The ongoing controversy surrounding the pronunciation of Cait Sith’s name in the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth game has taken yet another unexpected turn. Just when fans thought the matter had been settled, director Naoki Hamaguchi introduced a new twist to the debate. In a recent interview on The Game Informer Show, Hamaguchi pronounced the enigmatic character’s name as “Cat Shee,” contradicting the official Square Enix accounts that had previously stated it should be pronounced as “Kate Sith.” This discrepancy has left fans scratching their heads and wondering, what exactly is going on?
One might argue that the ambiguity surrounding Cait Sith’s name stems from the fact that the original Final Fantasy 7 game did not feature voice acting. Without an official pronunciation provided in-game, fans have been left to speculate. Even subsequent voice-acted titles in the series failed to shed light on the matter, as no one uttered Cait Sith’s name aloud. However, with the expanded scope of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, there is hope that this linguistic mystery will finally be solved when someone articulates the name within the game.
Interestingly, Cait Sith’s name is derived from Gaelic folklore and refers to a mischievous fairy in the form of a black cat. This origin highlights that the debate does not revolve around differences between English and Japanese, as one might assume. In the original Gaelic language, the fairy’s name sounds closer to Hamaguchi’s pronunciation of “Cat Shee” or even “Ket Shee.” This raises the question of whether the pronunciation could vary between English and Japanese localizations of the game, further deepening the divide between Hamaguchi and the official social media accounts.
So, where do you stand in this enduring debate? Are you firmly on Team Kate Sith or do you lean toward the alternative pronunciation of Ket Shee? With the release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth scheduled for February 29, 2024, fans can expect to see much more of this beloved mascot. The game promises to dedicate ample screen time to all party members, and even introduces team-up attacks for each character pairing, reminiscent of the iconic Chrono Trigger.
The pronunciation of Cait Sith’s name continues to be a subject of much contention among fans. While Square Enix’s official stance points towards “Kate Sith,” director Naoki Hamaguchi’s preferred pronunciation of “Cat Shee” introduces a new layer of complexity to the discussion. Whether this discrepancy arises due to linguistic nuances or creative interpretation remains to be seen. As the release date for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth approaches, fans eagerly await the opportunity to hear the name pronounced within the game itself and, perhaps, bring the debate to a definitive conclusion.
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