Anime/Manga Aficionado's Lounge! II

[Siriel]

Probably because of Archer vs Shirou.

But that fight is so inferior to Kotomine and Sword!Shirou punching each others to death after already being dead for two days in Heaven's Feel!

Well, admittedly the rest of Heaven's Feel is just hilariously and needlessly depressive and the bits with Sakura are kind of meh, so I can understand why one good fight wouldn't make up for it.

My favourite route is Fate, even if it doesn't let Kotomine show off just how ridiculous he is. The overall writing is pretty good, the fights are nice and aside from Assassin falling into a plot hole, the story holds up well.
Also because it has the best Gilgamesh lines.

"If I shied away from all the curses in the world, what sort of hero would I be? "Suffer all the world's evil"? Ha, they think they can ruin me with a mere curse? They should have tripled it's strength! A true hero is someone who bears the burden of every human in his sight. I have been carrying that weight on my shoulders since the dawn of time!"

[Eternal Torment]

But that fight is so inferior to Kotomine and Sword!Shirou punching each others to death after already being dead for two days in Heaven's Feel!

Well, admittedly the rest of Heaven's Feel is just hilariously and needlessly depressive and the bits with Sakura are kind of meh, so I can understand why one good fight wouldn't make up for it.

My favourite route is Fate, even if it doesn't let Kotomine show off just how ridiculous he is. The overall writing is pretty good, the fights are nice and aside from Assassin falling into a plot hole, the story holds up well.
Also because it has the best Gilgamesh lines.

"If I shied away from all the curses in the world, what sort of hero would I be? "Suffer all the world's evil"? Ha, they think they can ruin me with a mere curse? They should have tripled it's strength! A true hero is someone who bears the burden of every human in his sight. I have been carrying that weight on my shoulders since the dawn of time!"

Well, yeah. Kotomine vs Shirou in HF is my favourite for obvious reasons.

I think people like UBW because it puts more development into Shriou's character and has him actually consider the intricacies of his ideals. Granted, he proceeds to declare that he won't regret a single thing because he finds his ideals beautiful, even if they weren't his own to begin with.

[Ghost]

The thing that bothered me the most about that adaptation, oddly enough, is that they randomly gave Gilgamesh the ability to flat-out teleport. What, did he not have enough abilities?

I thought he could always teleport. Or is his usual "vanish into thin air" exit not the same thing?

And if so, when did he flat-out teleport in UBW?

Unlimited Blade Works Gilgamesh is kind of odd, because he crosses the line into flat-out villainy and is distinctly less kingly than any of his other portrayals.

I can't really see, for example, Fate/Zero or Fate route's Gilgamesh just punching a hole in a child's chest to rip out their heart. Not because it's particularly evil, but it just really doesn't fit with his more consistent "I could totally kill you all now, but the building is on fire and the ashes might dirty me. So you escape this time." portrayal.

Or his attempt to kill most of the world's population so it can be 'worthy' of him, which makes no goddamn sense because he notes several times that the ugliness of the modern world is entertaining and that no matter what state it's in, it remains his garden that he won't allow to be destroyed. Hell, in Heaven's Feel he gets pissed as the Shadow because it killed a few dozen of 'his' subjects for no reason.

I think I'm just going to consider him as some alternate universe imposter version of Gilgamesh who somehow replaced the real one because something something Multi-Dimensional Refraction Phenomenon something.

Amazing plot induced stupidity. I've gone into rants about why Unlimited Blade Works' final fight is the most nonsensical fight in the entire series. Gilgamesh's complete lack of use of his defensive equipments even when he realizes he's losing being the biggest issue.

Yeah. As much as his final battle with Shirou kicked ass, I couldn't help but think: "This is so not the same Gilgamesh who utterly ruined Rider in Zero."

Nonsensical plot magic. Because even if one wants to go "He can totally survive being impaled a lot and went into spirit form", Gilgamesh and Saber should have felt him doing that.

Wait... does this mean... that... people don't die when they are killed!?

o___O

[Siriel]

I thought he could always teleport. Or is his usual "vanish into thin air" exit not the same thing?

And if so, when did he flat-out teleport in UBW?

His vanish from sight is just him turning into spirit form. (Which, incidentally, he doesn't seem able to do in the visual novel, because he always walks off. Which makes sense since he has a real body following F/Z's end.)

The thing is that in UBW not only does he do it, he brings the fleshy holy grail Shinji/thing with him, which just makes no sense at all.

I think I'm just going to consider him as some alternate universe imposter version of Gilgamesh who somehow replaced the real one because something something Multi-Dimensional Refraction Phenomenon something.

Makes as much sense as any other explanation.

Yeah. As much as his final battel with Shirou kicked ass, I couldn't help but think: "This is so not the same Gilgamesh who utterly ruined Rider in Zero."

It really is not Gilgamesh's finest portrayal, no.

Speaking of other Fate/stuff, did you ever start reading Prisma Illya?

