Last Order: Final Fantasy VII: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|2005 anime film by Morio Asaka}}

{{Infobox_Film |

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

name = Last Order: Final Fantasy VII |

{{Infobox animanga/Header

image = Last Order Final Fantasy VII logo.jpg |

| image = Last Order Poster.jpg

director = [[Morio Asaka]] |

| caption = Promotional artwork featuring Zack (front), Sephiroth (middle), and Jenova (back)

producer = Akio Ofuji<br>Jungo Murata<br>Masao Maruyama |

| ja_kanji = ラストオーダー -ファイナルファンタジーVII-

writer = Katsuhiko Inukai|

| ja_romaji = Rasuto Ōdā -Fainaru Fantajī Sebun-

starring = [[Kenichi Suzumura]] as [[List of Final Fantasy VII characters#Other supporting cast|Zack]] (voice) and others |

| genre = <!-- Note: Use and cite reliable sources to identify genre/s, not personal interpretation. Please don't include more than three genres (per [[MOS:A&M]]). -->

movie_music = [[Takeharu Ishimoto]] |

distributor = [[Square Enix]]|

released = [[September 14]], [[2005]] (Japan)<br> [[February 20]], [[2007]] (North America) |

runtime = 25 minutes |

language = [[Japanese language|Japanese]] |

imdb_id = 0489134|

music = [[Takeharu Ishimoto]] |

awards = |

budget = |

}}

{{Infobox animanga/Video

{{nihongo|'''''Last Order: Final Fantasy VII'''''|ラストオーダー -ファイナルファンタジーVII-|Rasuto Ōdā -Fainaru Fantajī Sebun-}} is an addition to the ''[[Final Fantasy VII Advent Children]]'' film and part of the ''[[Final Fantasy VII#Compilation of Final Fantasy VII|Compilation of Final Fantasy VII]]''. It is an [[OVA]] (Original Video Animation) that was animated by [[Madhouse (company)|Madhouse]] and released with the "Ultimate Edition" of the movie (''Advent Pieces: Limited'') in Japan and was included in the collector's edition of ''Advent Children'' in the U.S.[http://dvd.ign.com/articles/751/751165p1.html] There is no English dub, however; the feature is only subtitled. It is an anime rendition of two flashbacks that took place in the game. One details events from five years before the game took place, revolving around the Nibelheim scenario that focused on [[List of Final Fantasy VII characters#Other supporting cast|Zack]], [[Cloud Strife]], [[Tifa Lockhart]] and [[Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)|Sephiroth]]. The other involves Zack and Cloud on the run from [[Shinra]]. The anime cuts back and forth between these two flashbacks, linked by the [[Turks (Final Fantasy VII)|Turk]] commander [[Turks (Final Fantasy VII)|Tseng]]'s reflection on the Nibelheim events. ''Last Order'' also forms the basis of the ''[[Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII]]'' [[PlayStation Portable|PSP]] game, and serves as a tie-in with the mobile phone game ''[[Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII]]'', as several of the game's playable Turk characters appear as minor characters, with some even getting spoken lines.

| type = OVA

| director = [[Morio Asaka]]

| producer = {{ubl|[[Masao Maruyama (film producer)|Masao Maruyama]]|Jungo Maruta|Akio Ofuji}}

| writer = {{ubl|Kazuhiko Inukai|[[Kazushige Nojima]]}}

| music = [[Takeharu Ishimoto]]

| studio = [[Madhouse (company)|Madhouse]]

| licensee = [[Sony Pictures Home Entertainment]]

| released = September 14, 2005

| runtime = 25 minutes

}}

{{Infobox animanga/Footer}}

{{nihongo foot|'''''Last Order: Final Fantasy VII''''',|ラストオーダー -ファイナルファンタジーVII-|Rasuto Ōdā -Fainaru Fantajī Sebun-|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} also abbreviated as '''''Last Order''''' or '''''LO''''', is a 2005 Japanese [[original video animation|original video animation (OVA)]] produced by [[Madhouse (company)|Madhouse]] and released by [[Square Enix]]. It was directed by [[Morio Asaka]], and produced by [[Masao Maruyama (film producer)|Masao Maruyama]], Jungo Maruta and Akio Ofuji. [[Tetsuya Nomura]] served as supervising director. The OVA is an alternate rendition of two flashbacks which were first seen in the video game ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]''. ''Last Order'' was released in Japan with ''Advent Pieces: Limited'', a [[special edition]] release of the film ''[[Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children]]'', and as a bonus feature in the North American "Limited Edition Collector's Set" release.

