Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works Part 4 Episodes 10-12

The Holy Grail War begins to take its toll on Shiro.  Having barely survived encounters with Shinji Matoh and Kuzuki and their servants, the young man begins to wonder if he’s really cut out to participate in this war.  With Saber and Archer questioning Shiro’s health, Rin decides to take her ally out on a date.  However, as Rin and Shiro’s feelings for each other begin to blossom, Caster returns, holding someone close to Shiro as a hostage.  Come the end of this fight, the tide will change for both Shiro and Rin.  Alliances will be broken and strength will be tested like never before.  Will the growing bond between Shiro and Rin survive?

Man does it suck to be Shiro Emiya right now…well more than usual.  He’s lost his command seals, his servant and even his would be girlfriends turned his back on him.  Granted he was in a difficult spot but let’s face it, it’s all Shiros fault he is where he is right now.  Let’s backtrack shall we?

Things got off to a literal hard hitting start with the reveal of Mr. Kuzuki being the 4^th master in school.  I have to say, it’s a little ironic that 2 Caster servants in 2 Holy Grail Wars have had Masters that pretty much could care less about the Holy Grail so long as they can do their own thing…and theyre both killers?  Whereas Ryunosuke showed nothing short of joy at the horror he reaped upon Fuyuki City, Kuzuki is more quiet and zen about it, even down to his insane fighting style that allows him to go toe to toe with a servant like Saber.  I couldn’t help but think of The Terminator as he plowed through Saber, Rin and Shiro like they were nothing.  Clearly Caster is a fan of being allowed to act freely, plus she’s in love with Kuzuki so I guess that’s a bonus?  In any case, Kuzuki and Caster have both stepped onto the board as the greatest threats so far in the series.

Finally, at long last, Fujimura’s true purpose, what her pointless scenes have all been building toward, was revealed in this set…to be a hostage that leads to Shiro’s downfall.  I’d say I was worried but I wasn’t since Fujimura is and will continue to be one of the most pointless members of this cast.  Now if Caster had taken Rin hostage and forced Shiro into his no win scenario, I’dve been a bit more worried.  Nevertheless, it all came down to one poorly timed decision on Shiro’s end that saw his philosophy thrown right back into his face with disastrous consequences.  In order to save Fujimura, he accidentally caused Saber to stand down and thus she was turned into Caster’s slave via the Rule Breaker blade.  In truth, I feel worse for Saber being turned against her friends rather than Shiro, who botched everything cause his hero complex makes it impossible for him to realize even he can lose badly (like he has throughout this whole series but has shrugged it off cause he has a Wolverine level healing factor thanks to Saber…that’s gone now too btw).

Naturally, the person I feel the worst for at the end of the day will always be Rin.  The poor girl went out of her way to help Shiro, both in battle and in his love life.  Aside from the battle with Kuzuki, the big highlight from this set was the date Rin went on with Shiro, with Saber tagging along as well.  It felt like a true outing of two kids falling for each other, though one cant wrap his head around it cause he’s an idiot and cant see that Rin is cute and wants to be with him…ahem im getting off on a tangent again.  And Saber wasn’t a third wheel either as Rin made sure she was included in many of their activities, especially the batting cage scene (was also nice to see how insync Rin and Saber were, reinforcing how awesome this show would be if it was just them and no pesky Shiro to get in the way).  It was also good to see Rin and Shiro share why they both got into magecraft in the first place.  I’ll always be wowed that Kiritsugu learned from his massive screw ups in Fate/Zero and tried to push Shiro down a better path rather than just continue the family legacy like Rin’s father did for his daughter.  Naturally Shiro wasn’t totally listening but im not getting into that again.  The second big highlight was the complete 180 of how the “season finale” began.  Rin coldly turned her back on Shiro.  Knowing Rin, I doubt she means any of the things she said but she isn’t wrong.  Shiro is now totally useless to her or anyone in the war and he’s going to really, really, REALLY die if he keeps going.  In order to keep the one she cares about the most safest, Rin had to push Shiro away and steel her resolve.  It makes her practical and logical but also more beautiful than ever knowing her heart will not let Shiro go entirely.  Once again, Shiro Emiya, you do not deserve the awesomeness of Rin Tohsaka.

I should note that Episode 12 serves as the aforementioned “Season Finale” of Unlimited Blade Works, the conclusion of the first half.  As such, it was extended into another 45minute episode (that makes 3 now including the two prologues for Rin and Shiro).  I cant really see why this had to be since there was plenty that could have either been cut or moved to another episode.  Archer and Rin’s chat, along with Caster and Assassin’s could have been axed all together and we could have cut to Shiro recovering before Caster took a shot at taking down Kirei (who was finally back in action).  There were some important clues planted throughout, especially in regards to Archer’s true identity.  Overall, the extended length was kind of a minor hinderance, I guess but I’ll still think the finale should have been a two parter instead.

Well we got some good action, some solid character work (except Shiro who is pretty much stationary) and even some nice humor and romance to close out the first half of Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works.  With the pieces all scattered across the board, it’ll be interesting to see how everything comes together in the second half.  We’ll see how that all kicks off on Wednesday when the reviews continue.  See you then.

Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works Part 3 Episodes 6-9

With Shiro in dire need of proper training, Rin forges an alliance with him to teach him all she knows about magic.  Even Saber decides to teach her master the art of swordsmanship to better prepare Shiro for the trials to come.  Meanwhile, Shinji Matoh makes his presence known in the Holy Grail War with a simple ultimatum: if Rin and Shiro wont side with them, he’ll kill them both.  The High School becomes a battleground and the lives of innocents are on the line.  But as the battle rages, a servant with an unseen master makes her own moves to prepare for her own assault on the other Masters and Servants.  Caster and Assassin enter the fray, but whom do they serve?

The more episodes I watch of UBW or Fate/Stay Night in general, the harder it is to take Shiro Emiya seriously in any capacity.  His dreams of becoming a “hero of justice” are his one and only “friend” at times, as he believes in them so blindly that he ignores when people tell him he might want to rethink his career goals.  But that wont stop Shiro from trying his damndest…even if that involves forcibly stripping his best friend in order to see if he has Master Command Seals on his body…yep that happened.

