Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works (TV series)

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Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works
UnlimitedBladeWorksDVD.jpg
Promotional artwork for the Blu-ray box of Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, drawn by Takashi Takeuchi.
Original network Tokyo MX, GTV, GYT, BS11
Original run October 4, 2014 June 27, 2015
Episodes26 (List of episodes)
Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Original Soundtrack I
Soundtrack album by
ReleasedMarch 25, 2015
August 25, 2015 North America
Recorded2015
Genre Soundtrack
Length73:25
Label Sony Music Publishing (Japan) Inc.
Producer Hideyuki Fukasawa
NUMBER 201 (track 25)
Yuki Kajiura (track 26 & 27)
No.TitleLength
1."Unlimited Blade Works"5:30
2."Rin:Remembrance~召喚"2:35
3."Archer"3:11
4."Shirou:赤い記憶~Invocation"2:01
5."Face to Face"1:01
6."Souls to Fight"3:39
7."Storm"1:18
8."Vortex of Fate"4:29
9."Rin's Melody"1:04
10."Daydream"1:45
11."A Sword, No Words"1:52
12."Purple Shade"2:19
13."Into the Battles"1:26
14."Arrow"0:33
15."Rin:my wish"1:00
16."Two Hearts"1:51
17."Reason to Kill"1:25
18."Fist of desperate~Awakening"4:27
19."Dark Glow"2:53
20."Unacceptable"1:56
21."Rule Breaker"3:43
22."Shirou:Nowhere to go"2:03
23."Each Choices, Each Steps"5:39
24."Far Away from You"2:11
25."THIS ILLUSION" (Season 1 Ending Theme. Vocal by LiSA.)4:04
26."count it from zero" (Produced by Yuki Kajiura)4:34
27."down in the zero" (Produced by Yuki Kajiura)4:56
Total length:73:25

Release

The series was first announced in early 2014, and official announcements about its cast and storyline were made in July 2014. [17] [18] The anime was jointly produced by Aniplex, Notes, and Ufotable, the same studios that co-produced the 2011–2012 anime adaptation of Fate/Zero . It was directed by Takahiro Miura, with music composed by Hideyuki Fukasawa; character designs by Tomonori Sudou, Hisayuki Tabata, and Atsushi Ikariya, based on the original designs by Takashi Takeuchi; and art, 3D, and photography directions by Koji Eto, Kōjirō Shishido, and Yuichi Terao, respectively. The first half of the series ran from October 4 to December 27, 2014, and the second half ran from April 4 to June 27, 2015. [19] An advanced screening online premiered on September 28, 2014, in several countries across the world, including Japan, the United States, France, Germany and South Korea. [20] In Japan, the series was collected in a total of eleven DVD volumes, which were released from November 26, 2014, to September 30, 2015. [21] Two compilation Blu-ray disks were also released. The first disk containing the first season was released on March 25, 2015. [22] The second disk was released on October 7, 2015. [23]

Aniplex of America acquired streaming and home video rights to the 2014 series for North America. [24] They released an English dub for the first half of the series on DVD and limited Blu-ray Disc on August 25, 2015. [25] [26] A ten-minute original video animation episode, titled Sunny Day, was included with the Blu-ray release for the second half of the series, which was released on October 7, 2015. The episode was based on an alternate ending from the visual novel. [27]

To promote the anime, Shirou, Saber, Rin and Archer were added to the video game Summons Board. [28] Crossover game The Alchemist Code was used to promote the anime as well. [29]

Reception

Unlimited Blade Works received positive reviews from critics, who praised the way Ufotable handled the main characters. [30] [31] Critics also applauded the animation quality of the series. Kotaku reviewer Richard Eysenbeys called it "the most beautiful-looking television anime series [he had] ever seen," noting that the smooth transitions between individual frames and the chosen range of colors created a cinematic effect that he considered to be superior to average anime and even previous works produced by Ufotable. [32] In addition to this, Nick Creamer from Anime News Network highlighted the computer generated special effects, which he felt improved the overall quality of the visuals. [33]

