Events slow down a bit, but not without a fun little twist towards the end to shake things up.
What They Say:
Ten years prior to the events of FATE/STAY NIGHT, the War of the Holy Grail is a contest in which seven magi summon seven Heroic Spirits to compete to obtain the power of the “Holy Grail,” which grants a miracle. After three inconclusive wars for the elusive Holy Grail, the Fourth War commences.
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
After an interesting episode of dialogue and then some spot on action as Assassin moved into play, the series hits that mildly quiet spot at the moment where things take a step back in order to have plans move forward more. The idea of getting Archer into a position of victory is where the focus is now, but there’s also just trying to determine where certain other players are on the map. In particular, it’s surprising that Caster is still missing and there’s a good nod towards Berserker as well. But the main focus, while primarily on Saber and Assassin, is the acknowledgment that Rider and Waver are definitely a dangerous pair not to be discounted on at this point. A lot of ground is covered quickly and summing things up like this and the views on the Servants that are out there.
Kirei’s style of planning and strategy is definitely fun to watch as he lays things out, especially when he has to deal with Archer directly over everything. Archer’s inability, at this stage at least, to see the value in the Grail is almost comical, but it fits his personality fairly well in that he’s just doing things for the thrill of it, and for the challenge itself. Kirei’s role as support this time around has definitely been fun to watch and Archer is definitely tormenting him about it. Similarly, we also get some excellent dialogue and quiet time between Saber and Irisviel as the two take up residence in a temporary base some distance away that’s not really ideal for magic but will serve them well overall. It’s a withdrawn moment for the pair as they hunker in a bit and just talk, sussing each other’s positions out a bit more in a way that helps to flesh them out without being a big info dump.
Most of the time in this episode is given over to Kirei and Archer though and the way they go back and forth with each other. Archer’s positions are certainly interesting and he has a feeling of almost being contrary just because he can be, He has such a superior way about him in general that it can be condescending, but the same can be said of Kirei and how he composes himself. It’s a different manner of superiority but one that comes through pretty clear as well. The two engaging in a somewhat subtle bit of verbal sparring and teasing is worth spending the time going through, even if it doesn’t seem like it’s hitting a huge amount of important information. It is, however, bringing out some smaller but key points about how things are progressing in general and that makes it for a sequence that definitely needs to be absorbed and reflected upon.
In Summary:
While the episode is a rather quiet one compared to what we’ve had for the last several, it’s the kind of necessary step back from events in order to size things up. The material involving Irisviel and Saber is very well done as we see the bonds between the two of them firmed up nicely. The big stuff comes down to what’s going on with Kirei though and his ongoing discussion here, which turns into a significantly big moment that could be expected but not entirely predicted as actually happening. It’s an interesting twist to the Grail War that will definitely shift things and one that will have surprising consequences as more of the Grail War unfolds. This is the kind of episode that may be a bit frustrating for some, but if you dig verbal sparring and strategy, there’s a whole lot to like here.
Grade: B+
Readers Rating: [ratings]
Streamed By: Nico Nico
Review Equipment:
Sony KDS-R70XBR2 70″ LCoS 1080P HDTV, Dell 10.1 Netbook via HDMI set to 1080p, Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver and Panasonic SB-TP20S Multi-Channel Speaker System With 100-Watt Subwoofer.
