Fate/Zero 2nd Season

Fate/Zero Review: This is a review for both seasons 1 and 2 After seeing the high praise given to this anime from Gigguk and Arkada on Youtube, I decided to give Fate/Zero a go. After watching it, I now completely understand why this show has such positive reception as it was an enthralling ride with hardly any real "negative" points to it. Story 9/10: Fate/Zero takes place 10 years before the events of Fate/StayNight in the middle of what is known as one of the "Holy Grail Wars." I had not seen F/SN before watching this anime, but thanks to the info dump of a first episode I wasquickly put up to speed. The "Holy Grail Wars" are battles fought in secret a few times each century. The war is between 7 historical or mythological legends that are brought into present time by their "masters" (AKA random people chosen by the grail). The goal is for one of the pairs to ultimately defeat all of the other servants and/or their masters and be the last one remaining. Once this happens, the Holy Grail should appear and grant the victor any wish they desire. Unlike F/SN, Fate/Zero has a VERY serious undertone. As a comparison, I like to akin these two series to the Batman franchise where Fate/Zero is more like the Dark Knight saga, while Fate/StayNight is more like the old tv series with Adam West. Both are good in their own ways, but one is clearly more serious than the other. One of the things that makes Fate/Zero special is that it doesn't rush to pick out a specific main character or good guy, and instead follows the stories of all 7 pairs with an unbiased view point. This let's the viewer really learn about what all the characters are like and their objectives in the war. The different viewpoints really eliminates a lot of the space for plot holes or lack of reasoning, and every event in the story seems to have a purpose. It really is rare to see a show with a concept as ambitious as this, that actually pulls through with barely any plotholes or errors in its writing. Although the ending was somewhat of a cliffhanger, it is also brilliantly done and gave me countless goosebumps as the results of everything that happened were revealed. The story in Fate/Zero was one to remember. Epic is truly the only way to describe it, and its execution was truly in a class of its own. Art 10/10: Hands down the best art I have seen in an anime series. Watching the show, it really feels like they had a very high budget for the animations. Movements are extremely fluid, and thus the fight scenes are spectacular. Facial expressions, character design, settings, lighting, everything was superb and I really haven't seen an anime nail the animation aspect quite this well. I really don't have anything else to say besides that the art was spectacular. Sound 8/10 (edit: 9): Much like everything else in this show, the music was similar to that of a blockbuster movie. Heavy orchestra in the background accompanied by opera singing when battle scenes get intense. The quality of the music was brilliant. However, the show did lack "memorable" or "catchy" songs that you would like to see in an anime. But like I said, the show in general felt more like a long blockbuster movie than an average anime so the music fit the show perfectly. I found both of the OPs very well suited for the show and quite catchy compared to the background music, although the EDs were less spectacular. As far as voice acting is concerned, I found the Japanese voice actors all portrayed their characters brilliantly, particularly in Rider's case. Character 9/10: The fact that the show doesn't focus on a single character really strengthens all of the characters in the show. Due to the changing view points, you really get to see what each character is like, what their motives are, and just their personality in general. The first season really introduces you to the characters and the setting, while the second develops these characters and shifts the story into full swing. None of these characters are your stereotypical archetypes, and some of them really shine. All of the servants are extremely interesting, and Rider is one of the most charismatic characters I've seen in a while. For a good portion of the show, you really don't know who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. You may find yourself rooting for one character only to realize he is evil, or hating one only to realize he is very noble. Towards the end, it becomes pretty evident who the main character is due to an emotional and brilliant two episode arc on his past. My only qualm about the characters is that, because of the divided focus, I wasn't able to fully emotionally invest in any of them. And even though I did definitely feel for the characters and their struggles, I wasn't really completely devastated when bad things happened to them like I would be in an anime like Clannad, Steins;Gate, or Code Geass, where they really focused on one character's development. However, I feel that it would have been pretty much impossible to have the vast depth in the cast if they focused on one character, and the show probably would have been much worse. In short, this show has one of the most, if