Originally scheduled to air 52 episodes however due to ratings
that failed to meet expectations this series was shortened to 25 episodes. Final
Fantasy Unlimited opens with a pair of summoned creatures dueling in Tokyo
harbor; there battle causes the formation of a dimensional rift that acts as a
passage way to the "Inner World". Ai and Yu are twins who set out to
find there parents, scientists that were on an expedition into the bizarre "Inner
World" and have been deemed lost.
Being a long
time fan of the Final Fantasy role playing game series it pains me to see
such poor use of the license. It appears as if the development team was trying
to create something that would receive a main stream audience as well as please
the original fans, to do this they decided against any philosophical and dramatic
story elements that made the games the success they are, in favour of a watered
down interpretation of Final Fantasy that may or may not impress an eight
year old child.
There are elements however that I
did enjoy, or would have enjoyed had they been developed through to if not conclusion
but at least understanding. For example there is an interesting rivalry between
"Black Wind" a demon gunman with the ability to summon creatures and
"White Wind" a demon swordsman with command over magical mist (elements
fans of the games will no doubt be failure with). As well as an equally mysterious
young woman with spiritual powers of some kind and an unknown purpose in the "Inner
world". As if the fact that these elements never see much of a chance to
develop to any point of understanding is not bad enough, they also take a back
seat to the much less compelling elements involving the young twins.
Despite
being extremely poorly executed I did find it enjoyable to see many elements from
the game in anime form, Chocobo, Cactaur , Moogle, as well as a host of summoned
creatures, and many of the musical and design elements. Assuming you're a fan
of the games this may be worth sampling but be forwarded that the poorly developed
and never finished story is far from anything that lives up to what you would
have come to expect.
