June 6th, 2015 
AstroNerdBoy Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works – 22 review
フェイト/ステイナイト [Unlimited Blade Works] – 22
SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:
At Shirou’s home, Saber bandages Shirou’s wounds, after which he, Saber, and Rin agree that the Grail needs to be destroyed. Shirou fixes dinner as Rin sends out familiars, determining that Gilgamesh is summoning the Grail at Ryuudou Temple, using Shinji as the vessel. She also notes a newspaper article, citing how all of the people in the temple were taken to the hospital following a supposed gas leak, so the temple will be deserted. As they discuss plans for handling Gilgamesh, Rin suddenly realizes that Archer and Shirou are the biggest threats to Gilgamesh due to Unlimited Blade Works and the fact that Shirou of the future wasn’t killed with a weapon and thus Gilgamesh has no weapon designed to kill him.
After dinner, Shirou overhears Rin conversing with Saber. Shirou pays Rin a visit. He’s figured out what Rin figured out, but he knows he doesn’t have the mana to summon Unlimited Blade Works. Rin does, stating she can transfer her Magic Crest into Shirou via a ritual, whereby he loses his shirt and she loses her overshirt. During the ritual, Shirou is able to experience some of Rin’s memories from her childhood and one from her early teen hears when she’s observing Shirou working hard on performing a high jump. Afterward, Rin is embarrassed because Shirou saw her private moments and she vows to see his private moments next time. Elsewhere, Saber has been meditating and when Shirou comes to see her, they chat, during which she makes him promise to return with Rin as Saber will protect them both. Meanwhile at the temple, the Grail is being summoned.
Thoughts/Review:
I hate to admit this, but I was laughing nearly the entire time of Shirou’s and Rin’s encounter and remembering how in the original anime, Shirou’s and Saber’s encounter was all about dragon imagery. Here, it was about dolphins.
I don’t know any of the details of Rin and Shirou hooking up in the visual novel. I know they had sex, and I’d seen a few images several years ago. So I wondered how ufotable would handle the issue. Their use of dolphin imagery and such comes off as funny because (1) I know it is supposed to be sex scene and (2) all of Rin’s actions and reactions are based on her having sex with Shirou for the first time, not about some relatively harmless Magic Crest transfer.
For example, at the end, Rin is going on about Shirou having seen. At that moment, I’m thinking, “OK. I bet what happened in the visual novel is that Rin had sex with Shirou to transfer the Magic Crest to him, but she made him promise not to look at her. When it was all over, she felt sure he got a look at her and then became embarrassed and angrily vowed to get a good look at him next time.”
Maybe if I’d not known this was originally a sex scene, I wouldn’t have giggled the entire time. However, I did know, and I’m still snickering as I write.
I don’t think Saber has ever looked as lovely as she did in this episode. The resolution she came to based on Shirou fighting Archer has put her at peace. I loved the moment when she told Shirou that he and Rin had to return from all this and that she’d protect them. For some reason, I could see her surviving this fight with Gilgamesh and see her as the lifelong bodyguard for Rin and Shirou, protecting their happiness and basically being one of the family.
Obviously, that can’t happen (well…I suppose it could, considering Gilgamesh continued after the last war). After all, if Saber couldn’t stick around in her own route, she’s not going to stick around for Rin’s route and other than my wishful thinking getting the better of me, there’s no reason for her to stick around after she’s done her bit. But hey, I like Saber, and frankly, Shirou should get a harem end to get ALL the girls. *nods*
As to their plan to take on Gilgamesh, it will be interesting to see this in action. Even with his magical boost so that he can use Unlimited Blade Works, I don’t know how he beats Gilgamesh.
In the end, another enjoyable episode, even if I did find it ultra amusing for the wrong reasons. I am looking forward to the next episode for sure.
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From the preview we learned that Saber has to deal with the f***ing Fake Assassin who, for some reason, is still sticking around without a master and still guarding the temple entrance. I guess he gets his mana from the temple?
