Fate/stay night

Fate/stay night
File:FSN.JPG Screenshot from the main menu of Fate/stay night video game.
Genre	Action, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-fi, Supernatural, Thriller
Video game
Developer	Type-Moon
Publisher	Type-Moon
Genre	Eroge, Visual novel
Platform	PC - KiriKiri engine
Manga
Written by	Nishiwaki Datto (art)
Published by	Kadokawa Shoten
Anime
Directed by	Yuji Yamaguchi
Studio	Studio Deen

Fate/stay night (フェイト／ステイナイト, Feito／sutei naito) is a Japanese eroge visual novel game created by Type-Moon, which was originally released on January 30, 2004. It has been adapted into an anime television series, which was animated by Studio Deen and aired between January 6 2006 through June 16 2006. The official announcement and teaser trailer were first shown at the Rondo Robe 2005 "-Gate to Date-" event in Japan on June 26 2005, and a curtain-raiser DVD was released in Japan during November 2005. An all-ages version of Fate/stay night, titled Fate/stay night Realta Nua, was released for the PlayStation 2 on April 19, 2007, and features the seiyū from the anime series. The series was also adapted into a manga series, which was serialized in the monthly Shōnen Ace magazine.

Reception

When released on January 30 2004, Fate/stay night rapidly became one of the most popular visual novels in history, securing the title of "highest selling visual novel" in 2004. A "fan disk" sequel, Fate/hollow ataraxia, was released on October 28 2005, which became one of the top selling visual novels of 2005. The popularity of the visual novel lead to the formation of the "Fate Project", which in cooperation with Geneon Japan and Studio Deen produced a twenty-four episode anime series based on the original story in 2006. During that same year, a PS2 port for Fate/stay night entitled Fate/stay night[Realta Nua] was scheduled for a Fall/Winter release, but was pushed back to 2007. A prequel known as Fate/Zero was produced through a collaboration with fellow visual novel company Nitroplus, which could be obtained prior to the official release date at Comiket 2006. In early 2007, the popularity of Fate/stay night and the anime seiyū lead to the launch of the Fate/stay tune internet radio drama, featuring the voice talent of Kana Ueda and Ayako Kawasumi. Another project elaborating on Fate/stay night canon has been planned, but as is the case with Fate/Zero, Type-Moon itself will have little, if any, direct involvement. Although no official translation or licensing of the visual novels has taken place overseas, several fan groups have translated parts of the original game into English.

Premise

Fate/stay night chronicles a two-week period in the life of Shirō Emiya, an amateur mechanic who attends school at Homurabara Gakuen in Fuyuki City. Ten years ago, Shirō was caught in a massive inferno that incinerated his parents and consumed a large portion of the city; as he was dying, an enigmatic man discovers and treats him. This man, Kiritsugu Emiya, decides to adopt him, though the two maintain a distant relationship because of Kiritsugu's frequent departures from Fuyuki City. One moonlit night, Kiritsugu and Shirō have a discussion outside of their home, and Shirō discovers a fact about his father that Kiritsugu had previously kept hidden.

I have a secret that I haven't told you--- I'm a Magi.

Through their conversation, Shirō learns of his foster father's failed life ambition to become a "Hero of Justice" (正義の味方, Seigi no Mikata), a guardian of mankind who could protect the weak and innocent. Touched by Kiritsugu's conviction, Shirō affirms to his foster father that he intends to devote his life to achieving that distant ideal, much to Kiritsugu's chagrin. To do this, Shirō pleads with a begrudging Kiritsugu to teach him sorcery (魔術, Majutsu); but Shirō proves to be talentless in almost all the fundamental sorcerous disciplines.

Kiritsugu warns his son that the life of a sorcerer is one that leads to destruction, but if he is truly set on benefiting people, he should apply his knowledge in secret and hone his craft in private. After Kiritsugu dies, Shirō becomes frustrated with his progress, for he feels inadequate about his good deeds through sorcery and is unsure of how to orient his future to contribute more.

Unknown to Shirō, Fuyuki City is the setting for a secret and violent war among competing magi. For the past two centuries, seven sorcerers assemble and engage in a Battle Royale, each gambling his or her own life to obtain the Holy Grail, a legendary chalice capable of granting wishes. The past four Holy Grail Wars have typically occurred every sixty years, with the most recent concluding a decade ago, but the fifth war has eerily started prematurely.

