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38 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not So Final Fantasy, but Good Nonetheless, December 7, 2005
I'd have to say I was disappointed when I first saw the first episodes of Unlimited. It was named Final Fantasy, but very little linked it to the incredible video game series of the same name. The story seemed immature and generic and not interwoven with many character driven side stories; only the Final Fantasy mascots appeared (Chocobo, for one); and the music didn't reflect the classical style that went with the games. So, needless to say, I didn't bother buying anymore of the DVDs in the series.
Then the box set came out, and I admitted to myself that I was at least curious about how this series would end, plus I had learned that Gonzo made Unlimited, and Gonzo has yet to fail me in any of my anime endeavors. I bought it, and I watched the first episodes again. I cringed, because suddenly I felt the same way and even found a few more things I disliked about it. But I didn't stop, and continued to watch, and found that, slowly, this series evolved. It became emotionally driven, with a lot of elements that made Final Fantasy great. There were mascots galore (the stated chocobo, cactuar, moogles, summons, and Cid). Some of the music heard can be heard in previous games (the opening song--not the title song--and the battle victory).
Still, it wasn't as Final Fantasy as its namesake, but I found that in watching the anime the entire way through that that was okay. Though it isn't a good chapter in Final Fantasy, it's a great stand-alone anime nonetheless. It has great animation, a strange style that seems both classical and cutting edge (Astroboy with CG). The story deepens as the two main characters search for their parents, and other story lines reveal themselves as well, such as Kaze's story, the main character in charge of a powerful gun capable of summoning creatures into battle, and Lisa, a martial artist with the power to control elements. The antagonists also turn into something more than they had been in the beginning. A deeper, more sinister foe appears later, one that adds a sense of dread to the story that wasn't there previously. All in all, it adds up to one decent anime. And the value itself can't be beaten. Twenty-five episodes of anime for less than fifty-bucks.
It's difficult, however, to recommend this anime. I'd only recommend this to Final Fantasy fans who don't take the game too serious. If you do, you'll be disappointed with this anime. I'd also recommend it for anyone who enjoys experimentation in their animation. If you enjoyed Kid's Story in the Animatrix, you'll enjoy this.
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23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Behind the Curve, October 30, 2003
When I first heard that there was a Final Fantasy series that was to be introduced as a DVD series in the US I was quite excited. Certainly, as a game series, Final Fantasy has consistenly hit high marks in both story and graphics. It seemed reasonalble to expect that the series, coming out at the same time as other series that have shown landmark levels of quality would be something to watch. Alas, that is not the case.A great tower of light suddenly plunges into the modern world, and titanic monsters appear in epic battles. The world changes subtly as a darker presence begins to take possession of the shadows. A pair of research scientists start an investigation, but disappear right after they publish a book about a strange underground world that seems to have appeared right under our feet. Now it falls to Yu and Ai Hayakawa to try and find their parents. The board an odd subway train, and are transported to...Wonderland. In this DVD we take our first tour of wonderland, as the young children discover the mysteries and threats that surround then and acquire new companions like Lisa, who has her own special variety of 'martial arts,' and Kaze who uses a magical gun to carry out his role as a summoner (remember FF8 and FFX). At present the story stays focussed at this level, a bit more fight and adventure oriented, although I expect that the serious story arcs will gradually become more important. While the work is acceptible as standard Saturday morning cartoon fareit really lakes the flair that marks most Final Fanasty work. In fact, other than some creatures like Chocobos, it really has very little in common with the Final Fantasy game series. Scripting and character development are minimal, aimed at an audience that isn't quite ready for the complex relationship building which marks the show's namesakes. And the artwork is interesting in spots, but more cartoon-like, reminiscent of than the originals. A quick glance at the credits shows that there is very little cross over between the game creators and the series staff. This explains many of the little gaps that make the show confusing for a long time fan. If one approaches this as an independent work rather than as an heir to one of gaming's greatest lineages, then it is an acceptable and entertaining series. Buy if you are looking for the world of Gaia, peopled with Yuna's, Strife's, and Vivi's you are going to be disappointed, as I was.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
my daughter's fav, January 10, 2007
this was brought as a gift for my daughter who loves final fantasy. she screamed when she saw this. she watches the dvds almost everyday since she got them. so i guess that means that the purchase was a good one. i had a fast delvery and no problems.
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