There is no doubt that Final Fantasy VII has left a huge mark in the world of RPGs since its release. With iconic characters like Cloud and Sephiroth, a different setting than traditional RPGs, and its fantastic and intricate storyline, it's perhaps the best game in the Final Fantasy series.
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Something that made its characters memorable are their designs. Instead of knights and princesses that were a common sight in RPGs, the cast of Final Fantasy VII had some unique and modern-esque designs. Here are how the characters rank based on their design.
9 Cait Sith
A stuffed toy that was designed by Reeve Tuesti and created to keep an eye on Cloud and company, Cait Sith doesn't look intimidating at all. Not too surprising since he looks like a harmless stuffed toy, but he does look cute with his red cape and gold crown.
In order to keep up with the others, Cait travels on top of giant stuff moogle toy. His cute appearance makes him look approachable, but behind his friendly demeanor is Reeve Tuesti. Reeve is the head of Urban Development for the Shinra Company and helps Cloud and the others on their quest to stop Sephiroth.
8 Cid Highwind
The pilot with a potty mouth has a simple yet practical design. Cid doesn't have anything extravagant in his outfit to make himself stand out. He just has a navy blue flight jacket, a pair of green cargo pants, a white scarf that covers his shirt, and leather gloves and boots. His goggles holding his pack of cigarettes are two things that add a little personality to his design. The outfit is good for all the traveling the group has to do, but it seems a little average compared to the average Final Fantasy character.
Even in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Cid's outfit looks more or less the same. Cid's design might be overall plain and simple, but he is a gruff yet simple man that just wants his tea, cigarettes, and to fly in his airship.
7 Red XIII AKA Nanaki
Red XIII has mostly feline traits in his design. He looks like a large lion with dark red and orange fur and has a flame at the tip of his tail. Adorning his thin brown mane are beads, feathers, and earrings. Finishing off his look are the gold bracers and tattoos on each leg.
It has never been said exactly what Red XIII's species is, but he has shown some canine traits. His design is unique compared to his human counterparts, but he is only known for being one of the two non-human party members.
6 Yuffie Kisaragi
The ninja of the group dresses lightly to be able to move around quickly. Her design doesn't have the typical elements of a ninja wardrobe, but it does make Yuffie stand out, especially her large gauntlet on her left arm. However, she's never seen defending herself with it and relies more on her agility in battle. One thing that has left some fans scratching their heads about Yuffie's design is her shorts. She leaves them unbuttoned and unzipped, but somehow they manage to stay on and not slide down.
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Yuffie's outfit might seem odd, but she is able to function in it just fine. She's able to move around freely and equip the materia she loves so much.
5 Aerith Gainsborough
Aerith is one of the most well-known and beloved characters in Final Fantasy VII. Her red jacket and pink dress combo fit perfectly with her spunky and kind attitude. Her seemingly sweet appearance will fool most people with its simplicity, but Aerith is one of the most powerful characters in the Final Fantasy series. Aerith has a compassionate and upbeat personality.
One other thing that makes Aerith's appearance iconic is the pink ribbon that was given to her by Zack Fair. In Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, the living characters wear a pink ribbon around their left arms (minus Vincent, who wears his ribbon on his right arm) in remembrance of their fallen friend.
4 Barret Wallace
One thing that makes Barret stand from the rest of his group is his gun-arm. His overall design is a little reminiscent of Mr. T, but with a Final Fantasy-esque twist. Barret has a tall and intimidating appearance that sets him apart from the rest of the group.
This along with Barret's brash and sometimes violent attitude adds to the intimidation factor, especially when he's trying to take down Shina. However, his soft side is shown when he is with his young daughter, Marlene.
3 Cloud Strife
He might be the main character of the game, but Cloud's style of clothing is the standard SOLDIER uniform that is worn by others such as Angeal Hewley and Zack Fair. While the clothing is functional when having to fight enemies, the style lacks originality. The pauldron with the screws sticking out of it along with his left-hand gauntlet do add a nice touch to make it his own.
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The Buster Sword helps make Cloud stand out. With its large size, the Buster Sword is one of the most unique weapons in Final Fantasy history.
2 Tifa Lockhart
One of the most well-known characters in gaming history, Tifa has beauty and brawn. Her outfit isn't the most practical, but it's certainly attention-grabbing. In her original Final Fantasy VII appearance, her design is simple yet memorable, but her Final Fantasy VII Remake outfit added some extra accessories to amplify it. Her sleeveless white shirt is still the same, but her miniskirt went through a minor change. Instead of the fitted miniskirt, her new skirt now has pleated segments that make it easier for her to do her martial arts.
Tifa is one of the most soft-spoken and kind characters in Final Fantasy VII. Her empathic and reserved personality doesn't match her outward appearance, but Tifa is not a fighter most would mess with.
1 Vincent Valentine
Vincent is one of the most recognizable characters in Final Fantasy VII because of his large red cape, which is reminiscent of Alucard from the Hellsing anime show or Dante from Devil May Cry. Vincent's enigmatic personality matches his appearance. The gold gauntlet on his left arm adds a fearsome and demonic touch to his design.
Vincent's appearance remains mostly the same throughout the Final Fantasy VII sequels. The red cape is a little more tattered in Dirge of Cerberus, but Vincent's overall appearance remains the same.
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