But if you're referring to Celes' first scene, where they removed them torturing her, that change was in the Japanese GBA version too, and it seems to be due to changes in Japanese law, not anything Square Enix themselves did. Had they kept it in, they would've had to give the game a harsher rating.
I hate the change too, but it was out of their control.
Didn't they screw around with Final Fantasy 6 to keep the empire from saluting?
No.
But if you're referring to Celes' first scene, where they removed them torturing her, that change was in the Japanese GBA version too, and it seems to be due to changes in Japanese law, not anything Square Enix themselves did. Had they kept it in, they would've had to give the game a harsher rating.
I hate the change too, but it was out of their control.