Web Video / Fate/Cero

Rider: Hello little man! Here are your Command Seals! But remember, you only get three!
Waver: Are you a genie?
Rider: Ohhh dear.

Episode 1

Fuyuki City, where seven silly Masters and seven wacky Servants get together in a whimsical battle royale of the Holy Grail War, Kiritsugu Emiya, under the Einzbern's command as a mercenary, as well as Irisviel von Einzbern, summon forth Servant Saber to do battle in their stead... in the most ridiculous war ever known to man.

Fate/Cero is, for all its worth, an abridged series of Fate/Zero. With heavy-editing, a grand cast, and the usual craziness with most abridged series, this entry puts up a number of jokes and even expands on those already presented in the original show, all the while keeping elements of the awesome side of Fate/Zero, as well as the darker tones it shows (if only for a few seconds, even). The YouTube page can be found here.

As of September 2016, the series underwent a year-long cancellation before getting uncancelled with a fifth episode.

---

Tropes:

• Accidental Misnaming: Meta-example. Takashi Takeuchi's name is missing the U in Take'u'chi in the opening disclaimer. The pronounciation is correct, not the spelling.
• Adaptational Heroism: Gilgamesh is less of a prick than he was in the original canon. To elaborate, in the original, he's kind of a dick to everyone involved, even to his master. Here, he kills Assassin by accident, has a fun drinking party with Saber and Rider, and when he suggests to Kirei to kill Tokiomi, he was only joking. However...
  • The same applies with Kirei, since he's on Tohsaka's side. To elaborate:
  Kirei (to Gilgamesh): And besides, he's a great father figure. Just this morning, his daughter was messing with magic she wasn't ready for and you know what he did? He gave her a gift. Because he was proud of her for trying to expand her knowledge despite the risk. What's more that could help her avoid repeating the same mistakes. He's a kind and patient man, and you suggest I kill him for what, a wish-granting cup in a battle between ghosts?
• Adaptational Wimp: Gilgamesh gets the hell out of dodge once Berserker shows he can use his own Noble Phantasms against him. In addition, he's scared off when Kiritsugu threatens to shoot him.
• Adaptational Villainy:
  • In canon, Kiritsugu had rather noble intentions, genuinely loved his wife, and was willing to evacuate the rest of Kayneth's hotel before blowing it up (granted he chastises himself for that, but still). Here? He had no problems fantasizing about killing Iri, and ''celebrated'' with a cigarette when he blew up Kayneth's hotel and everyone inside.
  • For all their faults, Tokiomi and Kariya both did love Aoi with Kariya only strangling her in a moment of impulsive panic. Here, Tokiomi bribes Kariya into murdering her so that Kirei can become Rin's guardian after he fakes his death to evade arrest.
• Affably Evil: Ryuunosuke seems saner and calmer here, but still murders children for the fun of it. On that matter, Zouken, while still keeping Sakura under the bugs, is annoyed with the innuendo Kariya makes while slurping a shake of "Malicious Intentions".
• All for Nothing: Somehow even more so than in canon, as Lancer tells Kayneth that Sola-Ui is already dead, even before Maiya uses Loophole Abuse to gun them down.
• Ax-Crazy: Caster is very much this in this series. Ryuunosuke in some extent as well.
• Badass Adorable: Little Rin manages to literally overpower Ryuunosuke's magic bracelet to get away from him, thanks to Tokiomi's lecture.
• Distinguishing Mark: Lancer's mole, but this time it does more than just make someone fall in love with him. ^note In his first appearance, Irisviel shouts "My panties are soaked!" In his scene with Kayneth and Sola-Ui, Kayneth gets an erection and Sola wets herself shouting "I hate my pants!!"
  • Lancer later reveals women are after him because of the mole.
• Broken Pedestal: When Gilgamesh first suggests killing Tokiomi, Kirei refuses in part because he admires his parenting. He kills Tokiomi just after the latter has announced his intention to abandon Rin by faking his death.
• Can't Hold His Liquor: Rider, Gilgamesh and especially Saber are completely plastered drinking from Rider's wine.
• The Cameo: Astaroth appears in Episode 4 to receive a vision from Caster
• Casual Danger Dialogue: The Stinger of Episode 5 has Kiritsugu repeatedly telling an unresponsive Saber to save him from drowning in the ocean, sounding mildly annoyed at most.
• Cluster Bleep-Bomb: Berserker has never put soap in his mouth in his lifetime it seems. This case is also a little unusual in that the censorship doesn't really censor much (the beeping sound only lasting for about an estimated tenth in each word).
• Cloud Cuckoolander: As if Caster isn't crazy as much as he is already.
• Combat Pragmatist: Kiritsugu's use of guns than magic to Kayneth's annoyance.
  Kayneth: Use magic maaaaaaaan!
• Deadpan Snarker: Rin, somewhat same as canon, questions Kirei's and Assassin's credibility.