In fact, a lot of Shiro screentime was spent being the end of everyones joking, from Rin to Fujimura to Archer.  And honestly, Rin is the only person who is legitimately trying to help Shiro survive this war.  Saber appears to be training him in swordplay but it looks more like she’s beating the mess out of Shiro to show him how useless he is in a fight and how she should handle every bit of combat going forward…and I’m ok with that.  And Archer, oh man, Archer just wants Shiro dead.  But before Archer decided to try and slice Shiro to pieces, we got some actually good banter between the white haired warrior and the wannabe hero.  I said that Rin and Archer had the bickering of a romantic couple, but that goes double for Shiro and Archer, who spend most of the battle with Caster trying to one up each other in comebacks.  It was actually so entertaining that when Archer actually tried to kill Shiro, it was kind of shocking.  Finally, someone is fed up with his crap.

In and around that twist, we got some more great action.  Saber vs. Assassin is one of the best fights ive seen so far in all of Fate/Stay Night.  Their little rivalry was one of the few things I never complained about with the Studio Deen series but thanks to Ufotable, the dance of swords between Arthurian Knight and Japanese Samurai has never looked more elegant.  Between Assassin and an army of mindless Gollems, Saber really got a chance to cut loose.  So did Archer too for that matter as he got to square off with the clearly OP Caster and actually knock that arrogant smirk off of her face.  All in all, my gripes at the characters for their ever present and growing flaws aside, the action of Fate/Stay Night can save most episodes, well most of the time. 

If there is one character who is really trying my patience besides Shiro, it’s Shinji.  I’ve already covered how his existence in the Matoh family basically negates Sakura being sold to that family in Fate/Zero.  But his slimy smugness is starting to border the obnoxious level of Gilgamesh, only he hasn’t started using “mongrel” in every other sentence.  He’s a sick and twisted kid and it was good to see Rin and Shiro both give him the beating her deserved after he almost destroyed an entire school to get an edge in the war.  However, you cant ignore poor Rider’s all to brief existence.  Just a couple episodes ago she seemed like a legit threat when she almost killed Shiro.  But the poor, sexily dressed warrior got annihilated off screen (shudders at the twisted neck state, damn this show can be graphic).  As to who killed her, was it Caster or someone else, we’ll never know.  But Shinji’s not out of the running with Rider dead.  No Kirei’s giving him a new servant and I have a pretty good idea of who that could be. 

Oh Rin Tohsaka.  I would never be one to stand in her way of doing anything but the girl can do so much better than Shiro when it comes to love interests.  Ok fine, my neverending Shiro bashing aside, Rin had some good moments with her hardheaded classmate.  From lunch on the roof to fighting side by side to forcing Shiro against a wall to hide him from Gilgamesh (lucky bastard complaining about her chest being to close), the only reason I like this little romance is because of Rin.  Whereas Shiro cant see two steps beyond “I MUST SUCCEED AT BEING A HERO”, Rin is the more honest and natural reaction to this cute bit of young love.  The more she sees what Shiro can endure, for himself and for her, the more you can see how much she is growing to accept him…except when Shiro told her what he did to Issei, that is something Rin shouldntve just dropped.  She’s scolded Shiro over less.

One last little gripe I had at the close of this set of episodes.  Once again, Fujimura brings up Kiritsugu and Shiro’s childhood.  And again, Saber doesn’t pull Shiro aside to say “hey I knew your dad and I think you’re doing better than he ever did.”  I feel like this is an important part of Shiro and Saber’s partnership together and I think it’s just wasted opportunity when Saber hears how different Shiro is from her ex-master and how she seems to be surprised by how much Kiritsugu had changed after they parted ways.  Connections like that can go a long way, it might even get Shiro to rethink his priorities a little bit.  At least, once again, Rin came in for a save as we saw her checking in on Sakura and alluded to their separation in Fate/Zero.  Though with Shinji still in the running for the Matoh’s, I cant imagine Sakura having much to do in this series.  And after so much build up for her in Fate/Zero, that’s a shame.

Believe it or not, we’re halfway through Unlimited Blade Works when we return next week.  Expect more Rin praise and more Shiro bashings and probably some more praise for Ufotables production values.  See ya then.

Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works Part 2 Episodes 2-5

At last, the Holy Grail War has begun again.  Having accidentally summoned a servant of his own, the beautiful knight Saber, Shiro becomes an unwilling participant in the renewed conflict.  Instantly, he becomes the target of a psychotic child and her hulking Berserker, an unknown classmate lurking in his school with a chain wielding servant.  Even Rin and Archer have made it clear that Shiro will be their enemy since only one can possess the Grail.  Shiro’s only ally is Saber but is she really powerful enough to fight this war against six of the most powerful heroes from history all by herself?

Hello class and welcome to Holy Grail War 301 (I guess it would be a Level 3 course since we’ve dealt with this topic twice already).  Today we have special guest teachers Rin Tohsaka and Kirei Kotominei to bring everyone up to speed on how the Holy Grail War works.

Ok all joking aside, if you’ve seen a Fate series already then the first couple of episodes this week would mostly be skippable cause if you’ve heard the rules once, you know what they’ll be in most iterations going forward.  Probably my biggest gripe with this particular go around is Kirei not being a bit more gloating about how he knew Shiro’s father in the previous Holy Grail War, his eternal rival Kiritsugu Emiya.  More so, not even Saber takes the moment to tell Shiro, “Oh yeah I knew your dad…he was kind of a jerk.”  Or even bigger than that, what about Saber not reacting to Ilya being an enemy since she was a close friend and bodyguard to her mother, Irisveil in Fate/Zero? I know I said last time that one could step into Unlimited Blade Works almost seamlessly from Fate/Zero thanks to Rin being our intro character.  However, that kind of falls flat here.  Legacy was something about the original Fate series I enjoyed when connections between the two wars were made and, in turn, it made things all the most important going into the final battle.  Idk, feel like theres a missed opportunity to turn Shiro’s world upside down with coming face to face with his fathers arch nemesis.

