Final Fantasy VII Remake’s “Longest TV Commercial Ever” Is a Charming Story of Memories & Anticipation

As announced a few days ago, Square Enix released a TV commercial of the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake.

The commercial lasts a whopping seven minutes, and according the publisher it’s the longest TV commercial ever aired on terrestrial TV. 

It was just aired in Japan during the latest episode of the popular program NS 27-jikan Terebi ni Honno Sports Wa Tsuyo Itsu!

The commercial doesn’t show much footage of the game (you can see just a bit at the end), but instead it tells a live-action story with the quality you’d expect from a popular TV dama.

You can watch it below, alongside a “Special Edit” version with an additional six minutes of story.

Among others, the video stars three popular Japanese actors, Masataka Kubota (Tokyo Ghoul S, Taira no Kiyomori, Death Note), Misato Morita (Naked Director, I Turn, Deadstock: Michi e no Chosen), and Tetsuji Tamayama (Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger, Lupin III, Casshern, Rockers).

Kubota-san plays the hero who has never played Final Fantasy VII, and he notices that everyone around him has fond memories of the game, considering it special for many reasons. 

He listens to his senpai at work talk about how the original game was special, and comment on the new action system, wondering whether the story of the remake will be the same.

Kana, the heroine played by Morita-san, has fond memories of watching her brother (who she hasn’t seen for a long time) play when she was a kid.

Tamayama-san plays a super-fan with a big passion for Final Fantasy VII (and a bit of of Chuunibyou), who apparently goes to bars carrying around an old guide of the game and considers it his bible.

While the protagonist pretends he isn’t interested in the beginning, he gradually becomes intrigued by the enthusiasm of his friends and colleagues. 

When he meets Tamayama-san’s character at a bar, he learns that Final Fantasy VII changed the world of video games forever when it launched, and mentions that he is a bit envious of all the people that had so much fun with it.

The seasoned fan answers that in the Final Fantasy VII Remake, the hero who has never played the original can see something that he can’t, so he’s envious as well.

In the end, the hero decides to buy a PS4 to play the Final Fantasy VII Remake together with Kana. She reminds him that that it’s still early, but then she receives a nostalgic message from her brother asking her if she’s well and reminding her that the remake is coming. 

The commercial ends with the hero saying “Come quickly, remake!”

While some may consider it a bit cheesy (most Japanese drama are, after all), it’s certainly a charming little story. I’m confident that many of us can see a bit of themselves in some of the characters portrayed. 

If you’d like to see and learn more about the game, you can check out the latest trailer, the western box art for the game, plenty of beautiful screrenshots, and recent gameplay with the reveal of the Classic Mode.

The first game of the Final Fantasy VII Remake will launch on PS4 on March 3, 2020. No other platforms have been announced so far.