Anime: Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya

What may initially be cast as a throwaway, Fate-based interpretation of the mahou shoujo theme turns out to be a pretty decent show. Fate Ilya (as I will call it) is about an almost normal elementary girl, Ilya, who is suddenly burdened with having to collect magical cards representing each of the seven Fate warrior types. She is joined by her mentor, a hot-headed Tousaka, and another pair of mahou shoujo and mentor. This part-comedy part-action thriller is overall a fun watch with a lot of parodies of other Fate works. I highly recommend watching shows that this references first (Fate/Stay Night, Fate Zero, and Unlimited Blade Works) or your enjoyment will probably be cut by at least half (and you'll miss out on a lot of important, unexplained context). While the first few episodes may come a cross as light and childish in the mahou shoujo sense, the later episodes more than makes up for it with true Fate quality plot progression and storytelling. While not a perfect work, this is a fun and welcome addition to the Fate lineup.

Animation:
First off, let's calibrate expectations. Fate Zero and Unlimited Blade Works were tremendous feats of animation that were like piñatas full of eye candy. Fate Ilya is not in that tier but probably more in line with what we saw in Carnival Phantasm. Mind you, this series is actually animated by Silver Link, which has an overall mixed record with me. The overall series is well colored with good shading and appropriately light mahou moments and darker palettes fitting well with other Fate works. You can tell that the overall animation isn't as detailed as Ufotable works, but overall its decent by today's standards. Though some characters look slightly different (Tousaka and Shirou both looks younger), everyone is recognizable from previous Fate works. Seeing Tousaka in mahou shoujo garb is a humorous and worthy addition in and of itself. I won't give away specific characters, but do expect cameo appearances by various Fate warriors. My annoyances with this show include the (in my opinion) pointless transformation scenes and occasional abuse of CGI to pull of effects.

There is significant action in this show. Though not at the Fate Zero level, you do get some pretty significant battles with a lot of effects and pretty clever tactics. A lot of trademark Fate attacks are showcased in the show in addition to the generic mahou shoujo energy blast attacks, an interesting and well thought out addition. Surprisingly, certain parts of the show are pretty dark. Expect blood and light amounts of gore. Fan service wise, there isn't much for the child-molesting crowd here.

Sound:
The show starts off with a very fitting OP with a nice melody. It ends with a playful tune fitting for the mahou shoujo theme. While the BGM is fair, you can easily tell that Yuki Kajiura wasn't involved with this series.

The VA cast is full of Fate veterans including the always welcome Kana Ueda and Mai Kadowaki. As a bonus, we even get a pompous performance from Shizuja Itou. Given the strong cast, you can expect a very good performance overall.

Story:
Rin Tousaka and Edelfelt, magical students and rivals, are given two magic wands as support in a mission to retrieve magical cards in our favorite Fate city. The two are in a pointless feud that irks their sentient wands into abandoning them and finding new masters. Thus, Ilya and a mysterious, quiet girl named Miyu become involved in the quest to retrieve the cards. Ilya gets more than she hoped for out of her "fun" experience as she's forced to fight for her life in order to help a virtual stranger retrieve these cards that have nothing to do with her. What challenges will the group face when they travel to the mirror world to retrieve the cards?

The show starts off a bit slow as it introduces the mahou theme and presents a few comic moments. However, it quickly turns to the serious business of collecting the dangerous magical cards. Expect multiple episodes to end on fairly significant cliffhangers. The show builds to a final climax where Ilya and Miyu's friendship and trust are tested. While the show does not have anywhere near the depth and continuity of Fate Zero, it is still above average in both execution and overall entertainment value. Expect some surprise moments late in the show that Fate veterans will appreciate.

Character:
Ilya's predicament here feels very similar to that faced by Valvrave and Gundam Seed's protagonists, she's forced into a hostile and unexpected situation where she must either adapt or face death. I personally like these situations as it allows for a very natural, dynamic character progression. The series does a fairly good job of following that path, as well as exploring some issues revolving around Ilya's friendship with Miyu. Oh yes, you get a lot of screen time with Tousaka, although she and Edelfelt feel more static as they're locked in a seemingly endless feud.

Value:
Dead serious in certain moments and comically childish at others, Fate Ilya is, overall, a much lighter addition to the Fate universe. While not as deep and involved as other Fate works, it still came across as a enjoyable watch with lots of fun references to other Fate works. For those who have watched Phantasmoon from Carnival Phantasm, know that this is a much more focused work with an actual plot. Fate Ilya is a pretty good show that manages to unify the mahou shoujo and Fate themes without distorting the selling points of either category. As it's such a short show, I recommend giving it a go if you've got nothing better to do.