A LIVING LEGACY: A Journey through Final Fantasy VII - Part 1

[@TheHylian64]

I would like to express my thanks to all contributors for this video series. Highly suggest you check them out through the links below! Gameplay footage: MorayAbyss - kzbin.info Musicians and arrangers: Benyamin Nuss - kzbin.info (KZbin), www.twitch.tv/bennynuss89 (Twitch) Orchestral Fantasy - kzbin.info Sean Schafianski - kzbin.info (KZbin), seanschafianski.bandcamp.com/ (Bandcamp) The Consouls - kzbin.info Mustin - kzbin.info The OneUps - kzbin.info Patti Rudisill - kzbin.info The Game Brass - kzbin.info Kyle Athayde - kzbin.info Eric L. - kzbin.info Songe - kzbin.info Meine Meinung - kzbin.info Jordan Moore - kzbin.info Bibzball Piano - kzbin.info Andre Kane - kzbin.info Hari Sivan - kzbin.info/door/oZ9sNCWVB7ccW-B4h9FA5g Rifti Beats - kzbin.info Box Monkey Studios - kzbin.info Kevin Won - kzbin.info (KZbin), open.spotify.com/artist/0US03j4zpFCphy9kcRuCcW (Spotify) Steven Morris - kzbin.info insaneintherainmusic - kzbin.info TPR - kzbin.info Medllix - kzbin.info P2 Sue - kzbin.info PitTan - kzbin.info ViolinistBAKA - kzbin.info The 8-Bit Big Band - kzbin.info Pixel Mixers - kzbin.info grizzlyflute - kzbin.info Julia Henderson - kzbin.info Ludópatas - kzbin.info Shadow Dreamer - kzbin.info Thank you to luksy, Chapybara and Fulc for all of the translations for the clips to be used in this video series.

[@TheHylian64]