Chris Beveridge of The Fandom Post enjoyed Shirou's characterization in the series, especially in regards to his contrasting ideals with Archer and Kiritsugu. [34] Japanator found Shirou's decision to become a tragic warrior as uncommon in storytelling, showing depth in the character. [35] They further stated that Archer's betrayal of Rin was an emotional plot twist, due to the duo's contract and bond in the previous episodes. [36] Seb Reid praised the television series, stating that he felt it was superior to the 2006 Studio Deen adaptation due to Rin's and Archer's larger roles in the series. He felt they were the best characters from the series. [37] Beveridge shares similar sentiments with Reid; he also found Rin more appealing than Saber due to the former's role in the series' finale. [38] Thrillist named the series one of the best anime of the 2010s, with praise on the warriors portrayed in the Holy Grail as well as Shirou's characterization. [39]

The series' epilogue added a new scene where a person with a striking resemblance with Shirou is seen walking in Archer's dimension. This generated many questions from fans in regards to Shirou's destiny. However, Fate visual novel author Kinoko Nasu remained ambiguous regarding whether that person was Shirou or not. [40]

The series has also been commercially successful in Japan. The first Blu-ray sold 33,876 units, topping charts. [41] By March 2015, the Fate franchise became the #1 franchise in collective CD, book, and video sales. [42] 76,222 Blu-ray volumes in Japan by the end of 2015. [43] In the same year, the series also won the "Best Work" award on the Newtype magazine. Theme song "Brave Shine" won Best Theme Song award on the magazine, while the general soundtrack was second behind Aldnoah.Zero . Takahiro Miura was also awarded as Best Director while the character designers were ranked third. [44] Aimer's single "Brave Shine" appeared in the fourth spot of both Oricon and Billboard Japan Hot 100's charts. [45] [46]

Notes

  1. (officially stylized Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works])

Related Research Articles

<i>Fate/stay night</i> Japanese visual novel game and its franchise

Fate/stay night is a Japanese visual novel game developed by Type-Moon for Windows on January 30, 2004. Initially released as an adult game, a version titled Fate/stay night Réalta Nua, which replaced the sexual content with alternate scenes, added an extended ending scene to the Fate storyline, and featured voice actors from the 2006 anime series, was released on April 19, 2007 for the PlayStation 2. It was later ported to Windows in 2011, PlayStation Vita in 2012, and iOS and Android in 2015. A remastered version of Réalta Nua was released for Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam in 2024, marking the first time the game was made available outside Japan. The plot focuses on a young mage named Shirou Emiya who becomes a warrior in a battle between "Servants" known as the Holy Grail War. Shirou bonds with a heroine through each route and confronts different adversaries participating in the war. The author, Kinoko Nasu, summarised Fate/stay night as:

...the story about legendary heroes and "a boy meets a girl."... The main theme is "conquering oneself." There are three story lines in Fate, each has a different themes. The first one is the "oneself as an ideal." The second one is "struggling with oneself as an ideal." The third one is "the friction with real and ideal." This game is describing the growth of the main character Emiya Shirou. The first storyline shows his slanted mind, the next storyline shows his resolve, and the last storyline gives another resolution for him as a human. All three storylines are essentially equal, but they have different forms.

Saber (<i>Fate/stay night</i>) Fictional character from the Fate series

Saber, whose real name is Artoria Pendragon, is a fictional character from the Japanese 2004 visual novel Fate/stay night by Type-Moon. Saber is a heroic warrior who is summoned by a teenager named Shirou Emiya to participate in a war between masters and servants who are fighting to accomplish their dreams using the mythical Holy Grail. Saber's relationship with the story's other characters depends on the player's decisions; she becomes a love interest to Shirou in the novel's first route and also serves as that route's servant protagonist, a supporting character in the second, and a villain called "Saber Alter" in the third route.

Kiritsugu Emiya is a fictional character first introduced in the Fate/stay night visual novel by Type-Moon and further explored later in the light novel prequel Fate/Zero by Gen Urobuchi. Kiritsugu is introduced as the recently deceased adoptive father of a teenager named Shirou Emiya whom he met after he saved him from a fire. Before he died, Kiritsugu taught the child basic magecraft and divulged his dreams of becoming a hero. While Shirou and the player know more about Kiritsugu in the story, the light novel reveals him to be a fighter from the Fourth Holy Grail War, a conflict between mages from Fate/Zero. Kiritsugu participates in the Fourth Holy Grail War a decade before Fate/stay night, supporting his spouse Irisviel von Einzbern and his Servant Saber. Kiritsugu has also appeared in multiple spin-offs based on the Fate franchise.

Rin Tohsaka is a fictional character introduced in the 2004 visual novel Fate/stay night by Type-Moon. Rin is a high school student who becomes the master mage of Archer, a spirit warrior. Together they participate in a war between other mages and warriors known as the Holy Grail War. In all routes of the visual novel, she meets and allies with rookie mage Shirou Emiya, two of them then form a romantic relationship in the novel's second route, Unlimited Blade Works, in which Rin is the main heroine. Outside the visual novel, Rin has appeared in printed and animated adaptations. She is also present in the prequel Fate/Zero, a series of light novels written by Gen Urobuchi, and multiple video games based on the Fate/stay night series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sakura Matou</span> Fictional character in the Fate series

Sakura Matou is a fictional character who was first introduced in the visual novel Fate/stay night by Type-Moon from 2004. Sakura is introduced as a friend of the main character Shirou Emiya, on whom she has a crush but remains a minor character in the first two routes of the novel. In the third route "Heaven's Feel", where she serves as the route's heroine, Sakura reveals her darker characterization and bonds with Shirou. Sakura is a participant of the Holy Grail War, a battle between mages who fight alongside warriors known as Servants. She is corrupted through a mysterious shadow and Shirou must decide whether or not he should kill her. Besides Fate/stay night, Sakura has appeared in the sequel Fate/hollow ataraxia, the prequel light novel Fate/Zero and multiple spin-offs and adaptations of Type-Moon works.

<i>Fate/hollow ataraxia</i> 2005 game, manga series

Fate/hollow ataraxia is a 2005 PC visual novel video game developed by Type-Moon, and the sequel to Fate/stay night. The word "ataraxia" in the title is a Greek term for "tranquility", giving the title the combined meaning of "empty tranquility".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mela Lee</span> American voice actress

Mela Lee is an American voice actress based in Los Angeles who voices characters on a number of animated series, films, television shows and video games. She is best known as the voice of Jade in Mortal Kombat 11. In anime, she voices lead characters Rin Tosaka, in Fate/stay night as well as Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works and the film trilogy Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel; Yuki Cross in Vampire Knight; Shinku the fifth Rozen Maiden doll in Rozen Maiden; and Erica Karisawa in the Durarara!! series, which was broadcast on Adult Swim. In animation, she is the voice of Tikki in Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, which airs on Disney Channel, Disney+ and Netflix, and Kikimora in The Owl House. In video games, she voices Lifeline in Apex Legends, Rena Ryūgū in Higurashi When They Cry, Rachel Alucard in the BlazBlue series, Tiki in the Fire Emblem series and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Sharon Kreuger and Scarlet in The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel series.

<i>Fate/Zero</i> Light novel

Fate/Zero is a Japanese light novel written by Gen Urobuchi, illustrated by Takashi Takeuchi, and is a prequel to all routes in Type-Moon's visual novel, Fate/stay night.

Characters of <i>Fate/stay night</i>

The Japanese adult visual novel Fate/stay night features a number of characters created by Type-Moon, some of whom are classified as Servants with special combat abilities. The characters listed have appeared mainly in two anime television series adaptations with a movie trilogy adaptation produced by Studio Deen and Ufotable respectively, and its visual novel sequel, Fate/hollow ataraxia. A Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works animated film was released prior to its TV series.

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<i>Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works</i> (film) 2010 Japanese film

Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works is a 2010 Japanese animated fantasy action film directed by Yūji Yamaguchi. Unlimited Blade Works covers the events of the second route of the visual novel Fate/stay night by Type-Moon. The film primarily focuses on two young mages, Shirou Emiya and Rin Tohsaka, and their servants, who participate in a conflict known as the Holy Grail War. During the fights, Shirou often crosses paths with Rin's servant, Archer, who seeks his death despite being an ally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shirou Emiya</span> Fictional character from the Fate series

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<i>Fate/stay night: Heavens Feel I. presage flower</i> 2017 anime fantasy film directed by Tomonori Sudō

Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel I. presage flower is a 2017 Japanese anime fantasy action film produced by Ufotable, directed by Tomonori Sudō, written by Akira Hiyama and featuring music by Yuki Kajiura. The film is the first installment in a trilogy of films adapting Heaven's Feel, the third and final route of the visual novel Fate/stay night. As in previous routes, the story focuses on a teenage mage named Shirou Emiya who takes part in a conflict known as the Holy Grail War to protect his city. However, this time Shirou encounters not only other mages and Servant warriors, but also a mysterious shadow killing most of the participants.

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<i>Fate/stay night: Heavens Feel III. spring song</i> 2020 anime fantasy film directed by Tomonori Sudō

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