Battle Breakdown - Kiritsugu Emiya vs. Kirei Kotomine (Fate/Zero)

When most people think of major climactic anime fights, it's normally very over-the-top with destructive attacks and big speeches and lots of screaming. While it is often between just two combatants, it's rare that the fight only contains two total hits and no dialogue, and still remain compelling and incredibly interesting. Thankfully, we have one such brawl here today, between two of the most important characters in the Fate series in the first and only fight between Kiritsugu Emiya and Kirei Kotomine in the 2011-2012 anime Fate/Zero.

Deconstructing Heroism (ft. Fate/Zero)

One of the most important elements of the Fate franchise are the characters known as Heroic Spirits: entities from the past, present, future, and alternate realities that come together to fight for the mythical, powerful, Holy Grail. Most times the spirits are indeed heroes of old: King Arthur, Lancelot, Odysseus, Robin Hood, but other times, they're not so great. Each hero carries their own set of ideals and in no better way is that put on display than in the 2011-2012 anime Fate/Zero, where the idea of what it means to be a hero in a world that does not allow for heroes was put to the test.