References: [1] SULLIVAN, Meghan. “Final Fantasy Creator Hates Sequels”. IGN UK. May 2017 [2] BONI, Marta. “World Building: Transmedia, Fans, Industries”. Amsterdam University Press. 2017. [3] TANAKA, Motoko. “Apocalypticism in Postwar Japanese Fiction”. 2011. [4] TANAKA, Motoko. “Apocalypticism in Postwar Japanese Fiction”. 2011. [5]KNOBLAUCH, William. Game Over? A Cold War Kid Reflects on Apocalyptic Video Games. In GOLDBERG, Daniel; LARSSON, Linus. “The State of Play: Sixteen Voices on Videogames”. 2015. [6] YIP, Spencer. "Soraya Saga On Xenogears And Xenosaga". 2010. Accessible via: www.siliconera.com/soraya-saga-on-xenogears-and-xenosaga/. [7] DAVIES, Paul. "Final Fantasy VII: An Interview With Squaresoft". Computer and Video Games. Issue 191, p. 53-59. October 1997. [8] MATSUI, Yuki; SHIDA, Hidekuni. ゲーム・マエストロ Vol.4 デザイナー/イラストレーター編 [Game Maestro Vol. 4: Designer/Illustrator Volume] (in Japanese). Mainichi Communications. 2001. Apud Wikipedia’s Final Fantasy VII article. [9] LEONE, Matt. "Final Fantasy 7: An oral history". Polygon. January 2017. [10] PATTERSON, Shane. “The Surprising Origins of Your Favorite Games”. GamesRadar. November 2008. [11] KUROKAWA, Fumio. “Mr. Sakaguchi, the creator of FF: A magnificent drama when he was a student. The wind changes from the encounter with Mr. Hiromichi Tanaka”. What’s In Tokyo. May 2017. [12] FUJII, Daiji. Entrepreneurial choices of strategic options in Japan's RPG development. Faculty of Economics, Okayama University. 2006. [13] LEONE, Matt. "Final Fantasy 7: An oral history". Polygon. January 2017. [14] KOHLER, Chris. "Why's It Called 'Final Fantasy'? Uematsu Explains". Wired. July 2009. [15] PARISH, Jeremy. "What's the Deal with Square Enix's Akitoshi Kawazu?". 1UP.com. October 2012. [16] FEAR, Ed. "Sakaguchi discusses the development of Final Fantasy". Develop. Intent Media. December 2007. [17] KOHLER, Chris. "Why's It Called 'Final Fantasy'? Uematsu Explains". Wired. July 2009. [18] web.archive.org/web/20071021081552/www.planetnintendo.com/alefgard/dqhistory.asp [19] DAVIS, Ziff. "Final Fantasy III". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Issue 63, p. 172. October 1994. [20] IWATA, Satoru. “Iwata Asks: In Conversation with Takahashi and Sakaguchi”. Nintendo of Europe. 2011. [21] SATO. “Final Fantasy VI Staff Talk About The Rivalry With Dragon Quest That Helped The Series Grow”. Siliconera. 2019. [22] PARISH, Jeremy. "Final Fantasy: Kitase's Inside Story". 1UP.com. UGO Networks. February 2010. [23] “2019 CESA Games White Papers”. Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association. July 2019. [24] LEONE, Matt. "Final Fantasy 7: An oral history". Polygon. January 2017. [25] "Nintendo and Silicon Graphics join forces to create world's most advanced video entertainment technology" (Press release). Silicon Graphics, Inc. September 1993. [26] IWATA, Satoru. “Iwata Asks: In Conversation with Takahashi and Sakaguchi”. Nintendo of Europe. 2011. [27] DAVIES, Paul. "Final Fantasy VII: An Interview With Squaresoft". Computer and Video Games. Issue 191, p. 53-59. October 1997. [28] Edge Staff. “Everything we know about the man behind the Final Fantasy 7 remake”. Gamesradar. August 2015. [29] blackoak. "Final Fantasy VII - 1997 Developer Interviews". Shmuplations. [30] JUBA, Joe. "The Art That Shaped Final Fantasy: Thoughts From Famed Artist Yoshitaka Amano". Game Informer. April 2016. [31] SATO. "How Final Fantasy V Was A Turning Point In Tetsuya Nomura's Career". Siliconera. March 2014. [32] Studio BentStuff, ed. (2007). Final Fantasy VII 10th Anniversary (in Japanese). Square Enix. pp. 8-13. [33] GANTAYAT, Anoop. "Nomura, Kitase and Nojima Discuss Final Fantasy VII's Development". Andriasang.com. May 2012. [34] MITSUDA, Yasunori. "My Friends: Masato Kato". Our Millennial Fair. Procyon Studio. November 1999. [35] MITSUDA, Yasunori. "My Friends: Masato Kato". Our Millennial Fair. Procyon Studio. November 1999. [36] LEONE, Matt. "Final Fantasy 7: An oral history". Polygon. January 2017. [37] WHITE, Matthew. “PlayStation Versus N64: A Hardware Analysis”. The Solid State Gamer. July 2014 [38] WHITE, Matthew. “PlayStation Versus N64: A Hardware Analysis”. The Solid State Gamer. July 2014 [39] FLEISCHER, Cesca. “The History of the CD-ROM”. Autodesk. [40] FAHEY, Rob. "Farewell, Father". Eurogamer. April 2007. [41] ROBINSON, Andy. “The Road to PS5: PSOne’s Betrayal and Revenge Story”. VGC. February 2020. [42] Cyber Shaman. “EVERY NINTENDO E3 1995-1999 (Part 1): Ultra 64. N64 Reveal, Super Mario 64, Zelda OOT + MUCH MORE”. Time stamp: (5:50-34:00), available at: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZ7VgYaYoNOAj7s [43] WILLCOX, James K."The Game is 64 Bits". Popular Mechanics. p. 134. April 1996. [44] blackoak. "Final Fantasy VII - 1997 Developer Interviews". Shmuplations. [45] WILLCOX, James K."The Game is 64 Bits". Popular Mechanics. p. 135. April 1996. [46] LEONE, Matt. "Final Fantasy 7: An oral history". Polygon. January 2017. [47] LEONE, Matt. "Final Fantasy 7: An oral history". Polygon. January 2017. [48] LEONE, Matt. "Final Fantasy 7: An oral history". Polygon. January 2017. [49] LEONE, Matt. "Final Fantasy 7: An oral history". Polygon. January 2017. [50] blackoak. "Final Fantasy VII - 1997 Developer Interviews". Shmuplations. [51] DAVIES, Paul. "You Should Know This Game: Final Fantasy VII". Computer and Video Games. Issue 185, p. 88. April 1997. [52] LEONE, Matt. "Final Fantasy 7: An oral history". Polygon. January 2017. [53] GILLBERG, Theo. “Lost in Localisation: A translation analysis of Final Fantasy VII”. Göteborgs Universitet. 2014. [54] WRIGHT, Landon. “Final Fantasy 7 Remake: between escape and crushing reality”. Global Comment. April 2020. [55] www.destructoid.com/blogs/Pixie+The+Fairy/before-you-delve-into-final-fantasy-vii-remake-or-before-you-get-too-deep-in-i-d-like-to-suggest-watching-blade-runner-the-final-cut-it-s-seldom-said-but-the-midgar-section-of-ffvii-made-a-lot-of-choices-that-reflect-an-appreciation-of-the-film--585770.phtml [56] DAVIES, Paul. "You Should Know This Game: Final Fantasy VII". Computer and Video Games. Issue 185, p. 88. April 1997. [57] PARK, Gene. “Perfecting Final Fantasy 7’s legacy, as told by its creators”. Washington Post. April 2020. [58] DAVIES, Paul. "Final Fantasy VII: An Interview With Squaresoft". Computer and Video Games. Issue 191, p. 53-59. October 1997. [59] GANTAYAT, Anoop. "Nomura, Kitase and Nojima Discuss Final Fantasy VII's Development". Andriasang.com. May 2012. [60] GILLBERG, Theo. “Lost in Localisation: A translation analysis of Final Fantasy VII”. Göteborgs Universitet. 2014. [61] Square Enix. “【字幕有】ケニー・オメガ × 北瀬 佳範 「ファイナルファンタジーⅦ」スペシャル対談”, available at: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHTSaWd6ebOEe8k [62] TANG, John P. “The Role of Financial Conglomerates in Industry Formation: Evidence from Early Modern Japan”. UC Berkeley. November 2006. [63] Square Enix. "Inside FINAL FANTASY VII (Closed Captions) ", available at: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oH-0l4xpfJhor5I [64] Cybershell. “An Internet Hero”, available at: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3PJn4SZe7N2ppY

