2014 really felt like a new awakening for the "Fate" anime franchise. After the success of the earlier 'Fate - Zero," and Studio Ufotable's continued success with 2014's "Fate - Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works," we got a glut of anime content, ranging from OVA's to TV series to feature films, some lighthearted spin-offs, and some serious "alternate-universe" entries, each with different studios in charge to handle the wealth of content. Netflix also had a large hand in their development, allowing them to secure exclusive streaming rights early on. One of these many new shows was "Fate - Extra: Last Encore," based on a spin-off set of action-RPG games, adapted by Studio Shaft and directed by Akiyuki Shinbo.... wait. Shaft?! Shinbo?!? The team behind "Madoka Magica" and "Bakemonogatari?" I like them and all... but giving them a crack at "Fate"?! Who signed this off?!?Thanks to those aforementioned shows, Shinbo is still one of the biggest directors working in the industry, and his artistic sense has almost solely defined Shaft in the 2010's. He's very good at his job, but his style is... unique, and not well suited to everything. Virtually all of his work uses bold visuals, extensive verbal language, and a tendancy of cute, slender girls tilting their head back during conversations, as well as a noticable camera-directed perversion towards said girls that walks the fine line between "art" and "erotica." Even in shows that work better with these traits, the style can be one of the most divisive in anime. Naturally, "Last Encore" would get mixed reactions from virtually everyone. Sure enough, "Last Encore" pulls a lot from both "Madoka Magica" and "Bakemonogatari." The lead heroine has no modesty, and we get a couple bath scenes, each playfully flirting with certain naughty bits being barely an inch outside the camera's lens. One two-episode arc takes place in a child's storybook-dream that could have been ripped directly from the leftover art of "Madoka." The show has at least as much bloody violence as "Bake." Backgrounds are exquisitely designed. There's only a bit of head-tilting, but definitely a LOT of exposition. Basically, both good and bad traits are brought in, as expected. But the real concern might be the source material for the story. "Fate - Extra" was a PSP spin-off game, an RPG rather than a visual novel like 'Fate - Stay Night." It would continue into the "Fate - Extella" series for home consoles years later. The common conclusion is that the story in this series of games is complex to the point of ridicule: an alternate universe that happens to feature some familiar characters, it takes place on the moon, where humanity has been reduced to digital lifeforms. In this alternate future, humans seem relatively content. The main character, Hakuno, is a high-school student, living passively, while wondering why he seems to only harbor the feeling a "hate" within himself against the world. Rin and Shinji (recognizable for franchise fans) are also students. But in the first episode, a voice on the world's speakers claims that the setting is about to crumble, and that everyone must "prove themselves" by killing others to advance to the next stage, to compete in the Holy Grail War, for a device that can grant any one wish. Through accident, as people and the buildings crumble or get masacered by Servant-copies, Hakuno discovers a red sword, and pulls it to defend himself. He inadvertedly summoned a Saber servant, this time being Nero Claudius, the infamous Roman emperor (naturally, a female in the anime). By doing so, he is now part of the Grail War, and the two use a magical elevator to ascend to seven digital settings, each different from the last, to defeat each level master before continuing (the show remarks that over 100 participants are part of this war, but we ultimately never see most of them, instead focusing on the different levels). Much like the complex mandala floating in the sky and at each title card, "Last Encore" is unnecessarily intricate. To understand what each exposition tries to say is like understanding the clockwork gears of a wristwatch. If you lose focus for even a second, you will miss what a given episode is about. I was able to get the jist of the story early on, but by the final arc of the thirteen episodes (the last being a double-length one), I was lost at what was happening, or what the goal was. And I've seen every prior animated series of "Fate" before this, but not the games... I think everyone of all backgrounds will be equally confused.There is also an issue with characterizations and motivations. Hakuno doesn't remember much of his past, so his only real goal is to press forward, with the faint hope that he will learn more about himself and his unnatural feelings of hate (and perhaps why he can transform into a "Death Face" monster at will, one more powerful than even the Servant heroes). His servant, Saber, is flamboyant and vibrantly positive, lacking any modesty (her skirt is transparent and includes a back-window for us to see butt-cleavage), also without any particular reason to seek the Grail, only wishing to put on a great performance, and with no hint of disloyalty to her Master. Virtually every Master they meet also has no desire to "reach the root of all knowledge" or to "save humanity," like past storylines: each only fights out of the selfish desire to do so, typically preferring to stay on their given level rather than moving upward. The theme is how humanity prefers to be complacent for the sake of contentment, rather than moving forward and advancing to something greater. 
The change in theme is refreshing... but also feels against the whole point of "Fate." If no one really cares about the Grail, why should anyone be forced to fight? Even the multiple heroes (each based on a real or fictional hero of legend) don't get much focus for the audience to be excited about. It's unlikely fans will be too excited to see old characters return as new versions here. It would simply be better to enter "Last Encore" as if it were a fantasy/sci-fi adventure instead of part of an existing franchise.If watching with the right mindset, one might appreciate the complex lore and experimental story arcs. At one or two episodes each, we get arcs in different locations and with different puzzles or fights. Since everything is digital, it doesn't seem implausible, and we get different insights about what it means to be human and what we should strive for. I also give credit to the pacing: at no point did I feel that this was based off a video game, or that anything important was missing. And if all this was in a video game? Cool! I thought "Kingdom Hearts" was an appropriate comparison, where the hero travels to many different worlds, with an over-arching ominous power threatening to destroy everything, and with background lore that is cool while still being incomprehensible. I'm stretching to compliment it, but I hope this gives a better impression into what the show is like. In addition to appreciating the story variety, I also appreciated the visual variety. Backgrounds are beautiful and complex, and almost make the show worth watching by itself. Character designs are a little more bland, with girls being a bit cuter (and in Saber's case, more buxom), and a bit more revealing in their attire (Rin's short skirt and tall leather boots are new), for better or for worse. The show also likes bright colors, which is pleasent. All of this is par for the course for Studio Shaft, but regardless, it still looks better (or at least, far more interesting) than most other anime. The animation is the same: the few actions scenes never come close to the highs of any past "Fate" anime (as good as they still may look), but even dialogue scenes never reach the low quality of... again, any past "Fate" anime. That consistency gives it a sense of being "better-than-standard." Overall, "Fate - Extra: Last Encore" is an exquisite show to look at. The music is distinct from past "Fate" anime, and fitting for this version, but not particularly as good (a shame since the music is usually a highlight). I have to give credit to the English dub, for being strong from the first episode to the last, and for being able to convey most of the bizarre lore in a manner that is (mostly) understandable. There's a reason most of Shinbo's anime never get an English dub, but I think "Last Encore" proves it can, and perhaps should, be done.I'm personally a fan of Shaft and Shinbo, and I like experimental work, so I enjoyed "Fate - Extra: Last Encore" more than most people would. For that matter, I can't imagine anyone actually liking this one, except perhaps if they've already played through the games it's directly based on, and have a fondness for Nero Saber. Despite being standalone and short, I would strongly recommend watching virtually ANY other "Fate" anime before considering this one, and even then, to watch it only for completionists' sake. Of course, if you're like me and enjoy a challenge... this could be your secret favorite of the franchise. Being different does have its strengths, after all.