''Last Order'' is associated with the ''[[Compilation of Final Fantasy VII]]'', a series of prequels and sequels to the original ''Final Fantasy VII''. Although not an official ''Compilation'' installment, ''Last Order'' has nonetheless been included in official guidebooks. The OVA's soundtrack was released with the music of ''Before Crisis'', and select songs were later remixed for ''Crisis Core''. ''Last Order'' was created due to the success of promotional commercials for ''Before Crisis'', with production lasting six months. The plot encompasses two events occurring before the events of ''Final Fantasy VII''. One follows [[Sephiroth (Final Fantasy)|Sephiroth]] destroying a village, and the other follows [[Zack Fair]] and [[Cloud Strife]] escaping from the Shinra Electric Power Company. These flashbacks are narrated by [[Turks (FF7)|Turk]] leader Tseng. Originally meant to focus on Zack, ''Last Order'' highlighted Tseng's feelings and position in the Shinra company. ''Last Order'' received negative fan response due to differences from the original game's content, and the ''Crisis Core'' game designers avoided recreating certain scenes from ''Last Order''.

==Background==

''Last Order'' explores situations shown and referenced within ''Final Fantasy VII'' and other ''Compilation'' titles.<ref name="change">{{cite web|url=http://psp.ign.com/articles/869/869858p1.html |date=April 28, 2008 |title=Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII UK Interview |work=IGN |first=Dave |last=McCarthy |access-date=March 8, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221203131/http://psp.ign.com/articles/869/869858p1.html |archive-date=February 21, 2009}}</ref> The world of ''Final Fantasy VII'', referred to as "the [[Compilation of Final Fantasy VII#Setting|Planet]]", is dependent for its survival on a flow of spirit energy called the Lifestream.<ref name="bugen">'''Bugenhagen:''' Lifestream... In other words, a path of energy of the souls roaming the Planet. 'Spirit Energy' is a word that you should never forget.<span style="font-size: 90%;">(''Final Fantasy VII'')</span></ref><ref name="destroyplanet">'''Cloud:''' If the Spirit energy is lost, our Planet is destroyed...<span style="font-size: 90%;">(''Final Fantasy VII'')</span></ref> The megacorporation Shinra eventually rises to power and begins extracting the Lifestream through mako reactors, killing the Planet.<ref name="makoenergy">'''Bugenhagen:''' Ho Ho Hoooo. Spirit energy is efficient BECAUSE it exists within nature. When Spirit energy is forcefully extracted, and manufactured, it can't accomplish its true purpose. / '''Cloud:''' You're talking about Mako energy, right? / '''Bugenhagen:''' Every day Mako reactors suck up Spirit energy, diminishing it. Spirit energy gets compressed in the reactors and processed into Mako energy. All living things are being used up and thrown away. In other words, Mako energy will only destroy the Planet...<span style="font-size: 90%;">(''Final Fantasy VII'')</span></ref> Shinra uses Mako as an energy source<ref name="marlene">'''Marlene:''' The Shinra Electric Power Company discovered a way to use the Lifestream as an energy source.<span style="font-size: 90%;">(''Advent Children'')</span></ref> and to manipulate the strength and abilities of their [[paramilitary]] organization, SOLDIER.<ref name="shower">'''Sephiroth:''' Normal members of SOLDIER are humans that have been showered with Mako. You're different from the others, but still human.<span style="font-size: 90%;">(''Final Fantasy VII'')</span></ref> Sephiroth, considered the strongest member of SOLDIER, is sent to investigate a Mako reactor in the secluded town of Nibelheim and is accompanied by the SOLDIER Zack and two [[Infantry|grunts]], one of whom is Cloud.<ref name="briefing">'''Sephiroth:''' Our mission is to investigate an old Mako reactor. There have been reports of it malfunctioning, and producing brutal creatures. First, we will dispose of those creatures. Then, we'll locate the problem and neutralize it. / '''Cloud:''' Brutal creatures... Where? / '''Sephiroth:''' The Mako Reactor at Nibelheim.<span style="font-size: 90%;">(''Final Fantasy VII'')</span></ref><ref name="strong">'''Marlene:''' Anyway, there was one SOLDIER named Sephiroth, who was better than the rest.<span style="font-size: 90%;">(''Advent Children'')</span></ref> While there, Sephiroth spends most of his time reading in the Shinra Mansion, which had previously been used by the Shinra scientist [[Professor Hojo|Hojo]] to conduct experiments. Through Hojo's log books, Sephiroth comes to learn of his past, in which he was injected with [[Jenoba|Jenova]]'s cells. The Planet had once been inhabited by the Cetra (or "Ancients"), who were almost completely destroyed by Jenova, an [[extraterrestrial life]]form that crashed onto the Planet 2,000 years previously, and began infecting the Cetra with a [[virus]].<ref name="ifalna">'''Ifalna:''' That's when the one who injured the Planet... or the 'crisis from the sky', as we call him, came. He first approached as a friend, deceived them, and finally...... gave them the virus. The Cetra were attacked by the virus and went mad... transforming into monsters. Then, just as he had at the Knowlespole. He approached other Cetra clans...... infecting them with... the virus...<span style="font-size: 90%;">(''Final Fantasy VII'')</span></ref> When Jenova was unearthed by a Shinra science team, it was mistakenly identified as a Cetra. This caused Sephiroth to believe he was also a Cetra, and that humans had betrayed his ancestors.<ref name="organism">'''Sephiroth:''' ...an organism that was apparently dead, was found in a 2000 year old geological stratum. Professor Gast named that organism, Jenova...X Year, X Month, X Day. Jenova confirmed to be an Ancient...X Year, X Month, X Day. Jenova Project approved. The use of Mako Reactor 1 approved for use...<span style="font-size: 90%;">(''Final Fantasy VII'')</span></ref><ref name="lastofcetra">'''Sephiroth:''' You ignorant traitor. I'll tell you. This Planet originally belonged to the Cetra. Cetra was an itinerant race. They would migrate in, settle the Planet, then move on...At the end of their harsh, hard journey, they would find the Promised Land and supreme happiness. But, those that disliked the journey appeared. Those who stopped their migrations built shelters and elected to lead an easier life. They took that which the Cetra and the planet had made without giving back one whit in return! Those are your ancestors. / '''Cloud:''' Sephiroth... / '''Sephiroth:''' Long ago, disaster struck this planet. Your ancestors escaped... They survived because they hid. The Planet was saved by sacrificing the Cetra. After that, your ancestors continued to increase. Now all that's left of the Cetra is in these reports. / '''Cloud:''' What does that have to do with you? / '''Sephiroth:''' Don't you get it? An Ancient named Jenova was found in the geological stratum of 2000 years ago. The Jenova Project. The Jenova Project wanted to produce people with the powers of the Ancients...... no, the Cetra....I am the one that was produced.<span style="font-size: 90%;">(''Final Fantasy VII'')</span></ref>

