Fate/Grand Order: Zettai Majuu Sensen Babylonia

A.D. 2016, the foundations of humanity have been incinerated by the Mage King Solomon. Chaldea, a secret mages organization with the mission to preserve humanity's future, foresaw mankind's extinction in 2015. Thus commenced the operation to repair the Singularities in history caused by Holy Grails dispersed across time and space—Operation Grand Order.

Using the Rayshift time travel technology, Chaldea's last master Ritsuka Fujimaru and his demi-servant Mash Kyrielight have traveled to and resolved six Singularities. Now, they depart for their most dangerous destination yet: a civilization in the Age of Gods, B.C. 2655 Mesopotamia. Ritsuka and Mash soon discover that Demonic Beasts roam the land, attacking people and towns. Amidst chaos and terror lies humanity's last defense—Uruk, a fortress city that acts as the frontline for the battle against the beasts. The battlefront is commanded by none other than King Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes, who sought aid from Heroic Spirits and took on the role of a mage to protect his city.

Along with Gilgamesh and the summoned servants, Ritsuka and Mash must protect Uruk against the magical beasts' onslaught and defeat the Three Goddess Alliance who aims to eradicate humankind; all the while, a greater threat looms over Uruk, preparing for its awakening.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Background

Fate/Grand Order: Zettai Majuu Sensen Babylonia adapts the 7th chapter of the mobile game Fate/Grand Order.

Episode Videos

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Related Anime

Other:	Fate/Grand Order: First Order, Fate/Grand Order, Fate/Grand Order: Himuro no Tenchi - 7-nin no Saikyou Ijin-hen, Fate/Grand Order: Moonlight/Lostroom, Fate/Grand Carnival
Prequel:	Fate/Grand Order: Shinsei Entaku Ryouiki Camelot 2 - Paladin; Agateram, Fate/Grand Order: Zettai Majuu Sensen Babylonia - Initium Iter
Summary:	Fate/Grand Order: Zettai Majuu Sensen Babylonia Recaps
Sequel:	Fate/Grand Order: Shuukyoku Tokuiten - Kani Jikan Shinden Solomon

More characters

Characters & Voice Actors

Gilgamesh

Main

Seki, Tomokazu
Japanese

Kyrielight, Mash

Main

Takahashi, Rie
Japanese

Ishtar

Main

Ueda, Kana
Japanese

Merlin

Main

Sakurai, Takahiro
Japanese

Fujimaru, Ritsuka

Main

Shimazaki, Nobunaga
Japanese

Ana

Main

Asakawa, Yuu
Japanese

Ereshkigal

Supporting

Ueda, Kana
Japanese

Enkidu

Supporting

Kobayashi, Yuu
Japanese

Ushiwakamaru

Supporting

Hayami, Saori
Japanese

Quetzalcoatl

Supporting

Endou, Aya
Japanese

More staff

Staff

Takeuchi, Takashi

Producer, Original Character Design

Fukushima, Yuuichi

Producer

Kurosaki, Shizuka

Producer

Kouno, Megumi

Director, Chief Animation Director, Character Design, 2nd Key Animation, Animation Director, Key Animation

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Opening Theme

"Phantom Joke" by UNISON SQUARE GARDEN

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Ending Theme

	1: "Hoshi ga Furu Yume (星が降るユメ)" by Eir Aoi (eps 2-6, 8-11)
	2: "Prover" by milet (eps 12-15, 17-21)
	3: "Tell me" by milet (eps 16)

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Reviews

Mar 21, 2020

Marinate1016

Recommended

FGO: Babylonia successfully captures the magic of the game and expands upon it in a magnificent way offering an enjoyable experience for both newcomers and gacha heads.

Simply put, it’s one of the best game-anime adaptations I’ve ever seen. This isn’t just my Type-Moon bias talking. The show packs a punch. Unfortunately, due to fears about the complexities of the Fate series, many people did not get to experience this gem.

To calm any concerns, Babylonia tells the story of the 7th Fate/Grand Order singularity and is able to be watched and enjoyed without having seen or played the previous ones. The singularities are pretty self-contained and ... until Camelot, the 6th singularity, which will be receiving a series of films this year, the story doesn’t really hold much weight anyway.

You will need to have watched Fate/Grand Order: First Order OVA which will act as a prequel of sorts to the entire game, as well as FGO Babylonia episode 0. Both of these will give much needed context for newcomers and enable you to get the full experience.

For a video game to anime transition one of the most important things is how a studio can bring to life talking heads on a screen while remaining faithful to the game’s story and tone. FGO’s story is told in VN narrative, yet Cloverworks were able to masterfully recreate and expand upon powerful scenes we’ve come to know and love from the game. The pacing throughout feels excellent. There’s never a wasted moment. If there’s not a battle going on, there’s a slice of life moment that really adds to the characters and gives them characterisation. The only negative comment I’ll make on pacing is that episodes 19-20 feel a bit on the rushed side. There were some powerful moments from the game that did not make it into the anime. This could be intentional, could also be a result of having 21 episodes instead of 24.

