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Last Order: Final Fantasy VII | HearLore
Last Order: Final Fantasy VII
On the 14th of September 2005, a limited edition collector's set containing the anime film Last Order sold out months before its release, with only 77,777 copies ever produced in Japan. This scarcity was not due to a lack of interest, but rather the intense, almost desperate desire of fans to witness the untold story of the Nibelheim incident. The film, an original video animation produced by Madhouse, served as a dark prelude to the events of Final Fantasy VII, exploring the tragic fate of two soldiers, Zack Fair and Cloud Strife, before they became the heroes and villains of the main game. The narrative begins in the secluded town of Nibelheim, where the legendary SOLDIER Sephiroth, accompanied by the young infantryman Cloud and the experienced Zack, investigates a malfunctioning mako reactor. The town, once a quiet haven, becomes the stage for a massacre that would define the future of the Planet. Sephiroth, driven mad by the discovery of his own origins as a clone of the alien entity Jenova, turns on his comrades, killing the villagers and destroying the town. This event, originally only referenced in the game, is expanded in Last Order to show the brutal reality of the Shinra Electric Power Company's exploitation of the Planet's life force, known as the Lifestream. The film's opening scene, where Sephiroth impales Cloud and hangs him over the reactor core, sets a tone of despair and inevitability that permeates the entire production. The story is not just about the destruction of a village, but about the psychological unraveling of a man who believed he was an Ancient, a Cetra, and that humanity had betrayed his ancestors. This revelation, found in the log books of the scientist Hojo, transforms Sephiroth from a hero into a monster, setting the stage for the conflict that would follow. The film's focus on the Nibelheim incident provides a crucial context for the main game, showing the viewer the moment when the Planet's spirit energy was first systematically harvested and corrupted, leading to the environmental collapse that defines the Final Fantasy VII universe.
The Burden of Memory
The true protagonist of Last Order is not the hero Cloud Strife, but the Turk leader Tseng, whose narration frames the entire story. Originally intended to focus on Zack Fair, the production team shifted the narrative spotlight to Tseng to explore his internal conflict and moral ambiguity within the Shinra corporation. Tseng, voiced by Junichi Suwabe, serves as the audience's guide through the chaos, his voiceover providing a detached yet deeply personal perspective on the events unfolding before him. The film delves into Tseng's evolving feelings about his job, as he struggles to reconcile his loyalty to Shinra with his growing awareness of the company's atrocities. This shift in focus was a deliberate creative choice by director Morio Asaka and producer Akio Ofuji, who wanted to highlight the human cost of the Shinra's operations. Tseng's journey is one of disillusionment, as he watches his comrades, including the Turks Reno and Rude, become complicit in the cover-up of the Nibelheim massacre. The film shows Tseng attempting to assert his own ideas of justice, only to abandon his moral values in order to carry out a cruel mission. This internal struggle is a key theme of Last Order, as it explores the moral compromises required to survive within a corrupt system. The film's narrative structure, with Tseng as the narrator, allows for a deeper exploration of the psychological impact of the events on those who witness them. The story of Tseng is one of quiet tragedy, as he watches the world he knows crumble around him, and is forced to make choices that will haunt him for the rest of his life. The film's focus on Tseng's perspective provides a unique lens through which to view the Final Fantasy VII universe, highlighting the human cost of the Shinra's pursuit of power and the moral ambiguity of those who serve it.
When was the limited edition collector's set of Last Order released?
The limited edition collector's set of Last Order was released on the 14th of September 2005. Only 77,777 copies were produced in Japan and the set sold out months before its release.
Who is the true protagonist of the Last Order anime film?
The true protagonist of the Last Order anime film is the Turk leader Tseng. Tseng serves as the narrator and frames the entire story while exploring his internal conflict and moral ambiguity within the Shinra corporation.
What happened to Cloud Strife and Zack Fair in the mako reactor?
Cloud Strife and Zack Fair were subjected to horrific experiments by Professor Hojo in the mako reactor. Cloud was injected with an immense amount of mako which caused him to succumb to mako poisoning and become unconscious while Zack was later ambushed by the Shinra military.
Who directed the Last Order anime film and when was it produced?
The Last Order anime film was directed by Morio Asaka and produced by Madhouse. The production took six months to complete and involved a team of dedicated animators and artists working day and night.
When was the Last Order soundtrack released in Japan?
The Last Order soundtrack was released in Japan on the 19th of December 2007. The soundtrack was combined with the music from Before Crisis on a single album and later made available in North America by Square Enix.
When was Last Order included in the North American Limited Edition Collector's Set of Advent Children?
Last Order was included in the North American Limited Edition Collector's Set of Advent Children on the 20th of February 2007. The film was not included in the 2009 director's cut of Advent Children.
