There hasn't quite been hype for a Fate adaptation like this since perhaps the Heaven's Feel trilogy, but Fate/strange Fake: Whispers of Dawn has been a long time coming. The thought of a Fate story set in America, from Ryohgo Narita (Baccano and Durarara) no less, seems a certain recipe for success, but does this introductory chapter set up the pieces in a manner befitting that anticipation?
Fate/strange Fake started as an April Fool's joke by Narita, before being published in 2015 as a new series of light novels chronicling a "fake" Holy Grail War in the fictional city of Snowfield, Nevada. The series is still ongoing, with the eighth volume having been released in Japan this year on February 10, 2023, with no word yet on when the series will conclude. After A1 Pictures produced an animated commercial for the novels back in 2019, the interest in an anime for the story skyrocketed. As luck would have it, the same creative team would reunite to create Whispers of Dawn, a TV special that would serve as the pilot for what audiences hoped would be a full adaptation and not just another pretty ad for the light novels.
Setting Expectations
One's enjoyment of Whispers of Dawn hinges wholly on what one expects to get out of the special and the context within which someone views the story. To be blunt, were it not for the near immediate confirmation after the premiere that there would be a TV series, this special might have been received a lot less favorably, even with all there is to love here.
This special is a glamorous, albeit abridged adaptation of Strange Fake's first volume, in which the first series of major players begin to gather, and the first Servants are summoned. When a pair of mages arrive in Snowfield to confirm that a Grail War is taking place, the elder of the two is betrayed by the younger, Faldeus. It is a declaration of an American organization's intent to perform the ritual in America, whereas every other war has been conducted in Fuyuki, Japan.
What follows is the summoning of False Archer, False Lancer, False Caster, False Rider, False Assassin, and False Berserker, but no Saber-class Servant in sight, as the Grail War is imperfect. Similar to Fate/Apocrypha, Fate/Strange Fake divides its large cast into two camps; there is the False Holy Grail War and a True Holy Grail War meant to counter it.
Aside from the appearance of True Saber, Richard the Lionheart, and his Master Ayaka Sajyou, Whispers of Dawn is primarily concerned with introducing the participants of the False Grail War. As for how well the special introduces these individual pieces, that may vary depending on one's familiarity with the original story.
A False Start
Unsurprisingly, Gilgamesh is given much of the spotlight, and his introductory scene alone with his Master Tiné sets the expectation that nothing about this grail war is going to go as planned. Tiné's people are an indigenous group who want to force out the mages who stole their land. It's an inventive idea that uses the American setting and its associated history to great effect.
Given Gilgamesh's popularity, it's no surprise that his sections from the first volume are for the most part just as they are written. His reunion with Enkidu carries the proper weight and is the centerpiece of the special, setting the bar for what this war will entail. The other standout story is that of Flat Escardos and the misconception which led them to become a Master in the first place.
Lord El Melloi II - or as Fate/Zero fans will know him, Waver Velvet - returns as Flat's professor, ever impatient with his annoying yet undeniably gifted student. Flat comes upon confidential information about the Grail War and after jumping to a wild conclusion, takes a package meant for El Melloi and goes to America, where he summons Jack the Ripper seemingly on accident.
What becomes clear upon reading/watching Fate/Strange Fake is how the characters within the Fate Series lend themselves rather perfectly to Narita's writing style. Like in a story such as Durarara, the characters are of such diverse temperaments and personalities that no one quite walks or talks the same. Much of the enjoyment comes from watching how these personalities clash and coalesce, and the Master/Servant pairing only heightens this strength.
That is when said personalities are allowed to be explored. As a byproduct of the special's pacing, a lot of the framing which makes the other Masters and Servants compelling is cut for time. For example, without the initial context of False Assassin's life - before she was summoned - her slaughter of the mages lacks the same weight as it had in the novel.
Similarly, the introduction of Tsubaki Kuruoka, the Master of False Rider, is considerably cut down, notably in the presentation of her parents. In the book, their lack of care for their daughter adds an element of horror before their karmic comeuppance at the hands of False Rider takes the horror to a new level. The special preserves the aesthetic of a young girl protected by a horrifying mysterious entity but sacrifices details that might strengthen that story.
A Beautiful Imitation
To the special's credit, the presentation of its story helps make up for many of the low points. The character animation is wonderfully expressive, especially during the scenes with False Caster, and the few action scenes look gorgeous. Furthermore, the visual direction can be quite clever, visualizing the powers of these characters in clever ways.
False Berserker is never really there, so his disguises disappear in a flash between cuts. When Gilgamesh summons Ea, there's a split-second splash screen in which the weapon's title is shown, as if its power were subliminally burrowing its identity into your head. Director Shun Enokido has a keen eye for detail, and all should be eager to see his approach to this story in a more accommodating format. As for the special, it is both great and a little underwhelming.
But honestly, is it fair to expect so much from what is basically "Episode 0"? The special already bounces back and forth between chapters to cover more ground, so it's not unlikely that what was omitted will be explored in the early episodes of the show. Regardless of what was omitted, Plenty will adore Whispers of Dawn as an amuse-bouche of sorts before the main course, but it's hard to fight this feeling that it misses the chance to make a better first impression.
As a consequence of being an hour long, the story omits the kind of context that breeds further intrigue and yields a more significant payoff. Despite that, it presents itself with the utmost confidence. Fate/strange Fake: Whispers of Dawn displays a keen understanding of what audiences love about this franchise just as it is enthusiastic to show them something completely new. It has the potential to be the next truly great Fate adaptation in animation.
Fate/strange Fake: Whispers of Dawn
