What They Say:
Rin and Shirou begin their battle against Caster and Kuzuki while Lancer faces off with Archer. Will Rin’s plan work in the end?
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
The last episode had almost no action. This one is almost all action. That’s a fair balance, but the individual enjoyment level will likely depend on what one prefers. As usual, this series sticks to a certain standard of quality with everything it does, although I’d still argue that it almost all fails to quite reach the high of Fate/Zero. In that respect the fight choreography and animation may have an edge over the writing, since the former should be at least as good if not better as the years go on and this property continues to rake in more money while the latter is largely bound by its source material. Indeed, seeing how the enormity of the battle animation presented is a visual treat on a level that few could surpass and the fights are at times a bit more dynamic. However, the various fights taking place between the current Caster team and the ragtag temporary alliance of heroes end up dragging a bit as, while the switches between the three do keep any one from becoming completely stale, they take up almost the entirety of the episode without much of the compelling dialogue that make such battles much more interesting.
In the end, though, nothing in this series exists only for an action spectacle, and important character and plot developments are littered throughout the clashes, especially as they approach their ends. Caster vs. Rin and Kuzuki vs. Shirou are straightforward enough after getting a brief glimpse into Kuzuki’s background to paint him as a more complex and morally ambiguous character, much like Caster herself was not along ago, to say nothing of the recent look into Illya’s past to explain her current disposition before her tragic end. While Caster is the central piece of this entire three-pronged conflict, she is by no means the most important character for what results from it. From Archer’s initial betrayal, it seemed certain that he had more up his sleeve, especially given the intricacies of his character we’ve experienced throughout the first season. As the players are all engaged in combat, this is the time for Archer to show his cards, and as he begins to do so, Lancer confirms how likable a character he is. It’s amusing to see the first fight of the series play out in what appears to be a reversal of “good and evil” for a few moments, but in the end there’s a lot more to these characters than such simple allegiances.
After Archer’s main bout ends, the episode is really all about him, and his words and actions are more fascinating and enigmatic than ever. This gives perhaps the first hint regarding one of the biggest mysteries of the series so massive that new viewers may be able to figure it out, and in the same moment that Archer seems to be exactly what we want him to be, he makes a few other statements and decisions that keep the cliffhangers coming even with what seemed like it should’ve been a plot resolution. Then again, the missing Command Seals are definitely important to look at and figure out before anything else can be done. Archer isn’t making that easy, guaranteeing that the next episode will have to focus on him more concretely, and with all the intrigue in his character, especially at the moment, that’s more than welcome.
In Summary:
There’s enough action to make up for the lack thereof last time, and it’s always gorgeous. The real meat of the episode is near the end, though, with Archer’s character becoming the focus of all interest far more than Caster’s ever was. The teases are strong, and the excitement is high.
Grade: A-
Streamed By: Crunchyroll
Review Equipment:
HP Envy 14.