The Mythical World of Fate/strange Fake Novels: Demanding an Official Translation!

Highlights

Fate/strange Fake: Whispers of Dawn is an hour-long special that serves as an abridged version of the first novel in the series.

Some crucial story elements, such as Tsubaki Kuruoka's storyline, are omitted in the special episode, which somewhat hampers the storytelling.

The upcoming TV adaptation of Fate/strange Fake has generated significant excitement, thanks to its star-studded creative team and the possibility of covering multiple novels in a single season.

Spoilers for Volume 1 of the Fate/strange Fake light novel series and Fate/strange Fake: Whispers of Dawn are included in the following content.

The connection between an anime and its source material can be unpredictable. While an adaptation is usually seen as a separate entity, it can also serve as promotional material. When Fate/strange Fake: Whispers of Dawn was announced, many may have thought it was a marketing tool for the novels, possibly hinting at a broader worldwide release, but it was not exactly that.

What Didn't Make The Cut?

: On a positive note, the disappointment was tempered by the exciting news of a television adaptation by the talented team behind the special. This announcement undoubtedly piqued the interest of fans even more. After carefully evaluating Whispers of Dawn, we awarded it a respectable rating of 3.5 out of 5. The directing and visuals were commendable, although the absence of certain crucial story elements hindered the overall storytelling to some extent.

At present, there exist eight volumes. The latest volume was published on February 10, 2023, and discussions among fans from 2021 suggest that the story is far from its conclusion. To provide some context, Whispers of Dawn encompasses a large portion of the initial novel, presenting the introduction of the "False" servants and depicting the explosive commencement of the war.

Whispers of Dawn accomplishes quite a remarkable feat in its one-hour special. It manages to introduce the key elements of the story, capture the audience's interest in the war, and build anticipation for what lies ahead. However, it should be noted that this special only provides a condensed version of the complete volume. While the television series may revisit and expand on the scenes that were cut, the exclusion of certain aspects proves to be more detrimental than others.

One character significantly affected by these omissions is Tsubaki Kuruoka, the Master of False Rider. She is a young girl in a comatose state at a hospital, yet she has been selected by the Grail to participate in the war. In the special, her parents - both mages - hurriedly bring her to the hospital and later discuss their upcoming involvement in the Grail War. However, the book delves deeper into this storyline.

In volume 1, a doctor informs Tsubaki's parents about her enigmatic condition. Initially concerned, their worries quickly dissipate upon learning that her reproductive functions are intact. In fact, they become overjoyed, as their sole focus is winning the Grail War and ensuring their family lineage through their daughter. This disturbing lack of empathy is further intensified by Tsubaki's youth and innocence.

However, to the surprise of the mage couple, Tsubaki becomes a Master, and they become victims of False Rider's manipulation. Trapped in a dream world created by the servant to bring happiness to its master, they experience a moment of dark poetic justice. Unfortunately, due to the absence of necessary context, this impactful scene loses some of its significance. It is one of several storylines that suffer from omitted scenes, though certainly the most severe example.

The Next Big Fate Adaptation

Despite the inevitable omission of certain details when adapting content, Whispers of Dawn takes it a step too far, leaving out too much. While a straightforward solution would be to suggest the use of the original text, the present situation entails relying on fan translations. Nevertheless, this may change soon.

The Fate Series hasn't stirred up this much anticipation since the release of the Heaven's Feel trilogy. Aniplex has successfully generated immense excitement among Western fans for their latest animated project, set in America. Whispers of Dawn made its debut at Anime Expo 2023 and, astonishingly, even reached Crunchyroll with an English dubbed version before the subtitled edition became available on the streaming platform.

David Vincent returned as Gilgamesh in the English dub, along with Marin Miller reprising her role as Enkidu, which they both previously portrayed in Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia. Lucien Dodge and Khoi Dao also returned as Waver Velvet and Flat Escardos from Lord El Melloi II's Case Files. Apart from these familiar faces, Fate/strange Fake introduces a host of new characters.

The original story was written by Ryohgo Narita, known for his work on Durarara and Baccano, both of which feature intricate storylines and large casts of characters. The concept of "Fate by way of Durarara" has been eagerly anticipated for years, especially after A1-Pictures animated a commercial for the novels in 2019.

An Overdue Localization

Fortune smiled upon us as the brilliant minds behind the advertisement were once again brought together, with none other than the renowned composer of Attack on Titan, Hiroyuki Sawano, among them. Their collaboration has led to the creation of Whispers of Dawn and now the highly anticipated new television series. This ensemble of exceptional talent ensures that the "fake" Holy Grail War will come to life with vibrant hues and a captivating orchestral score. With all the excitement surrounding this project, there has never been a more opportune moment to introduce these novels to the American market.

As mentioned earlier, the narrative still has a long way to unfold. Despite the series comprising of eight novels, only a few days have transpired in the timeline. This intricately woven story mirrors Narita's signature style, encompassing numerous interconnected elements. Assuming a pacing akin to Whispers of Dawn, the television adaptation could potentially cover multiple novels within a single season – perhaps even all of them, although the latter is less probable and an official episode count is yet to be confirmed.

The potential impact on the anime is concerning as it suggests a longer wait for a sequel. Even if the TV series takes its time with the adaptation, there is no guarantee that the novels will conclude anytime soon. While there have been discussions about Narita attempting to finish the series in 10 volumes, skepticism remains and verifying these claims can be difficult.

This further emphasizes the need for the light novel series to be published internationally. Currently, there is no release date for the first season and uncertainty regarding its coverage. In order to alleviate the wait, it would be beneficial for the publishers to provide fans with some reading material. This could potentially generate more excitement for the anime.

Fate has garnered a peculiar reputation for its elusive source material. Surprisingly, the beloved visual novel Fate/Stay Night has never been made available outside of Japan. However, with Type-Moon's recent decision to finally release their visual novels in the Western market and the excitement surrounding Fate/strange Fake, fans may soon have easier access to the long-awaited tales they have been longing to explore.