Even though she’s only in one scene during the entire episode I want to spend the most time talking about Illya. Illya trust me. Your Dad loved you a lot.
So we open the episode with Illya about to take a bath, not right, she’s a freaking loli! So what’s she’s technically 18. Still looks weird.
Anyway her two maids say that she should have killed everyone during her battle against Shiro and Rin because Berserker’s Noble Phantasm was revealed.
However Illya’s feeling confident and besides…
That’s just sad. So when one of the maids says that Illya might be showing mercy or pity. on Shiro, Illya says this.
Illya you’re wrong. Your dad loved you.
Okay, I say sorry to our leader Nick as well as our editor, Mitzuka now. This is going to be a long tangent.
Okay Illya’s father is actually Kiritsugu Emiya, same as Shiro but she’s blood related.
Note: When I first wrote this it was really long so I scrapped it and started over.
So during the Third Grail War, the Servant Angra Mainyu was summoned by a Einzbern after his first Servant, a Berserker, got owned. Now Angra Mainyuu wasn’t really a good Servant. He was just a guy that got cursed and blamed by the people of his village to be the source of all the world’s evils. Suckish life, right?
Anyway after Angra Mainyu was defeated, he was absorbed by the Greater Grail that lies underneath Fuyuki City. Now all the curses and dark wishes that lay on his skin were granted and that corrupted the Grail system and the way that Masters were chosen.
Originally only good and honorable Servants were able to be summoned. However after that, evil Servants and Anti-Heroes like Caster from Fate/Zero and Caster and Rider from Fate/Stay Night(correction: Just checked the Wiki, Caster and Rider from FSN are not Anti-Heroes) as well as evil Masters like Kirei Kotomine and Ryunosuke Uryuu from Fate/Zero.
Now that’s explained, I can explain Kiritsugu and Illya’s situation. When Kiritsugu fought Kirei during the Fourth Grail War, they were both doused in the mud that came out of the Grail.
While Kiritsugu was under he was shown exactly how the Grail planned to grant his wish. With unrestricted destruction and the only people that would be left would be him, his daughter Illya, and his wife Irisviel. The destruction outweighed the benefits so Kiritsugu killed the illusions of his daugher and wife and ordered Saber(the Saber that would later be summoned by Shiro ironically) to destroy the Grail.
Now because Kiritsugu destroyed the Grail, he betrayed the Eiznbern family which was sponsoring him so they didn’t allow him to see Illya ever again. He could have broken through and taken her back but he was cursed by ‘All the World’s Evils’ so his body and magical abilities were atrophied to the point of being nearly useless.
Now after that Illya was lied to by her grandfather, that her dad abandoned her mother to die and left her alone. That fostered the hatred you see in Illya now.
She’s really a victim…an insanely powerful victim but a victim.
So back to the review…okay after she says that we go straight to the opening song.
After said opening song, Ideal White, which I’m going to start leaving a link to at the bottom of the review. It’s too awesome not to listen to on your iPod…or Android device or what ever you have. I have no respect for you if you have a Zune.
Anyway, after the opening Shirou just wakes up from a dream where he sat on a hill covered in swords. Weird but once he wakes up Rin’s sitting right over him waiting. Even weirder. I know this the route where Shiro falls for Rin instead of Saber but still let’s give it some time before she does the dutiful night vigil stuff okay?
So predictably Shiro’s surprised but Rin tells him what happened to jog his memories. After that she plans to leave but Shiro thanks her.
True. This is still a war. She may have helped you out last night but you’re still enemies man.
Rin says that the Holy Grail War is always a fight to the death but when Shiro asks why didn’t she kill him last night or perhaps while he was sleeping she goes all tsundere on him.
Totally tsundere right there.
Eww I advise getting that sucked out. I think it’s called gastro-something.
O_O
Just signed up for a death right there bro. In fact that’s not signing up for death that’s suicide by proxy. Not just with her but with any woman.
Either her emotional control is off the charts or she lost it….she’s lost it. I have never seen a woman not react to being called fat. Especially someone as cutely formed as Rin.
Even he’s shocked. He knows he put one foot in the grave with that statement!
So Rin leaves saying that the next time they meet will be as enemies. While she walks out of the place, Archer speaks to her and asks if they’re heading home.
That’s right. She’s been on a losing streak lately. Lost to Lancer, Lost to Saber, got owned by Berserker. Shoot let Rider and Caster come join in on the Rin ownage!