In addition to superb writing, characterisation and world-building, Cloverworks have put together some of the best animation of the decade. In fact, many battles in the anime rival the popular “unlimited budget works” of Ufotable. There are several contenders for fight of the year within the show and CW can’t be commended enough for their work here.

Other technical notes include amazing sound design, gorgeous background art, consistent character models and an amazing OST.

In conclusion, FGO:Babylonia is a criminally slept on anime that if it had been made by Ufotable, would have seen insane levels of popularity. Due to concerns about the watch order of the fate series and the fact it’s cloverworks, a lot of people slept on this. Do not make the same mistake. Give it a shot, you won’t regret it. FGO Babylonia gets 10 grails out of 10.

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Mar 21, 2020

Stark700

Recommended

It’s been several years since the gacha game Fate Grand Order made its debut. Now in this new decade and Sony is practically sitting on a gold mine. In fact, reports have been shown that the game made into the 3 billion figures in global player spending in 2019. That’s a whole lot of 0s. Ranked as one of the most popular global gacha games, FGO’s destiny is the inevitable anime adaptation. Let’s talk Fate Grand Order.

To get the obvious out of the way, viewers don’t need to absolutely watch the previous Fate shows or play the game. Sure, it can enhance the experience but ... Fate Grand Order is perfectly watchable if it’s your first entry into the Fate universe; although I do recommend watching at least the prologue or OVAs. Taking place in the A.D. 2016, Fate Grand Order Babylonia chronicles the adventures of Ritsuka Fujimaru and his partner Mash. Their journey takes them to Mesoptoamia where they make sinister discoveries. Fate Grand Order Babylonia is designed to celebrate the game but also tell a story with mythological elements and uniting heroes for the beloved fans.

And when watching a Fate show, you have to remember that there’s many terminologies to remember, some that imperative for the show’s overall purpose. Fate Grand Order also personifies its cast that makes each and every single character stand out in some way. With such a large cast, the anime did have to make work to fit the overall tone of the story. Director Toshifumi Akai knew the monumental task at hand and had to make this into at least a 2-cour show. With 21 episodes, Fate Grand Order sets sail from the first episode to showcase the human side of our main leads, Ritsuka and Mash. As with most Fate-related shows, character chemistry is an important part to connect the cast together. Ritsuka and Mash shares a relationship built on their companionship. They share a common interest with but also looks after each other’s’ well-being. Essentially, this pair is a living proof of how important trust can bring two characters together. Ritsuka himself also goes on to become a central figure to dealing with the conflict at Uruk, a city led by the famed and prideful king, Gilgamesh.

Oh, you’ve heard of Gilgamesh right? Maybe you’ve heard him from one of the previous Fate franchises or perhaps from the actual historical king in ancient textbooks.

He’s the ruler of Uruk and as you may expect, he is a central figure in this iconic city from Mesopotamian mythology. Compared to his other incarnations, Gilgamesh still retains some traits of his character but in this show, he is more compassionate and caring towards his followers. The alliance he forms with Ritsuka and Mash also shows that unlike his previous characters, Gilgamesh realizes he cannot accomplish everything solely by himself. In essence, this version of Gilgamesh takes on a more heroic role compared to the “Big Bad” he made himself famous for in previous animated franchise. Taking a step back though, you should also come to understand other characters such as Ana, Merlin, and the Three Goddess.

The three Goddess is a trinity of beings with extraordinary abilities. Consisting of the members Ereshikgal, Quetzalcoatl, and Gorgon, they represent absolute power and a unity of divine strength. The first half of the show focuses on Ritsuka and Mash trying to defeat and recruit them as part of Gilgamesh’s grand plan. While the fight themselves are predictable by story nature, it’s still very important to understand the purpose. Individually, these Goddesses have unique character personalities such as Ereshikgal’s pride or Quetzalcoatl’s playfulness. Character bond between these Goddesses and main protagonist Ritsuka is also important as Ereshikgal grows closer to him and vice versa.

But let’s also not forget other prominent characters such as the famed Ishtar. Making herself famous with her “Rin-face” and similar personality, she plays an integral role in the main story. One of the fascinating things about Fate Grand Order Babylonia is being able to get us to invest into its cast, and for this instance, Ishtar is a breakout character. She exemplifies the behavior of a Servant but also crosses into the realm of humanity with her behavior. It’s one of the more curious elements of the show that get us to see what separates humans and Servants. This is somewhat opposite of Enkidu, a Servant who values animals and nature more than humanity. Every Servant in this show is an enigma, with more lore that are explored in the game. But as a setback, the anime adaptation had to make time and cut loose some background storytelling. That just can’t be helped.

Fear not as I’m sure most of the audience should be able to understand the fundamentals of Fate Grand Order even if you’ve never touched the game before. The anime does an excellent job at characterizing the main cast such as Ritsuka. He’s even more aware of his decisions with logic and acts more human under extreme circumstances. Other characters such as Mash gets an upgrade to showcase their fighting abilities. Rather than being a tank bot like in the game, Mash delivers offensive power during her fight. Even Ushikwakamru manages to get a badass upgrade in the show in one of her most iconic battles. Watching Fate Grand Order Babylonia assures that the audience will experience a journey aimed for anyone, both newcomers and the hardcore fans.

