The Holy Grail War continues, with each Master and Servant duo making their move for the omnipotent
wish granter. Caster’s plans have been set in motion, beginning with taking Saber captive while Rin
and Archer go their separate ways to continue their fights on their own. Without Saber’s aid, Shirou’s
principles are put to the ultimate test. With many battles to come with expected and unexpected
enemies, Shirou’s resolve begins to take form. Is his desire to protect people and become a hero,
genuine? Or are they simply borrowed feelings? And will it be enough to carry him to the end?
(Source: Aniplex of America)
*This review covers both seasons of Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works and contains spoilers* Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works is an aggravating piece of work. Laborious and cyclical to the core, this show manages to stumble its way through 25 episodes of monotonous monologues, caricatures, and dialogues filled to the brim with repetition and wheel spinning. No amount of dazzling light shows or cute interactions can salvage this production, even if they do make the experience less insufferable than it could have been. Let’s start with the positives before things get too dicey. Studio Ufotable did a fairly good job with the visuals of this show. They have this reputation of always making top of the line visual experiences, and while it’s certainly overblown, I can see where people are coming from. Some of the animation here is quite vibrant and fluid, especially with some of the more explosive attacks showcased towards the back half of the series. Additionally, the character designs and fashion are generally pleasant and eye-catching. The studio's signature post-processing digital effects on the colors and lighting generally work rather well with the artwork and setting, blending itself well with the more ominous moments of the show. Unfortunately, we can't be all positive here since there are some major shortcomings carried over from their previous Fate production. Nothing ever reaches the absolute highs of the golden Excalibur scene from Zero season 2, and Takahiko Miura's direction isn't anything special or noteworthy compared to F/Z's Ei Aoki. There's also a fair amount of inconsistency, not just with the artwork, but with the visual impact of certain attacks, such as the firing of Gilgamesh's swords feeling like it causes explosions at random rather than with certainty when it hits the ground hard enough. The flashy fight scenes aren't always that fluid or well-drawn either, such as the final fight between Shirou and Archer. Attacks feel so overblown at times, and some even add to the inconsistency, like when you compare Rin's martial arts magic combat against Caster in early S2 to her sparring match with fellow student Luvia in the epilogue which causes tons of explosions and sends debris flying everywhere. The CG from Fate/Zero is back and hasn't improved at all, with tons of summonable CG skeletons, locales, and stock fire effects that eradicate the frame rate or otherwise just look hideous. It's honestly a step down from the studio's previous work, and that's a bit of a shame. The music is also a step down from the previous installment. Instead of having Yuki Kajiura compose like she did last time and would eventually do for future installments, we instead have Hiroyuki Fukasawa doing the score. In fairness, his work is generally decent, with a fair amount of nice jingles for the calmer moments of the show, and a few decent tracks for the action scenes like with UBW’s rendition of “Emiya” and “Sword of Promised Victory” in some of the second season’s bigger moments. A lot of the calmer tracks feel rather reused, however. On top of that, there isn’t anything as grandiose or memorable as the likes of “This Day and Never Again” or “Sword of Promised Victory” from Fate/Zero. The emotional tracks aren’t as potent as the likes of “Kumo wa Somari Yuku” from DEEN/Stay Night or “Painful” from Fate/Zero, either. Hiroyuki Fukasawa provides a pretty decent score, but it can’t quite stand up to some of the franchise’s other works. The ending themes are even more forgettable and bland, with the exception of episode 15’s ending theme, which is a slow, beautiful, and vastly superior rendition of the show’s second ED. Luckily, both openings are fairly memorable and work well for their respective cours. “Ideal White” by Mashiro Ayano is the lesser of the two but it’s still a fairly energetic j-rock song with a nice build and final stretch. “Brave Shine” by Aimer is far more widely recognized for good reason thanks to being more epic with its chorus in particular. However, another Aimer song in UBW outdoes it, that track being the insert for episode 20, “Last Stardust”. While the show gimped the timing with it, the song itself is a slow yet powerful banger that can sell any emotionally triumphant scene, except for the scene it’s used in thanks to it just being another example of the show’s incessant wheel spinning. “Wheel spinning” is a pretty fitting phrase to describe the main thematic conflict of Unlimited Blade Works regarding our main character, Shirou. From the very first episode (not counting the prologue), you see him start monologuing endlessly about the Fuyuki fire, apropos of nothing, and every time it’s the same damn thing. There’s no new revelation or side of the story, no new information to be found with Shirou’s constant revisits of the subject whenever he starts thinking about it. Sure, it’s nice to see how other characters, namely this route’s love interest Rin, react to his tragic backstory, but subjecting the audience to it about 15 times without any significant value being added is a crime. It’s even worse when his future self (oh trust me, we’ll get to that crock of horseshit later) Archer starts interacting with him. Their dialogue almost invariably amounts to some form of: Archer: Shirou, your naive ideals suck and are retarded. They bring nothing but misery. Go die. Shirou: Fuck you, they’re awesome and I believe in them, you amoral douchebag! Archer: No, they’re dumb and they’re not even yours you stubborn cunt. See the murderous pain that awaits your future, fuck off, and die! Shirou: So what? I still believe in them, and I will never turn into a miserable sad sack like you! Archer: I hate you, limp cocksucker! Shirou: I hate you more! Archer: GO KILL YOURSELF!!! Shirou: GO JUMP UP YOUR MOM’S ASS!!! The worst part is that the middle of season 2 is primarily comprised of this cyclical exchange, with every single solitary scene, including the “Last Stardust scene” being them going over the same bullet points over and over again and coming to the conclusions they’ve long since come to and expressed to each other about why they believe what they believe. Even most online debates have a greater sense of progress than this, and with infinitely more brevity to boot. The idea of Shirou accepting that the typical “I want to save everyone” ideal leads to more misery than it’s worth is fine on paper, but when it’s reduced to nothing more than a series of cyclical diatribes and polemics that, in total, make up about ¼ of the show’s runtime, I just wish he and Archer would die a painful death. Speaking of Archer being a miserable sad sack, there’s the idea of him being a guardian from the future, and why this solidified UBW’s worldbuilding and writing as a broken, convoluted mess of holes and vague nonsense. I have some questions, and they are as follows: Where did Shirou even find that thing he interacted with that allowed him to become a guardian? How does that even work? Is it related to the grail in some way? It has to be in order for Shirou to become a heroic spirit, so how does any of that work? What allows it to come into being? How come guardians basically wander the afterlife and retain all their memories of both it and every time they are summoned, but servants do not? The idea of guardians somehow also being heroic spirits from the future is stupid and serves as an asinine outlier in the summoning rules of this franchise for the sake of giving Shirou a whiny foil drenched in blood red. What conflict was Archer hanged for, given that it seems to play a major role in why he became so jaded? They never say. Does Rin mean so little to him that he basically considers her a begrudging acquaintance at best until his final scene with her when in this route, she is his romantic partner when he's Shirou? Why does she play absolutely no factor in his life post-guardian contract? Also, why doesn't Archer just try to persuade Shirou not to become a guardian and instead look for other means to try becoming a hero like say, being a firefighter or something? Did the thought ever occur to him before he went "nah, killing him is a better idea"? Even if he had brought up that he first thought of other solutions before deciding that killing Shirou was the best idea, that would have still been better, more nuanced, and more well thought out than it currently is. This is all directly related to the character motivations of the center of UBW's primary ideological conflict as well as to the dodgy, convoluted, and somewhat nebulous world-building, so what the fuck? Even if you want to argue that not everything here requires an in-depth explanation since that could risk dragging out the pacing of season 2 even more than the whole Archer vs Shirou conflict already does, there’s no reason to leave all of this out there without even a slight answer. A little clarity goes along way, otherwise, why would the show bother with the whole “guardians” and “I was framed as the ringleader of a conflict and hanged” ideas? They’re underdeveloped and nebulous, convoluted window dressing to Archer’s jadedness that he tries to shove down everyone’s throats. That’s almost the entirety of his character anyway, leaving his chemistry with Rin to be his only redeeming quality. Rin has a lot of cute exchanges with Shirou and Archer throughout the show, which helps make her romance with Shirou all the more believable and naturally developed, at least for the most part. It’s the one major aspect of UBW’s writing that I don’t have significant problems with, even if both characters aren’t very well written. One last thing to say about Shirou is that the show does not go that far into the idea that his ideas have left him a hollow, damaged human being beyond two exchanges with Rin and one part of Shirou and Archer’s 3-episode bickering in season 2. This is a point that could have been reinforced more throughout the show, and they could have done more with how much of a character flaw that really is instead of primarily having his ideals result in him being called “naive” or “hypocritical”. There’s little else to speak of regarding him, so next there’s Rin. She’s an idiot. It’s honestly impressive just how stupid she can be when it comes to magecraft and the holy grail war, two things she has been studying and preparing for all her life. There are plenty of moments of her not coming to the most basic conclusions, putting 2 and 2 together, or making obvious decisions that I could choose from, but