Final Fantasy: Unlimited
Publisher
ADV
Director
Mahiro Maeda
Production
Gonzo Digimation, Square
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
25 episodes
Year
2001
Final Fantasy : Unlimited The Complete Collection (twenty-five episodes total)
By TrueBlueOtaku
28th Aug 05 My first glimpse of Final Fantasy : Unlimited was at the local comic mercantile. It was a small snippet of the promo DVD from Newtype, played on a small television screen in the center of the store. Immediately absorbed, I watched until my father dragged me, a drooling, wide-eyed mute, from the store. Being an avid Final Fantasy fan, those two minutes were heaven. That was back in 2001. I renewed my interest in 2004 after finding FF:U on the market and now have purchased the ADV Complete Collection. At the present moment, I am wondering about a great many things due to the story's hurried end and explanations left unsaid. This series was orignally scheduled to run for fifty-two episodes, but the absence of interest in Japan forced the production team to hurriedly cram fifty-two episode's worth of condensed story into twenty-five. The end product: a faded glory with many holes. A rumored after story. And one lone otaku sitting before their television pondering. Story (no spoilers): Twelve years preceding the story's beginning, a great pillar of darkness appears off the coast of Sadogashima, two behemoth monsters in tow. The dragons engage, nullifying each other, and triggering a momentary expansion of the pillar. After that, the pillar remains as a leering specter of that which had transpired and that which is to come.
Ai and Yu Hayakawa, twins whose age is twelve, finally venture towards the pillar as to search for their recently-missing parents. Following a rumor on the Internet, they wait for the mysterious Chikaketsu (Subway) to arrive. When they finally begin their journey, they meet a woman on the train named Risa. Later, they are acquainted with Kaze, a stoic and oblivious man toting the Magun.
What shall the crew do? Kaze cannot remember his real name or where he came from, and is intent on destroying someone he calls Shiroi Kumo. They are constantly assaulted by those that call themselves the Four Lords of Gaudium. What does this mysterious Wonderland have in store for them, and are things all that they seem? Pros: First and foremost: the musical score. Composed mainly by Shirou Hamaguchi, the FF:U soundtrack definitely has taken something from its roots. Go Kana Ueda!
Second, the animation. I think that this style is so far my select favorite. My compliments to GONZO. Cons: Though they try, the story cannot seem to stray far from the classic formula, save for a few momentous occasions. The kids and Risa go somewhere new. Kaze follows. Baddie, as is custom, appears. Magun moves. Blah, blah, blah. All things aside, in my opinion, this is the series' only downfall. The lowdown: I loved this series. No ifs, ands, or buts. the ending was definetely dramatic and leaves you wanting more. My rating: 9/10.
-- TrueBlueOtaku 28th Aug 05
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