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Fate/stay night
An austere urban dark fantasy wrapped in bittersweet moonlight, Fate/stay night captures the tragic collision of unyielding ideals and phantom regrets, where fractured souls clash like unsheathed blades beneath a crimson sky.
Fate/stay night
Fate/stay night

"The Holy Grail War Begins!"

07 January 2006 — 17 June 2006 Japan 1 season 24 episode Ended 7.2 (248)

Cast: Noriaki Sugiyama, Ayako Kawasumi, Kana Ueda, Mai Kadowaki, Junichi Suwabe

Animation Sci-Fi & Fantasy Action & Adventure The Cost and Illusion of Heroism (Ideals vs. Reality) Duty, Regret, and Acceptance of Destiny The Burden of Inherited Wishes & Survivor’s Guilt Mutual Understanding and Love Across Eras Corruption of Ambition & False Miracles

Fate/stay night — Characters & Cast

Character Analysis

Shirou Emiya

Noriaki Sugiyama

Archetype: The Reluctant Chosen Hero / Traumatized Idealist Key Trait: Pathological selflessness and projection craftmanship

Motivation

Inherit Kiritsugu’s dream to save everyone and prevent another Fuyuki tragedy.

Character Arc

Begins as a naive, self-sacrificing teenager willing to throw himself in harm's way to protect even his supernatural Servant. By confronting rival Servants, mastering projection magic, and understanding Saber's emotional pain, he transitions from an empty martyr to a determined protector who values life and chooses genuine resolve.

Saber / Artoria Pendragon

Ayako Kawasumi

Archetype: The Tragic Fallen King / Honorable Knight Key Trait: Fierce chivalric honor and martial prowess

Motivation

Claim the Holy Grail to wish for another ruler to take the throne in her place.

Character Arc

Summons with a cold, strictly professional demeanor, driven by regret over Camelot's destruction. As Shirou treats her as a human woman rather than a disposable weapon, she rediscovers her own emotional vulnerability and lets go of her obsession to undo the past.

Rin Tohsaka

Kana Ueda

Archetype: The Tsundere Prodigy / Pragmatic Mentor Key Trait: Sharp intellect and jewel magecraft

Motivation

Win the Holy Grail to fulfill her familial lineage as the guardian of Fuyuki.

Character Arc

A gifted mage determined to uphold her family's prestige, Rin initially hides her gentle nature behind sharp pragmatism. Partnering with Shirou softens her edges, causing her to prioritize Shirou and Saber’s lives over the ruthless survival ethics of orthodox magi.

Archer

Junichi Suwabe

Archetype: The Cynical Anti-Hero / Disillusioned Veteran Key Trait: Versatile ranged and close-quarters combat mastery

Motivation

Fulfill his contract with Rin while challenging the hollow nature of blind heroism.

Character Arc

Rin’s sarcastic and pragmatic Servant holds a visible disdain for Shirou’s naive idealism. Despite his cynical exterior, he makes the ultimate sacrifice against Berserker to buy time for Shirou, Rin, and Saber to escape.

Kirei Kotomine

Jouji Nakata

Archetype: The Corrupt Priest / Shadow Manipulator Key Trait: Ruthless sadism veiled in holy scripture and Bajiquan martial arts

Motivation

Observe human agony and witness the "birth" of the Grail's pure evil to find meaning in his own twisted existence.

Character Arc

The supervisor of the Holy Grail War who pretends to be a neutral arbiter of the Church. He operates from the shadows as the Master of Lancer and the surviving overseer of Gilgamesh, seeking to unleash the Grail's corrupt contents upon the world.

Cast

Noriaki Sugiyama as Shirou Emiya (voice)
Ayako Kawasumi as Saber (voice)
Kana Ueda as Rin Tohsaka (voice)
Mai Kadowaki as Illya (voice)
Junichi Suwabe as Archer (voice)
Noriko Shitaya as Sakura Matou (voice)
Miki Ito as Taiga Fujimura (voice)
Hiroshi Kamiya as Shinji Matou (voice)
Tadahisa Saizen as Berserker (voice)
Atsuko Tanaka as Caster (voice)
Jouji Nakata as Kirei Kotomine (voice)
Yuu Asakawa as Rider (voice)
Mitsuaki Madono as Issei Ryuudou (voice)
Kazuhiro Nakata as Soichiro Kuzuki (voice)
Shin-ichiro Miki as Assassin (voice)

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