Definitely More Than Zero

I am not really a watcher. I rarely watch a movie unless I'm able to make it to the cinema, and finishing series tends to take me forever. But Fate/Zero was a complete overkill, even or my standards.

It took me 3 years to finish both seasons. 36 months (roughly) to watch 25 episodes. This rivals some governmental projects in terms of sluggishness.

And after finally finishing the series, I admit I am a bit ashamed of myself unable to look myself in the eyes for taking so long. But let's start from the beginning (which, as popular wisdom claims, is the best place to do so).

Heroes and mages

Fate franchise revolves around Holy Grail Wars - essentially battle royales between powerful mages, aimed at acquiring the mystical Grail. It is said that the artifact can grant a single wish to the one who obtains it... which is more than enough for the mages to engage in a deadly battle of epic proportions.

Each mage summons a Servant - uusally mythical or historical hero, belonging to a certain class (e.g. Archer, Saber, Rider, Assassin and so on). The mage and the servant sign a magical pact, joining forces in order to obtain the Grail - and with it, a chance to make their wish come true. And when magic, heroes and artifacts come together, things are bound to get real hot, real quick.

Chronologically, Fate/Zero is a prequel to Fate/Stay Night - the Visual Novel that started the whole franchise. And while knowledge of either is not required to enjoy the other, two parts compliment each other nicely. Events from Zero are expanded upon in Stay Night - and those from Stay Night get background and depth once you learn of their roots in Zero.

The story is perhaps the strongest point of Fate/Zero. The collection of characters is well thought and every viewer should find a hero to follow - be it clumsy but clever apprentice mage Waver Velvet, his servant Alexander (no points for guessing which one he is), enigmatic Emiya Kiritsugu, honourable and valiant Saber or ambitious and proud Tokiomi Tohsaka. Their fates interweave and clash, and the plot thickens faster than Disney retcons Star Wars canon. Boredom is literally impossible.

A word of warning though: the writer responsible for the story is no one else than Gen Urobuchi. Those who watched Puella Magi Madoka Magica know what to expect. Those who don't... <redacted>

Eye candy, ear candy

Visuals and audio are two aspects of Fate/Zero that just can't be praised too much. Studio Ufotable did a fine job drawing insanely detailed backgrounds and characters, and lightning is a small masterpiece of its own. The only drawback is that animation has visible problems keeping up with static elements' excellence - while it's by no means bad, it surely pales in comparison.

If you ask me though, the actual pearl in the crown is music. I admit I have a very soft spot for Yuki Kajiura's compositions - and Fate/Zero is no exception. Be it the powerful kajiurago choir in Let the Stars Fall Down, or mysterious chanting from The World is Tumbling Down, music is an integral part of the scene, as important in conveying the message as dialogue or characters' actions.

Voice acting is solid, though can't really compare to the two elements mentioned above. An exception is Nakata Jouji's masterful performance as Kotomine Kirei - a voice so deep and powerful it sends shivers down the spine every time he speaks.

Countdown to Zero

So, why did it take me so long to complete such a wonderful series, I wonder? No idea. Every time I finished watching an episode (or two. or four), I had a strong conviction to continue ASAP... but never actually did so. The visuals were stellar, the music was epic, the plot was all but boring... I fail to see a reasonable explanation.

What I know, however, is that after finally reaching the titular point zero, I plan to rewatch the series again. Most likely in preparation for playing the Fate/Stay Night Visual Novel.

And that if you haven't made a trip into the dark world of Fate yet, I strongly recommend to do so at the earliest possible opportunity.

Summary:

Title: Fate/Zero

Genres: action, supernatural, magic, urban fantasy

Studio: Ufotable

Season: Fall 2011

Length: 25 episodes