[@TheHylian64]

MauLer's TFA Critique Part 1 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2bQfWarqJV7ibM Timestamps on discussion on objectivity x subjectivity: 5:18, 20:30, and 2:21:35 Adding it here to not cause confusion with other timestamps in the description

[@BigTravUSA]

Night Sky Schiller schilled your channel this time. Let's hope it's worth it $$$

[@BigTravUSA]

Video don't start until 7:19 Everything before it is summed up better at 11:10

[@Kyoukichi]

@@BigTravUSA Nah, more like 54:42

[@TheMrKlever]

Night Sky Prince brought me here. Let's enjoy the ride.

[@kevin_cabeza14]

Same here

[@silviobahr8556]

@@kevin_cabeza14 same here 🤘

[@dill_himself]

Same

[@polyman6859]

Ayyyyy same here

[@WeLiveALot]

Same!

[@MorayAbyss]

This is the exact kind on content I cherish the most on KZbin. Thank you.

[@TheHylian64]

Thank you for providing the footage to make this Part 1 possible!

[@merleetomlin6218]

I'm very happy to see people jumping on the long-form critique band wagon. I've followed Mauler's critiques for a while now so I'm glad to see your appreciation of his philosophies on art.

[@orion8550]

Congratulations Hylian on a remarkable achievement. I've just finished. Due to work, I watched in smaller sections initially but I watched the last 2 hours in one sitting. Once you hit the background and analysis of the game, the video moves incredibly fast. It doesn't feel like a 4 hour video. Obviously the length of the video is impressive in itself, but I'm blown away by the quality of research and analysis. I can't begin to imagine the work that's gone into this. Thumbs up to everyone who contributed, big or small. A few points: Apocalyptic - I never thought about it in the context of where our world was or where even Japan was in 95. I just landed on the game with little knowledge of Japanese media, so it's fascinating to live the run up to the game's inception and launch through your narration. Fascinating comparisons to Metropolis. And loved the bonus visual reference to Cinema Paradiso by the way - a beautiful Italian movie, (and for anyone who hasn't experienced it I'd thoroughly recommend the 124 minute international version). Hooked by your deep analysis of story, character and scene. The train attracting the curiosity of the narrative lens of the camera is powerful. I feel educated, inspired and with a deep appreciation for this game we all love. I'm in awe of the road ahead of you, but there is no one better equipped to travel it, and take us along for the ride. Cannot wait for the next part. However long it takes. Thank you.

[@TheHylian64]

Thank you so much for this touching comment. It truly incentivizes me to push forward with this project. Hopefully you love the rest that's to come! :)

[@TheRandomGuyTheFarNoGameCat]

Long form content is the only thing I consume on here. So I thank you. Came here from your colab with Orion.

[@KnightsDisillusion]

Final Fantasy 7 means alot to me so to see a deep analysis that is 4 hours long is really exciting! Video game history is so fascinating. Thanks for all your hard work.

[@slimedosegames4205]

It's finally here

[@Ewelyra]

I like the way how you have used the scenes and sources to fit what you have explained. Well made!

[@Coolio_Ash]

I really want to say I am envious of people able to make clear and concise arguments, theses, and evidentiary statements about media they consume. I've never been able to make good essays and it shows, it's part of why I dropped out of college. This video is clearly made out of an abundance of love towards its subject, and I wish to one day be able to make essays similar to it on media I adore as well.

