Heaven's Feel Movies

[Laserman]

Mr. Takeuchi, what kind of emotions went into the original game when you created it 15 years ago?

Back then, I felt that I "wanted to cram everything about Kinoko Nasu" into Fate/Stay Night just like we did in the previous title Tsukihime. It would be wonderful if each route would be so interesting in different ways that it could be considered separate genres, and create something that encompasses all of the amusement that Nasu embodies. That's why I thought it would be great if [HF] ended up having a slightly different type of experience compared to the other routes. FATE (Saber route) has a root story that I wrote back in high school, and I put most of that straight into the route. It was a stereotypical boy-meets-girl, and I believe that it left an impression that felt something strongly like a manga for boys. The following route [Unlimited Blade Works] (Rin route, hereafter [UBW]) turned the action scenes into more of group performances, but still weighed heavily on the action. And we wanted the final route [Heaven's Feel] (Sakura route) to be a romantic mystery.

I really needed to read this, it's like I had an epiphany. I was so anxious about watching the second movie, and reading him not only simply divide the routes into different genres, but that they meant to from the start... Without getting into details, it just might not be my kind of thing, and that's okay. I'll still probably watch the movie, but I'm not going to force myself to. Also some of the pages are just too blurry to read anything.

[Arabesque]

It wasn't an unexpected answer (I mean, what other option was there given her situation) but it is a bit sad.

Lots of nice details otherwise. The Eldefelt answer came across as more of one that made the best option in hindsight, but given that Tokiomi's reasoning for giving away Sakura to the Matou's had always been spotty IMO, I don't dwell on it that much.

The bit with Sudo explaining the reasoning behind keeping the "bloodsucking = battery recharge" as a way of letting people know that the sex wasn't for that purpose was also pretty good (and I guessed as much when I saw the movie that was the intention of that), but I suppose people who were into the whole "Shirou banging Sakura is literally killing him in the movie, why don't they show him in pain?" aren't going to be happy about that. Regardless, I did like that it also mentioned that the physical bond was needed to be shown in their relationship.

I did want more out of the answer that Ueda and Suwabe gave re: Shirou's choice. Ueda mentioning that Shirou's ideal was more twisted in Fate and UBW compared to him going to only be a hero for Sakura was interesting, but I did want to hear the reason why she thought they were twisted. As for Suwabe's, I wanted to hear more of his take on reflecting on the themes of the story compared to the world now (though it did come across as a bit of a hot take)

The Mind of Steel answer is pretty much a "it all just worked out off screen for that result to happen", which was how it also came across in the VN. Basically, "don't think too hard about it, Caliburn just got built in anti-Herk bonus dmg".

I do hope that there will be some sort of reflection on the "the city fell into chaos after Sakura's eating spree" and "keeping Sakura alive was a decision that endanger the city" in the final movie when the time skip happens, but I fully expect them to gloss over that to have the trilogy end on a nice note rather than a gloomy one. Not like HF True was any better reflecting on the collateral damage that happened in the route (or really, any of the routes being good on that front). They might do something tacky like showing the Emiya household garden filled with many flowers for all the victims while the gang goes to the Sakrua viewing trip and call it a day and a suitable punishment/redemption.

[Yggdrasil]

I mean, Sakura killing spree was a bloodless, corpseless massacre that hit three hundred people totally at random. How should they show this three years later? There is no burned field to turn into a park, no evident connections between these disappearings except the time. What should they do, casually meeting a random guy and talking about his grandpa that mysteriosly disappeard three years ago? Talking about taiga about her missing collegues we never heard? Showing an anniversay official celebration (even if the HGW happened in winter and now we are months later, in spring)?

[GarlandGreene]

I really needed to read this, it's like I had an epiphany. I was so anxious about watching the second movie, and reading him not only simply divide the routes into different genres, but that they meant to from the start... Without getting into details, it just might not be my kind of thing, and that's okay. I'll still probably watch the movie, but I'm not going to force myself to. Also some of the pages are just too blurry to read anything.

I didn't know there were people out there who needed to give themselves a pep talk in order to watch an anime movie. I mean this isn't exactly a documentary about the Holocaust or anything like that, it's a Japanese cartoon aimed at your typical nerd audience. You either watch it or you don't.

[Arabesque]

I mean, Sakura killing spree was a bloodless, corpseless massacre that hit three hundred people totally at random. How should they show this three years later? There is no burned field to turn into a park, no evident connections between these disappearings except the time. What should they do, casually meeting a random guy and talking about his grandpa that mysteriosly disappeard three years ago? Talking about taiga about her missing collegues we never heard? Showing an anniversay official celebration (even if the HGW happened in winter and now we are months later, in spring)?

All of these sound like really good ideas!

More than anything I suppose, is just showing some acknowledgment from Shirou and Sakura about it, and more about what they are doing regarding it rather than just how Sakura was planting flowers for the victims in HF Normal and just it being glossed over in True (since as you mention, it was months after the anniversary in-story). The route goes into lengths about how Shirou agonizes over it, takes in the information of everyone that died like he's the one responsible, mention how he's not a good person.

But of course, I don't expect that type of reflection to be in there, since it is a downer for the more happy note the route is meant to end on True. Hence why I fully expect the tacky "here's some flowers that we use to honor the victims, off for some Hanami time" for the ending.

[weeblord]

No dreams, only tears now. But seriously, hopefully that is a bit and not a serious answer.
Intrigued and saddened at the same time with all these revelations after reading it all. As always complicated feelings here.

Werent you just earlier saying that the jokes carry greatest wisdom :^)

[Strange_One]

No dreams, only tears now. But seriously, hopefully that is a bit and not a serious answer.
Intrigued and saddened at the same time with all these revelations after reading it all. As always complicated feelings here.

