Fate/Stay Night Anime and Character Guide

Shirō is a very talented young high school student that is adapt at fixing a variety of conventional things such as VCR's, toasters, and stoves.  His stepfather teaches Shirō a great many useful things such as the basics of sorcery and the value of life. It is because of this that Shirō goes out of his way to protect the innocent and even his servant, Saber. Although he dose not want anything to do with the Holy Grail he believes that if he where to fight with his Servant, Saber, to get it he could prevent another fiery disaster.

The servant of Shirō , Saber, is a very trustworthy, independent, and driven heroin. Although she may seem to have a very abrasive or cold personality she never stops until she has reached her goals. Due to Shirō's inability to grant her mana, Saber must be very careful when in battle. She has to mainly rely on her own abilities and attack only when she is sure of victory. Wielding the Noble Phantasms Excalibur, Saber conservatively attacks her enemies with an invisible sword. Saber is considered to be the highest class of servant and the most powerful. 

Secretly a Magus and Master in the Holy Grail War, Rin Tōsaka is a very introverted young girl. She is one that prefers isolation and makes little effort to talk to her other classmates. Rin can be classified as a very competitive, resourceful, stingy tomboy. She creates an aura of admiration about her in order to draw people’s attention away from her personal life. Although she makes a valiant attempt at calling a Saber-class Servant she calls Archer instead.

Archer is the Servant called on by Rin Tōsaka. Known as the 'Hero of Justice', Archer is actually Shirō Emiya from a future world. Although Archer and Shirō are one in the same, Archer takes a very sarcastic and cynical approach to Shirō's mentality of wanting to save everyone. Archer is equip to the teeth with useful Phantasms, weapons, and armor. His main weapon is a bow with the ability to shoot any weapon as an arrow.

Shirō 's stepsister, Illyasviel von Einzbern, is a young Teutonic aristocrat. It is said that Illy is the daughter of Kiritsugu Emiya(Shirō 's stepfather) and Irisviel von Einzbern. Illyasviel is a Master that traveled to Japan in order to participate in the Holy Grail War. Her magical powers are so immense that they are surpassed by none. Up until the beginning of the fifth Holy Grail War, Illya would stay in her castle with her Servant and two maids.

With ridiculous brawn and adamantine skin Berserker towers over the other Servants with shear magnitude as Illya's Servant. Berserker is the loyal Servant of Illya. This massive beast wields and equally massive axe-club that produces unmatched destruction with every blow. Because Berserkers are stripped of their sanity and reason, he tends to act with the utmost animal instinct in combat. Although Berserker's are praised to be the strongest Servant-class they are also the most difficult to control. Berserker is in the possession of the Noble Phantasm of Godhad. A technique that grants automatic resurrection, nine times!

Shinji Matō is the older brother of Sakura Matō and a good friend of Shirō's. Shinji is very popular among his classmates as he is the vice-captain of the archery dojo despite his noticeable poor character traits. Shinji is also from a long line of distinguished sorcerers but he goes to great links to keep his knowledge of this from his sister Sakura. Shinji has a significant and openly apparent affection for Rin, however she dose not feel the same of him. Shinji convinces his sister Sakura to cast a spell on her Servant, Rider, in order for him to compete in the Holy Grail War.

Although Sakura plays somewhat of a minor part in Fate Stay Night her role is quite significant. Sakura is a young girl in her first year of high school and the sister of Shinji Matō. Sakura is from a long lineage of sorcerers that is hidden from her by her brother. Nearing the end of the series Sakura is discovered to be the true Master of Rider. Because her grandfather implanted a piece of the Grail into Sakura the eighth Servant, Avenger, was created. Avenger, an antihero, tries to summon himself by controlling Sakura with an alternate personality. Sakura is later revealed to be Rin's biological sister.

Rider is the sultry looking Servant of Shinji, although she is eventually discovered to be the true Servant of Sakura. Like Sakura, Rider is vigilant and quiet. Rider goes to great links to shield her Master from harm without hesitation. Because Shinji is not Rider's true Master Shinji is incapable of lending Mana to her, so she must find alternatives for augmenting her abilities to compensate. Rider's weapon of Choice is long iron nails fastened at the opposite ends of a long chain.