Last Order: Final Fantasy VII

Independent Films, Film Profiles

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-), also abbreviated as Last Order, is a 2005 original video animation produced by Madhouse and originally released in Japan by Square Enix. It was released in Japan with Advent Pieces: Limited, a special edition release of Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, and is an addition to the United States limited edition release of Advent Children. The OVA was never given an English dub, but is subtitled in the English release. Last Order is part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, a series of prequels and sequels to the original game, Final Fantasy VII. The Compilation of Final Fantasy VII also includes the games Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode: Final Fantasy VII, and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, as well as the film Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. The music of Last Order was released with the music of Before Crisis, and select songs were remixed for Crisis Core. Last Order was created due to the success of promotional commercials for Before Crisis. Production lasted about 6 months, and the crew faced several challenges during the time.Last Order details two events that happened before Final Fantasy VII. One event revolves around the Nibelheim scenario that focused on Zack Fair, Cloud Strife, Sephiroth and Tifa Lockhart. The other involves Zack and Cloud on the run from Shinra. The anime cuts back and forth between these two flashbacks, linked by the Turk leader Tseng's reflection on the Nibelheim events. Originally meant to focus on Zack, Last Order also highlighted Tseng's feelings and position in the Shinra company, as well as his moral values.77,777 copies of Advent Pieces: Limited were released in Japan, and had been sold out months in advance before being officially released. Last Order received a negative fan response due to changes in content and presentation from the original Final Fantasy VII. Because of this, with Crisis Core, a prequel to Final Fantasy VII, the crew avoided recreating the scenes of Last Order. OverClocked ReMix created a tribute album for the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, which included a disc themed after Last Order and entitled Order.Narrated by Tseng, Last Order switches between the past Nibelheim incident and Zack's escape to Midgar with his unconscious friend, Cloud Strife. During the Nibelheim event, Sephiroth, insane after discovering his origins, sets fire to the village. After killing many villagers, Sephiroth proceeds to the Nibelheim reactor, where Jenova had been encased. Soon after he arrives, Tifa, a resident of Nibelheim angry at Sephiroth for killing her father, attempts to kill him. He quickly knocks her away and continues to Jenova's body, preserved in a large glass tank willed with liquid. Zack follows Sephiroth into the reactor and fights him, but Zack is eventually disarmed and injured too severely to attack further. Sephiroth returns to Jenova's body, but does not hear Cloud approaching.Cloud immediately impales Sephiroth with his sword, cracking Jenova's glass tank. He returns to Tifa and the two converse, while Sephiroth, still alive after receiving the injure, cuts off Jenova's head. He carries her head with him towards Cloud, and they engage in battle. Cloud is quickly impaled through the stomach and hung over the reactor's core, but in a feat of strength, he grabs Sephiroth's sword, and moves himself further gains leverage to hurl Sephiroth aside. Instead of continuing the fight, Sephiroth, with Jenova's head, jumps into the reactor core in an attempt to reach the Promised Land. Though Zack and Cloud survive the ordeal, they are taken by Hojo to the Shinra Mansion for experimentation.The other event detailed in Last Order illustrates Zack and Cloud's escape from Shinra. During their experimentation, Cloud had succumbed to Mako poisoning. Mako poisoning is caused by a surge of memories flooding through one's mind to the extent that they can no longer perceive who they are. Due to this, Cloud remains in an unconscious, non-reactant state. Zack escapes with Cloud with the Shinra Mansion with the intention of returning to Midgar, the headquarters of Shinra. However, Shinra orders their elite espionage and assassination division, the Turks and their paramilitary to find and eliminate the two escapees. Tseng, the leader of the Turks, decides to capture them alive while Shinra's army is sent out to destroy the two.On a bluff overlooking Zack and Cloud, who had hitched a ride on a truck, Shinra operatives decide to ignore orders to wait for the Turks. One takes aim on the incapacitated Cloud and Zack, noticing, jumps in front of Cloud, yelling at him to escape.