Now that I'm done with Fate/Zero, it's time for the adaptations of the Fate Stay/Night visual novel. Unlimited Blade Works focuses mostly on Rin, and while it might not be as dark and compelling as Zero, it definitely excels with its action and characters.
So if you've read my review of Fate/Zero, you know how the Holy Grail War works by now. UBW is about the Fifth Holy Grail War, and many of the masters are the children of much of the cast of Zero. As a whole, I wouldn't say this war is quite as dramatic and devastating as in Zero, though it makes a lot of sense given that a large portion of the cast are kids. However, this means that this anime isn't quite as epic as Zero. We didn't have these massive attacks like the building explosion and the Mion River battle, the war here is far more personal and less... war-like. It's not a bad thing, this series being more character driven has its benefits, but it definitely means there just isn't that same gravitas and unique tactical conflicts. I also think UBW's start was quite a bit weaker than Zero's. While I think Zero earned its double-length premiere due to the massive roster of characters to introduce, UBW's first two episodes were both 45 minutes long and about the same events, and even with some action, it didn't really feel like things got going until Episode 12. Still, that's not to sell UBW's story short. The anime is packed with great twists (Caster summoning Assassin, Shirou losing Saber, Archer's true identity), and once Saber gets captured and Archer defects, seeing Shirou and Rin try to win the war without their servants was an incredibly cool concept. The entire second season is far more action-packed, fast-paced, and intense, holding its own as one of the better Fate seasons for sure.
However, while the plot is good enough, where UBW excels is definitely its cast of characters, which I'd argue is even stronger than in Zero. The main character of Stay/Night itself is Shirou Emiya, who ends up getting Saber as his servant. He's an alright protagonist and his arc about helping others is pretty good, but he's nowhere near as fascinating as Kiritsugu. However, while Shirou is the central character, UBW primarily focuses on Rin Tohsaka, as she tries to win the war despite not getting the servant she wanted (Saber). I found her infinitely more interesting than Shirou, her snarky attitude and constant teasing were a ton of fun, and her arc about learning to be a different person from her family was great. Knowing that Saber, Rin, and Sakura (who didn't appear too much in UBW) are Shirou's love interests in the VN, I think Rin and Shirou have a really natural romantic storyline in this anime. I'll wait until Heaven's Feel to make my full verdict, but right now, I think they're a pretty great match. I also really liked Taiga, Shirou's caretaker, due to the levity she provides. As for the servants, Saber's back and just as great as ever, but the real highlights were probably the antagonists. While Zero's Caster was terrifying and grotesque, Stay/Night's Caster is a far more intelligent and charismatic, so I actually felt even more terrified every time she was on screen despite the lack of eldtrich horrors. Archer was a pretty interesting character due to his unknown past and disdain towards Rin and Shirou's methods, but he's also pretty hateable at times. As a whole, I actually liked this cast better than Zero's. Except Shinji. Screw him.
As for the presentation, UBW is a bit more of a mixed bag compared to Zero. On one hand, the visuals are much better across the board. Fate/Zero was great with the action scenes and spectacle, but normal character interactions looked a bit stilted at times. In UBW on the other hand, the entire anime looks just plain stunning. Nearly every shot looks great, even in the dialogue-focused scenes. And that's not even considering the phenomenal action scenes which might also look even better than Zero as well. If anything, they're just as flashy and spectacular, and might be even more frequent. I especially love how the masters themselves end up getting involved in some of the fights, intentionally or otherwise, which results in some really tense sequences. However, one thing that isn't an improvement on Zero is the music. It's hard to top Yuki Kajiura in pretty much anything, but I found UBW's score to be on the generic and unremarkable side. It's not bad, but it rarely stands out unless its using themes from Zero and the visual novel itself.
There were quite a lot of great episodes in UBW, with these being my favorites:
The Reward For The Fight To The Death: This action-packed episode had some pretty great twists, and sets up Caster as an amazing villain. The reveal that she summoned her own Assassin definitely caught me off-guard, and the big battles in this episode were really fun. It was also the point in which Archer's antagonistic side started to show a bit.
The Final Decision: Just like Fate/Zero, UBW is split up into two seasons, but this time, the first season finale is a huge turning point in the series. The battle with Caster is one of the biggest and most dramatic in the series, Shirou losing Saber and getting kicked off the war is a tragic and surprising turn, and the extra length means we get a ton of great character interactions, especially in the first third. This is a massive, dramatic, and jam-packed episode, a big jump in quality for the anime so far.
A Battle Of Legend: This episode was just heart wrenching. Illyasveil's backstory was super interesting coming off from Fate/Zero, and her and Beserker's last stand was as visually stunning as it was devastating. I was kinda hoping for some more interactions between her and Shirou, but that's probably what the other routes are for.
Idealism's End: This was just a nonstop series of twists and reveals, and start of probably the best stretch of episodes in the anime. Obviously, most people know that Saber is King Arthur, but then we get the crazy reveal that Archer is Shirou from the future, and then Kirei shows up, and then Lancer is forced to commit suicide (sound familiar?). This is easily one of the heaviest episodes in UBW.
Unlimited Blade Works (the first one): This is a rarity, two episodes have the exact same title. The only other instance I can think of is RvB which had two episodes titled Heavy Metal, but they weren't super important like these are. The big fight between Shirou and Archer was definitely worth all the buildup, as was Lancer killing Kirei and saving Rin. But the real highlight of the episode is the iconic line "Just because you are correct, doesn't mean you're right".
Unlimited Blade Works (the second one): Similarly to Zero, this anime saves the climactic final battle for the penultimate episode, and it's pretty great. The fight between Shirou and Gilgamesh is unbelievably epic, which was helped by the music taking a noticeable step up compared to the rest of the series. It's a far more bombastic conclusion than Zero's, but it still manages to have some strong emotional punches when Saber and Archer disappear.
Overall, while it's not as epic or compelling as Zero and has a bit of a slow start, Unlimited Blade Works is another great Fate anime with amazing animation and fights, memorable and likable characters, and some genuinely stellar twists.
Season 1: 3/5 Stars
Season 2: 4/5 Stars
3.5/5 Stars
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