not THE most, fully fleshed out set of characters that I have ever seen, and just barely misses the 10 mark due to it not quite letting me attach to the characters as much as I wanted to. Enjoyment 8/10: Fate/Zero was thrilling to watch. The first season was kind of slow as it was really just setting the stage for the madness in the second season, but was fun none the less. Like I said, watching Fate/Zero is similar to watching a movie like the Dark Knight. Everything felt real and all the decisions that characters made felt important, and this sense of seriousness and realism made the show truly a joy to watch. One of my complaints is once again, that I could not emotionally connect with any of the events as much as I have in other shows. It's weird because I know this show is almost flawless, but something about it just wasn't up to par with those on my top 3 anime from an enjoyment standpoint. I really can't put my finger on why I didn't enjoy this show more, but I did enjoy it more than the vast majority of the other shows I have seen so it still gets an 8. Recommendation: I can't imagine someone hating this show due to it's unbelievable execution, but it is currently ridiculously expensive to buy so I can only recommend you stream it (available on Crunchyroll). Stream it! +.1 Overall 9.1/10: Fate/Zero is probably the most technically sound anime I have ever seen. There are no huge errors to complain about with it due to the high production value in its art and sound, and nearly flawless writing in its story. If you found Fate/StayNight to be unimpressive, but are curious about this show, do not hesitate to watch Fate/Zero because it is truly on another level from most other anime. Fate/Zero is a grade A anime that is a must watch for all. The Verdict: An anime that absolutely deserves its praise and an epic tale at its finest. Pros: + Cinema quality art and sound + Remarkably deep cast of characters + Story is an epic to remember + Brilliant writing left little room for plot holes or inconsistencies Cons (These cons are more "reasons why this isn't quite a 9" than cons, because it really didn't have distinct "negative" aspects or "mistakes"): - Lacked a top tier emotional impact - For ME it missed that "oomph" factor that would push it into my favorites If you liked Fate/Zero, watch... Durarara! Similar storytelling where they don't really zone into a main character til more towards the end, allowing all the characters to grow equally and the story to be viewed from all angles. Fate/Stay Night (by Ufotable): Wait until the ufotable version of Fate/Stay Night comes out because the original Fate/Stay Night, while pretty good, felt A LOT different than Fate/Zero and really wasn't on the same level. 9.1/10 - Brilliant

Hello everybody Shawn aka TheKazeTrigger here and welcome to my first MVM Entertainment anime review project. For the first anime I will be reviewing is Fate/Zero. Now I have mixed opinions of the Fate franchise because while my thoughts on Unlimited Blade Works by Ufotable are mixed and I personally hate the Deen adaptions of Fate Stay Night. I thought my love with the Fate franchise will die out because of this. Did my love for Fate Zero die out or it's still going strong as ever? Well let's find out. Story.The story of Fate Zero revolves on something call the Holy Grail War. A Holy Grail war is a war between seven servants as well as seven masters (Magic Users) who through the power of the grail summon heroic spirits who are the people of legend, history fame, or myth. They all battle which each other to claim ownership of the grail which is said to be able to grant the owner any wish. The story of Fate/Zero is really good in my opinion because unlike it's squeal Fate Stay Night which was inconsistent Fate Zero stay consistent from start to finish containing some of the best story direction I have ever seen. Fate Zero is the story of the 4th Holy Grail War 10 years pearl to the events of the 5th Holy Grail War in Fate Stay Night what really separates this war for that is the player themselves. Unlike in Fate Stay Night where the war focus on entirely on the main protagonist here it's much bigger more diverse, and more mature and This is war done right! Aliens and betrayals, well planned and thought out strategies and deposition, well directed fight sequences, really relatable characters movable tons, world building that is fully fleshed out. Not to mention I really adore the use of heavy dialogue and exposition as seen in episode 1 and for that reason episode 1 of Fate Zero is one of my favourite first anime episodes in anime and it's in my top 30 favourite anime episodes. In short Fate Zero has it all! The story is original, externally well written, unpredictable, hardly and black and whites and it will keep you edge to your seat when watching, The ending of Fate/Zero is great and it really fits with the theme of Fate/Zero. I won't spoil the ending here because this ending is a experience that you should watch for your own viewing. Fate/Zero also does an amazing job exploring its themes such as prides, responsibilities of being a king, sacrifices, tragicly, survival and future. I honestly cannot find any flaws with the story because the execution of the story is just wonderful. 