let’s stick to two examples, both from the same episode. Season 1 episode 9 has Shirou and Rin discussing the bounded field they are currently in, and Shirou puts together that, like last time back in episode 5, this must be the work of resident cowardly scumbag Shinji Matou. Rin somehow is surprised by this, and Shirou’s surprised by how she didn’t figure out something that obvious. Even though it is lampshaded in-universe, it’s crazy how Rin wouldn’t automatically assume Shinji was back on his bullshit again given that at this point, they had no reason to believe there were any other masters at this school. When Saber arrives to help them that very same episode, Shirou explains that there’s a bounded field, Saber remarks that there’s a servant here, and Rin, who knows that Shinji’s servant is with him inside the bounded field just like last time, is shocked by this revelation. I remind you again that she’s supposed to be the smart one in the group, and that she has been studying magic and preparing for the war for more than a decade. No amount of cute and usually earned tsundere moments can save her character at this point when she’s this consistently braindead. With all that being said, Rin is probably the best relevant character here, as almost everyone else has pretty much one or two character traits if any at all, and some such as Shinji and Caster are just evil pricks for the sake of being evil pricks until, surprise, Caster has a dumb backstory about an exceptionally stupid master who was mean to her before she killed him and got a new master. They don’t even have any of the flair or intrigue that Gilgamesh does when it comes to their villainy, not that he lives up to his prequel counterpart thanks to the material of the route and how he too holds the idiot ball by the end. They, as well as non-participants such as Taiga and Sakura, are basically just there to be used and discarded by the plot when necessary to a notable and transparent degree. With the non-combatants in particular, they don’t even exist in the second season until one scene in the epilogue. It’s painfully clear that everyone is just there to line up in pairs of single-file lines to fight Shirou, Rin, and their servants for the most part. The only exception is Lancer, who has always been a somewhat suave and extremely unlucky cool guy that gets to sass everyone. He’s even part of the best scene in the show where Shirou embarrasses Rin by telling Lancer not to steal his girl and the two get into an amusing conversation as Lancer laughs at them. Even he only exists for two episodes in season 1 before disappearing for another 10 until the finale where he starts becoming somewhat relevant again. Sure, this was never going to be as professional and tactical as the war in Fate/Zero where everyone is proactively trying to get the jump on one another, but would it have killed anyone to at least have a scene or two checking on some of the servants that aren’t about to face the main characters or executing any huge plans at the moment? They only do it one time for Caster and Assassin, and that’s when he’s mouthing off to her while she prepares her next big scheme. No one else is granted this luxury. I understand that adapting a visual novel is tricky due to time, but you could have just removed most of the monologues and shortened the repetitive convos between Shirou and Archer, and used some of that time to actually characterize more of the cast members beyond “here’s a backstory right when they’re about to die”. So that’s Unlimited Blade Works: a series of nebulous nonsense and inconsistencies featuring flat and/or idiotic characters and cyclical diatribes for the plot to pick and choose so transparently that they might as well drop all pretenses of this not being a linear video game of a story. Its decent audiovisuals help make the experience less of a chore than it could have been, and there are some cute interactions sprinkled throughout, but they alone cannot save this mangled chore. It’s far from the worst Fate title out there, but I cannot recommend this one unless you desperately feel you need to experience the entirety of the Fate continuity in anime form. Still, at least it’s better than the movie version. Written and Edited by: CodeBlazeFate Proofread by: Peregrine
____THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR SEASON 1 AND SEASON 2 OF UBW____ img500(https://occ-0-1068-92.1.nflxso.net/dnm/api/v6/E8vDc_W8CLv7-yMQu8KMEC7Rrr8/AAAABfrkA5DcdDxc0nIkmE_tFD8gN2pPmyiYBdUbJxHKOegrl3tyGLd2dBkoVeGiGeyuKDDAZ2Su7G5aXC5BCSrlPXN3wisJ.jpg?r=f71) ____"I am the bone of my sword...steel is my body, and fire is my blood...."____ It's hard to describe in words how I feel about UBW Season 2. I've always been conflicted with Studio Ufotable for how they manage to always deliver such amazing eye candy and visuals, but the story becoming very hit or miss in most of their works. To start, it's important to know how hard is to adapt an incredibly large piece such as a Visual Novel without cutting content. Even if other animes can adapt a 100 hour long Visual Novel into an almost perfect masterpiece, Fate focuses mostly on the internal monologues and struggles of the protagonist. Ufotable knew that they had to cut content in order to not make the anime 30 hours long. Unfortunately, the development of the protagonist suffers a painful blow as the viewer struggles to understand his motifs. Shirou in this show feels weird to describe, in hindsight, he continues to be the stubborn one due to his actions and his inability to give up on his ideals. The chemistry with the characters deteriorating is definitely something well done. Because of the cut monologues, Shirou is left as a stubborn head who makes the viewer think he does what he does just out of stubbornness, not out of resolve. Quotes like "Just because you are correct doesn't mean you are right" is left as something out-of-character and stupid, when in reality it's a turning point for his development. ____"...I have created over a thousand blades. Unknown to death.... nor known to life..."____ The secondary characters in this show are very hit or miss, and this is intentional in the original route, as developing all characters wouldn't make other routes satisfactory. But even so, Ufotable started adapting the prequel of the Fate series, and some moments needed continuity, leaving some characters unsatisfactorily developed. Saber is something that wasn't done right by the studio, she gets completely shafted in this route, only existing to help characters and filling the void when her presence is demanded. I understand that the previous route was all about her and her clashing conflict with Shirou, but she does not even reflect a speck of this emotion, rather she is more of a damsel in distress than anything else. Souchirou and Caster were a solid addition, the implementation of a subplot of Caster being thrown around and not loved by her previous master and finding protection and care in her last moments. Unfortunately, this backstory events happen a few moments before Archer kills them both, definitely leaves more to be desired. Nevertheless, Caster was a prominent threat in the show and I commend the studio from making such good work with her. Illya and Berserker were a very strong addition to the secondary characters in this anime. Continuing to develop the girl who grew up in solitude, feeling betrayed by her father and abandoned by her mother, used as a tool by the Einzberns to kill the Emiya household. However, similar to Caster's case, her backstory gets brought up minutes before her death, which doesn't help her character much. Nevertheless it's a good step in continuing the mysterious character from the previous anime. Unfortunately, because this is the second route canonically which they adapt, Kirei was a huge letdown for anime fans of this show. Going from the carefully constructed and well written villain who slowly gives in to his sadistic pleasure for everyone's suffering, to a character which becomes a threat for 10 minutes and then dies. Even if the original route didn't develop him as a main threat, Ufotable could have definitely made more out of him than him telling Rin that he killed her dad. Archer is definitely the highlight of the show, him reflecting the ideals of a broken individual who became what Kiritsugu feared that Shirou would become is well done. His backstory is well explained over how his ideals ended up betraying him, becoming the scapegoat of the same people he tried to save from their conflicts and his own desire of saving people manifesting into his reality bubble. Ufotable really put its heart on Archer, his backstory has several new plot-points, unfortunately, some of them are left unexplained, such as him meeting the guardians and his motif to do what he does. This, combined with the audience not understanding Shirou's mindset completely more than him throwing his life for others, these points are confusing for the viewers. With that combined, the battle with Shirou and Archer doesn't hit as hard, due to both characters having unexplained points to the viewers, and as previously mentioned, such impactful quotes like the one Shirou mentions don't make the most of sense. Even so, it's still a good adaptation, as it shows Shirou getting psychologically tortured by his natural counterpart, with flaws and all, it's a decent adaptation. ____"...have withstood pain to create many weapons..."____ img500(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d5/dd/11/d5dd110b15b82f222e744ec18d65da38.gif) The animation continues to be the best thing this anime has to offer. Ufotable maintains the tradition of "Unlimited Budget Works" by delivering such high quality in the form of fight scenes and visuals ahead of its time. Continuing from my reviews, the animation helps a lot in moments to set the mood of the scenes, and this show does it many times without the need of words, very well done. The score is amazing as well, original tracks from the VN like the popular Emiya's theme were very well remastered. Other tracks like "Sword of Promised Victory", "Into the Night" and "Sorrow" were well put in the anime and helped a lot with the animation and visuals to set a scene. Kudos to the animation and score team, they are the highlight of why I love Ufotable's quality works. ____"...yet those hands shall never hold anything."____ In conclusion, Ufotable's UBW Season 2 may not be the best in terms of story-telling, due to some additional content not being explained, and cut-content greatly affecting some scenes. The characters are still a strong point in the show, some characters take the scenery (like Lancer) but some definitely leave more to be desired as it is. The animation and score is probably the best reason you would want to watch this. Ufotable is known for delivering amazing quality to their shows and this one is no different. I give this show an 8/10. A downgrade from Season 1, but good nonetheless. ____"...so as I pray. UNLIMITED BLADE WORKS!"____ Thanks to [ok356](https://anilist.co/user/ok356/) for proofreading this review, and also for introducing this show to me!
