So... this is what it feels like for one of your favorite chapter to get so much love huh. It's like eating a good 5 star meal. Having finished the Grand Order arc months ago, I got super pumped to see how they would adapt this movie, and I was a bit relieved to see when the trailer came out, I knew the movie is gonna be beautiful and i'm glad I was not wrong. To FGO fans, this is a huge reward to you from CloverWorks and I hope you love it just like I did because it's clear that the staff cares a lot about this franchise and shown in Babylonia and this is a step up from the previous installment.
Spoiler Alert: The staff favourite servant is Nero.
MAJOR SPOILERS AEAD
First off, this is an incredible adaptation and there are additional scenes that enhances the source material on another level, yet at the same time they take a different approach from the game which for me is refreshing but I think it's obvious that Corona had an effect on this movie but the movie was still quality. Though there are scenes that were cut which is the servants better but to me it is not a major cut that would ruin your experience, in fact I think it's for the better with what direction this movie is taking.
The animation was definitely a step up from Babylonia that I don't think it was even affected by the covid situation, it was incredibly beautiful with a touch of sakuga here and there and amazing choreography. I was fighting for my life not to jump out of my seat that was how good it was. The fight scene that caught me by surprise was Vlad, Sanson and Alexander vs Lev and Nero, Mordred and Enkindu vs Goetia like shit the camera movement, the sound effect, the ost, it has hype written over it. Vlad appearance really surprised me tho, so happy to see one of my favourite servant animated and performed his NP.
Mash, Romani and Goetia got an incredible amount of love to them, their scenes were as good, emotional and beautiful as they accompanied by the original OST from the game, yes even "She is only an ordinary girl". Ars Nova was um how do I say this, not as good as I expected but the scene itself is emotional but I like how Mash is treated here and it reminds me why she's one my favourite character in the Fate franchise. Mash shield scene, went to a different direction in terms of emotion for me at least, it rather feels hype here rather than emotional like in the movie but i'm honestly not picky about this stuff
Fujimaru, didn't change much from but they made him likeable here, Jeanne's speech gave me goosebumps like the game but it wasn't a 1;1 from the game but i'm fine with it. Mash finally got the character development she deserved, the staff knew Mash character very well which is why she expanded more on her backstory in EP 0 and Babylonia. I could say the same for Goetia and Romani, as they were also the star of both the movie and game. Even if you find flaws in the movie, I don't think you can deny they did a great job with the main characters.
Let's talk about Mash, her journey throughout the game, trying to find her meaning in life and her purpose despite spending around 16 years in the lab and not knowing who is the heroic spirit residing inside her until Camelot, often question about if she did her job well, have her ideal questioned and at some point doubt herself if this world is worth saving and protecting but even knowing that she wants to live up to Fujimaru's expectation and the task given to her. Mash peaked in this movie where ge got the most development, finally get to live a life full of regret and without doubt that the world is worth protecting and met her purpose in life. I find it this very beautiful, mainly because it's one of my favourite trope ever.
I find Goetia much more excellent in the movie than the game, mainly because the conclusion he reached while fist fighting Ritsuka which I won't go into detail because I already forgotten. But with context of the later story, you can say that Goetia is right. (
Servants have little to no dialogue, but it is understandable, they have high profilic voice actor, so to pay them just for 1 line is a waste of money.. why not just spend to make sure the quality of the movie is superb and i'm glad it went that way.
Some minor nitpicks I have are...
Overall thoughts
I am a very very happy man, I don't have any major problems with it. Cloverworks definitely outdid themselves here but with the situation they're in right now I don't want them to adapt Epic of Remnant or Lostbelts. Anyways, i'm looking forward to rewatch this movie again because it is a huge reward to FGO fans who have played the game, I hope you guys enjoy the movie like I did. Thank you to all the staffs involved.
_______THOUGHTS AFTER A REWATCH_______
I have most of the same thought as before except that I notice more flaws, Ars Nova wasn't good. I was expecting them to show a 'shining' way of how Goetia loses his immortality after Ars Nova, thats why servants can injured him easily, had it been the fight between Nero, Morder etc vs Goetia takes place after Ars Nova, I can say that Goetia will probably hang dear to his life. But yeah, Ars Nova was disappointing but the talk with Fujimaru was really good I give em that.
I can tell that Nasu had a big vision about this movie but is held back by time restraint but i'm happy with what we get I really do.
I was wrong. It is not a step up from Babylonia in terms of animation, its still the same which is still brilliant by the way. It still has the same pacing issue like Babylonia but it was slower than I thought it originally was. Last nitpicks I have is the awkward silence when David and Scathach helped Fujimaru. Goetia at least should break up the silence or Fujimaru should at least talk.
The lack of OST during certain scene made the movie kinds of silence especially Luminous Eternalle
Mash sacrifice was even more beautiful upon rewatch, I really love her a lot
Well despite I find more flaws within this movie after rewatch, I can't help myself but give it a 9/10 cause shit I just love Fate so much, so the fate bias plays a factor in my rating. But yeah, I love this movke.
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