Shirô, quoique magicien débutant, arrive à repérer le point de base de la zone que Rider a enchantée. Face au danger que représente cette zone, et surtout, devinant les capacités de Shirô, Rin Tôsaka décide de coopérer avec ce dernier. C’est sous ce prétexte qu'elle s’installe chez lui. Cette coopération ne va pourtant pas sans heurt car Archer, le servant de Rin, reste méfiant à l’égard de Shirô.
I have some mixed feelings on this volume, but I will say I think I enjoyed it more than some others.
We get a lot more information from Rider than what those who are more familiar with the Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works anime are accustomed to, especially since she's the one to clarify more about the nature of Heroic Spirits not always being clear-cut heroes of legend. Her presence in this volume delights me.
This is also the volume where we finally learn about Noble Phantasms and their function, which proves further my point that I do feel like this series did serve a needed purpose for accessibility for a lot of newer Western fans when it was released.
Unfortunately this volume also introduces us to Shinji, which, while needed, is its own degree of frustrating and a point against it, in my opinion. Also I'm not sure why but the art in this volume seems pretty bad. Ah well. Can't win 'em all.
This time two new servants, Rider (my fav) and Caster (another one I just adore (well, when she goes good of course)). There is tons of action, strategic talk, and finding out more about servants and masters. Shinji, aka Mr. Dick McDickdick is also here and boy I want to punch him. He was a dick in the anime as well and in the manga is just as bad. What a horrible terrible person. :{ I had such a laugh when Tohsaka just invited herself into Shirou's house. Oh boy. I do think it is funny that Shirou sleeps in his storage room given how many space the house has. It just seems weird he lies on a few blankets in a storage room. I hope that Saber finds her sword, or at least gets it shown, soon. I am glad that Tohsaka and Shirou got an alliance though! And we see a hint at a certain thing that Archer can do, yas, I cannot wait.
A weird thing about Fate, because it is split into different routes each route by itself contains information unrelated to the route. Details meant for other routes. Sakura, Shinji Brother is really more of a minor character despite her history with the others. She is Shiro oldest friend and Rin's sister. But because of the route nature she really only plays a big role within the third route.
Either way Shiro and Saber clash with Rider before they split up. Shiro learns a bit later on after a fight between him and Shinji that Shinji is the master of rider. He shares this with Rin and archer at the end of the day. At the end of the volume, they are attacked by Caster.
I'm most curious what they are going to do with Caster. From what I heard she plays a minor role within the first route.
Hach, ich mag Bände, in denen Rider eine zentrale Rolle einnimmt. Bei Shinji kommt mir allerdings das blanke Grauen. Wie er mit Sakura umgeht und wie sie ihn verteidigt. DAS ist furchtbar.