Fate/Zero - Episode 5 Discussion / Poll

[ZeKeR]

Originally Posted by Jean Claymore

Spoiler for Fate Apocrypha:

*Facepalm* Oh God... Apocrypha sure was (probably the first and the last) mediocre failure Urobuchi Gen ever made in his Type-Moon works!! You can tell just by looking at their poor character developments... Meh, but I really wished Jack the Ripper arc bundled in one of the Fate series though.

*Ahem And now we're going for Vol.2 fellow LN readers!!

Damn... The very first time I've ever felt 24min of one episode was this short. Berserker was a pure win this time... (although knew what would've happened) Was kinda expecting Berserker to beat the s**t out of Rider even being hit by his NP. Can't wait for his next move though

Anyways, I didn't really notice Rider's so called proud and swordmanship (like the one Saber has) 'til now nor was I very sympathetic to him, but I think I got a slight liking onto him somehow

well the character designs were AWESOME!

also, Caster.... she is NOT Jeanne de Arc. EVER!
in Fate/Apocrypha, I really liek her design.... but WTF why the hell was 'HE' there?!

[rpgman1]

All the Servants seem to have the obsession of Saber, so it must a parody of "I Dream of Saber". Berserker especially since what he touches turns into his Noble Phantasm. He is the biggest threat anyway. It would be scary if Berserker did took Rider's chariot as his own Phantasm, but being insane at least doesn't make him think straight.

[serenade_beta]

Too much to talk about in the episode. (At least not just an entire episode explaining a battle this time)...
Well, let's see, Ceinas(?) and Gilgamesh seem so pathetic when compared to Rider.

Since I was watching this episode after watching Carnival Phantasm, Saber seemed surprisingly cute for some reason.

Kiriya-oji-san finally came back. Glad he's doing well. (...)

Caster...
What, in Fate, Jeanne looks similar to Saber?
So popular, Saber is... First Gil, and now this guy... At least Gil looks handsome.

[Archon_Wing]

Solid episode again, though I guess I have not much to say about it. The initial meeting of servants was cool, but there was a bit too much posturing for my likes. I guess the main problem here is that Rider is by and far stealing the show, with Waver following on his comical antics that everyone just doesn't seem as exciting.

I guess the whole Rider/Lancer/Saber feud seems cool and Berserker is a badass, meanwhile Caster has turned his sick thoughts towards Saber. Yikes. 2nd half was excellent in the fight scenes. And yea... I hope we start to learn about the other people as while all this posing and showing off is cool, I'd like to learn more about them. 8/10

[germanturkey]

Alexander is amazing. like, best supporting character of the season. I enjoyed the pride issue between all the heroes. everyone has their own views of what should be happening, then Berserker shows up and screws all that up. there's going to be some good drama later on with this one.

[speedyexpress48]

Wow...just...an incredible episode. Rider vs Saber vs Lancer...awesome. And that action..wow.... 10/10

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by Archon_Wing

Solid episode again, though I guess I have not much to say about it. The initial meeting of servants was cool, but there was a bit too much posturing for my likes. I guess the main problem here is that Rider is by and far stealing the show, with Waver following on his comical antics that everyone just doesn't seem as exciting.

I guess the whole Rider/Lancer/Saber feud seems cool and Berserker is a badass, meanwhile Caster has turned his sick thoughts towards Saber. Yikes. 2nd half was excellent in the fight scenes. And yea... I hope we start to learn about the other people as while all this posing and showing off is cool, I'd like to learn more about them. 8/10

I genuinely think you are onto something. Rider is such a bigger personality than just about every other character that he just tends to usurp the scene from them and that kind of happened again this episode. I wonder if the other characters will stand out more if he's not in an episode as much.

Also the one character I'm really looking to step up his game in coming episodes is Kiritsgu. I get that they are sort of going for a whole contrast between how Shirou described him in F/SN and how he actually is, but I didn't expect him to be quite this cold and emotionless to the point of being a dull male lead. I mean he almost makes Heero Yuy from Gundam Wing come across as Mr. Rogers by comparison and basically at this point I've come to view Irisviel more as the main character and master of Saber, while Kiritsgu just feels like some random boring dude that's tagging along.

[kakakka]

With careful yet elegant fighting last episode, he have fast pace fighting with all the servants appearing this episode. I feel that these last two episodes really fit well.

[biook]

I liked the ep. Hope they will keep the quality up for the rest of the season.

[Vicious108]

Originally Posted by rpgman1

All the Servants seem to have the obsession of Saber, so it must a parody of "I Dream of Saber".

Or a parody of Fate/Stay Night, with Saber in Shirou's shoes. Basically, Fate/Zero was Saber's harem series all along. I wonder who will get the good end with her! Hopefully Caster~

[StarTouch]

Awesome episode. From the noble Saber and Lancer to cocky and stubborn Gil to brother Iskander...this episode had me craving for more. But what really stole the show for me was the sheer badassery and violence of Berserker. A++++ stuff from him and was really enjoyable watching him fend off the Gates of Babylon from Gil. An instant fav of mine. =)

Hoping for more awesome episodes to come! (and I'm sure there will be)

[kakakka]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

Also the one character I'm really looking to step up his game in coming episodes is Kiritsgu. I get that they are sort of going for a whole contrast between how Shirou described him in F/SN and how he actually is, but I didn't expect him to be quite this cold and emotionless to the point of being a dull male lead. I mean he almost makes Heero Yuy from Gundam Wing come across as Mr. Rogers by comparison and basically at this point I've come to view Irisviel more as the main character and master of Saber, while Kiritsgu just feels like some random boring dude that's tagging along.

