Chocobo (Final Fantasy VII)

Chocobos are creatures in the Final Fantasy VII series. They are a form of transportation and entertainment throughout the planet, and are raced in the Gold Saucer. A chocobo also appears as a summon.

Chocobos also play a major role as a gameplay element. The original Final Fantasy VII allows the player to raised and breed chocobos at the Chocobo Farm, obtaining rare breeds to reach inaccessible places, and better chocobos to race in the Chocobo Square. Later, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth allows players to catch chocobos that they can also use for transport and racing, while giving them the ability to customize their chocobos' appearance.

The original Final Fantasy VII is one of the few games where the term "Chocobo" is capitalized. This has been changed for the other Final Fantasy VII titles.

Characteristics[]

Biology[]

Chocobos in the world of Final Fantasy VII are moderately taller than humans, round and bright-colored with more noticeable feathers than in most of their appearances. Unlike later games, the chocobo cry in Final Fantasy VII is "Wark" not "Kweh". In Final Fantasy VII Remake, chocobos utter both "Wark" and "Kweh".^[1]

There are numerous breeds of chocobo throughout the world. The most common chocobo breeds are yellow, which cannot travel through water, high mountains, or ocean. Blue chocobos can run on rivers or shall water, while green chocobos can cross mountains and cliffs. Black chocobos can cross both, while gold chocobos can cross oceans.^[2] In the Gold Saucer races, white, pink, red, dark blue, and purple chocobos can also be seen.

Domestication[]

Chocobos are found all across the world in the wild, and are also a common means of transport. They are featured in social events, such as the racing at the Chocobo Square, which holds bets.^[3] Chocobos are prominent features in culture, notably the mascot of the Gold Saucer with people dressed as chocobos to greet the patrons, and as figurines. There is also a "Chocobo House" seen in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, but this is never visited.

Chocobo carriages are used as as travel. Sam's Delivery Service, managed by Chocobo Sam, operates in the Midgar slums, taking patrons to various parts of the lower towns.^[1] Tifa Lockhart rode such chocobo carriage to Wall Market. Yuffie Kisaragi left Midgar on a chocobo.^[4]

Gameplay[]

Final Fantasy VII[]

Chocobos are found in the wild as enemies, where they can be persuaded with greens to come back to the Chocobo Farm. After acquiring the Highwind, at the farm, players can raise and feed their chocobo to participate in racing at the Chocobo Square. Chocobos later in the game can be bred together by finding male and female chocobos of the right breed and feeding them nuts. This allows the player to unlock other chocobo breeds, and reach otherwise inaccessible areas, namely the Materia Caves.

In addition, the Choco/Mog summon can be found. The basic summon is a chocobo and a moogle together. The Fat Chocobo summon also appears, as one of the possible outcomes for the Choco/Mog summon with a 1/16th chance of appearing, or used by Cait Sith's Summon Limit Break. The Fat Chocobo deals greater damage to all enemies, but does not have the chance to inflict Stop.

Final Fantasy VII Remake[]

Chocobos appear in Final Fantasy VII Remake but have a smaller role up until Chapter 14, "In Search of Hope", where they are involved in a fast travel system. Sam's delivery service involves using chocobo transport around Midgar, allowing the player to fast travel between different points. In the Odd Job, "Chocobo Search", the party must find spooked chocobos and return them to Sam's service, after which it can be used for free.

The Chocobo & Moogle summon and the Fat Chocobo summon also return, but this time as separate materia each. Another summon, the Chocobo Chick, is available through preorder bonus.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth[]

Chocobos again have a large role in transport in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and similar to the original Final Fantasy VII, can be used as transport around the world's regions and used in races. Each region in the world in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has its own chocobo of a different breed (giving them different capabilities), and must be first acquired after catching them in the wild through a brief minigame. These chocobos can also be customized with different outfits.

Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-[]

In Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-, Zack can get a chocobo in his Digital Mind Wave by finding a treasure in "M8-4-1: Suspicious Mail 1". When summoned, the chocobo and Zack perform Chocobo Stomp together. Though the Chocobo Farm appears as background to some missions, no chocobos are seen on its premises.

Musical themes[]

There are five themes associated with chocobos. "Electric de Chocobo" is a version of the "Chocobo Theme" that plays during random battles when chocobos appear. "Waltz de Chocobo" plays during the dance the chocobos in front of the farm perform before they give the Choco/Mog Materia. When the chocobo is ridden on the world map, "Cinco de Chocobo" plays.

"Racing Chocobos - Place Your Bets" plays during the menu screen just before a race, while "Fiddle de Chocobo" plays during the actual race. Two variations of the classic victory fanfare play after the player has finished a race: "A Great Success" or "Tango of Tears," depending on whether the player wins or loses the race.

Other appearances[]

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children[]

Though no live chocobos appear, chocobo-related items are scattered around the world. A chocobo figurine made out of wood can be seen in Denzel and Marlene's room in the 7th Heaven. Additional appearances include a sign with a chocobo silhouette, advertising the "Chocobo House". Several of these green signs appear while the cast is battling Bahamut SIN, and a directory sign mentioning the Chocobo Farm. A flock of what may be chocobos run across a dirt road in the movie's cinematic ending credits.

Final Fantasy Trading Card Game[]

Final Fantasy VII chocobo appears in Final Fantasy Trading Card Game as Wind-elemental Forward cards.

Final Fantasy Portal App[]

Chocobo from Final Fantasy VII appears as a Triple Triad card.

Merchandise[]

When Final Fantasy VII was released in 1997 plush toys of the colored chocobos the player can breed in the game were available from Japanese crane catcher games at arcades. The set also includes a chubby version resembling the chocobo that appears during Chocobocle Enemy Skill, or used as a mascot in Gold Saucer. Another plush produced by Banpresto also exists of a sitting chocobo.

Also in 1997 Bandai released official Final Fantasy VII "Extra Knights" action figures. A yellow chocobo is included with Aerith, or in a multipack including numerous figures in America. Key chains by Bandai also exist.

Square and Coca-Cola joined forces in a marketing campaign to bring Final Fantasy figurines attached to Coca-Cola products sold in shops. The first edition contained characters from Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII, including a Final Fantasy VII chocobo. Two versions exist, a colored one, and a solid red "crystal" version.

Gallery[]

Etymology[]

[view · edit · purge]The name "chocobo" derives from a Japanese brand of chocolate malt ball by Morinaga, ChocoBall (チョコボール, Chokobōru?). The mascot for this product is Kyoro-chan (キョロちゃん?), a bird who says "kweh".

食う / くう / kuu is a rough way to say "eat", whose volitional casual form is 食え / くえ / kue ("let's scoff 'em down!"), leading to Kweh!

Citations[]