So I watched My Hero Academia S4

The Anime: Boku no Hero Academia meets its 4th Seasonal Installment



For Manga Readers:
This Season covers the after math of what happened from Season 3 and ends with the Birth of something new. It also mainly focuses on OVERHAUL and Eri Chan, as well as the Grey area of Hero Society and the UA School Festival.

TL;dr: 5.5/6
Yet another Masterpiece I know. Its just my opinion but the Ending and Opening didn't have me interested hence the last missing point. Otherwise the Show Overcompensates for every other fault in the grandest way possibly.


Finally the Review:
You may recall I gave 5.5/6 -> Kindly refer to my Artistic Scale if you are confused

Note: BNHA has been, like Jojo's Bizzare Adventure, been consistently at 4 stars ranking. Which is a feat in it self, in Season 3 I was strongly tempted to bump it up to 5 stars due to United States of Smash but didn't because I believe the narrative would have held better differently afterwards than what actually happened. So going from 4 -> 5.5 has been the biggest leap among all other anime I have watched.

Artistic:
Since the Arc is primarily about Eri Chan, Overhaul and Togata Mirio lets start there
Firstly: P R O T E C C  E R I  C H A N

now with that aside
Overhauls Arc and the Status of the Sshie Hassaikai mirrors that of a Hybrid between Yakuza and Samurai in Japanese Culture. Overhaul is the heir/acting leader of said Organization and he is using Eri Chan's powers to craft a Drug that will change the Landscape of Hero Society.
Midoriya and Mirio both work at Sir Nighteye's Work Study when the encounter Overhaul and Eri. Midoriya and Mirio both sense something wrong but don't press further. Later on Pro Heroes unveil a Drug among-st Street Villains that power your quirk exponentially and that Shie Hassaikai is likely involved. This begins an investigation which unveils the Dark Secrets revolving around Overhaul and Eri Chan and how she is being used to make said Drugs.

So as usual, BNHA has us hooked with yet another engaging plot line

Characters:
Deku gets even more development
Eri is amazing as a character and you feel you want to protect her
Mirio shows why he is UA's best and brightest and why he was likely the Successor to All Might
The other 2 UA's Top Trio show their power and resolve, the rest of the cast gets their moments.
BNHA knows well that its strength lays in its variety of well developed characters. That aspect is held in full display as each character gets their time.

Visuals, Choreography and Animation:
ALL OF THE FIGHTS ARE AMAZING
A true Shounen anime to the end. BNHA is good for Artistic and Pop Corn fans alike. It has a little something for everyone to enjoy!

And that was only 1/2 the Season

In the 2nd Half we see the Gray Scale of Society,
By far my most favorite villain Character: Gentle Criminal

He represents not the League of Villains, but the usual people who had dreams of being Heroes but had fallen badly in Society. Heck, if Midoriya and Gentle had swapped places it would be almost the same. Gentle Criminal's Backstory is that of Midoriya except he failed in his first attempt at being a Hero. Midoriya jumped in and tried saving Bakugo only to spur All Might into action. Gentle didn't have that luxury and ended up getting someone killed, this led him down the path of villainy.
Boku no Hero Academia at first felt like trying to fill in big shoes by tackling subjects of Drugs. One could say it was mature, but I felt it was merely servicing to it. There is a lot more vile truths surrounding Drugs than just the product. With Gentle Criminal's Arc I felt BNHA had truly matured into an Anime that took these things seriously.
If Overhaul Arc was enough to put BNHA in the 5 star list, then Gentle Criminal ensured it was competing for 6 stars
There is also the amazing development of everyone during the Summer Festival. How EVERY LITTLE THING COUNTED
The Producers and the author alike did not discount anything. Neither did Midoriya, which cements him as the Greatest Shounen Protagonist due to his keen Perception and Intelligence as well as its application and how seriously he could escalate matters. I felt that the likes of Naruto would have devolved it into Comedy or Talk no Jutsu but Midoriya was no nonsense. Even during the fight he actively doesn't punch Gentle which is something to be noted as it is his way of understanding Gentle.
Overall, the Gentle Arc made BNHA in the running to be a 6 stars