These sorcerers, better known as Masters, are aided by spiritual familiars known as Servants, who are the reincarnations of legendary souls from all across time. These resurrected Epic Spirits (英霊, Eirei), possess superhuman characteristics and wield powerful artifacts or abilities called Noble Phantasms (宝具, Hōgu). A Noble Phantasm's hidden abilities may be released by invoking its true name, but casual brandishing of a Noble Phantasm is best avoided, for symbolic Noble Phantasms usually belie a Servant's identity, diminishing that Servant's competitive advantage. Specific legends may be summoned with the aid of catalysts, which are artifacts, ideas, or experiences similar or of value to the desired Servant. Only one Servant can be summoned in each war from one of seven classes: Saber, Archer, Lancer, Berserker, Rider, Assassin, and Caster.

The Holy Grail is a spiritual artifact, so only astral entities, such as Servants, are capable of touching it; this restriction forces Master and Servant to cooperate with each other against rival pairs, even if a situation entails fighting to the death. Masters control Servants with three Command Mantra (令呪, Reiju), which are crystallized miracles issued by the Holy Grail that manifest on a Master's hand. When activated, Command Mantra permit a Servant to accomplish an incredible feat, or alternatively provide Masters with the authority to issue an irrevocable and absolute order to a Servant. In the event of a Master's demise, a Servant may choose to bind him or herself to another Master; if a Servant is slain, a Master may ally with a wayward Servant or pursue sanctuary with the Holy Grail War's impartial supervisor, who is traditionally a delegate of the Roman Catholic Church.

After cleaning his school's kyudo (archery) dojo late one night, Shirō stumbles upon two Servants, Archer and Lancer, battling in a courtyard. To avoid compromising the war's secrecy, Lancer hunts down and kills Shirō. For an unknown reason, Shirō's classmate, Rin Tōsaka, uses an heirloom filled with concentrated Mana (魔力, Maryoku) to resuscitate him. Shaken and dazed, Shirō stumbles back to his home, but is again attacked by Lancer. Shirō weakly defends himself but is soon overwhelmed by the powerful Servant and falls into his basement. Cornered, Shirō prepares for the worst; but before Lancer can inflict another fatal blow, a young woman outfitted in alabaster armor drives him away. She introduces herself to Shirō as Saber, and greets him with the words:

I ask of you, are you my Master?

Characters

As with Tsukihime, the character base in Fate/stay night is extremely comprehensive and expansive, with characters possessing varied and extraordinary abilities.

Main characters

File:Emiya Saber.jpg

Shirō Emiya and Saber

Shirō Emiya (衛宮 士郎, Emiya Shirō)

Shirō is the main character of the story. He is a serious yet helpful, hardworking, and honest teenager. His hobbies include fixing a variety of broken things, from VCRs to stoves, as well as cooking and cleaning. He has some slight talent with sorcery, though he was discouraged by his foster father Kiritsugu Emiya from improving his gifts. He is initially confused about the Holy Grail War and attempts to irrationally shield others from danger, including his own Servant, Saber.

Saber (セイバー, Seibā)

She is Shirō's Servant, an agile but powerful warrior. Loyal, independent, and reserved, Saber acts coldly but is actually suppressing her emotions to focus on her goals. Her class is considered the "Most Outstanding", with excellent ratings in all categories. Since her Master cannot effectively provide her with Mana, she minimizes her activity to preserve what she has. Saber is frustrated by Shirō's "protective" tendencies, believing his erratic and reckless behavior will jeopardize her chances of winning the Holy Grail War.

File:Rin Archer.jpg

Rin Tōsaka and Archer

Rin Tōsaka (遠坂 凛, Tōsaka Rin)

A model student and idol of Shirō's school who is secretly a sorceress and Master in the Holy Grail War. She is a descendant from a long line of sorcerers, and though she lacks a formal magic education, she is extremely powerful in her own right. Her father was killed in the fourth Holy Grail War, and she has trained since his death to succeed him. She is perceptive, resourceful and avidly competitive. She tried to summon a Saber-class Servant, but she accidentally called Archer instead.

