Fate/Zero: Anime Review

Ladies and gentlemen, if you'd like the really short version of this review, here it is:

This anime is amazing. It scores a 10/10 on almost everything I can think of. So if you have free time (ha!) sometime ever, put aside some time to watch it. If it's not a genre you like, well, tough. I watched Your Lie in April, a genre I absolutely despise, and I can honestly that anime is a work of art.

That said, let's get down to business.

Short synopsis (spoiler-free):

Fate/Zero is about the war to obtain the Holy Grail, a vessel that can grant one wish. Forget why people be fighting over it, they just are.

Did someone mention the Holy Grail?

The war is waged between seven masters and seven servants; the masters being mages (with a few minor exceptions) who summon the servants - heroes of legend with extraordinary abilities. Each servant has a different class, the classes being: Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Berserker, Assassin, and Caster. 

Fate/Zero tells the story of each master and servant, all fighting to obtain the Grail for different reasons: immortality, absolution, world peace, magic...reasons, et cetera. They all engage in intrigue, assassination (guess which servant is good at that part), espionage, and sometimes all-out brawling in order to eliminate the other masters/servants and obtain the Grail for themselves.

Depicted - the servants (I won't say who's who, but you can probably guess).

Characters:

Fate/Zero shines in its brilliant character portrayal and development. You'd think, having at least fourteen "main" characters (each master/servant pair), that one pair would stand out above the rest as the real main characters. But that's not really the case with Fate/Zero. Sure, the cast gets thinner as people are eliminated, so the later characters get more development than the less fortunate ones, but each character has a clear motivation, is memorable, and has personality. You even sometimes get stuck wondering who you're supposed to be rooting for, and that's the true genius of what Fate/Zero does: juggling all its characters like a master and dropping them at just the opportune moment to make their death pointed and influential.

Music:

The soundtrack for this anime is exceptional. The sweeping orchestrals and haunting choruses lend huge emotion to each episode, and are perfectly timed with their scenes. You'll have many chills, thrills, and heartbreaks (particularly near the end). I own this soundtrack, I find it that beautiful.

Visuals:

As far as budget, Fate/Zero had a nice one, and it's really reflected in just how good the animation is. You can see it in the fight scenes, in the special effects, and particularly in Berserker. Man, that guy looks awesome.

Tell me I'm wrong. I dare you.

Cleanliness:
It's hard to fault Fate/Zero here at all, because the anime is surprisingly devoid of sexual material (thankfully) save for one scene where it's implied that a guy is, ahem, in his birthday suit (nothing explicit is shown) and another that is just...plain disgusting (not really sure how to explain, but it doesn't show anything explicit either). Cussing is minuscule to nonexistent - surprise, modern media! You can actually make something good without swearing! Helloooooo!

Sorry. But anyway, if Fate/Zero had to be faulted on anything, it would be the excessive violence in the actual anime. There's quite a few murders, particularly with one master/servant pair who are blatant serial killers, and there is also fighting aplenty. So be warned, it's a bloody anime with some traumatic content. PG-13 at least.

Another point of...perhaps fault would be the philosophy expressed throughout the anime. There are numerous different points of view presented, and the anime seems to leave you to answer the question of which way is right. Personally, I see error in all of them, and would simply advise that you not get lost in the endless stream of assertions made by each character. This anime is not for the person who doesn't have their head on straight.


Overall Impression:
I give Fate/Zero a 9.5 out of 10, because nothing can be truly perfect. But I think this anime gets pretty close.

The Lego Batman Movie: Review

Nananananananananananananananana meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Only the elite few will get it.

So now we have the LEGO Batman movie, which came out this year and as far as I'm concerned is the best (or one of) the best comedies I've ever seen.
Wait...is the movie really a comedy though? I'm not so sure. It's filled with lighthearted hilarity, though, but it's got a lot of other messages too...
...no yeah, it's a comedy.

SPOILER ALERT

The LEGO Batman movie is all about Batman and his relationship with Joker. Like, hero-villain relationship. You know how there's that moment at the end of the Dark Knight when Joker's hanging off of Batman's tow cable, and there's that little thought presented that what is Batman, really, without a villain to fight?
That's played off a LOT in this movie, hilariously like the two are in an actual relationship and going through a breakup, with such phrases as:
"I like to fight around"
"You mean nothing to me"
"You won't get to fight aaany of this" (Ah ha ha, A++ script writers)
"I hate you" "I hate you too"

The movie pokes fun, in a semi-serious way, at how Batman goes it alone so much and hates to work with other people. In the opening fight with the Joker, he even says "You mean nothing to me...no one does." Throughout the rest of the movie, the introduction of Robin and Barbara Gordon go towards showing him that he really doesn't have to go it alone all the time - that sometimes, it's better to work with others.

