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So I wasn't ready for that. I went to wet my neck at the end of the movie.

Madness. Rape. Dismemberment. Masturbation. Cannibalism. If after seeing the anime I had been told that this would be part of a Fate/Stay Night piece, I wouldn't have believed it. Not that the two anime are cute feel good movies, there are some pretty violent scenes too, but this second Heaven's Feel movie takes it to another level. The story embraces a much more tortured realisation than before, we're clearly on an angry seinen. The first movie proposed an interesting variation of the Holy Grail War, but despite some ... stylish fights it remained relatively wise. It let us perceive that the continuation of this 3rd road would be darker and more mature, but I didn't expect it to be so!

The story takes a radically different path from the first two F/S routes, the servants who were at the heart of the anime and the first film are more in the background, most are quickly eliminated and the focus is on the masters, whether they are known or unexpected.

On the form of the anime I'm sorry but Ufotable are big sickos. The UBW anime (I haven't seen Fate/Zero), the Heaven's Feel movie 1, and Ufotable's Demon Slayer, had great set design art and sakuga moments. But this movie surpasses them, the night sets are even more beautiful than before, and damn that Saber alter vs Berseker fight is amazing, I wasn't ready for that :ouch: As much as the Assassin vs Lancer fight in the previous movie had put me on my ass, this one is on another level, and by far. I think it's the most virtuoso fight I've seen in animation, or at least it compares well with the fights in Made in Abyss movie or Princess Mononoke.

But the part that surprised me the most, and in a good way, was the shift into the madness of a certain character with this dreamlike world a la Alice in Wonderland but which also reminded me a lot of the alternative universe of the witches in Madoka Magica. There's a complete break with the tone of the previous scenes, it's surreal, we're almost in a Magical Girl. Then back to reality. Very dark.

But the part that surprised me the most, and in a good way, was the shift into the madness of a certain character with this dreamlike world a la Alice in Wonderland but which also reminded me a lot of the alternative universe of the witches in Madoka Magica. There's a complete break with the tone of the previous scenes, it's surreal, we're almost in a Magical Girl. Then back to reality. Very dark.

Sakura's seiyu must be mentioned, she does an incredible dubbing, she inhabits a completely tortured sakura! The title of the film is well named, she is a pretty butterfly lost in the middle of this war between hornets for the Holy Grail. She wasn't really highlighted in the anime, as Sakura was only used as a foil for the Shiro/Saber/Rin/Archer couple. In this film she is a revelation, she outshines the others. The Shiro/Sakura duo finally moves forward to offer a more adult but also more tragic relationship than the Shiro/Saber or Shiro/Rin relationships in the anime. Shinji, Sakura's brother, takes on his role as the big jerk we saw coming. The definition of an asshole.

I found Yuki Kajiura's OST a little behind on the first film, here we have sublime music that is as beautiful as Madoka Magica's (which is by far the OST I listened to the most, that's a big compliment).

I'm waiting to see the third film but at time Lost Butterfly is clearly my favourite track of Fate/Stay Night.

Third iteration of Fate/Stay to be adapted into an anime after the Fate and UBW routes, Heaven's Feel is known as the darkest of the 3. If it doesn't necessarily show too much on this first movie, we feel that Ufotable (probably sticking closely to the Visual Novel) wants to offer something more original compared to the anime, less conventional, which doesn't look like a series edited into movies. The film takes its time, it's slower, more contemplative, much (much) less talkative than the anime (especially UBW).

For those who would be tempted to go straight to the Heaven's Feel movie trilogy "because I don't want ... to waste time watching the anime series", it's better to warn you that you won't understand anything without having a solid base on at least one of the two anime: Fate/Stay Night and/or Fate/Stay Night UBW. Why? Because it's like watching The End of Evangelion or Madoka Rebellion without having seen the associated anime. So okay, Heaven's Feel is not a sequel but an alternative story, but the whole introduction which is spread over 5-6 episodes in the 2 series is dispatched here in 1 minute credits. The film doesn't take the viewer by the hand, it's considered that the viewer already has the basics of the Fate story so it goes straight to the heart of the matter to propose something new, with new characters or completely different treatments.

On the form it's still sublime, maybe the most beautiful I've seen at Ufotable (before Demon Slayer, that's saying something!). The animation of the fights, which are very present on the second half of the film, is crazy! This chase/fight scene between two servants is crazy (without saying too much).

And to that you add Yuki Kajiura, the awesome composer behind the Madoka Magica soundtrack! I'm waiting to see the next 2 films, the music is quite discreet in this first film, I don't even think there is any in the first half hour of the film. But the themes at the end of the film are sublime!

I don't have much to say about the story since it's only the beginning, but the new servant Assassin is super stylish, it's a change from the static samurai with no personality. Same with old Mato and that mysterious things, this announce a next episode that will be very different from the first two stories.

We clearly feel that the Mugen Train arc is thought, written, paced and edited like a movie and not like a series.

Still, it doesn't take anything away from the quality of the anime, on the form it's still sublime, the fights are incredible!
Rengoku is really classy, Tanjirou has some touching and more subtle introspective passages than the 2nd part of season 1, Inosuke is still as funny as ever and Zenitsu is less annoying (and we see him more in action).

One of the great strength of Demon Slayer is its ability to oscillate between angry action scenes (we're served in Mugen Train), dark and gory ... scenes (Tanjiro's nightmare is very disturbing) and very shonen comic passages, enough to satisfy everyone.
It's a little too tearful at times, but it's always accompanied by beautiful music by Yuki Kajiura and Go Shiina so it's okay.

I'm coming out of it a little less excited than for season 1, but it seems that the season following the infinity train arc is the best. Must see!

Very nice anime, the theme of animation is fascinating. I had some trouble at the beginning with the dreamlike irruptions in the reality but quickly it's what sets this anime apart, it's always very original and it allows to put in image the hypercreative process of the girls.

The trio is endearing and fun, between Kanamori the born producer who is able to put pressure on anyone, Asakura the shy hyper creative, and Misuzaki the star who is however one of the most human character, fascinated by the beauty of movement.

In general I don't like urban environments but in Eizouken! the design of the high school ... and the city, with its buildings with improbable shapes, its canals everywhere, its architectural mixes, is very original. On the form the anime is a success, I would like to see what the studio Science Saru gives on a universe less anchored in the reality, like those of Hayao Miyazaki for example.

I didn't expect anything special from it, it's a nice discovery!