After that Shiro starts checking out the house wondering where Saber is.
You know back when Studio Deen did the anime I thought Saber’s normal clothes were boring but the colors here make them more interesting. Not much. Can’t really make a white blouse, a blue tie and skirt look that interesting. Go Ufotable!
So Shiro asks why she’s sitting around and says that she’s been sleeping so she can be rested for future battles. Saber says that she was worried about Shiro’s injuries that he got from Berserker but apparently they had already started to close by the time Rin and Saber got them home.
For someone that can’t heal Saber’s wounds he’s healing up pretty well. Share the wealth, bro!
Note: It isn’t as much of a plot point in Unlimited Blade Works as it is in the Fate Route. Heck it doesn’t even matter at all in Unlimited Blade Works as far as I know. What is healing Shiro’s injuries is Avalon, Saber’s third and most powerful Noble Phantasm. It stops aging and heals the wielder. Shiro had it implanted by Kiritsugu at the end of the Fourth Grail War to save his life. It didn’t have much effect on his life until he summoned Saber because the two synchronize together.
So after that Saber tells Shiro not to try actions like last night again. You know like how he saved her life when Archer shot that Broken Phantasm at them. That’s just bad, Saber. How dare he save your life? Disgraceful.
Despite that Saber respects the fact that he was willing to risk his life to help her but asks him to limit those types of actions in the future…do you who you’re talking to? He’ll probably being doing the same thing in a few hours.
She wants him to life so she can fulfill her own wish from the Grail.
After that we switch over to Saber and Shiro in the living room where Saber explains what Heroic Spirits are.
And that’s why it’s more practical for Servant’s to be called by their class names rather than their true names. After figuring out a Servant’s identity, I’d just head to the nearest library and look up that person’s legend. After that it’s easy as one, two, three.
For example, with Saber’s identity I’d just anti-dragon weapons and she’d get wrecked. Her last name is Pendragon for a reason.
So for this reason, Saber doesn’t tell Shiro her true identity because any mage with some mind powers can just pluck it right out of his noodle and run train on them.
It’s smart but bad. Now Shiro can’t work any strategies around her abilities but to fair did you really he was going to strategize? Doesn’t look like the great thinker type to me.
So after that little meeting, we switch over to Rin and Archer checking out a building that residue of magic around it. Must be a Servant with a suckish Master that can’t give them mana to work with.
(Note: Servants, althought they look like they have physical bodies, have spirit bodies and must have mana to mantain their form in the world. Typically this is done by the Master giving mana to the Servant. However Masters like Shiro can’t do this so the Servant is weaker. Servants can restore their mana by eating the souls of humans when their Master can’t provide them with mana.
How are you liking this little notes? I do know a lot about the Fate Series and I guess these little notes help you understand if you’re new to the series.
So we switch back to Saber and Shiro where Shiro’s made lunch for Saber. Awww if this was the Fate route Saber’s affection would going up!
Looks good.
Shiro says that because he can’t top off her mana tank this is the least he can do and it actually serves a good purpose. Saber can regain mana by eating food or sleeping so this works for her. Good job Shiro! Ufotable made you smart!
After that the phone rings and it’s Fujimura and she’s asking for Shiro to bring her a lunch. And since she’s so well cute in my opinion Shiro’s got to bring her a lunch!
So after that Shiro takes the lunch but he can’t go alone! So Saber comes along and looks like Ufotable went for consistency with her clothes.
Back in Studio Deen’s version, Saber wore blouse and skirt combo all the time despite the fact that the 5th Grail War takes place during mid-winter. So at least Utofable is being smart and having the characters where approprioate clothes for the weather.
Plus Saber looks cute in the little winter coat.
Once they get to the school, Saber senses some residue magic but nothing jumps out at them. Shiro goes over to the archery club where he meets Sakura with this look on her face.
I’m guessing she’s looking that highly attractive blond girl right behind him. Can’t blame her. Saber’s one of the most attractive female Servants I’ve seen in the entire Fate Series. Not as hot as 5th Grail War Caster or Rider but she’s attractive. Also Saber of the Red is pretty cute too. Saber of the Red comes from Fate/Apocrypha.
So the captain of the archery club comes out and talks with Shiro. They talk a bit about Shinji before the conversation turns to Saber. While Shiro tries and fails to say that Saber isn’t his girlfriend she wanders off into the school and meets Kuzuki-sensei, one of the teachers…that was obvious since I said sensei. I’m clearly slipping.