Artistically, the Fate franchise has jumped between Unlimited budget productions made possible by ufotable to mediocre disappointment such as Fate/Apocrypha. And oh, who can forget about Fate/Extra Last Encore, the show that decorated with absurdity and surreal choreography. Where does Babylonia stand in the Nasuverse? It’s not too easy to answer because everyone will have different perspectives. The main selling point is the combination of 2D and 3D animation during intense fight scenes. This applies to later episodes in the anime where the heroes fights boss entities together similar to the game. According to an article from the animation staff, many of the season’s animators are young but are able to bring their storyboarding skills to the table. One thing to do take notice is how the show’s setting is able to grace us with the mythological setting. It feels like we enter this new world with the characters during their journey. The anime does far more than just telling and showing but rather giving us a tour of the world. Uruk itself is decorated with its rich culture and the civilization that lives on its lands. And course, we can’t ignore the character designs. Fate has been known for some extravagant and colorful visual designs especially for its prominent characters. Gilgamesh and the Goddess Alliance falls in this category with their distinctive looks. They have the look of divine entities, to be worshipped, and holds a commanding presence over others. And like most of Fate shows, there’s also room for running gags such as Jugarman’s animalistic-like characteristics or the tsundere fashion of Ishtar.

It feels like every year or so, we get a Fate adaptation that fans will talk about but some will shake their heads in disappointment while others accept it like a gift from the Gods. I’m pleased to say that Fate Babylonia managed to become a show that welcomes all viewers with open arms and one that is enjoyable from beginning to end. Now that we have the Fate goldmine flourishing, can we get something like Fate/hollw ataraxia adapted next?

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Mar 21, 2020

Pipe

Mixed Feelings

Fate Grand Order, the CGI dilemma, and the strange development of Ritsuka.

When this adaptation was announced, I was excited. However, I cannot say the same after seeing the entire adaptation. Although Fate Grand Order Babylonia arc has a good story, it made three mistakes. First, as a vivid fan of the whole Fate series and as a FGO player, I expected them to use the adaptation to expand the background of the characters, their relationships, reasons, for example, Tiamat, Quetz, Enkidu, Gilgamesh to name a few. I was hoping that they would add some new story to aid the plot and fill in the little ... holes left by the game's stages and, in some cases, the game plot choices. Unfortunately, this never happened, and you can notice unexpected behavior in some parts of the story without any previous explanation. The production only focuses on adapting the same game story. They did not add any new content, but they did remove some parts. Also, to understand the plot, you must have a little knowledge of FGO setting and the other singularities. Furthermore, they used three episodes as summaries and one more with a special (repeat). I cannot forgive that.

The second mistake is the horrible 2D - CGI mix. Even if I love FGO Babylonia, I cannot say that CGI models are great. They are awful in most scenes. I need to be honest with all of you; perhaps the most acceptable model is Tiamat Dragonic Beast. The rest of the models are very average and don't fit the production and budget for the game that gets a lot of dollars a month. I do not accept some comments like "they will polish some visual errors in the BD." As an animator and character designer, we deliver something to a screen as a final product because it will have a wider promotion.

On the other hand, the biggest mistake is to add broken lines and inconsistency to Ritsuka. In the game, you use the character as the conduit between the servants and the player. However, the player's choices do not dramatically affect the plot. Following that order of ideas, in the adaptation, the writer tried to make him the great hero. For me, as a player, in the singularities arc, it has no meaningful use. It may have some use if you think you are Ritsuka and if you play the game for that reason alone and not for the servants. I'm sure 99% of players are more interested in servants than this character because he has no traits. You (Ritsuka) pay for the servants and not for your development, keep that in mind.

Also, this changed some characters like Hassan (he needed more screen time and a little explanation of who he is), Gilgamesh (the cartoon behavior at the end), Gorgon (Avenger, the plot never explained what she did when she destroyed Tiamat's horn), Ana (died without glory), Enkidu (lost much of the progression and growth that can be noticed in the game). These characters were only used to make the MC shinier. Ritsuka is an important character but it cannot be the most important character because the story is not centered on it. You (Ritsuka) do not have traits, so trying to play a role with strange growth is a writer's mistake.

Finally, although all those mistakes that drove some fans away, they can be accepted, and ignored. I mean, I enjoyed the story. Maybe the reason is that I follow the game, and I enjoyed the main essence of the plot, so I am biased, very biased. However, they wasted a great opportunity to adapt something that could have been called epic. As a fan, you will enjoy it no matter the mistakes or my comments as a casual viewer, maybe not because it is needed some extra info to understand the plot. Sadly, I cannot give it a better score because when I love a series, I am very critic.

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Gilgamesh

Kyrielight, Mash

Ishtar

Merlin

Fujimaru, Ritsuka

Ana

Ereshkigal

Enkidu

Ushiwakamaru

Quetzalcoatl

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Fate/Grand Order: Zettai Majuu Sensen Babylonia

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