Final Fantasy XIV: Dad of Light

Final Fantasy XIV: Dad of Light[lower-alpha 1] is an eight-part 2017 Japanese-language drama miniseries starring Yudai Chiba, Ren Osugi and Mako Ishino. It was released on April 17, 2017, on MBS/TBS, and on Netflix worldwide on September 1.[1]

Final Fantasy XIV: Dad of Light
GenreDrama
Starring
Country of originJapan
Original languageJapanese
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes8
Release
Original networkMBS/TBS
Original releaseApril 17, 2017 (2017-04-17)

Plot

The plot revolves around Akio Inaba (Yudai Chiba) who rekindles his bond with his retired and distant father Hirotaro (Ren Osugi) through the online role-playing game Final Fantasy XIV. Akio's plan is to connect with his father in-game and that it will expand into the real world.[2][1][3]

Cast

Production

The premise of the show comes from a Japanese blog written by a Final Fantasy XIV player who introduced the game to his elderly father.[4] The show was originally translated as Daddy of Light, but was changed to Dad of Light for its international release.[5]

In-game footage

Director Kiyofumi Yamamoto said that no computer graphic manipulation was used as the budget of a half hour drama is more limited and thought it was best to avoid using it.[6] During development, there was an idea of sticking an in-game camera on a player to simulate what the father and son were experiencing.[6] Many on the filmmaking team were skeptical, but Yamamoto experimented for two weeks and showed the team a video storyboard demonstrating that it could be done.[6] There was discussion about what frame-rate for the game footage should be, since the footage is from a family's apartment internet, or if they should focus more on the footage looking good.[6] After a week of experimentation, Yamamoto settled on 30 frames per second at 4K.[6] Yamamoto not only helped produce the show but helped make the game footage.[6] Another challenge was the lack (at the time) of facial expressions within the game.[6] The footage was shot on a public Final Fantasy XIV server.[6]

Release

Square Enix released two advertisements for Final Fantasy XIV using footage from the series.[7]

Reception

The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 100% of critics have given the series a positive review based on 6 reviews, with an average rating of 6.6/10.[8] IGN found the show "charming", but thought the premise too long for an eight-episode series, and that Final Fantasy XIV didn't look as good as the actors portrayed it to be.[2] GQ Magazine said that the show was not particularly deep, well acted or surprising, but still found it compelling and earnest.[1] The Verge described the series as "silly and sweet", calling the slow absorption of Akio's father into the game adorable.[3] Polygon praised the title as a "joy to watch", also saying it was relatable and unassuming.[9] The Japan Times reflected on how the show signals an increase in Japanese television coming into the Western consciousness, with many of the "weird Japan" stereotypes of previous decades being replaced by more relatable, "charming", and calming material.[10]

Legacy

Dad of Light was adapted into a film,[11] titled Brave Father Online: Our Story of Final Fantasy XIV, which was released on June 21, 2019.[12]

Notes
  1. Fainaru Fantajī Fōtīn: Hikari no Otōsan (ファイナルファンタジーXIV 光のお父さん)

References
  1. "I Can't Stop Watching Netflix's Goofy New Final Fantasy Soap Opera Dad of Light". GQ. 4 September 2017. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  2. "Final Fantasy XIV: Dad of Light Review". IGN. 5 September 2017. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  3. "Netflix's new Final Fantasy show is a heartwarming look at parenting through the lens of games". The Verge. 5 September 2017. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  4. Farokhmanesh, Megan (March 31, 2017). "Oh no, Netflix's Final Fantasy 14 drama is still called Daddy of Light". The Verge. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  5. McCarthy, Caty (August 30, 2017). "The Netflix Drama Final Fantasy XIV: Daddy of Light Changed Its Name to Dad of Light, World Loses Interest". US Gamer. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  6. Yamada, Shuka (June 21, 2019). "『劇場版ファイナルファンタジーXIV 光のお父さん』エオルゼアパート山本清史監督インタビュー：エオルゼアで映画の撮影が実現するまで". IGN Japan. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  7. Casey (May 17, 2017). "Final Fantasy XIV Showcases Its "Daddy of Light" TV Show In New Video Clips". Siliconera. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  8. "Final Fantasy XIV: Dad of Light: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  9. Frank, Allegra (September 5, 2017). "Final Fantasy 14: Dad of Light is better than it has any right to be". Polygon. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  10. St. Michel, Patrick (September 28, 2017). "'Final Fantasy XIV: Dad of Light' shows how Japanese TV is moving from 'sadistic' to 'charming'". The Japan Times. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  11. Favis, Elise (March 24, 2019). "Netflix's Dad Of Light Is Becoming A Movie In Japan". Game Informer. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  12. Holt, Kris (August 13, 2019). "'Brave Father Online' is a 'Final Fantasy' movie with heart". Engadget. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
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