Reading reviews for Fate/stay night (hereafter F/SN) in 2013 or later probably means that, like me, you're considering this series well into its lifespan. By now, there is a prequel series, an alternate story arc film, recap OVAs, specials, character spin-offs, and a forthcoming spin-off series (F/SN meets mahou shoujo... judgment withheld). If, like me, you're considering this series well into its lifespan, you may also be wondering where to start. A quick glance tells you that another series called Fate/Zero (hereafter F/Z) comes first chronologically and second by release order. As this review is written after the completion of both F/SN and its prequel F/Z, it will reference both and be primarily directed at those who have seen neither. The first focus of this review will be to aid you in deciding which you want to watch first and the advantages and disadvantages of either decision. The actual review of the series and what to expect as an adaptation of the source material will follow. To skip past all that junk and go straight to the review, hit Ctrl+F and jump to "---" (without quotes).
The first thing that you should be aware of is that F/SN and F/Z are penned by two different writers and produced by two different studios. Given that, there are differences in characterizations, animation, style, and tone between the two. Some of them are quite subtle. Some will be immediately apparent. Overall though, the continuity is well-constructed and the complete package doesn't feel disjointed or broken. It often happens that a second visitation of a story becomes virtually unrecognizable when the property switches hands (see: Gunslinger Girl). That isn't the case here, so those doubts may be laid to rest.
An obstacle often insurmountable for writers in prequels is to tell a story that is original, engaging, and contains plenty of new material and surprises before handing off to its parent story. While watching a prequel, your mind shouldn't be preoccupied with "I wonder how this builds to X." With a successful prequel, you should be thoroughly engaged, thinking more about what you're watching than what follows it. Without standing on ceremony, almost every prequel in history has failed in this task. When we know the ending, what's the point of the story, right? If this is a concern of yours, let me offer some relief in saying that Gen Urobuchi, the author of F/Z, has accomplished the thought-impossible of delivering a prequel that gives you plenty to sink your teeth into by focusing not on arriving at the (rather straight-forward) narrative of F/SN, but in developing the most interesting character from either series and digging deeper into the philosophy and subtext that was always floating around somewhere in the background of F/SN, but never addressed. If narrative was a factor in your decision of which to watch first, know that watching either first will provide you with a fresh experience for both rather than an obligation or rehash of the other.
So your decision should come down to other factors. Ultimately, there is no "correct" story to watch first, even though one was definitely written first, even though one definitely takes place first. What you need to decide as a viewer is what you want out of the complete package, because your choice will affect which specific aspects will engage you the most.
The skinny:
-F/SN is a more action-orientated series that focuses on the relationship between the two leads, Shirou and Saber. If you're familiar with shounen in general, you should have an inkling of what to expect. It is the more accessible and romantic of the two.
-Watching this first will spoil a major plot event of F/Z, but will keep you guessing on character motivations and revelations. It will make you more emotionally invested in the male characters of F/Z, Kiritsugu, Kirei, and Archer (true name withheld to avoid spoilers).
-The first portion of the series unfolds gradually, granting the viewer a comfortable pace to understand the setting and characters. If you have not played the game or read the manga and watch this before F/Z, you will have no problem immediately entering the story.
-F/Z is a more philosophical series that focuses on character development and motivation. If you're familiar with Gen Urobuchi, you should have an inkling of what to expect. It is the heavier and more mature of the two.
-Watching this first will spoil details and character revelations of F/SN, but no major plot events. It will also make you more emotionally invested in the female characters of F/SN, Saber, Rin, Sakura, and Ilya.
-The first episode of the series drops an A-bomb of information on the viewer. The setting is quickly unveiled and the characters are introduced at a breakneck pace. If you did not read the manga or novel and watch this before F/SN, you may find the first 40 minutes of the series overwhelming due to all of the new information to process.
Are you more interested in a character-driven or plot-driven story? Watching F/SN first, you'll find yourself wanting to dig deeper into these characters and F/Z will be all the more engaging as a result. Downside, the ending plot twist won't be a twist. Watching F/Z first, you'll find yourself wanting to know what happens and how the overarching conflict is finally resolved. Downside, the big bad guy reveal near the end of F/SN will be of no surprise.
Anyway, you'll have to forgive my long-winded answer to an unasked question. If you're still with me this far, congratulations. You have reached the actual review.
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Story - 7.0
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F/SN is an easily accessible story that makes no large demands of the viewer and doesn't aim to leave you with a different outlook on life, the world, and anime. It's functional. It's serviceable. It's entertaining. What more could you ask of a fantasy series? As any great fantasy writer has communicated to us over millennia, the story should ultimately be a framing device to transport you to a different world full of fantastic settings, rich lore, and memorable characters. Lord of the Rings was about walking to Mordor. Star Wars was about overthrowing the evil empire. Die Hard was about the general annoyance of the elevator being out of service.