I write my reviews based off 5 elements: Story, Characters, Music, Animation/Production Quality and Impression. All of my reviews are spoiler free. This review is based on the ___subbed___ version. # ___This is a review for both season one and season two and will be posted in both pages.___ _____ #__Story:__ The mainline fate series is in and of itself, one of the most complicated, comical, yet wonderfully written series of all time. Are there plot holes? __Absolutely.__ Does everything make sense? __Hell no.__ The thing about the fate series however, is if you just suspend your disbelief, in these plot holes, the story becomes evermore endearing. That said there are not enough plot holes to make it nonsensical, but due to the nature of the story being based in magecraft, magic, historical reference, gender bending and other extremely difficult to explain phenomena, a suspension of disbelief is pretty much a requirement in order to enjoy this series. #__Characters:__ For Unlimited Blade Works specifically, this series probably has the most character development for it's characters. In order to not spoil the story, I will not say who specifically, but several characters in this story are well fleshed out and have clear strengths, weaknesses, ambitions and motivations. As such, the viewer will no doubt enjoy watching these characters as they develop through the story. There is something to be said that if you want to have a better understanding on the characters, you might want to watch Fate/Zero before Unlimited Blade Works, but I personally believe either way works out here if you are choosing to skip the 2006 iteration of Fate/Stay Night. #__Music:__ This anime has some of the best music in all of anime, that being said, it is still far from _being_ the best. I will never forget the goosebumps I get when I hear the opening riff to Aimer's Brave Shine in season 2 or how other songs perfectly rise and fall with the momentum of the battles in the many epic fight scenes laid out in this series. In terms of it's OST, Unlimited Blade Works falls short of Heaven's Feel in terms of fate series music, but comes in a very clear second place. #__Animation/Production Quality:__ ufotable is one of the best; if not the best in ensuring their products have the best animation quality. Not only that, but in terms of the fate series, this is the clear second best in both animation quality and production quality behind Heaven's Feel. The animation is fluid and viewers are able to keep track of what's going on in fights while also depicting the epic-ness of each fight scene. There is hardly ever if at all a drop in quality and while the voice actors are the same from the original Fate/Stay Night production, they are handled in a vastly superior way and churn out top quality lines and emotions. There is a clear difference in production between Studio Deen and ufotable and it's not even close as to which one if better. #__Impression:__ For most, this will be their first entry into the Fate franchise as most people do recommend skipping the original Fate/Stay Night (I do not recommend skipping it). That said, this series definitely sets the bar high and if you want to watch it in a way that builds up in quality over time, I definitely recommend watching Fate/Zero first. That said, there are so many memorable scenes and moments within the anime, not to mention the characters of this series are some of the most beloved of all time. Type-Moon did a wonderful job in story and character design and ufotable did an exceptional job bringing it to TV production. Final Words: As with all my Fate series reviews, I will add my personal watch order list and flesh out why it is important to watch it in the order I suggest: Fate/Stay Night (2006) -> Fate/Zero -> Unlimited Blade Works -> Heaven's Feel. If you watch it in this order the amount of surprises and moments where you have to simply press the "I believe button" becomes fewer. Not only that, if you decide to skip the 2006 production of Fate/Stay Night, you miss out on the character development of one of the key characters in the franchise as they do not receive as much; if at all, character development in the other shows of the series. That being said, if you are unwilling to soldier through a terribly produced version of the fate franchise, I highly, highly, highly recommend you at least seek out a synopsis or read about what the original production covered. As for Unlimited Blade Works, it is my personal second favorite in the series behind Heaven's Feel. I still remember my heart racing and blood boiling while watching this series. It without a doubt holds a place in the top of all anime and first time viewers should definitely give it a chance. As I give Season 2 a 9.6 (96) rating and Season 1 a 9.2 (92), the average score for the entire series is 9.4 (94)
Note: This review has __MAJOR__ spoilers for both seasons of Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works. Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works is indeed one of the most popular anime along with the others. It is a crucial series since people like to recommend it over DEEN’s poorly animated F/S N to be the introduction to the Fate franchise. As Ufotable continued to kill it with remarkable sequence and animation, the fans were incredibly hyped and craved for more paths. However, things are without its flaw and to me, I could say that this route seriously disappoints me. There are two main flaws that I have a problem with. One thing that many negative reviews criticize about UBW, and I wholeheartedly agreed with, is how UBW lacks proper characterization. For the whole two seasons, we barely get to understand what is in the character’s mind. Yes, there is quite a bunch of flashbacks, but that's mostly just explaining “what” happened, we barely get any “why” this happened. Let's take Emiya Shirou as an example. I think he is the one who, "gets characterized", the most, showing the ten-year-ago flashback episodes after episodes. He certainly has a complex personality, but UBW painted him as the guy who believes in himself and kept arguing. This is why everyone viewed Shirou as a bothersome protagonist, at least in my viewpoint. He wants to save everyone, but anybody who watched this season will go like this: “What? That’s bullshit, what was he thinking??” “This protagonist is so bad” “Archer is fuckin based”. Is there any reason behind Shirou’s willingness to save everyone? Well, maybe, but it never capitalizes it! (Or never actually explain why) This is only Shirou; Archer is not any different even though he is spitting facts, but it’s clear that he is just depressed and pessimistic. What I understand from this second season is that the focus is the contrast of ideology between Archer and Shirou. While this is very interesting, the result you get from this is somehow… underwhelming? Think of this, have you ever argued with people on Twitter? Because that is what happened for the quarter of the season. The argument circled only a few main points, and it never intersects with each other. It is also very frustrating to listen to the same thing over and over, like, I know Shirou want to save everyone, can you please stop repeating it. ~~~img400(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/719246924179570759/957009742230863973/unknown.png)~~~ This is worse when you think that this section is somehow longer than Illya and berserker's flashback. Illya is quite an interesting character. She mysteriously introduced herself out of nowhere, battled with Saber, refused to elaborate and left the scene. But after that, she is gone, like, completely gone for a whole season and when she’s back, she’s already fucking dead. It is sad, the flashback isn’t even satisfied me, and her death is way too brutal to look at. I hope that we could get a better characterization of her in Heaven’s Feel. ~~~img400(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/719246924179570759/957004208975016026/unknown.png?width=960&height=540)~~~ This leads to another main problem with Unlimited Blade Works, which is how death in UBW is very frail. This problem exists since the first season, but it is not as blatant as now. Maybe Type-Moon intended to make it like this, but there’s barely any time to look back and reflect on each death. Rider? Barely appears on the screen, and died! That is unfortunate. Lancer? Just when things get interesting, he gets ordered to kill himself... Just why? Not to mention Illya and Berserker. My girl appears for like half an hour in season one and die right after. Even Higurashi When they cry, a series that is notable for being a massacre, has a lot more tension and meaning behind each death. I know that this is not a perfect way to describe this, but you get my main point. [DEEN F S/N + UBW ss2 spoilers] ~!In DEEN Fate: Stay Night, Archer was killed by Berserker. While his death is quite short and dull, Archer said his final words to Shirou, “The only opponent you have to fight is nothing but your own image”. This sentence is extremely strong, as Shirou (together with Saber) in this timeline managed to fuck Gilgamesh with that power, the power of imagination. His death leads to a result no servants and masters ever think about, and that is very satisfying. Now in UBW, Archer (who is even the main character right now) was killed by Gilgamesh. What did he say? “It’s up to you” What? Why, and how did Shirou okay with this? Did Archer do anything that affects the characterization of Rin and Shirou? None. Shirou still believes he did the right thing, and Rin is screaming beside Shirou. The whole battle is just meaningless, but I guess you can enjoy Gilgamesh explaining things for the next 10 minutes.!