V reviews - Fate/Extra Last Encore: Anime in hard mode

There used to be a time where I was wildly excited about a new anime from the Fate franchise coming to TV or theaters. Oh how times have changed.

When it was announced that the adaptation of the Fate Extra game (Last Encore) would be available on Netflix, I couldn't utter more than a sarcastic "yeey". It didn't really help that when I recently looked up the score on MyAnimelist, I saw a mediocre 6.5/10. Not to mention the game this anime was based upon has a metacritic score of 58%. The most interesting thing this anime adaptation has going for it, is that it is animated by Studio Shaft. This meant that if the anime would be bad, I could at least partake in the "Studio Shaft tropes Drinking Game".

So let's say I wasn't really looking forward to watching it.

But after watching it, I've changed my mind completely. This is a really interesting piece of entertainment! But I also understand why so many people hate it, since it's clearly not aimed at a general audience. So here is my review for the first season of 10 episodes, available on Netflix since June 30th 2018.

A review of: Fate/Extra Last Encore - Anime in hard mode

A word of advice: This anime is clearly not for everyone

Now that I've watched (and rewatched) the first batch of 10 episodes, I can clearly say: there are some prerequisites before you can watch this series.

• You should have watched at least one decent Fate anime series before watching this. This includes Fate Zero, Unlimited Blade Works (TV) or the original Fate Stay Night (which sadly enough is still the best introduction to the franchise). For easy digesting, Unlimited Blade Works is also available on Netflix, the rest depends on regional licensing.
• You should've watched at least TWO Shaft anime, in order to get a feel of their style of animation and storytelling. Preferably I'd recommend a Monogatari series and one of their anime with a deconstruction-style narrative. Madoka Magica for example is of the same creative team and has recently been added to Netflix here in Europe (so are Bakemonogatari and Nisemonogatari).

If you have NOT experienced the above, I will say truthfully to you: You will NOT enjoy this new Fate anime. You'll just bulge your eyes out wondering what the hell you just watched.

Also, if you're a Fate fanboy who has never watched Shaft anime (or do not like their style), this might be worthy of the "skip" button. Shaft is kind of special by itself, and this game has been reinterpreted to fit a storytelling style akin to Madoka Magica.

The first episode is just awful

A lot of people who have started with this anime have dropped the series after the first episode. And I completely understand if you did as well. With the hundreds of anime coming out each year (let alone other non-anime tv-series), people have a lower attention span and a trigger finger to drop anime on the fly that doesn't meet their interest.

And yes, the first time I watched it I also had a WTF-look all over my face. The animation is off at several points, the story doesn't make a lick of sense and the editing is all over the place. For a first viewing attempt, this episode can only be experienced as "AWFUL".

Hey, we know this scene is really awful...
So let us distract you with this weirdly animated background!

The first episode - why it's awful

This anime story doesn't bother to take your hand to explain the story. Instead of storytelling, the anime instead focuses on "showing things that are happening" and have our protagonist wander between these "things that happen".

The story concept is explained in class - a person is murdered because he lost a chess match (okaaaaaay), the body is moved to the nursery (WHY?), since there are too many bodies there, the oldest dead body is moved to the trash heap (again, WHY?). Once the body is dumped, our protagonist gets a talk about why he's the chosen one (because of course). Then suddenly a purge is happening and our protagonist is seemingly killed by Shinji... Because of course Shinji is an asshole.

I am shocked at Shinji backst... frontstabbing his friends [/sarcasm]

And all the while our protagonist has no real clue what's going on, is moving around in typical Shaft environments (huge, very artistic, very detailed, but ultimately very empty looking) while contemplating on how he hates everything with that typical dull surprise on his face. No wonder people have labeled him as an Absolute potato of a man. Jeezes, how dull can you look?

You certainly look very hateful [/sarcasm]

And at the end of this trainwreck ride, you're greeted by this anime's variant of Saber. Similarly to how every Pokémon generation has its Pikachu clone, each Fate franchise has its clone of the original Saber. This one is thus: "Red Saber", also nicknamed "Umu Saber" (after her catchphrase) or "Waifu Saber". But more on her later. Her charming face is what has to push viewers past this "abomination" of a first episode and into better territories.

