Final Fantasy 7 is indisputably one of the best entries into its franchise ever, and regardless of where fans place it on their own respective rankings, it has garnered a massive following that continues to grow well after its original release just over two decades ago. There's a reason that fans have been so adamant about whether or not they are keen on the proposed changes that will be coming to Final Fantasy 7 Remake - it seems nearly everyone who has played the title has a specific, personal idea of what it should be, and Square will inevitably be forced to upset some of those people as the developer attempts to bring Final Fantasy 7 into modern gaming.

Well before there was even the notion that a Final Fantasy 7 Remake was in the works, however, talented fans were reimagining everything about the original title that they could get their hands on. Fans have seen dramatic costume changes, a shift in environment, and even Final Fantasy 7 transported into another time period. Now, comic artist Nikolas Draper-Ivey has offered his take on the Final Fantasy 7 main cast, choosing to change their race instead of their clothing. Check out some of his amazing work:

It's fascinating to see how Draper-Ivey has totally captured what made the cast of Final Fantasy 7 iconic - not their race, but rather their hairstyles, their flair, and their weapons. By not actually changing their outfits, Draper-Ivey also proves the depth of Square Enix's original design, alongside how adaptable the look and aesthetic of Final Fantasy 7 really is.

Draper-Ivey also took to his Facebook page to address comments made about him as a black comic book artist. While it is a lengthy post, it basically boils down to some users suggesting that Draper-Ivey draws too many black characters in his work, and Draper-Ivey offers up an incredible response as to why he will continue what he is already doing and why Final Fantasy 7 was the perfect choice for his statement:

"Since it was an issue with me drawing my own heroes of color, I decided to do other heroes and villains from a game I'm fond of and make them people of color...I specifically chose FFVII because it's already a diverse cast and to Square Enix's credit, you could literally tell the same story with these designs. Enjoy."

Draper-Ivey is obviously very talented, so his implication that anyone could tell the same story well altering the designs of Final Fantasy 7's character is a bit hyperbolic, but his point still stands. While fans of Final Fantasy 7 continue to argue over what Final Fantasy 7 Remake should look like later this year, Draper-Ivey has proven that Square Enix could be doing even more with its remake, and if the company is ever looking for a reimagined Final Fantasy universe through the comic book medium, Draper-Ivey's name should be a big part of the conversation.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake is currently in development for PS4.

Source: Kotaku