Have you ever wondered what your favourite characters would be like in an alternate universe? What if they were just a goofy bunch? Or maybe very serious? Well, Carnival Phantasm does just that! Fans of the Fate Universe: we're in for a great treat!!
Disclaimer: if you haven't watched the Fate/Stay Night anime, you will feel that this anime is very stupid because you will not be able to relate to the inside jokes. If you only watched Fate/Zero, you may relate to some of the characters, especially Saber, but you won't get the full experience. So, in general, watch Fate/Stay Night first and then Carnival Phantasm!
Carnival Phantasm consists of 12 short skits, with each one having no relation to the previous one. So in essence, you can pick any episode to watch and not feel left out (however, the only continuity that may exist are our hosts' speeches at the beginning of each episode). Each skit is jammed with parodies to the Fate/Stay Night franchise and the writers did an absolutely wonderful job in poking fun at the series. One of my favourite episodes was where the battle for the Holy Grail becomes a game show. The comedy was spot on and I cracked up during each line!
The artists preserved all of the character designs but added on some nice comedic touches to it. It's pretty refreshing to see the usual serious and dark characters in Fate/Stay Night act so cheerful and carefree. Also, the colours were very warm and gave off just a great atmosphere.
There is not much to say about the sound. Although it is not outstanding, the soundtrack did not feel intrusive at all. In fact, at times, I felt that the sound added more humour to the scene. I did love the opening though. The opening music perfectly captures the lightheartedness and also showcases our favourite female leads showing us their moves.
Do you know that hand sign that chefs make when they taste a great food? (It's like your thumb and index finger make a 0 while the other fingers are extended) I would make that sign for the characters. The writers preserved the personalities of the characters and added more goofiness to them. For example, Saber is still very serious and head-strong but the writers twists it to make Saber be very cute, making you love Saber even more (if you are a Saber fan). Remember, this anime is not to be taken very seriously so if you find yourself questioning some decisions made by the characters, relax and let them do their thing.
I absolutely enjoyed this comedy. It's really refreshing seeing all those dark and intense Fate characters having fun together. As a Fate series fan, I felt that the writers gave us what we wanted: a high-energy celebration of the awesomeness that is the Fate series.
Definitely pick up Carnival Phantasm whenever you can! You will have a great time.
Thank you very much for reading!