Ouchies.

Well. It was always the simplest and most likely assumption. Just that that lack of any official confirmation any way or another allowed free headcanon and doujin.

So actually, that probably helped them out, with a portion of circles putting out their what ifs.

[GDB]

I mean, Sakura killing spree was a bloodless, corpseless massacre that hit three hundred people totally at random. How should they show this three years later? There is no burned field to turn into a park, no evident connections between these disappearings except the time. What should they do, casually meeting a random guy and talking about his grandpa that mysteriosly disappeard three years ago? Talking about taiga about her missing collegues we never heard? Showing an anniversay official celebration (even if the HGW happened in winter and now we are months later, in spring)?

Same thing they did in the Kamen Rider Gaim finale/epilogue. Have characters walking their normal walks, but have "MISSING" and "HAVE YOU SEEN THIS PERSON" posters plastered literally everywhere.

[Yggdrasil]

Same thing they did in the Kamen Rider Gaim finale/epilogue. Have characters walking their normal walks, but have "MISSING" and "HAVE YOU SEEN THIS PERSON" posters plastered literally everywhere.

After three years?

[Arabesque]

I'm sure some of those 300 some people did have loved ones that want to find them eventually.

Even if it is hopeless, and there can never be closer for them.

[Laserman]

I didn't know there were people out there who needed to give themselves a pep talk in order to watch an anime movie. I mean this isn't exactly a documentary about the Holocaust or anything like that, it's a Japanese cartoon aimed at your typical nerd audience. You either watch it or you don't.

I was trying getting the same thing out of this one that I did the others. If it was like them, I would probably enjoy it a lot more. Instead they decided to just kill off most of the characters, and have them act so differently for...? I have no idea who this is for to be honest.

[yokushi]

I was trying getting the same thing out of this one that I did the others. If it was like them, I would probably enjoy it a lot more. Instead they decided to just kill off most of the characters, and have them act so differently for...? I have no idea who this is for to be honest.

They aren't acting that different though? And given how popular these movies got (even for non VN readers), I think they are for a lot of people.

[Altima of the Gates]

Werent you just earlier saying that the jokes carry greatest wisdom :^)

Yup, which is why I tend to get nervous sweats every time he jokes about Sakura, especially with ol Urobuchi, when they joked about making her the Queen of Hell as Spawn's bride.
To say of several other instances where I didn't know whether he was was half or full joking.

All of these sound like really good ideas!

More than anything I suppose, is just showing some acknowledgment from Shirou and Sakura about it, and more about what they are doing regarding it rather than just how Sakura was planting flowers for the victims in HF Normal and just it being glossed over in True (since as you mention, it was months after the anniversary in-story). The route goes into lengths about how Shirou agonizes over it, takes in the information of everyone that died like he's the one responsible, mention how he's not a good person.

But of course, I don't expect that type of reflection to be in there, since it is a downer for the more happy note the route is meant to end on True. Hence why I fully expect the tacky "here's some flowers that we use to honor the victims, off for some Hanami time" for the ending.

I'm sure some of those 300 some people did have loved ones that want to find them eventually.

Even if it is hopeless, and there can never be closer for them.

If you wanted to, actually have a sequence where Sakura discusses these things with her mentor, since she does mention that she is working through that even as she already worked to restore Fuyuki, so it wasn't just 'Sakura and Shirou' bang and nobody does any work.
An animated epilogue would allow us to see (hopefully with Dilo design) many things firsthand, but they have even less time than the VN had for wrapping things up, so I would give Sudou a break on that. UBW also sorely needed a lot of stuff to wrap things up so the epilogue wouldn't look like "Rin and Shirou go to Hogwarts, the end", and got an entire episode.

They aren't acting that different though? And given how popular these movies got (even for non VN readers), I think they are for a lot of people.

There is this thing in the fandom about HF where people think its somehow a Shirou who isn't Shirou despite a lot of these feelings and questions on Shirou's psyche being foreshadowed in other routes. It's a different atmosphere than the action adventure tone of the other routes, but that doesn't mean the core of the characters are any different, it's different setup and circumstances.

[You]

If batsu can get a cameo so can dilo

[GarlandGreene]

They could always dedicate a short sequence or OVA starring this girl (aka the true tragic female character in Lost Butterfly, RIP boyfriend-kun):

Spoiler:

and have her meet and have a short conversation with Sakura/Shirou, much akin to Fujino's scene with pink haired girl in Extra Chorus.

[Gyrad1]

thoughts on a touko cameo in spring song? i think ufotable will have her appear

[Wandering Swordwoman]

They could always dedicate a short sequence or OVA starring this girl (aka the true tragic female character in Lost Butterfly, RIP boyfriend-kun):

Spoiler:

and have her meet and have a short conversation with Sakura/Shirou, much akin to Fujino's scene with pink haired girl in Extra Chorus.

Poor girl

[Altima of the Gates]

If they try to pack it all in as soon a possible maybe they'll get cameo happy. It depends on their plans and whether Nasu was coerced into anything more afterward.

@GarlandGreene

I don't really see the purpose in that.

[madarra]

thoughts on a touko cameo in spring song? i think ufotable will have her appear

Nah, it wont be a touko face cameo, it'll just be a close up on her hand grabbing that 1 famous pack of shitty cigarettes when they bring her up

- - - Updated - - -

As for acknowledging the 300-ish dead, have Tohsaka walk past a memorial plaque with a specific,slightly unique bouquet of flowers when coming back to fuyuki and have Sakura growing the same flowers when she reaches the house?

[GarlandGreene]

You're probably right, unfortunately. I still hope that they give her a line or two though. Can't get enough of Honda Takako's mature, silky voice. One of the most under-appreciated seiyus in the industry imo.