FINALLY THE BEST PART:
E N D E A V O U R  
EARNING HIS PLACE TO BE THE NUMBER 1 HERO


Recommended:
STRONGLY STRONGLY STRONGLY STRONGLY STRONGLY RECOMMEND IT.
Again I get the feeling Im repeating myself
but SEASON 4 is what makes BNHA from GOOD to GREAT
You are doing it a disservice by not watching

Re-Watching:
Deku VS Overhaul
Tamaki VS Hassaikai
Kirishima+Fatgum vs RAPPA!
Mirio VS Overhaul
Deku VS Gentle
E N D E A V  O U R
also HAWKS

OF COURSE I PLAN ON WATCHING THIS AGAIN, THESE FIGHT SCENES ARE AMAZING

Also, there are the many little things you will notice only on your rewatch, as well as the buildup. And the big thing revealed in the post credits (Manga Readers you will love this)

Perfect:
If the Music Choice had been better and melded into the show like how FGO Babylonia did so often as well as a full blown Insert Single Release from a Singer to go with Jiro's Performance
Furthermore (my opinion) better Opening and Ending Songs would have made BNHA a 6/5
However, the Music was not note worthy at all as I watched it all with little to no regard to the Music or Soundtrack
unlike the one in Season 1 and YOU SAY RUN
For that reason alone it cannot be a masterpiece, much like Endeavor cannot be All Might
BUT IT COMES REALLY DAMN CLOSE (like Endeavor)

Conclusion: 5.5/5 -> A celebration of what makes BNHA so amazing would be this season. Deku keeps evolving, the Villain League is getting more and more sinister, We see the more grey areas of society with Gentle Criminal and the Meta-Liberation Front (oh Manga peeps know this) so Go ahead and don't waste your time.
Although, this is basically a prompt to: BNHA BECOMES GREATER THAN EVER SO START NOW BEFORE IT BECOMES AS BIG AS ONE PIECE

So I watched Fate Grand Order: Absolute Demonic Front Babylonia

Tl;dr: 5.5/6

Now with that aside.
An Introduction:

If you want to skip the Intro, then start Skipping until u see a big dashed Line saying Read here
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Firstly
FATE GRAND ORDER



Is a Mobile Game based off the FATE Series made by TYPE MOON
Author of whom is Kinoko Nasu
TYPE MOON has a variety of Series
-> Tsukihime (Moon Princess)
-> Kara no Kyoukai (Garden of Sinners)
-> Notes
-> Mahotsukai no Yoru (Magicians Night)
etc.

Their Flagship Franchise is the FATE Series:

FATE Originally was released as a Visual Novel back in 2003
It's First installment was: FATE STAY/NIGHT



which featured the Main Character EMIYA SHIROU that survived a ritual known as THE HOLY GRAIL WAR
This ritual involved 7 Magicians being Masters of 7 Heroic Spirits throughout the Ages of Humanity to battle each other until the last one standing. The Victor claimed the HOLY GRAIL which is said to be an Almighty Wish Granting Device.
EMIYA SHIROU survived from the aftermath of the 4th Holy Grail War in Fyuki, Japan.



The story follows him as he battles in the 5th Holy Grail War, in which he is dragged into against his will.

There are 3 Routes: Fate route, Unlimited Blade Works and Heavens Feel



Fate Route got an adaption by Studio DEEN in 2008 (but frankly it was horrible so I am not gonna discuss it anymore)


Unlimited Blade Works got a Movie Adaption 2010 followed by an Anime adaption in 2014 which was well recieved!


