Ryohgo Narita's novel series Fate/Strange Fake is being adapted to animation in a TV special produced by A1 Pictures, and it was supposed to come out at the end of December. However, a new announcement from the special's Twitter page has sadly relayed that it's being delayed to an as-yet unknown date.
The special, titled "Whispers of Dawn" was announced back in September during Aniplex Online Fest for a December 31 release date, just in time for the new year. Unfortunately, the announcement of the delay suggests that there have been production issues and that the planned Fate New Year's Special will instead show some of the work in progress.
Why The Hype?
Ryohgo Narita is an exciting name to hear attached to a Fate project once you're aware of what they've written. Narita is the writer of Baccano and Durarara, two beloved dramas with huge casts of characters in a complex web of interconnected plot lines. He began writing the Fate/Strange Fake novels in 2015 and the series is ongoing.
With a series often centered around numerous original characters as well as figures of legend, historical icons, and classic literary characters, it takes writers who can keep up with such large casts. Narita's skill in this regard is so well documented that in hindsight it seems obvious that they would get involved.
From the outset, Strange Fake is highly reminiscent of Fate/Apocrypha, what with both stories featuring double the usual number of Masters and Servants. The story is set in the fictional city of Snowfield Nevada, where a fake Grail War is being held, which prompts the Mages Association to retaliate with the Servants of a true Grail War.
What Could The Delay Mean?
With the anime only announced a few months back, it's difficult to assess how far along the production was from when it began. There was very little animation shown in the initial teaser, but with the release set for the end of December, it could be assumed that it started months prior, especially given that it was announced as a special, not a series.
With the novel series ongoing, currently at seven volumes as of March 2022, the special couldn't have been a complete story, but likely a teaser for a later TV or film series to come. The biggest question then is how much of the story's beginning this special would cover. Additionally, how long would the special be?
Traditionally, Fate stories are the densest at the beginning, when there are lots of characters to introduce and groundwork to lay for longtime fans and newcomers alike. Fate/Zero and Unlimited Blade Works both started with 47-minute episodes, with the latter starting with two long episodes from two different perspectives.
In all likelihood, the special might follow the same tradition by focusing on the summoning of the first major Servants of the fake Grail War and establishing the politically complex nature of the conflict. The teaser from September already shows what looks like the arrival of Richard the Lionheart, the Saber-class Servant of the True Grail War.
Depending on how long the special is, A1 Pictures might have simply not had enough time to complete the special to meet expectations. Fans already had high expectations after seeing the same production staff work on the commercial for the novel series in 2019. A1 Pictures has also been tackling a lot more high-profile projects as of late.
Thankfully, the New Year's Eve time slot that would have been dedicated to Fate/Strange Fake is still going to be utilized to show in-progress production materials. While it might just end up being character designs, key animation stills, and a teaser with more animation, it will give a clearer picture of how far along the project is, and hopefully, bring more hype than concern.
Sources: Anime News Network, Fate/Strange Fake Twitter