Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works

[David75]

With each VN picture as a keyframe basis and the script closely following the route, it's clearly a great start for an adaptation.
Then, there's eye candy where it matters.
Too bad I know most of the details of the story, so it somehow decreases the fun provided by surprises, but it remains an excellent watch.
Regarding Assasin, I remember liking him more in the VN. But it might also be because I know what's to come.

[Kraco]

I feel like the VN covered a bit better how Saber survived Assassin's killer technique. But of course it was a nicer watch in this episode, with the juicy animation. Archer kicking ass and conflicting with Shirou is always a nice watch as well. I'm also thankful for the kind of little scenes with Shirou and Saber we got at the end, knowing what fate has in store for them in UBW.

[David75]

I feel like the VN covered a bit better how Saber survived Assassin's killer technique. But of course it was a nicer watch in this episode, with the juicy animation. Archer kicking ass and conflicting with Shirou is always a nice watch as well. I'm also thankful for the kind of little scenes with Shirou and Saber we got at the end, knowing what fate has in store for them in UBW.

I think the explanation comes later, for how Saber escapes Tsubamegaeshi

[Xelbair]

Core mechanic for her dodge are the same, it was just presented differently.
Assassin's character was slightly more rude and energetic compared to VN one.

[Buffalobiian]

Core mechanic for her dodge are the same, it was just presented differently.
Assassin's character was slightly more rude and energetic compared to VN one.

My imagery from the VN gave me a different idea, but I'll see if they cover it before discussing any differences in case I jump the gun here.

[Kraco]

Episode 8 - HS






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The beginning of this ep worked really well. From Saber sulking when Shirou got better by copying Archer, not her, to the interaction with the other classmates, and finally Rin tsuntsun. There wasn't anything particularly wrong with the rest of the ep either. Even the fights with the mob bone golems was entertaining enough, but it was quite annoying the effects of the life sucking boundary field were so censored. Compared to people's flesh melting, just drooling, slobbering, and lying unconscious didn't really justify Rin's shock. It certainly didn't create the appropriate constrast with Shirou seemingly able to walk among the dying unfazed, yet Rin not able to do anything but stare and shudder, despite the fact she fancies herself the real mage of the two. Even if the director decided not to show melting flesh, he could have made the people bleed or something. Now it was just stupid, which is a big pity. Rider's end, however, was done nicely, even if the neck straightening itself with a full revolution was B-movie comical.

Rin and Shirou make such a nice pair, inside and outside of action. They values are very similar on the surface.

[Buffalobiian]

Compared to people's flesh melting, just drooling, slobbering, and lying unconscious didn't really justify Rin's shock

Did that happen in the VN? I don't have a clear memory of it, but I don't think there were any deaths. Flesh melting sounds pretty irreversible and fatal.

I forgot Rider died so.. easily. I keep getting my routes mixed up so I was actually expecting some more Rider booty and fighting. Naturally I was disappointed when she just died.

This adaptation, while very good, doesn't do enough about how much Shirou admires Rin (as commented before). He's as dense as he was in the Fate adaptation, which isn't a good thing.

[shinta|hikari]

Rin thought that at least some of them were dead, so she was shocked.

Shiro has seen worse, so he managed to stay calm.

Shiro is simply so much more likable in UBW than in the previous FSN anime. They even changed his design for that purpose, including his jacket.

[Kraco]

Did that happen in the VN? I don't have a clear memory of it, but I don't think there were any deaths. Flesh melting sounds pretty irreversible and fatal.

My bad. It wasn't the flesh melting but the skin melting.

Most of the students are unconscious, convulsing, foaming at the mouth like it's a bad joke.
...The few others...
A few students have other things happening to them,
...Their skin is melting.
The human skin is slowly melting like mud sliding off of plaster.
The way the melting skin drips onto the floor makes me picture a giant stomach.

Didn't see anything like this in the episode. Rin shouldn't have been so shocked without this ghastly visage.

[Buffalobiian]

It makes her cuter I suppose. They made up for it by having her step all over Shinji's crotch during her interrogation.

[shinta|hikari]

They are going out of their way to make Emiya more heroic, which is something I like. Seeing dead people is enough reason to shock a young mage who has never seen a dead body before.

Remember how panicked she was when Shirou got hooked by Rider? Shirou on the other hand hardly gave a shit that his arm had a hole. He is broken but better because of it.

[David75]

Rin is clearly miles above Shirou as a Mage, she's a lot more skilled and probably also is smarter.
But Shirou on the other hand clearly is more experienced and efficient on the battlefield. He can't do much, but does it well, with the right timing and is incredibly lucky too. And there's the fact that he heals damn fast, even from a weapon piercing his arm through the bone, having his back sliced or whatever.