10/10 Characters. The characters of Fate/Zero are very mature and well written compare to the cast of Fate Stay Night where they immature as hell and they usually fall into generic character tropes. The thing that makes the character cast so special is that doesn't really have a main character least for a while. All of the masters and servants are explored in depth and we get to see the war through each of their perspectives. Completely different to its squeal series Fate Stay Night. Not to mention the character interactions with each other because unlike in Fate Stay Night where the character interactions are stiff, forced and sometimes have no substance at all Fate Zero character interactions are believable, relatable and have a great impact of the outcome of the 4th Holy Grail War. My favourite characters in Fate/Zero is Rider and Waver because not only they are great entrainment character but they are well written from start to finish. Not to mention Rider and Waver are some of the best duo I have ever seen in anime. This is all thanks to Gen Urobuchi. If you guys don't know about him Gen Urobuchi is the series composition of Madoka Magica, Psycho Pass, Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet and Fate/Zero. Gen Urobuchi has a habit of writing ideologies rather than characters and fate zero is the prime example of that. Most of the character aren't really fleshed out or well developed They serve more as physical embodiment of the individual ideals rather than actual people. The focus is on the character interactions and not necessarily the characters themselves. All of the characters in Fate/Zero are really complex characters making for a nice change from the typically Black and White approach as well generic that squeal series Fate Stay Night suffers from. Also by the time you figure out who's good or evil chances are they already been killed in the battlefield. Besides that this character cast is nothing but amazing. 9.5/10 Art/Animation. Visually Fate/Zero is one of the best looking anime I have ever seen. Ufotable absolutely really did a wonderful job here as the animation is some of the best animation I have ever seen for a TV series. The action sequences are unbelievably beautiful and the choreography is just perfect. Also unpopular option I think the art/animation here is better than Fate Stay Night UBW (TV) while the fights in UBW (TV) are greatly animated most of slice of life bits were kinda too bright and sometimes the character designs are not properly drawn and feel like plastic at times if you look very closely on the character during those scenes. The character deigns in Fate/Zero well thought out, very well drawn, animated and consistent from start to finish. I personally have no complaints with the art and animation. 11/10 I definitely broke the scale for this one. Sound. The soundtrack is just epic. This is Yuki Kajiura at her best because she utilises those badass choir vocals endlessly to give nearly every track that feel of epicness. Fate/Zero has 2 opening and ending themes and they are all just epic and very catchy in they own way. Now for dub or sub. To be honest go for what you want because both the Japanese and English voice actors really did a great job with they performance making each role more satisfying to the audience. I would say go for both sub and dub for this one. 10/10 Final Thoughts. Fate/Zero is one of the best animes I have ever seen from 2010s era of anime and its one of the most entering rides I have ever been on. The story was addicting and seeing the characters ideologies clash with each other was absolute thrill. The animation is absolutely beautiful and the soundtrack is fitting epic from start to finish. Also both sub and dub are flawless in my eyes. It accomplishes something a few prequels have and far surpassing its sequel Fate Stay Night. At time point I mention why is Fate/Zero is better than Fate Stay Night and that because it is. Fate Zero manages to fix everything that I hated about Fate Stay Night and in my opinion Fate/Zero makes any anime adaptation of Fate Stay Night look like a joke by comparison. Fate/Zero is one of the best animes I have ever seen and its now in my top 15 favourites anime of all time. Fate Zero is a modern classic that should not be missed by anyone. I give Fate/Zero Both Seasons a 10/10 ( Masterpiece of war) Fate/Zero is available from MVM Entertainment in the UK and they currently licensed both seasons on DVD and Blu Ray. If you can Fate/Zero is a must buy on Blu Ray for the better viewing experience. The DVD version of Fate/Zero is surprisingly good compare to the blurry looking Fate/Stay Night UBW (TV) on DVD which was a ugly experience in my opinion Anime recommendations. Fullmetal alchemist Brotherhood Code Geass Kara no Kyoukai Hellsing Ultimate. Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu (Legend of the Galactic Heroes) Anyway this was Shawn aka TheKazeTrigger and I will see you guys next time. Next anime review for my MVM Entertainment anime review project will be The Familiar of Zero S1 or Bakemonogatari.

