Okay, I finally watched both the 'Fate/Zero' and 'Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works' anime adaptations.

Everyone online says UBW is the better starting point because it's newer and shinier. I watched them back to back last month, and I have to disagree. 'Fate/Zero' has way better character writing and a more serious tone that makes the whole Holy Grail War feel high-stakes. The way it builds up Kiritsugu's conflict over his ideals in episode 23 is just stronger storytelling than anything in UBW for me. Am I the only one who thinks starting with the prequel is actually the move?

2 comments

2 Comments

miamitchell7d ago

Kiritsugu's whole breakdown in episode 23 is the best scene in the whole franchise for me. I started with Zero and the later shows just felt like a step down in writing. UBW looks great but the characters never hit as hard as Kirei or Rider did.

blake3227d ago

Saw a YouTube video that broke down why Zero feels so different. The guy said Ufotable treated Zero like a serious drama, but the main Fate shows have to follow game logic with servant classes and power levels. Makes sense why Kiritsugu's pain hits harder than a magic sword fight.