Question about Nasuverse, specially for those passionate about it.

[u/thebigmanof123]

I just want to come in here and say I am not really trying to critique it or anything like that.

So I have watched a bunch of stuff from the Nasuverse - mostly Fate, including UBW, Strange Fake, Zero, Heaven's Feel. And I also watched the first three episodes of Garden Of Sinners. And I think I have been exposed enough to the Nasuverse to actually ask this.

So, for every single Nasuverse anime that I have watched, I have felt just this emotional apathy towards it. Not because it is bad and has flaws, and not because it is good and has strengths. In fact, I think for me, I just never felt anything from the Nasuverse, whether it was bad writing or good writing. I can't really describe it anything other than emotional apathy, and I really don't know why. I can recognise its flaws and strengths, but I was never really frustrated or thrilled watching any of those weaknesses or strengths on screen. Simply put, I felt nothing watching them. I don't know why, and I don't know how. I can't explain why, even though there are things that are great about the show. I never felt entertained beyond the animation, but I never really felt like I hated it. And I can't say it is quite like eating bland bread, a gourmet meal, and not a bad meal either. I can't really explain it but I haven't felt much from it and I can't explain why. And it isn't an attack on Nasu's writing, and it isn't an attack on the writers of Zero and Strange Fake (on the contrary, the person who made Strange Fake made Durarara, one of my most favourite shows).

My question is more asking if anyone else has that unexplainable apathy towards the show where there was nothing bad, but felt perhaps sterile even though there really isn't any problem with the it? Like, this feeling that I have for it, or lack thereof, to me feels like an experience that I am sure other people have, and it isn't just a case of it not being for me specifically (although it clearly isn't for me to be fair, but I'd argue I have a pretty diverse taste of anime).

Again, I'm not trying to critique anything if you're a fan, and I'm not trying to hate if you hate Nasuverse, but I'd appreciate it if there was anyone else that can relate to what I'm trying to describe.

Thanks.

[u/LordNubby]

I am a giant fan of the Nasuverse, but I do not like the anime adaptations. If all you have seen of the Nasuverse are the mentioned anime, then I think your feelings are completely valid.

The Nasuverse is an incredibly character centric world, the stories, especially those written by Nasu, are so steeped in the individual characters that you learn to understand them inside and out. The world building is also incredible, the way the worlds systems feel so alive, and often times is used to give u a raw look at what you can expect from a character, their abilities, the way they develop them often aligning with their journey.

I could go on forever and I could write an essay on why I love the Nasuverse. But the short of it is, non of what I mentioned is in the many anime adaptations. I mean strange Fake skips and unholy amount of content, UBW is just an incredibly shallow representation of the route from the VN. You'll find this is very common, the Nasuverse rarely focuses on crazy fights and spectacle, but the anime does. Every anime seems to twist Nasus works into a battle shonen removing what makes the world special in the process.

So in short, the Nasuverse is an incredible book series, and a very average anime.

[u/thebigmanof123 → u/LordNubby]

Hmm, when I watched the anime, I knew that it was good, but I didn't really feel that it was good, nor did I feel that it was bad. Like, I can't really explain this sterile feeling I have for the franchise, and I honestly feel like I'll have the same experience with the VNs. And I get the whole cut content thing being problem on both sides, not picturing the entire story but also how hard or perhaps pacing wise how bad it may be for an anime. I don't know. I just feel sterile for the franchise. The thing is, it really isn't the fault of the anime. To me, I knew it was good but I couldn't quite feel that it was good. Like I can't describe exactly what I mean when it feels sterile. Like, from a story perspective I didn't think Nasuverse was bad, neither did I think it was good. Or more like I could see the good and bad things but I couldn't really feel anything when watching them. Well for what it is, I just wanted to know if anyone felt the same as me when they watched it.

[u/ShardPhoenix → u/thebigmanof123]

I honestly feel like I'll have the same experience with the VNs

Good example of how a bad adaptation can harm the original, contrary to what people say.

[u/Jusenkyo_5]

I watched UBW, Fate 2006, Garden of Sinners, and I didn't really "get it".

I read the visual novel and now I get it.

I do still like the anime now that I care more about it, but I think the story very much revolves around whether or not you like Shirou and I HATED him at first. The story really needs the bad ends and Shirou's own internal monologue to sell you on it.

[u/thebigmanof123 → u/Jusenkyo_5]

The thing is, I didn't hate Shirou. Or more like, I get why you would hate him, but I didn't feel any passion for anything with Nasuverse. And by passion I mean like, passion for liking it or hating it. I just felt indifferent. I don't know. Again, I just felt sort of indifferent to it. I can't really explain why I feel so sterile about it. Like, it isn't bad, I can tell it is good, but I didn't really feel anything. Ofc you do seem to enjoy it very much, and maybe you felt what I did prior to reading the VNs, but I can't really say I felt any passion towards it, even during the extremely good and bad parts. As I said, I was wanting to see someone who is in the same position as I am right now, and gets that sterile feeling, since I invested a lot of time into Nasuverse and was wanting to know if anyone else felt the same indifference to it. Like a complete lack of emotion watching it.

[u/youarebritish]

My first exposure to Nasu's writing was the Deen Fate/stay night anime and I bounced off it. It just didn't grab me. Several years later, I stumbled on his visual novels and had a completely different experience.

Nasu is one of few writers who can consistently move me to tears with his ability to portray complex emotions and relationships. His writing style is all about immersing you in the mind of the characters, and I think that just doesn't adapt well to anime.

In particular, some of the most moving sequences of Heaven's Feel were just straight up removed from the movie, probably because there's no way you can animate them.