[@thisfreakingguy3833]

Night sky prince recommended me here

[@TheHylian64]

I'm honored to have him recommend my content

[@FranciscoGomez-ey6cp]

The intro reminded me of Tim Rogers intro for his first action button review, which was also about Final fantasy 7... Nice

[@magicalgirl4]

It scares me that this is going to be longer than his video. Though probably not as long as his Let’s Mosey series

[@hian]

I feel as if I am going to be leaving a lot of comments as I keep watching this =P EDIT : I'll prob just edit in thoughts I have here rather than spam your comment section. Some notes on your section on works preceding FFVII : - You mention Princess Monoke often, but the footage shown is frequently from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Is there a reason you didn't mention this? Nausicaä is arguably one of the strongest influences for the conceptual basis of FF as a franchise. It's even got Chocobos in it. - If we're talking Squaresoft games that share DNA with FFVII, although it was never released in the west, Rudra no Hihou is a very strong contender. Riza's character clearly shares DNA with Aerith and her early story moments are a kind of microcosm of FFVII's introduction. Riza travels to a petroleum-punk city ruled by a greedy mayor, who is basically destroying the lands by using spirits as fuel for a reactor that powers his city. Notes on the actual analysis section : - Barret's line to Cloud in regards to setting the bomb, is not best read as a joke, but a reflection of his lack of trust in Cloud. He says : 「オレ？　オレは見張らせてもらう。お前さんがおかしなマネをしないようにな」 見張らせてもらう is a way of saying "I'll be on watch", or rather "I'll have you accept/allow me to be on watch." As for why, he says this : 「おまえさんがおかしなマネを しないようにな」 "To make sure you don't pull any funny business." おかしなマネ in Japanese is not an expression that describes clumsy behavior or behavior apt to fail. It is an expression specifically used in relation to untrustworthy behavior. おかしな meaning strange, odd, out of character, crazy etc マネをする being the verb for acting, performing, or mimicking behavior. - The lines heard by Cloud when he is about to set the bomb doesn't actually have anything to do with the reactor they're in or reactors generally. It's a line from the Nibelheim flash-back, referencing specifically the fact that the Nibelheim reactor isn't just a reactor, but a place used for Shinra's human experiments with Mako infusion and Jenova cells.

[@blobeyeordie]

I feel that learning about games(specifically RPGs like FF) history and development is key to understanding what they are both about and the subtext/message they are conveying to the players, and their takeaway value that many sadly overlook. And while this is quite the exhaustive and analytical retrospective, I think this is something everyone who wants to get into or learn about RPGs in general could benefit from watching. Just as Uematsu stated, games, specifically RPGs and by example of FF7, was probably the first for many to show that video games can be more than just running around, jumping and shooting things. They can be formative experiences unlike any other. And in the case of Final Fantasy, it was Sakaguchi, whos vision it was to make them so...the "Spirit of Final Fantasy" if you will. One could argue that when he left Square, so too did that spirit. There are also articles and interviews in old Famitsu and Playstation mags(Im sure there are many others) exploring FF7s development on deeper, more intimate levels, that might make for good supplemental material in the next part. That all said, this is one of, if not the best analysis on FF7, and Im very much looking forward to the next part. Thank you for all your hard work!

[@SavingTermina]

Awwww yeah baby! Looking forward to it!

[@driftingmemories5737]

Gotta say. This was amazing. I was having a gloomy day and anything ff7 makes me happy and you just delivered. Thank you.

[@Fomortiis100]

You know someone's inspired by MauLer when they spend an hour discussing objectivity vs. subjectivity before actually talking analyzing the content lmao Great first start, I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this channel

[@TheHylian64]

Don't forget Normativity! ;)

[@cherryblossom2371]

This vid was ace! Finally got around to watching it all the way thru. Thanks for making it.

[@catarena8031]

I'll be chipping through this chunk by chunk. I love watching long analysis videos on topics that are close to my heart.

[@DrSlump-fz9ki]

Found out about this video in my recommended vids on my home page. I’m glad you are showing FF7 respect and care like this. I respect this video a lot, and I hope you have success with this series. Look forward to more.

[@Jabrils]

Night Sky Prince sent me. I am about to make dinner & watch this :D

[@dudemcguy1227]

Hi there, just wanted to comment and say that this is an excellent video. If this is your first video essay you've ever done it's especially impressive. High quality content with clear points, good editing, and thorough research. Well done! As someone else pointed out, the music is a bit too distracting sometimes. You could solve that by having it at a lower volume overall, especially when you are talking over it. Especially for higher pitched instruments like violin, piano, or trumpet. But overall this is a really great video for a really great game 👍

[@dissmob7648]

Thanks for this analysis. It is precious these days, when many people are playing FFVII for the first time, often recontextualizing it with the knowledge of the remake series. The remake is changing the original, in a way... sometimes for the worse. One little detail: sometimes the music volume is too high and your voice doesn't stand out.

[@TheHylian64]

Thank you for the kind words! Do check out my later content. The sound mixing is drastically improved. About Remake, I tend to be pretty negative about its execution, so we seem to be on the same boat there. If you have a Discord, don't hesitate to join my server and the Lifestream Media Group community, a space dedicated to more OG FFVII-oriented content creators and fans.

