STORY- 8/10
The setting of the story is Fuyuki City, Japan, where seven Masters summon seven Servants of various class to fight against one another for the Holy Grail, which many of us would know from watching Fate/Stay Night, be it the original 2006 adaption, the Unlimited Blade Works movie, or the new 2014 adaption. Fate Zero follows the events of the 4th Holy Grail War. Fast-paced, engaging, and full of twists and turns, the story is definitely above average from your average anime and the nonexistence of fan service makes it a rather mature anime, since a lot of concepts on heroism and whether the ends justify the means is thrown in the viewer's face. My only issue is probably the double length episode that ufotable likes to throw at its viewers that discusses the rules and mechanics of the Holy Grail War, but is necessary to the plot. And at one point the three most dangerous people in the series were all sitting together drinking, so that was kind of weird (though they did it for understandable reasons).
ART- 9/10
Well, it's ufotable, so it's going to be good. The art is beautiful, with great action scenes (although not as good as Fate Stay/Night's 2014 adaption). Static scenes are also excellent, making Fate/Zero one of the most visually amazing anime I've ever seen.
SOUND- 9/10
The voices for each character fits them very well, ranging from the calm, deep voice of Emiya Kiritsugu to the light, almost joyful tone of his wife Irisviel. Yuki Kajiura's music is as good as ever, with tracks that are easily identifiable as the predecessors to SAO's great OST's grand choirs and orchestras. The openings are also great, foreshadowing the tragedies that would occur (and that you should probably know if you've watched Fate Stay/Night).
CHARACTER- 9/10
Another strong area- Fate/Zero's characters are great. All the Master-Servant pairs are matches for one another, whether they be friends or loathe each other with conflicting ideals. The story also doesn't really have a main character, leaving the POV omnipresent, which allows the viewer to look at the personality and backstories of the various groups fighting for the Grail. The characters themselves range from Hassan from Assassin's Creed to a ninja priest to Alexander the Great. The show delves into each Master's motives for fighting in the war, as noble or tragic as they may be, and in many cases, tears them apart. A more in-depth character profile without major spoilers.
Kiritsugu Emiya- the closest thing to the main character that this show has. Foster father of Emiya Shirou (the biggest idiot in the franchise) and a secret agent who's primary hobby is shooting a hole in a mage's head. One of the most interesting characters in the series, reminding me of Archer from the original Fate Stay/Night (for good reason).
Tokiomi Tohsaka- father of Tohsaka Rin from Fate/Stay Night. Skilled mage who is the teacher of Kotomine Kirei and wishes for good futures for his family, even if others don't agree.
Kotomine Kirei- rival of Kiritsugu is unsure of why he was chosen to fight in the war and seeks for a source of enjoyment. Also a hacker when it comes to combat, he could probably take on some of the weaker Servants.
Kariya Matou- family friend of the Tohsakas whose love for them puts him on edge with Tokiomi. Decides to fight in the Grail Wars to protect Tokiomi's wife Aoi and her children. This guy is kinda depressing what he has to go through, one of my favorites from the series.
Ryuunosuke- a psycho young adult who decides to summon a demon and accidentally puts himself in the war without him even knowing it. Really creepy kind of guy.
Waver Velvet- college student who fights in the war mostly to gain recognition. A bit of a coward and almost useless in actual combat apart.
Lord Kayneth Archibald- (second) most annoying guy in the series for me, is kinda a jerk to everyone he fights against. Accomplished mage and is a teacher at the college Waver attends.
Saber- the same Saber from F/SN who serves under Shirou. Fights for the Grail for the good of her country; her ideals clash with that of other Servants.
Archer- the ancient king Gilgamesh, who is a hacker and narcissist. Believes that everything belongs to him and spends a lot of time drinking and making couches dirty with his clothes (but never gets drunk somehow). Has long conversations with Kirei about life and such. Arrogant snob knows honorable opponents and bravery when he sees it and isn't a total prick.
Rider- an extremely buff, muscular warrior who strives to take over the world and is pretty hax himself if needed. A really fun character and a fan favorite. Likes to spend all his Master's money on video games, TV shows, and food, but is willing to defend his Master with his life.
Lancer- another fan favorite who is a handsome spearman who puts chivalry above victory, and would rather die than betray a fellow knight. Also a badass for using two spears and is really good with them.
Caster- the most annoying character in the series for me. SPOILERS- Servant of Ryuunosuke and also likes to go around murdering kids, but has his motives for doing so and fights in the Grail Wars for an understandable reason (even if it's kinda stupid). He also is kinda weird since he's suppose to be a knight but he looks like a Satanist almost.
Berserker- a mysterious Servant who dons a suit of armor and has this cool black fog/smoke emitting from him. Has the ability to touch weapons and use them for himself.
Assassin- well, based on reading the review up to here, it's pretty obvious who he is. Skilled in maneuvering and stealth missions but not good for direct combat, unlike the Assassin from the F/SN series.
ENJOYMENT- 8/10
At times I felt rushed with the story (probably due to me being fairly new to the "good" anime like Code Geass, Fate series, etc.) and didn't have enough time to take everything in, but the moral struggles, the fights, and the conflicting characters easily makes up for that. Although I did watch this show in the middle of the night, so that might explain why I didn't enjoy this show as much as I enjoyed other shows similar to it.
OVERALL- 9/10
Fate/Zero is a good balanced anime that combines great animation and sound with interesting characters, a good plot and interesting premise, and discussions on morality and heroism. A must-watch for all anime viewers, be it elitists or casual viewers.
