Tonight we’re featuring two character profile translations from the FVII 10th Anniversary Ultimania, starting with Cid Highwind. Now drink your goddamn tea and read it.

Cid Highwind

Compilation of FFVII: FFVII – AC – BC – DC

Character Profile

Sex: Male
Height: 178cm
Blood Type: B
Date of Birth: 2/22
Birthplace: Rocket Town
Weapon: Lance
First Person Pronoun: オレ [Ore-sama]
Voice Actor: AC, DC – Kazuhiro Yamaji

A famous pilot, who possesses exceptional piloting skills. Recognized for his abilities, he was selected as the pilot for the world’s first space flight. His conduct can be coarse and rude, but he is single-minded in his dislike of wrongdoings, and has a child-like innocence in his pursuit of his dream of going into space. While he continually claims to be bad at leading people, he is in fact very attentive to people and well-liked by many.

In Final Fantasy VII

A man who continues to chase after his dreams of space.

Age: 32

Following the space rocket’s launch failure, Cid lives in Rocket Town while harboring a dissatisfaction towards ShinRa who were not reinitializing the space program. It is at this time that he encounters Cloud’s group, who are opposing ShinRa, and taking a liking to their anti-ShinRa position joins their team. In addition to stealing back the Highwind airship from ShinRa, he also takes the leadership role when Cloud and Tifa leave the team, and leads them with characteristic passion.

Cid had also began to grow tired of his life in Rocket Town, and he joins with Cloud’s group who had just stolen the Tiny Bronco.	Although he got there by taking advantage of ShinRa’s plans, Cid finally fulfills his wish of going into space. Looking out at the expanse of stars through the window, he expresses a deeply emotional sentiment.

He becomes the leader at Barret’s recommendation. Barret’s calling the Highwind “the ship that will save the world” sparks Cid’s ardor.

Compilation Check

The rare and complex relationship of Cid and Shera.

In FFVII, Shera is the woman living with Cid as a sort of care-taker. It seems that originally, Cid had not only trusted her as a brilliant mechanic, but also harbors some special feelings for her. However, when he discovered that Shera was still in the engine room during the ShinRa 26’s launch sequence, Cid performed an emergency shutdown to protect her, and in the end his dream of going into space was dashed. Afterwards, he blamed the launch failure entirely on her, and began to treat her harshly.

Later, when he makes it into space at last, Cid realizes that she was correct in her judgment on the fault in the oxygen tank, and begins to ease up on how he treated her. Now that his ill feelings have faded, it appears he values her so much he names his new airship after her.

[DC] Although he doesn’t say straight out whether he and Shera have gotten married, from what he says it seems that they are getting along well.

Limit Break

Highwind

As the Highwind hovers above in the sky on standby, Cid sends out the signal.	The Highwind aims for the clusters of monsters, firing out a huge salvo of missiles

Amidst the rain of falling missiles, a pillar of fire rises up to engulf the entire field.

In Advent Children

Aboard a new airship,
The master of the skies returns to aid his friends!

Age: 34

When the city of Edge is in danger, Cid comes to the rescue in the newly completed Shera, and battles with the monster hoards roaming the city. After fighting off Bahamut SHIN with the friends he once saved the planet with, he takes the team aboard his airship as they watch over Cloud from the skies.

Cid’s comment about Cloud’s resolve to fight alone. But the words of a man who understands a thing or two about those sorts of feelings, ends up arousing offense from Yuffie…

「 This is man talk. 」

Just like in FFVII, he strikes down on the enemy from above with a powerful blow. As with his piloting abilities, his jumping skills look to still be in top form.	Jumping down from his airborne vessel, Cid makes a bold entrance. He seems to have wanted to show off his new prized craft as soon as possible, and can’t help breaking into a smile.

「 I’ll give you the grand tour afterward! 」

Compilation Check

Cid’s beloved vehicles and the origins of their names.

Throughout the series, Cid has shown great piloting skills with many different aircrafts. Here, we’ll look briefly at the features and name origins of them.