==Plot==

[[Image:Last Order screenshot.jpg|right|175px|thumb|Sephiroth impales Cloud and hangs him over the reactor core.<ref name="change"/><ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII]]|developer=[[Square Enix]]|Publisher=Square Enix |date=March 25, 2008 |platform=[[PlayStation Portable]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Final Fantasy VII]]|developer=[[Square Enix]]|Publisher=[[Sony Computer Entertainment]] |date=September 7, 1997 |platform=[[PlayStation]]}}</ref>]]

One year before ''Final Fantasy VII'' begins, former SOLDIER 1st Class, [[Zack Fair]], is able to break free of his confinement within [[Shinra|Shinra Company]], Zack accompanied [[Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)|Sephiroth]], Shinra's elite SOLDIER, in the investigation of a malfunctioning [[Materia|mako]] reactor. During that mission, he bore witness to Sephiroth's descent into madness and the merciless slaughter of the village at Sephiroth's hands.

After killing the villagers of Nibelheim, Sephiroth goes to the mako reactor facility, and incapacitates Tifa and Zack. As Sephiroth reunites with Jenova, Cloud ambushes him. Sephiroth impales Cloud and escapes with Jenova. Hojo and the soldiers arrive, and take Zack and Cloud for science experimentation, during which Cloud succumbs to mako poisoning.<ref name="doctor">'''Doctor:''' I'll say it again, he's got Mako poisoning. I've never seen a case this bad...An immense amount of Mako-drenched knowledge was put into his brain all at once......<span style="font-size: 90%;">(''Final Fantasy VII'')</span></ref> Zack later escapes with the unconscious Cloud and is ambushed by the Shinra military en route to Midgar.

[[Image:Zack_in_Last_Order.jpg|right|250px|thumb|[[Zack Fair|Zack Fair]]]]

[[Image:Cloud_in_Last_Order.jpg|right|250px|thumb|[[Cloud Strife]]]]

==Cast==

Though he survived that massacre, he and his friend, [[Cloud Strife]] — ''Final Fantasy VII'''s main protagonist and a native of Nibelheim — were taken captive when Shinra officials arrived to round up the few survivors and cover up the tragedy to prevent their name from being sullied. [[List of Final Fantasy VII characters#Professor Hojo|Professor Hojo]], the Head of Shinra's Scientific Research Division, decided to use Zack, Cloud and the other apprehended survivors in an experiment to test his [[Jenova#Hojo's Jenova Reunion Theory|Jenova Reunion Theory]], but after four years of stolen freedom, Zack has escaped from Hojo's lab and taken Cloud with him.

{{Final Fantasy VII chronology}}

* [[Kenichi Suzumura]] as [[Zack Fair]]:<ref name="lastorder">{{cite video | date=February 20, 2007 | title=Last Order: Final Fantasy VII |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0489134/ | medium=DVD | publisher=Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | access-date=March 10, 2009 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090123115015/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0489134/ | archive-date=January 23, 2009}}</ref> a 1st class SOLDIER. He protects Cloud from Shinra. The production crew used ''Last Order'' "to portray Zack properly" as light-hearted and young.<ref name="rf">{{Cite book | year=2006 | editor=SoftBank | title=Final Fantasy VII Advent Children: Reunion Files | language=ja, en | publisher=Square Enix | isbn= 4-7973-3498-3| pages=94–95}}</ref> Suzumura noted Zack felt more "alive" in comparison to his appearance in ''Advent Children''.<ref name="zackva">{{Cite book | year=2006 | editor=SoftBank | title=Final Fantasy VII Advent Children: Reunion Files | language=ja, en | publisher=Square Enix | isbn= 4-7973-3498-3 | page=59}}</ref>

* [[Takahiro Sakurai]] as [[Cloud Strife]]:<ref name="lastorder"/> a Shinra infantryman and a survivor of Nibelheim.

