Fate Grand Order -First Order- is an OVA anime adaptation of Fate Grand Order, a mobile RPG developed by DELiGHTWORKS, Inc., and based on the Fate series by Kinoko Nasu and TYPE-MOON. Now, the anime adaptation Fate Grand Order -First Order- lets viewers experience the prologue of the game in full animation.

Synopsis

The year is AD 2017. The last era in which magecraft still thrived.

The Chaldea Security Organization was founded to focus on preserving the continuation of human history. They observe a world which magecraft couldn’t observe and science couldn’t measure all to prevent the certain extinction of humanity. But one day, the future that Chaldea continued to observe disappears and humanity’s extinction in 2019 becomes clear. Rather, it had already happened. The cause seems to be related to Fuyuki, a provincial town in Japan, in the year AD 2004. There, an “unobservable region” that had not existed before appears.

Based on the assumption that Fuyuki is the reason for humanity’s extinction, Chaldea issues an order to explore, investigate, and possibly destroy this singularity – a quest for the Holy Grail: the Grand Order.

Story Review

This OVA based on the online RPG of the series is not directly linked to the other Fate/Stay stories but all of the familiar servants are there. In First Order, humanity’s existence is threatened by singularities of unknown origin. Ritsuka along with Mash are sent back in time to one of the holy grail wars that seems to be going on unattended. They find out the servants are all still there but no masters are anywhere to be found. Along with Olga, and the help of the only uncorrupted servants, they fight to kill all of the remaining servants and end this singularity.

The OVA is 70 minutes long so don’t expect it to answer all your questions. It does for a single film start and finish its first chapter fairly neatly. However, if you want to catch the rest of the story to its conclusion you will have to download the game for your mobile phone. Still as another addition to the Fate franchise, its nice to see some familiar faces in the servants and getting to watch them in action yet again.

For Fate fans who are looking for more of the series and perhaps more fight scenes with their favorite servants, the Heavens Feel arc of Fate/Stay is about to hit theaters. If you have not already gotten your tickets for Fate/Stay Heavens Feel now is the time.

We give Fate Grand Order – First Order – a B -. It keeps intact the beautiful animation of the series that we have come to expect from the Fate franchise. As a stand alone story it is okay but lacks the depth of the other Fate anime to date.

Technical Overview

The Blu-ray edition of Fate Grand Order -First Order- will include both the original Japanese dialogue as well as the brand new English dub, which Aniplex of America premiered on Day 1 of Anime Expo. The English cast features Griffin Burns (anohana –The Flower We Saw That Day, Charlotte) as Ritsuka Fujimaru, Erica Mendez (Your lie in April, Magi franchise) as Mash Kyrielight, and Kira Buckland (Blue Exorcist, The Asterisk War) as Olga Marie Animusphere. Tony Oliver (Fate series, Magi franchise, Charlotte) serves as both ADR director and the voice of Cú Chulainn.

Spoken Languages: Japanese & English. Subtitles: English & Spanish. Aspect ratio: 16:9 widescreen

Bonus Features

As far as bonus materials, this single OVA comes packaged with an illustrated package by Takashi Takeuchi. It also includes a CD with the original anime soundtrack which is a nice add if you love anime soundtracks. A deluxe full color booklet is also included with this set. Game trailers and opening are available on the blu-ray disc as well.