| One of the biggest lies you will see perpetuated among CloTis is that S-E confirmed that Cloud and Tifa are lovers or that Tifa was confirmed to be Cloud's sweetheart. No such thing has ever been stated by S-E and, in fact, what they are attempting to pass off as fact is merely their own opinion... like the rest of their so-called "evidence". So, what words are they twisting around to suit themselves? From Reunion Files (Tifa's profile): "There are many dimensions to Tifa's character. She's like a mother, a sweetheart, and a close ally in battle." (Nomura) CloTis like to make a big deal out of this because the Japanese word used for "sweetheart" is koibito, which can mean many things, including "lover", "boyfriend/girlfriend", and/or "sweetheart". CloTis insist that the only way to translate the word in the above quote is "lover". They simply refuse to admit that it could mean anything else when, in fact, it has multiple meanings, including simply being "a person who loves" or "a person who is loved". It can also be used as an adjective to describe something or someone. It doesn't define a role and it certainly doesn't strictly imply reciprocal feelings. You have to look at the context in which it was used. So, why don't I buy this particular bit of CloTi nonsense? Because their "proof" has more holes in it than Swiss Cheese. 1. How do you know Nomura was speaking of roles and not character traits? Please allow me to give you some definitions of the term "character": "the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing" "the combination of qualities or features that distinguishes one person, group, or thing from another" "one of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish an individual" None of these specific definitions for "character" mention roles. So, why is it that CloTis automatically assume that Nomura meant Tifa's roles? Why can't it simply be describing Tifa's character, especially since the first sentence says that Nomura is referring to Tifa's character? Tifa is "like a mother, a sweetheart, and a close ally in battle" in that she embodies traits that one might find in a mother, a sweetheart, or a close ally in battle. These qualities are what distinguish Tifa from other characters and are the dimensions that Nomura wished to portray when creating AC/ACC Tifa. Nomura was making a general statement about Tifa's character (that is, her qualities). Actually, I contacted someone who is not only a native Japanese but a professional translator. I sent him a scan of the quote. His impression? Hiroyuki: "Conclusion: I greatly support your opinion that Nomura was explaining Tifa's traits." This particular person was a completely neutral, unbiased translator that I personally paid myself to translate a few bits here and there. So, if a completely neutral person agrees with me on this, you can't blame me for standing by my own feelings on the matter. Nomura was highlighting Tifa's character, just like it said in the quote. 2. Cloud wasn't mentioned in this statement. There is NOTHING that ties Cloud with this statement. No mention. No pictures. Nothing. Nada. Really, I am amazed that I have to point out something so obvious. In the entire page that this quote was printed on and even the page facing it... no pictures at all of Cloud. If someone tries to associate this statement with Cloud, they are twisting facts into something more suited for their purposes. They are grasping at straws, plain and simple. Without mentioning someone specific, this quote means absolutely nothing. It's just a vague statement about Tifa. There is nothing conclusive about it. And yet we have idiots running around the 'Net who really do believe that Cloud was confirmed to be Tifa's lover in this statement... even when his name is glaringly absent. 3. If Nomura confirmed CloTi with that vague statement, he is completely contradicting himself and Nojima. In reality (not the warped plane that CloTidom exists on), Nomura was quite careful about the portrayal of Cloud's relationships with Aerith and Tifa in AC/ACC. There was no definite answer, only subtle clues. Why go through all of the trouble to depict a subtle picture of Cloud's emotions only to publish a book and, in two sentences, solve the love triangle? He is not going to give a definite answer to the love triangle... ever (even if I wish he would just so I could be proven right). From as far back as the release of Kingdom Hearts: Q: "Okay then, so the person Cloud is searching for is Aeris, right?" Nomura: "Well, what do you think? If indeed it was Aeris, then the bit in the ending was the answer. You might say it was made so you can take it that way. Cloud is a popular character, and I don't really want to decide myself, yes he is like this. Because players make strong conclusions by themselves, I want to leave room for everyone's line of thought." Nomura stated that interpreting Aeris as the one Cloud was searching for was a correct interpretation, but then backtracked and stated that he wanted to leave room for