Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV

Final Fantasy XV was a large game, if they had tried to squeeze these stories into the game to fill in the blanks that left you curious about the lore, it would have become a pedantic game going off on nostalgic tangents. Instead they released shorts like this, and the movie, that not only helped you understand that the world you were playing in was a serious urban fantasy, but it showed why Noctis was in a wheelchair as a child, why each of these characters stayed steady on by his side as he marched further and further into danger.

These are stories that show why these guys are Noctis's right hands and most trusted. Why they are more than friends to a moody young man with the weight of so much on his shoulders. And during one of them, Noctis even let's it be known why he's always so moody.

This game is more than just a road trip meme. It's an epic in many ways and these movies and anime paint the world of 15 in broader strokes.

Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV is a miniseries that Square Enix made by taking out the most important part of the story that was in the game and releasing it as a separate animated series, which was a huge mistake that brought so many problems to the narrative of XV and for that reason it suffers because of that. If you played Final Fantasy XV - you'll notice that they don't give you any explanation of why Prompto, Ignis and Gladiolus follow Noctis and for that reason their friendship isn't explored all that much and it's hard to have a connection with the characters throughout their journey. It's essential to watch it, so that you can have a clear picture of their stories.

There are a total of five episodes (also a bonus episode involving Lunafreya, but it's very short and i don't think everybody counts it at all) with each episode follows all four characters with their own stories: episode 2 follows Prompto; episode 3 involves around Gladiolus; episode 4 is for Ignis and episode 5 is for Noctis (episode 1 and 5 are connected together). Episodes 1, 3 and 5 are in some extent the weakest and all three suffer from mediocre animation, forgettable music, dialogue that is for the most part OK and the stories feel very unoriginal at best, because of the way they are written and directed, but they still have their moments here and there, while episode 2 and 4 are in my opinion the strongest out of all of them, even though they do suffer some of the same problems like the weak episodes.

Overall if i have to combine all of the ratings together, since i rated them separately - the final verdict for the whole series is a 6.5/10 (6/10, because of the weak aspects in episode 1, 3 and 5, so it missed out the rating 7/10). Here are my ratings of all five episodes of the animated series:

• Episode 1: "Before the Storm" - 5.5/10 (5/10).
• Episode 2: "Dogged Runner" - 7.5/10 (8/10).
• Episode 3: "Sword and Shield" - 5.6/10 (6/10).
• Episode 4: "Bittersweet Memories" - 7.6/10 (8/10).
• Episode 5: "The Warmth of Light" - 6.3/10 (6/10).

"Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV" is an excellent anime series that provides a fantastic prequel to the popular video game Final Fantasy XV. It is an underrated gem that deserves more recognition, and here's why.

First and foremost, the series is incredibly engaging and fun to watch. Each episode is short, yet packed with plenty of action, humor, and character development. The animation is beautiful, and the voice acting is superb, bringing the characters to life in a way that is both entertaining and emotionally engaging.

While every episode is worth watching, there are two particular standouts. Episode two delves into the relationship between Noctis and Prompto, showcasing the latter's insecurities and struggles with being a friend to the prince. Meanwhile, episode five provides an excellent story that's intense and properly develops Noctis and his relationship with his father. Episode 5 in my mind has to be probably one of the best anime episodes I've ever watched, it adds such a good touch to FFXV.

Overall, "Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV" is an essential watch for anyone who is a fan of the Final Fantasy franchise. It provides an excellent backstory to the game's characters, and even for those who haven't played the game, the series is still an enjoyable and entertaining anime in its own right. Its short runtime makes it perfect for a quick binge, and it's a shame that more people haven't given this underrated gem the attention it deserves.