Kat (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
wildvision) wrote2017-07-30 05:11 am
wildvision) wrote2017-07-30 05:11 am
Entry tags:
Anime Review - Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works
Well, this is the last of the main Fate series. I believe there's a movie and a magical girl AU series, but I'm probably not going to watch those. Though, I've heard they're planning a trilogy of films to cover the third route from the VN. No idea when that'll be, though. So, for now, at least, this is it.
Well, I have to say, I agree with most of the fandom on this. The two Fate series done by ufotable (Zero and UBW) are by far the best. I had a lot of issues with the original Fate/Stay Night. Honestly, I wouldn't have watched the others if not for hearing so many times online that the first one sucked and the later ones were miles better. So, I'm glad I stuck it out and gave them a chance. Because like Zero, Unlimited Blade Works was really good.
The characters were better this time around. Being that it's Rin's route, it's no surprise that Rin and Archer got some more focus. Archer actually got an identity and backstory, which was very important and interesting. And he actually used a bow in this one! I always thought it was a little stupid that he's an Archer class servant, yet he always fought with swords in FSN. Here, he used both. And I kind of didn't like him being antagonistic toward Rin and Shirou later, but at the same time...I can see it happening that way. Numerous people have said that, if Shirou continues on the way he is, it'll bite him in the ass eventually. Archer is the culmination of that, really. So he's got every right to be bitter and unhappy, and to want out. I honestly felt for him. And frankly, all through the big fight between them at the end...I was kind of rooting for Archer. I mean, I knew Shirou would win somehow, but really...I can't help but feel that sends the wrong message. Because Archer was right about what he was saying. That Shirou is naive and stupid and that it would only destroy him in the end. And Shirou's refusal to accept that...that was one of those 'I want to shake him' times. I kinda felt he needed his ass kicked, so maybe he'd grow up. Ah, well. We can't have everything.
And Shirou actually was less infuriating in this version. He's still naive, and there were a couple of times I wanted to shake him, but on the whole, he was much better. Honestly, Shirou is a big reason I didn't like the original FSN. So, for me to find him tolerable here is big. I actually liked watching him grow a bit as a mage. Him being able to pull off Archer's Unlimited Blade Works (with help from Rin) was pretty awesome. Speaking of Rin, he was able to romance her without being a creepy jackass like he was to Saber. Although, the romance element in this one was smaller, I felt. Which worked, frankly. A few comments, and then in the epilogue they're dating. But that's about it. I liked it.
We saw less of Illya this time, though we also got backstory for her that we didn't get before, so it's a pretty good trade off. I found her to be more of a tragic character in this one, largely because of the history we're given. Plus, she doesn't spend the whole first half of the series running around like a little mini psychopath. So, I felt bad for her.
We also got a bit less of Saber, but she was still cool. And honestly, I'll take less focus over the creepy, screwed up characterization of FSN. Although, they still managed to be creepy about her, with those scenes of Caster holding her against her will. Those were really rape-y looking. =/ Other than that, though, she was pretty cool. I liked when she contracted with Rin. I think they made a good pair.
And Lancer was actually a character in this one! He was barely in the first FSN, so I didn't really have much of an opinion of him. But here, toward the later parts, we get to see more of him. And he shows himself to be an honorable sort, which was nice. I also liked that we saw more of Gilgamesh. After watching Fate/Zero, we knew who he was, so I found him more effective in this one. In FSN, he turned up at the very end, and didn't do much but try to claim Saber. Watching him fight Berserker and then later Shirou made for good scenes. Although, completely randomly, I didn't like his hair! They changed his haircut, and I liked the first one better. Shallow Kat is shallow, I know.
Like Zero, the quality of the animation in UBW is very good. Though, I did find the shapes of some of the faces to be a little...off, somehow. I don't know if it's different than Zero, but it feels like it is. Because I didn't notice it until the first episode of UBW. But don't get me wrong; it's not terrible, by any means. This show looks nice, for sure. And the one thing they got right in every series was the soundtrack; it was very nice here, as well. Pretty instrumental tracks and nice themes.
I feel the plot was better in this one than FSN, as well. We got a bit more explanation about the Grail, and it was just handled better in general. The only part I liked better in FSN was that Shinji got killed off. Dirty little bastard managed to survive this time. =P And I liked that this one had more of an epilogue, to show what happened after the Grail War was over. I think that maybe Shirou grew up a little, but still not as much as I'd like.
