Completed Series: Fate/Zero S2

Title: Fate/Zero S2 (Fate/Zero 2ndシーズン)
Episodes: 12
Year: 2012
Studio: ufotable

So the conclusion of Fate/Zero; which ultimately is just one series split into two seasons. I think I mentioned my distaste for splitting seasons like this - it's one thing if one season is one story arc and the second season is a different arc, but this is one series straight through split into two seasons. It's confusing for the viewer, and ultimately completely pointless. But that's all television politics, I imagine.

Anyway, the second season brings about the resolution to the Holy Grail War. What interests me the most is the way that this so thoroughly sets up Fate Stay/Night. It's been years since I watched the original series (I believe I watched it in 2008), and I barely remember it, so coming off of this origin story I am mildly interested in watching it again to see how everything ties together.

I did enjoy this series - it was pretty grim, knowing that there is a definite end and that there's not going to be a "happily ever after" for most of these characters, but the animation was top-notch. If you're a fan of the Fate series I do recommend this entry - and this is definitely one of those "video game/visual novel" adaptations done right.

Completed Series: Hiiro no Kakera

Title: Hiiro no Kakera (緋色の欠片)
Episodes: 12
Year: 2012
Studio: Studio DEEN

I picked up Hiiro no Kakera because the promo art reminded me of Juuni Kokki, and I was intrigued. I knew it was a reverse harem show going in, but I did not realize exactly how bad this show was going to be.

If you've been reading my mini-reviews, I tend to try to find the good in every series. Anime is a very subjective medium - things that I love, and make me happy might be someone else's tired and overdone tropes. That being said, I can't find much of anything redeeming about this series. It isn't even "so bad it's good" like Weiss Kreuz. It's just bad.

The story is nothing but a collection of tropes and pastiches. The characters are cardboard cut-outs with a smattering of personality. My favorite? When the female main character stops everyone as they're walking home and demands to know something about them, like, oh, their hobbies. The scene read as stupidly awkward and felt like someone reading character profiles aloud. There was absolutely nothing relevant about the scene at all.

It's clear to even the least seasoned viewer that this is a poorly ported game/visual novel. Everything that Hakuouki did right this series did wrong ... and from what I hear there is going to be a second season! (I will probably watch with all the fascination of a car wreck. Will it really be that bad? There's only one way to find out!)

Unless you have a particular fondness to this series, I would recommend giving this series wide berth. Don't waste your time.