... and that can be taken quite literally, because one of the first scenes in the second episode is a nude scene between protagonist and our waifu Saber. Why? Because the Shaft drinking game clearly needs more victims.

The first episode - Redeeming qualities?

However, after revisiting the first episode for this review, a lot more things fall into place. It certainly doesn't redeem this first episode (it's still awful), but there were a lot off of: "Oh, that's what they meant" moments when revisiting. Case in point, I suddenly noticed that the plot is totally spoiled in the very first and very last scene of the first episode, but never noticed until I rewatched it.

You also start paying more attention to the "glitchiness" of this world and pay attention to the explanation that this world really is broken and that our hero isn't the chosen one... he's just an anomaly. The chosen one was somebody else who died in the opening scene... Although "Chosen One" and "Anomaly" basically are the same thing.

Turning a dungeon crawling game into an existential crisis

I think it's safe to say that this anime is only a "loose" adaptation of the video game. And while the die-hard fans of this game have found this a sacrilege, the rest didn't really mind it... because the game is mediocre at best. They also had to adapt the game mechanics of 128 masters in a dungeon fighting dungeon masters to raise up to another floor and... and god, it already feels boring just writing it.

So the director and writer have taken everybody on a loop with this adaptation, including the original voice actors. Only slowly have they are revealing their hand. And the end result is a weird trip to be honest.

While the basic principle of "128 masters fighting and beating floor masters to get to the top floor" is kept, everything else is changed. This is no longer a generic hack and slash game... it's an existential crisis, time and time again. And every floor has a different way of expressing that crisis.

Shinji is living in a fantasy world (in more than one way). Another master is actively wondering why he can never ascend to another floor, even if he keeps killing new challengers. Another master is no more than a monster. 2 other masters create constant AI clones of themselves to duke it out in an infinite number of possibilities. And so one and so on. Time and time again you get the feeling that this simulated world is broken beyond repair and we're the last survivors trying to crawl our way out of this wreckage.

Let's talk about: Waifu Saber

Sakura Tange (Red Saber's voice actress) noted in a panel that Red Saber acted a lot more cute in this anime than the more boyish Red Saber from the game. And she wasn't the only one who noticed. There's a reason why the nickname "Waifu Saber" was pasted on this character. This Saber acts a lot more cute, dresses weirdly (watch what remains when she takes her red coat off) and the Shaft tropes have been applied to her. Yes, this means the typical gratuitous (semi-)nudity scenes and scenes that arouse everybody except the people in the scene itself.

Yes, there is a figurine of this "ribbon Saber". Why do you ask?

Do I personally mind? The gratuitous nudity: yes (not a fan); her change in character: no, not that much.

I haven't played the game, so I don't know how she was "supposed to be". And honestly, I've seen worse in other Fate series (*cough*Apocrypha*cough*). However, what I did notice during my trip to Japan last May, was that she was being heavily marketed as a waifu character.

Every store I visited had (next to the tons of One Piece merch) one shelf reserved for Fate, and the red dress of this Saber catches your eye immediately. More than any other character from the franchise (which is saying something), Red Saber had the most figurines, and the cutest looking ones. And yes, there were a LOT of them. Now that I've seen the series, I kind of regret not taking pictures of the tons of figurines.

Personal opinion

So now that I've done all my ranting, what do I think of this series? I find it an interesting watch and even worth rewatching over time. During my second viewing for this review, I've noticed lots of details and moments I didn't pick up the firs time around. And that makes me think that there is a lot to analyze about his series as a whole (if you take the time for it and are able to stand cringe moments).

Though I will admit that the series does cross the thin red line between an interesting art piece and a pretentious piece of sh!t from time to time. When? I'll let you figure that out.

