Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Summer Game Fest 2026
  • Xbox Games Showcase
  • Future Games Show
  • God of War Laufey
  • New Games 2026
  • SGF 2026 schedule
  • Summer Game Fest
  • Best gaming tech
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. RPGs

He's just like us for real: Final Fantasy 7's legendary composer spent 3 weeks going to work and thinking about Sephiroth

News
By Hirun Cryer published 13 March 2024

Nobuo Uematsu says figuring out One Winged Angel was a tough one

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's Sephiroth looking at their hand in contemplation
(Image credit: Square Enix)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Legendary Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu has revealed he struggled with composing Sephiroth's now-iconic theme tune, One Winged Angel.

In the conversation with NewsPicks on YouTube just below, Uematsu recalls how he struggled to compose One Winged Angel and could only ponder Sephiroth for weeks at a time. "One Winged Angel was a song that I struggled with, actually. Every morning, I would go to work and think about Sephiroth and write something, about three or four musical phrases. And then I'd call it a day," Uematsu says (via a translation by @aitaikimochi on Twitter).

YouTube YouTube
Watch On

"And then I'd repeat it the next day: go to the office in the morning, think about Sephiroth the entire time, and write some more music," Uematsu continues. "After two or three weeks, I had a lot of different musical phrases to choose from, and I was able to figure out how to piece it together, for example choosing which melodies came first and so on. It was really tough to write this song, but it was very fun," the composer adds.

Latest Videos From
Watch full video here:

The good news is that, after several weeks of struggling to piece the song together, One Winged Angel has since become an iconic track for the Final Fantasy series at large. Uematsu's theme song for Sephiroth has become synonymous with the character himself, and has even extended beyond the series itself, appearing as a powerful Keyblade in the Kingdom Hearts series.

In more recent Final Fantasy series news, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's Queens Blood minigame is so popular that it might get an expansion. That's not a guarantee from Square Enix's developers, but game director Naoki Hamaguchi says that the response from players towards the card game has been so overwhelmingly strong that it's taken the developer by surprise.

You may like
  • Aerith in Final Fantasy 7 Remake Like any Final Fantasy 7 fan, Remake trilogy boss "seriously searched" for a way to reverse the JRPG's big death
  • Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's director has beaten the third installment in the Remake series "over 40 times"
  • Final Fantasy 10 HD Remaster Crying over Final Fantasy 10 was one of the moments that inspired the creator of a PS3 classic to make games

If you've finished the latest in the remake trilogy, make sure to read our full Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's ending explained recap for a look at what went down in the final hours. 

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
Xbox Series X PS5 PC Gaming Nintendo Switch Platforms Xbox PlayStation Nintendo
PRODUCTS
Final Fantasy 7 Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer
Social Links Navigation
Freelance Writer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.

Read more
Aerith in Final Fantasy 7 Remake
Final Fantasy Like any Final Fantasy 7 fan, Remake trilogy boss "seriously searched" for a way to reverse the JRPG's big death
 
 
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Final Fantasy Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's director has beaten the third installment in the Remake series "over 40 times"
 
 
Final Fantasy 10 HD Remaster
Final Fantasy Crying over Final Fantasy 10 was one of the moments that inspired the creator of a PS3 classic to make games
 
 
Aerith from Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth prays
Final Fantasy Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director has "no intention" of altering the OG JRPG writer's "overarching story"
 
 
Low-poly Final Fantasy 7 characters stand facing camera amid HD environments
Final Fantasy Final Fantasy modder is bringing the OG character designs to Final Fantasy Rebirth because "them polygons got that aura"
 
 
Sephiroth in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Final Fantasy Final Fantasy 7 Remake had "no option other than a trilogy" due to the OG's "sheer volume" lead says
 
 
Latest in RPGs
A woman adorned in gold jewels and an extravagant, feathery headpiece delivers a speech during a trailer for Clockwork Revolution.
RPGs Time-bending RPG from Fallout veteran has choices that "take a long time to catch up with you"
 
 
An armored, steampunk-y warrior blasts a flamethrower in a screenshot from Clockwork Revolution.
RPGs Fallout veterans' next RPG Clockwork Revolution is coming in 2027 as Xbox dabbles with console exclusives again
 
 
Fable
RPGs Fable's first expansion will be Order of the Hero, included in the RPG's $100 Premium Edition
 
 
Fable
RPGs Fable release date finally confirmed by Xbox after the RPG's recent delay, set for February 2027
 
 
Exodus screenshot of Jun zipping along in the air with Big Preview branding
RPGs Exodus narrative director dives into its inspirations from Interstellar to Star Wars to Mass Effect
 
 
Exodus screenshot of characters with Big Preview branding template
RPGs Exodus hands-on: "Carries the Mass Effect baton well into deep space with ambitious RPG mechanics that let me get tactical"
 
 
Latest in News
Sephiroth in Final Fantasy 7 Revelation
Final Fantasy Final Fantasy 7 Revelation's story changes based on your choices, but it'll have a "singular ending"
 
 
Persona 4 Revival trailer shows Chie, Yosuke, and Yu surrounded by yellow fog.
Persona Persona 4 Revival avoids Persona 3 Reload's biggest mistake and looks like a definitive remake
 
 
Best Persona Games
Persona The Persona series has sold 30 million copies, and an absurd chunk of that is from Persona 5
 
 
A screenshot of a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 soldier holding a rifle in a ghillie suit.
Call of Duty Call of Duty DMZ devs have been "paying attention" to other extraction shooters like Arc Raiders
 
 
The green Persona 6 logo
Persona Persona 6 store page tells us more about Atlus' next big JRPG: school setting, new romances
 
 
a young boy lays on a grass hill reaching up at dragonflies
Simulation Games All hail the real game of the show for Xbox: this anime-inspired life sim with some of the best art around
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Exodus screenshot of Jun zipping along in the air with Big Preview branding
    1
    Exodus narrative director dives into its inspirations from Interstellar to Star Wars to Mass Effect
  2. 2
    Call of Duty DMZ devs have been "paying attention" to other extraction shooters like Arc Raiders
  3. 3
    After over 5 years in early access, Valheim 1.0 launches in September with final biome Deep North
  4. 4
    Persona 4 Revival avoids Persona 3 Reload's biggest mistake and looks like a definitive remake
  5. 5
    Final Fantasy 7 Revelation's story changes based on your choices, but it'll have a "singular ending"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...