other interpretations because he didn't wish to decide anything for Cloud due to other fans' "strong conclusions" [in regards to the love triangle]. Nomura is a smart man... and a good businessman. He isn't going to solve the LT simply because he would anger a large portion of the fandom either way. He would lose money when that angry half (*cough*CloTis*cough*) stopped buying FF products. Nomura has discovered that it is far more profitable to drop little hints to support ClAeris and little scraps for CloTis to twist. Keeping everyone arguing just keeps us all begging for more, doesn't it? However, the answers are there if you look, imbedded quite subtly into the story. From Newtype USA (Oct. 2005): Open Ending: To this day, FFVII continues to draw some fire for its ambiguous ending. It's a satisfying conclusion [and beautiful to behold], but it doesn't hold the player's hand through a lengthy denouement the way 16-bit Final Fantasy games do. That shift in presentation, Tetsuya Nomura insists, was entirely intentional-- the goal was to make players think a little harder and pay closer attention to a more complex storyline. "I don't know if you could really say that FFVII had any unanswered questions to speak of," claims Nomura, taking what some of his fans [or detractors] might characterize as a slightly controversial stand. "We just created FFVII with the idea that we wouldn't just come out and tell people the answers. The answers are there, but no one is there to tell you where to look for them. We didn't leave anything hanging." Nomura, of course, had the advantage of the original game's scriptwriter sitting across the office to point out where to look. But, on the bright side, if Square had pointed everything out, there might not have been enough demand for a sequel like Advent Children. To work out all the movie's secrets, the hardest of the hardcore should plan on multiple viewings. Like the original game, "Advent Children follows suit in not revealing the answers directly," says a slightly cryptic Tetsuya Nomura. "Some parts you'll probably have to watch several times before you get it, but it should come eventually." So, why do all of this to just go, "Oh, BTW, Tifa is Cloud's lover, LOLZ!" in one paragraph in a book??? 0_o That makes absolutely no sense. IF the creators wanted to confirm CloTi they would have done it in AC/ACC, which was Cloud's story, not some random book. Instead, they used subtlety and delicacy when portraying whom Cloud loves. There were no "I love yous", no hugs, no kisses. But, when you see how Cloud is always yearning for Aerith (and pulling away from Tifa) throughout the film, it hits home that she is indeed the one he loves (if you know anything about love and relationships, that is). From an interview with Dorimaga magazine: A Final Fantasy fan interviewed Tetsuya Nomura for Dorimaga magazine and asked "How many girls has Sephiroth ever loved?". In reaction, Nomura spoke evasively in anticipation of more questions regarding Cloud and Tifa's love life, which have nothing to do with Sephiroth. Tetsuya Nomura: What kind of question is that? I've never thought about it. Honestly, I don't care who loves whom. I think you could imagine the scenarios that we don't mention however you want to. You could enjoy talking about that with friends. For example, I was frequently asked if there had been a romantic relationship between Tifa and Cloud for two years, after FF7 ended, but I don't have any clue. So, not only does Nomura evade any questions involving the love triangle, but he completely blows off the question about Cloud and Tifa's relationship stating that he'd never thought about it, didn't care, and didn't have any idea about it. So, why would he suddenly do a complete turn-around and confirm Cloud and Tifa to be lovers... with one word no less? This interview was published three months after the release of AC. Clearly Nomura wasn't interested in the slightest with confirming anything. Also, Reunion Files was published a mere 6 months after this interview, which means it was highly likely that S-E was currently working on it at the time of the interview. Why would Nomura waste a chance to portray Cloud and Tifa as lovers during Cloud's story, only to follow up a few months later with confirmation they are lovers in a vague statement... in a book... that some fans aren't even going to read? Don't you see the logic train getting derailed here? Because I sure do... The Meaning of No Words There are relatively few spoken lines during AC. Most of what characters feel and what the developers wanted to convey is expressed through the characters' facial expressions and actions. Audiences won't get the finality of a close-up kiss and characters shouting "I love you". They will get something classier, where the same ideas and messages are there, only delivered in a subliminal context. (The Second Coming, FlareGamer) Once again, you see that the creators have no intention of just coming out and ending the LT with anything remotely obvious. The