***This review is comprehensive of both seasons of Fate/Zero.*** If your one and only wish could be granted, how far would you tread down the path colored in blood and embroidered with thorns? Welcome to Fate/Zero, an epic that explores the efforts of seven masters and their servants (heroic spirits such as King Arthur) to obtain the Holy Grail, a device said to be capable of granting any one wish. Sorely disappointed by its sequel, Fate/Stay Night, I, like many others before me, was initially reluctant to watch the show. Turned off by the ridiculously pure ideals of Emiya Shirou and defiled by the constant repetition of thephrase, "People die when they are killed", Fate/Zero's appeal to me was minimal. Oh, how wrong was I. Fate/Zero is a delightfully dark deviation from its sequel and excels in almost every single category. Before I delve into the meat of this review, allow me to comment on the more technical aspects of the series. Artistically speaking, Fate/Zero is incredibly accomplished. The animation quality is outstanding, and falters not even for a second. Ufotable executes everything from simple character movements to brilliantly drawn action sequences in excruciating detail, using dark color palettes that encapsulate the mysterious and somber ambience of the show. As expected of Yuki Kajiura, the mastermind behind several other breathtaking soundtracks, the music is top-notch. Incorporating choir and orchestra into many of her works, Yuki Kajiura creates tracks that fit each scene more or less faultlessly. Each track adds to the complexity of every mystery, complements the sorrow of every tragedy, and intensifies the scale of every battle. All openings and endings add a little something special to the series, providing insight on some aspects of the show that, for the sake of spoilers, you must discover yourself. Between its two seasons, Fate/Zero pulls a stunt that is both admirable from both a production and (in the long term) an entertainment standpoint. Fate/Zero discontinued its story for a rather short period of three months although there was no reason to do so in regards to the plot; that is to say, there was no point in delaying the continuation of such a fluid story. Although it may have vexed some viewers, this method of production ensured that the overall quality of Fate/Zero would be consistent — a wise decision, that, in the long run, provided even greater entertainment for the audience. The most desirable decision would have been to release all episodes at a later point in time, but I would rather have Ufotable do this than rush production and suffer a drop in quality. Now, to discuss the story, characters, and my personal enjoyment...and if you thought there was a lot to read so far, then you've got another thing coming. The story of Fate/Zero is carefully constructed so that there are no missing or remaining pieces of the puzzle upon completion. The concept of battling for an omnipotent wish granting device is not completely novel, but Fate/Zero's execution of the idea is, dare I say it, the best I've ever seen. As the story is told from a variety of perspectives, it is not as easy to discern who the winner will be by the end of it all, unlike most survival game anime that may as well have just told us the victor in the first ten minutes of the first episode. As certain characters begin to get more development, the predetermined victor becomes more and more evident, but this is just a regrettably unavoidable aspect of such works. Regardless, the plot does well to attribute sufficient screen time to each tag team of master and servant to uphold the feeling of uncertainty in its audience. The plot is also made unpredictable due to its dark nature. With such a dreary atmosphere (bolstered by the aforementioned animation style and music), we as viewers are never quite sure of how things will turn out. Things may seem to be heading in a somewhat predictable direction when suddenly, the plot throws a wrench in its works to turn the tables around. However, unlike in some series (such as Mirai Nikki), this technique not employed excessively, allowing the story to be told coherently and without much disruption. Likewise, the characters are also equally as amazing as the plot. It is rare to see an anime with such a large cast give each and every one of its numerous characters enough development to evoke strong emotion in the case that something should occur. Why do viewers feel triumphant at the defeat of a villain? Why do they feel sad at the death of a hero? The answer is empathy. It is specifically because of proper character development that viewers form a collective and (nearly) unanimous feeling toward a specific character. It's the difference between being told a random person has died and being told that the closest person to you has passed away in a tragic accident. Without a comprehensive understanding of character motivations and their circumstances, it is impossible to FEEL anything for them; in other words emotional connections between characters and viewers are of vital importance. Fate/Zero accomplishes this feat beautifully. There is enough development on each character that the viewers can understand each and every one of them (although some less than others). Everything the characters say or do has a purpose and reinforces the former "emotional connections" to the extent that every event holds at least some significance or meaning. To very quickly summarize these thoughts, Fate/Zero has characters that make you actually CARE about what happens to them, whether that be in a positive or negative light. The complexity and relatively unpredictable nature of the plot and the high amount of development that occurs in every single character is what makes Fate/Zero one of the masterpieces of anime, but it is for these exact same reasons that the series suffers. Simply put, these traits are double-edged swords. Going back to the puzzle analogy, although there are no missing/leftover pieces, there are too many to begin with in the first place. Having watched Fate/Stay Night prior to this, I had a full understanding of the concepts of the Holy Grail War. Since the protagonist, Emiya Shirou, was just as new to the Holy Grail War as the viewers were, the show eased its viewers into it. However, it is easy to see how newer members of the Fate franchise may have not had the time to wrap their minds around the basics of the plot before the exposition explodes into action. Moreover, the characters, and the heroic spirits in particular, are difficult to understand from time to time. Again, due