* [[Toshiyuki Morikawa]] as [[Sephiroth (Final Fantasy)|Sephiroth]]:<ref name="lastorder"/> a 1st class SOLDIER. He betrays Cloud, Tifa, and Zack.<ref name="rf"/>

* [[Junichi Suwabe]] as Tseng:<ref name="lastorder"/> the leader of the [[Turks (FF7)|Turks]] who narrates the OVA. Originally, it was intended to focus on Zack, but Tseng became the "real highlight". ''Last Order'' elaborates on Tseng's changing feelings towards his job, as well as where he places his moral values.<ref name="rf"/>

* [[Ayumi Ito]] as [[Tifa Lockhart]]:<ref name="lastorder"/> a resident of Nibelheim and childhood acquaintance of Cloud.

* [[Hiroshi Fujioka]] as Zangan:<ref name="lastorder"/> Tifa's martial arts instructor. He escorts her to safety after Sephiroth destroys the village.

* [[Keiji Fujiwara]] as Reno and [[Taiten Kusunoki]] as Rude:<ref name="lastorder"/> A duo of Turks agents under Tseng's command.

* [[Nachi Nozawa]] as [[Professor Hojo]]:<ref name="lastorder"/> the head of Shinra's science department. He takes Zack and Cloud for experiments, and dismisses Tseng's group of agents.

Other roles include [[Daisuke Namikawa]] as Turk (Rod), [[Ginpei Sato]] as Turk (Two Guns), [[Hōchū Ōtsuka]] as Turk (Martial Arts), [[Mayuko Aoki]] as Turk (Shotgun), and [[Megumi Toyoguchi]] as Turk (Gun);<ref name="lastorder" /> together, they are group of agents under Tseng's command who previously appeared in ''Before Crisis''. Keiji Okuda, [[Atsushi Imaruoka]], [[Ryuji Mizuno]], and Daisuke Kirii voice members of Shinra's military unit, who attempt to apprehend Cloud and Zack. [[Yōhei Tadano]] and [[Katsuhisa Hōki]] voice villagers of Nibelheim.<ref name="lastorder"/>

==Production and release==

They quickly slip away from Nibelheim, with the intent being to return to [[Midgar]], the heart of Shinra's empire and home of Zack's girlfriend, [[Aerith Gainsborough]]. However, Shinra orders their elite espionage and assassination division, the [[Turks (Final Fantasy VII)|Turks]], as well as regular military units to find, and, if necessary, eliminate the two escapees. Yet Tseng, the leader of the Turks, is hesitant to take Zack and Cloud's freedom from them a second time. Conscience-leaden and wracked with conflicting emotions, he orders his subordinates to capture them alive if at all possible.

[[Image:Advent Children Special Edition Cover.jpg|right|150px|alt=The cover of the collectors edition of ''Advent Children'', featuring a side view of Cloud|thumb|''Last Order'' was released in the collector's set of ''Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children'' in North America.<ref name="acrelease">{{cite web|url=http://dvd.ign.com/articles/765/765583p1.html |date=February 16, 2007 |title=Double Dip Digest: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (Limited Edition Collector's Set) |first=Chris |last=Carle |publisher=IGN |access-date=August 5, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707221136/http://dvd.ign.com/articles/765/765583p1.html |archive-date=July 7, 2012}}</ref>]]

''Last Order: Final Fantasy VII'' was produced and scripted by Square Enix collaboration with [[Madhouse (company)|Madhouse]]<ref name="rf"/> and directed by [[Morio Asaka]].<ref name="lonews">{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-06-13/otakon-hosts-nana-chobits-director-morio-asaka |date=June 13, 2007 |title=Otakon Hosts Nana, Chobits Director Morio Asaka |publisher=[[Anime News Network]] |access-date=August 24, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916230110/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-06-13/otakon-hosts-nana-chobits-director-morio-asaka |archive-date=September 16, 2008}}</ref> The decision to create ''Last Order'' arose from the positive reaction towards a popular promotional clip created by Madhouse for the game ''Before Crisis''. Madhouse was chosen to produce the OVA partly because of their success with the clip and because the president of Madhouse was very enthusiastic about the project.<ref name="rf"/> However, the main reason for choosing Madhouse was that the company "understood the significance" of making a ''Final Fantasy VII'' animation, as it was considered a large responsibility to animate "the most popular game" in the ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' series.<ref name="rf"/> [[Tetsuya Nomura]], the character designer for the ''Final Fantasy VII'' series and co-director of ''Advent Children'',<ref name="timeline2">{{cite web|url=http://retro.ign.com/articles/870/870770p8.html |date=April 30, 2008 |title=The History of Final Fantasy VII (page 8) |first=Rus |last=McLaughlin |publisher=IGN |access-date=February 28, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504001907/http://retro.ign.com/articles/870/870770p8.html |archive-date=May 4, 2010}}</ref><ref name="nomuratet">{{cite web|url=http://ps2.ign.com/articles/610/610042p1.html |date=May 4, 2005 |title=Tetsuya Nomura on Everything: Kingdom Hearts II, Final Fantasy VII and more. |first=Anoop |last=Gantayat |publisher=IGN |access-date=February 28, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604125838/http://ps2.ign.com/articles/610/610042p1.html |archive-date=June 4, 2011}}</ref><ref name="timelinepg1">{{cite web|url=http://retro.ign.com/articles/870/870770p1.html |date=April 30, 2008 |title=The History of Final Fantasy VII (page 1) |first=Rus |last=McLaughlin |publisher=IGN |access-date=February 28, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080917074604/http://retro.ign.com/articles/870/870770p1.html |archive-date=September 17, 2008}}</ref> acted as the supervising director.<ref name="rf"/> He had the right to reject or accept concept drawings for ''Last Order''. As a result, Nomura had a large quantity of images redrawn, to the extent that "the entire production was in jeopardy".<ref name="rf"/>

