Review of Fate/Zero

It's hard to separate the two seasons as the flow seamlessly into each other and I cannot imagine anyone getting to the end of season one not being invest enough to finish. If there was a thing that sets this season apart from the second, it would be the large amount of front loaded exposition, Arguably necessary for anyone not familiar with the franchise to follow along. It does a pretty efficient job at it and makes this a great entry point for new people into the franchise, although the slow start can turn people off (don't let this be you!) The art is remarkable, moviequality stuff, with even the use of CG being turned into a strength to invoke uneasiness or give things a since of not belonging. Character designs are great as well, and really their is little more you can ask for visually from an anime like this.

The sound track fulfills it's job, and the OP is above average.

Aside from this the characters are perhaps the biggest strength of the anime. Loosely based on historical figures, their huge personalities clash in very entertaining ways, and their fleshed out motivations contrast wonderfully.

Personally i found the mostly generic, but pretty looking Fuyuki City to be a decent enough backdrop to the events of the story, though it doesn't feel very lived in for the most part. That said the various factions and bits of lore we get pick up the slack, providing for a solid setting.

if you can stomach the exposition, and like learning new magic systems, or you just wanted to see historical figures portrayed in an anime, then this is defiantly worth checking out.