G’day everyone, welcome back for a new Manga Monday! Today, we’re diving into a familiar world for fans of Japanese animation, the Holy Grail Wars. But hold on, things don’t go as expected here… Rules twisted, invisible Servants, and totally chaotic battles. You got it, today we’re talking about Fate/strange Fake!
Fate/strange Fake
Author: Ryōgo Narita
Illustrator: Morii Shizuki (manga)
Genre: Action – Supernatural – Fantasy
Publisher (France): Only available in Japanese version
Number of Volumes: 4
Animated Series: 1 season (13 episodes)
Animation Studio: A-1 Pictures
Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll
Rating: 
What’s it about?
The story takes place in the United States, in the fictional city of Snowfield. An organization is trying to recreate a Holy Grail War, the legendary ritual that summons heroes of the past called Servants to fight until only one remains. But this war is far from perfect.
The ritual is incomplete, the rules are unstable, and the summoned Servants don’t always fit the usual classes. The result: a completely unpredictable war where each side possesses powerful and dangerous assets.
Why it’s good?
A totally unrestrained version of Fate
If you’re already familiar with the franchise, Fate/strange Fake takes the concept even further. Here, the rules are broken, the summonings are unstable, and chaos reigns supreme. Every battle becomes unpredictable.
An impressive cast
One of the major strengths of the work is its huge gallery of characters (a fine bunch of crazies, in my opinion). Between the Masters and the Servants, each has their own goal, personality, and motivations. The result is a rich story full of twists.
Spectacular fights
As always in the Fate universe, the battles are a real pleasure to watch. But here, with shaky rules, the fights become even more intense and unpredictable.
A more mature and complex atmosphere
Just like the other versions (Fate/Zero, Fate Stay Night), Fate/strange Fake takes the time to develop its plotlines and characters. We’re dealing with a denser work, with multiple intertwined narratives.
Ultra epic music to enhance the Grail War
This season features a big name in composition: Hiroyuki Sawano! A composer who needs no introduction, already behind the OSTs of Solo Leveling, Attack on Titan, and Guilty Crown. And let me tell you, he does not disappoint. Once again, he delivers incredibly powerful pieces capable of elevating every scene: whether in epic moments that give you shivers or in tense phases where every note raises the pressure.
And how about the opening? Visually impressive, musically impactful… It immediately sets the mood and sets the tone from the first seconds!
Conclusion
This season of Fate shakes up the usual codes and offers a much broader and more original cast (Masters and Servants) than in some previous seasons. The studio A-1 Pictures delivers a spectacular season that builds up to a final cliffhanger as frustrating as it is effective! Now we hope for a quick announcement for the continuation (pretty please)… In the meantime, for those who haven’t started it yet, the 13 episodes of the series are waiting for you and will definitely blow your mind… and your ears!
