Supporting and main cast

• An early design of Vincent wielding a scythe
Accompanying caption:

At first conceived as a “horror researcher with an affinity for evil spirits and magic,” this idea for the initial design had him as an unsettling figure wielding a scythe in his hand like the Grim Reaper. Vestiges of that concept can be seen in the released version with him sleeping in a coffin.

• Vincent’s Limit Breaks
Accompanying caption:

For his Limit Breaks, Vincent transforms into 4 different types of monsters he was implanted with elements of as Hojo’s experiment. The most powerful form, Chaos, is later revealed to be a “being who harvests all life on the planet” in the related work, Dirge of Cerberus -FFVII-.

• Sephiroth (early design)
Accompanying caption:

Concept art of Sephiroth sketched in early development. His undershirt here is the common attire of Zack and SOLDIERs in general, while his beloved sword Masamune is shorter than in the released version.

• Various Cloud designs (field model, young Cloud and “Miss Cloud”)

• Cloud on the hardy-DAYTONA

• Various Tifa designs (cowgirl, young Tifa and in her Wall Market dress)

• Aerith in her Wall Market dress

• Red XIII and one of his cubs from the epilogue
Accompanying caption:

Red XIII appears in the ending 500 years later, galloping across the landscape and now grown into the spitting image of Seto. The two cubs with him seem to be his children with Dinne, his girlfriend who appeared in the Compilation title, Before Crisis -FFVII-.

• Cloud’s mom
Interestingly enough, the design sheet seems to identify her name as “Claudia Straus” (クラウディア・ストラウス), the Japanese characters for which are very close to “Cloud Strife” (クラウド・ストライフ). Whether this is meant to be her canon name, or even whether she is meant to be 33, as shown here, is unknown.

• Tifa’s dad
The design sheet seems to identify his name as “Brian Lockhart” (ブライアン・ロックハート). As with Cloud’s mom, it is unclear whether this name or the designated age should be taken as canon.

• Ifalna

• Shera

• Priscilla and Mr. Dolphin

• Chocobo Sage
This design sheet may imply that Chocobo Sage is meant to be a Cetra spirit. Compare this design to the figures who appear in the Temple of the Ancients.

Locations, along with related equipment, creatures and bosses

• Midgar

• Midgar (500 years later)

• Mako reactor (interior)

• Mako reactor (initial design)
Accompanying caption:

Initial designs for the exterior of the mako reactors. Wide and cylindrical, they had a look similar to the cooling towers of a nuclear power plant; several installations can be seen on the top portion.

• Hundred Gunner

• Motor Ball

• Seventh Heaven (initial design)
Accompanying caption:

When one visits Seventh Heaven during the game, its designs differ from those during development. However, these designs were not discarded, and appear as different rooms in the game with some slight adjustments.

(Screenshot from during development; later used as the Shin-Ra Members Bar in Lower Junon)
Cloud: “But don’t get me wrong. I don’t care about you AVALANCHE guys either. I just want my pay for this one, and then I’m looking for the next job.”

(Field map design during development)
This room would become the second floor of the house in Nibelheim where the young brother and sister were.

The final form of Hojo, who had injected himself with Jenova cells, after numerous transformations. During the design stages, he was also planned to have the ability to absorb all elemental damage and to use magic attacks.

• Mt. Nibel mako reactor (interior)

• Jenova’s room

• Angel construct in Jenova’s room


• Jenova sealed



























• Makonoid





















• Northern Crater (before Meteor is cast)

• Ultima Weapon
Accompanying caption (translation by hitoshura):

One of the Weapons the planet created. It fires its Ultima Beam from the Ultima Cannon in the center of its chest. This is the only Weapon that is actually fought in the original version.

• Sapphire Weapon
Accompanying caption (translation by hitoshura):

One of the Weapons the planet created. In addition to a full body illustration, a close-up design of its face was also created as reference material for the movie scenes.

• Ruby Weapon
Accompanying caption (translation by hitoshura):

One of the Weapons the planet created. Like the Ultima Weapon, it has a core-like part in its chest area, and fires its Ruby Ray from there.

• Onyx Dragon
Accompanying caption:

A picture of the Onyx Dragon’s design, a monster which did not appear in the game. This piece from production became the prototype for the bio weapon, Ultima Weapon.

• Bizarro Sephiroth
Accompanying caption (translation by hitoshura):

Sephiroth’s reborn form. Although it is not reflected in the game, the lettering “last boss spirit” on his shoulder is a playful touch.

• Safer Sephiroth
Accompanying caption (translation by hitoshura):

Sephiroth having neared godhood. Having only a single arm turned into a wing makes one think of a “One-Winged Angel,” which is also the title of his theme song. At the start of development he was tentatively called “Master Sephiroth.”

Summons

• Arthur of the Knights of the Round

• Bahamut

• Bahamut ZERO































• Leviathan

• Shiva

• Typhoon

Miscellaneous

• Early development screenshot
Accompanying caption:

A screenshot from extremely early in development. Presented in pixels rather than polygons, Locke from FFVI served as the provisional character.

• Ending storyboard
Accompanying caption:

Storyboard for the first half of the ending, culminating in the scene where the lifeboat separates from the Highwind. One portion’s lines differ from the actual movie sequence. Specifically, the lines from sheet 8 were drastically revised.

Those different lines are as follows (translation by hitoshura) —
Cloud: “Let’s go home, Tifa.”
Tifa: “Huh?”
Cloud: “There’s also something we’ve got to do when we get back.”
Cloud: “We haven’t seen what’s beyond that mountain yet.”
Tifa: “Right… let’s go back.”

• Storyboard for Maiden’s Whisper (unused Limit Break for Aerith)
Description (translation by hitoshura) —
Beneath the title: “This animation is the reaction for all characters”
First panel: “Dashes back. Disappears. Camera follows Aerith”
Second panel: “Aerith warps behind the selected character. Camera 2 gazes from in front of the selected character”
Third panel: “Whispers something.”
Fourth panel: “Aerith warps and disappears. Character’s attack power increases!”

• FFVII Reunion Tracks art, featuring Cloud, Aerith, Tifa and Nobuo Uematsu

Notes

• Screenshots: Shademp (early Seventh Heaven field maps)
• Photos: TresDias (early development screenshot featuring Locke from FFVI)
• Scans: TresDias (Red XIII with cub), espritduo (everything else)
• Translations: TresDias, hitoshura (where noted)