Having watched Fate/Zero (In my top 5 anime) I then watched FSN Unlimited Bladeworks the sequel to it and felt I should do a review having seen both.I am going to be comparing FSN UBW with Fate/Zero to some extent.
Story 9/10 - The story is pretty much the same as Fate/Zero as it revolves around a war over the Holy Grail in Fuyuki city with 7 Masters/Mages summoning a Heroic Spirit to do their bidding, however this time with different Masters and different Heroic Spirits (apart from 2 *wink*). I think this whole concept is brilliant as it allows for there to be many twists
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and turns due to the many rules of the Grail War, the fact that some people can break them and how it revolves around seven individuals and only one can win.This brings out the true darkness in some characters and shows how far they are willing to go to win. This is portrayed very well in the series but I feel they should have got more to the point in the first two eps and sometimes there are pointless scenes which do not add to the plot. Also the main characters spend a lot of time in high school but thankfully the show does not revolve too much around school life like every other anime.
Art 11/10 - 2 words. FUCKING AMAZING! Fate/Zero's animation was flawless and FSN UBW takes it up a notch to pretty much perfection. The art of this show really is the main selling point and I would give £100 to anyone who found a point where the animation was really derpy. The action scenes were so crisp with vibrant colours and silky smooth animation that really was a feast for the eye and I truly found myself immersed in these irresistible fight scenes. The choreography of the fight scenes was also stunning and I often found myself mesmerised while watching. The art outside the fight scenes keeps the same quality as the environment and characters look flawless. One really nit picky thing is that I find the design of the character's noses kinda weird.
Sound 7/10 - In Fate/Zero the sound was so well done with majestic badass choirs singing in the background with the occasional funky rock, whether it be a monologue, inner thought or an intense fight and it emphasised these moments with great effect as it made every action or event done feel like it had some great righteousness to it. The music in FSN UBW is a lot less potent and to be honest it really isn't that noticeable which is a shame. Even the opening and Ending songs aren't memorable and this is a real shame as the music is meant to make the whole occasion feel 'holy' as it is a war for the Holy Grail but this time is doesn't do that but merely just fits in with the scene. There were a few noticeable moments where the music sort of shined (When Archer charges up and fires a powerful arrow) but apart from that it didn't have much affect.
Character 8/10 - The story focuses around Emiya Shirou and Tohsaka Rin and their servants Saber and Archer. Rin is an experienced mage who has had her abilities passed down her family line. She is strong, capable, calculating and doesn't take any nonsense from anyone which was made clear in the first ep and I liked that. She does become quite shy around around the two males Archer and Shirou which is understandable as Rin is a tsundere towards Shirou as they sorta have a thing going on and Archer is a handsome man (no homo, actually full homo he is hot stuff). Shirou is quite a laid back guy on the other hand and is very selfless and altruistic. He is quite a simple guy and this has some comedic effect as he becomes caught up in the Grail War. He is very altruistic and this makes him weak at times as people take advantage of him. He too is shy around the females he knows for the same reasons as Rin (Saber is hawt). The other Heroic Spirits all have distinct personalities and this creates interesting dialogue between them as they force their ideals on each other as well as opposing Masters. The dialogue is less complex than Fate/Zero's but is always intriguing and captivating adding maturity to the show.
However the constant dialogue between Rin and Shirou can become quite stale at times as they talk and then Rin turns into TsunderRIN and Shirou likewise, or Rin has to explain something to him or ask him to express his emotions. This brings me to another point, there has not been enough screen time for the other Masters. What made Fate/Zero so interesting was seeing the story from all sides of the battle and not presenting us with a main character. I don't mind the fact that main characters have been set, but the other masters need more screentime. Also the side characters seemingly have no importance to the plot and are just 'there' for the sake of it.
Enjoyment 10/10 - Despite the negatives I've, I have enjoyed the hell out of this show. The fight scenes, the thought provoking dialogue and whole setup has been very enjoyable to watch and with the stunning animation to top it off it has been a joy to watch and has kept me on the edge of my seat (mostly). I definitely recommend watching this show and I hope season 2 picks up on some of flaws I have mentioned and hopefully this show can top Fate/Zero
Overall - 9/10
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Apr 2, 2015
Having watched Fate/Zero (In my top 5 anime) I then watched FSN Unlimited Bladeworks the sequel to it and felt I should do a review having seen both.I am going to be comparing FSN UBW with Fate/Zero to some extent.
Story 9/10 - The story is pretty much the same as Fate/Zero as it revolves around a war over the Holy Grail in Fuyuki city with 7 Masters/Mages summoning a Heroic Spirit to do their bidding, however this time with different Masters and different Heroic Spirits (apart from 2 *wink*). I think this whole concept is brilliant as it allows for there to be many twists ... |
