Episode Yuffie is the perfect analog to an anime/manga gaiden OVA or chapter that while separate from the main story, is interesting and worth experiencing.
For those interested, it is an added bonus that's fun, interesting and entertaining. For those that aren't, they can just skip
With that thematic in mind, it makes sense DC would be relevant to it since it is also the most gaiden-like entry in the Compilation of FFVII. Aside from Vincent and the re-examination of his relationship with Lucrecia, a lot of DC is new narrative unconnected to the original FFVII plot.
And, while FF7 is demonstrably very "anime," Dirge is a lot more shameless about it, lol. I mean the ensemble villains consisting of
- 19 year-old girl that stopped aging and so looks 10
- Beefy dude that uses a tank cannon and can turn into a behemoth
- Goth guy who has to be restrained because his vaguely-established darkness powers are too much to control
- Leader dude with spiky silver hair and dual-wielded gunblades
- Hot, sadistic, unstable lady who's all about teh killin'
You'd have a hard time outdoing that in a Gurren Lagann-style anime self-parody.
Don't forget that Square decided to make a character modeled after Gackt, who
also did
two main tracks for the game's soundtrack. Like, I'm not sure
what gripped Square during that time but they just went
all in... For better or worst. At the very least, it was the
good kinda bad that's still enjoyable in all its anime-esque narm-y charm. Entertaining as hell and JRPG fun when you're just looking to let go and simply indulge in a guilty adolescent pleasure.
It wasn't just pain and terribleness akin to let's say.... A poor Sonic game from 2006 that just not only is terrible, but almost bizarrely soulless.