Saber and Kuzuki have a stare down.
Anyway Shiro catches up and apologizes for Saber, he also tells her to not wear outside shoes inside.
Nice shoes. Note: all of Saber’s clothes come from Rin who was kind enough to give them to her.
So they go to the visitor’s lounge where Saber and Shiro discuss Kuzuki.
I guess so.
So looks like they’re going to take a look around so Saber can see if it’s safe.
After that Shiro’s tired and he ends up talking with Mitsuzuri again. She asks him if he’ll ever return to the club. Shiro gives a pretty half way answer about it. He isn’t saying yeah but he’s not saying no
Mitsuzuri says it’s like he doesn’t have a desire for anything. She basically says that he doesn’t have any fun.
Now I’m not watching him all the time…even though it’s technically my job to do so but I want to say yeah. I haven’t seen a smile on his face for the last four episodes.
The simple fact that he isn’t saying anything must mean that’s she’s right.
Ah yeah now I see why. Survivor’s guilt. He feels he can’t be happy because of that.
Note: After the Fourth Grail War, a large amount of Fuyuki City was burned down in what was called the Great Fuyuki Fire. Shiro is one of the few survivors. So when people go through something that so few survive it’s only natural for them to develop some type of survivor’s guilt
Mitsuzuri tries to tease Shiro but it doesn’t get much of a reaction out of him. He whispers her name himself as she leaves.
We flash over to Fujimura, Sakura, Shiro, and Saber walking where Shiro lies to them and says that Saber is an old friend of his dad’s and she came to visit him. Ironic, because technically it is true. This Saber did know Kirisugu but they were far from friends.
So once Shiro says that Saber’s going to be staying at his place, Fujimura wigs out, drops her bike, and starts shaking him.
So when Shiro mentions Saber’s name once more, Sakura asks like she knows it but then she kinda plays it off like she doesn’t. Come on Sakura. I know you know!
Note: I suppose I’ll tell you this since it doesn’t throw off the plot of Unlimited Blade Works but it is a major plot point in the Heaven’s Feel route.
Sakura fully knows that Saber is a Servant and she knows everything about the Holy Grail War. She’s an inactive Master that summoned a Servant but forfitted the right to control her Servant, Rider, to her brother, Shinji.
In both the Fate and Unlimited Blade Works routes, Sakura gives control of Rider to Shinji and because Shinji sucks at being a Master Rider gets owned everytime. However in Heaven’s Feel, Sakura gets Rider back midway through the route and with Sakura acting as her Master, Rider runs train on the other Servants and lasts all the way to the end of the Grail War
So Fujimura gives her permission to allow Saber to stay with Shiro and they all just casually walk pass Sakura, leaving her confused as heck in the middle of the street.
The next scene is just boring. It’s the girls eating dinner and watching TV. As Shirou washes the dinner dishes, he asks Fujimura to take Sakura home.
But turns out she’ll be staying too. You know keep the teenagers from getting naughty with each other and all that stuff.
And Sakura decides to stay around to leading to something like a slumber party. Goodie…
Now we get back to the action, Rin’s in sometype of room and she’s firing her laser!
She may be tsundere but she’s a badass.
So Rin and Archer take a look around and determine that a witch of a Servant was the one that been around here taking mana so she can boost her powers.
Witch? Mana? Fifth Holy Grail War? Caster! Oh the beautiful Caster! She’s my favorite female Servant in this war and second overall right after Saber of the Red.
Anyway…
Rin calls emegency services to get the people to safety and she plans to take on Caster next. Lady do you know what route you in? It’s Unlimited Blade Works. Caster is at her strongest and her most badass here. Wait a little.
I agree. Shiro’s the weak link. Take him out Rin!
What will you do Rin?
And with that we end the episode. I say it’s a half decent episode. It’s got a little action but it’s mostly a prelude for the action that’s coming up in future episodes. You know dominos got to be set up before they can fall and what not.
I give Fate Stay/Night Unlimited Blade Works Episode 4 a 6/10 for good visuals and good plot and character development. We really see a bit more of Saber and Shiro in this episode since it’s mostly about them.
So I can’t wait until the next episode. Actually I can since the review is super late. The next one is going to be a Super Mini Review so I can get back on schedule. Sorry for that. I’ll try keep on schedule in the future.
So until the next review,
Later Days
Here’s the Link to the opening song, Ideal White by Mashiro Ayano. The ending by Believe by Kalafina will be out on November 19th.
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