~ With those two problems eliminated, it would have been a great series. It seems like it cannot be a big deal, but trust me, they may have to rewrite the entire thing if they want to fix this series. It isn't like I am not invested in the story either. I like the Fate series. Everything at first is so mysterious. But as you watch, you get to know each character's wish of getting the holy grail and what to sacrifice to get it. The soundtrack is not that bad. Even though I prefer DEEN's soundtrack, which is more hollowing, UBW has its charm. The animation is __PHENOMENAL__, especially the sequence in the "Last Stardust" scene, which has to be one of my favourite action sequences of all time. My reaction would be the same as Saber in the fight. ~~~img400(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/719246924179570759/957003609038532608/ezgif.com-gif-maker.gif)~~~ To conclude, Fate Stay/Night: UBW give out an interesting contrasting view of Archer and Shirou, but unfortunately fails on characterization and too many pointless deaths. This damaged the whole series a lot for me, my interest in the story has diminished, and Shirou is now so annoying. However, I am not giving up on this series and Shirou. He may be lightheaded, but he is the bone of his sword. Steel is his body, and fire is his blood. He may have created over a thousand blades, unknown to death nor known to life, and have withstood pain to create many weapons, yet those hands shall never hold anything. With that being said, he pray: __UNLIMITED BLADE WORKS.__ ~~~img400(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/719246924179570759/957006156566507520/1920.png?width=960&height=540)~~~ See you in Heaven's Feels.
__If I'm being honest__, even as VN reader I enjoyed myself very much with this adaptation, and if you scroll down you'll see I rated it 8.5/10, which is a very good score. However, as an adaptation it's quite a mixed bag and there are multiple problems (and strengths) of this adaptation I want to properly address. __As always, this review contains spoilers__. I expect you to have watched the anime. Now, grab some popcorn while reading because this review will be long. _________ #Content 1. Shirou Emiya – A character study 2. Where Ufo’s UBW failed 3. Nothing beats a smiling Saber 4. What the anime has the VN doesn’t 5. Conclusion ________ Img(https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fanimekaizoku.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F03%2Fpic-3.jpg) Fate/stay night is and always will be a character-driven story. Each route explores the psyche of our main character Shirou Emiya, and each route offers a different answer and solution to the problem our protagonist struggles with. Given that they’re 1000 different watch orders for no reason, I won’t elaborate more on other routes, but it’s important to understand that Fate/stay night is one story as a whole with Shirou as its centre. Especially UBW as second route explores his psyche a lot and sets necessary stakes for the final route, Heaven’s Feel. ________ #Emiya Shirou – A character study Shirou suffers under severe survivor guilt and has little to no self-worth. Instead of valuing himself, he places importance on saving others, becoming a superhero who can save everyone. He’s aware he’s no superhero, and he’s also aware that he’s powerless, but all he cares about is the path he took and the goal at the end. His survivor guilt is that severe, that he can only accept the fire as outcome if he thrives to be a hero of justice. For him, it’s logical and obviously the “right thing”. img(https://i.imgur.com/qnR2Z5u.png) Even if this type of mindset is highly self-destructive when he doesn't care about himself. Archer explains it with money: You can help someone by giving them money, and you may feel good about it. But if you don't use money for yourself and keep giving it to others, you will have nothing left. It doesn’t matter what type of person you are, but you will eventually run out of money and that’s where you’ll collapse. Img(https://i.imgur.com/ZYUKZtW.png) UBW focuses heavily on the self-destructive aspect, not only by having several characters pointing out Shirou's flawed mindset but also providing a mirror with Archer, who is the future version of himself in an alternate timeline. In that timeline, Emiya made a contract with the world, Araya, and became a counter guardian. By that, however, he basically made himself a slave, by having to counter threats to mankind over and over like a machine. This cycle of killing he was forced to go through eventually led to desperation, because he never was able to fulfil his ideals. Instead of saving everyone he had to choose lives over others, even if it destroyed him inside little by little. As a result, Archer cannot stand Shirou, who will go down the same path as him and his main goal becomes to kill the Shirou who will become Archer. Img(https://i.imgur.com/KB117VV.png) It’s important though that Archer still wants to save people. He lost his faith in his ideals, but that doesn’t necessarily mean this ideal itself is false. Ever since Kiritsugu saved Shirou in the fire, the idea of saving people became beautiful to him. The beauty of his ideal is the conclusion Shirou arrives at, which becomes the fundamental reason why he simply can’t give up on them. Difference between the two is therefore a matter of faith; Whether you still can believe in your ideals of not. And the solution UBW offers is that, in fact, you can still believe. But in order to do so, you need great perseverance and belief, a struggle Shirou sees himself conflicted with when quite literally his own self tells him to give his ideals up. In the fight in the Einzbern castle Shirou even experienced memories from Archer, picturing clearly before his eyes what path he may end up on. Img(https://i.imgur.com/j6VfbPb.png) The thing is, Shirou only has his ideals. Saber once asked him the reason why he wants to be a superhero, and Shirou struggled with an answer, because saving others is something natural for him, it defines him. It's like having to answer why sugar tastes good. People meme about the "even if you're correct, you're wrong" line, but given the context, it makes a lot of sense. If Shirou would give up on his ideals, he would end up like Archer: Disillusioned, desperate and bitter. The struggle in UBW lies between facing an apparent inevitable truth and staying true to oneself. The final clash between Archer and Shirou in the Einzbern castle will always be one of my favourite fights in all of Fate/stay night simply because it drives Shirou’s perseverance and determination to the utmost limit. The VN showed this by having Shirou fight in a very self-destructive way, where he would simply collapse once he stops to fight. At the brink of death, he still couldn’t bring himself to admitting Archer is right, even under massive headache and a body which screams at him with incredible pain, he still kept his belief that he can’t be wrong for pursuing his ideals. And even if Archer was able to finish him off (which he initially intended) Shirou's determination lasting throughout the whole fight frightened him, and he couldn't fathom that Shirou would be able to keep fighting in such a state. But, contrary to his expectations, Shirou kept fighting like a dead corpse, ultimately leading to Archer not being able to stop the final attack of Shirou and getting stabbed. Img(https://i.imgur.com/3b7CxJr.png) UBW openly shows Shirou's flaws, and it also shows that his ideal in itself is not bad. As long as he can keep believing in it, he can either die satisfied by having tried to live up to his ideals the