I think him not tagging along his Servant these last episodes can really make that expression. But then again, these episodes also feel like the story is just leaving its introductory arc, so the next episodes might give us more insight about him.

__________

About Rider, I kinda agree with others a bit. I think the awesomeness lies on him just doing what he wants and enjoying it. The other Servants are just so serious, it's hard to feel much about them for now. Well, there's Saber being her usual and Lancer with being honorable, but both of them feels like they are tied to something. Rider's just showing more and more of him without restriction and I think that's the beauty of it.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by ZeKeR

well if we put it in another light....

Heracles was a hero yet his only experience was taking on the challenges, most notably, ripping the Nemean Lion apart without even using a blade.

what do schools teach anymore?

Heracles was
- a great archer who shot down the birds of Stymphalian birds
- smart enough to trick Atlas to shoulder the world.
- figure out how to killed the hydra

and besides the Labors
- Held Death at bay form taking one of his friends
- Sack Troy before the Trojan war
- Rescue Theseus form Hades

[creb]

At almost the halfway mark of the season, I am starting to think I should drop this. Not because it's bad, but because it's too good. Too good for me to survive the season break they'll take before airing the second half.

[Morisato]

Not surprised that Saber continues to be a damsel in distress. She got saved 3 times in the span of one fight. Iskandar interrupting her fight with Lancer thus saving her life, Lancer saving her life from Berserker, and Iskandar saving her life AGAIN from both Lancer and Berserker.

I'm not surprised with Kiritsugu's "meh" attitude towards Saber once he found out she was a woman. Even Iskandar was kinda looking down on her. As expected of a woman in a men's war, I think Saber is at a severe disadavantage.

[Wandering_Youth]

Umm, wow lots of F/SN and F/Z comparisons going on here...

Back on topic, I really enjoyed this episode. Almost all of the Servants made there grand appearance, which I really liked. We also get a broader glimpse into some of the personalities of the Servants.

Rider, Lancer and Saber would of made a jolly bunch if it weren't for this holy grail war. I can totally see them go to town for a few beers after a fight. Gil is a douche as always, while Beserker really stole the spot light this episode. Assassin's just chilling and watch the show while Caster is...being a creep.

[kk2extreme]

FZ berserker is awesome

I think he is the only one who can balance out Gilgamash's hax abilities

[Last Sinner]

Business has officially picked up as of this episode.

Which isn't to say I didn't like what came beforehand. I've certainly found its animation to be superior to FSN/Tsukihime adaptations and on the Garden of Sinners level of quality ufotable produced in recent years. The cast in Fate/Zero has incredible depth and a great mix of personalities across the spectrum.

My one issue has always been how the sheer volume of dialogue at times has hindered the pacing and atmosphere. Which isn't ufotable's fault - after all, Nasu is an author that loves to rant. And having read some of the source material. Book 1 is very saturated with dialogue even by Nasu's standards. This was always going to happen. I've forgiven it somewhat with the character development that has gone on through it, but it becomes testing at times. Episode 4 didn't flow that well for me since dialogue between combatants or to other people present always seemed to happen when the scene was picking up, then lose that momentum. Even my hardcore Type-Moon fan friends think Episode 4 didn't need as much dialogue as was provided there.

However, the promise of what this adaptation can deliver is now coming to fruition. Dialogue was sharper, fitted the mood/scene and allowed the atmosphere to build up all through the episode. The fighting in this episode was flockwin. Fluid animation, lovely smoke effects (FINALLY in anime there is smoke animation that actually looks/feels like smoke!), Berserker looked festy as hell with the CGI, dialogue within was short and to the point. And best of all, within that action/scheming we now have a very clear grasp of the methods and motivations of most of the Servants and their Masters. This episode achieved so much but was able to provide plenty of action and the like to be entertaining/stimulating while developing the characters and delivering dialogue. This is the balance I've been wanting to see in this show all along. And I'm fairly confident it will be able to provide that balance more often as the dialogue volume tones down as of Book 2, which the adaptation will be reaching soon.

Saber continues to be charming and honorable - gotta love that. Irisviel isn't afraid of her mortality at all and sticks with Saber even under the worst of circumstances - lovely woman. Rider is a freaking man's man and is Mister Charisma in spades. Power to him for the way he stuck up for Waver when his old teacher tried to talk him down. Lancer is pretty FAB-ulous but not a cockblock, kudos to you Grand Master Sexy. Archer has an ego the size of Jupiter but is amusing. Kariya's re-emergence as a cold-hearted bastard from the once soft, caring person is poignant, although he has his (deluded) reasons.

I really couldn't have asked for more from this episode. If Episode 4 left me underwhelmed, Episode 5 more than made up for it.

PS. Rider, my man, let's hang out sometime and talk about kingship and manliness! My shout!

[Haak]

Just so you know, it was Urobuchi Gen that wrote this story. Not Nasu.

[ZeKeR]

Spoiler for the different faces of Berserker (LOLWUT?):

berserker.... DEAL WITH IT.

and I had hoped this had happened to an agitated Gilgamesh....

Spoiler for Gate of Ba- OOOF!: