The current iteration of Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 14 has been around for over seven years now, and in that time the highly successful MMORPG has attracted over 20 million subscribers and inspired breathtaking cosplay, fan fiction, and artwork. A live-action series called Final Fantasy 14: Dad of Light was another creative piece inspired by the online game.
Several years ago, a father known as “Maidy” began a blog based on his real-life experiences entitled "Ichigeki Kakusatsu SS Nikki” that recounted how he, a man over 60, grew closer to his son by playing Final Fantasy 14 together. The blog inspired Final Fantasy 14: Dad of Light, a live-action eight-episode miniseries that premiered in Japan in April 2017 and became available on Netflix in the US in September of that year. A full-length film adaptation called Brave Father Online was released in 2019.
Recently, the official Twitter account for Final Fantasy: Dad of Light made a public announcement that Maidy, whose blog had inspired the TV series and the film, had passed away. The post did not go into further details other than to say that Maidy had been battling an illness. In addition to the Final Fantasy: Dad of Light Twitter commenting on Maidy’s unfortunate passing, the official Twitter account for Final Fantasy 14 also shared its condolences.
Maidy himself revealed in a June blog post that he had a recurrence of cancer of the small intestine, which he had been diagnosed with and beaten in the past. The gamer shared that the first thing he did after being released from the hospital was log into Final Fantasy 14, expressing relief at seeing his in-game character “Maidy” for the first time in three weeks. He also later shared in November that he would be hospitalized again, wondering about the hospital’s food selection.
Final Fantasy 14: Dad of Light was released in eight 30-minute episodes. In the show, the son named Akio hopes to rekindle the bond with his father Hirotaro, who is now retired and has grown distant. He introduces has dad to Final Fantasy 14 and then secretly creates his own character to play with his father. Akio’s plan is to develop a friendship with Hirotaro in the game and hopes that the connection will expand into the real world.
The TV series did not use CGI or manipulate the game’s graphics in any way, but recorded footage captured while playing on a Final Fantasy 14 public server. An in-game camera placed on the characters was used to simulate what the father and son were experiencing while playing.
Final Fantasy 14: Dad of Light is available on Netflix.
Source: Anime News Network