Final Fantasy VII's Cast, Revised

Here’s comic artist Nikolas Draper-Ivey’s take on the main cast of Final Fantasy VII.

[KwokXi]

We wuz Finul Fantasy and sheit.

Kotaku is still cancer I see.

[Fishermenofwar]

are you an Idiot??? This was done by an Independent artist...They are just reporting...

[annoyedgamer]

Reporting = promotion
Kotaku regularly promote things like this.

[_-EDMIX-_]

@ann-who cares?

[bluefox755]

lol

[remixx116]

Wow the racist remark and agrees really shows your and this websites ignorance.

[KingZanzila]

We wuz kangz!!

[DevilOgreFish]

Everyone else looks better than cloud in this.

[Kakashi Hatake]

I get it, Blacks are known for ghetto/abrasive behavior. There's no one to blame but other Blacks that make me look bad. Not all of us are like that though. Rate people as individuals, not as a group.

[ToneBlanco]

This coon

[Hugodastrevas]

Yo hol up, hol up, so yous saying, hol up, we wuz Kangz n shiet? Dats rite!

[Gravesinger_]

Snowflake Alert!!

[343_Guilty_Spark]

I love it. Sephiroth looks really bad ass.

[Lightning Mr Bubbles]

Hell no!!! He made everyone black, I don't like it.

[Last_Boss]

Who gives a shit what you like!

[KwietStorm_BLM]

Oh no I feel threatened by them colored people. Give me back "my" country.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Not like 99.9% of gaming/movie/cartoon characters aren't already white.....(sarcasm). Even Japanese/Asian characters get the white treatment despite white people only representing less than 5% of the total global population.

Plus, this was THIS artist's reimagining of FF7 characters. I bet you've never had to ask yourself, "Hmm...what if this character reflected more of my own culture or looked like me?"

Or maybe you're one of those people who cried because Spartan Locke was black or because Black Panther is a black prince of a highly advanced African Nation ("Why can't Black Panther be white?" T_T). Triggered.

Privilege....it's a helluva drug.

Also Barret is a white guy. So everyone is not black.

[remixx116]

@343

Dude remember this is n4g where if your not primarily white/PlayStation fan

Than your getting disagrees left and right, this is coming from a PlayStation fan but I've been here long enough this place can be cancer sometimes.

[specialguest]

The art shown on the article was simply a pipe-dream sort of fantasy, nothing serious and some people are still offended lol. Yet it's perfectly OK when Hollywood whitewash Japanese anime/manga for their film adaptation.

[Masta Kaos]

Hehehe...draw your own and make them Asian again

[rainslacker]

I dunno. He said he was trying to capture the characters style, and their race had nothing to do with that.

So while I agree their race had nothing to do with it, these actual drawings were not really all that good in terms of keeping the original feeling of the characters in tact. They just all seemed like pissed off, black versions of the original, with Tifa in particular being almost ugly in comparison to the original design. For instance, the original Tifa was a woman who obviously took care of herself...whereas this rendition just looks like some skanky whore.

Sepiroth looks OK I guess, although the hair looks odd on a black character, but cloud has too much attitude in his looks, whereas the original was just kind of stoic and didn't emote that much.

Barrett isn't too bad, but he lacks some of that empathy behind his eyes that the original had. Barret, despite his gruff nature, actually had a gentle soul, and this character just looks like some stereotypical action game disposable bad guy.

Anyhow, i guess overall, what I'm trying to say is that he didn't capture the personality of the characters. The quality of the drawings is fine, and while I have no problem with him changing the ethnicity of the characters, he just didn't really make these characters seem like black versions of the characters, rather, just black people dressed up as FF7 characters.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

How does she look like a skanky whore if she has the same outfit on? Is it because she is a black woman with natural curves and kinky hair?

[rainslacker]

Because her body is a big chunky for those kind of clothing. her hair is disheveled, not kinky. She just looks like she doesn't take care of herself.

Has nothing to do with her being black. It has to do with her clothing not being that appealing on her body style.