I will give Shiro this at the very least: he’s an annoying guy but at least he’s not all “Women shouldn’t battle” like he was in the 2006 Fate/Stay Night series.  He has no qualms about letting Saber do her thing and he only protects Rin when it’s most dire (you know spears almost hitting your head would be a bad thing if someone didn’t offer an arm to take the blow).  In fact, all of the femmes of Fate were on fire this time out.  Saber and Berserker had an amazing throwdown that shows Ufotable’s battle in Fate/Zero weren’t just a one trick pony.  Saber’s elegant sword skills weren’t the only thing on display against Fate/Stay’s Incredible Hulk Berserker.  I’ll talk a bit more about Rin in a sec cause ive got a ton of praise for my waifu.  I will talk here about the new creepiness that is Illya.  Having checked out Fate/Zero previously, I can say that Illya, while still a creepy and annoying brat, is probably one of the most tragic characters in this whole story.  She was so sweet and innocent in Fate/Zero but clearly losing both parents has done something to her.  Plus she blames Kiritsugu, who is now dead, so she’s gonna take out her grief (or twisted snappedness) on Shiro.  See what a bit of clarification from a prior series does for future shows?  Doesn’t change the fact that I don’t care for Illya in the original series.  Here’s hoping she does improve here.

As always, Rin continues to provide at of the Fate/Stay win in my eyes.  Sure Saber might have her own swordskills on lockdown but Rin is one of the most bad as human mages ever.  Her investigation into the happenings around Fuyuki City and her confrontation with skeletal familiars reinforces a thought I had from Fate/Zero: that Rin should have a series all her own about her training to get to the Holy Grail War.  She’s like a cuter Constantie without the cigarettes and a bigger heart under all that Tsundere.  It’s still early on in the show but Im sure there will be plenty of times where I voice my wish to see Shiro removed from this show all together and for Rin and Saber to pair up (just like Rin wants) and take this war by storm.  I will say that the chemistry between Rin and Shiro feels legit and for every moment where Rin cant believe how stupid Shiro to where he saves her life (and keeps making her indebted to him in the process), there’s a natural growth in what we know is coming: the inevitable hook up.  Rin can be cold and ruthless but it’s obvious she doesn’t really want to hurt Shiro…well besides the battle in the school (which was a lot of fun with Rin’s mastery of the Spirit Gun). 

While Unlimited Blade Works looks and feels a lot better than the Studio Deen Fate/Stay Night, it’s definitely not devoid of problems.  I’ve talked a lot about the lack of connection acknowledgment with Fate/Zero and Shiro being Shiro.  But there’s a couple of timeline nitpicks to make, mostly with Sakura’s involvement.  I thought that the whole reason the Matoh’s accepted her from Tokiomi was because they didn’t have a kid to carry on their line, so where the hell did Shinji come from?  Does this mean Sakura will just be ignored after all that drama she went through in Fate/Zero?  Also, the harem comedy poked it’s head into this nice little corner.  Shiro trying to balance his homelife with Saber, Sakura and Fujimura (again how the heck does she know Kiritsugu, who I could never see being friends with her wackiness) felt out of nowhere and unnecessary for a show trying to take itself more seriously.

It’s not knocking it out of the park like Fate/Zero but Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works is trying its best to work with what it has.  It is hard to make characters like Shiro more likeable given how grating he is in any entry.  But Rin and improved animation and action and a deeper connection to Illya and Saber (Thanks to Fate/Zero) are enough for now to keep things going for the time being.  I just hope that this shows takes advantage of its connections to a great series and puts them to good use.  Likewise, as good as it is to see Kirei back, I hope he isn’t put off to the side and can truly take his place as the main villain he was so good at being in Fate/Zero.

We’ll see how things keep progressing next time.

T5W#154-Top 5 My Hero Academia Heroes (Redux)

It’s been about a year now since I got back into My Hero Academia.  When I first started the show, it was…ok at best.  The first season had some growing pains and even though I got through it, it was some time before I started Season Two…but eventually I did and DAMN what an improvement.  The journey of young Izuku “Deku” Midoriya has captivated millions of Anime fans, myself among them, week after week, with each new episode somehow bettering its predecessor almost every time.  Anyway, I was recently talking to friends about Season Three and realized something, maybe my list of favorite characters needs to be updated as I like new and old faces better than those on my previous list.  Some characters might reappear again but they’ll be joined by a plethora of new blood here.  And for those who are going to no doubt complain about the lack of everyones favorite angry son, Bakugo…give me til the end of Season 3 in a month or so, I think he’ll be the source of his own Top 5 in time.  So here we go, the first ever T5W Redux list of my Top 5 My Hero Academia Heroes.  Wanna see the differences from the last time?  The previous list is right here: http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2017/11/t5w118-top-5-favorite-my-hero-academia.html

 

#5-Itsuka Kendo (Battle Fist)

The class rep of Class 1-B hasn’t gotten too much screentime but when she’s around, she’s instantly likeable.  I love how she always manages to keep her class in place, especially the gloom and doom wisher Monoma.  Her team up with Testutestu to defeat Mustard was one of Season 3’s best moments just far.  I really hope we see more of Kendo down the line cause she’s just as good as any girl in Class 1-A.

 

#4-Fumikage Tokoyami (Tsukuyomi)

The bad bird boy and his dark shadow.  There’s just an overwhelming sense of cool whenever Tokoyami simply shows up in frame, in no small part thanks to his outstanding character design.  His relationship with his Quirk, Dark Shadow, has been one to watch out for in Season 3.  When Dark Shadow goes wild in the dark, Tokoyami is the ultimate wild card.  Now that he can have Dark Shadow form around him like armor, I cant wait to see how much stronger this dark avenger gets.

 

#3-Ejiro Kirishima (Red Riot) & Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu (Real Steel)

These two started out as bitter rivals due to their similar quirks: Kirishama’s Hardening and Tetsutetsu’s Steel.  However, after their first, hilarious showdown in the School Festival, they became admirable friends.  Not only are they great on screen together but their separate tales are pretty good too.  Kirishima has gotten the better development due to his friendship with Bakugo (more or less).  Meanwhile Tetsutetsu proved himself a great partner to Kendo when they teamed up to take down Mustard and Tetsutetsu was forced to test his metal ability to the max.  Plus, never since Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carl Weathers in Predator has a high five between two men ever been so damn epic.

