Fate/Zero

Before I start this review, I'd like to outline my plan for going through the Fate anime. The Fate series was something that I wanted to get into for quite some time, the only problem being how do I get into it? Three different routes, a prologue, anime adaptations of varied qualities, it's kind of a mess and it took me days just to figure out the best route through it all. Here's my plan: I read up on the Fate route of Fate Stay/Night, I know what happens and how it ends along with who most of the major characters are, so I won't be watching the bad, spoiler-y, and oddly unavailable DEEN version. I'll be starting with the prequel Fate/Zero, then I'll move onto UBW, and finally I'll end with the Heaven's Feel movies (once again, if I can somehow get access to them). Now let's start the review.

Fate/Zero is a prequel to the Fate Stay/Night visual novel written by Gen Urobuchi of Madoka fame (see why I wanted to watch this now?). It's also epic, compelling, and pretty damn good.

Fate/Zero is about the Fourth Grail War, where seven people call in historical figures to help them battle for the Holy Grail. Stay/Night is about the Fifth Grail War, so this anime depicts the events that led to that series. The first season is fairly slow, introducing the cast and setting up a lot of the threads that would get set up in the second season. Most of the series actually has a defined villain in Caster/Uryu, a serial killer who managed to find his way into the war. But once they're defeated, the anime shifts back to the cast as they fight each other, and the deaths become far more numerous. Something that I think is really fresh about Fate/Zero is how it really feels like an actual war is playing out, with large battles and game-changing risks scattered throughout the series, along with episodes that dealt with the ramifications of said battles. As the anime progresses, each battle feels grander and more devastating than the last as the war becomes closer to a conclusion. Despite how the war is just among a select group of people, everything is played really seriously and the show feels epic and dramatic. The sheer lengths that the characters would go through (from arson to murder) just made me genuinely compelled to see how it would all fall apart. My only major with Fate/Zero is how it was structured, split up into two seasons at a fairly arbitrary halfway point that make both feel incomplete. That's why I wanted to review the show as a whole, as its first season ends up being too uneventful and its second season ends up being too relentless with its death scenes.

This anime has a pretty massive cast, following each of the seven masters and their servants, among other important characters like Irisveil, Risei, and some of the children who would become major characters in Stay/Night. With 25 episodes, it's not hard for the cast to be spread a bit thin at times (especially with Kiritsugu getting two flashback episodes), but I still found most of them at least interesting. Out of the human characters, I think Kiritsugu and Irisveil are strong protagonists, and I really like Waver for his strong character arc. Speaking of which, the servants are the real highlights here. Each of their designs does a good job of anime-fying the historical figures they're based on. Saber (based on King Arthur) is obviously a highlight for her great fight scenes and noble attitude, and she works really well as a main protagonist. Also the decision to give her a motorcycle was just the coolest thing ever. But I was surprised to find that Rider (based on Alexander the Great) might have been my favorite out of the whole cast. Not only was it a superb translation of the historical figure, but his jovial attitude, surprising moments of thoughtfulness, and bombastic powers made him even more memorable. I especially love his friendship with Waver that develops throughout the anime, their dynamic was just so adorable and they had a lot of mature and heartwarming moments together.

Presentation-wise, Fate/Zero is predictably spectacular seeing as it's animated by Ufotable (Demon Slayer) and has music composed by Yuki Kajiura (Madoka), both of which I've praised in earlier reviews. The character animations are mostly pretty good, though it really comes alive during the fight scenes. Demon Slayer's fights were great, but nearly every battle in Fate/Zero is phenomenal. The movements are fluid and weighty, and the visual effects are just so bombastic. I also really like the backgrounds in Fate/Zero, they're so detailed compared to the rest of the show. I especially like how they get destroyed during fight scenes. The show also implements CGI really well without it feeling too unprofessional. As for the music, Yuki Kajiura is really shaping up to be my favorite composer in anime. The score in Fate/Zero is just amazing, it's grand, epic, and fits most of the scenes really well. Some of the anime's best scenes are made even better thanks to a great score, especially the fights.

There were a whole bunch of pretty great episodes throughout the anime, but these were my favorites:

Spearhead: This episode contains the first big action sequence in the series, and it's really spectacular. The fight between Saber and Lancer is exciting, tense, and incredibly well-animated. It's a great back and forth as whichever fighter is in the lead changes constantly, only for Rider to storm in at the end of the episode and ruin everything.

Rin's Big Adventure: I've said this a few times, but I hate the term "filler". An episode can still be entertaining even if it doesn't progress the plot, and that's exactly what this episode was. We got to spend a whole story with young Rin as she takes on Uryu all on her own. I got some serious slasher vibes from the episode, and seeing Rin improve her magic skills is really satisfying. I also thought it was nice to see Kariya actually do something for once.

Discussing The Grail: It's so easy for people to resort to violence, so seeing Saber, Archer, and Rider discuss their motivations in a simple yet gripping conversation is far more interesting and fascinating, and Saber's debate with Rider is up there with any flashy fight the anime had to offer. It's even cooler if you consider the fact that King Arthur, Gilgamesh, and Alexander the Great are having a conversation with each other. But even if you wanted action, this episode also had Rider wiping out every assassin in spectacular fashion.

Golden Shine: This episode ties up a ton of loose ends in spectacular fashion. Saber gets her arm back, and finally reveals Excalibur, using it to completely annihilate Caster. There's also the fight with Beserker, Kariya's near death, and some more cool Rider moments to help make this easily the most bombastic episode yet.

The End Of Honor: Well, it was only a matter of time, but Urobuchi's starting to kill people off. Prior to this episode, it was just antagonists, but here we get the shocking deaths of Risei, Kayneth, Sola-Ui, and worst of all, Lancer. This whole episode is just a repeated bloodbath and punch in the gut, from Saber and Lancer's fight, to Kiritsugu's deal, to the argument about honor in the last few minutes, this was easily one of the show's best episodes.

The Sea At The End Of The World: And so, the final battle begins. Overall, this was a pretty fun and action-heavy episode, but there were two scenes in particular that got me. First is the reveal of Berserker's true identity, him being Sir Lancelot makes a ton of sense given his design and Saber's realization is heartbreaking. Second is Rider's last stand which is not only beautifully animated but also just painful given he was one of my favorites.

The Last Command Seal: In an anime where historical figures duke it out every other episode, I was surprised that one of my favorite fights was just between two normal people. Kiritsugu vs Kirei was all kinds of badass, and when you add in the more emotional Saber vs Berserker fight, the first eight minutes of this episode might be the best of the whole series. Not that the rest of the episode isn't also amazing, the corrupted Grail stuff was a surprising twist, and the ending was an amazing cliffhanger. I'm also starting to pick up a trend that Urobuchi really likes dealing with utilitarianism in his works.

Fate/Zero: Coming after the last two action-packed episodes, this was a bit more of a denouement. It's also the second Urobuchi finale to leave me a bit confused (what did the Grail even do?!). Still, this finale did a good job of tying things up for all the characters and did an excellent job of setting up for the events of Stay/Night, from Kariya's inability to save Sakura, to the long-awaited appearance of Shirou.

Overall, Fate/Zero is a compelling story with a large but interesting cast of characters, phenomenal action, and a top-notch presentation. Both seasons felt incomplete on their own, but when viewed as a complete 25-episode story, it's works really well.

Season 1: 4/5 Stars

Season 2: 5/5 Stars

The whole anime: 4.5/5 Stars