As far as "curvy", Tifa was curvy as well. On top of that, Tifa's style of hair doesn't just happen naturally. It would take someone who takes care of their hair to get that style with that length. This rendition looks like she just put a ribbon around it, maybe did a cursory brush, then left it alone.

Overall, it's just that he didn't capture the feel of the characters. Has nothing to do with the race.

[Inzo]

Lol, Sephiroth looks exactly the same just with darker skin.

[annoyedgamer]

Kotaku needs a pepsi before their SJW march. Where is Kendall Jenner when you need her?

[Lightning Mr Bubbles]

Hell no!!! he made everyone black

[annoyedgamer]

You missed the joke, look up pepsi latest ad, it was ironically taken down when the group they were pandering too accused it of being racist.

[Hugodastrevas]

Don't you want to "join the conversation"?!

[drizzom]

Glad that person isn't the artist for FFVII.
Anyway, standard Kotaku tier garbage. Nothing to see here.

[Last_Boss]

If you knew the artists work, you wouldn't have made that weak ass comment.

[rainslacker]

What does his work have to do with the topic at hand? We can see his work right here. They are good drawings, but fail to really capture the characters IMO. I don't need to know his work to judge this work.

[Last_Boss]

@rain, he's drawn these characters in their form original and they look fantastic like the originals. The title says REVISED from his point of view for a reason. So once again, you and many noy like it but it's just a rendition, and look at the stupidity over just art.

[Fist4achin]

I preferred Tifa with long, straight hair. However, I love her tanned.

[remixx116]

Yeah she hella fine, this kinda stuff brings out the racists.

[Odoylerules000]

Yeah! Anyone who doesn't like it is racist...I mean, amirite guys!?!?!

[annoyedgamer]

Your bio says hustlin is life.

[remixx116]

@annoyed

My bio also says Hsien ko is my wife....whats your point.

Don't take that shit literally dude.

[Lord_Sloth]

All he did was change them from white to black and vise versa. Nothing was revised, just recolored.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

Really now?

[_-EDMIX-_]

have you actually seen the original versions? He's altered them in regards to their hair and other attributes.

[Lord_Sloth]

Thus changed them from black to white and vise versa. Nothing else is different.

[_-EDMIX-_]

@Lord- Hair is different, Tifa's boots are actually red (didn't notice that the first time) she is actually larger then Original Tifa in terms of her legs, her hair is also longer. Sephiroth has dreads lol

I'm not sure how you didn't notice all that. Its not simply black to white, its other features that are changed.

I'm...I'm not even sure why anyone would debate that, its a picture for a fact you can look at vs the original to see that some of those features are not on the original characters.

So unless he had Dreads in the original game....your statement of "Nothing else is different" is factually wrong.

[Masta Kaos]

You mean Asian to Black?? Culture parasites at it again..

[Razzer]

I really don't see what the big deal is. Dude can draw whatever he wants.

[Last_Boss]

He does!! Nik, is a fantastic artist, and just came back from Japan visiting Square Enix. You need to see his Fuedal Force Awakens pieces.

[Last_Boss]

Touched a spot with the butt hurt!! Lmao

[remixx116]

Yeah he's great

[_-EDMIX-_]

Agreed.

I think his work is pretty cool and I'm hoping he does more of this work on other games.

[trooper_]

I agree. I thought they looked cool.

[PlatinumGX]

Turned everyone black and the black guy asian lmao.

[Godmars290]

Just have to wonder, if not for GG/SJW, would something like this be getting the reaction it is.

I mean, if Square announced tomorrow that this would be a - paid - DLC option, how many "loyal" fans would burn their copies of all things FF?

[_-EDMIX-_]

All you have to do is read the comments.

These people were snowflakes and got triggered far before social justice Warriors pal.

Mind you what's so ironic and funny on here is the same people that are against social justice Warriors are on here basically in tears because of someone's interpretation of a game.