But overall it certainly gets a careful recommendation from me. I give this anime a 7/10. Worth your time, IF you take into account the prerequisites and the awful first episode.

If all else fails: The Shaft tropes drinking game

This series not to your liking? You can still partake in the Shaft tropes drinking game. Very lethal, but more fun than whatever you're watching.

A character doing a head tilt: take a shot. Gratuitous nudity shot: Take a shot. Overly complex room that looks way too large and utterly empty: take a shot. And so on and so on. For the full list, check TV-tropes.

While the term "drinking game" is said in an ironic fashion (seriously, don't do it for real. It's lethal); it makes for a fun viewing experience to count how many times you should have taken that shot. And boy... that counter went up a LOT.

In a way of closing off, here's a few examples.
But until next time, V out.

PS: No, it won't take two months until my next blog post... I promise.

nudity, big empty rooms, head tilts, etc. Fill that bingo card!

V Reviews: Fate Stay Night Unlimited Cash Cow Milking

The first time I saw Fate / Stay Night, back in 2006, I thought it was amazing. But nearly 10 years of experience with other animes have made me backtrack that initial opinion.

After watching Fate / Zero, I gave that masterpiece a 10/10, but I also started realizing that the original Fate series was not as good as I initially thought.

So after Fate Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works was announced, I was curious as to how the studio behind Fate / Zero would handle an alternate storytelling of the original series? Would it be just as bad, or could they make it better?

Let's find out and get this review on the road!

V Reviews: Fate / Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works TV

A: Backstory

The Visual Novel Fate / Stay Night is by far one of the most successful Visual Novels in existence. With an adapted anime, movie, manga and even the (way better) spin-off Fate/Zero behind our backs, it's no secret that the Fate Franchise is immensely popular.
And Studio Ufotable realizes that.

Meanwhile at Studio Ufotable...

In October of last year, the studio behind both Fate / Zero and the re-release of the Visual Novel have released their latest attempt to milk the Fate Cash cow with: Fate / Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works.

This TV-series (in 2 seasons) is an adaption of the Unlimited Blade Works Route of the Visual Novel and is presented to serve as an extension of both the movie from 2010 and the TV-series of 2006.

Certain moments tend to fill in more blanks than the original TV-series did. This is done in such a way, that this feels more like a sequel of Fate Zero, rather than a sequel to the original series itself. So, in short, UBW is the sequel of the prequel of Fate / Stay Night! Are you still with me? No? Good!

This however brings up the biggest shortcoming that this anime has from the get-go. It was and will remain the "retarded half-brother" of Fate / Zero, as Gigguk once called it. But to the credit of Studio Ufotable, it got a little less retarted this time around. People no longer die when they are killed.

Ufotable realized the serious task they took and did a decent job of adapting the game in a way people wanted to see it. In comparison to the 2006 anime, this story meanders a lot less on "school romance" and focuses more on the action. But there's only so much the anime can improve on a core story that comes from a visual novel.

B: Story

For those who are unfamiliar with the typical Fate set-up, I'll give a brief summary of it.

7 mages fight in a battle royale for the holy grail, which can grant the winner 1 wish. Each of the mages summons a Servant, based on a mythical hero and in 1 of 7 classes (Saber, Lancer, Archer, Caster, Rider, Berserker and Assassin). Both mages and servants duke it out in Mortal Kombat until only one duo remains.

But due to past corruptions of the grail, things have gone a little out of whack and the rule book has been edited behind the scenes as if it was handled by that annoying friend you had as a kid who didn't like the rules of the game.

Our main hero, Emiya Shirou, is an orphaned teenage boy whose home living situation would be described on Facebook as: "It's complicated". His family has gone up in flames 10 years ago, during the events of Fate Zero. His adopted father (Kiritsugu) recently passed away and he's living alone in his house, while being supervised by both the daughter of his landlord (Taiga) and a childhood female friend (Sakura).

And THAT is only the beginning!