Archer (アーチャー, Āchā)

He is the Servant of one of the series' main heroines, Rin Tōsaka. Due to an incomplete summon, he apparently has no memory of his previous life or identity. Archer is sarcastic and cynical - but under his hardened exterior lies a complex and dark personality that unfolds throughout the story. Though skilled with ranged weapons, he can hold his own in mêlée combat. Archer considers Shirō Emiya's idealism to be weak and delusional, recognizing Shirō's mentality of "wanting to save everyone" as naïve and impossible.

File:Ilya.JPG

Illyasviel von Einzbern and Berserker

Illyasviel von Einzbern (イリヤスフィール・フォン・アインツベルン, Iriyasufīru fon Aintsuberun)

A young Teutonic aristocrat, she traveled to Japan to participate in the Holy Grail War as a Master. Illyasviel has an angelic appearance and an unsurpassed degree of magical power. She lives in a castle on the outskirts of Fuyuki City, accompanied only by her Servant and two maids. Illyasviel asks those she feels comfortable around to simply call her "Ilya".

Berserker (バーサーカー, Bāsākā)

The Servant of Ilya, who appears as a swarthy giant with adamantine skin and gross brawn. He wields a colossal stone Axe-Club, and is capable of causing massive destruction with the mere backlash of his swings. As a Berserker, he is stripped of his sanity and reason, acting feral and animalistic in combat. Berserkers are praised as members of the "Strongest" class, though they are difficult to control and always turn on their Masters. Ilya appears to have little trouble managing him.

File:Shinji Rider.JPG

Shinji Matō and Rider

Shinji Matō (間桐 慎二, Matō Shinji)

Sakura Matō's older brother, and a long-time friend of Shirō. Shinji is very popular as vice-captain of the archery dojo despite being chauvinistic and a narcissist. Like Rin Tōsaka, he is of a distinguished lineage of sorcerers, though the Matō blood has thinned and no longer produces heirs naturally capable of sorcery. Shinji feels uncomfortable with his sister's daily visits to Shirō's home. He has an open crush on Rin, but she does not return his favors.

Rider (ライダー, Raidā)

The Servant of Shinji, first seen scouting around Homurabara Gakuen. Rider is silent, sultry, and vigilant, never hesitating to shield her Master from harm. With Shinji incapable of lending Mana to her, she is forced to seek alternative means to augment her abilities. To compensate for her weakness, Rider employs covert battle tactics and takes full advantage of territory around her. Her weapon of choice is a pair of long iron nails fastened to opposite ends of a single chain, which she effectively thrusts from distances.

Supporting characters

Sakura Matō (間桐 桜, Matō Sakura)

A student in her first year of high school, and the sister of Shinji Matō. After Shirō's father Kiritsugu died, Sakura often visited Shirō's home to help him with his daily chores. Though Shinji is from a family of sorcerers, he asserts that she has no knowledge of her family's craft or history. Sakura is outwardly shy and timid, but possesses great inner strength. She has a long standing and obvious crush on Shirō Emiya.

Kirei Kotomine (言峰 綺礼, Kotomine Kirei)

Through an agreement between the Mages' Association and the Church, the Holy Grail Wars are moderated by a priest. Kirei's father was the mediator for the fourth Holy Grail War, and when he died, Kirei felt obligated to replace him. His selection as mediator is unusual, for Kirei is a member of both the Church and Mages' Association, organizations on hostile terms with one another. Since the death of Rin's father, he has acted as an indirect caretaker for Rin. Ranked far lower in the Church hierarchy than Ciel (from Tsukihime), Kirei employs many of the same techniques and weapons she does.

Lancer (ランサー, Ransā)

The first hostile Servant to appear in the story. Lancer is a fierce but balanced warrior who enjoys combating a worthy opponent. He has a playful attitude and takes a very carefree approach to life, but is quick to work himself into a frenzy during a heated battle. Lancers are hailed as the "Most Agile" of Servant classes.

Kiritsugu Emiya (衛宮切嗣, Emiya Kiritsugu)

Shirō's foster father, and his savior from the aftermath of the massive Fuyuki fire. During his lifetime, Kiritsugu strove to be a Hero of Justice, a defender of humanity who could protect the weak. He feels he failed to do so, but his efforts were a source of inspiration for Shirō. Kiritsugu was a sorcerer, though he never taught Shirō seriously and Shirō had little talent for the craft. He died several years prior to the beginning of Fate/stay night from an unknown cause.

