Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] - Prologue

This definitely exceeded my expectations. It was adapted to the prologue of the visual novel very nicely. All aspects including the animation, art, BGM and ambience/atmospheric feel were all executed superbly within the hour. Even for this first episode, the animated fight scenes had me blown away already. Simple character movements such as dashing or leaping and sophisticated mechanics such as momentum or speed were presented in an unbroken and uncluttered manner, allowing viewers to be able to follow every action happening in each scene or frame and hence, be entranced in the battle sequences the entire time. Ufotable have also done an amazing job withthe selection of the dialogue to be presented or omitted. The character interaction and development between Tohsaka Rin and Archer definitely does this justice and speaks for itself. Not to mention, all characters were voiced perfectly. The choice of sound effects and background music provided a reminiscent feel of Fate Stay Night and Fate/Zero but still remained fresh as is appropriate for this new adaptation. Overall, the mood and setting for the anime was well established within the hour as seen from the perspectives of the "Red Flower" and "Nameless Hero". Such amaze. Much wow. So excite.

Going into this anime, my expectations were very high. Normally I can manage them, but having immersed myself in the world of Kinoko Nasu through his masterful "Garden of Sinners" series and Gen Urobuchi's prequel Fat/Zero, I truly wanted this to be the definitive version of Fate/Stay Night. This prologue, if it can be believed, met my high expectations. It follows the adventures of Rin Tohsaka, a high school student descended from a long line of mages, and her summoning of her Archer servant. The episodes begins rather slowly, mirroring Rin's initial drowsiness, yet succeeds in establishing her character with minimal words; her mannerisms, expressions andtreatment of others are sufficient exposition to display her character, and this characterization extends beyond just her. This school itself, due to masterful lighting and shading techniques, is portrayed as a safe, carefree environment where teenagers can gossip, laugh and enjoy themselves. The side characters are serviceable here, never becoming obnoxious, and serving as further foil for Rin, though they're too minor to seriously improve or ruin the episode. Another aspect that deserves praise is how much expression the characters have, which was admittedly a weaker point for both "The Garden of Sinners" and "Fate/Zero". This makes the characters seem more lively, helping to increase the prominence of character traits, ranging from Archer's calm and sardonic attitude to Rin's more flippant and demanding demeanour. Throughout the episode, the other characters aren't given much spotlight, as this is clearly the Rin and Archer show. However, the audience probably have an idea of who to keep an eye out for in the following episodes, as, like a good murder mystery, all the relevant, and some irrelevant, characters are at least given a cameo (with one exception). Hence, though the episodes is mostly warm and intimate, there is still a feeling of something dark bubbling deep beneath... As many are aware, Ufotable are the masters of atmosphere, subtly lacing many scenes with a small does of appropriate seriousness, comedy or danger. But, moving away from subtlety, the action sequence at the end is simply a jaw-dropping spectacle. It features more gradients than the average mountain, more fluidity than water and more impact than a sledge-hammer. Not only is it a visual spectacle, but a directorial one as well. Like Rin, Lancer is given character through his movements alone; bestial and confident, yet fast and sharp. His battle style contrasts the much more snaky and agile approach of Zero's Lancer through a display of fast and furious lunges and slashes. The battle's intelligence not only resides in the individual character movements, but their interaction with each other. For example, Archer is show to be hiding his techniques while trying to find Lancer's weak point, trying to stay alive and make sure not to provoke him into attacking Rin. This style of fighting more clearly reflects how experienced veterans would actually duel, and makes for some immensely satisfying viewing. The voice actors help the drama seem real, having matured into their roles through the Studio deen adaptations and Visual novel voice-overs. Needless to say, they have never sounded better. I sincerely hope the English Dub can do this series justice, as I believe it has great mainstream potential, even to those who have never seen a Type-Moon project or, indeed, any anime, before. The episode ends on a high, yet satisfying note, assuring fans and promising audiences that this was what the had been waiting for. Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works' Prologue is a fantastic introduction in both characterization and tone of what is sure to be one of the biggest animes of the year.

My first review on MAL since EVER! Being a fan of the VN for some time now and looking back at the horrid adaptions that came with Studio Deen, could see why some people would be turned way from anything related to Type-Moon. I rated the 2006 highly at first, because I didn't read the source material. But after reading the VN, I dropped the Deen produced verison, because I felt they didn't do the VN any justice at all. The chopped, hodge-podge of mess made me think that FSN ran it's course and no one would give it's adaption it right deserves. Ufotable is nostranger to Type-Moon works; adapting F/Z and Kara no Kyoukai into masterpieces that portray the messages it's creators wanted into a different medium to reach the people who aren't familiar with the source. So, ufotable adapted 2 hour long prologue (by my reading) into a 45 minute OVA. The result: //head explodes. Art and animation was very fluid. The battle between Archer and Lancer was animated so well that it seemed like it came from the VN in terms of epicness. They kept to the story to almost a T. Showing the slice of life Rin, before she became a master and following the troubles she causes afterwards. A lot of internal monologue from the VN was cut, but the overall plot wasn't effected. That impressed me. Character development between Rin and Archer was scripted really well. Writers did take care into strengthen Rins bonds with Archer given the amount of time they had. Props for that. My only qualm was the music. For nostalgic sake I was hoping they use more tracks from the VN, but this only nit picking on my part. Overall the music was outstanding as it set the mood to whatever situation the characters were in. Overall, very good job on ufotable keeping true to the source material. I didn't this review to be a comparison between the VN and this OVA/Special, but wanted to dispel any doubts anyone may have if they're new to the series or the VN purists who were turned off from the 2006. Granted, the show hasn't aired yet, but given what I've seen from the prologue, I believe FSN is in good hands. In a nutshell: Type-Moon + ufotable = EPIC! 'nuff said.

3 words: Archers vs. Lancer. Ever since Fate/Zero, I had grown to be ever so in love with the Fate/ series. Naturally, I was ecstatic upon hearing that Fate/stay night would get a remake to follow the Unlimited Blade Works route. In this 50 minute prologue, it was a great introduction into the series, whether you are a long term fan, or if you are new to the series. It introduces you to the main focus of the route, Rin and Archer, and gives a basic explanation regarding what the Holy Grail War is. It leaves a lasting impression and makes the viewer want more right there. Theone thing that left me anxious was the change in composers. The prestigious Yuki Kajiura that composed Fate/Zero's OST, among others, was not apart of Fate/stay night. In her place, composer Hideyuki Fukasawa stepped up to the plate. And I must say, he did a good job on it. As expected from Ufotable, the animation is top notch and it really shows in areas such as the Archer vs Lancer fight, and when magic is being used. The lighting, scenery, and effects are all well balanced and leave the overall look feeling very crisp and fluid. Overall, I believe that this series will live up to the hype it has received and despite some minor flaws which will be fixed on the BluRays, this series started out with a bang. I cannot wait to purchase it.