The appeal and reviews of "Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia": A grand story and character depth

The appeal and reviews of Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

"Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia" is a TV anime series that aired from October 2019 to March 2020, and is based on the story of TYPE-MOON's popular game "Fate/Grand Order". Directed by Akai Toshifumi and produced by CloverWorks, it faithfully reproduces the worldview of the original while also being a work with its own unique appeal. In this article, we will take a detailed look at the work's overview, characters, story, production staff, and music, and delve deeper into its appeal and reviews.

Overview

"Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia" was broadcast on TOKYO MX and BS11 from October 5, 2019 to March 21, 2020. It consists of 21 episodes, each 30 minutes long. It is based on the story of the game "Fate/Grand Order" by Kinoko Nasu and TYPE-MOON, but also contains many original elements for the anime.

story

Chaldea, the organization that guarantees the continuation of human order, continues to work day and night to observe the world that cannot be seen by magic alone and the world that cannot be measured by science alone, and to preserve the history of humanity, which was proven to be extinct in 2017. The cause of human extinction is the "unobservable realm" that suddenly appeared at various points in history - the "singularity". Ritsuka Fujimaru, the only remaining Master in Chaldea, has been carrying out the "Grand Order of the Holy Grail Search", a forbidden ritual to explain or destroy the phenomenon of this singularity by intervening in it, together with the demi-servant Mash Kyrielight. This time, the seventh singularity was newly discovered - ancient Mesopotamia in 2655 BC. The land of Uruk, which had been ruled by the "Wise King Gilgamesh, the Wedge of Heaven" and boasted of its prosperity after completing the search for the spiritual herb of immortality, was in danger of destruction due to the devastation caused by the three goddesses and numerous magical beasts. And so, Fujimaru and Mash, who have traveled back in time to the land of Uruk through "rayshift," encounter the Absolute Demonic Front, a fortress city that holds back the onslaught of demonic beasts, and the people who live their lives to the fullest despite the threat. Gods and demonic beasts attack. And humanity resists them. It is a fateful era in which humans and gods part ways. The final battle begins for Fujimaru and Mash, the two who have been through six quests.

character

The protagonists of this work are Fujimaru Ritsuka (voice: Shimazaki Nobunaga), a candidate to become a master at Chaldea, and Mash Kyrielight (voice: Takahashi Rie), a demi-servant. The two have been on a journey together to repair the singularity, with Fujimaru being the only surviving master with the aptitude for Rayshift, despite being an "amateur," and Mash calling Fujimaru "senpai." Other characters with unique personalities include Romani Archaman (voice: Suzuki Kenichi), the interim chief executive of Chaldea; Leonardo da Vinci (voice: Sakamoto Maaya), the third person to successfully summon a heroic spirit; Gilgamesh, the wise king of Uruk (voice: Seki Tomokazu); Kingu (voice: Kobayashi Yuu), who gave new life to the corpse of Enkidu; Merlin (voice: Sakurai Takahiro), a servant summoned by Gilgamesh; and the "stray servants" Anna (voice: Asakawa Yuu) and Ishtar (voice: Ueda Kana), who have no masters.

Production Staff

The director of this work was Toshifumi Akai, and the assistant director was Miyuki Kuroki. The character design was by Tomoaki Takase, who was also the chief animation director, the sub-character design was by Masahiro Iwasaki, and the creature design was by Emi Kono. The design works were by Kota Michishita and Shintetsu Takiyama, the chief animation director was Yuichi Oka, the action directors were Emi Kono, Toya Oshima, and Isao Hayashi, and the technical director was Yohei Miyahara. The art directors were Hisayo Usui and Satoru Hirayanagi, the art setting was Yoshinori Shiozawa, the color design was Kazuko Nakajima, the director of photography was Yuya Sakuma, the 3D CG was by GEMBA, the 3D directors were Hisashi Egawa and Toru Shinozaki, the monitor graphic designer was Kaori Seki, the editor was Akinori Mishima, the music was by Keita Haga and Ryu Kawasaki, and the sound director was Yoshikazu Iwanami. These staff members worked together to vividly depict the worldview of this work.