Taiga Fujimura (藤村 大河, Fujimura Taiga)

She is an English teacher at Shirō's school, homeroom instructor of Shirō's class and the supervising teacher for the archery dojo. She is widely called "Tiger" (タイガー, Taigā), a nickname she dislikes ("Taiga" and "Tiger" sound similar in Japanese), though Shirō refers to her as "Fuji-nee" (older sister Fuji). After Kiritsugu died, Taiga became Shirō's guardian and has been living with him for several years. Taiga and Shirō are very close, and she regards him as a younger brother.

Gilgamesh (ギルガメッシュ, Girugamesshu)

An arrogant, selfish, and enigmatic Archer-class Servant. He appears familiar with Fuyuki City and claims to have a past relationship with Saber. Typically clad in an ornate golden armor, he possesses an immense number of Noble Phantasms, though none are representative of his true identity.

Sōichirō Kuzuki (葛木 宗一郎, Kuzuki Sōichirō)

A well-built man with angular glasses and a conservative hairstyle. He is the strict homeroom instructor of Rin's class. He primarily lectures on World History, though he holds classes in Ethics. Sōichirō is well respected among staff and students, but he is widely regarded as austere and impersonal.

Caster (キャスター, Kyasutā)

She is an honored guest of the Ryūdō family, permitted to live at their temple until the preparations for her marriage have been finalized. A gorgeous and talented yet mysterious woman of high stature, her presence has attracted the attention of trainee priests.

Assassin (アサシン, Asashin)

A solitary Servant, clothed in a traditional Japanese hakama and kimono with an indigo haori. This handsome man bars entry beyond the main gate of the Ryūdōji Temple. Quiet and composed, he maintains a degree of bushido and is eager to spar with other Servants. He is of the same class, but he is not to be confused with another Servant known as True Assassin.

Minor characters

Leysritt (リーゼリット, Rīzeritto) and Sella (セラ, Sera)

These two women are Ilya's maids, but they act as her caretakers and instruct her in the secrets of sorcery. Like Ilya, they both have silky blonde hair and deep crimson eyes. Sella is rather fickle and insecure (especially regarding her body), and is very suspicious of Shirō Emiya. In contrast, Leysritt is far more casual, and has affection for Shirō because his presence makes Ilya happy. Leysritt is skilled in combat, particularly with halberds, and she is able to sacrifice her life to manifest The Dress of Heaven, an artifact of the Einzbern family capable of limited applications of "true magic" (魔法, Mahō), miracles that can accomplish impossibilities beyond modern science or sorcery.

Ayako Mitsuzuri (美綴 綾子, Mitsuzuri Ayako)

A stellar athlete, and captain of the archery dojo. Ayako and Rin are actively competing to see who will be the first to snag a boyfriend. She is victimized by Rider early in the story and later found unconscious in an alleyway.

Yukika Saegusa (三枝 由紀香, Saegusa Yukika)

Yukika is the gentle manager of the Track Team, warmly loved by the majority of her class.

Kaede Makidera (蒔寺 楓, Makidera Kaede)

Kaede is a beautiful but loud and obnoxious sprinter. Rin dislikes her.

Kane Himuro (氷室 鐘, Himuro Kane)

Kane is one of Yukika and Kaede's friends, and a long jumper. She is considerate and intelligent.

Issei Ryūdō (柳洞 一成, Ryūdō Issei)

Issei is the Student Body President of Shirō's school, and another close friend of Shirō. His father is the head priest of Ryūdōji Temple, and his brother was a classmate of Taiga and Neko-san. He dislikes Rin and seems to have some sort of fear of females, although he seems to be unusually at ease around Saber.

Otoko Hotaruzuka (蛍塚音子, Hotaruzuka Otoko)

She is Shirō's employer, and owner of a liquor store, The Copenhagen Bar. She dislikes her given name, Otoko (phonically identical to the Japanese word for "male"), preferring to be called "Neko". She feels attached to Shirō and always addresses him by a pet name, "Emi-yan". "Neko" considers Taiga to be a bad influence on her hard-working employee.