[Kraco]

I fully agree. Shirou has enough faults that he needs all the strong characteristics he can get. All the better if it makes him look cooler in Rin's eyes.

One problem is that Rin already encountered a scene that was similar to this (HS #4, 20:10), if not worse. Her reaction was closer to anger back then, and she just walked to open a window to let Caster's fumes out. Yet now in this episode she was shocked motionless, even though it didn't even look so bad. Dunno. Maybe she was in a bit of a dere mode in Shirou's company and was acting more like a normal girl would without realising it?

[shinta|hikari]

I think an entire classroom full of convulsing and unconscious people has more impact than what she saw before. There's also the fact that she sensed the magic circles activating, making her think of the worst. She became calm soon enough. Shirou simply beat her to the punch.

[David75]

I fully agree. Shirou has enough faults that he needs all the strong characteristics he can get. All the better if it makes him look cooler in Rin's eyes.

One problem is that Rin already encountered a scene that was similar to this (HS #4, 20:10), if not worse. Her reaction was closer to anger back then, and she just walked to open a window to let Caster's fumes out. Yet now in this episode she was shocked motionless, even though it didn't even look so bad. Dunno. Maybe she was in a bit of a dere mode in Shirou's company and was acting more like a normal girl would without realising it?

They were strangers.
Now schoolmates are aching everywhere. Although she's the ice queen and won't involve with anyone of them, she still cares a lot.
I even think she in fact has to repress any bond that might form with anyone at school out of fear they might someday be harmed because she's a mage. So this was like a worst case scenario and she needed more time to get out of it. The other difference might also be that the spell was a lot stronger this time. I guess she was thrown into her emotions deeper and her intellect was shut down till the moment she threw that jewel bomb.

[Archangel]

[19:11] <Archie> There are many different versions of fsn in many different form of media with different directors and points of view
[19:12] <Archie> But the one rule through all that is: Shinji is a fucking tool
[19:14] <&Kraco> He has an evil laugh if nothing else.
[19:18] <Archie> That's not even evil
[19:18] <Archie> It just sounds ridiculous
[19:19] <Archie> Shinji was made for the purpose of being hated
[19:23] <&Kraco> And they didn't fail.
[19:30] <Archie> They're really selling the fact that Shirou is as broken as Kiritsugu was
[19:30] <Archie> Just in another way
[19:30] <Archie> The other anime and movies never really went there
[19:31] <Archie> Just the ocasional "lol ur weird ;P"

[shinta|hikari]

Ataraxia super vague not really a spoiler spoiler:

Ataraxia actually redeems Shinji a little in a very comical way, but I haven't finished it yet so I might be wrong.

[KrayZ33]

The way Saber was summoned, oh my god I love slow motion while the camera circles around object/people.

He's as dense as he was in the Fate adaptation, which isn't a good thing.

But he *is* dense in all routes, I'm not arguing for the sake of having a different opinion but I thought he handled this situation alot better than he did in the VN and his sense of justice, while still strong, is more plausible and not as "fanatical"
I'm pretty certain he hesitated to summon Saber when I played it.. could've been the Fate route though. It was even a decision with a possible bad end if I'm not mistaken.
This time around he didn't waste a single second once they encountered an opponent with thoughts running through his mind like "Wuuuh... I can't summon saber into this, she'll be in danger"
He didn't hesitate to send Saber to deal with the servant alone either.

I always remembered him trying to do stuff by himself, attempting to shoulder everything. He seems to rely on others too this time around.

I forgot Rider died so.. easily. I keep getting my routes mixed up so I was actually expecting some more Rider booty and fighting. Naturally I was disappointed when she just died.

I'm actually glad that I forgot that
I can't remember who killed her in UBW.. and she met a really horrible death. That neck of hers was twisted around 2-3 times? Gross! (and exciting)

[Buffalobiian]

I was strictly speaking in terms of romance in that quote.

[kmkze04]

Teacher was likely the one who killed Rider. Probably has Caster's familiars/clones following him while she works at the temple. Caster probably enchanted him, then he sent her familiar to go occupy (and/or kill) Shiro and Rin so they couldn't uncover his identity. Even in the older FSN series he didn't go about trying to kill them, he actually remained in secret until they uncovered him. Quite possible that he's just that strong in this one.
Honestly, other than the animations, I kind of enjoyed Fate Zero more, the interactions seemed more genuine and it's more of an actual scramble for the grail rather than FSN's "save the children" approach...