I’m not sure why, but I just have trouble getting into this show. It’s not that anything stands out as bad, I think: but nothing is incredibly exciting either. You can’t make a show great with graphics and fighting alone.
I think the main problem is that I don’t particularly care about any of the characters. Kiritsugu is in trouble? Uh oh. Meh, whatever. Saber’s arm is hurt? *Yawn*.
The Death of Honor
I’m referring to my own death from honor, of course. Because it’s putting me to sleep. Every single word from Saber and Lancer’s mouth is something about honor. Or something that sounds honorable. And they spend all their time striking cool, honorable poses. Just stop it already!
It’s just obnoxious! Can’t they do anything without it surrounding honor or posing? I have no problem with honor in and of itself. One of my favorite characters is Volken from Book of Bantorra, who is the epitome of honor. But here’s the difference: Volken is actually torn about whether to do the honorable thing, and about what the honorable thing even is. For Saber it’s obvious. She just has to stand there, pose, and save little kids. Additionally, I actually care about Volken. He has a past. A lover. Has to abandon all his friends and everything he has. Saber and Lancer, on the other hand, were just magically summoned out of thin air. Why should I care about them?
The same thing is true of Kiritsugu and Irisviel. They want to run away together, yada yada yada. But they have to save the world. Perhaps I would appreciate what they gave up more if I had actually witnessed it. But no, I know virtually nothing about either of them. They’re just whining. I don’t care about their problems.
Anyway, I will be rooting for Caster in this battle.
Magic
I completely forgot that Emiya was a magus, so his reality marble surprised me. He also seems to know Archibald. Although I guess they weren’t the best of friends.
I liked Archibald’s line as he entered the castle:
He has no clue what he’s getting into. Kiritsugu’s grin at the end of this episode got my hopes up for the next too.
King of Conquerors
Rider and Waver never cease to entertain. Can we please just forget the holy grail war even exists and follow the adventures of Rider and Waver? Rider and Waver have no more depth than any of the other characters, but they’re funny. That makes everything ok. Saber’s best joke so far was about using her riding ability on planes. Way to kill the party, Saber.
Rider has a sense of honor and likes to pose like Saber and Lancer too, but his outlandish style makes it interesting.
I am looking forward to watching Rider defeat another Hero for a pair of pants. That will be a battle for the ages.
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I have to admit, Waver and Rider are making the show for me. Caster is interesting as well, but he needs that serial killer buddy with him in order to truly shine. Where the hell is he?
I see three possibilities: 1) he’s finishing Caster’s game of hide and seek, 2) he’s going to murder Saber’s master, or 3) he’s going to murder Caster himself and get the extra command seal. Should be fun…!
“He also seems to know Archibald.”
Nop, he doesn’t know him personally. In episode 1 they showed it that Kiritusgu made background search on every participating master and reports were given to him by spies who he hired.
The next 3 episodes in nutshell:
Episode 8 is called “Magus Kller”. Will be Kayneth vs. Kiritsugu and Einzbern forest aftermath.
Episode 9 is called “Lord and follower”. Waver and Rider stuff. Iskandar flashback and raid to Caster hideout.
Episode 10 is called “Rin’s adventure”. loliRin comes back to Fuyuki looking to her kidnapped friend and enters herself into (very short) loliadventures.
I remember that, but I was confused because Archibald seemed to know Kiritsugu as well. But looking at it again, Archibald said “Despite having been trained as a magus, you still rely on despicable tricks.” That made me think that Archibald knew about Kiritsugu’s past, but now I realize I was reading too much into this.
Episode nine and ten sound like fun! (especially nine)
Bringing up Volken makes a good point. There was a genuine moral dilemma going on there, while here it’s pretty obvious who’s supposed to be on the “good” side and who’s on the “bad” side. But this is Urobuchi Gen we’re dealing with, so I expect a wrench to be thrown into the works at some point.
“I am looking forward to watching Rider defeat another Hero for a pair of pants. That will be a battle for the ages.”
I can hardly believe how much my opinion of Waver has changed since the first episode. I didn’t really realize how much I liked them until the previous episode, when they didn’t show up. Needless to say, the quest for pants makes this episode >>>>>>>> previous one. Even with the exploding building.
I hope you’re right about the wrench. Madoka kept throwing wrench after wrench though. Here we’re already at episode seven, and there hasn’t really been a single big twist.
About Waver: me too. In the first episode I actually ranted about how much I hated him and said he’d be the first to die. Now he and Rider are the best part.