15 April has been designated National Anime Day to celebrate the stylistic genre, which achieved mainstream success thanks to animators like Osamu Tezuka.
Released: 21 March 1994 to 21 July 1994
Directors: Rintaro, Naoto Kanda, and Tomohiko Ohkuda
Distributor: Madhouse
Budget: Unknown
Stars: Matt K. Miller, Sherry Lynn, John DeMita, Kate T. Vogt, Michael Sorich, Julia Fletcher, and Barbara Goodson
The Plot:
200 years after Final Fantasy V (Square, 1992), the malevolent Ra Devil (Sorich) arrives from the Black Moon and seeks the four elemental Crystals and only a quartet of unlikely heroes – headstrong Prettz (Miller), timid Linaly (Lynn), bumbling Valkus (DeMita), and mischievous Rouge (Vogt) – can stop him.
The Background:
In the mid-1980s, developer Square entered the Japanese videogame industry with simple role-playing games (RPGs), racers, and platformers for the Nintendo Famicom but, fearing low sales, forbade Hironobu Sakaguchi from developing a more complex RPG. That all changed with the success of Dragon Warrior (Chunsoft, 1986), prompting Square to reconsider their stance. Thus, Sakaguchi formed a small team to develop what he saw as his last chance at success in the industry. Of course, Final Fantasy (Square, 1987) was a huge hit that not only popularised the genre, but led to a slew of sequels and spin-offs over the following years. By 1994. the series spanned five games (with a sixth, arguably one of the greatest entries, due that same year). Final Fantasy V was a big hit upon release, despite not receiving an English translation, and Square sought to capitalise (and expand beyond videogames) by partnering with NTT Publishing on an original video animation (OVA) based on the title. The first direct sequel to a Final Fantasy game, Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals was originally released in Japan across four episodes on VHS before being dubbed into English and released in two volumes some three years later. At the time, the OVA was warmly received and praised for its visually engaging mixture of action and adventure. While some have criticised it as a poor adaptation and for its more comedic aspects, Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals became notorious for its scarcity. The OVA has never been re-released on any other media and is essentially lost to time, known only to a handful of die hard Final Fantasy and anime fans.
The Review:
200 years ago, the Warriors of Light (or “Valiant Ones”, as they’re referred to here) defeated the mad ambitions of Exdeath (dubbed “Exodus” here) to use the four elemental Crystals of Planet R to plunge all life into an everlasting void of darkness. Since then, Bartz Klauser (here called “Batz”), Lenna Tycoon, Galuf and Krile Baldesion, and Faris Scherwiz have passed into legend, with only Batz leaving behind a legacy in his descendants, the elderly Hassam (John Hostetter) and his brave but timid daughter, Linaly. Hassam operates alongside an unnamed Blue Mage (Unknown) as a spiritual advisor to Queen Lenna (Goodson), monarch of Tycoon, who learn from the wind itself of an oncoming danger. Despite his age, Hassam is adamant about journeying to the Wind Temple to investigate, determined to live up to the standard set by his ancestor. When Linaly offers to go in his place, the two reach a compromise to travel together, but Hassam refuses to allow boisterous Prettz to tag along as Linaly’s “bodyguard”. Believing the hot-headed youth would desecrate the sacred Wind Temple (and suspecting that Prettz just wants to impress Linaly), Hassam refuses to divulge their destination or let him on their boat, despite Linaly having a soft spot for the boy. Undeterred, Prettz follows on his bitchin’, steampunk-esque motorcycle, ultimately saving them from a gigantic, insectile desert monster when his nodachi proves more effective than the gaunt, featherless Chocobo Linaly summons. Despite severing the creature’s head with one dramatic slash, Prettz fails to impress Hassam who, too injured and exhausted to continue, insists that Linaly continue by herself. With Hassam returning to their village to rest and offering spiritual guidance to his granddaughter through a mystical talisman, Prettz continues to follow Linaly, whom he has an obvious crush on. Though she steadfastly refuses his offer for a ride since she wants to honour her grandfather’s wishes to go alone, Linaly soon changes her mind when threatened by a massive airship. Piloted by treasure-hungry pirate Rouge and her all-female crew, the pirates accost them, looking to steal their bike and possessions. Although Prettz manages to elude the pirates using his riding skills and one of his trademark spiked bombs, he makes an enemy of Rouge, who vows to hunt him down and make him pay for the humiliation.
