The is a fictional weapon, first introduced in the 1997 role-playing game Final Fantasy VII. A massive broadsword, the weapon is the initial item that protagonist Cloud Strife wields in combat. The weapon is also present in Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, as well as multiple crossovers in the Kingdom Hearts series and the broader Final Fantasy franchise. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII explores the initial owner of the sword, Angeal Hewley, and its subsequent user, Zack Fair, before ultimately being acquired by Cloud. In Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Cloud no longer uses the Buster Sword, instead wielding its successor, the Fusion Sword.
The Buster Sword was originally designed by Tetsuya Nomura, though the size of the weapon changed in the making of the game. For the remake games, Square Enix considered altering the weapon to be more realistic, but the staff feared negative feedback over the change, instead opting to keep its original form. The Buster Sword has been recognized as one of the most famous weapons in gaming due to its simple, iconic design and the way in which Cloud maneuvers whilst fighting with it. Crisis Core is praised for the lore it introduces to the sword, bringing narrative depth to the famous weapon.
Creation
thumb|left|Concept artwork of Cloud's Fusion Swords from Advent Children
Early renditions of the Buster Sword depicted it as a smaller, thinner blade. Variations included additions such as a small chain connected to the pommel, magnets securing the blade to Cloud's back, and a more detailed design resembling a "Western-style sword". The Buster Sword's blade grew in subsequent illustrations, Despite the blade's size, Cloud has become iconic for the fast fashion in which he wields the weapon, leading the staff members to avoid any changes for the remakes. In order to make Cloud's movements better fit the Buster Sword, Character Modelling Director Masaaki Kazeno took inspiration from dancers.
The narrative created in Crisis Core was further expanded through trading card games Square Enix created to show the important parallels between Angeal, Zack, and Cloud, the three wielders of the Buster Sword. The sword's appearance in Crisis Core uses the same design as it appears in Advent Children. The design is updated once again for the Remake series, including Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion, a remaster of Crisis Core. Nomura redesigned Cloud and the Buster Sword for their appearance in Kingdom Hearts, with the weapon's blade wrapped in bandages.
Cloud's additional weaponry was based on the joking observation that because his sword in the original game was already enormously tall, in the sequel, he should use multiple swords. Referred to as during the film's development, early storyboard concepts included Cloud carrying six swords on his back,
Appearances
The Buster Sword is first introduced in the 1997 role-playing game Final Fantasy VII as the initial weapon protagonist Cloud Strife wields. Flashbacks later in the game depict a character named Zack Fair wielding the same weapon. One of these flashbacks depicts Zack's death following an ambush from Shinra infantrymen, followed by a devastated Cloud taking the sword from him. The film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children features a scene of Cloud leaving the Buster Sword at Zack's grave, as he now instead wields the new Fusion Swords to defeat the film's antagonists. while Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII has it as DLC.
Reception
thumb|right|Besides being praised for its design, the weapon received positive response for its lore in Crisis Core exploring its wielders from left to right: Angeal, Zack and Cloud
The Buster Sword has long been a popular weapon in gaming. The A.V. Club found it as one of the most ridiculous weapons ever seen, viewing it as an iconic symbol for both Cloud and the franchise. In "Final Fantasy: Why Cloud's Buster Sword Is So Iconic", Comic Book Resources claims that the Buster Sword might be the series' most important weapon as a result of its size and how difficult it appears to be to wield. The fact that Zack and Angeal also wield it in Crisis Core gave the writer another reason to expand its importance; the three fighters carry their own hopes in the weapon and pass it on to their next wielder. Redbull considered it the best weapon in gaming, positively comparing it to the Master Sword from The Legend of Zelda as a result of its design and the lore behind it. The Escapist saw it as one of the best weapons in gaming not only because of its design but because it is wielded by Cloud, who does not appear to have the body needed to move acrobatically while holding it. In "The Timelessness of Final Fantasy VII", K. Morrisey said that the Buster Sword encapsulates Cloud's character due to the ease with which he wields the weapon, whether he is fighting or celebrating after winning a battle. Nintendo Force Magazine regarded the Buster Sword as one of the most iconic swords in gaming not only due to its usefulness but also how it connects to the game's gameplay core, the Materia function that allows Cloud to perform magic. In "Final Fantasy and Philosophy: The Ultimate Walkthrough", Jason P. Blahuta claims that the sword helps to define the protagonist's fake characterization when taking the weapon and made up identity from Zack in the latter's final moments, which makes for an interesting handling on how the character evolves. In Queerness in Play, Cloud's stance when holding the Buster Sword is seen showing the phallus of a man he wishes to be, sharing parallels with other Final Fantasy heroes like Cecil from Final Fantasy IV who need to come to terms with their own masculinity. Variety described the two types of swords Cloud uses in combat as one of the best in fiction, as it is almost impossible for a normal person to wield it based on its size.
ScreenRant also praised the narrative of the Buster Sword in Crisis Core as it represents Angeal's and Zack's honors, with the latter passing it to Cloud in a John Woo-like movie. In "Why Is The Buster Sword Special In Final Fantasy 7?", TheGamer praised the narrative Square Enix gave its weapon, as Cloud inherited it from Angeal and Zack in their deaths and continues using it across Final Fantasy VII to save the planet from Sephiroth. Because the Buster Sword is important to Cloud's character, the player cannot get rid of such an initial weapon. While Cloud abandons the Buster Sword in Advent Children at Zack's grave, he still wields a similar successor, the Fusion Swords, to fight against Sephiroth's remnants, the antagonists of the movie. In "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion- The History of the Buster Sword", GameRant said that the weapon's design has changed across multiple years and praised the narrative it was given in its prequel, as it originates from Angeal's family as a treasure he always keeps, eventually passing it to Zack in his death whereas Zack passes it to Cloud. When it came to Cloud's taking the Buster Sword to Aerith's church in the final scene from Advent Children, multiple writers considered it symbolism of Zack and Aerith reuniting in the afterlife.
Other writers focused on handling of the weapon in VII retellings. TheGamer also referred to the Buster Sword as Cloud's best weapon for Remake which stands out despite being the initial weapon for the character in contrast to other fellow party members of the RPG, who change to new weapons the more they grind. Screen Rant expressed similar thoughts, as the Buster Sword remains one of Cloud's best weapons in Rebirth despite being the default weapon for the character. In "Final Fantasy VII Rebirth's biggest twist is concealed in a tiny detail", The Verge found the Buster Sword as one of the most iconic parts behind Cloud's design; comparing the original Cloud's design with Rebirths, the protagonist's weaponry is rarely seen in the original due to technological constraints. When it comes to Rebirth, there are several small scenes where Cloud gets rid of his Buster Sword for minor adventures. Cloud's fake memories from his time in Nibelheim, which he believes he visited as a SOLDIER alongside Sephiroth, can be further hinted by how the game does not adjust Cloud's weaponry during such events. Calling this an overlooked detail, The Verge believes the developers were hiding this event and that gamers would not notice. When it comes to presentation, Llisa Pirhonen from theseus acknowledged in "Creating an optimized 3D-mesh for a stylized low-poly video game character" how Remake shows massive improvement in 3D models Square worked with to create the more realistic take on the Buster Sword.
In "Why is the Buster Sword Final Fantasy's cult weapon?", Repliquemangacine called the weapon from Final Fantasy VII an icon, praising its simplistic and notable design, which has been passed through generations and replicas have been created in real life. GamesRadar, Complex, and Kotaku acknowledged replicas of the weapon. A replica was done in the Square Enix booth at Tokyo Game Show 2025, with game designer Naoki Yoshida posing it in a giant card game while holding it.