outmost, or arrive at a different answer previously given. And as long as he doesn't let himself get destroyed by his own ideals, they can be a very beautiful and admirable thing in themselves. You can say that UBW as a whole is one big challenge for Shirou to prove, that he can do just that. Img(https://i.imgur.com/8XXqlEZ.png) ______ #Where Ufo’s UBW failed As beautiful as it is with how deeply layered the VN explores Shirou’s character, it also exposes the issues I have with this adaptation. The fundamental issue lies with leaving out a lot of monologue which never should’ve been removed. Leaving out monologues may work in a plot-driven story, but in a character-driven story like Fate/stay night it removes one of the core aspects of why this is such an incredible story. I will not say that they didn't try: We see the fire and the tragedy of the previous grail war multiple times, and the anime takes its time to show that Shirou is clearly not normal. But it's simply not enough. An extreme example would be the date in episode 12 of season 1, which actually receives a rather dark tone in the VN due to Shirou blaming himself for having fun and actually enjoying himself. Img(https://i.imgur.com/R5TD2iJ.png) Leaving out this piece of monologue completely transformed the meaning and tone of the scene, making it simply a nice cutesy scene. That’s not necessarily bad, of course, but given that the VN uses every opportunity possible to break down Shirou as a character the end result is much more impactful than the anime, which reduces his characterization to the necessary minimum. Instead of having insight into Shirou’s mind, we only see people bashing him and pointing out his flaws, which doesn’t help with relating to his struggle and leads to not being very impactful. It even feels jarring at times, because it seems like the anime just keeps repeating the obvious. Img(https://i.imgur.com/YIDsRXs.png) I think it’s also no secret that people dislike Shirou as a character, because he is “stupid” and “dense”. And while this sometimes is not an issue of UBW itself, but fans for example having different expectations after watching Fate/Zero (which is a whole other topic in itself), I think it’s also a fault of the adaptation. We know Shirou has survivor guilt, we know that he has no self-worth. But because it’s not that apparent on many occasions, his behaviour seems stupid and illogical from an outside perspective. His mindset and worldview are so warped, that it’s important to gain as much insight into his way of thinking as possible, in order to be able to relate to him properly. It’s not only core aspects like his survivor guilt, however: Removing monologue removes some nuances to his personality as well, a good example would be when Tohsaka wants to talk to him in episode 8. In the anime it looks like he is pretty slow for not picking up immediately, that she wants to talk to him. VN readers know however, that he indeed realized she was waiting for him, but was unsure how to handle the situation. There were multiple approaches to handle it (you can make choices in the VN to alter the story) and the anime went with the choice where he decides to play dumb on purpose. Img(https://i.imgur.com/OsubINv.png) It just saddens me that people don’t know that Shirou can be pretty snarky as well, but unlike Archer he still cares about being polite and leaves certain thoughts to himself. And this is not to blame on the viewer, but on weird adaptation choices. The climax of the route, Archer vs Shirou, also felt a bit hollow in the anime because of the missing characterization and build-up. I also dislike, how there is a clear cut between talking and fighting, which takes away a lot of the intensity in this battle. It’s not visible enough that Archer clearly intended the kill at the start, but his confidence wavered as the fight progressed. Changing the scenery to UBW also felt a bit overblown, with Archer and Shirou going back-and-forth instead of one continuous clash which stakes are on whoever will surrender first. I will admit however, that the climax is satisfying, and [LiSA’s](https://anilist.co/staff/105561/LiSA) song “Last Stardust” is great. Img(https://i.imgur.com/TRzL7gb.png) With all my criticism I nonetheless still immensely enjoyed the UBW anime. Usually it’s the other way around when critiquing something, but now that we looked at its main flaw first, let’s have a look at stuff I actually really liked. _______ #Nothing beats a smiling Saber I think it’s no secret that UBW has high production values. Of course, what first comes to mind are the jaw-dropping fights, which’ storyboards visibly had a lot of freedom to work with to create well-choreographed and intense action scenes. You can argue that this is natural by having a more talented director and storyboarder like [Miura](https://anilist.co/staff/107167/Miura-Takahiro) than for example what Demon Slayer got with [Sotozaki](https://anilist.co/staff/99006/Sotozaki-Haruo), but I feel the fewer limitations from the VN source material are also a big factor. Webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/f0955117dfe536fdddcfdc38b0642282.webm) Key Animation: [Akihiko Uda](https://anilist.co/staff/146682/Uda-Akihiko) And maybe that’s just my own bias speaking, but I feel like Yuichi Terao (head of digital department in Ufotable) really shines more in an urban setting like Fate/stay night and Kara no Kyoukai. Fuyuki at night looks wonderful, and structured high-rise buildings transition so well into 3D. Img(https://i.imgur.com/2uyaJlL.png) The Noble Phantasms of the servants also give him plenty of opportunity to be as flashy as possible, assisted by incredible key animation from Ufotable’s strongest animators. Abe, Kunihiro, Obunai… UBW received the full package and it shows. Webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/51977d1d4864712d7f17ec404d8a2db9.mp4) Key Animation: [Nozomu Abe]( https://anilist.co/staff/116271/Abe-Nozomu) _Technically freelancer but let’s call him half-employed at this point_ The beauty of the visuals extends to simple character movements too. It was a joy to see all these characters animated, and they did a great job capturing Fuji-ness quirkiness, Rin’s charm and Shinji simply being Shinji. The modernized character designs of course are a matter of taste, but I enjoy them for what they are and they accentuate the traits of each character fairly well. Webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/49e4dc6cb03f0d4b2f14ddae7943560a.mp4) Key Animation: [Masato Nagamori]( https://anilist.co/staff/124353/Nagamori-Masato) (presumed) And of course, we can’t forget Saber, the epitome of holiness itself, a goddess I will never stop simping in my lifetime. Seeing how all the little moments of her are brought to life simply left me in awe. Img(https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2Fcc%2F9a%2F8f%2Fcc9a8fcd5bf303c49abc1b35789d6981.jpg) Soundtracks and sound design are also great, can’t comment much on that however because I know shit about music. I thoroughly enjoyed the OST though, especially [Fukasawa’s]( https://anilist.co/staff/103288/Fukasawa-Hideyuki) take on EMIYA. youtube(https://youtu.be/VTA2nSOBDis) In total it’s hard to deny that the presentation of Ufo’s UBW is nothing but stunning, and that’s why I love it nonetheless even while knowing the VN, which, in my opinion, is still the superior version. Maybe it’s exactly because I know the VN that I’m able to fill gaps an anime-only is not able to? I don’t know. I want to address as last topic though that there is actually stuff in this adaption the VN doesn’t contain. I spoke in great length about how they butchered Shirou’s characterization, but that’s not by any means the only change/addition in this anime. And some of these are actually (at least for me) pretty welcomed. _____ #What the anime has which the VN doesn’t You either have an adaption which leaves stuff out, an adaption which changes content slightly or an adaption which is extremely faithful and adds anime-original content on top. Ufo’s UBW somehow managed to tick all the boxes. The anime-original content is most likely to be credited to Nasu Kinoko himself, the writer of the VN. He was fairly involved into the production process in writing scenarios for the anime and attending meetings, and some of the changes are probably also to be credited to him. That man somehow seems to dislike everything he wrote in the past, to the point that Miura (and also Sudo later on for the Heaven’s Feel movies) had to restrict him in his desire to rewrite everything. I just hope once Fate Remake happens Nasu can show some love to his original work lol As a VN reader, I did like the anime