The most interesting stuff in the VN occurs in Shirou's head, and several moments will be a lot less badass without really going there. Not really for me, or any who've read the VN, as we know what's happening, but I do wonder what those who are coming to this fresh are thinking about the series.

It was always going to be hard for the anime to fit pages of internal monologuing into fast-paced fight scenes though, that's not something I criticise them for.

 

Finally got around to watching the last two episodes. Freaking loved the ending.

Was surprised that I actually enjoyed their "date" more than I expected. It feels like there are very slight changes to Rin and Shirou's personality and interaction that make it a lot more interesting. Feels less forced. That being said, still very out of place in the context of the war, but given it was in the source material, had to be done.

Always awesome to see Kirei badassery.

Most of all, awesome use of yet another rendition of Disillusion. When that song started playing it created more hype in me for season 2 than I had leading up to this season. What a great way to end the season and create that sense of anticipation with a dose of nostalgia.

For those who aren't familiar with it, different versions of Disillusion have been used as the opening themes to the Visual Novel, the 2006 Anime (by far my favourite version and remains one of my favourite J-music tracks) and as part of the promo for the 2010 UBW movie. It can almost be considered a "theme" for the story, and I'm really happy they used it here.

It's actually really frustrating that the OST is so terrible. Really surprised they didn't use Yuki Kaijura as their composer, who has done excellent OSTs to other Ufotable works like Fate Zero and Kara no Kyoukai. They even used her to do the ED (she's the composer for Kalafina). Instead they used this Hideyuki Fukasawa guy who seems to have very little experience doing anime OSTs. Background music is something that really adds to the enjoyment of an anime to me and it's even worse quality than what you'd get in some low production shounen. Does absolutely nothing to create impact to scenes, set atmosphere or anything - it's just some background noise to fill in silence. They might as well have just not used any music at all, which would have at least given it a different feel.

 

I agree that the use of music has been disappointing, but I do think it's improving. Was great for Shirou's first projection.

 

Some info about the 2nd cour:
Premieres in April
Aimer to sing the OP
Kalafina to perform the ED

 

Supposedly, the Blu-Ray of the first cour is going to include 90 minutes of extra footage. What do you think the footage will be?

 

Judging by the VN, more eating scenes.

 

Rin walking in circles around Shirou and expositioning.

 

Looking forward to seeing it.

The Fate Zero BDs included some fantastic extra footage. Particularly in episode 11 (The Grail Dialogue). TV version is 23:40, BD version is 29:41.

Spoiler

In the TV version, Gilgamesh doesn't say a lot in that meeting. It's mainly Rider and Saber going at it.

Most of that extra footage is of Gilgamesh throwing in a lot of snide comments. Oh boy is he an absolute dick in the BD version. But it really adds to the resentment Saber has of him.

Hopefully some of those 90 minutes are just as awesome. But yeah, knowing the source content, not sure what it could be but more exposition.

 

With the animation quality and some of these fight scenes that are coming up, I'm just going to be sitting back in amazement.

 

There are plenty of brilliant VNs (especially G-Senjou no Maou) that will never get anime adaptations due to the nature of the plot.

And when they are adapted, they might become abortion-ebola-trainwrecks (e.g. Grisaia).

Tldr I think it anyone who enjoys VN adaptations should read the VNs. If not Fate, then any of the other top rated ones.

 

You want an amazing VN? Try Aiyoku no Eustia. Talk about grim/dark+tragedy genre. Anyhow, extra content with the BD is probably just extra scenes they cut-off the VN. Breakfast dialogue, fanservice etc.. Maybe some of that dream sequence that they never showed us.

 

I really should try getting into VNs again. I really struggled, and abandoned Fate, but I've heard my friends talk about others and some of the methods of story telling is fantastic.

From the sounds of it, VNs do add a pretty unique way of storytelling as a medium by being having a non-chronological way of revealing the mysteries of the plot to you. With each route, your understanding of characters and the world changes. You can have amazing plot twists by seemingly wrapping up all the mysteries in one route, only for the other route to open them again and reveal that your understand of the universe was all wrong.

Seems like a lot of potential, and something you don't really get normally in other media.

I suppose this is why VN adaptions usually suck. As a medium, they utilize different techniques that don't translate well into an anime. You can either choose one route (which only works for a VN like FSN that only has 3 which can each stand alone well enough. Many VNs seem to have more like 5-10), try to meld all the routes together concurrently (2006 FSN adaption) or like most eroge/harem VN adaptions, just try to fit each character route sequentially (which just makes the character relationships and interactions feel weak).

 

No. The 90 minutes are all of Sakura's cut scenes. Prepare for 90 minutes of "Senpai."

 

I would also say that VN adaptations are usually bad because they attempt to crush 50 hours of reading time into ~ 8 hours of screentime. Grisaia was especially horrific in this regard.

That said, I think the greatest thing about VNs is the level of immersion - an excellent VN makes you feel like you are the proganist, living his life, suffering his tragedies. The cliché is that your first VN will always make you cry, and I don't think that's an inaccurate statement to make.

If you don't mind me asking, what VNs have you read? How were they?

 

Only Fate unfortunately. Finished the Fate route, and about half of the UBW route. Really struggled to get. It certainly seemed to be written in a way that tried to make it immersive - make it feel like you were the protagonist. But I never got that, I always felt I was watching Shirou go about his daily life doing nothing.

I've always planned to try a different VN (friend keeps trying to get me to try Maji Koi and Little Busters), but I've got such a long backlog of anime, manga and fanfics I want to read that it just hasn't happened yet.

I should add that I really haven't enjoyed the writing styles in most translated versions of light novels I've read (SAO, Index, Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu, FMP and a few more). Not sure if this is something to do with Baka-Tsuki's translations or whether it's something to do with Japanese language or something to do with the popular VN/LN writing style. So that could be it too I suppose.

 

I agree that the attempt to immerse you in the protagonist can backfire horribly - if the protagonist is boring and/or has a radically strange mindset (Shirou, on both counts).

For what it's worth, I think you should try VNs before going back to your anime/manga/fanfic backlog. Imo, it's easier to find good stories in a new medium, because you've already read/watched all the good ones (or the ones that your preferences align with) in the old medium.

On VNs to read - Little Busters is supposed to be pretty good, though I've not read it yet myself, but Majikoi was pretty mediocre for me. Regardless, I think something like G-Senjou no Maou or Saya no Uta are better bets if you want to be guaranteed a good and exciting story, especially if it's essentially your first attempt at getting into the medium.

BL and Majikoi take a long time to "set up", if you know what I mean. Just people going around doing nothing in particular for far too long. GSM, on the other hand, is a thrill all the way (the Code Geass/Death Note of VNs). Saya no Uta is from Gen Urobuchi, who also wrote Madoka/FZ/Psychopass - it's excellent through and through, and not a single moment is boring.

 

G-Senjou no Maou. Now there is a name I haven't heard for a long time. That was the VN that had one hell of emotional roller coster at last half hour reading.

Also it doesn't have different routes like FSN but rather it has arcs that you go tough and either reach a good end at the end of arch, or give a pass to that end in order to reach next arch. Easier to read than FSN since you always get new material.

Highly reccomended.

 

Wow the new episode was really awesome.

Spoiler

Can someone explain the pendant to me? Is that the 2nd pendant Rin has now? Since Archer gave her one and now Shirou gave her one. But how does Shirou have one at his home then?

 

Explaining that would spoil it, FYI.

 

Spoiler

Went back and watched episode 12. I thought there were 3 of the pendants, but the one he gives her is just the one he took from her house after he woke up.