When Kamiyā Yuu watched 'Fate/zero' in his previous world, he had already noticed the flaws in what had been considered a major production of its era. From the perspective of animation production technology around the year 2030, the techniques used to make the anime itself were simply too crude. This was reflected not only in the animation but also in the limitations imposed on certain aspects of the production. The first time he watched 'Fate/zero', he had already recognized the awkward position the anime found itself in.
The limitations included the animation of large-scale scenes, while the battles between Heroic Spirits never quite gave viewers that exhilarating sense of satisfaction. Perhaps this was also partly a limitation of the novel's content itself. When Gen Urobuchi originally wrote 'Fate/zero', he had not considered the possibility of an anime adaptation, while the director responsible for adapting it had failed to adequately compensate for those shortcomings.
In the original, Saber's battle against Lancer ended inconclusively. Lancelot's first battle against Goldie also ended inconclusively. Even when the King of Conquerors, Iskandar, unleashed [Ionioi Hetairoi], he merely slaughtered Assassin within a few minutes of screen time. It all felt somewhat anticlimactic.
Before the audience could even recover from the excitement, they suddenly realized:
[Ah, so the battle's already over.]
[The Holy Grail War is so weak!]
That was precisely why Kamiyā Yuu had designed the plotline in the revised 'Fate/zero' anime where Lancer Zhao Yun fought against the King of Conquerors Iskandar's [Ionioi Hetairoi].
At the very least, it needed to demonstrate the true power befitting Heroic Spirits and create a genuine sense of massive scale.
The rearranged plot increased the screen time of both Heroic Spirits and strengthened the impact of [Ionioi Hetairoi], indirectly enhancing Iskandar's characterization as well. Otherwise, [Ionioi Hetairoi] would appear for a few minutes just to eliminate Assassin, then later prove incapable of doing anything to Caster's abyssal monster. It would practically become a huge joke.
The revised version's unveiling of [Ionioi Hetairoi] successfully left countless viewers stunned.
The use of wide, panoramic shots fully conveyed the imposing momentum of a million-strong army, something extraordinarily rare in the animation industry.
Normally, when animating large-scale scenes, animation studios tried to suggest something vast through something small. By filming fragmented sections from different angles, they could convey the oppressive scale of a massive scene.
Ultimately, however, this filming technique existed because of budgetary constraints.
Had the original 'Fate/zero' anime lacked money?
Not really.
But even with ample funding, what it achieved was still only the level seen in the original anime.
The cinematography used for [Ionioi Hetairoi] to achieve the best possible visual effect required an extraordinarily complicated amount of animation work. It was not something an ordinary animation studio could casually produce.
This was no longer merely a question of burning money.
It was like taking truckloads of cash and dumping them straight into the ocean.
No matter how large the budget was, there would eventually come a point where it ran dry—when the production budget exceeded the project's estimated commercial value.
That did not mean studios willing to imitate Kamiyā Yuu and produce animation regardless of cost had never existed.
In his previous world, Tatsunoko Production, once one of the "Big Three" studios in the animation industry, had done something similar.
Everyone knew how that ended.
'Karas', produced to commemorate the company's fortieth anniversary, instead practically became its swan song. Its production costs were so high that they became a major factor in the company's cash-flow difficulties, ultimately forcing it to declare bankruptcy.
After Episode 11 aired, the [Holy Grail Dialogue] and [Ionioi Hetairoi] plotlines did not disappoint the viewers who had been eagerly anticipating them.
Online communities related to 'Fate/zero' throughout District 11 erupted with excitement.
In terms of sheer visual and emotional impact, [Ionioi Hetairoi] could unquestionably rank among the top three scenes in the history of animation in this world.
Nor was it merely a matter of animation quality.
The King of Conquerors, Iskandar, was an extremely compelling character in his own right, making it easy for viewers to identify with and like him. Once viewers emotionally placed themselves in his position, there was hardly anyone who could watch him unleash [Ionioi Hetairoi] and summon his million-strong army without feeling their blood surge with excitement.
[One of the most breathtaking scenes in animation history!]
[Whoa~ This is a rocket-launch-level production budget! With this much money, couldn't they have just hired real people to do it!?]
[This is incredible! The animation quality exploded in every possible way!]
[The most overwhelmingly imposing scene in animation. Nothing else even comes close!]
[King of Conquerors Iskandar! Supreme King! Please return victorious with the spoils of war!]
Excited reactions like these appeared endlessly.
Discussions surrounding 'Fate/zero' practically engulfed the entire online ACG community. Anyone who enjoyed watching anime inevitably knew the name 'Fate/zero'.
Episode 11's television ratings also showed a significant increase.
And this was nowhere near the limit.
Episode 11 had been packed with highlights from beginning to end, but readers who had finished Volume Three of the novel knew that the [Holy Grail Dialogue] was merely the base of the pyramid. The magnificent unveiling of [Ionioi Hetairoi] had only just climbed halfway up.
The true explosive climax of this entire storyline would be Lancer Zhao Yun's battle against [Ionioi Hetairoi]!
In other words, Episode 12 would air the following week.
The novel's promotional PV had given the anime's overall popularity a modest boost. After Episode 11 aired, however, the effect was similar to the major plot twist in Episode 7 of 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica'. More and more viewers who normally had no interest in anime came specifically to see the magnificent spectacle of Iskandar unleashing [Ionioi Hetairoi].
'Fate/zero' also exerted considerable influence overseas.
Its subject matter had always been destined to align more closely with Western audiences' tastes than 'Magical Girl Campus'. Now, the massive spectacle of [Ionioi Hetairoi] was exactly the sort of thing they loved to see.
As a result, even some Western film and television media outlets that normally had little interest in District 11 animation eventually published reviews. Although those reviews came rather late, they were overwhelmingly positive.
["A masterpiece of 2D animation. Its expressiveness is more powerful than any other 2D or 3D animated production! The latest episode practically shattered the technological limits of animation production. It's difficult to believe that all these exquisite frames were drawn one by one by artists in District 11. The sheer volume of artwork required must have been staggering."] — Leinster Animation Studio
["A transformative work of Japanese animation! Unlike any animated production that came before it! Episode 11 left an unforgettable impression, and I believe the episodes to come will bring viewers even more surprises."] — Roderick Allen, renowned online film and animation critic
["A rare example of mature Japanese animation—the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy of Japanese anime!"] — Excerpt from the film and television review section of Fakebook
["An interesting work, an interesting setting, and an interesting story. Now all these fascinating elements are coming together and developing in an even more exciting direction. It is truly worthy of being called a work by Master Kamiyā. Although Master Kamiyā's works may not appeal to everyone, every one of them is regarded as a classic by a particular audience. That is precisely why I have continued following him, even after he returned to the smaller circle of Japan."] — Walker Young, editor-in-chief of the renowned magazine 'Film Journal'
Some online media outlets even went so far as to call 'Fate/zero' an epic of animation!
It had transcended the divide between District 11 animation and Western animation, showcasing a charm unique to District 11's animated works.