Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works Episode 0 Review

My most anticipated series of the entire year is here, and it does not disappoint. 

Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, the sequel to Fate/Zero, and if you somehow do not know about the series, check out my beginner's to the Fate franchise by clicking here. 

Also, for those who have yet to watch the episode, I will hold off on the spoilers until after the rating, and if you do not have not access to Crunchyroll, you can click here to watch the first episode on KissAnime.com.

Fate/stay night takes several years after the events of Fate/Zero during the Fifth Holy Grail War. From the start, the series almost expects that you have seen Fate/Zero since it does not provide a lot of exposition as to what exactly the Holy Grail War is, or how it works. It provides hints, but if you have not seen Fate/Zero, you are likely to be a little confused. Of course, for viewers of either Fate/Zero or the original Fate/stay night, it is relatively easy to follow. Since I have intentionally avoided the original Fate/stay night and most spoilers about the series in general, I do not know exactly how the series will play out, so if you have seen the original series please reframe from spoiling it in the comments. However, this remake is taking a different route from the original series, so the ending will be different. 

Rin Tohsaka is the main character of this version of the series, and the majority of the episode focuses exclusively on her. Having only seen Rin briefly in Fate/Zero, I do not know much about the character. From the onset, Rin is obviously a tsundere with an antagonistic demeanor but with an obvious softer side to her, as she blushes after Archer's comments. Archer is the other character introduced, and he is Rin's Servant. If you are not familiar with the Holy Grail War, each mage that participants summons a Servant based on various historical figures each with their own special abilities. The mages and servants battle to determine who will have their wish granted by the Holy Grail, and thus a game of death and deception begins. 

With the heavy focus almost exclusively on Rin and her Servant, the series does appear to be taking a narrative structure similar to the original opposed to Fate/Zero, which split the screen time among the seven masters and their servants. Providing that Fate/stay night is able to develop the characters effectively, the focus on the characters could work well. Even after the first episode, Rin and Archer are adequately established characters with likable traits, so hopefully the series will continue to execute the characterization well.

 

 

Wow, just wow! Unlimited Blade Works’ animation amazing! The series is from studio Ufotable, aka the best animation studio in the entire freaking universe, and Fate/stay night's animation does not disappoint in the slightest. Seriously watch Kara no Kyoukai, Fate/Zero, or this new Fate/stay night and tell me that the animation is not the mind blowing. They are delivering film quality animation in an anime series. Throughout the 45 minute episode (the first two episodes are twice as long as a typical series), the animation is beyond amazing, and even the school setting had high quality animation. However, the action sequence towards the end is, hands down, the best action sequence of the year; nothing even comes close. It was intense, expertly animated, and stunning. 

Even though famed music composer, Yuki Kajiura, did not return to score the new series, Hideyuki Fukasawa is doing a fine job of reusing some of her amazing music, while also adding in some new tracks. All of the voice cast is top notch, and without any negatives as well.

Knowing that the original Fate/stay night lends itself more to a shounen action series than the psychological suspense thriller that is Fate/Zero, Fate/stay night will hopefully add more serious, seinen, aspects like Fate/Zero. If it does remain a mostly serious shounen action series, Fate/stay night can still be one of the best series of the year providing that the characterization and plot are well executed, like last year's Attack on Titan.

Overall: 9.0/10- Fate/stay night is off to a visually stunning start that continues to make me hyped for what is to come. Of all the series released this fall anime season, none are off to a more satisfying and impressive start than Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works.

Note: Ratings of first episodes are relative to all other pilot episodes only. 

Please do not forget to check the first parts of my review of the summer anime season by clicking on the links below.

Summer Anime Review: Top 20: Part 2

Summer Anime Review: Top 20: Part 1

For another opinion, check out Arvin Saints' impression of the first episode by clicking here.