message is delivered in a subtle, "subliminal" way, so as to avoid the mass hate that would erupt when CloTis find out how wrong they are. And yet some fans still want me to think that the creators would end the LT in two sentences in a book after the multiple times that they have avoided a direct answer? Yeah, that derailed logic train just went off a cliff. So, just for giggles, let's say that Nomura did decide to suddenly contradict himself and all of the other creators. That means he completely wasted his time by depicting subtle, "subliminal" messages in regards to the relationships of Aerith, Cloud, and Tifa in AC/ACC. The whole movie would be a wash. And yet, even when they came out with Advent Children Complete (which was released after Reunion Files, BTW, where Cloud and Tifa were supposedly canonized), there still were no direct answers. Once again, I present you with the logic that CloTidom refuses to acknowledge. Why? Because they're desperate. They have no real proof and, deep down, they know and fear the truth. A few more points... Why release the truth about the love triangle in only Tifa's profile? Tifa is only one-third of the FFVII love triangle. Why no mention in Cloud's profile or even Aerith's? If S-E suddenly decided to up and solve the very famous and highly debated FFVII love triangle, don't you think there would have been a huge write-up in Reunion Files, rather than two short sentences? Don't you think it would make more sense for them to include interviews with the creators, their perspectives on the love triangle, and a mention of the love triangle in the profiles of all three of the individuals who are actually involved? The mere fact that this supposed "resolution of the love triangle" isn't mentioned anywhere else in the Compilation, not even in any of Tifa's other profiles, tells me that this supposed "resolution" is just another CloTi fallacy, especially when all other evidence suggests otherwise. 4. The only relationship confirmed between Cloud and Tifa is that of family and, actually, Tifa was confirmed to have a "maternal bond" with Cloud. Nomura himself stated that Tifa has a maternal bond with Cloud, in a paragraph directly before the one where he described Tifa as being "like a mother, a sweetheart, and a close ally in battle". So, why would Nomura state that Tifa is like a mother to Cloud and then turn around and say that she is his lover? Once again, it doesn't make any sense and Nomura would actually be contradicting himself. He just stated that the relationship between Cloud and Tifa is platonic... So, why would he do a complete 180 and say that their relationship is romantic? Yep... that logic train just hit bottom... and it's on fire. The direct quote from Reunion Files: "Tifa was a very difficult character to create. Like Aerith, she has a maternal side to her, but in a different sense. Not only was she looking after Marlene and Denzel, but she also felt a certain maternal bond to Cloud, who is a 'big kid' himself in some respects. Yet despite this, she continues working as the manager of Seventh Heaven without a complaint." (Nomura) So, Nomura states that both Tifa and Aerith have maternal sides to them, but that Tifa's maternal side is different. He then applies Tifa's maternal side directly to Cloud and states right there that Tifa has a maternal bond with Cloud. Why paint a picture of Tifa as a mother to Marlene, Denzel, and Cloud, and then turn around and say that she is his lover? As for Cloud... well, he certainly doesn't behave like a lover. He acts like a rebellious teenager all throughout Case of Tifa and AC/ACC, running off on his motorcycle, staying gone all the time, clamming up and not speaking with Tifa, hiding things from Tifa, etc... Tifa, on the other hand, acts like a concerned parent, worrying about Cloud and scolding him on several occasions. A few examples of this... From Case of Tifa: (During a conversation with Tifa) ... Cloud made a familiar face, like a child who knew a scolding was inevitable... Cloud gazed at Tifa with the expression of a child whose worst secret had just been let out of the bag... ...He's like a child, Tifa thought. While it made her sad that Cloud could see another world she knew nothing about, the idea his world was expanding at all was a welcome one. Yes... Maybe this is kind of what a mother feels like. Once she saw Cloud off, Tifa was alone with the new emotions growing inside her and was happy. If Tifa is happy with her new role as a mother figure to Cloud, I have a hard time understanding why CloTis force her into a romance that she seems to be giving up on. While Tifa may or may not harbor romantic feelings for Cloud by the time AC/ACC rolls around, she has clearly accepted the fact that she has no future with Cloud as anything other than a friend who is like family. 