original content though. Examples would be Illya vs Rin in their first encounter, Rin investigating the gas incidents or the extended backstory for Illya in episode 3 of the second season. It’s not anything major, but it serves well as both filler but also interesting content and in my opinion, it also shows that there was a lot passion to be found in the anime as adaptation. The very last episode is also completely anime-original, not only providing great fan-service with Rin’s and Shirou’s life after the grail war but also giving pointers to connections to other franchises of the nasuverse. You can argue that this episode should’ve been an OVA and we should’ve gotten the normal epilogue in full length instead but it is what it is and I don’t think this is necessarily a dramatic change. For the very last scene I do prefer the script version (not VN, but the scenario written by Nasu) more than what actually ended up being the final product though. Img(https://i.imgur.com/pETr8R0.png) To the other things I mentioned above, I think I don’t have to explain why there is cut content. This is bound to happen in a VN to anime adaption, but it can happen in a small scale that it doesn’t really matter that much. I think that’s the case of UBW, because while there is cut content they still included everything needed and there aren’t many question marks except when it comes to more detailed stuff in lore or systems. And even that is not that huge of an issue, because worldbuilding is mostly done in Fate (with Heaven’s Feel digging deeper into the lore). Img(https://i.imgur.com/A3a18g2.png) When it comes to changes, they are there in numerous occasions and sometimes it’s pretty much a whatever, sometimes it’s a bit questionable. We all know that Ufotable likes to make fights flashy, so I don’t think anyone raised an eyebrow (I hope) when Shirou literally jumped 10 meters in his fight against Gilgamesh or was suddenly able to move in inhuman speed. Other examples would be in episode 2, where they changed the boundary field around the Emiya residence into a mechanical warning system (and 10 episodes later Rin praises their boundary field, very consistent writing) or in the first encounter of between Assassin and Saber. In the VN his sword was actually bent, which is the only reason she survived his sword technique. Since it’s pretty much a technique being able to warp space and time, her luck wouldn’t have saved her opposed to Gae Bolg. Img(https://i.imgur.com/0dSBAOg.png) _____ #Conclusion Especially among VN readers, you either love or hate it. It’s undeniable that the UBW anime did create misconceptions about Fate/stay night: For example, that it is a sequel to Fate/Zero or that Shirou is just a generic shounen protagonist. Does that mean it’s a bad adaptation? I don’t think so! I still enjoyed it for what it was, and I would prefer such an adaption, which sometimes was more experimental, any time over a bland boring adaptation, which may be more faithful but feels empty as an overall product. However, I think not every change made in this adaption was good, and I hope whoever is in charge in the Fate Remake (it’s not confirmed, I know, just let me have some hope) will revise some adaption choices, especially when it comes to monologue. As it stands now, Type-Moon X Ufotable is still a very exciting collaboration and I look eagerly forward to the Mahoyo movie in 2023. __Thank you for reading through this long review, and I hope I also gave some information you didn’t know before (for example if you’re an anime-only). Now that we’re at the end, enjoy this wonderful cut from the one and only [Nozomu Abe]( https://anilist.co/staff/116271/Abe-Nozomu).__ Webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/4b8340f398c7bb8c20186796f9783b60.mp4)
~~~
#**First part of this review is spoiler-free**
img500(https://i.imgur.com/cbeL7UH.png)
~~~
A huge step-up from both its first season as well as the previous installment, Fate/Stay Night
delivers on all fronts in its second season. Expanding on all its strengths while eliminating the vast
majority of flaws makes for a truly stellar experience. This review will mainly focus on the cast, but
also touch upon other areas to give you a full picture.
More about this later but a quick heads-up:
In Stay/Night the main plotline focuses on Emiya's character and it is absolutely fantastic. The holy
grail war is just 'in the background' - which isn't an issue since the main storyline is more than
good enough to compensate. However, if you want a battle-royale-like experience as in Zero you will be
disappointed. On the other hand, if you go in with an open mind it's guaranteed to blow you away.
---
~~~
# **- The Cast -**
~~~
## **Shirou Emiya**
So, let's get to the characters. One of the strongest points, and the main reason I prefer this over
Zero, I love them so much. Our main character, Emiya - I'm just like Rin when it comes to him. I can't
accept his idiocy and naivety, and it does somewhat annoy me, but in truth, it is exactly that which I
love about him. This crazy stubbornness to not give up on his beliefs. Quite literally NO. MATTER.
WHAT. Even in anime you find very few characters with _this_ level of resolve. Honestly, it's absurd,
just ridiculous. But that's exactly what makes Emiya so special, so intriguing. You just want to see
where this abnormal determination will lead him, what path it will take him on. Will he actually be
able to achieve something or just crumble under the weight of his empty words?
~~~
img450(https://i.imgur.com/QT7knob.png)
~~~
## **Rin Tohsaka**
Rin is quite a stark contrast. A classic tsundere (and I love her for it). Smart, stubborn, and
hot-headed, yet level-headed in serious situations and very realist. Just as Archer said - it's that
discrepancy between her realism and her stubborn childishness which makes her so damn charming. She's
quite disillusioned and yet determined, as opposed to Emiya's rather ignorant nature.
And it's exactly this contrast that makes their dynamic so wonderful. The way they subtly influence
each other throughout the show is excellently done. I've never seen character development this gradual
- from one episode to the next there's not that big of a difference, yet somehow Rin is almost
unrecognizable after 2 seasons. Emiya had a huge impact on her; though of course, her core remains the
same.
Personally, I think she really admires and maybe even envies him for his stupid, naive, and stubborn
mindset - Rin herself could never ignore this many hurdles and walk a path knowing it's the 'wrong'
one as he does. Though of course, she never fails to point out how dangerous, self-destructive and
foolish his attitude is, so it's not like she's totally in awe. Being fascinated by Emiya is more
fitting - she might not even admit it to herself considering her personality. Rin is by far the
closest character to the viewer: It is she who always reminds us (and Emiya), of how absurd and
unnatural his mentality is, it is she who always has the most realistic and rational view of things.
In this way, she also has a big effect on Emiya, though nowhere as significant as the other way
around. Why? Because this man is the incarnation of stubbornness itself, he's hard to change.
~~~
img450(https://i.imgur.com/5Gw47OI.png)
~~~
---
~~~
# **Spoilers from here on.**
~~~
---
##**Archer and Emiya**
> Just because you're correct, doesn't mean you're right!
I didn't watch with English subs so I sadly missed out on this legendary scene, but everyone has seen
the meme.
It hits different once you learn about equivalence relations in maths (2+2 might not be 4 after
all??), but that's not the point here. (The point is, I should be doing uni work instead of writing
this at 2 am but idc)
As stupid as it sounds, it's actually a really fitting line for Shirou Emiya.
Undoubtedly the most important dynamic is between Emiya and none other than himself, Archer. It's
truly fascinating. While they are, quite literally, the same person with the same beliefs and dreams,
their personalities could not be more different. Or so it seems. Because as polar opposites as they
might appear to be, at their very core they are the same. Nothing but a boy who wished to end
everybody's suffering, to become a _Segi no Mikata_ (i heard this so often now it's gonna be stuck in
my head for weeks).
The storyline of Archer being Emiya from the future who came to end his own existence is one of the
most creative and mind-blowing narratives I've ever seen. It's so damn ingenious, and the execution
didn't falter either.
Their battle was without the slightest doubt the pinnacle not just of this season, but of the entire
Fate franchise so far. (Mind you, I have only seen Zero).