  Rin: What can Assassin do?
  Kirei: I hear he's really good at dancing.
  Rin: Who told you that?
  Kirei: Uh... Assassin.
  (Beat)
  Rin: ...Well alright, let me know how that goes.
  • Kirei himself gets in on it at times.
  Risei: My religion is bigger than yours!
  Kirei: Oh, look, a third of humanity's problems! How are you today?
• Death by Adaptation: Assassin actually dies for real at Archer's hands accidentally rather than it being a misdirection by Kirei and Tokiomi.^note To sink this in, he nor any of his copies appear in episode 3 and Rider unleashes his Noble Phantasm as a result of being incredibly drunk.. And then, a few episodes later, the Tohsaka parents and Lancer's team are killed around the same time Caster and Ryunosuke are killed, rather than after.
• Distracted by the Sexy: Kayneth and Sola-Ui are subjected by this from Lancer's mole. Justified if you read the the original Light Novel.
• Domestic Abuse: Episode 4 has multiple instances, surprisingly Played for Laughs. Hell, it's in the episode's title, "Abuso Doméstico":
  • After being crippled and having his magic circuits damaged, Sola-Ui breaks Kayneth's hand.
  • When Rin breaks Ryuunosuke's bracelet given to him by Caster, Caster viciously beats him up.
  • Of the Abusive Parents variety, Zouken crushes Kariya's leg with his cane.
• Drives Like Crazy: Irisviel, to the point where she now thinks she's making love with the car.
  Irisviel: Faster! Harder! Lanceeeerrr... *Eyes roll up* Saber, I can't see! *Heart eyes*
• Dumbass Has a Point: Rider might be a few soldiers short of an Ioniai Hetairoi, but even he's smart enough to call out both Saber and Lancer for deciding to go have a chivalrous duel to the death while Caster's rampaging around with Cthulu. Even after Saber makes him leave to fight off Caster's monster alone, it's clear that he's pissed off at the both of them for this.
• Even Evil Has Standards: Kayneth is pissed at Kiritsugu for blowing up his hotel nearly killing himself, Sola, and Lancer inside, plus it was full of other people in it.
  • Ironically, Kiritsugu detonated said bomb in response to Kayneth considering "sex command seals."
• Evil Is Not Well-Lit: Spoofed when Tokiomi and Kirei meet in a darkened room in Episode 5 because Tokiomi can't afford to keep the lights on.
• Expy: Caster is what happens if you fuse Takahata 101's Nappa and Alucard and make him an Ax-Crazy child murderer who failed Child Psychology with a minor in pain.
  • Kiritsugu definitely has Archer vibes emulating. Down to the tone of his voice and mannerisms.
• Faking the Dead: Tokiomi plans to do this to escape his debts. Kirei makes it real.
• Fish out of Temporal Water: Saber isn't out of place from her legends, she's out of place from the 90s instead!
  Saber: Damn it, we've been blazed!
  Lancer: What does that mean?
• Historical In-Joke: Used for Rider when he thinks Gilgamesh puts something in his wine. One of the possible causes of death for Alexander the Great was poisoned wine.
• Heroic BSoD: Saber has a quick one after Berserker's "IT BECOMES MY NOBLE PHANTASM" speech.
  Saber: (getting more and more horrified with every repetition) SIR LANCELOT!
• Ignored Epiphany: Caster very briefly considers abandoning being a serial killer. Very briefly.
  Caster: Sometimes, I think, maybe I should cease my murderous habits. And then perhaps God would see fit to send something good my way.
  Ryuunosuke: Woah now, hey! Hear me out big guy; what if God loves killing children?
  Caster: YOU JUST BLEW MY FUCKING MIND, RYUUNOSUKE!
• Innocently Insensitive: While drunk out their minds, Rider asks Saber what would she do if she were to win the Holy Grail. She ends up in Berserker Tears. Gilgamesh calls him out on it, though Rider didn't know in his defense.
• Intimate Healing: As with the rest of the Nasuverse, sex is used to replenish mana. Something which Caster manages to convince Ryuunosuke to do.
• I Shall Taunt You: Rider goads several onlookers into revealing themselves by questioning their masculinity.
  Rider: Anyone hiding right now... totally gay.
  [Berserker, Archer, and Kayneth pop up, remonstrating]
  Kiritsugu: [staying where he is] I don't care. I'll suck dick. Single life, baby!
• Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: All of the Masters are terrible people, sans Wever, who is more scared than anything, and technically Irisviel, all of the other Masters are a bunch of self-centered sociopaths.
• Large Ham: Berserker dear lord.
  • Kariya applies, to Zouken's annoyance.
    • Becomes even more funnier if you already figured out who became whose master later on. And the hint is in the opening credits. This results in a:
  • Ham-to-Ham Combat: Between the Master and Servant.
• Laughing Mad: Tokiomi, when summoning Gilgamesh in the basement.
  Rin: Am I allowed to go down there?
  (Cut to Tokiomi laughing cathartically after witnessing Gilgamesh, then cut to Kirei)
  Kirei: ...I wouldn't.
• Leaning on the Fourth Wall: In Episode 4 with Kayneth's line in the first 37 seconds:
