responded to GamesRadar+. “I cannot respond to that inquiry, and I will not respond to that inquiry.” His reluctance to answer likely stems from his closeness to Cloud.
“However, one thing I can express, after dedicating so much time to these games, more than 10 years developing the Final Fantasy 7 Remake series – I’ve spent an excessive amount of time viewing Cloud, following behind him, watching him journey through the world,” Hamaguchi elaborates. “I believe I’ve spent more time observing Cloud’s back than anyone else.”