[@MetalChocob0]

Once I saw the snow chocobo, I immediately knew this video was gonna be a banger. 😎

[@meximaya]

Respectfully, I believe the greatest barrier to watching longer videos is more opportunity cost than instant gratification.

[@joelman1989]

I don’t know about y’all, but when I see a 4 hour fully scripted and edited video (on any topic, even more so one I love like FF7) I immediately get hyped.

[@Lupinthe64th]

I couldn't be more grateful for KZbin's algorithm to have gifted me with your video. The amount of effort, talent and quality behind this video is visible in the first 15 minutes already. And somehow the video only got better. The commentary on art analysis, the history of Square and FFVII, and this in-depth analysis is the best I've ever seen. I could type here all day praising your points, but I think you get the picture. This is the first video in your channel, but I hope you know that, outside of some volume issues here and there, this came out looking like a work of a professional. I truly hope Square and folks like Sakaguchi see this. You deserve a lot of success with what you created here. It's crazy that this video has so few views considering everything. I usually don't get suggested videos with this view count, but it ended up being a more worthwhile watch than most videos with millions of views that show up in my feed from time to time. Thank you for reviving my love for Final Fantasy VII. I wish I could donate to you immediately, but I'm gonna have to wait for my salary to sort things out. But I'll be sure to give you support in the future. Don't stop nor give up with this series. Even if it has few views now, this will eventually grow into something big. I'll share your video with everyone I can! Good luck with your future projects!

[@TheHylian64]

Thank you so much for your kind words. I'm honestly glad YT is showing my video to people. The stats for the video seem to be good but the views don't rise like I hoped for so I was under the impression the algorithm wasn't favoring my video. Thank you for the reassuring words. Wanting to see viewers being enthralled like this is one of the main things that made me kickstart this channel. I hope my series continues to impress and live up to the hype.

[@michialphelps2339]

This is the most in depth review of FF7 and its history that I've ever seen hands down. Amazing work 👏. I appreciate the hours and hours of dedication you put into this. This is how you make a long video, creators should take notes.

[@danmcnaughton2886]

I just want to take a second to commend you on your quality work, effort, and thoughtfulness contained in this video. Thank you!

[@ko9killer]

What a very lofty endeavor you have set before yourself. Podcast length on the KZbin platform. I appreciate your college/university essay like format and thesis. Still mowing through it, but your thoroughness is impressive🙂

[@itsmorphinetime]

Thank you KZbin algorithm! I saw the run time and got immediately excited. Can’t wait to give this whole video a watch!

[@AbsoluteBumder]

Thank you for addressing the oxymoron that is "objectively bad". It has always bothered me when Mauler says that phrase but I've never been able to properly articulate why.

[@Jolly3124]

First thoughts about 30 minutes in: I very much appreciate the effort that you've put into having visuals that match your delivery. However, the combination of the following issues makes it a bit difficult for me to follow along even with 100% engagement on my part: -The music is too engaging (i.e. distracting). It's good shit, and I assume your implementation of it is deliberate, but occasionally super interesting parts of the music pop up and I have to rewind to catch your point, and sometimes I have to listen really hard because the music has sudden changes in dynamic that cover up your delivery. -The script is well written from a grammatical standpoint, but something about the delivery is a bit unnatural and it makes it hard to anticipate where your sentences end. I don't think it's your accent, I think it's just awkward use of tonal speech patterns. -Too many big words and jargon. Sometimes, you have to say "In other words..." or something to that effect, then follow up with a simplification of what you just said. It might be beneficial to just use the simplification in the first place. All this being said, taking the time to rewind and make sure I understand your points is worth the effort. Your argumentation is clearly well thought out and I feel that your takes add to the whole discussion on objectivity in art. However, I disagree with the idea that "objectively bad" is an oxymoron, on the grounds that, as you yourself outlined, causality is an inherent quality of storytelling and is a strong basis for universal quality.

[@onixtalks]

I agree that the music volume could be dropped by a good 5 to 10 db.

[@AlymereWoL]

I had the same comment. I had a hard time focusing on what he was saying when it was jazz music or if there were flutes

[@TheHylian64]

All criticism is noted. The sound mixing has been the biggest source of criticism I've gotten thus far, and has been present since debut. I'm figuring out my way through video making, so I hope future parts address this issue. My Zelda video already had a shift in approach to sound mixing to try and solve this problem. Maybe you could check it out there and see if it's better! Thanks for the feedback! On the topic of the oxymoron, you are ascribing causality as a source of value for something being good or bad. It can't be objective. The very realms each word in "objectively bad" refers to are different. And considering causality in narrative works can also be discussed in the grounds of something being "reasonable" or not, even the basis of your argument can't be objective truth. The threshold of what is reasonable or not varies between people, it is the result of a set of thought processes fueled by normative ideals to reach conclusions. This is why I pointed to abductive and inductive reasoning in the video. A lot of it comes from normative experience and behavior. My Discord server has a channel specifically for this topic, so feel free to join if you want! Thanks again for the comment!

