History YMMV / FateStayNightHeavensFeel

** The third movie, ''pring song'', is the one that shows the most obvious signs of being a heavily CompressedAdaptation, with the skipped content from the previous two movies catching up with it, and as a result . In particular, VN readers were most unhappy with [[spoiler: the final fight between Shirou and Kotomine being greatly shortened and simplified as it is the culmination of all the themes of the ''Fate/stay night'' trilogy]] while anime-only viewers were completely perplexed at the trilogy's ending [[spoiler: of how exactly Shirou was able to be revived after destroying the Greater Grail]] thanks to the movie [[AdaptationExplanationExtrication only using a brief montage of events with vague narration that doesn't actually explain anything.]]

** The third movie has created the greatest divide between anime-only watchers and visual novel readers. Of all three movies, ''spring song'' is the one that shows the most obvious signs of being a heavily CompressedAdaptation, with the skipped content from the previous two movies catching up with it. In particular, VN readers were most unhappy with [[spoiler: the final fight between Shirou and Kotomine being greatly shortened and simplified as it is the culmination of all the themes of the ''Fate/stay night'' trilogy]] while anime-only viewers were completely perplexed at the trilogy's ending [[spoiler: of how exactly Shirou was able to be revived after destroying the Greater Grail]] thanks to the movie [[AdaptationExplanationExtrication only using a brief montage of events with vague narration that doesn't actually explain anything.]]

* ShipToShipCombat:
** Just like ''Anime/FateStayNightUnlimitedBladeWorks'', it's inevitable given the original visual novel with several possible love interests.

** ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjVMAQZbctk Why I fight]]'', or in other words, Creator/YukiKajiura's version of the legendary ''Emiya'' theme, which appears on the third movie [[spoiler:when Shirou finally releases Archer's arm to defeat Berserker, taking his remaining 9 lives in a single blow]]. Pretty much all VN readers agree this was one of the highlights of the movie, even if the scene is kind of short and doesn't let the theme to shine as much as Hideyuki Fukasawa's version for ''Unlimited Blade Works''.

* [[HeReallyCanAct She Really Can Act]]: Creator/CristinaValenzuela is a somewhat divisive voice actress, but her performance as Sakura in the English dub has attracted ''universal'' acclaim, to the point where some even think [[UpToEleven she's better than]] [[Creator/NorikoShitaya the original Japanese seiyuu.]]

** Shinji's backstory is the novel is told from his point of view and [[UnreliableNarrator he's not the most reliable narrator]], seeing himself as being victimised by his father and grandfather. The manga adaptation of Heaven's Feel show his past from a neutral point of view, revealing that his father wanted Shinji to have a normal life away from magecraft.

* CrossesTheLineTwice: To promote ''lost butterfly'', ufotable put out an endless clicker browser game where you protect Sakura from [[spoiler:her infamous worms.]]

** We only have a teaser version of "Haru wa Yuku" ("Spring Goes"), Aimer's theme for ''spring song'', but even in just the small snippet we have, the raw emotion is astounding.
*** The full version is now available, and it's a rare case where something manages to be [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic awesome,]] [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments heartwarming]] and a TearJerker '''at the same time.''' A perfect fit for the absolute roller-coaster ride of emotion that makes up the last third of Heaven's Feel.
** ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skLD2yhyVRo The Four Rings]]'' and the preceding ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAVtYNcppvc She Holds the Black Holy Sword]]'', two incredibly awesome tracks that plays [[spoiler: during Saber Alter and Rider's clash]], the former involving a OneWomanWail [[spoiler: as the battle begun and Rider used her speed to strike Alter from multiple angles]]and the latter having a full on orchestra with OminousLatinChanting that reached its peak as [[spoiler: Rider invoked her Noble Phantasm Bellerophon and burst through Alter's Excalibur with the help of Shirou's Rho Aias]].

* CatharsisFactor: In ''Lost Butterfly'', [[spoiler: right after pushing him away from Sakura, [[BewareTheNiceOnes Shirou gets to land a clean punch right into Shinji's face]] (with an ''injured'' hand at that) that sends him right to the floor]]. The amount of satisfaction of the audience goes ''off the charts'' at that moment!