While taking refuge in a forest, Linaly reveals the true nature of her quest to Prettz and uses her talisman (and telepathic advice from Hassam) to guide them to the Wind Temple, leading them to a raging sandstorm which Prettz rushes head-first into while Linaly allows her faith to guide her. Upon reaching the Wind Temple, however, they find the shrine out of reach. Hitting upon an idea, Prettz doubles back and forces Rouge and her crew to pilot her airship into the temple valley, threatening to blow them all sky-high unless they agree. Begrudgingly, Rouge agrees and, despite her annoyance and doubts that her ship will even fit through the canyon, successfully brings Prettz to the temple’s entrance…where he finds Linaly waiting! While he was off being a show-off, Linaly investigated the area and solved the puzzle to open the way to the Wind Temple and she ventures inside with Prettz while Rouge is distracted by an incoming airship. Braving the temple’s interior, the duo locate the Crystal, which, upon contact, bombards Linaly with visions of the past and a malevolent figure and the spirits of the long-dead Valiant Ones crying for aid. Overwhelmed by the barrage, both Prettz and Linaly are powerless to keep the Wind Crystal from entering her body, where it glows ominously from her perky little butt (leading to much raunchy leering throughout the OVA). Desperate to help his friend, Prettz races from the Wind Temple, reasoning that the Blue Mage would be able to help her, only to be confronted by Valkus, the heavyset commander of the Iron Wings, the same airship that caught Rouge’s attention. Having learned that the other three elemental Crystals have been stolen and their nations have descended into chaos, Valkus and his crew flew to the Wind Temple to secure and protect the remaining Crystal. Naturally, Valkus believes Prettz and Linaly to be thieves and fires on the two when they not only refuse to return the Crystal but when Prettz also pushes his disrespectful attitude too far. Despite the Iron Wings’ bombardment and Valkus shooting at the two with his pistol, the duo topple Valkus and attempt to escape. After being grazed by one of Valkus’ shots, however, Prettz flies into a rage, only to have his sword blocked by the commander’s bare hands and the hostilities between the group ended when Rouge (who had been eavesdropping the entire time) knocks them all unconscious with gas and kidnaps them, lusting after the mysterious Crystal she heard them talking about.
Elated to have captured not only the kids who humiliated her so badly but also the captain of the Iron Wings, Rouge spirits her quarry to her personal island and threatens them with torture. Defiant to the end, Prettz scoffs at her threats, maintaining his insolent attitude even when Rouge subjects him to a tickle machine. When Rouge threatens to snap Linaly’s neck with her whip, Prettz attacks in a fury, only to receive a beating that renders him unconscious. The three are thrown into a cell while Rouge ponders her next strategy. Though Prettz desperately tries to break out, he receives little help from Valkus, who finds himself confused by his attraction to Rouge. While Valkus’s crew frantically search for their lost commander, following sporadic energy spikes emitted by the Wind Crystal, the prisoners are stunned when the Crystal suddenly emerges from Linaly’s chest, and the spirit of Mid Previa (Fletcher) appears before them. The grandson of Cid, an ally of the Valiant Ones, Mid’s restless spirit ignores Prettz’s insolence and drops a bunch of exposition on the captives. Sometime after defeating Exodus, Mid was heartbroken when his beloved grandfather died, taking all his secrets of the Crystals with him since he’d come to realise it was foolish to meddle with their divine power. While mourning at Cid’s grave, Mid was suddenly attacked by the same dark figure that’s been haunting Linaly’s dreams and barking orders at his robotic subordinate throughout the OVA. This demonic being, later identified as Ra Devil, desecrated Cid’s grave, stealing his brain to absorb the old man’s knowledge, and murdered Mid simply for witnessing the act. Unable to rest, Mid pleads with Linaly to keep the Crystal safe within her and reveals that the three of them (and Rouge) have been chosen by the Wind Crystal to be the new Valiant Ones destined to save Planet R from destruction. Despite Prettz’s scepticism and continued hostility towards Mid because of their shared feelings for Linaly, the group soon set aside their differences when Rouge takes Linaly to forcibly remove the Crystal from her. Thanks to spurring Valkus on with promises that he can see Rouge again if they escape, Prettz finally breaks free from the cell and is forced to follow Mid’s lead.