[@onixtalks]

@@TheHylian64 as someone who also creates content on this platform, audio mixing is very important to me and I needed to point that out, but I started watching your Zelda video and I immediately noticed the improvement. Good job and keep up the great work!

[@TheHylian64]

@@onixtalks Thank you so much for the feedback!!

[@TheRandomGuyTheFarNoGameCat]

The 3rd Person approach to FF1 is why I never got into Dragon Quest. I didn't like that I couldn't see the hero attacking. So I would probably be a huge Dragon Quest fan if it wasn't "First Person".

[@worawatsr9803]

This is more than FF7 analysis. It includes the history of Squaresoft, Sony, Nintendo and more. It is pretty much a gaming history analysis.

[@NIXNE]

From the jump im already impressed. Good work!

[@TheHylian64]

Thank you! :)

[@nodieza]

Thank you for this video and for providing such an analytical deep dive on my favorite game of all time. Looking forward to all future content!

[@TheHylian64]

I'm glad you enjoyed it! I hope future parts impress you even more. Do share the video in any way you can (Discord, Reddit, Twitter, whatever means you prefer)! The more people get to see this, the better people know of this game's legacy and history. The original FFVII being as misunderstood and forgotten as it is today is heartbreaking considering what it achieved.

[@mritchywrath]

Very good stuff dude! I'm working on a long review of FF7 myself, and I gotta say the thoroughness with which you did this is really inspiring. Good job!

[@overleveledgames]

Wow. This was truly fantastic. Your work and dedication to this series is beyond anything I could hope to achieve. I will absolutely be discussing this video on our next podcast. I hope the guys over at Resonant Arc watch this and shout you out as well! Keep up the amazing work man, can't wait for part 2!

[@amccaddon1]

This video has alerted me to Sean Schafianski, now my new favourite album haha. Thanks!

[@sheridandwyer]

So excited to have another vid to binge over a few days and add to my "Commentary vids to fall asleep to" playlist. I adore passion projects like this!! Can't wait for the other parts and thanks for all the hard work I'm sure went into this!

[@yeeernetwork]

Showing love on my favorite game of all time!!!

[@papes6728]

Finally got around to finishing this... Good job! I love learning about the history and the technological advances of that era and I'm sure anyone can tell you did your research well. I might not look at all your sources but the few that I have looked at, especially reference 53 have been very interesting and thought provoking. I continue to look forward to what comes next so keep up the good work.

[@gnarcky6ix6]

This must have taken so much effort, planning, research, and time to make. Really impressive video

[@SuperBrad40]

I'm a bit late to this analysis, but I absolutely enjoyed watching this. Can't wait for part 2

[@masked-feraligatr1094]

Remember me when you become famous bro

[@BibzballPiano]

Great work! About halfway through but will definitely watch the rest as soon I as can ;) Thanks for the shoutout

[@TheHylian64]

Thank you for providing the wonderful music!! :)

[@Dwight1295]

Time to get final fantasy 7

[@alexstrand2440]

Thank you so much creating this series! I really enjoy FFVII and I’m excited to hear your thoughts about it.

[@aaronhigham1251]

If only it was longer huh. Amazing job with this. No wonder night sky recommended this

[@superbabybao]

I love FF7 and I love watching analyses on it. Looking forward to watching this!

[@andrew9183]

i’m eagerly awaiting the next video. this one is awesome. thank you for it!

[@akiinmoonlight79]

Can't wait for part 2 !! ❤

[@TheHylian64]

I'm glad you enjoyed it, thank you!

[@CanalDoAnPhilos]

Nice video man! Awesome

[@charlieowens7307]

Night sky prince bring me here. You totally got my subscribe friend.

[@JoshRosario310]

I'm very excited about this series

[@miggysmunchies]

Good job Hylian, I’ll save this later on so it has my full attention. I really hope other gamers dwell into ff7. I’ve talked to people who played remake the first time and they loved it.

[@piledriver2021]

Man, that’s an impressive job. Can’t imagine how many hours did it took you. Keep it going

[@frederickmueller8687]

I’ve watched probably 250 hours about ReMake alone. I’m fine with listening for a while.

[@CASSIUSATBESTWV]

The fact that you made these FF7R clips sync up with your voice at the beginning

[@grimmmetals5290]

This is amazing. Sub earned. Looking forward to the next parts.