  Kayneth: As usual, we're off to a fine start.
• Mythology Gag: When Saber, Rider, and Gilgamesh are completely drunk, their dialogue is in Visual Novel format. Fate/stay night, the first and core entry in the series, and its sequel Fate/hollow ataraxia are both visual novels.
  • In the above Intimate Healing, guess what Caster does to replenish his mana to Ryuunosuke?
• Obviously Evil: Zouken of course. Who else drinks a slurpee called "Malicious Intentions"? Kariya questions him directly on the reason for his evilness; Zouken replies lampshadingly:
  • "Look at my face - really look at it - and you tell me if I need a reason to be cruel."
• Parental Neglect: Aoi Tohsaka isn't even sure which of her daughters was given away.
  Aoi: Uh... the purple one?
• Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil: Strangely enough, Kiritsugu seems to believe this. He's disturbed by Saber's assumption that he's going to use command seals to rape her, and it's Gilgamesh's outburst at being unable to sleep with drunk!Saber that gets a gun pointed in his face. Kiritsugu also blows up the hotel the instant Kayneth considers using "sex command seals" on Lancer.
• A Rare Sentence:
  Caster: You go acquire some more children, and I'll set out to rape Joan of Arc!
  Ryuunosuke: I am glad I lived long enough to hear that sentence.
• Shown Their Work: You'd be amazed by how much.
• Sir Swears-a-Lot: Fittingly enough, Berserker Lancelot himself.
• Skewed Priorities: Events are shifted around so that Saber and Lancer go off and have their honorable duel while Cthulhu is still at large. Lampshaded by Rider.
  Rider: Guys? I'm not much for priorities, BUT HOLY FUCK, PRIORITIES!
• Stalker with a Crush: Holy hell, Caster...
• Talking Is a Free Action: Averted in Episode 3.
  Kayneth: You're a disgrace to all mages and you have to- (Kiritsugu shoots him) A gun?! Use magic, man! Have you no respect for magecra- (Kiritsugu shoots him again) I can't believe you would resort to machine g- (Kiritsugu shoots him a third time) GOD DAMN IT, LET ME TALK! (Kiritsugu unloads his entire rifle into him) I HATE YOU!
• Tampering with Food and Drink: Archer's wine definitely had something drug-related inside. It inexplicably caused Rider to summon Ionian Hetaroi, to the confusion of his men.
  Rider (after crashing and going back to his own wine): I ain't drinking your shit anymore.
• That Came Out Wrong: Kariya's conversation with Zouken (in regards to becoming a mage in place of Sakura):
  Kariya: Put it in me!
  Zouken: Well now, hold on now, that sentence may require elaboration.
  Kariya: Your crest worms! Put it in me!! [...]
  Zouken: Now, see, you could've just said "put them into me," 'cause it sounded like you went out of your way to insinuate innuendo, and I don't appreciate that.
• Took a Level in Jerkass: Kiritsugu. He's much more of a Jerkass than in canon, he's desperately hoping for 'the single life' and considered killing his own wife.
  Kiritsugu: I am not mentally equipped to raise a child, much less be tied down by one woman. How am I gonna get out of this one?
  (Cut to Kiritsugu strangling Irisviel)
  Kiritsugu: You knew what this was!
  Irisviel: Fuck you, you piece of shit!
  (Cut back to Kiritsugu, smoking contemplatively)
  Kiritsugu: Nah, that'll never work, she's a kicker.
• Troll: Waver attempts this by putting the entire manuscript of A New Hope on one of Kayneth's videoes, and wrote the entire thing with the title "You're Move Teach Drrrrrrrrrrr" and put it on his desk. He ends up getting caught, and in return accidentally summons Rider.
  • Lancer spends a good deal of time actually trolling people, doing such things as speaking in a voice that annoys his Master even after Kayneth starts all but tearing his hair out in frustration and actually asking Berserker "u mad?" after he told the latter a terrible pun.
• Unstoppable Rage: Berserker, natch.
  Lancer: U mad?
  Berserker: ALL THE TIIIIME!!!
• Walking Spoiler: Unlike the original, there's no effort in hiding the fact that Berserker is Sir Lancelot for this series.
  • What makes this weird is that there is just about no mention of the identities of the other six Servants, whereas in Fate/Zero, those six were all revealed in the first few episodes. Here:
    • Saber's (kinda) true name is said only a couple of times by Berserker.
    • Archer is referred to by name once (at the end of Episode 4, and at this point half of Zero has been covered).
    • Lancer, Rider, and Caster have their identities referenced in subtle ways (Lancer's Mole, Rider's Birthday, and Caster's obsession with Joan Of Arc) that would probably only ping with people who either already knew them or were very familiar with the underlying history. Assassin only spoke in Arabic, which would not have been sufficient to identify him.
• Wham Episode: Episode 5. We get the deaths of the Tohsaka parents, Teams Caster and Lancer, as well as Kirei’s Startof Darkness.
• Would Hurt a Child: Caster and Ryuunosuke, just like in canon.