So, final verdict? I really liked it. I'd say you should just skip the original Fate/Stay Night anime and watch Fate/Zero and Unlimited Blade Works instead. You could probably watch them in either order; no matter what, watching one will spoil some parts of the other. I watched Zero, then UBW, and I feel that worked well. But I guess you could do the opposite, if you wanted.
Well, I have to say, I agree with most of the fandom on this. The two Fate series done by ufotable (Zero and UBW) are by far the best. I had a lot of issues with the original Fate/Stay Night. Honestly, I wouldn't have watched the others if not for hearing so many times online that the first one sucked and the later ones were miles better. So, I'm glad I stuck it out and gave them a chance. Because like Zero, Unlimited Blade Works was really good.
The characters were better this time around. Being that it's Rin's route, it's no surprise that Rin and Archer got some more focus. Archer actually got an identity and backstory, which was very important and interesting. And he actually used a bow in this one! I always thought it was a little stupid that he's an Archer class servant, yet he always fought with swords in FSN. Here, he used both. And I kind of didn't like him being antagonistic toward Rin and Shirou later, but at the same time...I can see it happening that way. Numerous people have said that, if Shirou continues on the way he is, it'll bite him in the ass eventually. Archer is the culmination of that, really. So he's got every right to be bitter and unhappy, and to want out. I honestly felt for him. And frankly, all through the big fight between them at the end...I was kind of rooting for Archer. I mean, I knew Shirou would win somehow, but really...I can't help but feel that sends the wrong message. Because Archer was right about what he was saying. That Shirou is naive and stupid and that it would only destroy him in the end. And Shirou's refusal to accept that...that was one of those 'I want to shake him' times. I kinda felt he needed his ass kicked, so maybe he'd grow up. Ah, well. We can't have everything.
And Shirou actually was less infuriating in this version. He's still naive, and there were a couple of times I wanted to shake him, but on the whole, he was much better. Honestly, Shirou is a big reason I didn't like the original FSN. So, for me to find him tolerable here is big. I actually liked watching him grow a bit as a mage. Him being able to pull off Archer's Unlimited Blade Works (with help from Rin) was pretty awesome. Speaking of Rin, he was able to romance her without being a creepy jackass like he was to Saber. Although, the romance element in this one was smaller, I felt. Which worked, frankly. A few comments, and then in the epilogue they're dating. But that's about it. I liked it.
We saw less of Illya this time, though we also got backstory for her that we didn't get before, so it's a pretty good trade off. I found her to be more of a tragic character in this one, largely because of the history we're given. Plus, she doesn't spend the whole first half of the series running around like a little mini psychopath. So, I felt bad for her.
We also got a bit less of Saber, but she was still cool. And honestly, I'll take less focus over the creepy, screwed up characterization of FSN. Although, they still managed to be creepy about her, with those scenes of Caster holding her against her will. Those were really rape-y looking. =/ Other than that, though, she was pretty cool. I liked when she contracted with Rin. I think they made a good pair.
And Lancer was actually a character in this one! He was barely in the first FSN, so I didn't really have much of an opinion of him. But here, toward the later parts, we get to see more of him. And he shows himself to be an honorable sort, which was nice. I also liked that we saw more of Gilgamesh. After watching Fate/Zero, we knew who he was, so I found him more effective in this one. In FSN, he turned up at the very end, and didn't do much but try to claim Saber. Watching him fight Berserker and then later Shirou made for good scenes. Although, completely randomly, I didn't like his hair! They changed his haircut, and I liked the first one better. Shallow Kat is shallow, I know.
Like Zero, the quality of the animation in UBW is very good. Though, I did find the shapes of some of the faces to be a little...off, somehow. I don't know if it's different than Zero, but it feels like it is. Because I didn't notice it until the first episode of UBW. But don't get me wrong; it's not terrible, by any means. This show looks nice, for sure. And the one thing they got right in every series was the soundtrack; it was very nice here, as well. Pretty instrumental tracks and nice themes.
I feel the plot was better in this one than FSN, as well. We got a bit more explanation about the Grail, and it was just handled better in general. The only part I liked better in FSN was that Shinji got killed off. Dirty little bastard managed to survive this time. =P And I liked that this one had more of an epilogue, to show what happened after the Grail War was over. I think that maybe Shirou grew up a little, but still not as much as I'd like.
So, final verdict? I really liked it. I'd say you should just skip the original Fate/Stay Night anime and watch Fate/Zero and Unlimited Blade Works instead. You could probably watch them in either order; no matter what, watching one will spoil some parts of the other. I watched Zero, then UBW, and I feel that worked well. But I guess you could do the opposite, if you wanted.