Game & film icons · City to planet
Cloud Strife vs Ichigo Kurosaki
Two spiky-haired young men with enormous swords and something inside them that is not quite their own.
Tale of the tape
| Final Fantasy VII | Universe | Bleach |
|---|---|---|
| City to planet | Tier | City to planet |
| The Buster Sword, Mako-enhanced strength and the Omnislash limit break | Strength | Soul Reaper, Hollow and Quincy powers in one |
| Memories that are not entirely his own | Weakness | Hates hurting people, even enemies |
| 1–1 | Record on Versus | 5–0 |
The Arena
Cloud followed a strange signal through a rift and found himself on the rooftops of a Japanese town at night, where a young man in a black robe with orange hair was cutting a masked monster in half. Ichigo turned and saw Cloud, and the first thing he noticed was the giant sword on his back. “Huh,” he said. “Someone else with a big sword.”
Cloud looked at Ichigo’s blade, a huge cleaver almost as tall as he was. “You too.” Ichigo grinned. “Can you see Hollows?” Cloud shrugged. “I see you.” Ichigo scratched his head. “Okay, that means you’re not normal. Wanna fight?” Cloud sighed and drew the Buster Sword.
Somewhere below them, a dog barked. The moon came out from behind the clouds.
Round One
They clashed across the rooftops, giant swords ringing. Cloud was the more technical fighter, precise and calm. Ichigo was raw and powerful, swinging with enough force to cut buildings. They broke three chimneys and a water tower in the first minute.
Ichigo fired a Getsuga Tensho, a crescent of blue energy that tore across the rooftops. Cloud answered with Blade Beam, a wave of light from the Buster Sword, and the two attacks collided in mid-air and exploded over the town.
Cloud cut Ichigo across the arm. Ichigo cut Cloud across the shoulder. Both of them grinned.
The Turn
Ichigo released his Bankai. His giant cleaver shrank into a slim black katana, and his speed increased so much that Cloud lost sight of him for the first time. The cuts came from everywhere at once, and Cloud blocked half of them by instinct alone.
Cloud dug deep and pushed back, his Mako-enhanced body moving faster than ever. He landed a heavy blow that sent Ichigo crashing through a rooftop. For a moment, it seemed the soldier might win.
Then Ichigo rose from the rubble, and a white mask began to spread across his face. His eyes turned black and gold.
The Finish
With his Hollow mask, Ichigo’s speed and power doubled again. His black Getsuga Tensho tore through the night like a blade of darkness. Cloud met it with Omnislash, fifteen strikes in a single breath, and for an instant the two attacks held each other.
Then the black crescent broke through, threw Cloud across the rooftops and into a rooftop garden, where he lay among the potted plants, his sword beside him, unable to rise. The mask crumbled from Ichigo’s face, and he landed beside Cloud, breathing hard.
“You okay?” Ichigo asked. Cloud looked up at the moon. “There’s something inside you,” he said. “Something that isn’t you.” Ichigo was quiet for a moment. “Yeah. You too?” Cloud almost smiled. “Not anymore.” Ichigo sat down next to him. “How’d you get rid of it?” Cloud thought about it. “Friends,” he said simply.
The verdict
Ichigo Kurosaki wins
Cloud is the more technical swordsman and Omnislash is devastating, but Ichigo’s Bankai and Hollow mask give him speed and power that rise beyond what Cloud can match in a single fight.
- Bankai speedTensa Zangetsu moves faster than Cloud can follow.
- Hollow maskIt doubles Ichigo’s power at the decisive moment.
- Getsuga TenshoThe black crescent overpowers Omnislash.
How the rematch could go differently: A Cloud with his full arsenal of materia and magic could keep Ichigo at a distance long enough to change the result.
Who do you think wins?
Who would win in a fight between Cloud Strife and Ichigo Kurosaki?
Ichigo Kurosaki wins. Cloud is the more technical swordsman and Omnislash is devastating, but Ichigo’s Bankai and Hollow mask give him speed and power that rise beyond what Cloud can match in a single fight.