Bad stuff first: its story is not really anything to write home about, and it can be summed up in one sentence. Waver Velvet is disliked by his co-workers, superiors, and successor to the point where they are actively conspiring to murder him. And that's pretty much it. Nothing special, but a decent enough introduction for the real first episode. I get the feeling that this was ultimately for people like myself who had never read the light novel, and was simply a means to an end, that end being to show us the good guys and the bad guys, as well as getting us caught up on Waver's current situation. I will say this, though: perhaps having a prequel akin to Un-Go's prequel, showing the audience how the main hero got to where he's at would have been a bit better. Oh well. At least this episode will likely feel more consistent in pacing than Un-Go's OVA did with its series, as much as I still love it.
Now onto the parts that are good: the artwork is absolutely fantastic.
Re:Creators looked good, like, really good, but its backgrounds were nowhere near the level of this episode. Clearly, and the end credits, I think, will back me up on this, TROYCA got some help from ufotable to do those backgrounds. The character designs were on point here, a definite step up from the train-wreck that was Unlimited Blade Works. I mean, my God, why is everyone's head an actual balloon in that show? And how do you screw up Rin's hair like that!?!?! Anyway, Waver's design, uber-long hair aside, was rather striking: the lines on his face were quite reminiscent of Kayneth's design in Fate/Zero, and I really appreciated this subtle expression of how far Waver has fallen since his youth. Not sure why Gray needs to where a hood constantly, but her design is competent enough. As for the single action scene in this episode, man did they go whole hog on it. From the backgrounds to the character movements, to the CGI cars, everything looks incredibly detailed and makes for quite the exhilarating spectacle. Maybe it doesn't quite rival the Lancer vs Assassin fight from Heaven's Feel, but that was a feature-length movie, so I say "apples to oranges".
The music is also pretty good. I didn't find it too compelling or Fate-like for the first 10 minutes because there was quite a bit of comedy, but once the 10 and a half minute mark hits, the OVA becomes way more serious, leading to a fantastically executed scene with a genuinely great track to it. I found that one track to be one of the most memorable parts of the episode. Expect a number of string instruments (primarily piano).
Ultimately, this episode is meant to sell you this series: am I going to watch it this summer when it airs? That's... a bit difficult to answer. The problem I have with this is that I didn't really find anything profoundly meaningful about the whole thing. I didn't see any real kind of message for the audience to receive, and I am apprehensive to hold out hope that the show, even with its greater number of episodes, will do anything differently. But you know what, even if it doesn't become a profound, thematically engrossing series, that doesn't mean I, or any Fate fan, can't enjoy this for what it is. I don't know if I'll complete it, but I will definitely give it a shot.
Happy Watching!
- LC