Although Rouge implied that she would surgically remove the Crystal, Prettz is stunned to find the pirate queen serving his friend laxatives! After fighting past Rouge’s guards, Prettz rescues Linaly and reunites with his bike, thanks to Mid, discovering a massive cavern filled with explosives. When their escape threatens to turn violent, Valkus intervenes to try and make peace, only for Ra Devil’s Deathgyunos forces to attack. Prettz lures the alien creatures away, claiming that he possesses the Wind Crystal and allowing the others to flee to the Iron Wings. Prettz leads the creatures to the cavern of explosives and sets off a massive explosion that leaves Rouge’s island in flames, distraught at the sight, Rouge is offered some comfort by the blushing Valkus and Linaly is overjoyed to see Prettz inexplicably survived the explosion despite being at the heart of it. Reunited on the Iron Wings, Rouge is initially outraged when Valkus is forced to put her in chains to appease his loyal crew. However, she’s soon freed per a decree from Queen Lenna, whom the group meets in person upon reaching Castle Tycoon. Queen Lenna echoes much of Mid’s earlier exposition, explaining that the rag-tag group are the last hope for the world, which will be torn apart if Ra Devil acquires the last Crystal and absorbs their powers. Although Mid confirms the villain’s threat, the group remains sceptical: Linaly doesn’t believe she’s special, Prettz refuses to believe he’s been chosen by an inanimate object, and Rouge scoffs at the idea of a pirate like her being crucial to saving the world. Only Valkus accepts his destiny and the challenge of confronting Ra Devil on his base, the Black Moon, though the others are soon coerced into helping when Queen Lenna promises Rouge a treasure trove of riches and Prettz volunteers to protect Linaly, who quietly accepts her calling to save the world. However, to reach the Black Moon, the group must first venture into the depths of Castle Tycoon to awaken their guardian deity, the flying dragon (or “Hyriuu”). While Valkus and Rouge fend off the attacking Deathgyunos forces, Prettz, Linaly, and Mid head into the catacombs beneath the palace, fending off Ra Devil’s soldiers and taking a plunge through the clouds to a hidden stone shrine to the dragon. Prettz is dismayed to find the creature is represented only by murals and a tiny, flightless lizard (though Linaly is instantly enamoured by the cute little dragon). However, when Ra Devil appears in the chamber and kidnaps Linaly, shrugging off Prettz’s attack and terrifying Mid, Prettz finds himself astride the legendary dragon when it undergoes a dramatic transformation into a titanic winged deity ready to spirit the group to the Black Moon.
