Director: Ei Aoki
Starring: Ayako Kawasumi, Kari Wahlgren, Rikiya Koyama, Matthew Mercer, Akina Abe, Patrick Seitz, Akio Ohtsuka, Jamieson Price, Hikaru Midorikawa, Grant George, Akira Ishida, Johnny Yong Bosch
Running Time: 350 minutes
Certificate: 15
Picking up where the last collection left off, Fate/Zero starts this time around like a Japanese monster epic, which is fine by me. It’s an action packed opening with stunning animation and a real sense of what is at stake. This causes many of the show’s competitors to suddenly unite, allowing for many wonderful character moments and some much needed development. Often, classic characters such as King Arthur may be used to excuse any requirement of exploring the characters, as audiences already know all about them, but Fate/Zero makes sure that we see a different side to these ancient warriors.
The battles become more intense, but the series also jumps back into the past for seemingly unrelated episodes. It’s quite a jolt out of the main plot, but set in a tropical climate, it offers a much needed break from the ferocious sequences set against a dark background. Despite allowing the animators to embrace a wider range of colours and shades, there is still something unsettling about the atmosphere, which is simply heightened by the bright mixture of oranges and greens. This backstory also adds tragedy to some well-established characters and makes quite the neat mini-movie all of its own.
Flashbacks can be overused, especially when they last a few episodes, but once the show returns to the main arc, we’re suddenly seeing things in a different light. Although very enjoyable, the first set failed to have the emotional hook that is prevalent here. Characters become more desperate and relationships become strained. The focus also begins to whittle down to a few key figures, again enhancing the audiences’ involvement.
This is a fantastic way to end the series, as it gives greater meaning to the first half of the series and even makes you want to return to it to see things in a different light. The action never fails to impress and the animation has been handled with great care. All the voice actors give it their all n either dub and as the later themes of friendship, control, and destiny begin to reach a conclusion, Fate/Zero, despite being a prequel to a videogame adaptation, is a lovely complete effort.
[usr=4]Fate/Zero Part 2 is released on DVD and Blu-ray on 26th May.
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