At school he uses the little bit of magic he's able to handle, to repair faulty electric devices and electronics. But one evening, after he spend some late hours at school, he comes across a battle of two servants (Lancer and Archer), which is something he wasn't allowed to see according to the rules. The servants spot him and Lancer kills him on the spot. He ends up being revived by Tohsaka Rin, a schoolmate and one of the mages in this Battle Royale.

On Rin's side of the story (yeah, the first 2 episodes focus on both Rin and Shirou respectively), Rin has summoned a servant herself, hoping it would be one of the "saber class". But due to not having a heroic relic to summon a specific hero (or at least, that's what she thinks), she ends up with an amnesiac hero of the Archer class. Both Rin and Archer blame each other for their shortcomings but eventually agree to work together.

While getting used to her new servant, Rin discovers a magical barrier at school. She realizes there might be more than 1 mage at school. After getting rid of the barrier, she ends up being attacked by the Lancer servant. A fight ensues until a baffled Shirou unknowingly enters the battlefield, which enforces Lancer to kill him. This because the rules of the Holy Grail Battle order any outsiders that know of the Holy Grail War should be killed. Rin finds the body of Emiya, who died because he was killed. She uses a unique jewel to revive him.

Shirou wakes up, not realizing Rin saved her and goes home, only to be attacked by Lancer once more (because Lancer noticed he didn't finish the job). Emiya flees into one of the back buildings and incidentally touches a magic circle, left behind by his father and Irisviel back during the events of Fate Zero. Due to plot convenience, the magic circle activates and Emiya ends up summoning servant Saber, who defends him and she fences Lancer off.

Lancer retreats, but before Saber can explain the situation, she notices another servant nearby and goes to attack. That other servant is Archer, together with Rin, who were rushing to Emiya's place because Rin realized that Lancer would "finish the job". A short confrontation ensues, until Emiya stops Saber and both Rin and Shirou spot each other.

Shirou and Rin agree to a temporary ceasefire and Shirou gets an explanation of the Holy Grail War, from both her and the supervisor of the Holy Grail War, the priest Kotomine Kirei. After that, our heroes slowly get into fights with other mages and the plot ensues.

Revealing more would be spoiling the story too much, so I'll leave it at that.

C: Characters

Emiya Shirou	Main hero of the series. He's shown to be righteous and noble, but due to the way he uses those character traits, he actually ends up being a selfish prick at times. This in such a way, he's often cock-blocking Saber's action scenes, rendering her useless.
Tohsaka Rin	The female protagonist and master of Archer. The very definition of a tsundere character. She tries to act tough and stuck-up, but in the end, she's one of the few characters I was actually rooting for.
Saber	Shirou's servant. Noble lady who doesn't reveal her past because her identity would give an additional weakness, next to her team-up with Shirou. Due to the low amount of mana Shirou can supply her with, she can never fight at full strength. And Shirou's stubborn self-sacrificing behavior only makes it worse. She can only start to shine due to the events that happen in the second season.
Archer	Rin's servant. He's an amnesiac and only slowly starts to recover his memories. He is kind of a selfish prick. In season 2 it's revealed why he's such an asshole (once again, no spoilers).
Kotomine Kirei	The supervisor of the 5th Holy Grail battle. He's a total creep, but he has experienced the previous war firsthand and he's able to get Emiya started as an actual mage in this war.
Shinji Matou	Brother of Sakura Matou and contender of the Biggest Douche in the Universe award. From early on, he's suspected of being one of the "masters" of one of the servants. And while claiming to be a "friend" to Shirou and Rin, he might actually be one of their biggest enemies.

There are more characters in this show, but giving an explanation of them would also spoil the story. That's because one of the few strong points of both the original Fate/Stay Night series as this sequel is the mystery about who the masters and who the servants TRULY are.

D: Adaptation of the source material and comparison to 2006's Fate Stay Night

I have never played the Fate / Stay Night visual novels (not really into visual novels). But from what I caught from the Fate wiki, it seems like a fairly good adaption, with only a few minor scenes added. Correct me if I'm wrong, though.

