Wrestling superstar Kenny Omega has returned as Final Fantasy VII's Sephiroth.On Twitter, New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) posted a nearly three-minute clip of Omega walking in as the iconic Final Fantasy villain to the tune of Sephiroth's theme song, "One Winged Angel." Currently, Omega wrestles for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and is a former World Champion. Before appearing as Sephiroth, Omega, whose real name is Tyson Smith, had yet to appear at Japan's Wrestle Kingdom event since 2019. At the country's massive annual event, the acclaimed wrestler bested Will Ospreay for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship.
Kenny Omega Love For Video Games
In addition to Omega's recent cosplay, the wrestler's main finishing move, "One Winged Angel," received its name from FFVII's Sephiroth. In the past, Omega has shared his love for video games and anime both in and outside the ring. In 2019, he posed as Undertale's Sans the Skeleton at an AEW Event. Additionally, Omega wore a costume modeled after Overwatch's Pharah at Japan's 2018 Wrestle Kingdom Event and the armor of Destiny 2's Osiris.
Outside the ring, Omega went to FunimationCon 2020 and hosted My Hero One's Justice 2 Esport challenge. Inspired by the popular anime and manga My Hero Academia, the fighting game also features a story mode. "Boku no Hero Academia is one of my favorite series in recent memory that has emerged onto the anime and manga scene," he said. Omega also listed WWF WrestleFest, WWF No Mercy, WWF WrestleMania 2000, Virtual Pro Wrestling 1 and 2 among his favorite wrestling video games.
The Future of Final Fantasy
Released in 1997, Final Fantasy VII follows a mercenary named Cloud Strife, who claims to be a former member of SOLDIER. The protagonist then joins AVALANCHE in its fight against Shinra Electric Power Company, a money-hungry megacorporation with a plan to destroy the universe. Besides FFVII, Cloud appears in the 2005 film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Childen, makes a cameo in the Kingdom Hearts series and is a playable character in Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. franchise.
In recent years, several Final Fantasy VII-based titles have entered development. Released in December 2022, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion serves as a remake of the 2007 PlayStation Portable title and a prequel to the 1997 base game. While the recent title has earned favorable reviews, Crisis Core Reunion notably included a Getty Images watermark in three separate places. It's unclear if Square Enix paid the fees to license the featured image, considering the watermark's presence.
In terms of future announcements, Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth producer Yoshinori Kitase teased major news beyond the existing project and FFXVI. "There's also another big announcement unrelated to FFVII that I can't say anything about just yet," he said. "Rest assured we're working hard to make sure 2023 is the most exciting year yet."
Final Fantasy XVI releases on the PlayStation 5 on June 22, 2023. There is no confirmed release date for Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth.
Source: Twitter