During Cloud's Nibelheim flashback, a FMV sequence is shown of Sephiroth finding Jenova. Jenova's face is displayed up-close. What is peculiar about Jenova is she's wearing a metal helmet. On the helmet is a plate inscribed with English words. Take a close look at the pic below. Just what are those words?
The following interpretations have been gathered for reference. They cannot be confirmed as the 'true' writing on Jenova's helmet, though. What can be confirmed is the inscription is probably related to the origins of the FMV.
Contributor - J. Roberson
Made In [a bunch of roman numerals]
All Rights Reserved 1995
SCEA Community United
|
Contributor - L. Marquis
Made in ?
All Rights Reserved 1999
Squaresoft Incorporated
|
Contributor - H. Weng
Made in Nibelheim
All Rights Reserved (C)1998
Solar United Powered MD
|
Contributor - A. Ryan
Made in [roman numerals]
All Rights Reserved 1995
Square Copyright Prohibited
|
Contributor - President Shinra
Made in Midgar XYXMXDVIIXI
Product and all rights reserved 1996
Shinra Electric Power Corporation
|
Contributor - Yeasul & Hanearl Baek
Made in [XXX,XXX,XXX]
All Rights Reserved 1995
Square Community Limited
|
Contributor - major_playaz
@excite.com
Made in Midgar XYXMXDVIIXI
All Rights Reserved 1999
SCEA Community United
|
Contributor - Kobold
Made in [Midland XX]
All Rights Reserved 1999
Squem Community Limited
|
Contributor - C. Basnett
Jenova
Made [roman numerals for 1992]
All Rights Reserved
|
Contributor - Rusalka
Made XXX XXX XXX
All Rights Reserved 1995
Square Universal
|
Contributor - J. White
Made (XXX XXX XXX)
All Rights Reserved TM
SCEA Copyright 1995
|
Contributor - A. King
Made in ?
All Rights Reserved 1995
SQUARE Community Limited
|
Contributor - C. Portelli
Made in [XXX XXX XXX]
All Rights Reserved 1995
SQUARESOFT (tm) Limited
|
Contributor - K. Galvin
MADE IN USA MVM
All Rights Reserved 1995
SQUSA COMPANY LIMITED
|
Contributor - Marcelo Hillesheim
MADE IN [04/25/1996]
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1996
SQUER COMMUNITY LIMITED
|
Contributor - Black Mage Dad
MADE [XYXMXDVIIXI]
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1999
SQUARE COMPANY LIMITED
|
What we do know...
The game's coding was finished towards the end of 1996 in time for the Japanese release in January 1997, so the FMV must have been finished before then. With some confidence, I can conclude the FMV sequence was probably made in 1995 (according to the multiple entries containing this year). That's all we can really be sure of.
UPDATE: October 2005 - A higher-resolution version of the FMV featuring Jenova's helmet can be seen in the intro of "Distance", the FFVII:AC "making-of" featurette that's included on both the Japanese "Advent Pieces" bonus disk and the one included with the English-language version. Here is the best screenshot we could take of Jenova's helmet, as it appears in "Distance":
For the first time ever, we can clearly see that the helmet reads:
MADE IN HONG KONG
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1996
SQUER COMPANY LIMITED
Cheers to
Zephie-Chan for calling our attention to this startling find!
Jenova's Helmet in Advent Children and Last Order
Jenova's helmet can be seen in these two FFVII spinoffs, which were released in the Fall of 2005. Both times, the helmet appears in reinterpretations of FFVII's Nibelheim flashback, and the inscription can be clearly read. Here are screenshots of Jenova's helmet from these two spinoffs. Note that in both cases, the inscription does not seem to match the original from FFVII. While the AC inscription cuts the number of lines down to two and clearly displays two dates, the LO one seems closer the original, yet doesn't include a date at all.
Advent Children inscription:
| µ | —Era 19591010 Discovered
| µ | —Era 19670702 Sealed
The two dates listed seem to indicate when Jenova was first found (October 10, 1959) and when she was sealed away in the chamber in Nibelheim (July 2, 1967). According to these dates, it seems Shinra spent nearly eight years in between studying Jenova; Sephiroth's conception likely occured during that same time.
Special thanks to Lim Tung Ming for the kanji translation and insights.
Update (Nov. 2005): On the Forums, Strider Suzaku pointed out that these dates also appear (in the same format) in an FMV on the FFVII demo disk that came with the Japanese version of Tobal No. 1, as well as on the Perfect Guide which comes with FFVII International. This FMV seems to be from an early, unfinished version of the game, as many of the dates listed (not just the ones on the helmet) contradict with the FFVII timeline as we know it. The dates on Jenova's helmet in AC are likely a homage to this early FMV.
Last Order inscription:
STRICT SECRECY
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY SECTION
SHIN-RA COMPANY LIMITED
Last updated November 2005.