Summary

• Many are still pondering over Aerith's fate and role in Final Fantasy Remake's final installment
• Unique Aerith cosplays celebrate her character diversity and the game's tone
• Cosplayers draw inspiration from the stunning game environments to recreate Aerith's essence

With Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth already four months past release, many have already beaten the game and eagerly anticipate the Remake Trilogy's conclusion. After finishing the game, many are left reeling concerning the ambiguity of Aerith's fate and what part she'll have left to play in the final installment of Final Fantasy Remake. Always a fan favorite, cosplayers have been showing out their best Aeriths over the past year with amazing results.

Given that Rebirth included the option to change costumes, particularly during Chapter 6's "Fool's Paradise" quest, cosplayers have had more to work with since the game's launch. But more than this, the beautiful, sweeping environments throughout the game have inspired many to recreate the tone of Rebirth. Regardless of one's preferences, these ten Aerith cosplays celebrate the beloved character and leave the community wanting more from their favorite ancient in Remake Part 3, theorized to be released sometime before 2030.

10 Classic Aerith With Lillies

Cosplay By: didicoser

Spanish cosplay artist didicoser starts off the list with a more classic take on Aerith, showcasing the character with her classic nonchalance. She captions the photo with a quote from Rebirth's Chapter 14, "The End of The World" with, "I'm glad I met you, Cloud. I really am. I'm grateful for all the words we've shared. For all the moments and the memories. You've made me more happy than you know." It's a heartbreaking scene in which Aerith says goodbye to an unwitting Cloud, and it works perfectly for this piece.

While the full view of the costume takes a backseat in this photo, given the posing, Didicoser showcases her makeup work and flower arranging. Both help to give Aerith her trademark ethereal gaze. Gentoo Photography took the photos for this shoot.

9 Ms. Gainsborough In The Cathedral

Cosplay By: Denzhy

Denzhy is a cosplayer and Twitch partner living in the United Kingdom. Technically, this photoshoot was done back in 2022, but Denzhy has been trickling out pieces from it on her Instagram leading up to Rebirth's release in February of this year. The photo above is particularly poignant, as it recreates some of Aerith's most famous artwork from the Compilation of Final Fantasy 7.

The gothic cathedral setting of these photos adds to the somber tone, reminding viewers of Aerith's church in the Sector 5 Slums and her symbolism throughout the series. While Denzhy doesn't mention the origin of her costume, she gives credit to Laura Calandt Photography and does her own photo editing, which turns out amazingly.

8 Swimwear Aerith By The Pool

Cosplay By: chibi_bara_cosplay

Melskie, or Chibi_bara_cosplay on Instagram, is an artist from Canada who provided this fantastic piece from Yeticon 2024, a cosplay contention focused on fun and sun in a resort setting. Melskie is the first on the list to experiment with Aerith's new Rebirth costuming, and she takes some fun liberties in doing so. The swimsuit itself is a fun reimagining, adding some white lace to give it a softer touch.

The addition of the straw hat, too, gives visions of a relaxed Aerith who doesn't have to worry about saving the planet or being the last of her people. Suzie_Cosplays snapped this photo poolside, presumingly at Yeticon over the June 15-16 weekend. It earns its place on this list by somehow providing a more carefree version of Aerith than fans are used to.

7 Anime Aerith In The Flower Garden

Cosplay By: peachmilky_

Based out of Tokyo, Sophie, or peachmilky_, is a cosplay model and Twitch streamer who showcases some amazing pieces from across several fandoms. Her Aerith, pictured here in a whimsical flower garden that resembles her home in Midgar's Sector 5 Slums, stands out from others for the incredible anime-esque likeness Sophie gives to her characters. Her Aerith is bright and happy, looking hopeful into the sun, a feeling juxtaposed by her photo caption: "I'm still emotional over the ending of [Rebirth]."

Sophie's other pieces from this photoshoot are captioned with emotional words from Rebirth's Chapter 14, leaving the viewer with the classic bittersweetness fans of FF7 appreciate in Aerith's arc. Sophie credits shalizaa_clothing for her costuming and vio_viva_replica for her accessories. Truly, this was a stellar collaboration.