music

The opening theme of this work is "Phantom Joke" by UNISON SQUARE GARDEN, with lyrics and music by Tabuchi Tomoya and arrangement by UNISON SQUARE GARDEN. The ending themes are "Hoshi ga Furu Yume" by Eir Aoi and "Prover" by milet, with the former written by Eir and music and arrangement by TAMATE BOX and Mitani Shuho, and the latter by milet and TomLow. Additionally, milet's "Tell me" is used as an in-game song, with lyrics, music and arrangement by milet and Ryosuke "Dr.R" Sakai. These songs add to the atmosphere of the work and draw in the hearts of viewers.

Evaluation and Appeal

"Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia" has been highly praised not only by fans of the original game, but also by anime fans. It has been particularly praised for its beautifully depicted visuals of the ancient Mesopotamian world, and for its carefully drawn storyline that portrays the individuality and growth of the characters. In addition, the appearance of famous characters such as Gilgamesh and Merlin makes it a must-watch for fans of the original work.

The appeal of this work lies above all in its epic scale and deep story. Set against the backdrop of ancient Mesopotamian history and mythology, it depicts a battle for the survival of humanity, drawing viewers into its epic worldview. In addition, the growth of Fujimaru and Mash, as well as the portrayal of the emotions of characters such as Gilgamesh and Kingu, are also stunning, moving viewers to the heart. Furthermore, the intensity of the battle scenes and the beauty of the music also add to the appeal of this work.

Related Titles

"Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia" is part of the "Fate" series by TYPE-MOON, and other related works include "Fate/stay night", "Fate/Zero", "Fate/EXTRA", and "Fate/Apocrypha". Each of these works has its own unique appeal, so if you're interested, be sure to check them out.

subtitle

The subtitles of this work are as follows:

• Episode 0／Initium Iter(2019/09/30)
• Episode 1/Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia (2019/10/05)
• Episode 2: The Fortress City of Uruk (2019/10/12)
• Episode 3: The King and the People (2019/10/19)
• Episode 4: Call of the Jungle (2019/10/26)
• Episode 5/Gilgamesh's Journey (2019/11/02)
• Episode 6: The Clay Tablet of Destiny (2019/11/09)
• Episode 7: Diversionary Tactics (2019/11/16)
• Episode 8／Beast Mother Goddess (2019/11/23)
• Episode 9: Good Morning, Goddess of Venus (2019/11/30)
• Episode 10/Hello, Sun Goddess (2019/12/07)
• Episode 11/Temple of the Sun (2019/12/14)
• Compilation I/The Beginning of the Journey (2019/12/21)
• Compilation II: Battle of the Soul (2019/12/29)
• Episode 12: Death of the King (2020/01/04)
• Episode 13: Goodbye, Goddess of the Underworld (2020/01/11)
• Episode 14/Final Battle (2020/01/18)
• Episode 15: The New Form of Humanity (2020/01/25)
• Compilation III: Final Battle (2020/02/01)
• Episode 16／Awakening (2020/02/08)
• Episode 17: The Meeting Dances (2020/02/15)
• Episode 18: The Primordial Star, the Sky We Look Up To (2020/02/22)
• Episode 19 / Absolute Demonic Front Mesopotamia I (2020/03/07)
• Episode 20/Absolute Demonic Front Mesopotamia II (2020/03/14)
• Episode 21／Grand Order(2020/03/21)

Recommendation

"Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia" is a work that has an epic worldview, deep story, unique characters, beautiful visuals and music. It is recommended not only for fans of the original game, but also for anime fans. It is a work that should be watched especially by those who are interested in history and mythology, and those who like epic stories. Also, by enjoying other works in the "Fate" series, you can understand the worldview more deeply. Please enjoy this wonderful work.