What did you think of the episode? If you have not seen it, do you plan to watch the series? Please comment below and let me know.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Fate/stay night Trailer and Explanation

Out of all the television series of 2014, there is absolutely nothing that I have been more excited for than Ufotable's remake of Fate/stay night. Fate/stay night is both a sequel to the incredible Fate/Zero series, and a remake of the original Fate/stay night, except with amazing animation, as well as taking the story in a different direction. If you have Netflix, or access to Hulu, Fate/Zero is an absolute must-watch, even if anime is not your thing (unless you are sensitive to violence) and if you are still not convinced, check out my review by clicking here. Now that you know how much you need to watch Fate/Zero, I will explain how Fate/stay night fits in with the rest of the Fate universe, without spoiling anything.

Fate/stay night originally started out as a visual novel (and an H-game). If you are not familiar with visual novels, it is like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" novel, except with visual artwork and voice acting. Most visual novels have different story "routes" depending on your choices, and they usually involve romancing different female characters in the game. For example, back in 2006, Studio Deen created an adaptation of Fate/stay night, which took the "Fate" route, mostly involving the characters Saber and Shirou Emiya. However, the original Fate/stay night is said to be fairly mediocre compared to Fate/Zero, which is one of the reasons that I have avoided it, and the other is not to spoil what happens in this upcoming remake. Ufotable's upcoming remake of Fate/stay night is going to take the Unlimited Blade Works route featuring Rin Tohsaka and Archer (Studio Deen did create a rushed adaptation of the route a few years ago). Additionally, Ufotable is creating a film about the third route, Heaven's Feel, which will be released sometime this year or early in the next (trailer below). My only concern about Fate/stay night is that Gen Urobuchi does not have a hand in the writing like he did with Fate/Zero, which was based on his novel. However, some of the creative team from Fate/Zero are returning, so there is definitely hope that it can reach similar heights.

Now that you know about the Fate series, be sure to watch Fate/Zero and be ready for the upcoming Fate/stay night remake. Providing enough people are watching the series, I might decide to review each episode as it airs. If you are already familiar with the Fate franchise, be sure to check out the Kara no Kyōkai film series, which takes place in the same universe. Also, please check back Monday for my Fall Anime Preview, and tomorrow for my Log Horizon review.

Below is the trailer for the Heaven's Feel movie.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Fate/Zero Review

If you remember, Fate/Zero tied for my award for be best television series of the year, and in this review, I will explain why you should be watching it.

Fate/Zero is a critically acclaimed, contemporary fantasy series about the battle between magicians and their Servants, who are historical and legendary heroic figures from the past and mythology, for the ultimate wish granting device, The Holy Grail. While the premise is simple enough to explain, how the series executes this premise is more difficult to explain. 

The series is not pure battle; the series is much more about the strategy the contestants use, the intense suspense that results because of it, and the clash of the character's desire for the Grail. In addition, Fate/Zero is about the ideals of the chivalric code that the heroes of old follow, and how far will you go for the greater good. In the world of Fate/Zero, the Grail chooses each contestant based on their motivations for obtaining it, which adds a unique complexity that few shows delve into. The motivations of characters in many works of fiction is often not explained or given much thought, which makes Fate/Zero special.

Of the series that I have seen, Fate/Zero is probably one of the ones that would appeal to a broader audience than most. It is void of the typical cliches that are found in the genre like fan-service, being set in high-school, and over-the-top animation. If you do not mind a dark story with violence, Fate/Zero is a must watch. If you are a fan of shows like Game of Thrones, or any mature fantasy series, then Fate/Zero is something that would likely pique your interest. Something to note however is that the first episode, which twice the length of normal episodes, is majorly exposition heavy as it attempts to explain the premise and set the foundation for the characters. After the first episode however, the pacing improves. Since Fate/Zero is a prequel to the Fate Stay Night series, some parts are confusing at first, however watching the Stay Night is not necessary, especially since I did not watch Fate Stay Night beforehand. Basically, just go with it for the first few episodes until things are made clear. 

Aside from the intriguing ideals that Fate/Zero explores, the series has a lot of epic action and suspense, along with well developed characters. Fate/Zero does not have one central character; it revolves around the seven Masters and their seven Servants. Even though Arturia Pendragon, aka Saber, and her master Kiritsugu Emiya are given the most screen-time, they are not necessarily the protagonists. Almost all of the characters are well developed and many of the them have intriguing and often entertaining character traits. While one would assume the Masters are the best characters, the Servants and their respective outlooks on honor, kingship, and chivalry are one of the most fascinating aspect of the series. Since there are so many characters in the series, discussing each one, as I typically do in TV reviews, would take up most of the review. However, some of the historical/mythological figures that the series includes are King Arthur (with a twist to mythos), Alexander the Great, Lancelot, and Diarmuid Ua Duibhne.  