to my interest in ancient folklore, I had a rather deep understanding of most servants and their incentives. It is exactly because the show tries too hard to give every character decent developments that it feels as if some characters were not done enough justice. Knowing the fates/stories of each and every one of the heroic spirits gave ten times more weight to every swing of their weapon and every word on their lips. Nevertheless, not everyone may feel the same way — I still would have greatly enjoyed Fate/Zero even if I were not so informed on the pasts of the heroic spirits or on the Fate universe in general. These are merely things that, ideally, should have been done, but realistically, couldn't be done. It's completely unreasonable of me to expect that an anime accomplish so much in such a short period of time, and the truth is that Fate/Zero did an incredibly admirable job fleshing out such an enormous amount of substance in a mere 25 episodes. Although I enjoy a great variety of anime (from the pure and peaceful nature of Usagi Drop to the mindless action in Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann), I enjoy nothing more than dark, twisted, and thought-provoking series such as this. Fate/Zero focuses largely on the idea of clashing ideologies, whether that be between two masters, two servants, or even a master and a servant. Do the ends justify the means? Is there defeat to be found victory, or must victory be absolute? Themes like these frequently appear in the world of Fate/Zero, each difficult to give a certain answer to. In particular, the anime delves into the topic of the importance of chivalry and the definition of what it means be a king. How must one lead his or her nation? Is there honor and morals involved in killing others? Why is it that the code of chivalry must be tacitly upheld? Again, these are themes that may appear too foreign to some viewers and may even go unrecognized, but I spent a great deal of time contemplating my own responses to these questions, enjoying every minute and second of doing so. CONCLUSION: Fate/Zero is a masterpiece — yes, a masterpiece. The animation and sound are arguably among the best in any anime, and the story and characters are complex yet adequately developed. Although the series could have benefitted even more by fleshing out more of its material and conveying its universe to potentially new viewers, it does all that it can in 25 episodes. The reason I also endorse Fate/Zero as a "masterpiece", a word I don't like to throw around lightly, is that the show is just so incredibly well rounded. In almost every anime that I have watched so far (which isn't too many), there has always been at least one category in which the anime lacks. Be it story, character, art, sound, or my personal enjoyment, I could find little to no faults with any of these five categories. In fact, the anime is so balanced in everything that it accomplishes that it was only fair that I attribute the same amount of significance to every category in my final rating. So, without further ado... STORY (20%) — 9.2/10 CHARACTERS (20%) — 9.2/10 ANIMATION (20%) — 9.8/10 SOUND (20%) — 9.7/10 ENJOYMENT (20%) — 9.8/10 OVERALL (100%) — 9.5/10 Now... By the power of my Command Seal, I command thee, avid reader, to explore the magnificent universe of Fate/Zero!

This is mostly a review of the entirety of Fate/Zero rather than the second season in particular. I have not watched or read the Fate/Stay Night material before watching this. Story: 9 Writing a prequel to an already well-established series has proven in many cases to be difficult to do (i.e. Star Wars) but Fate/Zero passes with flying colors. Even if you have seen Fate/Stay Night prior to watching this, it still provides many twists and turns that leave you guessing all the way up until the final episode, all the while seamlessly setting up the story for Fate/Stay Night. The dialogue is genuine and theways the characters interact with each other always make for great moments. The first few episodes are a bit of an information dump, but really help to explain the world you are immersing yourself in. Philosophically, it chronicles the eternal struggle of morality in the face of war that never becomes too preachy, but leaves you wondering what is right and wrong. Art: 9 Staying consistent to the TYPE-MOON art style, it looks very nice in an updated setting. Although there is a rather consistent use of CGI, it does not take away from the action all too much. It does, however, enhance large scale attacks very nicely. The character designs, again, are the highlight as they are able to craft characters of unique traits and avoid making them appear hokey. Sound: 10 In regards to the dub, I watched the English dub which I thought was executed very well. The voices matched the attitudes and statures of the characters and never once felt miscast. Rider’s voice in particular couldn’t have been a better fit. Even the characters with somewhat deadpan personalities like Kiritsugu and Kirei are well acted and the subtleties of their emotions really shine through. The soundtrack is fantastic. Yuki Kajiura creates a very immersive and powerful score that has you on the edge of your seat during every battle. Also, the opening theme of the second season is one of the best anime openings I’ve ever heard. Characters: 10 The character development in this anime is astounding and is easily the best part of the show. Rather than primarily focus on one main character, besides the two episodes of Kiritsugu backstory, the show really helps to flesh out each character’s personality and their ambitions towards why they lust after the Holy Grail. Even if you don’t particularly like certain characters, you still understand the reasons behind their actions and are interested to see how they act because of it. Enjoyment: 10 I can’t talk enough about how much I enjoyed this anime. I was captivated as soon as I finished the first episode. It was difficult for me not to pound out the whole show in a few days, which I have a bad knack of doing. Every character, good or bad, left an impression on me and were memorable no matter how large their role was. I will definitely be re-watching it to enjoy it again. Overall: 10 A great anime that has awesome characters, a compelling story, and an intriguing philosophical battle to go alongside the well-choreographed fights. Definitely in my Top 10 Anime list. Great for both the casual and avid Anime fan. You can also enjoy it whether you've seen Fate/Stay Night or not.

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