[@livingstoner6250]

Awesome analysis. Keep up the good work :)

[@Kaysa21]

Awesome video! Looking forward to part 2!

[@ennairaayanie9585]

Night sky prince brought me here! :D

[@Marty-V]

Lets get this up, up, up.

[@PetarBladeStrok]

This was absolutely amazing!

[@baztaylorson135]

Great video. You and Sleepezi should get together. I think you might top him for length and detail which is just amazing.

[@driftingmemories5737]

Night sky Prince brought me here. I'm ready with my Sandwich let's gooo

[@assjack22]

This is the type of content I can sit down and watch rather than a movie or some Netflix series.

[@TheLucafiore]

Thank you so much.

[@DekuManiacMasterKid2]

What an amazing analysis. I don't supose anyone could go more in depth than this. Great job, I hope that you continue working on this series. (It took me a while to watch it all since my attention spam is worse than that of a little puppy.)

[@TheHylian64]

Thank you for all your support. You have no idea how much it meant for me to have someone backing the channel from the start. I hope future parts impress you even more! And I hope the timestamps helped you out. I know a lot of people wouldn't watch this in one go. ;P

[@BennyNuss89]

Beautiful stuff!!

[@TheHylian64]

I'm honored Benny! I hope you enjoy the full video when you can! And specially the placements of your tracks and the credits. n_n

[@animefreddiemercury]

This is really interesting, never considered things like how workd events impacted FF7. It would be interesting to hear such a thing for Shin Megami Tensei, though I know about the book that inspired that series

[@JeanBobInnelemonde]

Never thought I'd see the day...

[@caveirainvocada9438]

This needs WAY more views

[@tomislavkresic1266]

Night Sky Prince said it was strongly recommended

[@nicotavo]

This is Just awesome

[@endlessmitch9663]

This was amazing!

[@yoyoyoyo-qv5hu]

I'm glad square went with sony in the end, imagine how much might have been censored otherwise.

[@samboyaus]

The section addressing the length of the video already goes on for too long lol. You made your point, and then kept going.

[@Ostefims]

Although I love the music, the volume is a bit too high in your video, in my opinion. Makes it harder to focus on what you are saying when such awesome music is playing. Well done in general, though, looking forward to the next one.

[@dannygrover595]

I just thought I'd mention that the line "this isn't a normal reactor" was a reference/flashback of the Nibelheim reactor that was the housing of Jenova and Hojo's makinoid experiments... I think at least. Other than that, good video. I agree with the other commenter that the music was a little loud in the mix occasionally. The intro was a little long and could have done with being a little more concise, you can definitely tell you're emulating MauLer 😁 Which there is nothing wrong with, just don't be afraid to add your own flair. The best covers of songs are by artists who made it their own 👍

[@AlymereWoL]

You got a like and a subscribe from me. Thanks for the content. Maybe it's just me but the music in the background made it hard to focus on what you were saying at times. The Bebop jazz and music with flutes in it were very distracting and too much for me to take in with your narration. That might just be a me thing. Great video overall though 👌🏼

[@TheHylian64]

Thank you!! Your criticism is not unwarranted, I was learning how to sound mix as I was making the video. I'm trying to fine tune it for future vids! My Zelda video already featured a mix change, so it could be relevant to check there and let me know if it's better for you, even if there's no jazz there.

[@thaddeuskent8185]

This is making me tear up at work. What the fuck. Also thank you for this.

[@TheHylian64]

Hi there! I'm glad you enjoyed my work! If you don't mind, what was the part or parts that moved you deeply?

[@jackbatay4692]

Ggs bro, u did good!

[@frederickmueller8687]

The value vs standards of objectivity argument is a very broken argument as a starting point, but I appreciate your starting point as a starting point.

[@ovi54]

Night sky prince sent me

[@binglee8000]

Woah

[@EidenOficial]

Awesome job! 👏👏👏. It would be nice if you add subtitles in English for better understanding for those who don’t have good ear listening every English accent (me, for example xD)

[@TheHylian64]

I'm trying to figure out what is up with YT. My Zelda video has it on just fine, but it's not working here. :/ I'll find a solution soon.

[@demetriusfairley9274]

I subbed

[@sadhu4624]

i understand alot of the words you say. Seperately

[@azemyr]

Hi ! You deserve a lot of more views and sub !!! But would it be possible to consider adding English subtitles? For the hearing impaired or non-English speakers

[@tocopiano]

Hi,Hylian!　Wow, so great！！！！😆👍

[@TheHylian64]

Hi Tokko! Nice to see you here. :)

[@Kaizer177]

Deep dude 👍

[@TheDJMeyer85]

What version of The Prelude is this at the beginning?

[@aklokoth]

you about to blow up

[@itzurboyjc4117]

Could you please add the auto-caption option, please?