Production lasted six months. The production crew considered the most challenging part of creating the OVA to be making "Nomura's drawings move on screen".<ref name="rf"/> Because ''Last Order'' was hand-drawn, the crew faced difficulties creating uniform lines. Another issue was the overall feel of each scene; original drawings were done by several artists, resulting in various scenes having different styles.<ref name="rf"/> Producer Akio Ofuji explained that they "wanted to make sure the final product was of very high quality, so [they] worked with the production company day and night, straight through to the deadline".<ref name="lastorder" /><ref name="rf" /> Nomura and Ofuji agreed that many scenes showing important events and feelings in ''Final Fantasy VII'' had been fragmented and disjointed, and so they had decided that those scenes would be the subject of ''Last Order'', giving the audience of ''Advent Children'' (the film ''Last Order'' was released with) a "more enjoyable understanding".<ref name="rf"/> They used the film as an opportunity to portray Zack "properly" as a "handsome, light-hearted man [who] was in everyone's memory".<ref name="rf"/> ''Last Order'' also details Tseng's growth and his feelings towards his both job and events depicted, wherein he attempts to "get his own ideas of justice heard" but later abandons his moral values "in order to carry out a cruel mission". Ofuji commented that "those are the kind of scenes we wanted people to be more aware of".<ref name="rf"/>

With Zack and Cloud approaching the end of their year-long trek back to Midgar and the pursuit of the two escapees building to its head, Tseng reflects back on the events that have led to this situation before departing with his subordinates to intercept Cloud and Zack along the last leg of their journey. It is here, on a bluff within sight of Midgar, that fate will take a tragic, unexpected turn, and the events of ''Final Fantasy VII'' will begin.

''Last Order'' was originally released in Japan with the "Ultimate Edition" of the ''Advent Children'' film, ''Advent Pieces: Limited'', on September 14, 2005.<ref name="drink">{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/news/pieces-advent-children |date=August 9, 2005 |title=Calling FF Fans: Pieces of Advent Children |work=[[1UP.com]] |access-date=August 12, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015183038/http://www.1up.com/news/pieces-advent-children |archive-date=October 15, 2012}}</ref> The OVA was included in the [[North America]]n "Limited Edition Collector's Set" of ''Advent Children'', released by [[Sony Pictures Home Entertainment]] on February 20, 2007.<ref name="acrelease"/><ref name="amazon">{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000K4WLXA|title=Final Fantasy VII - Advent Children (Limited Edition Collector's Set) (2005)|website=Amazon |date=20 February 2007 |access-date=March 4, 2009}}</ref> The North America release did not come with an English [[dub localization|dub]] and the OVA is subtitled.<ref name="lastorder"/> ''Last Order'' was not included in the release of ''[[Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children#Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete|Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete]]'', a 2009 [[director's cut]] of ''Advent Children'' with extra footage.<ref name="kotaku">{{cite web|url=http://kotaku.com/5269159/final-fantasy-vii-advent-children-complete-in-15-minutes |title=Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete in 15 Minutes |first=AJ |last=Glasser |date=25 May 2009 |publisher=[[Kotaku]] |access-date=August 5, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100215044325/http://kotaku.com/5269159/final-fantasy-vii-advent-children-complete-in-15-minutes |archive-date=February 15, 2010}}</ref>

==Unseen epilogue==

Shinra soldiers—acting on their own, despite orders to await the Turks' arrival—kill Zack, who falls in battle due to a wound he took in Cloud's defense. However, they spare Cloud's life, noting him to already be in a heavily-impaired state and expecting that he will shortly expire anyway. They lie about the outcome of this situation, stating that Cloud escaped while Zack was killed in his resistance.