 

#2-Shoto Todoroki

Todoroki is my boi.  That has never changed since the first time he showed up on the scene.  My opinion of him really hasn’t changed, if anything it has gotten stronger because of the events of Season 2 and 3.  Todoroki is no longer that much of a loner.  Or rather he can be but he can just as well be a team player now.  Working with Deku and Tenya and even Bakugo has done wonders for the scar faced bad ass.  He’s even trying to work things out with his fractured family, showing Todoroki is hiding a lot of hot behind that wall of fire and ice.  Now if only he could use those powers to make the ultimate sword, maybe George R.R. Martin’s “Song of Fire and Ice” might have to be sung about Todoroki instead of Dragons, Valerian Steel and White Walkers.

 

#1-Tsuyu Asui (Froppy)

If Todoroki has been my boi from his first episode, then Tsu Chan has been best girl since she first popped up on screen.  Her cute and unique design, her cool frog quirk and her “tell it like it is” voice help Froppy steal every scene she’s in.  Her winning the class over with her choice of hero name, “FROPPY!!! FROPPY!!! FROPPY!!”, her internship with the Coast Guard heroes, and her heartbreaking confession in one of the most recent Season 3 episodes only heightens how cool and loveable little Tsuyu is.  Everyone needs a Tsuyu and if you don’t believe that, watch any scene montage collection with her and you’ll believe it too…Gero, Gero.

Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works Part 1 Episodes 0-1

Ten years ago, an inferno of destruction tore through Fuyuki City, leaving only one survivor.  Ten years later, that young man is about to join a contest for both the bravest and most foolish of mages: The Holy Grail War.  Seven Masters will each summon a Heroic Spirt to act as their Servant to battle for the greatest of magical relics: The Holy Grail.  One of the contestants in this event is Rin Tohsaka, head of the Tohsaka family and Shiro’s beautiful classmate.  Drawn into battle for different reasons, the paths of these two youths will intersect, starting a new Grail War the likes of which has never been seen before.

I never thought id ever get to this one but here we are at last.  The second half of the “Summer of Fate” begins here with the start of Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works.  Right away I’ll say, I’m interested and it looks just as good animation was as Fate/Zero.  But there’s still hampering it right away in two big ways: one you can guess if you’ve read my reviews of the original Fate/Stay Night series a couple years back; and the other is, well it’s a strange storytelling choice.

That strange choice is to basically make a feature length pilot and split it into two halves, hence why im reviewing these first two episodes on their own before returning to normal episode amounts next time.  Rin and Shiro both get an extended episode dedicated to their own beginnings before fully intersecting at the conclusion of both parts.  They do briefly cross each others paths once before their endings but overall, both episodes are their own and very different.  Rins was my favorite (not just for the obvious “I love Rin” reasonings).  Rin’s interactions with Archer are so much better than what they were in the Studio Deen series, which I noted suffered from a severe lack of Rin and Archer moments.  UBW looks to rectify that.  Rin is as awesome as she’s always been (and animated more beautifully than ever).  She’s confident but still a little out of her league.  She’s a little haughty but still has a kind heart.  She wont take crap from Archer but sometimes doesn’t know how to properly talk to him like a master or an equal.  I also like how she doesn’t have a wish for the Grail, she just wants to win.  That’s better than most I suppose.  In short, it was good to see Rin back in proper form and coolness again (also this girl was made to be drawn in the excellent night shots)  I loved it and was oddly ok with her story being a bit longer than your average Anime series intro.  It gives me hope that Rin will have more of a front row seat to most events unlike the Studio Deen series where she was almost a supporting character at times compared to Shiro and Saber.

And then there’s Shiro’s side of things.  Shiro got a lot of flack from me when I reviewed Fate/Stay Night originally and it looks like that trend is going to continue.  Having spent most of Fate/Zero with Kiritsugu and his flawed philosophy, I knew by Fate/Zero’s end why Shiro was so messed up in Fate/Stay Night with his “hero complex.”  However, that may have not been entirely the case.  From what little he appears via flashbacks, it looks like Kiritsugu was actually trying to NOT let Shiro follow in his “save everyone, leave no one behind,” footsteps.  Shiro, however, is Shiro, which means once his mind is made up, it’s impossible to change even if you tell him not to touch the damn stove when its turned on.  It wasn’t fun getting reacquainted with his special breed of stubborn and his episode lacked the good banter between Master and Servant that I got from Rin and Archer.  Shiro’s episode did give us more interactions with several introduced key players, specifically Shinji and Sakura.  Given how we left Sakura in Fate/Zero, im wondering why she’s so cheery and what kind of a role she’ll have to play.  If Shinji is anything like his Fate/Stay Night counterpart, his smarminess will no doubt be as “charming” as ever (note the sarcasm).  All in all, the dullness of Shiro’s side of opening events makes me hope that Rin gets way more screentime than he does.  It is not good to see him again at all.  Also, I did note how Saber reacted when Shiro revealed his last name, “Emiya”.  Here’s hoping we get a long talk between the two of them about how his “Dad” really wasn’t the best role model ever cause of what happened ten years prior.

Studio Ufotable continues to make even a television broadcast Anime look like a freaking OVA or movie.  The nighttime shots of Fuyuki City are gorgeous as all get out.  Seriously, you could set the entire series in this time of day, with that exact lighting and I’d be perfectly fine with that, at the very least they deserve to be everyones screensaver or desktop wallpaper.  And if you’ve come for the action (and can brave your way through Shiro’s crap) then you’ve come to the right show.  Archer vs Lancer was the perfect opening salvo and Lancer vs Saber was just as excellent.  It’s like you’re watching a BlazeBlue or Marvel vs. Capcom match unfold via spectacular animation that just makes your jaw drop and go “WHAAAAA?”  These are the battles that Anime legends are made of (I’m sure I said similar while reviewing Fate/Zero.)

In many ways, the beginning of Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works feels a lot like a direct continuation of Fate/Zero.  Not only are they both done by the same animation studio but focusing on Rin, a bit but still important player in Fate/Zero, and featuring cameos by Kiritsugu and even Rin’s father, Tokiomi, plus Shiro’s frequent flashbacks to the Fuyuki fire, make me feel that these two shows are connected and can be watched one after the other.  While finishing Fate/Zero, I often wondered that if things went so horrifically wrong for Kiritsugu, Tokiomi and the other Masters, just how bad could things possibly go for the next generation: Shiro, Rin, Illya, Sakura etc?  Well things did seem pretty tame in the Studio Deen series by comparison.  UBW though looks to be setting the table for a more intense take on events.  Let’s just hope Shiro doesn’t get anymore gratting…who am I kidding, ugh better brace myself for a lot of Shiro tear apart sessions…and you should too.  The “Summer of Fate” rolls on.