Raiga Fujimura (藤村雷画, Fujimura Raiga)

Better known as the grandfather of Taiga, Raiga is the Oyabun (組長 family head) of a yakuza group operating in Fuyuki City. He was an old friend of Kiritsugu Emiya, and as a favor, manages Kiritsugu's estate after his death in place of Shirō.

Zōken Matō (間桐 臓硯, Matō Zōken)

Zōken is a shrewd, powerful, and ancient sorcerer who is patriarch of the Matō family and is known to be the grandfather of Shinji and Sakura. He has amassed a large and extensive library of sorcerous knowledge, yet his lessons are strict and harsh. Zōken considers Shinji to be a disgrace of a sorcerer, and believes Sakura may have more potential than her brother.

True Assassin (真アサシン, Shin Asashin)

An exceptionally dangerous Servant with a limited appearance in Fate/stay night and Fate/hollow ataraxia, but an expanded role in Fate/Zero. The designation of "True" is meant to distinguish this Assassin from another Servant that has usurped his place in the current war. All True Assassins share a collective identity and have appeared in every Holy Grail War throughout history. They are infamous for an ebony and tattered costume, as well as for concealing their identity behind an ashen skeletal mask.

Zelretch (ゼルレッチ, Zeruretchi)

Zelretch is one of five living sorcerers capable of "true magic". Zelretch's particular miracle is known as the "Kaleidoscope", which gives him dominion over alternate possibilities. Originally introduced in Tsukihime, he makes a cameo appearance in the Heaven's Feel scenario of Fate/stay night.

Luvia Zeritta Edelfelt (ルヴィア・ゼリッタ・エーデルフェルト, Ruvaia Zeritsuta Ederufuruto)

A descendant of the Edelfelt family, who participated in the 3rd Holy Grail War with twin Masters, one of whom became an ancestor of the Tōsaka family, believing it would be advantageous for them to have two Servants. Luvia, a student at the Mage's Association, is arrogant and frequently gets into fights with other students, including Rin Tōsaka. Her powers are similar to Rin's. Luvia appears in Fate/hollow ataraxia.

Media

The popularity of the Fate/stay night visual novel has expanded beyond the video game; the expanded fields of media include an anime adaption, as well as an officially sponsored manga. Various doujin, including fan-developed video games (such as Fatal/Fake) have become prominent, complementing the rise of fanart and amateur manga dedicated to characters or themes in Fate/stay night.

Video game

The Fate/stay night franchise began as a visual novel video game created by Type-Moon which premiered in Japan on January 30 2004. It is Type-Moon's first commercial work, following their transition from a dojin soft visual novel group. An all-ages version of Fate/stay night, entitled Fate/stay night Realta Nua, has been released for the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable on April 19, 2007.

Scenarios

Main article: Fate/stay night scenarios

Fate, Unlimited Blade Works and Heaven's Feel are the three branching storylines found within the game. Each diverge at certain points, and, depending upon player interaction, will end in one of several possible ways.

The Fate scenario features Saber as the main heroine. In Unlimited Blade Works, Rin Tōsaka is the main female lead but the storyline focuses around her Servant, Archer. Heaven's Feel expands on the dark history of Sakura Matō. The Heaven's Feel scenario connects to the story of Fate/hollow ataraxia. The plot of the anime series is an amalgam of the three game scenarios, though it heavily favors the events of Fate over the other two.

Sequels

Main article: Fate/hollow ataraxia

On October 28 2005, Type-Moon released a sequel to Fate/stay night, entitled Fate/hollow ataraxia. Regarded more as a fan disc and a side-story rather than a serious sequel, its plot is set half a year after the events of Fate/stay night and features new characters such as Avenger, Bazett Fraga McRemitz, and Caren Ortensia, alongside returning characters such as Shirō Emiya and Rin Tōsaka.

Main article: Fate/Zero

On November 22 2006, Type-Moon announced a new installment in the Fate/stay night franchise, entitled Fate/Zero. Fate/Zero is a prequel to Fate/stay night, stressing the events of the 4th Holy Grail War and how its consequences affected the 5th Holy Grail War. In contrast to Fate/stay night, Fate/Zero will be a series of light novels instead of a visual novel, and will be told in a third person narrative that follows the actions of multiple characters. The first volume was released on December 12 2006, and is a collaboration between Type-Moon and fellow developer Nitroplus.