But that's not the point. As with any good fantasy series, F/SN provides a well-paced and interesting story that doesn't intrude upon or obstruct the world it builds. It's a package of 24 episodes that flow comfortably and don't fall into habit or routine. Unlike a lot of shounen, there's no "baddie of the week" episodes or arcs. There's little fluff or filler. What is there is well within permissible range of a romance series. The largest deviation is a date episode towards the end. Otherwise, it's one running narrative with a definite opening and definite close. In other words, this is a story that you pick up, follow, and depart with on a satisfying note. There's nothing groundbreaking, but it's a fresh and enjoyable story that successfully strings together the setting, the lore, and the characters.
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Art - 7.0
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While not being the highest production value that 2006 had to offer, F/SN features beautiful character design and fluent animation. The action, like much shounen, is often broken up with bits of dialogue, as few animators seem mastered in the art of having your characters move and talk at the same time, but the bursts of action that do occur are very well done. Camera angles and perspectives offer a fairly varied range of shots that show off the characters and locations effectively.
A notable downside is that while the setting is what seems to be a fairly large town, most scenes take place in about three different locations and always either at midday, sunset, or night, so you'll see a lot of backgrounds and landscapes reused several times. It's not without its standouts. A large underground temple and a castle in the forest break up the monotony of scenery and are quite gorgeous.
Trained eyes will note several cost cutting techniques used as well. There are times when dialogue takes place from a far angle so that faces need not be animated. The "shake the frame" technique is used here and there. We're sometimes treated to extreme close-ups during the action. The use of these techniques ranges from sparing to excessive, but all things considered, this is a well-animated series by a director that knows how to properly utilize an art budget.
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Sound - 8.0
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Of all the technical specifics of F/SN, I consider the sound production to be the most adept. The soundtrack, while not overly inventive, is complimentary, engaging, and one of the standouts of 2006. The voice acting is all very professional. The sound effects seem somewhat recycled, but always adequate. Everything is mixed and edited flawlessly.
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Characters - 6.0
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Archtypes. Archtypes as far as the eye can see. Welcome to shounen.
F/SN features a cast of likeable and relatable characters. The writing and direction allows you emotional connection to most of the cast. You like who you're supposed to like. You hate who you're supposed to hate. I can't fault anything there. The problem lies in that there is not a single character in F/SN that isn't a character you've already seen in a different show in a different skin. Shirou is your standard act-before-you-think "I win because I fight for my friends" hero that you've seen in every teenage male oriented anime ever made. Saber never manages to break the mold of the "Duty is everything... or is it?" romantic interest. You have your token loli that calls the protagonist "onii-chan." The childhood friend that does all the cooking. The tsundere. The emotionless cool guy. Creepy authority figure. Check, check, and check. It's all there. Unless you've read/played the source material, you probably won't have a definite favorite, because this is a series of archtypes. Of all characters, Rin is probably the one that undergoes the most development and best manages to deviate from her archtype. Look for her in the F/SN alternate setting film, Ultimate Blade Works, where she becomes the main female lead.
I want to reiterate though that these are all likeable characters that carry the series. To me, likeable characters are the absolute most important thing of any story. F/SN passes in that regard.
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Enjoyment - 8.0
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While my favorite anime are ones with more substance, I usually find myself gravitated towards the lighter fare. I'll pick up the odd shounen. Maybe a refreshing slice-of-life once in a while. I'll grab a harem comedy if fancy strikes. While 20 solid minutes of dialogue in Ghost in the Shell may have left me with a lot to think about for long after, 20 minutes of fantasy escapism in F/SN holds great enjoyment value here and now. It's a fun ride. Turn off your brain and enjoy it. It won't be difficult.
It should be pointed out that the anime does not follow the visual novel exactly. While Japanophiles are not at all known for their tolerance of deviation from source material, I consider a good story much more important than a good adaptation. By nature, a VN is difficult to adapt because the interaction involved means different story branches. F/SN follows the main branch of the VN, simply called Fate, and sprinkles in scenes from other branches as well. The idea is that while you can replay a VN to get the full story, an anime isn't a Choose Your Own Adventure. It needs to make sense to a viewer not familiar with the source material because homework is not a prerequisite to watching TV. That said, F/SN does not successful manage to fill in all of the gaps in the story. It leaves out some important details found in alternate branches from the VN. Some of these are addressed in the film Unlimited Blade Works and others yet become apparent in F/Z, but again, homework should never be a prerequisite to TV.
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Overall - 7.0
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Watch it. But maybe watch Fate/Zero first. It's up to you. I recommend both.
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