Somebody said it best on here

I dislike social justice Warriors but I also dislike the opposition just as much.

So I'm not siding with social justice Warriors that are purposely trying to pretend as if they were something offensive about specific games with zero proof ie (social justice Warriors saying certain video game where male characters are sexist despite ignoring the freedoms given to those artists and not really having any proof whether or not the artist always wanted a male version)

just as much as I actually dislike the people who get ridiculously offended about any demographic in a video game with claims of it being forced ie (snowflake bro dudes getting upset that there is a different demographic or sexs in a game and getting angry in saying that it is forced or sexist despite having zero proof to prove this to show whether or not it was even the artist original interpretation)

both parties have almost no proof to prove this and only have sexist or racist assumptions.

I disagree with both sides and they're just as bad as each other

What I find hilarious is both sides don't even recognize that both of them are at fault for the same damn reasons.

I could not stop laughing reading all the butthurt over Star Wars Battlefront II having a female protagonist in some of the people on this site that were against social justice Warriors we're literally mimicking the same crap that they were saying.

(This is being forced we don't have any proof but we're positive that this is being forced let me list games of female characters to prove my point)

Sjw

(This is being forced we don't have any proof but we're positive that this is being forced let me list games of male characters to prove my point)

So as you see even without social justice Warriors we have her own bro dude so-called Justice Bros that cry foul with any demographics or female characters completely ignoring the artist interpretation.

What is actually pathetic about this is this isn't even a damn game, this is simply an artist showing their interpretation so they can't even claim that this is something that was either forced or manipulated by a publisher to fit any specific demographic or hidden agenda.

How many people on here claiming Social Justice Warrior? Jokingly enough to people that are upset about this are the same people that are upset about social justice Warriors despite ignoring that they're actually doing the same things..

[SarcasticDuck]

i feel like this barret would get stabbed to death early on in the game and nobody would care but then when Aerith dies, the whole hood would riot!

[Kakashi Hatake]

Why does this have to be "hood" just because they're reimagined as Black characters?

[SarcasticDuck]

because i made the joke, i choose how to tell it!

[tiptopmen]

Sephiroth wuz a gud boy, he dindu nuffin wrong!

[Hugodastrevas]

We need mo money fo dem programs!

[KwietStorm_BLM]

Tifa out here lookin like Sharonda from around the way.

[Hugodastrevas]

Sharkiesha cosplaying as Tifa!

[Chaosdreams]

These are pretty sweet.

[Yi-Long]

Some cool redesigns.

Not really sure why all the dumb racism is needed as a response to an artist's personal and creative freedom, but TBH I've never really understood that kind of immature sad response when it comes to stuff like skin colour, race, religion, whatever.

[Last_Boss]

They can't handle it, but over half of them oogle over that Chibi/waifu b.s. They could've said the art was dope, and kept it moving. Instead not a single person came up with a valid reason to discredit dudes work. Pathetic !!

[remixx116]

Exactly I'm Seeing more racist slang talk in an effort to demean African Americans than I am at actual logical criticisms of the art itself (see top comment).

[annoyedgamer]

I dont mind it personally, but if it was flipped we all know what the result would be.

[_-EDMIX-_]

"but if it was flipped we all know what the result would be"

???

The people who are saying they like this and think its cool also think Barrett's redesign is cool too......

So what would the "result" be? Those that think this is cool looking, are not simply saying that JUST based on race alone, the design is cool fan art of all the characters, regardless of race.

"I dont mind it personally" Yet you had a problem with Kotaku posting it?

[Yi-Long]

Really? Tell me what the result would be then. Cause we've seen whitewashing for centuries now.

[kangolkyle]

I was really surprised to see the backlash, though I don't suppose I should've been. This is gaming culture on the Internet after all...

[SarcasticDuck]

most are jokes, you're the one getting offended

[FallenAngel1984]

Look what he did to Barret

[SarcasticDuck]

Made him less muscular? what's the problem? It's cool

[FallenAngel1984]

Yes! Barrett is supposed to be ridiculously ripped

[Christopher]

Probably my only complaint. Why did Barret get downsized?