Fate/Zero Part 6 Episodes 22-25

The Holy Grail War has consumed all who have entered it.  Some have lost their lives, others have lost their way.  With the combatants down to the final numbers, the time has come to conclude the epic affair.  As Saber confronts Berserker, Rider makes a final stand against Archer.  And at the end of the path, Kiritsugu and Kirei begin their ultimate duel.  Little do they all know, the outcome of these battles will determine no winner.  For this whole ordeal has been but a prologue to a greater battle yet to come.  The 4^th Holy Grail War reaches a horrific conclusion…as the 5^th Holy Grail War looms beyond in the coming darkness.

After 20+ episodes of build up, I have to say that while it did have a bit of a stumble towards the very end, Fate/Zero still managed to deliver a gut wrenching finale.  Kings shared final toasts, rivals finally faced each other and the Holy Grail turned out to be a weapon of mass destruction disguised as something that doesn’t look like the cup of a carpenter (bonus points if you get that reference).

The finale definitely earns a lot of praise for ending the amazing journey of Waver and Rider on the best possible note.  At last, Rider let Waver in on a little secret: not only was Waver always his master, he was always his friend as well.  Of all the masters and servants in this war, no bond has been more genuine in its admiration.  Unlike Lancer, Rider was never screwed over by his master and was given the most glorious ending of any of the servants.  I mean, yes he didn’t kill Gilgamesh (this series isn’t that kind).  But to see Rider die with a smile on his face, seeing his final dream destination reached at his death (sort of like Ryunosuke but Rider likeable), you couldntve asked for a better send off.  What’s more, Waver looks set to follow Riders example and travel the world, learning new things and finding new experiences.  I cant even believe im about to type this…but cudos to Gilgamesh for actually having me like him during this little arc.  He still talks in a belittling tone to Rider but respects the hell out of him.  In another lifetime, they might very well have been friends…nahhhhh Gilgamesh isn’t that sentimental. If anyone in this show truly lived up to their title of “hero” it was definitely Rider and Waver…he couldntve asked for a better teacher of life.

As it was time to wrap everything up, it was also time for the final showdown between all rivals.  Studio Ufotable saved their best for last with the three big battles in the finale: Rider vs Gilgamesh, Kiritsugu vs Kirei and Saber vs. Berserker.  Each one was animated with precision and there were no flaws to be found.  Even the 300 style esque final charge of Rider was fitting.  But Kiritsugu and Kirei lived up the most to their much built up face off.  It reminded me a lot of Alucard fighting Father Anderson in Hellsing, what with one opponent using guns and regeneration techniques against a mad priest with really big knives.  The battle was brutal and awesome in all the right ways.  I do feel like it was cheated out of a proper ending but ill talk about that in a bit.  Finally, Saber vs Berserker took an interesting turn when the big guys secret was revealed, the man under the helmet.  It shook Saber to her core and drove in Rider’s correct understanding that Saber had failed to live up to her title of King.  So lost in her own legend, Saber never knew those closest to her were hurting the most because she’d never judge them for their actions.  But that was just the beginning of Sabers tragic bookmark on this chapter of the Fate Franchise.

Once Kiritsugu finally got to the Holy Grail, things went a little End of Evangelion.  As the Grail spoke to Kiritsugu and showed him just how his “wish” would be granted, Kiritsugu finally saw what should have been obvious from the start…his wish was a bad idea.  Because of course, it’s impossible to rid the world of all evil and save the good without a little annihilation on a global scale.  The “Whatever it takes” philosophy Kiritsugu has long lived by was thrown in his face hard and in the end, he accepted it wasn’t what he wanted, even if it meant reuniting with his wife and daughter.  I’m glad he rejected the Grail…but did we really need to see him actually kill the manifestations of Iri and Illiya, that was a bit too much.

And really, Kiritsugu rejecting the Grail and then commanding Saber to destroy it is really where Fate/Zero could have ended and it might’ve been spared a bit of my criticisms.  However, we not only had to tie up the loose ends of Kiritsugu, Saber, Kirei, Gilgamesh and Kariya but we also had to set up the stories for the next generation.  Shiro, Rin and Sakura all make appearances in lengthy segments setting up their characters.  Shiro takes over the reigns of Kiritsugu’s heroic dream…lets hope it goes better in another route.  Rin tearfully accepts her role as head of the family, oh and her mothers alive but her brain is permenantly damaged from Kariya’s attack.  And Sakura just creepily stands by as Kariya dies in his own fantasy…ok not exactly the end I expected for Kariya, who probably should have died right after he tried to kill Rin’s mom but that’s just me.  Oh and Kirei finally accepts his wish for more global devestation while Gilgamesh watches him with glee…and naked WHY IS HE NAKED!!!???

All this focus on the future, to me, feels a bit like a cheat to the Fate/Zero narrative.  The events of this series take place a decade before Fate/Stay Night, so I do feel like the characters here could have all gotten some extra recognition at the very end.  Only Waver seems to get this, coming out of his trails in the Grail War better than he was before.  And I know, im not sure how story there was left to dedicate to the end of this Holy Grail War before putting the pieces in place for the next one.  Its just…ugh maybe I could have done without a Shiro moment cause we get enough of why he gets started with his hero fetish later on.  The Rin scene was ok because it’s Rin and they had to bury her father.  Also, if Sakura is so darkly corrupted, why doesn’t she have more focus in the main series?  As much as I praise most of  Fate/Zero’s final episodes, I cant ignore that I have more critiques and questions than I do universal praise.   

