To be very frank, the direction in which the anime industry has been headed thus far isn't really good, at least in my opinion.
However, occasionally, a diamond in the rough will stand out amongst all the others.
...and that diamond is Fate/zero.
I will admit, my anticipation for this show has been nothing short of "burning" since I read the Light Novels it was based on a few years back.
The fact that the adaption will be handled by ufotable was practically nothing short of "perfect".
For the record, their works on Kara no Kyoukai were nothing less but stellar, but anymore elaboration on it would be another topic
...
altogether.
First off, the first season of Fate/zero ( Episodes 01 - 13 ) aren't exactly action-packed to the core. A large majority of the screentime is mainly taken over by large amounts of talk; talk that is immensely important to the story.
In fact, all this is heavily exemplified by the very first episode of the show, where viewers are literally unloaded by 45 minutes of non-stop exposition and backstory.
The way the speeches are handled are nothing short of masterful, with certain scenes even adding in unique touches and nuances that convey more messages than what words can simply do.
Of course, such scenes are obviously accompanied by a brilliant soundtrack, courtesy of Yuki Kajiura. Part of the immersive experience offered by Fate/zero is also largely attributed to the music used in the show, with leitmotifs that will really draw the viewer into the emotional contexts in the many scenes featured throughout the show.
Likewise, the sound effects used in the show are absolutely flawless, giving off an added layer of reality that allows one to fully experience and immerse oneself within the show.
That being said, Fate/zero is also a stunning example of beautiful visuals. Taking a cue from ufotable's Kara no Kyoukai, the scenes portrayed in Fate/zero allow for a rather huge use of realistic ambient lighting from various light sources, giving off a very nice colour palette that will surely satisfy viewers.
The backgrounds featured in the show aren't your run-of-the-mill stock two-dimensional drawings that aren't pleasing to the eye. Instead, the backgrounds in Fate/zero give off a very realistic and artistic vibe that can lead many to think of as art pieces themselves.
Fate/zero also has a very good consistency when it comes to drawing the characters right ( Minus Episode 11... ). Of course, that's mainly due to the static nature of most scenes where there is little action involved.
In the case of battle scenes being involved, the animation is where it really shines a lot. To begin with, battle scenes are masterfully choreographed. The fact that no detail is left untouched in battle scenes allows for some truly fluid battles generally unseen of on standard television anime, with examples like the proper animation of a swinging weapon, the reflections of a polished metal and etc...
To point out, there are also many instances where CGI is used in Fate/zero, especially in the case of animating the character "Berserker". Don't be fooled, however. Whereas many shows feature CGI that are jarringly implemented, standing out from the rest of the show in a wrong way, the CGI used in Fate/zero is done with utmost care and detail. *As an added note, CGI is used on purpose in the case of "Berserker" due to the way the the character is MEANT to appear (e.g. Alien, out of place, out of focus as described in the original light novel.) in contrast to the rest of the characters. Do not mistake it for a cheap implementation of CGI.
Storyline-wise, the tale of the 4th Holy Grail War is told from the perspective of an ensemble cast consisting of 6 different characters and their servants. An interesting fact to point out is how the servants of Fate/zero are based on the various legendary heroes featured in real-life history itself.
With a cast of 6 distinct and different masters, one could be forgiven for thinking that there would be difficulty in relating and connecting with all of the characters.
Thankfully, there's room for everyone. Be it a stoic professional assassin who has a soft spot for his family, to a great tyrant who nearly conquered the world, Fate/zero offers a delectable cast that surely anyone would enjoy following through.
The fact that each master featured in the show has his/her own goals and ambitions, with no clear distinction of no absolute evil or good further distinguishes the show from most other mainstream anime featured today. Furthermore, the show also avoids the many over-used cliches in most mainstream media, too, with many subtle plot twists that aren't usually noticed until events actually unfold.
...and all of that, just for the first season of this show.
Make no mistake, Fate/zero is what Terra Nova is to syndicated television shows, with the added benefits of a great story.
Also, for those who are wondering, the first half of Fate/zero is mainly a build-up to the second half of Fate/zero. Expect some amazing battles, shocking twists, and the dropping of the cast like flies in the latter half of the show.
TAKE NOTE: Fate/zero is currently on a 3-month hiatus to enable the production crew of the show to have sufficient time in producing the second half of the show. Also, the televised broadcasts of the show have had significant cuts (and censoring of extreme gore) here and there to accommodate the 22-minute limit imposed upon the show.
All these cuts will be added back in the Blu-ray release of the show, with some scenes including more plot elements that were not featured in the broadcast version.
This show is NOT for the faint of hearted, and generally not for younger audiences below the age of 18. (In particular, the Blu-ray would probably be rated M-18)
...But frankly, I don't give a damn. I'm 14 and I'm chillin' out with this show.
This review will be updated when the show returns next April.
***The uncut version of the 11th episode Fate/zero will be re-aired on the 2nd of January.***
Dec 30, 2011
To be very frank, the direction in which the anime industry has been headed thus far isn't really good, at least in my opinion.
However, occasionally, a diamond in the rough will stand out amongst all the others. ...and that diamond is Fate/zero. I will admit, my anticipation for this show has been nothing short of "burning" since I read the Light Novels it was based on a few years back. The fact that the adaption will be handled by ufotable was practically nothing short of "perfect". For the record, their works on Kara no Kyoukai were nothing less but stellar, but anymore elaboration on it would be another topic ... |
