So what do I think of Tifa? I’ve already shared my views on Aeris, and exactly why I like her, but what about her “rival”?

When I began the game, I have to be honest and tell you that I was rooting for CloudxAeris. This is because of those bittersweet commercials that showed Cloud standing over the body of Aeris floating in the water and all that melodramatic stuff. So I initially viewed Tifa as just another female character. She wasn’t really important to me. Sure, I was a little irritated by all her “moments” with Cloud, but I looked over them. After all, I was certain that CloudxAeris was going to be THE couple (I didn’t realize Aeris was dead in those commercials… I just thought she was asleep). But as the game progressed (specifically, when she and Aeris first met), Tifa began to grow on me oh-so-slightly. She still couldn’t be considered my favorite, not by any stretch of the imagination, but I had respect for her character and appreciated the fact that she was so tough.

Then I got on the internet. Suddenly I was bombarded by anti-Aeris shrines and people ranting about how Tifa was so much better. “Aeris forced Cloud to become her bodyguard! She forced him to protect her!” they screamed. And I thought “But Tifa did basically the same thing!” It went on and on, to the point that people were hating Aeries because of her dress, never mind the fact that Tifa’s outfit was far more… controversial. Being a gigantic Aeris fan, I took offense at this. It warped my view of Tifa’s character, causing me to have negative feelings toward her. For a time, I really couldn’t stand her.

But it wasn’t long after that I became accustomed to the internet and the way fandoms work. I realized that it wasn’t Tifa’s fault that she had some really stupid fans. It wasn’t her fault that a bunch of morons hated a character who was actually her friend, and not her mortal enemy, as they seemed to believe. And I replayed the game.

Now, I view Tifa as a great character who had a lot to contribute to the game, just like all the others. What I like best about her is the fact that, while wearing somewhat provocative clothing, she doesn’t seem “slutty” to me. She still looks capable, confident, and powerful. Yes, her clothes are a little tight, a little skimpy, but they’re not really all that bad. They’re actually very simple. A mini-skirt and a tank top. Oh my God. I’ve seen girls wear less to middle school.

Final Fantasy X-2 started a new trend, in that the female characters dress as scantily as possible which seems to be an attempt to draw in more fan-boys. This was the first FF game that had this trait. What happened to the females who earned their worth in the game by being strong, smart, and funny? I strongly hoped that this was a one-time thing. I hoped that Final Fantasy XII would return to us the female character designs that we appreciate. But I was wrong. All of the female character designs I’ve seen for FFXII have been even more skimpy than the designs of FFX-2. So I suppose this is simply a new trend, one I don’t at all appreciate. The Final Fantasy series rose to classic status without having nearly-naked women running around all through it, why does it need to start this now?

How does all this relate to Tifa? I’ve heard many people say that the “scantily-clad female” trend started with her. But I disagree. As I pointed out above, Tifa’s outfit was really very simple. It wasn’t something that just screamed “look at my body!”, as most of these new designs do. It was simply a practical outfit for her, and while it was somewhat tight, it didn’t actually show that much at all. It wasn’t flashy and wild, and in my opinion, did not make her look like a tramp.

Okay, so what about CloudxTifa? I have never liked this pairing, and I never will. For one thing, I really don’t think that childhood friends make good couples. More often than not, they end up getting married because they feel so comfortable around each other, then realize later that they simply married their best friend, and there is no passion in the relationship. I don’t know how many couples I’ve heard of that got divorced because they didn’t want to be married to what they viewed more as a friend than a lover. Now you can write to me with a hundred examples of childhood friends who become successful couples. But that won’t chance my opinion on the matter, or what I’ve personally heard from people who have been in these situations.

For another thing, Tifa has a life of her own, one that barely has room for Cloud. She owns her own business. She has friends and neighbors and people who occupy her life and her time. She’s tied to that place, to that location. She has far too many ties to it. Where does Cloud fit in? He’s a wanderer, a loner. He has many scars and issues and “baggage”. He needs someone who will be able to devote herself to him completely. I really don’t think that Tifa can do that.

And, to be honest, the pairing is boring. Like with CloudxAeris, the fanfiction ideas are stale and over-done. It’s just too fluffy. There’s barely any room for angst or spice. That’s why I just don’t like the idea of this couple. Plus Tifa belongs to Rufus. XD

NOTE: Since writing this essay I have played Final Fantasy X-2 and have changed my minds about their "skimpy outfits". Turns out they're only that skimpy in the promo posters. XDDD Plus it's a cute game.