– Compact Aircraft: Tiny Bronco
Features in FFVII and BC. Its sturdy fuselage can easily withstand some impacts. It’s name means a small, wild untrained cow. (Editor’s Note: Apparently S-E of Japan don’t know their livestock… a “bronco” is a horse not a cow LOL)

– High-speed Airship: Highwind
Features in FFVII. Boasts an impressive flight speed, and a full complement of on board equipment. The name of the ship is the family name of Cid, the ship’s captain, when it goes into service.

– New-type Airship: Shera
Features in AC and DC. Said to use the legacy of an ancient civilization to power it, and it still has many black box areas yet to be fully understood. The ship is christened after Shera, Cid’s partner.

In Dirge of Cerberus

The leader in the skies, and reliable captain of the WRO Airship Fleet.

Age: 35

Receives financial support from Reeve on the promise that he will aid should the planet come under threat, and leads the WRO Airship Fleet. After bringing the airship Shera to meet up with Vincent and Yuffie, he leads the aerial attack during the full-scale assault on Midgar to stop the DG SOLDIER menace.

「 You really want to piss off those SOBs, then why not try stayin’ alive! That’s what this war’s all about! 」

Cid fulfills his duty as leader well, offering encouragement to the troops before the operation and raising morale. His leadership qualities are still as outstanding as ever.

「 It’s time to get up ‘n go! Come on get on board! 」

In Before Crisis

The stage is set—
And in pursuit of his dream, he is willing to risk his life

Age: 28

Appears as the young pilot of the ShinRa 26, who has been given a ticket/chance to fulfill his wish of going into space. Just before the launch, one of the rocket’s oxygen tanks is stolen, but he resolves to continue with the launch despite not having any guarantee of safety.

「 I’ll tell you all about it when I get back. 」

Cid boards the ShinRa 26 in high spirits as the time for the launch draws near. All that was left now should have been to take off into space…	At this time, Cid was right at the height of his activity at the forefront as pilot. He even takes part in an air show rehearsal he wasn’t involved in at the very last minute.

Trivia 1

Chain Smoking Captain.

As is clear from FFVII where he would smoke after every battle, Cid is quite a heavy smoker. His style of taking a drag after doing something successfully seems to be going strong even in DC, where he lights up after completing the destruction of the Mako Reactors. For Cid, these are his little pieces of heaven.

[DC] Cid lights a cigarette in the dark. His stubble lit up by the cigarette is quite cool.

Cid Map

— Rocket Town
Cid’s hometown, and the site of the rocket launch. Cid lived here dreaming of one day flying to space, and tuning up the rocket without fail.

— Midgar
From the raid on the Mako Cannon in FFVII, to the assault to stop Deepground in DC, Cid has deep ties with aerial attacks on Midgar.

— Junon
Stole the Highwind from the airport here. The fact that the crew left ShinRa without hesitation to follow Cid is a testament to his fame and popularity.

Cid Highwind – Timeline

[Compilation of FFVII]

[ μ ] – εуλ 1975/2/22

· Is born.

· FFVII – Midgar
When he went for the pilot interview, he saw the play LOVELESS to kill some time.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0003/04/12

(Age 28)

· FFVII/BC – Rocket Town
He had planned to go into space aboard the ShinRa 26, but to save Shera’s life he performed an emergency shutdown and aborted the launch.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0007/12

(Age 32)

· FFVII – Rocket Town
While staying in the town doing nothing as he waited for the space program to restart, he encountered Cloud’s group who opposed ShinRa, and joined them.

· FFVII – Junon
With the assistance of the crew, he takes back the Highwind, ShinRa’s airship, which he had once owned.

· FFVII – Highwind
Following Cloud and Tifa leaving the team, he took over as the acting leader.

· FFVII – Rocket Town
By taking advantage of ShinRa’s plan to destroy Meteor, he finally realized his dream of traveling into outer space.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0008/1

· FFVII – Northern Crater
With his allies he defeated Sephiroth in their final battle, and halted Meteor’s descent.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0009

(Age 34)

· AC – Edge
With the Shera airship in his command, he rushed to his allies’ aid.

[ ν ] – εуλ 0010

(Age 35)

· In accordance to Reeve’s proposal, he joined the WRO airship fleet.

· DC – Midgar
With the airship fleet he rendezvoused with Reeve. Took command during the full-scale attack on Midgar.