So, my final thoughts on Fate/Zero?  This is the Anime equivalent of Game of Thrones in my opinion and stands head and shoulders above its parent series.  The characters are far more deep and complex and enjoyable (the good, the bad and the ones you really shouldn’t find any joy in watching).  The story is dark, appropriately so for a battle with stakes such as this.  The action ranks up there as some of the best ive seen in Anime (matching legends like Dragon Ball Z, Black Lagoon and One Punch Man).  The animation…come on it’s Studio Ufotable, the worst you can say is, “they’ve animated Fate/Zero, Unlimited Blade Works and Heaven’s Feel…can we just have them do the first series again with better animation too?”  And Yuki Kaijura proved why she is the equal of Yoko Kanno in my eyes with her amazing musical score (now if only we could get them to do a remix of the Escaflowne “Dance of Curse” with “Magia” from Madoka Magica, then we’d have the ultimate battle theme).  Had the ending not felt so rushed to get things right into Fate/Stay Night, this show could have earned itself a 10/10.  But faults are where they are besides the ending.  The cast is overly packed and not everyone gets their proper due, they’re either hyped up and don’t deliver or are given good material but never any decent screen time to develop.  It’s also hard to find someone, besides Waver and Rider, to root for because everyone in this series is selfish and does something unlikeable at least once.  Still, Game of Thrones has a cast alot like that so I guess it isn’t that big of a deal. 

My final word: if you’re looking to get into the Fate Franchise, this is the perfect starting point.  Just be prepared if other entries aren’t as strong going forward.  Fate/Zero is a prequel that takes an already average bar and raises it to new heights.  It’s one of the best Anime of the decade and one that shouldn’t be missed.  Hell even if you take one trip into this Holy Grail War, this would be the one to experience.  There’s even familiar Fate elements and characters who have plenty of time to show you why the fans love them (looking at you Rin, Saber, Gilgamesh and Kirei).  Fate/Zero is a freaking awesome show from start to finish and is one I would recommend to anyone looking to see a taste of the pure storytelling power Anime is capable of.  Summon your spirit, get together with a friend who loves the franchise and get ready for one helluva ride.

9/10

Now let’s hope that the next chapter lives up to the example set here.  Yep, the summer rolls right into Ufotable’s next crack at the Fate franchise with Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works.  Which means my waifu Rin is back and so is Shiro…oh how ive missed bashing his stupid philosophy.  This is going to be fun.  See ya next time.

Fate/Zero Part 5 Episodes 18-21

Kiritsugu Emiya.  For years he has earned a reputation as the ultimate “Mage Killer”.  Now he seeks the Holy Grail for one purpose: to rid the world of all evil.  What set Kiritsugu on this path?  What tragedy in his past shattered any chance he ever had for peace?  As the history of one of the most dangerous men in the world is revealed, the Holy Grail War begins its final act.  With his mentor dead by his hand and Gilgamesh now on his side, Kirei makes the ultimate play to shift power in his favor.  Meanwhile, Kariya is forced to confront his own inner darkness and twisted desires if he is to fulfil his own dream.  Tragedy and sorrow flow across Fuyuki City as the final battle draws near.

You know…all things considered Shiro and Rin got off a lot easier in their Holy Grail War than anyone in Fate/Zero.  Holy freaking crap did the intensity get upped in the penulate chapter of the Fate/Stay Night prequel.  Im realizing, more than ever, that there might only be one true hero in this whole saga and everyone else…well yeah, not a single one of these mages should ever have the Holy Grail, like ever.

Just when I thought seeing Caster and Ryunosuke’s monstrosities could easily take the category of “Scariest Image in Fate/Zero”, in comes a young, smiling Kiritsugu.  Yeah that kind of disturbed me.  It’s hard to believe there was a time when he wasn’t the heartless assassin we’ve seen throughout this show (though he has shown appropriate softness with Iri and Illya).  It’s also hard to believe that his dad came from the same stock as Shou Tucker from Fullmetal Alchemist.  As one would expect, the first of the two part history of Kiritsugu Emiya ended up being filled with blood, monsters, psycho dads who don’t care about the damage they caused and…holy crap a sexy mercenary who ended up being Kiritsugu’s Obi Wan?  The island massacare was a tough watch, seeing the peaceful, friendly place become a hell scape.  And that poor girl who was pretty much Kiritsugu, or should I say Karry’s first love…plenty of echoes of Nina and Alexander from Fullmetal Alchemist could be heard. 

I kind of wish Natalia hadn’t been killed off after a couple of episodes as I would love to have seen just how her apprentice faired during this Holy Grail War.  She did seem to smile when Kiritsugu blew up the plane she was piloting in order to save thousands of lives from Vampire Bugs (more or less).  Would she be ok with all the “necessary” tactics Kiritsugu’s taken to win the Holy Grail?  Natalia did teach him the “Whatever it takes” mantra ive associated with Kiritsugu from the very beginning.  She’d probably have been highly amused.  Also, it would have been great to see Natalia older but still looking sexy as hell blowing the hell out everything in sight.  Heck, I dare say she would have made a better partner for Kiritsugu than Maiya, who was finally given a last minute backstory before getting bumped off.  I don’t doubt that Maiya was somehow important to Kiritsugu, but her death wasn’t as effective as say Kayneth and Sola-Ul’s when it came to eliminating characters who didn’t live up to their potential.  Oh Natalia, only around for a couple of episodes but you left quite the impact.  Also, given how Kiritsugu blew up a hotel to try and kill an opponent, no him using a rocket launcher to blow up an airliner jet does not surprise me whatsoever…he’s just crazy like that.

Thankfully, as much as he wants it to be, it wasn’t all about Kiritsugu in this second to last set (hmmm I guess he and Shiro have more in common than you’d think).  Kirei and Gilgamesh and Waver and Rider both had stellar moments that hightlighted their opposites nicely.  Waver has appeared to have finally given his full faith to Rider, going with a full day of rest to restore his power.  He’s also not freaking out as much when Rider…well rides into battle against Saber.  Oh man was that fight awesome: A chariot vs a Saber Super Bike (yes that’s what im calling whatever Saber morphed her motorcycle into).  The animation was crisp and excellent and though it was a brief scuffle, Saber vs Rider was epic nonetheless.  And at the end of it all, Rider and Waver are both smiling over the outcome, even though they have to walk home now.  Way to go Waver, it finally feels like you’re genuinely the best guy in this fight.