The fate of Cloud Strife and Zack Fair is sealed in the mako reactor, where they are subjected to horrific experiments by Professor Hojo. The process of mako poisoning, a central element of the Final Fantasy VII lore, is depicted in Last Order with brutal clarity. Cloud, already suffering from the trauma of the Nibelheim massacre, is injected with an immense amount of mako, which floods his brain with knowledge and power. The film shows the physical and mental toll of this process, as Cloud succumbs to mako poisoning and is left unconscious. Zack, the 1st class SOLDIER who had protected Cloud, escapes with the unconscious Cloud, only to be ambushed by the Shinra military en route to Midgar. The film's depiction of the mako poisoning is a key element of the story, as it explains Cloud's mental instability and the source of his powers. The process is shown to be a form of torture, as the mako energy is forced into the body, causing immense pain and suffering. The film's depiction of the mako poisoning is a key element of the story, as it explains Cloud's mental instability and the source of his powers. The process is shown to be a form of torture, as the mako energy is forced into the body, causing immense pain and suffering. The film's depiction of the mako poisoning is a key element of the story, as it explains Cloud's mental instability and the source of his powers. The process is shown to be a form of torture, as the mako energy is forced into the body, causing immense pain and suffering. The film's depiction of the mako poisoning is a key element of the story, as it explains Cloud's mental instability and the source of his powers. The process is shown to be a form of torture, as the mako energy is forced into the body, causing immense pain and suffering.
The Creation of a Legend
The production of Last Order was a labor of love, taking six months to complete and involving a team of dedicated animators and artists. The decision to create the film arose from the positive reaction to a promotional clip for the game Before Crisis, which was produced by Madhouse. The company was chosen for its ability to understand the significance of the project, as it was considered a large responsibility to animate the most popular game in the Final Fantasy series. Tetsuya Nomura, the character designer for the Final Fantasy VII series and co-director of Advent Children, acted as the supervising director, with the right to reject or accept concept drawings for Last Order. The production crew faced numerous challenges, including the difficulty of making Nomura's drawings move on screen and the need to create uniform lines across the hand-drawn animation. The film's production was a testament to the dedication of the team, who worked day and night to ensure the final product was of very high quality. The film's creation was a collaborative effort, with the production crew working closely with the game's creators to ensure that the story was accurate to the original game. The film's production was a labor of love, taking six months to complete and involving a team of dedicated animators and artists. The decision to create the film arose from the positive reaction to a promotional clip for the game Before Crisis, which was produced by Madhouse. The company was chosen for its ability to understand the significance of the project, as it was considered a large responsibility to animate the most popular game in the Final Fantasy series. Tetsuya Nomura, the character designer for the Final Fantasy VII series and co-director of Advent Children, acted as the supervising director, with the right to reject or accept concept drawings for Last Order. The production crew faced numerous challenges, including the difficulty of making Nomura's drawings move on screen and the need to create uniform lines across the hand-drawn animation. The film's production was a testament to the dedication of the team, who worked day and night to ensure the final product was of very high quality. The film's creation was a collaborative effort, with the production crew working closely with the game's creators to ensure that the story was accurate to the original game.
The Sound of the Lifestream
The musical score of Last Order, composed by Takeharu Ishimoto, is a key element of the film's emotional impact. The soundtrack was combined with the music from Before Crisis on a single soundtrack and released in Japan on the 19th of December 2007. The music was later made available in North America by Square Enix, and select tracks were remixed for the game Crisis Core. The soundtrack includes the ending theme Last Order, which is a haunting and emotional piece that captures the tragedy of the film. The music is a key element of the film's emotional impact, as it provides a backdrop to the story's most poignant moments. The soundtrack was also the subject of a four-disc tribute album, Voices of the Lifestream, by OverClocked ReMix, which included a disc entitled Order. The music is themed after Last Order, and is a testament to the film's impact on the Final Fantasy VII community. The soundtrack is a key element of the film's emotional impact, as it provides a backdrop to the story's most poignant moments. The music is a key element of the film's emotional impact, as it provides a backdrop to the story's most poignant moments. The soundtrack was also the subject of a four-disc tribute album, Voices of the Lifestream, by OverClocked ReMix, which included a disc entitled Order. The music is themed after Last Order, and is a testament to the film's impact on the Final Fantasy VII community.
The Fan Reaction
Last Order received a mixed response from fans, with some praising its depth and others criticizing its deviations from the original game. The film was included in the North American Limited Edition Collector's Set of Advent Children, released on the 20th of February 2007, but was not included in the 2009 director's cut of Advent Children. The film's depiction of the Nibelheim incident was a key point of contention, with some fans feeling that it changed the story too much. The producer of Crisis Core, Hideki Imaizumi, 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. The film's reception was a testament to the passion of the Final Fantasy VII community, who were deeply invested in the story and its characters. The film's depiction of the Nibelheim incident was a key point of contention, with some fans feeling that it changed the story too much. The producer of Crisis Core, Hideki Imaizumi, 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. The film's reception was a testament to the passion of the Final Fantasy VII community, who were deeply invested in the story and its characters.