The Nitty-Gritty:
Although I haven’t played Final Fantasy V yet, Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals is no less enjoyable both as an adaptation/continuation of the game and as an anime. Setting it 200 years after the videogame is a good way to tell a brand-new story with some original characters, though I do wonder if this may alienate or disappoint fans of the game, who only get to see familiar characters returning as spirits. The visual, action, and humour are all far more reminiscent of Dragon Ball (1986 to 1989), focusing more on touches of lewd humour (mainly with everyone staring at Linaly’s glowing butt) and a fantasy land that’s less medieval and more disparate. I’d wager some of the locations will be familiar to fans of the videogame, especially Castle Tycoon and the Black Moon, and the OVA does a decent job of recreating a few of Final Fantasy’s gameplay mechanics. The group engage in random battles, for example; Linaly is a summoner (albeit not a very accomplished one); Queen Lenna is advised by a Blue Mage; and elements of the iconic Final Fantasy theme are sprinkled throughout the soundtrack. Airships are also few prominent and Linaly’s shown to be able to summon Chocobos. They don’t resemble the cute, furry beasts from the games, but this is attributed to Linaly not having fully realised her power. Each of the new Valiant Ones also has a “class” just like in the classic games, with Prettz being a swordsman, Linaly a mage, Valkus a marksman, and Rogue basically being a thief. Finally, there’s the obvious plot point of them safeguarding magical Crystals (specifically the Wind Crystal), which are so powerful and integral to Planet R that their absence causes nations to fall into ruin. Indeed, Queen Leena warns that simply protecting the Wind Crystal isn’t enough and that the world will end if the other three aren’t recovered, much less if their powers and corrupted by Ra Devil.
Ra Devil is an indistinct and vague threat who spends the first three parts of the OVA barking orders from his Black Moon base and resembling little more than a shadowy, vaguely cybernetic/demonic figure. When he appears before Mid and Linaly, he cuts an intimidating if generic and stoic figure, conveying his menace through desecrating Cid’s grave, murdering Mid, and kidnapping Linaly. Rather than being Exdeath Exodus reborn, Ra Devil is a seemingly alien threat who leaves the heavy lifting to his Deathgyunos soldiers, a nigh-endless swarm of demonic creatures who have the numbers advantage but are routinely cut down by Prettz and Valkus. There’s some enjoyable anime action in this OVA, especially when Prettz blasts about on his motorcycle or busts out his sword (something that, sadly, doesn’t happen all that often). The airships are suitably impressive, being immaculately detailed, and I enjoyed the mixture of action and comedy in most action scenes. Rouge’s “torture” turning out to be tickling and prune juice was amusing, as was Mid constantly winding Prettz up by comparing him to a dog and being immune to his physical reprimands. Although the attraction between Prettz and Linaly isn’t dwelled on all that much and is mainly conveyed through his willingness to endure any hardship to protect her, I enjoyed Valkus’ adoration of Rouge, which left the big man a blushing mess whenever the sultry pirate was around. The mismatched Valiant Ones make for quite the odd partnership; they’re often plagued by doubts or bickering between each other rather than battling Ra Devil’s forces. While only Valkus and Mid (and, to a degree, Linaly) understand the true scope of Ra Devil’s threat, even Rouge is convinced to help save the planet when she’s presented with riches. Prettz may be a sceptic and have an unruly demeanour, but he’s loyal to Linaly almost to a fault, volunteering for dangerous missions without truly understanding what he’s up against and taking on foes and even natural disasters with only his moxie and bombs to back him up. Though he knows when to flee a confrontation, Prettz is quick to join a fight if insulted or if Linaly is in danger and impresses with his defiant spirit. This contrasts with Linaly’s more subdued characterisation and leads to some fun interactions between him and his rag-tag cohorts.