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: A criticism shared by the source material. ''Heaven's Feel'' is by far the darkest route of the game, and the sheer amount of characters who either die horribly and/or become evil is so high, it goes straight over the top for some people, making it difficult for them to care about what's happening. The first two films, even though they try to lighten the mood in a couple of places, are still so incredibly dark overall, they have the exact same effect, some times even more due to the graphic violence displayed, which holds no punches.
** ''Spring Song'' has somewhat alleviated this, in accurately adapting the [[EarnYourHappyEnding happier ending]] of the visual novel route; however, the fact remains that the first two movies are extraordinarily dark and somewhat hard to watch at times.

* MemeticMutation: Lancer's particular way of running while chasing True Assassin has caught on the fans and [[Creator/JojiNakata staff members]] [[https://twitter.com/joujinakata123/status/977403312503848960 alike]] to the point [[VideoGame/FateGrandOrder Delightworks]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4O9SkKMVPM made a web-browser game out of it]]. [[http://app.aniplex.co.jp/fatehf/ Play it here]].

** The first time Shirou has a flashback to the Fuyuki city fire works to establish his thoughts and feelings on the situation, but every time it's repeated after, it reduces the impact for viewers and comes across as kind of annoying, and funny after a certain point.

** Not to mention Rider, who gets paired with either Shirou, or Sakura.

** It's [[ChildhoodFriendRomance Shirou/Sakura's]] time to shine as the OfficialCouple of this adaptation, and while it's certainly popular, there are viewers (particularly from the ''UBW'' anime) who think Shirou has more chemistry with [[{{Tsundere}} Rin]] or [[LadyOfWar Saber]].

** Not to mention Rider, who gets paired with either Shirou, Sakura, or [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs Shirou and]] [[OneTrueThreesome Sakura]].

** There are also those who think [[FaceHeelTurn Saber Alter]] [[FoeYay would make a very interesting girlfriend for Shirou]] given how they both abandon their former ideals.]] This gets more fuel poured on it in ''spring song'' [[spoiler: when during their battle, Rider taunts Saber Alter by suggestively teasing to her that she (Rider) knows Shirou better than his former Servant did, which evokes a near ''jealous'' response from her.]]

** It's [[ChildhoodFriendRomance Shirou/Sakura's]] time to shine as the OfficialCouple of this adaptation, and while it's certainly popular, there are viewers (particularly from the ''UBW'' anime) who think Shirou has more chemistry with [[{{Tsundere}} Rin]] or [[LadyOfWar Saber]]. [[spoiler:Not to mention those who think [[FaceHeelTurn Saber Alter]] [[FoeYay would make a very interesting girlfriend for Shirou]] given how they both abandon their former ideals.]] That last bit gets more fuel poured on it in ''spring song'' [[spoiler: when during their battle, Rider taunts Saber Alter by suggestively teasing to her that she (Rider) knows Shirou better than his former Servant did, which evokes an almost ''jealous'' response from her.]]

** It's [[ChildhoodFriendRomance Shirou/Sakura's]] time to shine as the OfficialCouple of this adaptation, and while it's certainly popular, there are viewers (particularly from the ''UBW'' anime) who think Shirou has more chemistry with [[{{Tsundere}} Rin]] or [[LadyOfWar Saber]]. [[spoiler:Not to mention those who think [[FaceHeelTurn Saber Alter]] [[FoeYay would make a very interesting girlfriend for Shirou]] given how they both abandon their former ideals.]]

** The film trilogy itself is seen as either an excellent adaptation which expands on some of the most interesting parts of the original route, or a glorified highlight reel of all the route's most important scenes that takes out all of the character moments.

** It's [[ChildhoodFriendRomance Shirou/Sakura's]] time to shine as the OfficialCouple of this adaptation, and while it's certainly popular, there are viewers (particularly from the ''UBW'' anime) who think Shirou has more chemistry with [[{{Tsundere}} Rin]] or [[LadyOfWar Saber]]. [[spoiler:Not to mention those who think [[FaceHeelTurn Saber Alter]] [[FoeYay would be a good pairing with Shirou]] given how they both abandon their former ideals.]]

* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: It's made by ufotable, after all. All the fight scenes look amazing. Of particular note is the Lancer vs [[spoiler:True Assassin]] fight. And even that pales in comparison to [[spoiler: the [[https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/85470 Saber Alter]] vs. [[https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/85459 Berserker]] battle]] in the second movie.

** Shirou interacting with Sakura and [[spoiler:a reformed Rider]] during breakfast.

* EvilIsSexy: [[spoiler:Saber Alter]] already fell into EvilIsCool in the visual novel, but AdaptationDeviation also make her this in the movies. Here, she has her [[SexyBacklessOutfit backless]] ElegantGothicLolita dress from ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'' in addition to her armored getup, and she sports a rather attractive smile instead of the perpetual frown from the VN.

* TearJerker:
** Rin and Archer's discovery of Sakura's "training" room could definitely qualify for both of them. [[spoiler:Rin is forced to learn just what kind of hell her little sister has been living through for the past eleven years. And while we don't know exactly how Shirou became Archer, he's either discovering this and learning just what kind of life Sakura was forced into while she kept up a brave face for him, or he is being forcibly reminded of it.]]
*** [[spoiler:Since the movie heavily implies that the choice Archer made that resulted in him being so different from the present Shirou was ''killing Sakura'' when her powers went out of control, he's getting to see what the girl he cared for actually ''went through'' to drive her to that point.]]
** Taiga asking Sakura if she has a hero she admires just as Shirou admires Kiritsugu. As Sakura contemplates an answer (that she doesn't come up with), she fiddles with her hair ribbon... [[spoiler:which [[MyGreatestFailure Rin]] had given to her.]]
** Archer [[spoiler:dying]]. [[spoiler:After a desperate battle with Assassin, he's badly injured and so is Shirou, who has lost one of his arms. With [[SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay Tohsaka]] unconscious, Archer ([[ExpositoryHairChange with his hair down, like a certain someone...]]) softly caresses her face and [[NeverGotToSayGoodbye bids her goodbye]] before walking a short distance away to cut off his arm for Shirou. When Rider points out that this'll kill him, he responds that it doesn't matter since he's dying anyway, but he's giving them a chance to survive. The camera [[GoryDiscretionShot cuts to black just as he strikes his arm]].]]
** In the third movie, Illya tearfully asks Shirou why he has to risk his life to fight, when he has done nothing wrong. Shirou still proceeds to undo the seal on Archer's arm, which will condemn him to a slow and excruciating death.
** As he goes to fight Berserker, in a split second he analyzes his weapon and extracts its history... Viewing the Twelve Trials Heracles went through... Culminating in a scene where a still living Heracles holds children in his arms, unable to hold back tears and screams of anguish. This moment alone reveals to us that Heracles wanted nothing more than to be able to protect a child that would call him "Father."
** Heracles about to fade away, retrieves his sanity for one second, leaving these last words to Shirou: "You protect her."
** In the flashback of the conception of the Greater Grail, Justeaze sacrifices herself, mercilessly crushed by the crucible pillar that would turn her into the circuits for the magecraft circle. Zouken looks on, keeping a stoic front, though his expression shows he clearly does NOT take it well, reiterating his oath to reach the Root and liberation from the shackles of mortal condition, with visible anguish.
** After offing Zouken, Sakura has a MadLaugh fit, realizing she is finally free... Before she has a AndThenWhat moment.
** [[spoiler:Illya sacrificing herself to close the gate to the Root, and reuniting with her mother in death.]]
** [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone Sakura's reaction]] as she stabbed Rin, her sister, who never stopped caring about her.

* CatharsisFactor: In ''Lost Butterfly'', [[spoiler: right after pushing him away from Sakura, [[KickTheSonOfABitch Shirou gets to land a clean punch right into Shinji's face]] (with an ''injured'' hand at that) that sends him right to the floor]]. The amount of satisfaction of the audience goes ''off the charts'' at that moment!

** Shinji's LargeHam hysterics whenever things don't go his way, even in very serious scenes which are attempting to play his InferioritySuperiorityComplex for pathos, tend to evoke laughter from the audience. About the only time he doesn't is when [[spoiler:he attempts to rape Sakura at the end of the second movie- and even then, his sudden, brutal and [[KarmicDeath well-deserved death]] tends to evoke cheers instead, which tends to detract from the horrific mood.]]