Tyger Tyger, burning bright, In the forests of the night; What immortal hand or eye, Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

But seriously there was a lot of Taiga in this episode. I mean I love the lady. She is a lovely comic relief character with an earnest heart. I have a feeling that she might have won over a few hearts at Ufotable through Eizenberg consultation room extras just like she was a character beloved by the staff of Type-Moon during the creation of Fate/Stay Night. This is also the only path where she actually participates in the main plot. All that said she always has been a minor character. There was a reason that when Studio Deen threw the United Blade Works parts of Caster’s story into their version of Fate they had Sakura be the one who was kidnapped instead of Taiga. It was one of the few times one of the changes did not do that much to alter the themes of the story. You could argue that putting Sakura in that role added themes and elements that were never meant to be there but I think it is more an interesting choice that can be debated as more than just a poor decision like many of the other changes they made.

I don’t mind more Tiger but like the added prominence of Ayako Mitsuduri and the Three Amiags it makes me wonder if they are trying to build up these characters a bit more for Fate/Hollow Ataraxia. I know part of the reason I keep mentioning it is because I’m seriously hoping that Ufotable will animate the sequel game as they are probably one of the few studios who could easily find a way to tell that story in a way that hits all the highlights, captures the themes correctly, and only cuts the enjoyable but unnecessary filler parts of that story. I really feel like the only way characters like Bazett, Caren, and Avenger will gain any serious prominence is if they get a role in a proper anime. I feel like one of the reasons Tsukihime has always been a lower tier is that its anime has always been lower profile as well. Without a decently accepted anime you will never be able to break through that glass ceiling.

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People always like to bring up the fact that for someone who was summoned in the Archer class it seems like Rin’s servant sure uses swords a whole bunch. As I have stated before I think that has a lot to do with the fact that the Archer class in Fate/Stay Night is heavily based on the Ranger class in D&D. Rangers in D&D can uses swords and bows equally well and usually specialize in either being able to master their ranged combat or how to dual wield melee weapons. Clearly the Wrought Iron Hero picked two swords as this Ranger specialization of choice. Why Nasu decided to name the class Archer instead of Ranger is a question only he can answer. But we do get to see Archer use the heck out of a bow in this episode reminding everyone that he is a proper distance attacker when he is allowed to be.

This episode is also the first time we really get to see some serious nods back to Fate/Zero with some original scenes that were not in the original visual novel. They don’t really change to story but they do give some greater insight to what was happening during the battle with Berserker. The connection of Illya and Saber still goes mostly unaddressed in this version of Fate/Stay Night but the little scene here is more than we have ever gotten before. But the again Nasu has already stated that while he can make up excuses of why Saber and Illya never really acknowledge each other in the visual novel it is best not to think about it too hard and generally accept his hand waving about the issue.

Enough book keeping. There is fighting to be done.

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