FATE/STAY NIGHT UNLIMITED BLADE WORKS

 
Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works
Released By: Manga Entertainment
Rating: 12
Running Time: 107 Mins
Audio: English & Japanese DD 5.1
Release Date: 30/9/2013
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

In the story the Fifth Holy Grail War has magi competing for the Grail who can summon seven classes of heroic Spirits, Archer, Saber, Rider, Berserker, Lancer, Caster and Assassin. These Spirits fight in their stead. While every other Master and Spirit are seasons warriors who know the laws of their battles, young Shirou Emiya finds he is a spectator in a battle between Archer and Lancer.
They fight each other but it is a battle he shouldn’t have witnessed takes place, and one decides to kill him. When Saber sees this random act of violence, she comes to his aid and brings him back to life in order to make him her Master.

Shirou, like most anime heroes of modern day goes to a normal high school, Homunaba  Academy and finds another Master, Shinji Matou whose Spirit is Rider. Shinji acts like the school bully, sneering and cruel. He isn’t liked among the others of his kind as he is always plotting to take them down, but when he is caught out by another Spirit, he cowers in fear – he’s not the perfect knight as you will see.

As her Master he is very different to the others as he has a conscience and doesn't kill humans for his own gain. For this trait he earns Archer's hatred as he sees him as weak and useless in battle. Archer finds he can't change Shirou any more than his Master can persuade him of Shirou's chivalrous qualities.

This movie is great for those who have already seen the original series, but for those who have not, it isn't a good idea to sit and watch it even though the production value is top notch as is the plot and characters. For the newcomer a lack of knowledge of the characters produces a kind of apathy toward them.
Berserk has already had the first two parts of its movie trilogy so this was the natural progression. It is a shonen anime with comedy and ground breaking battles where anyone could be destroyed.

The story seems to be more about Archer’s motives for being a Spirit and also to help uncover what his real identity is.  The fight scenes are blink and you will miss them, but as the movie is so thrilling you will want to see it again anyway. The production value has been upped by studio Deen, and as the end battles are dangerously catastrophic set pieces, it feels as though this movie is trying to outdo the recent Berserk ones and to be honest…it’s not far off.  Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works has new and improved animation, especially in its Blu-ray form and an amazing soundtrack that fits in well with the entire animation. If this is the quality we can come to expect from these movies, who knows what is around the corner for our most popular anime series.

Liam O’Brien is the ever argumentative Archer, but famous for playing Gaara in Naruto and Captain Ukitake in Bleach,  and Doug Erholtz is Shinji Matou and is famous for playing  Asuma Sarutobi in Naruto and Gin Ichimaru in Bleach.

Bonus Material: Blu-ray & DVD Promo Videos, Promo Video, Theatrical Trailer, Theatrical Teaser, Theatrical Trailer, Theatrical TV Spots & TVCs.

Verdict: Well animated, slick and comes with blink and you’ll miss them fight scenes – it’s intense and dramatic – unmissable!