#Fate Heroines Look Back on 20 Years

For longtime anime fans, Fate/stay night needs no introduction. Released in 2004 by video game company Type-Moon, the visual novel follows the story of Shirou Emiya as he navigates the Fifth Holy Grail War, where heroes of the past — summoned as mages’ familiars — fight to the death for the chance to have their deepest wish granted. The game’s runaway success and deep worldbuilding have allowed its universe to expand into a massive franchise chock full of adaptations and spin-offs.

Voice actors Ayako Kawasumi (Saber), Kana Ueda (Rin Tohsaka), and Noriko Shitaya (Sakura Matou) attended the Fate 20th Anniversary Event in Los Angeles, where they discussed the history of the visual novel, reflected on key story scenes, and signed autographs for lucky attendees. Anime Trending had the chance to speak with the three of them as they looked back on their long tenures as the iconic heroines of the beloved franchise.

This interview was conducted roundtable-style via interpreter and has been edited for clarity and brevity. This article only contains the questions posed by Anime Trending and the concluding question from the interpreter, omitting those from Anime News Network and Otaku Network.

The English version of Fate/stay night has only been out for a few months, which means a lot of folks are encountering it for the first time. Can you please talk about your first involvement with the series?

Ayako Kawasumi: I knew that [Fate/stay night Remastered] hadn’t been released yet, but there would be times when I’d see a lot of people cosplay servants that hadn’t been out yet, so I could tell they were enjoying the Japanese version, as well as the anime and other entries. I think it’s different being able to play the English version that’s been localized and perfected, so I want people to enjoy it. My first involvement was with the 2006 Fate/stay night anime.

Kana Ueda: My first involvement was also the Fate/stay night anime audition because it was put together with the PlayStation audition. The first time that the fans heard my voice was at the Japan event in 2006. They hadn’t announced the voice actors’ names yet, but they just played a trailer with the voices and I could hear the fans’ surprised reactions. That’s when I realized this was what I was going to be a part of.

Noriko Shitaya: The anime audition was also my first involvement, and I knew Fate/stay night was a very popular game, so I still remember clearly when I got the call for the role. I felt some pressure, so I was nervous every week for recording. I didn’t think that I would be able to be a part of this for so long, so I want to show myself 20 years ago what I’m doing now!

What do you miss about the early days of the Fate franchise?

Ayako Kawasumi: Yes!

Of course, when it’s been twenty years, there are a lot of things that have happened, so there are some things I can’t remember. I want a Fate timeline to reference in interviews like this — even just watching the footage from today’s event made me feel really nostalgic. Of course, I can remember things from back then, like the studio, how it was, and what we talked about very clearly. So, I think maybe it’s because we’ve always been involved throughout those twenty years. Even when we’re not there recording, the series is always in our lives.

Your characters — Rin, Sakura, and Saber — have been portrayed in various forms throughout the years, whether in different series like Fate/stay night, Prisma Illya, Today’s Menu for the Emiya Family, or alternate forms like Fate/Grand Order (FGO). Which iteration of your character stands out to you the most — not necessarily your favorite, but could be — and why?

Ayako Kawasumi: For me, it’s Fate/Zero’s Saber. The Holy Grail War from ten years ago [Fate/Zero] talks about what happened in the past, but time-wise the origin is what happened during Fate/stay night, so I had to really think about and tackle how to act like Saber within myself and how to act out the character. In Fate/Zero, I thought about how it affected Fate/stay night Saber, and thought a lot about the past and the future.

Kana Ueda: The Unlimited Blade Works (UBW) route is the most impactful for me, and in the TV series, UBW Episode 0 is from Rin’s point of view. Rin has experienced the Holy Grail War before, but while it is starting again, she feels that something is a little different this time, like it’s a bit heavier and the stakes are higher. 

Compared to the other heroines, Rin has been in a lot of different series, so she never felt jealous towards the other heroines, like Sakura or Saber. I want to respect the characters that are the main characters of their own route. However, in Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya: Vow in the Snow movie, there’s a different Shirou in a different world, and he keeps on saying this girl’s name, “Miyu! Miyu!” I felt jealous for the first time when he was calling another girl’s name this much.

Noriko Shitaya: I just can’t accept it!

Kana Ueda:  Exactly! I just can’t when it’s a girl other than these three characters!

Noriko Shitaya: Same for me! During the Prisma Illya recording, when we were all recording in the same room together, I would be watching Shirou and Miyu interact with each other and I felt jealous as well!

Of course for me, it would be Heaven’s Feel, but other than that, it would be Carnival Phantasm! After Heaven’s Feel ended, Sakura has been more like a main character in other series, so she’s getting the treatment she deserves! I mean, she is one of the three main heroines, but she always felt kind of insecure, which explains how she’s treated in Carnival Phantasm.

Before we end, do you have any closing thoughts for fans of Fate?

Ayako Kawasumi: Today, we’ve been saying “20 years ago…” here and there, but when you think about it, there are so many fans that have watched so many of the shows, and we were able to meet them directly. It makes you realize that there are so many fans on the other side of the screen, and people are still posting about Fate all the time. There’s still so much more content to put out, and it’s really thanks to the fans. Please keep on loving the series!

Kana Ueda: Whether you’re a voice actor or a live actor, there aren’t many opportunities where you can play a role that you want to play. Being able to play Rin Tohsaka is really a miracle looking back on these twenty years. The reason why Fate was able to continue for twenty years was because of the fans who came today: those who read the novels, played the games, and supported all kinds of genres of Fate. I can’t thank you enough, even if I say it a hundred times or a thousand times. 

The 20th anniversary is really not the end. Things are just now starting, so it’s a strange feeling, but I’m very honored. Over the years, there were many times when we had to say goodbye to things, and I’m not sure how long I can keep playing Rin, but I would like to keep on being involved with the rest of the team and keep on working hard. Thank you for your support!

Noriko Shitaya: These past twenty years really feel like I’m supported by the fans and being able to keep on playing Sakura and come to visit other countries. I really feel so many people love the franchise, and I really feel the love. Having people hear my voice, putting out the series just the way it was made, and having people love them is not something to be taken for granted. I think it’s really a repeated miracle that happens over and over again, and that’s something to be very proud and happy about. The franchise will keep on putting out new content, and we’ll keep on working hard to act out our roles, so keep on supporting and loving Fate!

Interview conducted on November 23, 2024 by Nico Monterosso and James Mizutani. Questions contributed by James Mizutani. Special thanks to Aniplex for the opportunity.

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