Kirei, meanwhile, decided to explore his newly found heart of darkness by manipulating Kariya into one of the most terrifying yet well done moments of the show so far.  It’s hard to forget that Tokiomi’s wife has been around a lot…cause she hasn’t really been.  It’s funny that we got so much detail about Iri and Maiya’s questionable dedication to Kiritsugu and his goals yet we’ve not learned much about why Aoi Tokiomi was ok with just handing Sakura over to the Matoh family.  Any chance we’d learn more is probably gone since Kariya lost his mind and seemingly choked her to death.  The quick cuts to black followed by still frames didn’t skimp on the intensity or ferociousness of the act.  On top of it all, it’s Kariya doing this to someone he claims to love more than anyone.  The heartbreak is real and Kariya has crossed a line there’s no coming back from…and Kirei cant help but drink to his despair with Gilgamesh as his drinking buddy.  Kariya might be the most tragic character of the whole show but Kirei has truly become the villain Kiritsugu always feared him to be.  The final battle between those two is going to be something. 

It’s almost a miracle Shiro and Rin aren’t more screwed up by the time Fate/Stay Night roles around.  Clearly Illya isn’t in the right mind, and im sure we’ll find out why that got started next week.  But yeah Shiro’s “dad” is a psycho killer with dillusions of righteousness and Rin’s got a dead father, a potentially dead mother and a killer priest who’s been tasked with guarding her (Tokiomi’s last request before Kirei killed him).  Fate/Zero has given us a far more despairing Holy Grail War than the original series.  And it’s made for some incredible storytelling, with animation, music, human drama and incredible action all molding into one near perfect treat.  It feels like im almost going into final thoughts with praise like that but there’s still one part to go.  This set seemed to be about last reflections and piece positioning before the last battles get going.  When we return to Fate/Zero next time, it’s time for the war to end and the curtain to rise on another war…I cant wait to see how this ends.  See you next time for the grand finale of Fate/Zero.

T5W#153-Top 5 Yuki Kaijura Soundtracks

The music of an Anime can make or break a title.  Sometimes, the score is the most memorable aspect of a show or film.  In the world of Anime, there are many great composers, some of whom are giants in the genre like Kenji Kawaii, Joe Hisashi and, of course, Yoko Kanno.  There is one additional name id throw into that upper echelon of brilliant music minds.  And that is Yuki Kaijura.  She’s been doing a lot of great classical scores with her own unique spin for the last couple of decades now, breathing larger than life feels into already epic pieces.  Also, she and her two groups (See Saw and Kalafina) can produce some beautiful and inspiring theme songs for shows like Gundam Seed and a couple of titles you’ll see in a sec.  And since she’s the one behind the score of the Anime im reviewing right now, I figured this weeks Top 5 Wednesday could go to her.  So take a look at my Top 5 Yuki Kaijura Soundtracks and see why this is one lady whose OSTs belong on your shelf right next to Cowboy Bebop and FLCL.

 

#5-Sword Art Online

This isn’t the first time Yuki Kaijura has done a musical score for an Anime about a kid stuck in his fantasy video game.  That Anime is also on this list but I will say that Sword Art Online is a further spiritual successor to the .hack saga thanks to bringing her onto this project as well.  SAO is a far more fast paced digital journey than .hack and Kaijura is happy to run with it, especially during the battle sequences, which she can match blow for blow with the strikes on screen like Kirito can.  Her work on this title is so renowned that Kaijura has also returned to do the OSTs for SAO II and the SAO movie, Ordinal Scale.  Here’s hoping they bring her talents back for the upcoming third season this fall.

 

#4-.hack//Sign

This was the music that brought Ms. Kaijura to my attention and its easy to see why.  While .hack, as previously mention, is a bit slower paced than Sword Art Online, the music compliments this vast world that is both paradise and prison for main character Tsukasa.  Everything feels so elegant, yet haunting; inviting but dangerous.  And she even throws in some techno beats for some of the more action packed moments, showing us that, like Yoko Kanno, Yuki Kaijura is willing to play with different genres of music and create her own subgenre all her own.

 

#3-Fate/Zero

Ive said in my ongoing reviews that Fate/Zero feels like the Game of Thrones of Anime.  There aren’t many composers you could trust to come up with a musical score to compliment that statement.  But Kaijura knocks it out of the park.  The Fate/Zero OST is full of magic both exciting and dramatic.  Choirs and orchestras clash like Saber and the other servants, making music feel beyond epic.  But Kaijura also knows how to dial it back and let the music highlight some of the more tragic scenes in one of the most awesome but heartbreaking Anime prequels of all time.  Speaking of awesome but heartbreaking…

 

#2-Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Like the whole of Madoka Magica’s Anime presentation, Yuki Kaijura’s score is both magical and whimsical but also incredibly sad and full of tragedy.  After all, you’re taking a popular genre and turning it on its head, showcasing the actual tragedies that come with the territory of becoming a superheroine.  It may look fun and glamorous but can turn deadly and have lasting reprucutions.  Special recognition goes to the score of the entire last episode in which Kaijura brings everything I just talked about under one perfect umbrella of musical achievement.  Also there’s the epic main battle theme/end theme “Magia” which Yuki Kaijura did with her vocal group Kalafina (who will pop up again in a moment too), which is the best magical girl theme song since Sailor Moon.

 

#1-Kara no Kyoukai (The Garden of Sinners)

While I haven’t seen this one all the way through, the score of the first couple of episodes/films was enough for me to give The Garden of Sinners the top spot.  Once again, Yuki Kaijura combines feelings of mysticism, curiosity, fear and danger all in a score that is hypnotic and grabbing and perfectly compliments all of the images unfolding on screen.  Also again, Kalafina plays a pretty big role as well, giving each film an amazing end theme.  “Oblivious” and “Sprinter” are two of my all time favorite tracks from any anime ever and are worth checking out if you can find them.  If there’s one person who can make the impossible look both haunting and exciting at the same time, it’s Yuki Kaijura.

 

Fate/Zero Part 4 Episodes 14-17

The river by Fuyuki Bridge erupts in violence as Saber, Rider, Lancer and even Archer join forces to battle Caster and the beast he has unleashed.  Meanwhile, their masters clash behind the scenes.  Kariya confronts Tokiomi over the Toshaka heads questionable decision to give Sakura over to the Matoh’s.  Kiritsugu plots his most daring moves yet to move put himself in front of the running for the Holy Grail.  And Kirei’s true nature begins to emerge, under the dark tutelage of Gilgamesh.  Mages will fall, allegiances will be challenged and changed.  In the ultimate battle to attain the greatest magical artifact, no price is too high and no course of action can be ruled out.  The Grail must be attained…no matter the cost.