5. Tifa is never referred to as koibito anywhere else... EVER. And she is certainly NEVER referred to as koibito, lover, or sweetheart in relation to Cloud. From the Dirge of Cerberus strategy guide: "After helping Cloud set up his delivery service, Tifa got involved with the displaced youth of Midgar and opened an orphanage. She keeps in close contact with Cloud and Barret and remains the steadying force she always was- or at least tried to be. Although she has a small role in this game, she remains as likable as ever and continues to show the traits that always made her such a great friend." "Great friend"... that's a bit of a step-down from koibito, don't you think? And you'll notice that Cloud was actually mentioned in that statement! You'll also notice that Tifa keeps in close contact with BOTH Barret and Cloud in DoC. So, for all of you peeps in denial out there about Barret being a part of the Seventh Heaven family, that quote just owned you. Also, from the DoC game booklet: Tifa Lockhart, Cloud's childhood friend and a master of martial arts. Aerith Gainsborough, a girl with the blood of the Ancients running through her veins, who Cloud would never forget. So, here we have Tifa being referred to as "Cloud's childhood friend". And, once again, Cloud was actually mentioned there! In Tifa's FFVII 10th Anniversary profile, she is referred to as Cloud's "friend" at least five times, and "family" at least twice! So, if they confirmed Tifa to be Cloud's lover in RF, why not do so in a book that was published later? Aerith, on the other hand, was confirmed to be someone Cloud would never forget. A bit vague, but you get the idea that she is extremely important to him. Some information on the word koibito: Something else I have heard from rabid CloTis is that the word koibito, which was used to describe Tifa, only has romantic connotations and is only used when someone is in a reciprocated romance. RUBBISH. Nihon no Koibito= "Japan's sweetheart". And Shiroi Koibito is a brand of white chocolate cookies from Japan. Their name means "white beloved ones". So, no, koibito isn't just used to describe people in a relationship, it is used as a general adjective as well. According to Hiroyuki (a native Japanese and a professional translator), the idea that the word koibito can only be used to describe someone in a romantic relationship and cannot be used as an adjective is "nonsense". Hiroyuki confirmed that koibito can be used when describing a trait. A few outside opinions... Shadow Spirit is a Japanese descendant, who was raised in a household learning Japanese customs from members of his family who were born and raised in Japan. He is also fluent in the Japanese language... Shadow Spirit: "The literal meaning you'll get from that is really 'boyfriend/girlfriend' (that's what written on any dictionary). But the most precise definition would be 'the one who is in love'. In other words, it's sure that 'A loves B', but you don't know if the 'B loves A' is true... on the very least, you can say that it's a one-sided love until the text say otherwise." The next point of view presented here is from Saeki, a young girl who acted as a translator for the CloudxAerith Forums for some time. It is Saeki's opinion that koibito does in fact mean Tifa's role, but not in the way you might think. Here is her summary (edited by me): Before anything else... Clarification: 1. We do not think the word koibito doesn't mean BF/GF. 2. We think the meaning Nomura is trying to convey in this sentence is not "Tifa=Cloud's GF/lover". 3. We are saying that koibito has another meaning in this sentence. Multiple translations of the koibito statement: Role POV: She's like a mother, a loved one (romantically), and a close ally in battle. This is my translation of the word koibito. I believe Nomura is speaking about Tifa's role. Why? My knowledge of the word tachiba. Where did Nomura use the word tachiba? In the statement "There are many dimensions to Tifa's character" (in other words, the Japanese word used for character is tachiba). Oh, my... the official translation must be wrong because if you look at the word tachiba from a dictionary it only says: "standpoint; position; situation" "a situation; a position; a standpoint; a point of view" Someone should contact Square-Enix to scold their official translator for not sticking to the Japanese dictionary... poor guy.... The best meaning of tachiba, in my opinion, is "point of view", which automatically makes me think that Nomura was talking about Tifa's role. Random CloTi: "Now, if Nomura is talking about Tifa's role, then he is surely talking about Tifa's role as Cloud's GF!!!" I beg to differ. Let's not ignore the absence of Cloud's name. Koibito? I think everyone knows the general meaning of koibito, so I'm not going to bother. But why did I translate it as "loved one" when the dictionary clearly says koibito means lover/GF/BF? Koi vs Ai The difference between koi and ai So, it could be easily established that koi is mostly the feeling from A--->B and ai is mostly the feeling from A--->B and B--->A. Random CloTi: "So does that mean Cloud loves Tifa romantically???" Now now, no one said anything about Cloud. Cloud's name is not even in there, but even if it