The turning point of the movie, in my opinion, is when Batman is sucked to the phantom zone and shown a montage of how he's callously and casually treated the feelings of others around him, and that internally, he doesn't really look a lot like the hero he should be. "What's going to change?" the phantom-zone guardian asks, as Batman pleads for it to let him go. And Batman apologizes for his selfishness, and decides to work with other people. And we can all sing kum by yah. Hurray.


END SPOILERS


LEGO movies are a lot like a kid with ADHD - they just can't hold focus, it seems, for more than a few minutes. And that might be my biggest qualm with this movie. It sometimes switches moods so fast it's like you were trying to take a left turn and slammed into a wall in the process. You have to kind of shake your head and re-orient your attention to focus on what's being presented.

But what was good about this movie?
Well, the humor was great. Clean (mostly). There were one or two jokes that were iffy, definitely one that could have been dropped (a dig at the name Richard...you can draw the connection, I'm sure), but overall the funny was great. And enjoyable. Proof that you don't have to cuss every other scene or make wholly untasteful remarks to be funny. Props for that, LEGO.

The music, oh, the music. It was phenomenal. Must-listen. I am one hundred percent adding it to my collection of soundtracks, because it was amazing and it fit the movie so well. And they even incorporated it into the humor. Props again.

The story? It was all right. It's about friendship and family, learning how to be open and vulnerable with others, how to work as a team. Generally 'moral' and 'good' things. But while those good things are just that - good - we have to realize that without a solid foundation for being able to label them as good, the lessons taught are rather pointless. So as Christian parents, if you're taking your kids to see the LEGO Batman movie, remember to include God in there. He's the foundation for claiming those things as good.

I have to applaud the movie that, while it did feel a little fast at times, it did have some meaningful, heartfelt moments. And I approve of a movie that can crack a joke and then turn around and have a near-tearjerking emotional scene. Like when Alfred dies. (Oh, that was spoilers. Whoops...heh heh heh)

Overall, I fully recommend this movie. 8/10, would watch in theaters with friends or family.

Prayer(s) Of A Christian Teenager

For all those people who aren't perfect, and specifically those teens, here are some prayers that I pray every day. Perhaps you'll find some encouragement or some areas that you, too, pray or need to pray in.

-Lord, I confess that I worry. I worry a lot. What is in my future: who will I marry? What will my career be? How many kids will I have? Will I be called to missions? Forgive me for being anxious, Lord. Help me to trust Your plans and simply work hard here and now where You have placed me. Yet I also pray that I would not neglect the future and wander aimlessly about in life. Help me to set goals and work towards them, but trust You with the results.

-Lord, I have a lot of free time (relatively) on my hands. I ask for Your grace and help not to make relaxation my idol, but to make use of the time You have so graciously gifted me. Yet I also pray that I would not become obsessed with work. Give me grace to take an appropriate amount of time to rest from work and relax in the beautiful creation You have made.

-Lord, I confess that I am a proud person. Sometimes even unconsciously so. I pray for Your grace to recognize when I am being selfish, and to step aside in those moments to intentionally serve and bless others. Yet I pray that I would not fall into the trap of self-deprecation: You have gifted me in many ways, Lord, and I pray that I would develop them to their fullest, and that I would allocate all praise and glory for them to You.

-Lord, You have placed me in a good family. I pray that You would give me grace to be a blessing to my siblings and obedient to my parents. May the way in which I act adorn them with honor, and may my family glorify You through Your influence in me.

-Lord, I pray for grace to get up early every day to spend time in Your Word and in prayer, meditation, and memorization over it. May I have such a thirst for Your truth and for an intimacy with You that when I sinfully neglect my devotions, I feel as though I am drying up spiritually. Drive me back to You, Lord, when I drift away.

-Lord, I confess that I am sometimes cowardly in the profession of my faith. Forgive me, I pray, and give me the grace to be bold in sharing the amazing news of Your salvation with my friends and family who don't know You and Your greatness.

-Lord, I pray that You would give me the spiritual energy to fight temptation when it arises. May my drinking from Your spiritual fountain every morning in my devotions vitalize me for each and every day, and may I fall to my knees when confronted with sin, that in prayer You would lift me up and give me the grace to endure it.

-Lord, I confess that I sometimes doubt Your promises, especially when I am in other sin already. I pray that my depravity would drive me closer to You, not further away. I pray for Your forgiveness for my unfaithfulness, and I ask for grace to trust You. May I immediately repent when I sin, and not wallow in my  own self-condemnation. Yet I also pray that I would not take Your forgiveness as license to sin. May I grieve with Your Holy Spirit, and weep when I transgress Your perfect law.

-Lord, in all that I do, in all that I say, and in all that I think, may I glorify You. May my  life reflect Your glory. May the people that I meet and the ones that I love see You in me. I thank You for Your forgiveness. I thank You for Your grace and mercy that You have so abundantly poured out upon me. I pray that my life would be Yours, Oh God that I love, serve, and follow.

Amen.