Final Fantasy: Unlimited - Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy: Unlimited is an animated Japanese television series based on the popular series of role-playing video games known as Final Fantasy, which is developed and produced by Square Enix. It was directed by Mahiro Maeda and produced by Makiko Iwata, Takeshi Sasamura, Shinji Nakashima, and Yuma Sakata. The series was written by Atsuhiro Tomioka while the music was scored by Akifumi Tada and Shiro Hamaguchi. The anime series consisted of 25 episodes and was first aired in 2001. The story follows main protagonists Ai and Yui, a brother and sister twin combination, who find themselves in a parallel world searching for their parents.
Characters
- Ai Hayakawa- The twin of Yu and child of Joe and Marie Hayakawa. Ai is a spirited and curious 12-year-old girl with a positive and outgoing personality. She has red hair and wears a pink and red uniform.
- Yu Hayakawa- The twin of Ai and child of Joe and Marie Hayakawa. Yu acts like an adult and is always cautious and wary. He has brown hair and wears a white and blue uniform.
- Lisa Pacifist- A 22-year-old woman who Ai and Yu meet in the subway that takes them to Wonderland. She protects them and aids them in their search for their parents in Wonderland. She has the power to manipulate spirits using her Kigen Arts, and uses this special ability to protect the twins from the various monsters they come across on their journey.
- Black Wind- A being of incredible power that lost its world before arriving in Wonderland. He suffers from amnesia and generally keeps to himself. Black Wind’s right arm contains a mysterious weapon known as a Magun. He wears a blue cloak that covers most of his upper body and the lower part of his face.
- Makenshi- Another being of incredible power that lost its world before arriving in Wonderland. Makenshi acts as a rival to Black Wind and carries a similarly mysterious weapon, though it comes in the form of a sword instead of a gun.
- Chobi - A chocobo encountered by Yu and Ai during their first trip into one of the Inner Worlds. Later in the series, Chobi gains the power to fly, a characteristic unique among chocobos.
Plot
Final Fantasy: Unlimited follows Ai and Yu Hayakawa, 12-year-old twins, who travel to a parallel dimension called Wonderland in order to find their missing parents, Joe and Marie Hayakawa. The series is split into two large sections based on what mode of transportation the twins are using. In the first section, the twins use a Ghost Train to reach a new world in every episode, confronting the dangers of the world and staving off assaults by with the Gaudium Lords or Omega.
The story is revealed from the antagonist’s viewpoint through periodic footage of Earl Tyrant’s discussion with his lords. Earl Tyrant is the embodiment of Chaos who seeks the two child protagonists and a powerful, destructive force called Omega. The power of Omega is only rivaled by that of the Unlimiteds; immortal beings of immense power. If Earl is able to defeat the Unlimiteds and absorb them, he can rule Wonderland unhindered.
In the second half of the series, the twins join up with the Comodeen, a rebel faction set on foiling Earl Tyrant’s plans. They board the Jane, a submarine, and head for Telos, the only location of Wonderland that is supplied with a gravity-defying flightwater. They need this water in order to fly the Silvia (an airship) and reach Earl's flying fortress. The series reaches its climax when the Earl himself makes a move on the Comodeen, destroying Jane and capturing the protagonists. Confronted with Chaos himself, Kaze and Makenshi, the only two surviving Unlimiteds, join forces and destroy it, thus ending its reign of terror over Wonderland.
Reception
The series was ranked #18 out of 20 in an anime ranking list known as Anihabara in Japan for the month of November in 2001. Outside of Japan, the series received mixed reviews, with some praising its engaging plot and visual power. Others criticized its unoriginality and said it didn’t live up to the standard of the Final Fantasy brand. Carlos Ross from T.H.E.M Anime Reviews said that "The style is firmly entrenched on Saturday morning, but at least it's better than Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals."
Related Media
A novel titled Final Fantasy: Unlimited - Sou no Kizuna (lit. "Final Fantasy Unlimited - The Bonds of Two Souls") was inspired by the series. It was written by Sho Katigiri and illustrated by Kazuto Nakazawa. Final Fantasy: Unlimited Before is a CD drama that describes the destruction of Kaze and Makenshi's worlds in a flashback. A serial web novel After Spiral was also released. A book titled Final Fantasy: Unlimited After - Gakai no Sho (lit. "Final Fantasy: Unlimited - Chapters of the Outside World") was released in 2002. A radio drama titled FF:U After 2 - Risa tachi kira reta kusari was also broadcasted on December 26, 2002 by Avex. Two video games have been released relating to the show: FF:U with U, a role-playing style game, and Final Fantasy: Unlimited on PC Adventure - Labyrinth.