The ''Compilation of Final Fantasy VII'' is a series of prequels and sequels to the original ''Final Fantasy VII'' game. ''Last Order'' is not part of the ''Compilation of Final Fantasy VII'' and is considered an outside work.<ref name="twentyulti">{{Cite book | year=2008 | editor=Studio BentStuff | title=Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario | language=ja | publisher=Square Enix | isbn=978-4-7575-2251-0 | page=226}}</ref> However, it has been associated with the ''Final Fantasy VII'' series since its creation,<ref name="timeline">{{cite web|url=http://retro.ign.com/articles/870/870770p9.html |date=April 30, 2008 |title=The History of Final Fantasy VII (page 9) |first=Rus |last=McLaughlin |publisher=IGN |access-date=December 3, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100508103529/http://retro.ign.com/articles/870/870770p9.html |archive-date=May 8, 2010}}</ref> and is mentioned alongside official installments in official guidebooks and [[List of Square Enix companion books|companion books]].<ref name="rf"/><ref name="twentyulti"/> Like ''Last Order'', ''[[Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII#Mobile phone tie-in|Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode: Final Fantasy VII]]'' (a mobile phone spin-off of ''Dirge of Cerberus'') is an outside work associated with the ''Compilation''.<ref name="twentyulti"/>

Cloud manages to regain consciousness shortly thereafter, though still highly disoriented. He reaches Midgar, taking Zack's Buster Sword and the SOLDIER uniform he gave him. There, he's reunited with [[Tifa Lockhart]], and—after his recovery—she convinces him to take a job for [[AVALANCHE]], the underground resistance movement fighting to topple the Shinra Company. ''Final Fantasy VII'' then begins.

===Music===

==Deviations from the original story==

{{main|Music of the Final Fantasy VII series#Before Crisis and Last Order|l1=Before Crisis & Last Order Soundtrack}}

The following are proposed deviations from the original story as seen in ''Final Fantasy VII'', to increase the drama of the cinematic adaptation:

''Last Order'''s score was composed, arranged, and produced by [[Takeharu Ishimoto]], including the ending theme "Last Order".<ref name="lastorder"/> The music was combined with the music from ''Before Crisis'' on a single soundtrack and released in Japan on December 19, 2007.<ref name="musiclist">{{cite web|url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ff7bc/index.html |title=Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII- & Last Order -Final Fantasy VII- OST |publisher=RPGFan |access-date=March 18, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116215021/http://rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ff7bc/index.html |archive-date=January 16, 2013}}</ref> The soundtrack was later made available in North America by Square Enix.<ref name="naBC">{{cite web|url=http://store.na.square-enix.com/store/sqenixus/en_US/pd/productID.128768400 |title=Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII- & Last Order -Final Fantasy VII- Original Soundtrack |publisher=Square Enix |access-date=December 4, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611091115/http://store.na.square-enix.com/store/sqenixus/en_US/pd/productID.128768400 |archive-date=June 11, 2009}}</ref> Tracks 13 through 27 on the disc contain the score from ''Last Order'', while tracks 1 through 12 contain music from ''Before Crisis''.<ref name="musiclist"/> Select tracks on the [[Music of the Final Fantasy VII series#Crisis Core|soundtrack of ''Crisis Core'']] contain music and remixes of music from the OVA.<ref name="cclo">{{cite web|url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ff7cc/index.html |title=Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- OST |publisher=RPGFan |access-date=August 24, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080729063836/http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ff7cc/index.html |archive-date=July 29, 2008}}</ref>

[[OverClocked ReMix]]'s four-disc [[tribute album]], ''[[Voices of the Lifestream]]'', has a disc entitled ''Order''. The name was chosen to coincide with ''Last Order'', and the music is themed after it.<ref name="clocked">{{cite web|url=http://ff7.ocremix.org/tracks/ |title=Tracks: Voices of the Lifesteam |work=[[OverClocked ReMix]] |access-date=March 10, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080912154719/http://ff7.ocremix.org/tracks/ |archive-date=September 12, 2008}}</ref>

*In ''Final Fantasy VII'', Tifa's father is found already dead inside the mako reactor. In ''Last Order'', he is found dying outside the reactor.

*In ''Final Fantasy VII'', when Tifa is injured by Sephiroth, Zack just checks on her. In ''Last Order'', they have a conversation before Zack enters the chamber.

*In ''Last Order'', Cloud and Sephiroth have additional dialogue during their confrontation not present in the game.

*In ''Final Fantasy VII'', when Cloud charges Sephiroth with Zack's Buster Sword, Sephiroth turns in time to be stabbed in his stomach. In ''Last Order'', Sephiroth is unaware of Cloud's presence in Jenova's chamber until after he is stabbed through his lower back.

*In ''Final Fantasy VII'', Cloud is impaled upon Sephiroth's Masamune once. In ''Last Order'', he is stabbed with the sword twice.