[Ghost]

It really is not Gilgamesh's finest portrayal, no.

Speaking of other Fate/stuff, did you ever start reading Prisma Illya?

I got to the second part, actually. I'm not quite sure where I left off but I think they had more or less dealt with Archer!Illya. Need to pick it up again.

[Siriel]

I got to the second part, actually. I'm not quite sure where I left off but I think they had more or less dealt with Archer!Illya. Need to pick it up again.

Yes, you do. Prisma Illya is awesome. I only hope the anime will do well so they'll animate 2wei and 3rei.

[Yun Lao]

So I finally sat down and watched Unlimited Blade Works.

Speaking of Fate/etc, I've nearly finished Fate/Zero.

According to a friend of mine, I've unfortunately started with the best of the franchise. I can see how he was right, considering how it'll be hard to beat Kiritsugu practically schooling everyone, Berserker taking over a F-15, and Iskander Rider.

[Ghost]

Oh, and I watched the Vividred thing.

...Yeah, it's pretty good. Nice visuals if you know what I mean, has funny moments (Akane's grandfather is hilarious), and seems pretty up-beat without being too cutesey. Hoping this will turn out to be another Symphogear.

So they invented a source of boundless energy for everyone, and all the girls are wearing hotpants/bloomers? Truly, a perfect utopia. oO

Speaking of Redjuice designs, I should probably finish Guilty Crown one of these days.

Also, Accel World. And Oda Nobuna no Yabou.

[Ghost]

Speaking of Fate/etc, I've nearly finished Fate/Zero.

According to a friend of mine, I've unfortunately started with the best of the franchise. I can see how he was right, considering how it'll be hard to beat Kiritsugu practically schooling everyone, Berserker taking over a F-15, and Iskander Rider.

There's also the epic bromance between Saber and Lancer:

So, yeah. Fate/Zero kicks all sorts of ass, pretty much.

[Siriel]

Speaking of Fate/etc, I've nearly finished Fate/Zero.

According to a friend of mine, I've unfortunately started with the best of the franchise. I can see how he was right, considering how it'll be hard to beat Kiritsugu practically schooling everyone, Berserker taking over a F-15, and Iskander Rider.

You've yet to see Ea then. Keep watching for the tied-as-best Gilgamesh scene, only challenged by his final fight in Fate.

Incidentally, the final episode of Fate/Zero removes some important stuff which opens a few rather large plotholes if you intend to go into Fate/Stay Night afterward.

[Eternal Torment]

God, why didn't they properly animate the bullet punch?

WHY?

[Siriel]

God, why didn't they properly animate the bullet punch?

WHY?

No idea.

Honestly, I'm also wondering why they completely removed Gilgamesh deconstructing the concept of All Evils in the World. That's probably my favourite willpower feat and one of Gilgamesh's very few genuinely heroic moments, yet they completely removed it.

[Eternal Torment]

No idea.

Honestly, I'm also wondering why they completely removed Gilgamesh deconstructing the concept of All Evils in the World. That's probably my favourite willpower feat and one of Gilgamesh's very few genuinely heroic moments, yet they completely removed it.

As far as I know, neither of those scenes were in the BDs.

Anyways, since you seem keen on it, can you explain the heroic qualities of Gilgamesh and that pesky Chaotic Good thing?

[Ghost]

Incidentally, the final episode of Fate/Zero removes some important stuff which opens a few rather large plotholes if you intend to go into Fate/Stay Night afterward.

Speaking of which, I rewatched some F/SN and I'm wondering: Why doesn't Saber seem to remember Gilgamesh at all?

Edit: Also, what happened to needing an artifact in order to summon a servant? Rin just did a ritual and was like: "What the hell, some random Archer I've never heard of? I was hoping for a Saber."

[Siriel]

As far as I know, neither of those scenes were in the BDs.

Anyways, since you seem keen on it, can you explain the heroic qualities of Gilgamesh and that pesky Chaotic Good thing?

I'm tired tonight, will do it tomorrow.

Speaking of which, I rewatched some F/SN and I'm wondering: Why doesn't Saber seem to remember Gilgamesh at all?

No clue. In the visual novel, she recognizes him instantly as the Archer of the fourth war.

Although, it's worth noting that she never knew he was Gilgamesh in Fate/Zero.

Edit: Also, what happened to needing an artifact in order to summon a servant? Rin just did a ritual and was like: "What the hell, some random Archer I've never heard of? I was hoping for a Saber."

You need a relic if you want a specific Servant. If you have Command Seals and simply perform a ritual, you can get a random one. Even if you summon a specific Servant, you can't choose his Class.
Assassin and Berserker are the only two classes that you get to pick in advance by modifying the summoning chant.

Rin was just arrogant enough to think "I'm the best, so I get Saber, the class that won most of the wars.". However, one of the jewels she had on her (her necklace, I believe) was later passed on to Shirou, so it ocunted as a relic for the purpose of summoning Archer.