was Cloud, the love is equivalent to a crush. Why say it is a crush? The word koi from koibito. Compared to ai, koi is more like a fleeting or temporary love. From the above link, "The difference between koi and ai": Koi is temporary/Ai is perpetual Koi is taken/Ai is given Koi is something one person does/Ai is something two people develop Koi is a strong feeling that was unrequited/Ai is impossible to express in words Koi is the beginning of ai/Ai is a continuation of koi Random CloTi: "So, why in God's name would Nomura even mention that Tifa was loved romantically by someone? How would this guy feel if he found out that she is currently living with Cloud and two kids who treat her like a mother?" Well, in my opinion, Nomura is talking about Tifa's role as someone who is loved (crush) by lots of people from the original story (FFVII) all the way up until AC. After all, Tifa is popular among the boys in FFVII and in real life (FFVII fanboys). Random CloTi: "Nomura is talking about Tifa in AC, not FFVII." Well, I don't think so. Why? Tifa is not a new character like Kadaj. Also, there is one sentence that convinces me that Nomura is talking about Tifa's role in FFVII and AC both at the same time. From the statement "...and a close ally in battle", used to describe Tifa, the Japanese words tatakatte kita senyuu suggest that she's been fighting side-by-side [with someone] for a long time. The word te kita indicates the beginning of some process or continuation of some action up to a certain point of time. For more info: Tackling Te Kuru This sentence, as we all know, doesn't indicate the beginning of Tifa fighting side-by-side with someone, but continuation of her fighting side-by-side up to a certain point of time, which implies her role in both FFVII and AC (and it still continues on). It is a continuation of her role as an ally from FFVII to AC. So, if the FFVII reference here is definitely undeniable, wouldn't it be possible for Nomura to be referring to Tifa's role as koibito in FFVII (with or without Tifa being Cloud's koibito)? My conclusion: Nomura is stating Tifa's role as someone who is romantically loved in both FFVII and AC. So, here we have a very interesting interpretation- that Tifa's "roles" listed in that statement don't just apply to AC. It is certainly true that Tifa has been an ally in battle to everyone since FFVII and that role continues into AC and beyond. Saeki has offered up conclusive evidence that seems to confirm this interpretation. It is also true that Tifa has been "like a mother" since FFVII, as well. We all know that Tifa has been raising Marlene as her own daughter (along with Barret as the father figure) since before the events of FFVII. She also "adopted" the young boy, Denzel, brought to her by Cloud who discovered the boy at Aerith's church. Not to mention Tifa sees Cloud as a "big kid". So, if Tifa has been an ally in battle and a mother figure to multiple people since FFVII, and those roles continue into AC , doesn't it also make sense to include koibito in that interpretation as well? After all, what reason is there to leave koibito out? There is plenty of evidence to suggest Tifa has been crushed on by loads of boys since her childhood in Nibelheim. Tifa lives in Nibelheim, and is a girl considered an idol among boys of the same age in the village. (Crisis Core Ultimania, Tifa's profile) ******************** Before leaving Nibelheim, Cloud declared that "I'll be a SOLDIER" to a village girl, Tifa, whom he dimly fell in love with, and made a promise to protect her. (Crisis Core Ultimania, Cloud's profile) ******************** ...He [Johnny] called the cafe "Johnny's Heaven". It was named after "Seventh Heaven", a diner-bar that used to be in Midgar's Sector Seven slums. Johnny had been in love with the bartender there, a girl named Tifa. Several months after the bar was lost during Sector Seven's fall, Tifa reopened a new Seventh Heaven in edge. At the time, Johnny was among the masses who couldn't figure out how to move on, and he was moved by the strength in which Tifa lived. Somewhere along the line, the former object of his unrequited love had become a mentor of the heart he could look up to. Let me live like Tifa. All right, how? I know, I'll open up a place, too. Give hope to the lost. That was the start of Johnny's Heaven, and its patrons were subjected again and again to the Tale of a Johnny Reborn. And because of that, his patrons visited Seventh Heaven, wanting to get a look at Tifa, and wound up becoming regulars. Unaware of this, Johnny waited six days a week for anyone to show up who might listen to his tale of love and hope. (Case of Denzel) You'll notice that Cloud is not the only one to have once had romantic feelings for Tifa. Tifa was the object of affection for all the boys in Nibelheim, the village princess. Cloud's "dim love" for Tifa, which equates to the same idolizing crush that the other boys had, is nothing new. One of the boys, Johnny, continues to harbor feelings of love for Tifa, even post-FFVII. His love for Tifa becomes that of hero-worship. This feeling of Johnny's transfers to his patrons, who also begin to idolize Tifa, and go to Seventh Heaven just to see this amazing woman who was able to pick up the pieces after a near-Apocalypse and move on with her life. Hell, even Rude confessed to having a crush on Tifa in FFVII. She is admired by many men, not just Cloud. Without a specific name in Tifa's description, you cannot apply it to Cloud alone. After all, Tifa is not an ally to just Cloud- she is an ally to all of AVALANCHE and has been for many years. Tifa is also not a mother to just Cloud. She also acts as a mother figure to Marlene and Denzel, and has been a mother figure to Marlene for many years. Tifa is also not a koibito (a loved one romantically) to one person alone, as I have shown. Over the years, many boys and men have harbored feelings of romantic affection and crushes on Tifa. Even Cloud was not immune, developing a crush on her when they were children. So, how in the world are any of the descriptive roles concerning Tifa about Cloud alone when they can be applied to so many others? So... you wanna throw around Japanese words? Here is another little something from Saeki, since CloTis love to throw around Japanese words so much. Enjoy... DoC Game Manual: Aerith Gainsborough A girl with the blood of the Ancients flowing through her veins who Cloud would never forget. (Official translation) A girl with the blood of the Ancients flowing through her veins who is engraved in Cloud's heart for the rest of his life. (Saeki's translation) The meaning of the Japanese word shougai, which is used in this sentence, means one's existence until death. Well, since our beloved rivals love dictionary references.... "one's lifetime (i.e. one's existence until death)" "a <happy> life; lifetime; a career; for life; as long as one lives" The meaning of shougai is essentially eternal. Now, what does it mean to have someone engraved in your heart eternally? Generally, it means that you have a very strong feeling for someone. If not, how could he/she become an existence that never disappears from your heart? What kind of feeling? Undying: Of course Hate: Perhaps Love: Possibly Guilt: Maybe Let's see from Cloud's POV, shall we? Undying: Yes, confirmed in another statement by Nomura (see below) Hate: Not even close Love: Possibly Guilt: By the end of AC, his guilt has disappeared Conclusion: Cloud loves Aerith to the point she will never disappear from his heart for the rest of his life. From PlayStation magazine: I believe for those who formerly traveled with her as comrades and for the viewers, each carries their own feelings and love for Aerith. In this story, Cloud also carries his own undying feeling for Aerith, even to this very day.... It's relation with the church scene is... . Yup. I'll leave this part to your imagination. [Laughs] (Tetsuya Nomura) The most important part of this statement that indicates Cloud's feeling is... 1. The words "undying feeling". It's undying "even to this very day"! Eternal! Forever! 2. The word aijou (used for the word "love" in "each carries their own feelings and love for Aerith"). Aijou has the same meaning and function as ai. Ai can mean platonic love or true/eternal love. Both of them are an unconditional, forever kind of love. Random CloTi: "Pfft, Nomura is talking about Cloud loving Aerith as a brother/father/son/friend, etc, etc...." Please let me explain. ...for those who formerly traveled with her as comrades and for the viewers, each carries their own feelings and love for Aerith.... What kind of feeling? Obviously not true/eternal love. It's definitely platonic love. ...Cloud also carries his own undying feeling for Aerith, even to this very day.... This speaks of Cloud's own feelings in contrast to the feelings of his other comrades toward Aerith. Say, what other kind of love does the word ai mean other than platonic love? Oh, I remember... true/eternal love. This idea is furthermore supported by the DoC game manual. Conclusion: Cloud romantically loves Aerith eternally. In contrast... Cloud and Tifa: Before leaving Nibelheim, Cloud declared that "I'll be a SOLDIER" to a village girl, Tifa, whom he dimly fell in love with, and made a promise to protect her. (Crisis Core Ultimania, Cloud's profile) The words used in this sentence for "dimly fell in love" are honoka ni omoi wo yoseteita. The words omoi wo yoseteita mean "to fall in love", but we cannot overlook the word honoka ni which means "faintly" or "dimly". Please, dear sir, I would like to point out that it's in the dictionary: Yoseru Honoka So, does "to dimly fall in love with" or "to faintly love someone" equal to puppy love/crush/temporary love? I'll let you decide. Also, if you think Cloud is Tifa's koibito... just remember that koi, unlike ai, is a temporary/fleeting love that is equivalent to a crush/puppy love. Conclusion: Cloud was once attracted to Tifa or felt something for her. Aerith and Zack: Aerith referred to Zack as her "first love". In Japanese "first love" is hatsukoi. Conclusion: Aerith was once attracted to Zack or felt something for him. So, there we have it- Cloud's feelings for Tifa were that of a "faint/dim" temporary crush. However, Cloud's feelings for Aerith have been confirmed more than once to be undying, eternal, forever... Seems to me that something eternal and forever is far more indicative of true love than something faint or dim. Has Cloud ever been referred to as koibito... anywhere? Why, yes, he has! Case of Lifestream: White is a novella written by Kazushige Nojima. It takes place directly before and during AC/ACC and allows one to view the events taking place within the Lifestream. Case of Lifestream: White focuses on Aerith, while Case of Lifestream: Black focuses on Sephiroth. During the novella, Aerith is referred to as "the woman". Below is the excerpt of interest: Cloud was her friend, her koibito — a symbol of what was important to her, and someone to be protected." (Case of Lifestream: White) I did not attempt to translate koibito, I left it in its Japanese form so that you can make your own conclusion. A CloTi translator decided to translate it as "beloved" in order to make the statement less of a threat. But, if we go by what CloTis claimed for years (that koibito has only one meaning, "lover"), then it would state very directly that Cloud is Aerith's lover. However, after this statement came out, CloTis began to back-pedal, screaming that koibito has other meanings besides "lover" (something we tried to get across to them for years). So, draw your own conclusions about koibito there. Cloud is Aerith's boyfriend, sweetheart, lover... or Cloud is Aerith's beloved.... It trumps the hell out of koibito being used in Tifa's profile. Why? Because Cloud was actually mentioned! One last thing to leave you with... This is a quote from a public forum by TresDias aka Squall of SEED, a fellow who is quite well known online for his articles, especially those on FFVII. He is also a die-hard CloTi fan who participates in love-triangle debates... My job keeps me plenty busy, but it's also relatively solitary, leaving me plenty of time for thinking. As you can probably tell, I've done quite a bit of soul searching on this topic over the past few weeks, and the one thing I realize I haven't given proper consideration to is the Case of the Lifestream White "koibito" thing. I still oppose any reading of it as "boyfriend," as no established relationship was shown to us or mentioned in metatext, but I've realized that it's been rather silly for me to have ever opposed it being read in a sense of mutuality. Why? Because I already agree with the mutuality reading. I think it's apparent from the original game and the metatext that Cloud had romantic feelings for Aerith. That "But I'm ... we're here for you, right?" line is as much a classic staple of literature and cinema (an "I've said too much" kind of thing) as the fade from the High Affection Highwind scene is. Then we have Kitase's quote about Cloud wavering between the two heroines, and Nojima's comment about how things may have gone with Cloud and Aerith (Nojima wouldn't have discussed this if there weren't romantic feelings there on Cloud's part). So, I've realized I was associating the mutuality thing with the "boyfriend" argument, which is not what it has to be. It's probably not all that common, but I'm confident "koibito" could be used in a situation where there are mutual feelings that just haven't been discussed and a relationship established from them. So, yeah, it was never that big of a deal, whether one reads it as one-sided or mutual. I don't know why I ever let it be one. For the record, though, regardless of whether it's taken as mutual or one-sided, "beloved" would still be the most fitting English translation, as that word can go either way too. It's also more elegant than anything else that may also serve the purpose. (Source: http://s8.zetaboards.com/Cloud_x_Aerith/topic/531483/19/) Aerith could very easily refer to Cloud as her koibito even if they have not discussed their relationship or officially started a romantic relationship. In Maiden of the Planet, Aerith watched Cloud's reaction at her death and was surprised at the depth of feeling he had for her. It is likely that she realized during this time that Cloud loved her. So, why not refer to him as a koibito? She loves him and she knows he loves her. Just because they haven't discussed it with each other or anyone else doesn't make it less of a fact. For Tres, aka Squall to admit that koibito in this instance could possibly mean "lover" or "boyfriend" must have been very difficult for him as he has supported CloTi for many years. Maybe some of you rabid CloTis out there should take what he says to heart and stop dismissing all ClAeris evidence. Because, if you read through my site with an open mind, you will see that there is more than enough evidence to support the ClAeris view that Cloud does indeed love Aerith in a romantic way. |
| Koibito Who is Cloud's sweetheart? |
