Fate/Zero (Review)
Fate/Zero Kicks Off the Fate Series Perfectly.
Let me start by saying that if you’re a fan of anime and haven’t seen Fate/Zero, you need to get on that. It’s technically the second entry in one of the most epic series of anime I’ve ever seen, and I can confidently say that Zero has consistently remained my favorite to date. I’m just a big fan of everything from the impressively deep mythos to the legendary storyline to the intricate and fascinating characters. It’s a series that strives to capture the grandeur of the heroic figures at the center of it, and I think it does a damn good job in doing just that. Best of all, it’s not afraid to get really dark at times, but it never feels gratuitous. Rather, I found even the most gut-wrenching moments of Fate/Zero insightful and thought-provoking.
The best way to describe the Fate series is as an epic battle royale. Every so often a “holy grail” appears in the world with the ability to grant anyone’s wish. To determine who gets this honor, 7 mages each summon a heroic spirit to battle on their behalf. These heroes are limited to a specific class that reflects how they do battle in this Grail War. The classes are Saber (Kari Wahlgren), Lancer (Grant George), Archer (David Vincent), Rider (Jamieson Price), Caster (Dan Woren), Berserker (Kyle Hebert), and Assassin (Karen Strassman, Patrick Seitz, and Vic Mignogna). Each one is a heroic legend (both fictional and real) from the past with special superhuman abilities, and supposedly loyal to their master’s fight for the grail. Their masters are just as interesting coming from a variety of backgrounds all with their own desires and reasons for fighting in this Grail War. Just to make things even more interesting, many of these mages have history with one another that makes many of the battles far more personal
I just love the overall idea of the Fate series and the Grail War in general, and I personally think that Fate/Zero pulled it off the best. The types of heroic figures it draws upon for the classes are from a wide variety of backgrounds throughout history, all with vibrant personalities and abilities that make them very memorable. I was especially enamored by Rider and his larger than life, noble conqueror personality. He proved to be my favorite of the heroes thanks to the sense of joy that he always seemed to have in tow behind his chariot. A lot of the mages proved to be just as interesting as the servants they summoned. Fate/Zero takes time to look at each of them and reflect on their values and motivations for entering the war. By the end of the series, I felt like I had a connection with every one of the characters, even the villainous ones who committed vile and despicable acts. They’re all just really well designed.
Speaking of design, the animation by Ufotable is really impressive. It’s very crisp and vibrant, showing clear regard for detail without overdesigning any of the characters. Each of them is instantly recognizable and care is even taken with the “lesser characters.” Director Ei Aoki takes full advantage of the beautiful animation with some awe-inspiring fight scenes. Fate/Zero features plenty of battles as the characters set their strategies in motion trying to take out the competition. The first stand-off is a whirl-wind of violence teasing the potential of what’s to come and each one becomes more and more impressive. One thing I’d especially like to point out is how well the CGI is blended with the more traditional animation. I usually hate seeing that in series since the contrast is so jarring, but Fate/Zero only used it when it was appropriate (Ie: for the more magical elements that were supposed to “look different”). Even 10 years later, I’m still a fan of the animation in this series.
Fate/Zero adopts an epic tone reminiscent of the kind of heroic poems that praised the feats accomplished by the spirits summoned. Because of that, there’s almost a legendary feel to the series as a whole. The thing is that a lot of legends are filled with tragedy, and I’m glad that Fate/Zero keeps that in mind as its tale unfolds. There are times when the series is absolutely haunting. Some of the character’s histories and their reasons for fighting border on horror stories, and Fate/Zero does not shy away from the gore when it comes to these elements. Yet, as dark and bloody as the series gets at times, it never feels gratuitous. Instead, it’s strangely thought-provoking as it ponders the morality behind the reasons some of them have for fighting and the implications of their wishes. It even goes so far as to ponder the very core of humanity and what this might mean in regards to the Grail’s true capabilities. All of this contemplative philosophy perfectly blended with a healthy helping of action and just a dash of introspection.
The Fate series as a whole is pretty great, but as I mentioned, Fate/Zero is my favorite entry in the saga. I would even go so far as to say that it’s one of my favorite anime that I’ve seen so far. It’s one that I’m always excited to recommend since it has everything that I look for in an anime. An original and intriguing premise, rich characters, thought-provoking themes, beautiful animation, and plenty of action sequences. Fans of anime will definitely like it, and those of you who enjoy fantasy tales with lots of swords and sorcery will probably get a kick out of it as well. Even if you haven’t seen the original Fate/Stay Night, I would still recommend checking out this series, since it’s technically a prequel.