But there are a few notable things that did change when compared to the original Fate Stay Night anime/route:

• While Archer only showed who he really was at the end of his story in FSN, here he remembers it pretty quick. This turns into a motivation to seriously kill Emiya.
• The roles of Sakura and Taiga have been reduced a lot. So much that they hardly appear in the second season at all!
• While in Fate, the reason was made clear as to why Emiya was able to summon this specific servant, the reasoning is left vague in this route (it's the friggin scabbard).
• Rider was a major enemy in the original series, with Caster being less of a threat (but a threat none the less). In this series, it's the opposite way around. Caster is the bigger villain here. Also, while Rider's goal is still to win, the means of how to get to the victory vastly differs.
• Illya's role has been severely cut as well. Though Berserker still has his own epic moment in both series.
• While Lancer was often ridiculed in Carnival Phantasm for having little to no impact on the story, he's got a more prominent role here. He finally gets his time to shine!
• Due to the drastically different endings, this series' epilogue is totally different from the original (it's also a full episode). Also, Waver Velvet cameo!

Waver Velvet, the pussy has become a man!

Don't misunderstand me. These are not necessarily things I dislike. These are just some of the major differences between the two different story-lines.

E: Animation & Sound

The animation is almost on par with the stuff Ufotable did with Fate Zero. So, great stuff! Too bad the story setup causes the scenes to be less epic when compared to Fate/Zero, so it's less jaw-dropping to look at.

The sound is of similar quality as Fate/Zero. Which means it's (close to) epic. Considering all fate series have good music, anything less than epic would be a disappointment, though!

F: My problems with this anime

This anime tears me in half. On the one end, I want to like it a lot. The general storytelling and animation are truly great! And the buildup to the climaxes has been done in such a way that this anime is way more exciting than the original anime.

But there are a few major problems with UBW, which causes me to seriously dislike it as well.

• Both Archer and Shirou are douches. Even more so than in the original series. Archer acts like an asshole during the entire series and Shirou cock-blocks Saber so much, it makes it hard for me to root for him. And the moment when Archer and Shirou finally duke it out, I seriously wished for Gilgamesh to barge in and just destroy the both of them with his Vimana ship from Fate Zero. That's how much I cared about them.

• It's painfully obvious that this anime has some serious plot holes. Some of them may have been created due to the Ufotable adaptation, but most of the story problems stem from the original source material. The climax of this story has so many holes, it's a frigging Swiss Cheese.
  
  
• I hate deus ex machina endings. Thus I hate the ending of this anime. The end came totally out of left-field, was stupid and made me want to flip a table. Again, this is not Ufotable's fault. This IS the ending as depicted in the UBW storyline. But still, that's some serious BS!

Conclusion and recommendation

The overall feeling I get of this anime is "meh". While I'm a fan of the Fate franchise overall, I wasn't impressed with the end result.

This anime has great visuals, great sound and a better focus on action, rather than school-romance, but it has a protagonist that gets more annoying the more you get into the series, and the story has too many plotholes and a bad ending.

And while certain characters get their moment to shine (Lancer, Berserker and Archer), the screentime of other characters is cut so drastically, you'd almost forget they existed.

Overall, I give this anime a 7.2/10. Why adding a 0.2 to the 7/10 score? Well, because this moment deserve something extra!

Sooo satisfying.

Now, onto the next problem. Which variant of the show would I recommend to watch? UBW has the better buildup of the show and an overall better quality of storytelling and animation. But FSN has a more satisfying ending and less plot holes. And considering it's the end of the show that makes or breaks an anime (*cough*Evangelion*cough*), I would recommend watching the Original series rather than this one.

And if you should watch only 1 Fate series, just skip both Fate / Stay Night series and Watch Fate / Zero instead. Fate Zero remains by far the best Fate Series to date.

Agree with me, or not? Let me know in the comments.

Until next time, V out.

PS: I wonder how the movie of the third route (Heaven's feel) is going to be.

On a sidenote: I know, this should've been uploaded last week. Busy schedule = busy schedule. Next post won't take that long.