Leaving the phenomenal visuals and music as well as the action aside, the fight, not in the sense of
physical battle, but in the sense of a clash of ideologies, a clash of minds and souls was just
amazing. Neither could accept the other's existence, yet both had a right to exist. As pretty much
everyone in the show said, and every sane viewer agreed - Archer is right. There's no doubt about it.
How could you possibly argue with him? He's literally seen the future, he KNOWS where Emiya's path
will unavoidably lead to. So how could anyone still dare defy him, how can Emiya still disagree and
stay stubborn?
Well. The answer is so simple that it's almost stupid. But honestly, it just makes sense.
Emiya had never cared about being right or wrong. He never cared whether his ideals were completely
idiotic and self-destructive. So why should he care now? What exactly changed? Why should he suddenly
stop believing in his ideals and give up? He said it himself. **He knows Archer is right, but that
doesn't make him wrong.** Archer might call the path he walks wrong, but to him, it will never be
wrong to follow his ideals. Archer might call him a fool, a hypocrite but Emiya doesn't care - he does
not want to give up on his beliefs at any cost, he will walk his path and try to achieve his goal.
No.
Matter.
What.
That's just who Shirou Emiya is. That's what constitutes him, what is at the very core of his being,
what defines him as a person. Even if it might not be "his own" ideals, even if you might call him a
fake.
So what?
He still has a right to believe in those ideals, still has a right to be inspired by them and try to
achieve that dream, even if it is not originally his. And even Archer himself, who has turned his back
on his ideals and is full of regret, cannot fully give up on that. That is why in the end Emiya wins
the battle, why Archer tells him to beat Gilgamesh in his dying moments (only to return 2 episodes
later, that was such a fucking asspull but I won't complain). Furthermore, in his _actual final_
goodbye with Rin (magnificent conversation) he hints at this again - saying he will "try his best"
leads me to believe he has regained a little bit of his old fire, a faint belief in his ideals. But
maybe that's just wishful thinking on my side because Archer going back to endless suffering and
regret would be a truly cruel fate.
~~~
img450(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/8f/b6/74/8fb674ac8f903c565c8d41dd514f4d63.jpg)
~~~
What really wraps Emiya's arc as well as the entire show up is the epilogue. Admittedly, before that I
wasn't too happy with how it played out. It fits the situation and characters so very well that it's
hard to complain, but it just could've been more satisfying. Kinda like Emiya - I knew it was the
right way to end this, but I can't change how I feel about it. I can't think of a better conclusion
but I just couldn't accept Emiya going down a path that will lead to a hellish end, and nobody's
stopping him.
But as I mentioned, the epilogue did make that a lot better - Rin and Emiya's final conversion was
fantastic, one could even say it was the saving grace for me. It might not be world-changing, but it
really did affect my view of the ending and made it a lot less frustrating/depressing. Some uneasiness
remains but I do really like this conclusion overall.
This one thing that Rin said just really stuck with me.
**Even if he walks down the same path as Archer, it is uncertain where he will end up.**
Simple enough, right? And even if he winds up at the same point as him, if he only has the power to
keep pushing forward (until his enemies are eliminated hahaha) he might very well be able to reach a
different future, and who knows...
Maybe, just maybe, this stubborn boy will actually fulfill his impossible dream.
~~~
img450(https://i.imgur.com/Oo8J54K.jpg)
~~~
## **Rest of the cast**
**Illyasviel's** touching relationship with Berserker and her cruel backstory really got me attached
to her but she was relevant for barely one episode. Shame, really. Lots of puzzling stuff hinted with
her and the other homunculi, I was expecting a lot more. I can only hope other installments will
provide more depth on the Einzbern family and their mysterious beings. Overall she was a fine addition
to the cast though.
**Gilgamesh** was a huge letdown. His charisma in Zero was off the charts but he felt like an empty
shell here. Haven't seen such a lame and uninspired antagonist in a while, his motives are very weak
and forced. I didn't care about that plotline anyways.
**Caster...** was interesting but I can't sympathize with her much after the things she's done.
*Caster no master* is godawful and I was laughing my ass off when he finally died. Pathetically failed
attempt at creating an intriguing character.
**Shinji** is absolute scum and he got off way too lightly.
**Kirei's** death was unbelievably anti-climatic, they did him dirty. He was one of the best
characters in Zero, I was super hyped when he made his moves in Stay Night but he didn't make it far.
You could say he was wasted, but then again you don't want him stealing the show. This could've been
handled better, but it's just a minor complaint.
**Saber** was great (unlike in Zero), she makes a great team with Emiya and Rin, very pleasing
dynamic. It's as simple as just loving to watch them interact, but exactly this type of dynamic is
priceless. Sadly, she barely got any depth once again. We're still left completely clueless as to what
her backstory & dreams are even after they hinted at it so often. This doesn't affect her
'performance' in Stay Night, I just finally want to know.
**Lancer** was marvelous - from his personality to his charisma and demeanor, he's just awesome. Loved
his relationship with Rin and how he stood up for her (and for himself by that). Finally a proud
character where the pride doesn't just come off as pathetic arrogance, but grace and integrity. A rare
sight, he has my respect.
~~~
img250(https://i.imgur.com/ejDLoaU.gif) img250(https://i.imgur.com/B5CTP9h.gif)
img250(https://i.imgur.com/8bpUrcH.png)
But enough about the cast now.
# **- The Story -**
~~~
Let me get this straight.
I don't give a single shit about the Holy Grail war and if you do you're not gonna enjoy this very
much. Go watch Zero.
It's just super sloppy and messy after some point. They contradict themselves every time someone
speaks about the Holy Grail, nobody really gets it and I honestly don't care at this point lmao. It's
just not in the spotlight here, unlike in Zero. I can see this disappointing many but personally I
love this shift in focus.
To make this very clear - just think about it: Neither Rin, Saber, nor Emiya actually wants to use the
grail and Gilgamesh is just abusing its side effects. His plan felt forced to me; just so they have
some antagonist to beat and get it over with. Disappointing, but I don't care much - I am here for the
Emiya/Archer plotline. Since that takes up most of the screen time I'm good. It's just 2 episodes
where they focus on the grail war itself - those still have spectacular fights and great moments, so
while nowhere as good as the others, they're still enjoyable.
I just wanted them to wrap it up so we can get to Emiya's conclusion, and I think the show felt the
same way.
So in conclusion: The focus shifts from battle-royale-like holy grail to war to Emiya's character.
Whether you like it just depends on what you're looking for.
~~~
# **- The Fights -**
webm(https://files.catbox.moe/9cqrrk.mp4)
I legit fangirl over Archer every single time he does this
~~~
So, so, so many bangers. One phenomenal fight after the other, of course mostly thanks to Ufotable.
Lancer vs Archer was straight up **mindblowing**. I'm not going to list all the others now, but almost
*every single fight* in this season was absolutely spectacular, and not just considering animation and
choreography, but also the suspense and weight behind it.
The pinnacle was Archer and Emiya's showdown which had me on the edge of my seat for several episodes
- I couldn't predict the outcome at all.
~~~
# **- Production -**
~~~
What can I say, ufotable. Looks nice during normal scenes, and during the fights the SFX will shoot
you to another dimension. 11/10.
OST is also top-notch, super epic. Voice acting is on point. But whoever put Levi's VA for Shinji
should be locked up for life, the disrespect is crazy.
~~~
img500(https://i.imgur.com/SlZLhV4.gif)
# **- Conclusion -**
~~~
As I'm sure you've noticed almost all sections, especially the ones about the characters, have some
mention of Emiya. Just look at Rin's - half of it is just her relationship with him (I ship them so
hard omg).
But why am I so obsessed with him? He just plays such a key role in this anime. It goes way beyond
just being the main character, Emiya is the very core of this installment - he is **two** of the most
important characters - and the true essence of the message and themes are all linked to him. Hence I
spent such a big part focusing on him and his relations with the others; it is the key to truly
understanding and appreciating this marvelous show.