You guessed it. Assassin’s spirit is anchored to the temple by Caster,
Shouldn’t it still be tagged as spoiler? I don’t remember it being explained before and there is still a possibility that it will be explained in the next episode/s.
I see what you mean (and sorry no one caught your concern about the spoiler), although the Assassin still being there was a massive spoiler in the preview for the next episode.
That was a terrible spoiler too. I made the mistake of watching the ED (normally I don’t) and caught that Assassin was still there.
I haven’t played the games but i do know about all the endings/routes through a friend who played it.
Since I myself hadn’t played i don’t know what exactly happens(other than iliya dying) but I am guessing that Saber will stay in the end, without spoiling it I’m pretty sure.
I think.
[spoiler title="VN UBW Endings"]That is indeed one of the two endings of UBW, but I get the feeling Ufotable is going to use the other one, seeing as Saber has reached her conclusion and it looks like Shirou understands her decision.[/spoiler]
I agree with Astro, I don’t find any good reason for the King of Knight to stay in this era.
Personally, I like Saber, and wouldn’t mind seeing her stay. But, if I consider this adaptation as the continuation of F/Z anime instead of an alternative route for Fate route, which is what it looks like to me, then her leaving seems better for her story’s ending.
Whoops, sorry and thanks. :p The last two-third of that sentence is the impression I got from this episode though.
Btw, how can we add title in the spoiler box? I forgot to copy it when you explained it few weeks ago. Sorry for the trouble.
No problem. You do it like this.
[spoiler title=”Title of your spoiler goes here”]Spoiler text.[/spoiler]
Ditto. I’d just love to see her live a normal, happy life in the modern times with Rin and Shirou as her best friends. Unfortunately, Shirou is hooked up with Rin in this route, but based on the Fate route, Rin does not appear to be one who doesn’t mind a polygamous relationship. Of course there’s been no romantic thing between Saber and Shirou this route, so I can see Saber living as the guardian of Rin’s and Shirou’s happiness and becoming godmother to their children…should she stay.
While I’m aware of the visual novel, and even have an English sub version around somewhere, I’m not aware of the endings, good or bad. It would be neat if Saber could stay, but I don’t see how that happens, especially if she didn’t stay for her own route.
I’m not sure… is current law such that they would have gotten in trouble for openly insinuating that they had sex, instead of the silliness of treating (and talking about) touching his chest and sharing memories as if it were sex?
Sorta reminds me of that scene with Hecate in Shakugan no Shana, though they did go back to poke fun at themselves later. (^_~)
I don’t know if current law forbids that or not. I think the redone visual novel that strips out all of the hentai stuff is what the dragon and dolphin scenes were taken from. I’ve no clue how Sakura’s stuff is done in her route.
😆 I’d forgotten about that.
I learnt after watching the episode that in the VN they had sex during that scene. The thing is, I just dont think that moment in their relationship would be a naturally fitting moment for the two of them to make love. They have hardly kissed, if at all (my memory is sketchy), so why would they have sex at that moment in time? Another thing, I also think mana transfers via sex is a stupid concept. I think the VN got it wrong and the anime got it very right. As for Rin to react the way she did even though all she did was give him light skinship, well she acted very much in character. Sex with Shirou would have been on her mind though, especially after that. Good character development, a lot more realistic than doing the deed at that point in time as the VN would make you have it.
From a romantic stance, no. However, in the Fate route, Saber needed mana, so naturally, the way to give it to her is for Shirou to have sex with her. In the UBW route, Shirou needs mana and the ability to use more of it, so Rin has to give him her Magic Crest. Naturally, the only way to do this is to have sex. 😉
Don’t get me wrong, it is all a massive BS reason just to inject sex into the story. I know Shirou bangs Sakura in the Heaven’s Feel route, but I don’t know the circumstances of their getting together. If I had to guess, it would be another silly “plot” reason.
“But hey, I like Saber, and frankly, Shirou should get a harem end to get ALL the girls. *nods*”
drow in your wishes and die, f****** harem b********. rin and shirou sex scene is the worst in the vn tho
Well, I’ll have to take your work for it. Thanks for writing. 😀