The Fate series can be eternally confusing to those new to the series as there are so many different incarnations of it at this point. It's well worth digging into if for no reason other than the fights. There are times it may take a little while to get there as Fate/Zero does go a few episodes without a proper battle.
When the series decides to let characters loose, it's always a joy to watch. Fate/Zero may even be the standout in the series for that, for no other reason than how great the animation is for certain battles. One of the better ones even happens in the first couple of fights.
10 Archer Vs Assassin
It's not much of a battle, and it's never meant to be one. It was used as a ruse to allow the other assassins to move more freely without arousing any suspicion. On that front, it works well, but it also is great at showing just what a beast Archer is, easily destroying the assassin with little to no effort.
Considering he's one of the strongest summon in the show, it's a great way to debut him, letting you know right away he's a force to be reckoned with.
9 Saber Vs Lancer
The first real fight in the series and a good one at that. Lancer got to show off his phantasm and looked very smart the entire fight as he was always a step ahead of Saber, who was on the defensive most of it.
Even when Saber thought she had Lancer's attacks figured out, she was proven wrong. The battle doesn't end up finished as Rider, and a host of other summons make their appearance near the end, leaving the fight inconclusive.
8 Archer Vs Berserker
Being on the defensive has never looked so cool, but the brief battle between Archer and Berserker showed how powerful both of them were. Berserker managed to dodge and counter every single attack Archer had for him, showing how evenly matched the pair were.
The animations were rather slick as well. The way Berserker snatched the sword out of the air to counter an oncoming spear was beautiful. This was a mere taste for what was to come as Gilgamesh was soon recalled by his master.
7 Saber Vs Caster
Caster was a crazy character, one of the more demented characters in the series. He was willing to do anything and everything he needed to win a battle, even if it meant morphing a child into a series of tentacles that quickly latched onto Saber at the start of the battle.
With Saber still injured from her battle with Lancer, Caster had a clear advantage and would have likely won the fight if it'd continued without Lancer's timely arrival, stating Saber was his life alone to take.
6 Kayneth Vs Kiritsugu
Kayneth's liquid metal ability was amazing to look at and was very powerful in use, making him a more than formidable opponent. It's strange that, at times, it's the summoner battles that are more entertaining than the summons, and this is one of those cases.
The battle was the perfect mesh of magic versus modern technology, with Kiritsugu managing to stay a step ahead of his foe. Intelligence and smart thinking ended up winning the day as Kiritsugu was one of the most competent people in all of Fate.
5 Kirei Vs Irisviel & Maiya
Not all fights are with summons, and Kirei showed he could mix it up with just about anyone, taking down Maiya with ease, despite her having a submachine gun at the time. It forced Irisviel to utilize her magecraft against him, managing to briefly apprehend him.
Unfortunately for her, Kirei specialized in battling mages. He escaped her binds as if it were mere rope and proceeded to take care of Irisviel as easily as he had Maiya.
4 Rin Vs Ryuunosuke
The role Rin has in Fate/Zero is relatively small though the anime does give her an entire episode of focus, detailing her search for the missing children a little more meat. She manages to run into Ryuunosuke himself and freeing many of the children he'd captured.
She does it by overloading his bracelet with her magecraft, resulting in one of Caster's horrors chasing her down. Thankfully, Kariya is there to save her from it, ensuring the popular character made it out alive.
3 Rider Vs Assassin
Assassin seemed to only exist as a means of showing off the other summons powers, and that was the case with Rider as much as it was Archer. He got to unleash his fantasm, revealing a vast army at his disposal.
Assassin's copies stood no chance against it and were taken out like the fodder they were. It was a needed moment as Rider had mostly just talked a big game to that point without actually backing it up. It helped build up the moment when he'd have a proper battle.
2 Saber & Rider Vs Caster
The Mion River battle was the first big lengthy battle in Fate/Zero, and it didn't disappoint. With so much happening in the backdrop, Caster's massive monster managed to not get lost in the shuffle.
It stayed a constant presence, regenerating so fast that nothing the duo did had any effect. They just kept hacking away at tentacle after tentacle until Saber unleashed a power yet unseen. She covered the creature in the glorious light of Excaliber, eventually destroying the beast he hid within.
1 Archer Vs Berserker Round 2
Round 2 between these two was just as good as the first, if not more visually pleasing, as it was a fully airborne battle. There was no doubt it was going to be great the second Berserker took over a plane and used it as his fantasm against the great Gilgamesh.
Even he couldn't help but be amused by the battle, allowing himself to be more defensive than offensive for a change. It perfectly showed what an untamed beast that Berserker was to, not paying any mind to Caster's creation.
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