If you wish to perceive how the Closing Fantasy VII universe acquired to the place it’s at present, then you needn’t look any additional than Introduction Kids. The 2005 animated film that acts as a sequel to the unique 1997 title is one thing of a flashpoint for the beloved characters. Introduction Kids paved the way in which for the once-concise occasions of a single recreation to department off into spinoffs, prequels, sequels, and now a remake trilogy. It’s the starting of the franchise’s lack of ability to let the unique recreation stand by itself.
Forward of Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth’s launch, Introduction Kids Full—the prolonged model of the film—re-released in theaters for a restricted time. I went to a exhibiting, and after enjoying Rebirth, I’m shocked by how a lot of the newest recreation’s occasions may be instantly traced again to the film. Introduction Kids is under no circumstances good, however it stays probably the most essential items of media for Closing Fantasy VII and the Closing Fantasy franchise at giant.
This text accommodates spoilers for the unique Closing Fantasy VII and Introduction Kids.
Trying to the way forward for Closing Fantasy
The primary strains of dialogue within the movie are a dialog between Rufus Shinra (he’s alive regardless of seemingly dying on the finish of FF7, and simply how isn’t defined) and new character Kadaj. “Why does humankind even trouble?” Kadaj asks. “You wreck the whole lot you’ve ever made, then you definately begin over prefer it’ll be any completely different the subsequent time.” To which Rufus replies, “I suppose we’re no good at going through our recollections. We’d quite gild the previous…Discover one thing worthwhile among the many rubble and construct a future with that.”
When Introduction Kids first launched eight years after FF7, it was pitched as an attention-grabbing sequel to the sport. However within the context of the Remake trilogy, Rufus and Kadaj’s interplay and Introduction Kids at giant maintain a lot extra weight. Kadaj appears to nearly query the builders behind the trilogy: “What’s the objective of this?”
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Within the Closing Fantasy franchise, we not often see what occurs after our heroes save the world, however Introduction Kids reveals us simply that. Cloud has a boring day job and has settled into life with Tifa and their two adopted youngsters, Marlene—who they watch whereas Barret is off doing one thing that the film doesn’t clarify—and newcomer Denzel. (Issues being conspicuously unexplained is one thing of a recurring theme.) It’s a quiet life, however a very good one. Too unhealthy there’s a mysterious plague known as Geostigma making its approach by way of the inhabitants. To not point out the trio of Sephiroth wannabes (Kadaj, Los, and Yazoo) who seem, upending Cloud’s regular life and asking after their mom, Jenova, who very clearly died in FF7.
This weird plot level is generally simply an excuse to make the trio battle it out towards the principle celebration members in flashy fights. These fights, in addition to the film as a complete, are nonetheless a deal with to take a look at even fifteen years later. Introduction Kids is the primary (however not the final) film made by Visible Works, Sq. Enix’s in-house cutscene maker now referred to as the Picture Studio Division. This film helped reimagine the sport’s iconic characters extra realistically, and the affect of this may be seen even in Rebirth.
The 3D fashions fly throughout the scene at excessive speeds and with shiny results flashing off of weapons. It’s a number of nonsense, however enjoyable nonsense—particularly within the movie’s climactic battle between Cloud and Sephiroth which feels prefer it lacks any objective past letting us see these two struggle in 3D. Essentially the most attention-grabbing struggle scene takes place in the midst of the movie, when all the celebration members unite in battle towards Bahamut within the heart of a newly constructed metropolis on the outskirts of Midgar. It’s exhilarating to see all of them struggle along with their signature weapons and magnificence, and you may clearly see how the movie impressed the collection’ transition to motion fight.
Dealing with the previous
A serious concern with Introduction Kids is its pacing— a problem that the Remake trilogy additionally faces. The narrative is sparse and scenes stretch out for no motive in any respect. By the tip, it appears like you possibly can rely the really essential moments on one hand with fingers to spare. However these essential moments nonetheless hit laborious, even bringing me to tears. Introduction Kids is anxious with Cloud’s survivor’s guilt and his lack of ability to actually transfer on from the occasions of the sport, which may really feel a bit repetitive since that is considerably addressed within the authentic FF7—but in addition, survivor’s guilt doesn’t simply go away; it lingers. Introduction Kids additionally asks, what comes subsequent? How will the subsequent technology dwell? These questions are answered by way of Denzel and Marlene, who’re clearly the torch holders for Aerith and Cloud respectively (although Cloud continues to be alive). However probably the most attention-grabbing character in Introduction Kids is Tifa, whose development for the reason that occasions of the unique recreation feels probably the most plausible and properly executed.
Tifa nonetheless fills the caretaker position we see within the authentic recreation, however within the film she’s grown into extra of a revered pillar of the neighborhood who’s seemed to for steerage. Her relationship with Cloud displays their lengthy historical past collectively, with the trials they confronted within the recreation making them nearer than ever. One notably memorable second comes when she confronts Cloud about his worry of being unable to avoid wasting Marlene after she is kidnapped, a worry largely rooted in his failure to avoid wasting Aerith two years earlier than. “Perhaps one thing will occur that may by no means un-happen. That scares you, doesn’t it? However you have to take into consideration now.” It’s a somber second that confronts Cloud’s guilt over Aerith’s demise and his lack of ability to let her demise go. That is additional punctuated by moments during which Cloud meets Aerith within the Lifestream, however nonetheless can’t bear to face her. Cloud, like Closing Fantasy 7 as a model itself, can’t let go of the previous.
As one of many earliest entries within the Compilation of Closing Fantasy VII, Introduction Kids is the start of a extra convoluted growth of the unique recreation’s world. It begins the limitless circling again to the identical properly that brings us to the remake trilogy present. The query of whether or not or not it ought to have been made within the first place is now irrelevant. It exists, and FF7 as a model should dwell with its selections, good and unhealthy.
One essential second, each dramatically and for its lore implications, reveals Aerith and Sephiroth doing battle within the Lifestream, revealing how those that have handed on should still have an affect on the bodily world. “I’ll by no means be a reminiscence,” states Sephiroth on the finish of his struggle with Cloud, establishing that, just like the characters and world of FF7, we’ll by no means be rid of him. This beloved story and everybody in it can’t simply dwell prior to now. And Sephiroth was appropriate in his assertion, because the Remake trilogy revives him and the unique recreation as soon as extra.
Introduction Kids is a multitude of a narrative filled with unexplained expansions to the lore, over-the-top fights, and fan-service moments. However there are a handful of genuinely lovely story beats that set up a dialogue between the movie and the unique recreation. It appears like a primary run on the similar themes we see at play within the Remake trilogy. The place the 2 connotations of the 1997 traditional differ fascinates me much more. Introduction Kids closes by being a narrative of the longer term, not the previous. Like the unique recreation, it ends with the laughter of kids, signaling hope for the subsequent technology.
But, Introduction Kids additionally made it tougher than ever to maneuver on from the world and characters of FF7, which is antithetical to the story it’s attempting to inform. The Remake trilogy understands that, due to Introduction Kids, Closing Fantasy 7 can by no means escape its personal previous. However quite than “gild the previous” as Rufus places it, providing a extra typical online game retelling that pretties up the unique recreation whereas smoothing away its edges in hopes of turning into the sport followers suppose they keep in mind and love, Remake and its sequels try and tackle the problem of going through the advanced, messy actuality of our collective recollections.
