A “hero” torn between duty and friendship
Profile
Age: Around 25 years old
Birthplace: Nibelheim
Weapon: Masamune
Voice Actor (JP): Toshiyuki Morikawa
Voice Actor (ENG): George Newbern
Shinra’s strongest warrior. He is the ultimate SOLDIER, and is the most powerful of the 1st Classes. Even as a young boy, he was called a “hero” for his numerous military exploits, and the Wtai War further solidified his fame. His appearance and capabilities give the impression that he is too infallible to be approached, and although he has many admirers, only his colleagues Genesis and Angeal are close to him.
Two Trusted Friends
Genesis, emotional yet endearing, and Angeal, calm and mature―are more than just Sephiroth’s close friends. They are connected from birth by a secret they are unaware of.
→ The three of them, close friends and good rivals, play around with swords.
People’s Respect and Admiration
Everyone in the world knows the name of the hero Sephiroth, a SOLDIER of Shinra. His heroism in slaying those who oppose Shinra with his overwhelming power caused boys to admire SOLDIERs, and adults to respect and trust Shinra who employed him. Shinra’s native hero also performed a marketing role for the company. However, the departure of his close friends and the truth of his birth that gradually came to light gradually causes Sephiroth some hesitation about wielding his blade for Shinra.
↑ Zack, Cloud, and Genesis all joined Shinra because of their admiration for the hero Sephiroth.
Learning the Secrets of His Birth
As long as he can remember, Sephiroth has been in the Science Department and has no memory of his parents or hometown. His mother, Jenova, died right after giving birth to him… at least, that was what he heard about her in the Science Department. Despite, or perhaps because he felt disconnected from those around him, Sephiroth dedicated himself solely to mastering his combat abilities. But when he learns the truth about his birth in Nibelheim, his sleeping blood of madness wakes up.
← After discovering his mother inside the Nibel Reactor, Sephiroth went to…
“We used to sneak in there when the 2nds were out and fool around. Genesis, Angeal, and I.”
――Mako Reactor No. 5: Reminiscing with Zack
“We’ll meet again soon.”
――Junon: Saying goodbye to Zack, who Sephiroth hasn’t seen in a long time
“Yes, for real.”
――Mako Reactor No. 5: Imitating Zack’s words, he proposes to fail the mission to eliminate his closest friends
“Your words… Are they nonsense to deceive me—— Or the truth I’ve been searching for——”
――Nibel Mako Reactor: When Genesis told him the secret of his birth
←↓ The three are true friends who trust each other, but their paths are torn apart after playing a routine game in the training room. It’s as if they are the close friends in the epic poem…
← Sephiroth is troubled by the order to eliminate his closest friends, and develops a relationship with Zack, who shares his concerns.
Link to the FFVII Series
The Former Hero who Became the Planet’s Enemy
Sephiroth is the nemesis of Cloud, the protagonist of FFVII, and the being causing fear on the Planet. As told at the end of CC, once he discovers the secret of his birth, he turns into an enemy of the world. His efforts to destroy the Planet while Cloud and his party attempted to stop him were the main focus of the story in FFVII. Like Zack, Sephiroth’s personality during his time as a SOLDIER is only described in Cloud’s flashbacks, and and only his aloofness is conveyed. CC is the first time that he is portrayed as a human being with human emotions.
← The scene in the second half of CC where Sephiroth learns of the secrets of his birth and his madness wakes up is a recreation of the same scene in FFVII.