Plenty of Final Fantasy anime to watch
Whether you’re a fan of the Final Fantasy games, or just curious about the Anime adaptations, there are plenty of Final Fantasy films and anime spinoffs to explore in the expansive franchise. From Final Fantasy 7 to Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy 15, there’s a lot of confusing, and more than a little conflicting, lore to get through, so we’re here to help you sift through it all.
Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals
This four-episode series is a spinoff from Final Fantasy 5. It follows the descendant of a character from that game, a young girl named Alice, as she chases down monsters that have begun to appear around the world.
Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals is, visually, a decent anime, but the excessive fan service shots, particularly the revealing outfits and upskirt shots of the young heroine, put us off. There’s also a bit of a M Night Shyamalan-level twist at the end, which makes this one hard to recommend.
Last Order: Final Fantasy 7
This anime serves as a prequel to the game Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7. It offers an intriguing backstory to the game’s main antagonist, and provides context to the motivations of the character Ardyn in Final Fantasy 15.
Unfortunately, it takes a lot of liberties with the story, changing a pivotal moment involving the character Cloud Strife, and diminishing what was originally a very emotional moment. Still, if you’ve played Final Fantasy 15 and are curious about Ardyn’s past, Last Order is worth a watch.
The Spirits Within
This Hollywood blockbuster was a financial failure for Square, the company behind Final Fantasy, but there’s no denying that it’s a visually impressive film. Unfortunately, it lacks the distinct Final Fantasy flavor, and the script is dry, and formulaic.
On the Way to a Smile
This novella is set between Final Fantasy 7 and its sequel, Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children, and follows various characters including a new addition named Denzel. The storytelling pitch is inspired, but Denzel himself isn’t particularly compelling, making this novella rather tedious to watch.
Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy 15
A film that sets the events of Final Fantasy 15 in motion, Kingsglaive follows a separate cast to the game. It’s also got a separate language to the game, with a lot of terms and names that will confuse newcomers to the series. The action scenes are decent, and the voice acting is good, but the script and confusing terminology may prove off-putting to newcomers.
Advent Children
The first of two Final Fantasy 7 films is visually stunning, and that’s really its only saving grace. The cast are all back, but the script is still a bit lackluster, and there are some nonsensical plot points that will have you scratching your head.
Episode Ardyn – Prologue
This short anime serves as a prequel to the main episode and successfully adds intrigue to the character of Ardyn. It does a good job of setting the stage for the main episode.
Brotherhood: Final Fantasy 15
Brotherhood is an anime series that explores the bond between the main characters of Final Fantasy 15. It introduces you to the characters and showcases their friendship – if you enjoyed Final Fantasy 15 and want to revisit the world, Brotherhood is a must-watch.
Final Fantasy: Unlimited
While it’s not a true Final Fantasy anime, and was canceled after just 13 episodes, Final Fantasy: Unlimited is still a fun experience. It follows a pair of twins who, after being sucked into an alternate dimension, become entangled in a much larger plot involving a legendary sword.
The episodes are enjoyable, but the anime was canceled before completion, and there are additional adventures available in books and radio dramas.
And there you have it, all of the Final Fantasy anime.