Well that Avengers reunion was short lived.  Then again, everyone more or less getting along wasn’t going to last forever.  This whole event is a battle to the death after all.  But gone are the days of playing by righteous rules (if there ever was a Grail War like that).  To put it in simpler terms this round “**** just got real).

Starting from where we left off last week, we finally got the all out brawl of heroes we’d been waiting for.  The six remaining servants may have fought separate battles but each one was so entertaining it didn’t matter they weren’t all focused on Caster.  My most favorite of these brawls had to be Berserkers Macross laden battle with Archer: a possessed fighter jet vs…whatever the heck Gilgamesh was flying, it looked like a leftover Lelouch toy from Code Geass.  One nitpick I have from this whole affair.  I did like how this battle was big enough to attract a crowd…but did anything else come from the real world witnessing a Grail battle?  Chances are the church and the observers who keep track of things have some sort of mind erasure magic or something like that, I just don’t think it was ever shown. 

Seeing as how this set of episodes kicked off the second half of the series, it was time to see some players finally get taken off the board.  In a span of four episodes we lost Ryunosuke, Caster, Lancer, Kayneth, Sola-Ul, Kirei’s Father and Tokiomi.  Each one could have a spot for bloodiest demise but each one did have their own separate set of feels to them.  How ironic is it that a serial killers greatest wish is to experience his own death?  The look of joy on Ryunosuke’s face was a good cap off to his disgusting murder spree.  Caster was right behind him as Saber was given her full abilities back and able to slice him down the middle right back to Hell.  And yet, with the dispatching of the two biggest monsters in the Grail War…the “real” monsters came out to play in their stead.

Saber and Kiritsugu finally had their long awaited verbal throwdown over Kiritsugu’s actions.  Saber is a knight of honor, one who values tradition and chivalry above all else.  Kiritsugu is an assassin moving in the shadows and employing every deceitful tool at his disposal to win the war.  He snipes Rynosuke from afar (pretty cool too).  But his biggest F’ed up moment yet comes from creating a contract that allows Kayneth and his finacee to live, so long as Kayneth forces Lancer to kill himself.  That was tough to watch.  Lancer has always been a likeable guy and his rivalry with Saber has played both parts respectable fighter and also cute flirting.  Yet he dies cursing someone he saw and an honorable rival because her master employed such underhanded means.  It’s a far less glorious death than Lancer deserved.  Follow that up with Kiritsugu’s back up, Maiya, killing Sola-Ul followed by Saber killing Kayneth out of mercy…and you begin to realize, if you haven’t already, this was all planned by the guy Shiro Emiya looked up to as an idol…no wonder that kid is so messed up with his notions of heroism.

Still that begs the question: in a battle for a super powerful magic relic that can grant any wish, is it worth sacrificing honor?  Of all the characters, who are masters, who have shown any sense of being honorable participants in this contest, probably Kariya’s probably the only one who has noble intentions, saving Sakura.  Waver is a distant second, since he was in this to prove himself and has complained quite a bit until this set (he does stand his ground with Rider, so he’s showing progress).  Kiritsugu, Kayneth, Tokiomi and Kirei have all played by their own rules in this way and have used deceit, treachery and simple logic to get their ways.  Victory and the power of the Grail is all that matters and they don’t care who gets hurt in the process.  Kiritsugu may be claiming he’s doing all of this killing so no one will ever have to again but clearly he’s full of crap (so much so I cant believe Iri supports him, much less gave him a daughter).  Kayneth and Tokiomi were in it for the glory of their families.  And Kirei…well his true darkness is finally coming through and God only knows how he’ll react when he realizes what he really wants out of this whole event.

Gotta give credit where credit is due when it comes to the writing of this series.  It instills deep discussions like the one above but it also does wonders for even when they kill off the weakest of characters.  Kayneth and Sola-Ul fit that bill easily for me.  From Kayneth’s boasting to his bizzare relationship with his fiancée, both characters we bare bones in terms of presentation and confusing as to their character arcs.  I guess Sola-Ul was accidentally seduced by Lancer and his curse to make all women fall for him, but the set up for that was pretty weak.  Doesn’t change the fact that they way Kiritsugu set up their demises was tragic and sorrowful.  The same kind of goes for Tokiomi, actually.  Though he did get off the bench and faced Kariya, the father of my favorite waifu was pretty underwhelming overall.  First off, his twisted notions of sacrificing Sakura for the benefit of his family are total crap.  Sure he’s a traditionalist but I would still hold out hope that Rin and Sakura could be raised as sisters and not have to compete for who would become the next true heir of the Tohsaka family.  Secondly, for a man with all kinds of plans, wow was he totally blind to the growing darkness in his own apprentice.  I loved this moment a lot.  Seeing Kirei and Gilgamesh standing together felt like a moment long built up to that paid off completely.  Of the many setups laid for Fate/Stay Night, this was one of the big ones to keep an eye on and it was worth it.  If the deaths of Tokiomi and Kayneth taught me anything here, it’s that if you think the standing of your name and house will garuntee you a win…best to forfeit now and stay out of battles that will clearly end you.  I do feel bad for poor Rin, who will be crushed when she finds out about her dad.  But Tokiomi was far from father of the year and Im not going to feel bad that he got taken out.

Yeesh, this review got deep, real deep.  And yet for all its deepness, could I ignore all the cool that came with it?  What about the possessed fighter jet fighting a UFO?  Or Saber and Lancers beautifully choreographed final battle?  Or Sabers Super Saiyan God level takedown of Caster?  Yes, the spectacle where the action was concerned was at its finest but this is also a series that makes you think and think a lot (such is the power of Gen Urobuchi, the man who wrote Madoka Magica and the first season of Psycho Pass).

Anyway, The prelim battles are over, enough recon has been done and now its time to start the power plays.  So, much like I did for X when I reviewed it, here’s the list of remaining masters and servants:

Alive:

Kiritsugu/Saber

Kirei/Archer

Waver/Rider

Kariya/Berserker

 

Dead:

Ryunosuke/Caster

Kayneth/Lancer

Tokiomi

Assassin

Two more sets of episodes to go.  Even though we may know who ends up surviving this whole ordeal, we don’t know the full story yet…and itll suck to see it end cause Fate/Zero continues to blow Fate/Stay Night out of the water in every conceivable way.