[@hian]

Good stuff! At the risk of sounding like a douche, I think your normative lense might require some additional tweaks to mature into a more cogent mode of analysis. Normative claims are themselves subject to a conversation on the universality or lack thereof relative to target audiences. An anology/thought experiment that was regularly used to illustrate a ever-present problem in art analysis back in my days in uni, was something one of my professors called "the pizza party". Imagine that you've invited 10 people over to your house for a pizza party, but you've only got a limited amount of funds and you may only order one type of pizza. Imagine that half of the audience think pineapple pizzas are the greatest things ever, and other half pepperoni. Both groups are tepid towards beef. Whatever you end up doing, asking someone to come along and judge your choice a success or failure is truly going to be a challenge. In this scenario, you can only truly satisfy one group at the expense of the other I.E, you can only provide a truly sublime culinary experience to one half of the other, or an average experience to the lot. There's obviously a macro application here about genre traits etc, but there's also a micro application here to facets such as the various elements proposed as grounds for your normative judgements of a work of art. Take logical consistency for example : When constructing a plot for example, we could always ask what the purpose of a plot is. Failing to answer this, one could argue, by extension of the later point you make about avoiding unnecessary extremities, that the plot itself is unnecessary. So, why is any story A, rather than B? Well, plots exist as vehicles for themes, athorial messages and/or to emotionally/intellectually stimulate the audience. The assumption that a logical inconsistency in a plot is inherently bad or worse than had it not been there, is not possible to meet under that imposition. This is because it is possible and imaginable that a hypothetical plot A with plot hole X, services the themes and delivers a more potent emotional/intellectual impact than any other potential structure of the same or similar plot. More simply put, it could be that the work of reshaping plot A to address plot hole X would require change that overall detracts from the story's emotional potency etc. A work of art attains its full power by virtue of the sum of its part in conjuction with one another. For example, to look at the scene of Aerith's death and judge the music, visuals, its position in the plot, its connectivity with the themes etc, separately ignores the fact that the scene is experienced with all of these factors working in tandem and producing an accumulative effect. Not as a bunch of separate things. Judging art that way is like judging the taste of a cake by eating the ingredients separately. For that reason, any analysis of a work needs more than simply normative judgements. It needs a careful deliberation and transparent display of which audience's values it is catered towards in conjunction with an understanding that the work's ability to efficiently or optimally track on to and appeal to said preferences is a result of the work's particular configuration of elements and how they compliment each other. In terms of FFVII for instance, Sephiroth's sword being left behind in the Shinra building is a soft plot hole. It is never explained how Jenova materializes it in the first place, or how she gets it back again to kill Aerith later. (It's retroactively explained in the Ultimania, but that's irrelevant as a defense of VII's original plot) Masamune is only present in Shinra building because it's a red herring meant to fool the player into not questioning whether Sephiroth was really there or not. In that sense, the function of its presence and impact arguably supercedes its logical inconsistency with the plot. However, despite making little logistical sense, it does serve as great visual iconography and visual flair. And at little cost mind you, since most audience members will never notice. I think it could very well be a valid choice for a creator and a work to sacrifice certain elements of a work for gains elsewhere in order to highten the overall delivery of the work. That aspect of artistry is not well served by an analytical model that becomes to micro focused or one that appeals to normativity without understanding the diverse nature of audience appreciation and focus. My biggest issue with most analysis and reviews on youtube is that it, more often than not, veers off into a reductionist exercise in putting every little thing under a magnifying glass and pronouncing judgements on it as if the measure of a car is found in the quality of each of its nuts and bolts rather than how well it drives or endures as a vehicle overall.

[@AncientCityMusic]

This sounds like the ramblings of a crazy person.

[@animefreddiemercury]

I'm assuming you got a degree in the humanities and are either teaching, or not working in your field

[@hian]

@@animefreddiemercury I work as a game designer and scenario writer in Japan. Were there anything in particular about my post that you felt was out of bounds?

[@michialphelps2339]

@@AncientCityMusic exactly

[@michialphelps2339]

@@hian lies 🤣🤣🤣

[@TenderLover]

When does the ff7 talk actually start

[@firingemblems4118]

There are time stamps in the description

[@Kyoukichi]

@AG T It starts at 54:42 Everything prior to that point is unnecessary fluff, ramblings of an overly enthusiastic creator.

[@truecrescent00013]

Thanks Night Sky Prince. This is amazing work.

[@michialphelps2339]

Your thanking the wrong person

[@Kyoukichi]

@@michialphelps2339 lmao

[@truecrescent00013]

@@michialphelps2339 well. Yeh. I get that. No doubt. Give credit where credit is due. But I never would had known about this if not for his shoutout.

[@michialphelps2339]

@@truecrescent00013 i understand that but if your going to thank night sky prince, do it on his video and not the video he gave a shout out to.