The gaming world is rife with cosplay, and it's no wonder why. Something about video game characters and their imaginative appearances inspire players to create the outfits they see on-screen. As games have gotten bigger and bolder, so too have cosplays, and countless images of new and creative cosplays get uploaded to the Internet every day. Whether it's the main character of an adventure platformer, the antagonist of an MMO, or even an obscure indie game side character, there's a cosplay for just about every character. Perhaps no other franchise has inspired quite as many cosplays as Final Fantasy, and no other Final Fantasy as fervently as Final Fantasy 7.
A single Google image search will return pages of Cloud Strife costumes, some depicting his classic SOLDIER knit shirt and others based on his Advent Children trench coat, and there's no shortage of FF7 characters to choose from. Among all those characters, Tifa Lockhart might just be the most popular to cosplay. Since her debut in 1997, the manager of the Seventh Heaven bar and fellow Avalanche renegade has been a fan favorite. Her spunky personality and martial art capabilities have led to a ton of cosplays, and the release of Final Fantasy 7 Remake has given fans a high-definition look at Tifa's appearance. While there are tons of Tifa cosplays out there, some really set the bar.
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A cosplay veteran, Brazilian cosplayer Danielle Vedovelli has previously created looks inspired by Resident Evil's Ada Wong, Mortal Kombat's Jade, and more. Like her other cosplays, Vedovelli's interpretation of Tifa is well done. Both her iron-plated gloves and pleated skirt look exactly as they do in the video game, and Vedovelli's pose captures Tifa's fighting spirit. It's clear that a lot of time and effort went into making each layer of this costume as accurate as possible.
Natalia, better known by her online alias Narga-Lifestream, and her husband Aoki have been crafting cosplays for some time now. It's no surprise then that her Tifa Lockhart cosplay is as impressive as her depictions of Witcher characters Triss, Yennefer, and Ciri. Rather than donning the iconic white tank top and black skirt, Narga-Lifestream chose to cosplay as Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7's Tifa. Crisis Core, a prequel to Final Fantasy 7, shows Tifa giving SOLDIER Zack Fair, Sephiroth, and Shinra guards a tour of Nibelheim while inexplicably dressed as a cowgirl. Regardless of why Tifa was dressed as she was, Narga-Lifestream's cowboy hat, vest, belt buckle, and boots nail the look.
Sporting classic red gloves and a suspender-hoisted skirt, Daemerys Thugpants perfectly captures Tifa's personality. Veterans of Final Fantasy will recognize the pose from the game: after a victory in battle, Tifa stretches both of her arms behind her back. Daemerys' recreation is great, and the equally identifiable arm-bracing pose captures Tifa's can-do attitude. The best cosplays can show a character's essence even without identical outfits, and while Daemerys' costume is about as close as it gets to Tifa's, she also flawlessly encapsulated the martial artist.
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Milan-based cosplayer Lucy Lein crafted their cosplay with a great attention to detail. On her right glove, Lein placed two green Materia, and while the placement may not be exact, the overall appearance is reminiscent of how players can see their character's Materia on weapons in FF7 Remake. The role of Materia was always essential to FF7's story, but the remake greatly expanded upon how players interact with the items in-game. Lein also made the choice to depict Tifa with red eyes, a decision likely inspired by the character's original appearance in Final Fantasy 7.
When it comes to cosplay, it's all about getting creative, and no one has cosplayed Tifa quite like Drefan Cosplay. The cosplayer may have called it his "annual gag cosplay of 2013," but it's undeniable that it stands out from the rest. The usual Tifa Lockhart staples are there: white tank top, black suspenders, and red gauntlets. Drefan takes note of Tifa's FF7 Remake design, though, with arm compression sleeves and plenty of belts. It may not have been what Tetsuya Nomura had in mind, but – in its own way – it stays faithful to the source material.
Fans love cosplay for the freedom it provides. Taking the appearance of familiar characters and making them a reality is all a part of the fun, and there's plenty of room for interpretation and artistic liberties in that adaptation. The graphics of retro games were limited by technology, and even though today's video games are capable of showing visuals with perfect clarity, there are still opportunities to put a twist on a classic character design. The remake has brought with it a wave of cosplay that is sure to keep going until the release of Final Fantasy Remake Part 2.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake is out now for PS4 and PS5.
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