So... what is Fate Stay/Night?
A fantastic action/drama journey with a very strong cast, amazing dynamics between the main trio, and
only few flaws/room for improvement. Don't expect a grail war like in Zero and you'll be rewarded with
an amazing narrative the likes of which I haven't seen before. The epilogue wraps everything up
beautifully, nothing makes me happier than seeing Rin and Emiya together like that. The worry about
his fate remains considering he is walking on the path to self-destruction, but who knows, maybe this
stubborn little kid will be able to actually achieve what no one before him could... and even if not,
he stayed true to his beliefs until the very end.
~~~
img500(https://i.imgur.com/7fYS4uc.png)
~~~
My overall thoughts on fate/stay night UBW is that it had something promising after season one but ultimately was lacking and was missing something. I think that the animation alone is a reason to watch the fate series despite it's flaws. Plot [7/10]: I'm assuming you have seen UBW season 1. There are a number of plot twists within season two but I am not a fan of them. Frankly put, it is revealed that information that was given initially to Shirou, Rin, and the viewers are essentially just lies and the true nature of the Holy Grail War is something different altogether. Compared to the VN, UBW is considerably shorter and things have to get cut inevitably. Sometimes things aren't well explained and things simply happen. My issue with the plot twists is that they simply aren't significant to have any shock value. Now I'm not saying that Shock value is anything necessary, but regardless of the true nature of the holy grail war, they still have to fight the same people, so what's the point. Moving on, the story has an overabundance of plot armor. This is a big issue for me, Never did I feel that Shirou was going to lose and this is amplified by the attitude of the characters. Both Rin and Shirou by nature tend to be very stubborn and steadfast and they never really lost hope, even when the odds were literally zero to none. Obviously, the MC is going to win out in the end but in UBW, everything just runs too smoothly and happily-ever-afterly. Shirou's main ideal of being a champion of justice is rarely challenged outside of long rants from the antagonist. I feel that a major setback like Shirou failing to save somebody would be a welcome plot point to develop Shirou's standing desire to attempt to save everybody even though it's impossible, yada yada yada Characters [7/10]: I won't say that the characters are unlikeable by any means, because they totally aren't. What I am saying is that the story is so plot-focused that there is rarely any opportunity for character development. The characters are pretty one-dimensional so it was hard for me to discern whether I liked them or not. I will say that a majority of time is spent on Archer in UBW season two. Regarding this, I will say that he is the saving grace of season two because the dialogue regarding Shirou's ideals of being a "champion of justice" were thought provoking and intriguing, even if they were heavily drawn out. Regarding Rin, I like Tsunderes (Asuka, Nino, Kurisu) but she gets flustered toooo easily. She's cute but overdone for me. Voice Acting [6/10]: I want to add this separately from soundtrack. I feel like some of the characters did not fit their voice actor. For example, I don't think Sasuke Uchiha's voice actor fit the mold for Shirou's character at all by any means. I thought the Voice Acting quality wasn't bad, and it didn't hinder the show, but I 100% think that they were dull, stale, and lifeless at times and the show could have been better with a better performance in this department. Soundtrack [8.5/10]: The orchestral music that was used in fight scenes is epic and awe-inspiring just like in season one. I don't think there are any groundbreaking sounds but the timing in which they used their sounds was excellent. Animation/Art [10/10]: It really does not get better than this. For a 2D production, the fluidity of the animation not only holds up in comparison to, but exceeds many anime, nearly a decade later in 2023 compared to 2015. It's something that you have to see for yourself, mere words on a screen does not do it justice. In conclusion, I think that many, or even most people will definitely enjoy Fate/stay night UBW. I personally enjoyed and appreciated it but was ultimately disappointed given the heaps of praise it received. I think the animation and visuals did a lot of heavy lifting as someone who cares deeply about the plot and characters. The final verdict is that you will probably enjoy UBW more than I did but it really isn't anything groundbreaking plot/character wise, you can find better anime there. However, when it comes to animation, ufotable x type moon are second to none. Final Score: 70/100
Before heading to my thoughts, a little background on what i think about Fate as a whole (From Zero to UBW Season 1) __(also this may have some spoilers) __ ___ Fate overall is quite a journey to behold, it has quite complex lore and themes that make it feel very great, the characters are a TAD bit of a hit or miss but i still liked them nonetheless. I watched Fate/Zero, and THEN UBW. Fate/Zero was a good starting point for the franchise, but it didn't really reside with me most of the time. UBW Season 1 is an excellent improvement and serves as a great continuation to the overall Fate lore, and it's much more enjoyable than i thought it would be. I watched Fate for the purpose of a source of patiently waiting for the Demon Slayer Hashira Training Arc (as of the time of writing) ___ Animation: img20(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/590864642000027666/1088065258293305354/96EAF8F898BBA893782442E7604CF0F44C2E24F5.png) ___ Ufotable just never misses with animation, every single scene, action or not, just looks stunning visually, and when it's action, __BOY!__ that's an amazing sound and animation combination The sound really enhances a lot of the already-great animation and it makes every single action scene, just so much better than it already is. img500(https://j.gifs.com/v256pV.gif) ___ Characters: img25(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/590864642000027666/1121726973442539610/image.png) ___ Quite endearing cast of characters each with their own very distinct personalities. Let's start with Shirou: Established before that he lost Saber due to Caster, he is a cool and well-developed character and easily the most emotional character out of the main cast, every single scene with him AND Tracing Magic just serves very well in making his character feel alive. EASILY the best part about him is the part where his Unlimited Blade Works moment, he plans quite ahead and he uses the swords IN the Reality Marble as a countermeasure, which is a part i like. img500(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/53/b5/11/53b511ad5e34d560fb052a76934827dc.gif) Speaking of Archer, he's a tad bit better here, being a twist villain (somewhat) and is actually the future Shirou, he is pretty cool and every single of his "I am the bone of my sword" moments just sends chills down my spine (no pun intended). Rin is also a good character, not only does she help others (especially Shirou) in defeating and accomplishing goals, but also has a bit of emotional depth to him, she's not like "very-good-out-of-the-bat" and can easily be pummeled just like with the rest of the cast. Saber is also good. Shown before that she is captured by Caster, she was quite helpless, and she really serves as a great plot hill that the others have to trudge over (along with Archer too). When she was released, she still is great and despite NOW Rin's Master, she still has an endearing soul to Shirou. Also the "Excalibur" scene is definitely my favorite. Illyasviel is also a great character and her backstory is awesome and heartwarming at the same time. All of the villains are also quite good and have understandable motivations: Caster (Medea) fixes a lot of the problems i had with the old Caster (Gilles) and is actually very threatening when she's around. Assassin (Kojirou) is more or less an inclusion, and is the least compelling out of all of the villains, still though, i love to see more from him though. Gilgamesh is EASILY my favorite villain out of the 3, he is very likeable, he serves as an actual big threat for the main characters (after Caster), and really is just overall a very solid antagonist that has great motivations in getting the Holy Grail, and he's also quite brutal. ___ Story: img25(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/590864642000027666/1121726973442539610/image.png) ___ Still, the lore is deep just like with Fate/Zero and ON the topic of Fate/Zero, this draws somewhat of a parallel to it (Caster is established as the main villain in season 1, and becomes a pivotal one in season 2) The pacing is quite fast, with some slow moments that didn't drag out. The world-building is also excellent, and combined with the overall story, the entire atmosphere of this show just feels very alive Past Caster's Death, the show just gets better and better in terms of the story. The final episode is KINDA filler but it still serves a purpose in developing the characters. ___ Overall thoughts ___ If you enjoy Fate/Zero, you will DEFINITELY enjoy it (along with UBW season 1 too), and you will have quite an eye-gasmic experience, with a great cast of characters to boot.