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Now I have watched plenty of anime in my time, and while this is not my absolute favorite, it has made it into my top five. A little background, I tried to watch Fate/Zero but it was hard to get into in the first few episodes, based on the fact that I can be a simple anime fan. I like to know who the main characters are and what they go up against. In Fate/Zero, there were simply so many characters to keep track of that it was confusing to say the least.

But onto Unlimited Blade Works . . . I loved this show. ... Not only did it have great art and animation, the story line was strong as well. The whole dynamic of Rin and Shirou fighting together, with Archer and Saber and Lancer even, was just fantastic.

Not only was this anime visually appealing, but it was emotionally appealing as well. The entire fight between Archer and Shirou was more than just a flashy piece of great animation, it expressed a battle of will and a determination to accomplish a goal even knowing the outcome. That sequence of episodes was some of the greatest symbolic piece I have ever seen in an anime.

While I thoroughly enjoyed it, I would have to agree that it is not perfect. My biggest concern was Rin and Shirou's relationship. I believe they probably could have played this factor more, even though it was not a romance anime. Also I would have liked more clarification at the end to end the romance part on a high note. Another discrepancy is Kirei's part in this, he seemed to be a major villain throughout the entire series and is finished off very quickly.

I give this anime a 9/10 with great animation, story line, likable characters, and underlying meaning as well. It reached my top 5 anime and will most likely stay there for a while.