6 Aerith Wielding The Guard Stick

Cosplay By: narga_lifestream

Aerith's iconic weapons, really sets this piece apart from others. It's a beautiful prop, though, Narga_lifestream doesn't credit its source.

Known to craft most of her own costumes, it wouldn't be surprising if Narga_Lifestream was also behind the guard stick. She claims in her caption that Aerith is her favorite healer — a feeling probably shared by many players of Rebirth's Hard Mode players. Narga_lifestream also notes that more of this set will be available from her platform beginning in September 2024.

5 Carefree Aerith On The Farm

Cosplay By: ladyxzero

Chapter 2, "A New Journey Begins," in which Cloud and the party visit their first chocobo farm.

Aerith appears perfectly at home among the flowers, barn, and distant irrigation equipment. The reel seems like it popped out of a live-action FF7 production. Lady Zero makes all her costumes in collaboration with another artist, kujacos on Instagram.

4 Beachwear Aerith On The Beach

Cosplay By: pauliolmo

Rebirth's Chapter 6 makes another appearance in this beachwear look from digital creator accompanying FF7 novel.

Pauliolmo captions her photos, "Hey Tifa, are you ready to soak up some sun? Cause I sure am!" It's a lighthearted reminder of a more hopeful part in Rebirth's story before the weight of the world bears down on Aerith. Photos in this shoot were taken by wr.photo on Instagram.

3 Aerith In The Prarie Photoshoot

Cosplay By: soffels

Soffels is a German cosplayer based out of Dusseldorf and Berlin. In the reel above, she gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at her recent Aerith photoshoot. Her choice to feature a prairie setting with wild florals gives the photos a sense of authenticity to the source material, given that FF7 is an environmental masterpiece.

Further, the intense yellows against the blue sky make Aerith's trademark red jackets pop. Soffels credits poppylinchen_photos for the photography and dokidokicosplay_official for the costuming. It's a phenomenal collaboration, and over a dozen beautiful photos appear on Soffels' Instagram.

2 Zombie Aerith Back From The Dead

Cosplay By: the_twilight_pheonix

Many choose not to feature her this way, but it should be ed that Aerith is a character with a great sense of humor. She's constantly playing jokes and teasing Cloud, so this cosplay by ambiguity surrounding Rebirth's ending. in the multiple timelines of Rebirth's story.

The_twilight_phoenix credits herself for the costume and makeup, which must be applauded for this piece. Her photos rising out of a pool of blue water, in particular, give visions of an alternate Camp Horror FF7 that warms one's heart. Mykey2lyfe_creations did photography for this shoot.

1 Aerith On The Open Road

Cosplay By: jetbytes_cos

The top spot on this list goes to Jetbytes_cos, or Jett, an artist from the United Kingdom. She earns this spot for her breathtaking costuming and staging of this cosplay. Jett credits several creators for help with accessories and patterns. However, Jett crafted the costume herself, and she details the process on her Instagram.

"After 4 months of on and off working, my handmade FFVII Remake Aerith cosplay is finally finished! This was a big learning opportunity for me, and I'm so glad I decided to do the cosplay myself. I definitely feel a lot more capable in my sewing abilities now, and feel ready to take on more of my dream cosplays!!"

However, the locations and framing during the shoot really set this piece apart. By minimizing herself against the mountainous background and sky, Jett mimics the emotions behind Aerith's journey in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Also, there are several delightful action shots of Aerith using her magic throughout Jett's Instagram, honoring the Ancient's tireless spell-slinging throughout the game.

Source: didicoser/Instagram, gentooph/Instagram, denzhy/Instagram, lauracalandtphoto/Instagram, chibi_bara_cosplay/Instagram, peachmilky_/Instagram, shalizaa_clothing/Instagram, vio_viva_replica/Instagram, narga_lifestream/Instagram, ladyxzero/Instagram, kujacos/Instagram, pauliolmo/Instagram, vityvero/Instagram, wr.photo/Instagram, soffels/Instagram, dokidokicosplay_official/Instagram, the_twilight_pheonix/Instagram, Mykey2lyfe_creations/Instagram, Jetbytes_cos/Instagram