[Kakashi Hatake]

Man, seeing this comment section makes me realize how disliked Black people really are. I understand our reputation is bad in this day in age but wow. No one to blame really but the Blacks that give me a bad name and people that don't rate others as individuals. I really hate hip hop culture, everyone thinks all Blacks are ghetto because of it smh :(

[remixx116]

I love bio hop, but don't blame it as ignorance, not all bio hop is utter cookery. Listen to emcees like Jay electronica, skyzoo, nas and terminology to see top hop can be very intelligent.

Don't defend the narrow minded racists and blame your own color, every demographic has its undesirables yet that shouldn't define the outward perception of a particular race.

That's like saying all whites are redneck ass lazy teeth rotting racists but that isn't the case despite the way the white people in this comment section act.

Be proud of your race.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

The music execs are predominantly white. They love it.

[Lennoxb63]

There's also Hip Hop that shows the intelligent side of black people. Don't just look at what the labels push in your face.

[SarcasticDuck]

I've made a race joke but it's just a joke and i'm willing to bet black people liked that joke. I personally loved that art but saw a chance to make a joke people would love. Good jokes often work with steriotypes and if you can't get that, you have a problem, lack of humor.

[Hugodastrevas]

Not everyone that makes a joke hates black people though, there are some groups comprised of black people that are funny as hell though, like the Kangz crowd.

To me, black people are alright, especially if they have a sense of humour.

[DaigotheKing]

That's some nice artwork of some black people cosplaying FFVII. That's about all it really is. I'm not going to pretend this is supposed to actually be the cast of FF7.
You don't get to have your own versions of other people's characters, that's why you make your own. Even then, if you have to drastically change a character to enjoy them, can you really say youre a fan of them? Not saying that's what this artist did but just musing.
P.S
I'm not white and I dont like Donald Trump, I just don't like race swapping in any form. Accusing people of being racists because they dont like crap like this is beyond silly, and is just plain juvenile. The fact that I even need to point that out is pretty sad tbh.

[_-EDMIX-_]

"I just don't like race swapping in any form"

Let the artist be an artist.

To say someone isn't a fan of something because they changed something in a series they like is stupid.

You never seen Fanart that changes certain aspects of mediums?

Well...that is sorta what art is all about, being different and creative. What are you going to do? Bring him to jail or something?

Piff. Come on bud.

" I just don't like race swapping in any form"

Why? What was this going to do to you? Did you die? Are your feelings hurt? Help me under stand how this hurts you as it makes very little sense.

[DaigotheKing]

Your betrays a bizarrely emotional investment in this whole thing. I expressed my opinion, why you feel the need to behave like some sort of petulant child over a dissenting opinion is beyond me, and honestly kind of ridiculous. Expressing how I feel about someone else's work is not taking away their right to be an artist and produce whatever art they want. Regardless of how I feel about it, nothing will change so your frankly over the top response is completely unwarranted. However, you can't present something to the public and expect them not to have an opinion.

As someone who is an artist myself, yes it would irk me to see something I created twisted to fit someone else's image. When I make fanart of a character I like I do my best to respect the original characters as much as possible, because once I don't, it stops being art that respects the integrity of the character itself. It may as well be a different character entirely.

You accuse me of being hurt, but it seems you are the one who is hurting. Maybe you should reevaluate why you care so much yourself. No I can't do anything about what other people make and I wouldn't even if I could. I respect the freedom of expression, in art or otherwise, but that doesn't somehow null the right to an opinion from the general audience.

Oh and comparing a change in medium to a change in a character's race is completely nonsensical and I'm not entirely sure what you thought you were achieving by saying that at all.

[MyDietEqualsGames]

The sooner we stop labeling everything "racist" "Trump"? The better off we'll be. The sarcasm pertaining to this also doesn't help. Herd mentality. I tell ya. People forgot how to be individuals.

