Buster Sword

A blade so large it defies logic, yet carried with speed that became iconic.

The Buster Sword is a massive broadsword introduced in the 1997 role-playing game Final Fantasy VII, famously wielded by protagonist Cloud Strife. Originally conceived by series artist Tetsuya Nomura, the weapon has appeared across numerous Final Fantasy titles and crossover series like Kingdom Hearts. While Square Enix suggested realistic alterations during the development of Final Fantasy VII Remake, staff feared negative reception if they diverged from the original design, resulting in only minimal changes to its model and texturing in current-generation titles.

Quick Facts

Company

Square Enix

Creator

Tetsuya Nomura

First

Final Fantasy VII (1997)

Owner

Cloud Strife
Zack Fair
Angeal Hewley

Lore & Background

The Buster Sword's narrative is deeply tied to three wielders: Angeal Hewley, Zack Fair, and Cloud Strife. In Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, it is revealed that the original owner was Angeal, a 1st Class SOLDIER who passed the weapon to Zack before dying in combat. Zack later took up the sword as his successor until his own final stand against Shinra infantrymen, where he explicitly passed it to Cloud. Early concept art depicted the blade as smaller and thinner, with variations including a chain on the pommel or magnets to secure it to Cloud's back. Nomura eventually nicknamed it "the Giant Kitchen Knife," envisioning it as unrefined steel that grew larger in subsequent illustrations.

Reader's Guide

In gameplay terms, the Buster Sword serves as Cloud's initial weapon in Final Fantasy VII and remains one of his best options even in Remake and Rebirth. Cloud cannot permanently discard the sword during Final Fantasy VII, and it remains useful throughout Final Fantasy VII Remake. In Dissidia Final Fantasy, the sword can transform into the Ultimate Weapon, while in Final Fantasy Tactics, its equivalent is known as the Materia Blade. Despite its size, which Variety notes makes it impossible for a normal person to wield, Cloud handles it with acrobatic speed. The Verge argued that details involving the sword in Rebirth help conceal inconsistencies in Cloud's false memories of the Nibelheim incident.

Did You Know?

Early storyboard concepts for Advent Children included Cloud carrying six swords on his back, which was later modified to six interlocking Fusion Swords.
A replica of the sword was displayed at the Square Enix booth during Tokyo Game Show 2025, held by game designer Naoki Yoshida.
Character modelling director Masaaki Kazeno took inspiration from dancers to make Cloud's movements with the massive weapon smoother.