In addition there is the Prequel: FATE ZERO which got an anime adaption from its Light Novel in 2011
For those familar with only the anime adaptions, Fate Zero is known to be the best and UBW is often willified as too shounen and generic comapred to the dark and gritty setting of Fate ZERO.
Fate ZERO Follows the story of Emiya Kiritsigu (Shirous Adoptive Father) in his battle for the Grail during the 4th Holy Grail War. During which the catastrophe occurred in which Shirou was the sole survivor.

Lastly, the 3rd and last Route of Fate Stay Night, is Heavens Feel:


This is by far the greatest of the 3 routes.
Each route follows the 3 main heroines:
Arturia 'Saber' Pendragon
A revised version of King Arthur's legend. Follows FATE Route as the Servant Saber of the Master Emiya Shirou


UBW Follows Tohsaka Rin, the Master of Archer (Emiya Shirou is still here)


Heavens Feel follows Sakura Matou, Shirou's Kouhai ( and her dark secret involving the Holy Grail)





Now with that done

We come to Fate Grand Order which is a Mobile Game that follows us (The player) as Humanities Final Master. The History of Humanity has been mysteriously incinerated, so in a battle to preserve Human History. We (Ritsuka Fujimaru in the Anime) along with the Chaldea Security Organizaiton use SHEBA (a Magical Construct) to observe and Rayshift (Teleport to) different Ages where Mankind was defined in order to safeguard them hence a journey through the ages to battle threats to Humanities Existence, each age being a Singularity
We are officially Contracted to the Servant Shielder: Matthew Kyrielight (Mashu)




Fate Grand Order, or FGO, is a mobile game that is a Visual Novel with RPG Elements and Strategy wise Gameplay.


There are 7 Singularities so far:

0: Fyuki - Japan 2003 (Ground Zero of the Incineration)
1: Orleans - France AD 1400s (Hundred Years War)
2: Septem - Rome AD 50s (Rule of Emperor Nero Claudius)
3: Okeanos - The 7 Seas (All great Navigators, Pirates and the Argonauts)
4: London - Britain (During the Industrial Revolution)
5: E Pluribus Unum - The United States during the 1800s (There is a Civil War happening)
6: Camelot - The Holy Land of Jerusalem  + Camelot (King Arthur is up to something)
7: Uruk - Babylonia in Ancient Mesopotamia (during the time known as THE AGE OF GODS)

Along with Lost Belts and so forth,

Now finally to the anime


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The Anime Fate Grand Order: Absolute Demonic Front Babylonia is an adaption of the 7th Singularity of Fate Grand Order.

The Synopsis:
Uruk under the Kingship of King Gilgamesh "The King of Heroes" is under attack by 3 Goddesses that have formed an Alliance to destroy Mankind. King Gilgamesh holds the Holy Grail which each of the Goddesses so much desires as it will make them the new Rulers of the Era.
The rest of Mesopotamia and the World has already fallen and if Uruk Falls, then the Foundation of Humanity will Collapse.
Chaldea sends us forth to aid King Gilgamesh in the Defence of Uurk and to defeat the 3 Goddess Alliance.


Finally the Review:
You may recall I gave 5.5/6 -> Kindly refer to my Artistic Scale if you are confused

Note: I have a visible bias towards the Fate Series, The worth of my opinion is entirely up to you. However, I try my best to be Unbiased in my reviews. Take it this way: If the Franchise I like gets a terrible adaption, I won't defend it to death. I will hate it more than usual, so anyway:

Artistic:
Definitely, The story written by Kinoko Nasu for Babylonia is absolutely top notch. THERE IS SIMPLY NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT
Name me another story that involves Heroic Spirits across Humanity coming under the Great King Gilgamesh to fight endless Hordes of Demonic Beasts under 3 Goddesses for Humanities Survival. One being from Mesopotamia, One from Mesoamerica and One which is a spoiler.
Mankind is up against The Literal Primordial Goddess of Creation: TIAMAT
On a scale unprecedented, mere mortal men with whatever knowledge of the Arcane fight for their survival. This is no DBZ with Sayains and Super Sayains. This is no Naruto with Ninjas firing Planet Size Chakra Attacks. There is quite simply nothing like it, it is one of its Kind. Perhaps the only one.
We get special mentions from the Mage of Flowers: Merlin, King Leonidas of Sparta, The Legend of Medusa from the Greek Mythology.

