Fate/Zero
Vorlage:Infobox animanga/Header Vorlage:Infobox animanga/Novel/Light Vorlage:Infobox animanga/Footer Vorlage:Nihongo is a prequel to TYPE-MOON's visual novel Fate/stay night. It is a novel with illustrations by Takashi Takeuchi. The first volume was released on December 12, 2006, and is a collaboration between TYPE-MOON and fellow developer Nitroplus. The second volume was released on March 31,2007.
Story
The storyline of Fate/Zero takes place 10 years prior to the events of Fate/stay night, detailing the events of the Fourth Holy Grail war in Fuyuki City [1]. It includes the following characters:
Humans
- Vorlage:Nihongo, Master of Saber, unconfident and unhappy, adopts a strategy of utilizing a magus' weak point using technology.
- Vorlage:Nihongo, Master of Assassin, works for Tokiomi and does everything he's asked to the best of his ability, but lacks fulfillment.
- Vorlage:Nihongo, father of Rin Tōsaka and Sakura Matō, Master of Archer, arrogant and manipulative, arranges for Kirei Kotomine to be his "pupil". Thinks highly of Kotomine and has him serve him.
- Vorlage:Nihongo, mother of Rin Tōsaka and Sakura Matō. Childhood friend of Kariya Matō.
- Irisviel von Einzbern, mother of Illyasviel von Einzbern, heroine of the story. Partner of Saber.
- Vorlage:Nihongo, Master of Caster, psychotic killer who summons Caster after murdering a family and using their blood as a component in the summoning ritual.
- Vorlage:Nihongo, assistant to Kiritsugu Emiya. She is cold and professional, which makes it easier for Kiritsugu to act as he needs to. Armed with a Steyr AUG.
- Waver Velvet, Master of Rider, future Lord El-Melloi II. Steals his teacher's artifact and uses it to summon Rider. Plans to use the Grail to force the Magus Association to recognize his genius.
- Vorlage:Nihongo, uncle of Shinji Matō, Master of Berserker, makes a deal with Zōken Matō that he will win the Grail War in exchange for Sakura Matō's freedom. He is the only member of Matō family who truly loves Sakura, and is upset that Tokiomi allowed his younger daughter to be adopted by Zōken.
- Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi, Master of Lancer, a nobleman from the Magus Association. His artifact is stolen by Waver Velvet, but he manages to summon Lancer anyway. While he holds the command spells for Lancer, the energy to materialize the Servant is maintained by Sola-Ui.
- Vorlage:Nihongo, Kirei Kotomine's 80 year old father, a priest in the Church, the regulator of the 4th Holy Grail War. He is a friend of Tokiomi Tōsaka and actively supports him. While he is proud of his son, who has demonstrated himself to be a perfect heir, Risei fails to understand Kirei in any sense.
- Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri, the daughter of the head of the spiritual evocation division. She is engaged to Kayneth as a result of a strategic marriage arrangement and the decision of her family to entrust their crest to her brother instead.
Servants
Servants participating in the Fourth Heaven's Feel and their true identities:
- Saber: King Arthur, the same character from Fate/stay night
- Archer: Gilgamesh, a rogue servant in Fate/stay night. He dislikes the presence of Saber and Iskander in particular since they were kings like he was. Much to Tokiomi's displeasure, Gilgamesh has difficulty acting covertly.
- Lancer: Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, a Servant with two Noble Phantasms: Gae Buidhe - Golden Rose of Mortality and Gae Dearg - Crimson Rose of Exorcism, which can counter Saber and Berserker's abilities.
- Rider: Iskander, the King of Conquerors, who desires to defeat Saber and Lancer in particular. Has several Noble Phantasms, the first of which is Gordius Wheel - Wheel of Heaven's Authority, which summons an ox-drawn chariot when Iskander slices the air with his sword.
- Caster: Bluebeard, a Servant who derives pleasure from first providing his victims a moment of relief before terrorizing them and then killing them. Expresses an interest in Saber because he has mistaken her for Jeanne D'Arc, with whom Bluebeard has an infatuation.
- Berserker: The Black Knight, a Servant who possesses the ability to use practically any object as a Noble Phantasm.
- Assassin: The Assassins related to True Assassin from Fate/stay night; Assassin is actually composed of several entities rather than just one. They act as reconnaissance agents for Tokiomi and Kirei after Gilgamesh "kills" one of them.
Minor Characters
- Vorlage:Nihongo, the daughter of Tokiomi and Aoi Tōsaka. Despite her young age, she is capable of using elementary magic.
- Vorlage:Nihongo, Rin's younger sister, who was adopted by the Matō family one year prior to the start of Fourth Holy Grail War. Her physical appearance has already changed considerably since her adoption.
- Illyasviel von Einzbern, the daughter of Irisviel von Einzbern and Kiritsugu Emiya, born eight years before the Fourth Holy Grail War begins.
- Glen and Martha Mackenzie, an elderly Canadian couple who live in Japan; their son, daughter-in-law, and grandson were unable to adapt to Japan and have returned to Canada. They provide lodgings for Waver Velvet and Rider.