Summary
Most video game fans know theFinal Fantasyfranchise as a massively influential series of video games that shaped the role-playing game genre nito what it is today. But in the many years since the series' debut in 1987, it’s also branched out into all sorts of other forms of media.The series now includes feature films, TV shows, books, and evenaudio dramas.
Final Fantasy’s radio dramasare connected to other works in the iconic franchise, and typically tell stories and expand on lore present in the games and anime. There have been seven of these audio dramas to date. This overview details when they came out, what they relate to, and what stories they tell.
6Final Fantasy: Unlimited After 2
An Anime Epilogue
The firstFinal Fantasyradio drama isUnlimited After 2, which is a sequel to the mangaFinal Fantasy: Unlimited After. This book, in turn, picks up after the end of the animeFinal Fantasy: Unlimited. It follows Kuroki Kaze, one of the main characters of the anime, and his rival Makenshi.
The audio drama contains about forty minutes of content and details Kaze’s unending quest todestroy Chaos, a recurring themein manyFinal Fantasyinstallments. Makenshi’s motivations are also explored, offering a bit of closure for fans of the anime.
5Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Radio Edition
Swapping Tactics For Drama
As the name suggests,Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Radio Editionis an audio adaptation ofthe plot ofFinal Fantasy Tactics Advance, the critically acclaimed tactical RPG that came out that same year. The drama was released in four volumes over the course of several months, each of which included three to four main chapters and one bonus.
While the basic synopsis of the game is preserved more or less intact,Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Radio Editiondoes have a few story changes from the game. The moogle airship mechanic Nono makes an appearance much earlier in the radio edition than in the game, for instance. While the drama was originally released in installments, a premium version of the complete story was later offered, so fans of the story could experience the whole thing in one go.
4Final Fantasy: Unlimited Before
Setting The Stage For Final Fantasy: Unlimited
This radio drama serves as a prequel to the events of the animeFinal Fantasy: Unlimited. It was provided as a pack-in bonus to fans who purchased all nine volumes oftheFinal Fantasyanimeon DVD in Japan. It’s a brief story, coming in at only two tracks, one of which is the series' main theme.
Final Fantasy: Unlimited Beforecovers some of the foundational events of the anime. The deaths of Windaria and Misteria are featured, and the main characters, such as the Hayakawa siblings and Lisa Pacifist, make their first appearances as well. This audio drama certainly isn’t required to enjoy the anime, but it’s a nice bonus for fans who want to see where the story all began.
3Final Fantasy 13 Episode Zero -Promise- Fabula Nova Dramatica Alpha & Omega
An Audiobook Prologue
Final Fantasy 13: Episode Zero -Promise- Fabula Nova Dramatica Alphais a retelling of the less wordyFinal Fantasy 13 Episode Zero -Promise-, which is a series of web novellas that act as a prologue to the events ofFinal Fantasy 13. The web novella covers the thirteen days leading up to the main game. It’s split into seven chapters, each of which centers on a differentmajor character fromFinal Fantasy 13, detailing their life and social situation in the days before the game starts.
Fabula Nova Dramatica Alphacovers all seven chapters, devoting 1-6 minutes to each, and also includes a special bonus story titled “Real.” An alternate version of the audio drama,Final Fantasy 13: Episode Zero -Promise- Fabula Nova Dramatica Omega, was launched in November of 2010. It told the same story with a different bonus chapter, further extending the world ofFinal Fantasy 13for eager fans.
2Final Fantasy 10 -Will-
Where Are They Now
Final Fantasy X -Will-is an audio drama created for release alongsideFinal Fantasy 10/10-2 HD Remaster. As the name suggests, this compilation title combines both games with renewed visuals and new features. The audio drama was just one piece of new content for fans to enjoy, alongside bonus videos and even a new novel.
The audio drama takes place a year after the events ofFinal Fantasy 10-2and serves as a sort of epilogue for the story, exploringwhat happened to the major characters. It centers around two new characters, Chuami and Kurgum, but their narrative quickly becomes entwined with those of the main characters from the games. The relationship between Tidus and Yuna is called into question as main antagonist Sin resurfaces, once again threatening the world. The radio drama ends on a cliffhanger, with Yuna once again vowing to defeat Sin.
1Final Fantasy 15 Prologue ~Tabidatsu Mono, Nokoru Mono~
The audio prologue toFinal Fantasy 15was released as a preorder bonus for PS4 versions of the game in Japan. It covers the events of the day before the protagonists' fateful road trip, setting the stage for the events of the game to follow. While it’s certainly not required to enjoy the game, it does help playerslearn more about Noctisand his friends.
Final Fantasy 15 Prologue ~Tabidatsu Mono, Nokoru Mono~is a half hour long audio drama with a story split across three tracks. It’s centered around the main characters of the game and the events that send them out on the road before the inciting incident ofFinal Fantasy 15. It also contains a discussion of the historical events leading up to the game’s conflict, giving fans a chance to learn more about the world of the game and their role in it before they start their adventure.
