Has several girlfriends
① Had several girlfriends in Midgar
In scenes 01–04, Zack is a womanizer who is told "You can't keep looking at emails from girls, you know" and evaluated by Aerith in FF7 as "the guy who loves girls the most". When fleeing from the Shinra army after the Nibelheim incident, Zack himself told Cloud that he had several girlfriends in Midgar who might be willing to shelter him. In fact, in this game, he hit on Cissnei, the receptionist, and the Turk lady he first met in BC.
However, Aerith seems to be the only one who was special to him — he wrote to his parents' home to tell them about her (Aerith).
The word used here is ガールフレンド (girlfriend), which specifically means a romantic partner, not a female friend
② Numerous girlfriends
In Crisis Core, Zack hit on the female Turk and had numerous girlfriends as well.
③ Inviting other female characters
Cissnei from Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core, Aqua from Kingdom Hearts, and Serah from Final Fantasy World
Aerith was special
① Aerith was the only one who was special to him
In scenes 01–04, Zack is a lover of women who is told "you shouldn't always be looking at emails from girls," and in FF7, Aerith describes him as "a guy who loves girls." In fact, when fleeing from the Shinra army after the Nibelheim incident, Zack tells Cloud that he has several girlfriends in Midgar who might be willing to shelter him. In this game, he also flirts with Cissnei, with a receptionist lady, and with a Turks lady he met for the first time in BC.
However, Aerith seems to have been the only one who was truly special to him — he wrote to his parents' home to tell them about her (Aerith).
② Aerith was the most outstanding among the girls who were close to Zack
Zack felt that the sight of her was dazzling.
"Tch. Aerith, you know, you really were the most outstanding among the girls I'm close with. If, after that mission ended, I had gone back to Midgar, we might have just naturally started dating on the momentum. I hate Sephiroth. And Shinra too, for all their covert work."
"There's no way I could ever become the girlfriend of someone who gets along with that many girls."
"That's so mean. I'm just kind to everyone, that's all."
③ There was no choice between Cissnei and Aerith
Question: Is there any depiction of Zack wavering between Aerith and Cissnei?？
Nojima: No, I don't think so. I chose Cissnei as a character who could encourage Zack, who had become somewhat dispirited after going through various events, and tell him "you are not alone." Cissnei herself also feels loneliness and suffers from putting missions first, but even in those moments she never forgets how to view things with kindness and gentleness. The story is full of people who only kill (laugh), while Aerith, who was responsible for the story's softer parts, had never left the slums, so I portrayed her as a character who could move about freely and offer gentle words.
④ Reporting a special someone — a girlfriend — to his family home
Dear Dad and Mom:
How are you both doing? I'm sorry I left the village in such a hurry back then.
Because I really want to become a SOLDIER. If I told you, you'd definitely worry…
I've achieved my dream now, and I'll keep working hard as a SOLDIER
PS：I have a girlfriend now
Zack
A letter Zack wrote to his parents. In the postscript, the "girlfriend" mentioned is Aerith?
The "girlfriend" reported to his family home
About 6–7 years before the story of FF7, Zack wrote a letter to his parents saying he had a girlfriend. Six to seven years ago would be around the time he met Aerith in CC, which would mean his girlfriend was Aerith?
Although Zack seems to have many female friends, the fact that he specifically notified his family home means she must have been a special someone。
⑤ Zack would not waver
Question: Did you intend to portray Zack as wavering between Cissnei and Aerith?
[Nojima]: No, that was not going to happen. I wanted Cissnei to appear as a character who could encourage Zack — who had become somewhat worn down after going through all kinds of events — by telling him "you are not alone." Cissnei herself also feels lonely, or rather, she is someone who suffers from putting missions first, but I think she is the kind of person who, even in those moments, never forgets the humane, kind way of looking at things. The story is full of people steeped in violence (laugh), and Aerith, who was responsible for showing its gentle side, stayed in the slums and never came out, so Cissnei was introduced as a character with that motivation, one who could offer gentle encouragement.