[QUIMICOMORTAL]

I dont like em!

[brashpandacoot]

Great stuff! Making my neurons tingle...

[kangolkyle]

Hahahaha, y'all are really shook over some fan art! Lol what is this, part of the "liberal SJW agenda" ? Man, I really didn't know N4G was sensitive like that, unreal!

By the way, this art is goddamn fantastic!

[MyDietEqualsGames]

I dunno, but it's Kotaku. They push gender/race politics under the guise of gaming and progressiveness. They know what gets hits and what angers people. Nevermind the racist shit. They use these topics as ammo under the pretentiousness that they are trying to make some type of difference in these trying times, where these topics are white hot, at the moment.

[Thejointnojoint]

I don't understand, how nobody is talking about chocolate tifa's Snickers bar.......(skirt bulge)

[Hugodastrevas]

No, thank you.

[spwittbold]

i'm offended. cultural appropriation.

[Gravesinger_]

Stings doesn't it..?

[septemberindecember]

I think he was being sarcastic. So, it probably doesn't sting.

[Elda]

Sephiroth looks fierce.

[kakashi81]

Sephiroth looks badass, it's just the cloud village doing cosplay folks....lol

[JokerBoy422]

It reminds me of one of the artstyles in the Animatrix. The short with the runner who becomes conscious of the Matrix. This is really cool art!

[loverlink]

Dude the artist is talented! I wish I could draw like him!

[Themba76]

man i dont about yall but tifa looks a million times better than the original she actually has a figure like a woman and not a 12 year old boy.

[X-23]

I think his Cloud would have looked neat like that with just all black hair instead of the yellow tips, but I guess you can't opt out Cloud's hair color ... cause then if you do that its not Cloud anymore. Barret looked pretty cool too. I can appreciate the art style, but its hard for me to see iconic characters; like these in particular, revised in such a dynamic way. In terms of Final Fantasy and its characters I've been into the series for the long haul so even the slightest little changes get to me one way or another.

[Majinzo]

What is this...

[DarkHeroZX]

Dog, we already got an OG black guy in the game. Why the heck does every character gotta be black? Outside of GTA I would probably ignore it if this was real lol.

[septemberindecember]

You would ignore a video game if most of the main characters were black? I mean...don't you see how that could be misconstrued as prejudice?

[DarkHeroZX]

I'm not a fan of changing already established characters like that. Wouldn't support it either. And I'm black myself, I don't care what people say or think on this matter.

[Kakashi Hatake]

These idiots have a negative perception of Blacks and think the only way they're supposed to act are like the thugs on TV. Blacks can never be majestic to them unfortunately. I'm like most of the people here, I love anime, Gaming, rock music, use proper English, etc. Nothing stereotypical about me.

[septemberindecember]

I like Tifa's design, and Barrets design. I don't like Clouds at all, but I could live with Sephiroths. Maybe it's the dreads I don't really like. Which is ironic because that is the artists favorite part.

[47]

Thank god this hack won't be allowed anywhere near this franchise. The original designs are fine.

[TC731]

Ugh...why did I give that garbage a click?

[Jivesh]

Oh no...Cloud...

Others look really damn awesome

[gamer7804]

misleading title, makes it sound like its something official, should say fan art or something like that, but anything for the clicks i guess. I'm not a fan of changing things just to change things, but since its fan art you can do whatever you want.

[Relientk77]

This comment section...Wow lol

[silvacrest]

I know right? If you've been on this site a while you have seen how bad it can get, but this is just toxic in the worst way because it's just fan art, nothing more

[silvacrest]

I've been a member of this site for over 8 years, I've seen all the console wars, sexism, racism, the rise of the sjw but this comment section has to be the saddest of the lot.

People proudly displaying there hatred and ignorance over.... Fan art. Not even fan art done by an industry vet, just a guy like any other.

[Quatron]

Kotaku seeking garbage from Tumblr?
Canception.

[ToneBlanco]

All these Neanderthal snow monkeys always have something stupid to say.