Despite none of their airships being protected against the vacuum of space, the flying dragon hauls Valkus and Rouge’s crafts into the void, leaving Rouge and her crew stunned to discover Planet R is round rather than flat. Upon spotting the Black Moon, Mid is dismayed to find that Ra Devil’s plot is already underway. After wandering the universe in search of the ultimate power, the half-crippled demonic entity built an ominous base on the Black Moon and hooked the three Crystals up to an elaborate machine. With Linaly in place alongside Cid’s severed brain, Ra Devil begins siphoning the Crystals’ energy to channel the cosmic power of the universe into his very being! While his minions cry out in joy as Ra Devil slowly absorbs the power and knowledge of the universe, a lightning bolt causes our heroes to crash to the Black Moon’s surface, which is both hospitable and strewn with debris. After ordering her crew to repair the damage and nurse the dragon back to health, Rouge joins Prettz, Valkus, and Mid in tracking Linaly using her talisman (which Prettz retrieved in the dragon’s chamber) and Cid’s desperate pleas. When Ra Devil completes his transformation into Deathgyunos, the “God of Oblivion” (a titanic Eldritch abomination of organs and metal), Valkus and Rouge return to their airships to counterattack his forces, leading to Valkus flying into a rage when Rogue is wounded and his ship to be destroyed in an ultimately futile attempt to bring the behemoth down. Although Prettz rescues Linaly, he’s attacked by her thanks to Deathgyunos’ influence and it’s only through Mid’s intervention that the girl is brought to her senses. After Valkus’s men retrieve the other three Crystals and Mid reunites with his grandfather’s brain, Mid stalls Deathgyunos’ advance to allow his newfound friends to escape. Undeterred and seemingly unkillable, Deathgyunos continues, relentless in its desire for complete obliteration and torturing Prettz after the Wind Crystal joins with him. Though Valkus destroys the abomination’s hand, Linaly’s left to confront the creature alone when it subdues her friends with its energy blasts. Summoning a flock of Chocobos, Linaly rips Deathgyunos to shreds, leaving it vulnerable to Prettz’s final sword slash. Victorious, the newly formed Valiant Ones bid a fond farewell to Mid, who crosses over to be with his grandfather and friends, before returning home. Linaly relates their adventure to Hassam, who reacts with awe and pride, and the OVA ends to show Vulkus joining Rouge’s pirates to be with his sultry queen.
The Summary:
It’s a shame that Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals isn’t more readily available. The best you can hope for are poor transfers on video streaming sites or maybe a battered VHS copy. It really should be more widely available and I’ve never understood why it isn’t, especially as Final Fantasy and anime fans would probably lap it up. This is a really fun OVA with a lot of amusing moments and memorable characters. I really liked how hot-headed and brazen Prettz was, how he treated everyone except Linaly with such a smart-mouthed disdain and how he impressed with his defiant, never-say-die attitude. He charges into situations without thinking, full of piss and vinegar, and never betrays his friends, no matter the situation. Linaly was probably my least favourite character since she’s so sombre and laid back. Though I enjoyed the relationship between her and Prettz, I would’ve liked to see more of her struggling with her ancestry. Valkus and Rouge were also great; I loved how the big, bossy oaf was left a blushing schoolboy whenever Rouge sauntered about and how mischievous and roguish the pirate queen was. Mid also proved an enjoyable foil for Prettz, even if he’s mostly there for exposition and as a link to Final Fantasy V. Again, I suspect the large gap between the game and the OVA may be disappointing to fans of Final Fantasy V as it may as well have just been a standalone Final Fantasy story since it’s so far removed from Final Fantasy V. I suspect the biggest issue from this is with Ra Devil, a painfully generic threat compared to Exdeath, though he at least visually makes up for it by transforming into a nigh-unstoppable Lovecraftian monstrosity at the end. I would’ve liked to see more from Ra Devil, perhaps have him physically interact with the heroes a bit more, and maybe create a link between him and Exdeath based on their shared desire for destruction. Similarly, while I enjoyed that much of the conflict came from the mismatched Valiant Ones learning to co-operate, it would’ve been nice to see a few more action scenes to show off the gorgeous animation. Otherwise, Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals is a lot of fun and has a lot to offer. It’s definitely worth seeking out and petitioning for an official release for, if only to drag it out of obscurity so I can stop thinking of it as a “hidden gem”.
My Rating:
Great Stuff
Have you ever seen Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals? Were you disappointed that it was set 200 years after Final Fantasy V or did you enjoy the new characters? Which of the new Valiant Ones was your favourite and what did you think to their interactions? Did you like Ra Devil and how do you think he compares to Exdeath? Would you like to see the OVA be more widely available or do you think it deserves to be forgotten? What was your introduction to anime and how are you celebrating National Anime Day today? Whatever your thoughts on Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals, or anime in general, feel free to share them in the comments, support me on Ko-Fi, and go check out my other anime and Final Fantasy content.
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