Manga

The Fate/stay night manga, illustrated by Nishiwaki Datto, began serialization in the manga magazine Shōnen Ace, published by Kadokawa Shoten, on December 26 2005. It is an adaption of the Fate/stay night visual novel, rather than the anime. In contrast to the anime, the manga focuses solely on the Unlimited Blade Works scenario of the game, and has refrained from pooling story elements from the sister scenarios, Fate/hollow ataraxia or Fate/Zero. Currently, three tankōbon have been released.

Anime

See also: List of Fate/stay night episodes and List of Fate/stay night cast members

The Fate/stay night anime series aired between January 6 2006 and June 16 2006, containing 24 episodes. It was animated by Studio Deen and produced by the Fate Project, which included Geneon Entertainment, TBS, CREi, Type-Moon and Frontier Works Inc. The series later received its international television premieres on the anime television network Animax in 2007, also recieiving its English-language television premiere on Animax's English networks in Southeast Asia from June 2007, as well as its other networks in South Korea, Hong Kong and other regions. Geneon also licensed the series for distribution across North America. It is an adaptation of the Fate/stay night visual novel, featuring content from all of the available scenarios in the original game's release. The general direction of the anime borrows heavily from the Fate scenario, with select segments from Unlimited Blade Works included as filler while only a couple nods are given toward the Heaven's Feel option. Elements from Fate/hollow ataraxia not directly impacting the plot were included, but sparingly. Kenji Kawai composed the original music for the series, also remixing three symphonic themes from the Fate/stay night visual novel for use in the anime; they are "Yakusoku Sareta Shouri No Tsurugi", "Emiya", and "This Illusion", the latter of which was retitled "disillusion".

Music

Game

Opening theme

"THIS ILLUSION"

• Composition and Arrangement: NUMBER201
• Lyrics: Haga Keita
• Performance: M.H.

Ending theme

"days"

• Composition and Arrangement: NUMBER201
• Lyrics: Haga Keita
• Performance: CHINO

Opening theme [Réalta Nua]

"Ougon no Kagayaki"

• Composition and Arrangement: NUMBER201
• Lyrics: Haga Keita
• Performance: MAKI

There is also an arranged soundtrack of the game music, entitled Avalon - Fate/Stay Night. It is arranged by WAVE and K.JUNO and features two English arranged versions of "This Illusion" titled "Illusion/Vision" and "Illusion/Fate".

Anime

Opening themes

"disillusion" (episodes 1-14)

• Composition: NUMBER201
• Arrangement: Kenji Kawai
• Lyrics: Haga Keita
• Performance: Sachi Tainaka
• Single Release Date: February 22 2006.

This song is a rearrangement of the game opening theme "THIS ILLUSION".

"Kirameku Namida wa Hoshi ni" (きらめく涙は星に, lit. Glittering Tears Change To Stars) (episodes 15-23)

• Composition: KATE
• Arrangement: Sogawa Tomoji, NUMBER201
• Lyrics: Haga Keita
• Performance: Sachi Tainaka
• Single Release Date: May 31 2006.

Ending themes

"Anata ga Ita Mori" (あなたがいた森, lit. The Forest In Which You Were) (episodes 1-13,15-23)

• Performance: Jyukai
• Single Release Date: March 15 2006.

"Hikari" (ヒカリ, lit. Light) (episode 14)

• Performance: Jyukai

"Kimi to no Ashita" (君との明日, lit. Tomorrow with You) (episode 24)

• Composition: Sachi Tainaka
• Arrangement: Kaneko Takahiro
• Lyrics: Sachi Tainaka
• Performance: Sachi Tainaka
• Single Release Date: February 7 2007.

Original soundtrack

• Composition and Arrangement: Kenji Kawai

External links

• Type-Moon's Official homepage for the Fate/stay night game Template:Jp icon
• Official website for the Fate/stay night anime series Template:Jp icon
• Official U.S. website for Fate/stay night anime series
• Animax-Asia's official website for Fate/stay night
• The Moonlit World, a Type-Moon Fansite - Section dedicated to Fate/stay night
• Fate/stay night ({{{type}}}) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia