Shinra Archaeology
Reporting the latest FFVII news and restoring rare media from Japanese sources. Browse thousands of pages of translated material at shinraarchaeology.com.
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Director of Photography Akama Yūki says that in Aerith’s recreated OG key art, you have the Highwind hovering over a runway, but there was a proposal to make it the Tiny Bronco instead. (RbU, 2024) #FF7R #FFVII #FF7 #Aerith
- FFVII Rebirth Director Naoki Hamaguchi says the initial plan for the final battle had it being even longer. the initial plan had an additional two battles, which they had to cut down because things got really long and tiring. (RbU, 2024) #FF7R #FF7
- We've made it to Vol. 10, the final installment of Tetsuya Nomura's Game Walker column! He gives a status update on The Bouncer and a certain Unnamed Disney Title, as well as a farewell to readers. You might just be able to spot the first ever public depiction of Sora in his monthly doodle. 👋
- We were honored to have some of our staff sit down with RPG Site and talk about SAD's work, our retranslation and cut content mod, and a slew of other FFVII topics. If you're interested in our projects or the game in general, please give this wonderful interview a read! Here's to 29 years of FFVII 🍾
- Reposted by Shinra Archaeology[Not loaded yet]
- Asked about an adult version of Shinra from FFX-2 appearing in a photo, FFVII Remake Codirector Motomu Toriyama says they did this so players can enjoy the speculation, but it could just be a commemorative photo of one of the company employees cosplaying as him. (FF7R Revisisted, 2022) #FF7 #FFX
- In the FFVII Remake crossover for PowerWash Simulator, Heidegger shares a range of opinions about Sephiroth, commenting on everything from his hair to his iconic long katana.
- We're now on Vol. 9 of Tetsuya Nomura's Game Walker column! This month, Nomura reveals: -The 5 summons he's most satisfied with -The 5 characters he likes best -The 5 characters he had the most trouble making Thanks once again to moku_moku131459 for the article picture!
- FFVII Rebirth Director Naoki Hamaguchi says the part of the OG he's most looking forward to in Part 3 is Cloud finding himself with the help of Tifa. He said that was the part he was looking forward to and that they nailed it. (Vinesauce, 1/27) #FF7 #FF7R
- Moving on to Vol. 8 of Tetsuya Nomura's Game Walker column! Nomura dives into his creative process: -He rarely uses singular model references -Nojima thinks Seifer takes after him (personality-wise) -He draws late into the night watching VR'd TV shows Thanks to moku_moku131459 for the photo!
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Director Naoki Hamaguchi says that his favorite games when he was younger were Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI. (Vincesauce, 1/26) #FF #FF7 #ChronoTrigger #FFVII
- Toriyama says the guard who mentions Kunsel was one of Cloud's colleagues from Crisis Core and this shows how he was previously a Shinra employee. Asked if Kunsel was every going to be included, he says if too many of his old colleagues showed we might have Whispers appearing. (FF7R Revisited, 2022)
- Though Lazard is the half brother of Rufus Shinra, he and his slum-dwelling mother were cast out by President Shinra, and from a young age he swore revenge against his father’s company. (10AU, 2007) #CCFF7 #FF7
- All this time Angeal’s spirit was inside the copy, watching over Zack. Zack is overcome with emotion as he watches Lazard and the Angeal Copy breathe their last, but his grief gives way to surprise when he sees the letter the copy is carrying. He recognizes the handwriting as Aerith’s. (10AU, 2007)
- Hamaguchi stressed that minigames will still be a big part of part 3. That includes doing justice to the original FF7’s snowboarding minigame. He says that they want to make sure that it’s incorporated into the story to have that sort of connection with the theming of it. (Polygon, 1/23)
- Naoki Hamaguchi says he doesn't rely on AI to come up with ideas and things like that. That said, AI is a tool that he and other colleagues would utilize so that their tasks would become much smoother or some of the menial tasks are taken care of by AI. (Gamespot, 1/23)
- Naoki Hamaguchi remembers an interview he did about how they’d narrowed the title for part 3 down to two names. He says it was up to Mr. Nomura to decide which it is. And yes, after returning from Paris Games Week, he did choose one, so he can say the title has been locked. (Gamespot, 1/23) #FF7R
- We're back with Vol. 7 of Tetsuya Nomura's Game Walker Column! This one kicks off a two-part reader Q&A. Nomura talks about: -How to get hired at Square -What to prioritize if you want to be a graphic designer -What materials he uses to draw -Status updates on The Bouncer and Kingdom Hearts
- Kitase thinks only Nojima could have connected Crisis Core’s scenario to Final Fantasy VII as cleanly as he did. And he believes it was Nomura’s meticulous directing and editing that shaped Crisis Core's ending cinematic into a powerfully moving lead-in to Final Fantasy VII. (10AU 2007) #FF7 #FFVII
- Tabata says he doesn't think the last scene in CCFF7 makes for a dark ending. There’s no question that Zack’s fateful end is sorrowful; but more important is the fact that his life and what he accomplished has meaning. Nomura thinks they ended up with a finale that’s sad yet hopeful. (Dengeki 396)
- Minerva was originally planned to be the final summon you acquire in Crisis Core: FFVII. As such, she would only have appeared in FMVs. However, the idea was scrapped due to UMD memory constraints, and she was instead implemented as a superboss with a real-time model. (CCU, 2007)
- CCFF7's devs say that SOLDIER Honor, the catalyst for Genesis's change in values, is the Gift of the Goddess for him. As SOLDIER Honor represents Angeal's wishes, it can be said that Zack, who inherited Angeal's wishes, was the Gift of the Goddess for Genesis. (CCCG, 2008 p.274) #CCFF7 #FF7EC
- Hamaguchi says he understands what the fans are looking for from the fan perspective. He's very much dedicated to bringing that to the fans: making it still authentic and still feel like FF7, while also making a new fresh experience at the same time. (Nintendo, 1/22)
- Hamaguchi says INTERmission provides a storyline that smoothly connects REMAKE to REBIRTH. They wanted to introduce more of the wider FINAL FANTASY VII lore, such as the Deepground storyline which leads into INTERmission. (Nintendo, 1/22)
- Naoki Hamaguchi says he often hears how fans wish they could experience FF7 again for the first time. The remake series brings FF7 to the modern era by remaking and reimagining it as a new, fresh gameplay experience. He wants newcomers to see that legend being reborn in a new way. (Nintendo, 1/22)
- Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis’s adaptation of Crisis Core’s ending includes a segment where Zack’s Compilation-era voice actor, Rick Gomez, is used, even though all other cutscenes exclusively feature the Japanese voice cast. #FF7EverCrisis #FF7EC #FFVII #FF7 #CrisisCore
- Presenting Vol. 6 of Tetsuya Nomura's Game Walker column! This one dives further into FFVIII's development: -The scramble to finish the ending storyboards -The true meaning of Rinoa's hand gesture -The real-life inspirations for Rinoa, Squall, and Selphie Credit to moku_moku131459 for the photo!
- Director Naoki Hamaguchi says that his cat, Musashi, will not be returning in FFVII Rebirth. This is only in his head canon here, but personally, he'd like to think that he was caught up in the Sector 7 plate fall with Jessie and that lot. (GamesRadar, 11/15/23) #FF7R #FF7Rebirth #FFVIIRebirth #FF7
- Asked whether they prefer Cloud or Zack, FFVII Rebirth devs Hamaguchi and Kitase both say Cloud: Hamaguchi because of his long-time involvement with Cloud; Kitase because while Zack can take care of himself on his own, Cloud is more helpless and inspires empathy. (Eurogamer, 2024) #FF7R #FF7
- It's time for Vol. 5 of Tetsuya Nomura's Game Walker column! HIghlights: -Nomura talks about the shift to FFVIII's more realistic characters -He was taken totally off guard by Rinoa's characterization -PuPu the alien was born of an act of defiance -An attempt to clarify his role in killing Aerith
- We're up to Vol. 4 of Tetsuya Nomura's Game Walker column! This month is all about Parasite Eve: -Nomura had no idea he'd been appointed character designer -Aya was his most memorable character -His own mental crisis manifested in her illustrations Thanks to moku_moku131459 for the photo!
- 📣 Big news: Shinra Archaeology Cut is now available for the PS1 version of FFVII! With this patch developed by HitByBricks, you can update your existing ROMs and enjoy FFVII with the SAC retranslation applied. (Note: this is Vanilla Mode only, with no restored content.) www.romhacking.net/hacks/9352
- Presenting Vol. 3 of Tetsuya Nomura's monthly Game Walker column! This one's all about FFVII: -Cloud had more than 10 iterations, each taller than the last -Nomura had to draw at home to meet the overwhelming workload -Knights of the Round was a result of his dissatisfaction with Crusader from FFVI
- FFVII Scenario Writer Kazushige Nojima says that when he first saw Aerith's 3D model, he thought she looked rather rigid, and translated that into a brisk, assertive personality. Later, in AC, he realized she had a much different visual vibe. It was a real shock for him. (Bra Bra, 2018) #Aerith #FF7
- Cory in the House is rated higher than FFVII Remake! 😮
