Fox-eared Sephiroth tempts Cloud with noodles in brilliantly weird Final Fantasy VII tie-in

Only a day to go until Final Fantasy VII Rebirth’s release and Sephiroth has made a surprising appearance as a beguiling fox. Yes, you read that right. In a bizarre and unexpected collaboration between Square Enix and one of Nissin’s instant noodle brands, the mysterious and popular villain of Final Fantasy VII was seen tempting Cloud with a hot bowl of udon. The ad has already gone viral on X, receiving a range of bemused and delighted reactions from Japanese users. 

To be precise, Nissin Donbei Kitsune Udon is an instant noodle pack often found in Japanese supermarkets. It features thick udon noodles with fish cake slices, chopped green onion, a fish and soy-based soup sauce, and a pack of slightly spicy shichimi powder that you can add as you wish. Crowning the bowl is a piece of kitsune-age, a slightly sweet piece of tofu that has been lightly deep-fried.  

But wait, where does foxy Sephiroth come into all this? Kitsune means fox in Japanese. Kitsune-age is so called either because the brown color resembles a fox’s coat or because fried tofu was the favorite food of a fox in a Japanese folktale. A recurring theme in Donbei Kitsune Udon’s adverts is someone appearing as the brand’s fox character, Dongitsune. However, it seems the makers were stumped as to which FFVII main girl to transform into a fox, so they settled for the third option. 

The advert riffs on Cloud’s Sephiroth flashbacks from both Final Fantasy VII Remake and the upcoming sequel. But this time, Sephiroth is dramatically asking and then demanding that Cloud eat Donbei Udon, even though Cloud says he’s “Not interested.” By the end of the short commercial, Cloud is slurping noodles and Sephiroth is calling him a “Good boy.” 

The ad was only posted on the udon brand’s official X account this morning, but it has already gained over 2.6 million views and surpassed 1000 comments. Many Final Fantasy VII fans seem to be overjoyed with the advert, praising Sephiroth’s new and unexpected foxy appearance.

Others joked that this new ad has revealed the truth. Sephiroth’s real aim is no longer to smash a meteor into the Planet but to tempt Cloud with noodles. All while doing it in a sexy way that appeals to shippers, of course. 

The brand’s fox-themed ads usually feature real people, such as female models, so this unexpected video game collaboration came as a surprise. The previous person to play the fox in a carnival-themed promotion was Japanese model Mika Ahn, with some feeling the whiplash from this sudden change. Some users mourned other former foxes, especially model Riho Yoshioka, who appeared in a whole series of romantic and cute commercials for the udon from 2019 to 2021. 

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is scheduled to be released on PS5 on February 29.