I am getting ahead of myself. So what else counts as Artistic:
Narrative and Character Building.
I watch for the Premise, The Narrative, The Characters that Drive it and the Lesson/Moral.
The Premise is absolutely top notch

The Narrative is Kinoko Nasu on full power going absolutely insane with his legendary Writing Skills. If you liked Fate, you will love this too. You will adore it.

Characters: The Insert: Fujimaru Ritsuka actually gets an amazingly decent amount of development. Mashu, the Shielder, Also gets development. Every single character we meet gets so much rich characterization. The 3 Goddesses, King Gilgamesh, King Leonidas, Ushiwakamaru, Benkei, Tiamat, Ereshkigal. EVERYONE GETS ALOT OF IT, you will love every damn second of it

The entire Theme revolves around Mankind and Humanity in itself proving its worth that it is not to be discarded and that it will persevere and survive. Forging its own Destiny and Will upon the Earth, without the help of the Gods and the greater Forces in existence.

So the story is top notch, what about the anime?
I look for:
Visuals, Adaption Strength, Choreography and Animation Strength.


Visuals: The Visuals are Goregous

Adaption Strength: It stays very much true to the original VN with some ramifications to accommodate the anime.

Choreography and Animation Strength:
Watch this and you will know:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWwk15P9psU
Gorgon vs  Leonidas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WF-bvtmbZ0
Ushiwakamaru vs Gorgon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOSrMEbRdtc
Quetzalcoatl vs Tiamat



Recommended:
STRONGLY STRONGLY STRONGLY STRONGLY STRONGLY RECOMMEND IT. Even if you are alien to the Fate Franchise, then this is a good place to start. This also stages what you need to know for the Camelot Movie.
You just need to watch the 1 episode special: Fate Grand Order: First Order Anime
Then if you start from Episode 0 of Babylonia, then you will have no problem Enjoying this show. Perhaps it can be your introduction to the Fate Series!

Re-Watching: If you ask me, Yes I can see myself re-watching this. I will show this to others, watch it again and again and again.
 I DID NOT SKIP A SINGLE SECOND OF THE ANIME FROM EPISODE 0 - 21
WHICH IS REALLY HIGH PRAISE FOR SOMEONE SHORT ON TIME
The Opening: Phantom Joke
Ending: By Eir Aoi and Millet
Are absolute BANGERS
there is even a special ending Song for Enkidu
SO YES ABSOLUTELY

Perfect: This was so well done that I can find no gaping problems in the narrative, characters and what not. Even if I did, they would be nitpicks as by Episode 18 I was confirmed on what I would rate this anime. Episode 18 made me forgive a great many things that were previously skimmed or rushed over.
However, it is by no means an Absolute Masterpiece. There are definitely moments (Especially after Episode 12) where the Pace is whack, the Characterization is done a bit weirdly. Furthermore there are definitely moments of Bullshet that don't make sense by the rules of the narrative.
While none of these were present in the original VN in the FGO mobile game, it is understandable that some leaps of logic had to be made in order to accommodate the anime.
At the end of the day, they are nitpicks, and this anime is an absolute journey with a huge pay off.

Conclusion: 5.5/5 -> This anime made me emotional. I shed tears on multiple accounts since that is how well the characterization was done and how epic the moments were. I found my jaw dropping and left absolutely stunned watching events unfold despite already knowing the story via the VN.
This anime is an absolute masterpiece* and it deserves your time. This showcases the best and brightest of everything the Fate series and by extension TYPE MOON has to offer.