*In the original story, when Sephiroth attempts to leave with Jenova's head, Cloud pursues him onto a catwalk that crosses over the heart of the Reactor, a wide shaft leading into the Lifestream below. In this depiction of events, Sephiroth quickly turns and runs his Masamune through Cloud. After being impaled by Sephiroth and held in the air above the [[Materia|Lifestream]], Cloud pulls himself onto the blade then stepping onto the ledge of the Lifestream and flings Sephiroth with his own sword, into the Lifestream. In contrast, in the OVA, Cloud charges Sephiroth while he stands at the top of the stairs leading to Jenova's chamber, and is impaled a first time. Sephiroth then tosses him into Jenova's room and impales him upon his blade a second time, holding Cloud's severely wounded body above the shaft that leads to the Lifestream (retconned to be in Jenova's chamber instead of another room). In this retelling of events, Cloud grasps the blade of Sephiroth's sword and throws him into a wall (which crumples from the force of Sephiroth's impact) instead, and Sephiroth then decides to jump into the Lifestream of his own free will. It should be noted that in the game, when Cloud reflects on the last time he saw Sephiroth, he states that "Sephiroth went off searching for the Promised Land, so he could become the ruler of the planet... That was 5 years ago... He told me he wants to go to the Promised Land with his mother, Jenova." These changes are also present in ''Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII''.

*When fighting with Sephiroth in the Jenova chamber, Cloud is shown to have eyes glowing in a manner similar to so-called 'mako eyes', a sign of mako infusion. What exactly this suggests (and whether they're actually glowing or simply reflecting light) has been debated amongst fans.

*In ''Final Fantasy VII'', when Zack rushes Sephiroth, he is apparently defeated in one blow, or at the least, a very short period of time. In ''Last Order'', he manages to trade several blows with Sephiroth over the course of 48 seconds before being bested. He is still ejected from Jenova's room and into a mako pod outside by Sephiroth's final blow, however.

*In ''Last Order'', after Cloud critically wounds Sephiroth and is moving Tifa to safety, she regains consciousness and speaks with him. In ''Final Fantasy VII'', she does not. Instead, the dialogue seen in the OVA is spoken by Cloud and Tifa while they watch the flashback in the Lifestream. This is a plot hole, because in the game Tifa has no recollection of Cloud ever coming to Nibelheim 5 years ago, which is a key point to the story.

*In ''Final Fantasy VII'', Cloud is present during Sephiroth's attack on Nibelheim and is consequently knocked unconscious. He later recovers and rushes to the mako reactor after Zack has already gone in that direction. In ''Last Order'', he discovers Nibelheim in flames along with Zack, and only goes to the reactor after scouring for injured civilians with [[List of Final Fantasy VII characters#Other supporting cast|Zangan]]. It is for this reason that he arrives at the reactor later than Zack in ''Last Order''.

*It had been previously speculated that the hidden scene on Disc 2 of ''Final Fantasy VII''—accessible by visiting the Shinra Mansion's basement—happened only a few days before the opening events of the game's story. However, ''Before Crisis'' confirms that the two make their escape from Nibelheim a year before the opening events of ''Final Fantasy VII'', and—as such—Turks recently added into continuity, yet not shown in the original ''Final Fantasy VII'', are among Zack's pursuers.

*In ''Last Order'', Cloud and Zack are ambushed by Shinra soldiers while hitchhiking to Midgar in a pickup truck. While the original game features the hitchhiking scenario, it does not feature the attack that Cloud and Zack suffer at that time. In the retelling of events, Zack is shot while taking a bullet meant for Cloud. This is speculated to have left him wounded and less able to defend himself when he and Cloud reach their fated destination: a bluff overlooking Midgar, where Zack is gunned down and killed.

*In ''Final Fantasy VII'', during the secret flashback accessible on Disc 2 in the Shinra Mansion's basement library, Zack is shown exiting the rebuilt Nibelheim half-carrying Cloud, who is still in his ordinary trooper uniform. The scene then fades to black, there is some dialogue posing that Zack changes Cloud into a spare SOLDIER uniform. For the rest of the flashback, Cloud appears in this uniform, but however in ''Last Order'', the change is never made and Cloud remains in his trooper clothes throughout the trip.

==Response and cultural impact==

==Credits==

Only 77,777 copies of ''Advent Pieces: Limited'' were produced in Japan, and they are no longer available, having been sold out months in advance of its release.<ref name="fringe">{{cite web|url=http://www.animefringe.com/magazine/2005/12/feature/01-3.php |title=The Legacy of Final Fantasy VII |first1=Janet |last1=Crocker |first2=Lesley |last2=Smith |first3=Tim |last3=Henderson |first4=Adam |last4=Arnold |publisher=AnimeFringe |access-date=August 5, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080529062038/http://www.animefringe.com/magazine/2005/12/feature/01-3.php |archive-date=May 29, 2008}}</ref> They retailed for [[Japanese yen|¥]]29,500, or [[United States dollar|US$]]300, each<ref name="fringe"/> while the North American collector's edition retailed for $49.95.<ref name="icv2">{{cite web|url=http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/9784.html |date=December 19, 2006 |title=Sony Double Dips With 'FF VII: Advent Children' |publisher=ICv2 |access-date=August 5, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090703130817/http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/9784.html |archive-date=July 3, 2009}}</ref>

===Staff===

* '''Director''': [[Morio Asaka]]

* '''Screenplay''': [[Kazuhiko Inukai]]

* '''Storyboard''': [[Morio Asaka]]