My only problem with the series is that I did not feel as captivated by it, in that I did not feel as though I had to know what happened next like a series like Death Note, which had me on the edge of my seat. However, towards the later half of the series, I was much more involved in it.

The Good: Intense and suspenseful, Well developed characters, Intelligent use of tactics and strategy, Void of typical tropes, Mature story, Epic battle scenes, Morally ambiguous, Visually stunning animation, Intriguing use of historical and mythological figures, Mostly strong English dub, Understandable motivations, Thought-provoking ideals of chivalry and heroism, Unexpected plot twists,

The Bad: Anticlimactic ending, Exposition heavy first episode (not a problem for me but might be for others), 

Plot: 9.6/10- Despite the early pacing issues, Fate/Zero's plot is full of great characters and plot twists. Some of the concepts presented are a little confusing during the first few episodes, but after enough is explained, the series becomes engaging and often intense. Occasionally, Fate/Zero can be a little dialogue heavy for some viewers, although I did not find that aspect a problem since the dialogue was interesting, but some might have that problem.

Action: 9.3/10- Fate/Zero combines exciting action with thoughtful strategy. Each Servant has a "Noble Phantasm" and that "Noble Phantasm" is a special power unique to each Servant that they can use to gain an advantage in combat. In addition, the Servants are very powerful and the battles that ensue are excellently animated. Also, the most of the Masters are powerful magicians and mage hunters, which results in some unique battles as well.

Acting: 9.5/10- Fate/Zero features a very strong English dub. Crispin Freeman gives the standout best performance, although that is not particularly unexpected since Freeman is one of the best voices actor in the business. Kari Wahlgren as Saber also gives an excellent performance and Matthew Mercer as Kiritsugu gives an equally fantastic performance. Jamieson Price as Rider is bombastic and hilarious, and I cannot imagine anyone else voicing the role any better than he did.

Art Style: 9.9/10- Fate/Zero's art style is somewhat unique, yet at the same time the animation style is rather subdued and realistic. The actually quality of animation is simply beautiful and stunning. You can take screencaps and frame them on your wall, they are that good. Ufotable is one of the animation studios in the business, and while nothing can match their previous work on the Kara no Kyoukai series, which I highly recommend, Fate/Zero's animation is overall amazing.

Soundtrack: 9.2/10- Two words: Yuki Kajiura. For those not familiar with Kajiura's work, she has composed the soundtrack for top series such as Sword Art Online Kara no Kyoukai. She is among the best in the business and, even though Fate/Zero is not her strongest work, it is very good. The tracks increase the epicness of the battles and add the right emotion for every scene.

Opening: 8.5/10- The first opening "Oath Sign" is very good, and the animation is fitting for the show. The second "To the Beginning" is almost as strong, however "Oath Sign" is my preferred opening to the series.

Humor: 7.9/10- Despite being a mostly serious series, Fate/Zero has quite a few moments of humor, which add needed levity. Most of the humor comes from bombastic Rider, aka Iskander, aka Alexander the Great. His character is a lot of fun to watch, particularly his opinions of modern society.  

Overall: 9.5/10- Fate/Zero is among the best animated series I have seen. While the series can be confusing at times, the action is epic, the characters are well developed, and the animation is stunning. 

Closing comments: Even though Fate/Zero is not for everyone, it is one of the few anime series that would appeal fans of darker fantasy stories and intelligent action shows. 

Recommended for: Historical fiction fans, Fantasy fans, Anime fans, Animation fans,

You can watch the first half of the series in English dub here, and you can watch the subtitled version here.

I have to give a thanks to Arvin Saints at Anime and Book Messiah for recommending Fate/Zero. Be sure to check out his review of Fate/Zero, which you can read by clicking here.

Click here to check out more of my movie reviews.

If you want to contact us or have any question please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.