* '''Music''': [[Takeharu Ishimoto]] (Compose, Arrange, Produce)

* '''Character Design''': [[Hisashi Abe]]

* '''Art director''': [[Hidetoshi Kaneko]]

* '''Animation director''': [[Fumie Muroi]], [[Katsuya Yamada]], [[Kunio Katsuki]]

* '''Supervising Director''': [[Tetsuya Nomura]]

* '''Director of Photography''': Yukihiro Masumoto

* '''Assistant director''': Hiroyuki Tanaka

* '''Color design''': Yuriko Kadomoto

* '''Editing''': Kashiko Kimura

* '''Executive producer''': [[Shinji Hashimoto]], [[Yoshinori Kitase]], [[Yoichi Wada]]

* '''Main Animation Director''': Satoshi Tasaki

* '''Original story''': [[Kazushige Nojima]]

* '''Producer''': Akio Ofuji, Jungo Maruta, [[Masao Maruyama]]

* '''Recording & Mixing Engineer''': Kanami Mitani

* '''Sound director''': Yoji Shimizu

* '''Sound Effects''': Shizuo Kurahashi

Overall, ''Last Order'' garnered positive feedback from Western critics. Chris Carle of [[IGN]] noted that ''Last Order'' was "the true meat of the new extras [in the ''Advent Children'' collector's set]… a traditionally animated chapter for ''Final Fantasy'' fans that centers on the story of Zack and Cloud" and that "it adds even more dimension to the story [of ''Final Fantasy VII'']".<ref name="acrelease"/> Todd Douglass Jr. from [[DVD Talk]] called ''Last Order'' "the real reason to check out the Limited Edition release for ''Advent Children''" and commented that as "a long-time anime fan and lover of ''Final Fantasy''", he "was enthralled by every minute to be had in ''Last Order''".<ref name="talkie">{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/26907/final-fantasy-vii-advent-children-limited-edition/ |date=March 7, 2007 |title=Final Fantasy VII - Advent Children: Limited Edition |work=[[DVD Talk]] |first=Todd |last=Douglass Jr. |access-date=August 11, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323224741/http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/26907/final-fantasy-vii-advent-children-limited-edition/ |archive-date=March 23, 2010}}</ref> However, Hideki Imaizumi, the producer of ''Crisis Core'', stated that they had received "considerable negative feedback" from fans, who were displeased with changes made to the Nibelheim event in ''Last Order''. Due to this, the scene was redone for ''Crisis Core'', and the production crew was careful to avoid making the same decisions.<ref name="change"/>

===Cast===

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! Character !! Japanese !! [[Seiyū|Japanese Voice Actor]]

|-

| [[Zack Fair |Zack Fair]] || 　（ザックス） || [[Kenichi Suzumura]]

|-

| [[Cloud Strife]] || 　（クラウド・ストライフ） || [[Takahiro Sakurai]]

|-

| [[Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)|Sephiroth]] || 　（セフィロス） || [[Toshiyuki Morikawa]]

|-

| [[Tifa Lockhart]] || 　（ティファ・ロックハート） || [[Ayumi Ito]]

|-

| Zangan || || [[Hiroshi Fujioka]]

|-

| [[Turks (Final Fantasy VII)#Tseng|Tseng]] || 　（ツォン） || [[Junichi Suwabe]]

|-

| [[Turks (Final Fantasy VII)#Reno|Reno]] || 　（レノ） || [[Keiji Fujiwara]]

|-

| [[Turks (Final Fantasy VII)#Rude|Rude]] || 　（ルード） || [[Taiten Kusunoki]]

|-

| [[Professor Hojo]] || (宝条) || [[Nachi Nozawa]]

|-

|Shinra Solider (A)|| || [[Keiji Okuda]]

|-

|Shinra Soldier (B) || || [[Atsushi Imaruoka]]

|-

|Shinra Soldier (C) || || [[Daisike Kirii]]

|-

| Turk (Rod) || || [[Daisuke Namikawa]]

|-

| Turk (Two Guns) || || [[Ginpei Sato]]

|-

| Turk (Martial Arts) || || [[Houchu Ohtsuka]]

|-

| Turk (Shotgun) || || [[Mayuko Aoki]]

|-

| Turk (Gun) || || [[Megumi Toyoguchi]]

|-

| Oldman || || [[Katsuhisa Houki]]

|-

| Commander || || [[Ryuji Nizuno]]

|-

| Nibelhiem Villager || || [[Youhei Tadano]]

|}

== External linksNotes ==

{{Notelist}}

* [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=5561 Last Order on Anime News Network]

* [http://www.ffinsider.net/last-order/ Final Fantasy Last Order]

==References==

* [http://www.ff7acmovie.com/gallery/ff7_last_order_sephiroth/ Screens of Last Order]

{{reflist|2}}

==External links==

* {{IMDb title|0489134}}

* {{anime News Network|anime|5561}}

{{FFVII}}

{{Final Fantasy}}

{{Morio Asaka}}

{{Madhouse OVAs}}

{{good article}}

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