Carnival Phantasm: Episode Summary 1-6 - Fate
Episode 1: The 5th Great Conflict of the Magicians: The Holy Grail War
The time for the Carnival has arrived. Neco-Arc Bubbles receives a phone call from Ahnenerbe informing him that the Carnival is about to begin. According to Neco-Arc Chaos, the Carnival only comes to town once every 10 years and is a time when various stories can intersect. After a brief introduction to the Holy Grail War and its Servants, we are abruptly plunged into the Special Studio of the Fuyuki City Public Gymnasium where Illyasviel von Einzbern informs us that the rules for the 5th Great Clash of Magicians: The Holy Grail War are a little different than usual. This time, the battle for the Holy Grail will unfold in the style of a Japanese variety show hosted by Illyasviel and Kirei Kotomine.
Lancer hopes we'll have a good night, Assassin is mysteriously absent, Caster and Soichiro vow not to let anyone else hold the Grail, Rider tells a depressed Shinji not to worry, Berserker goes berserk, and Saber complains that a holy battle between knights shouldn't be so spectacular, while Rin privately declares that she'll resort to any kind of underhanded trickery to win but turns to the cameras to insist on fair play for all. Noble Phantasms are banned for public safety reasons (and because no one wants to clean that up), so the first game is... karuta! In the second round, an unusually cute Caster in a very short skirt prepares to face Berserker for a game of tennis, but he's immediately disqualified for breaking the rules, and the match is canceled. In the third round, Lancer is pushed into a pop-up pirate barrel, just like in the classic children's game, while Saber and Archer stick their swords in the slots, but Gilgamesh makes a sudden and unexpected appearance and tries to cheat by using his Noble Phantasm, "killing" Lancer in the process. The fourth round is a king game between Saber and Gilgamesh, who are both kings anyway, so it's pointless.
After a bloody battle, Shiro is about to seize the Grail, but breaking it only summons Neco-Arc bubbles. Neco Arc Chaos summons Neco-Arc minions and loads Shiro into a rocket to launch him into space. Meanwhile, Phantasmoon takes us to the end credits.
Episode 2: Badump! Melty Blood
After Neco-Arc Bubbles destroys Ahnenerbe with a laser beam, we head to the next episode of Phantasm Moon, whereupon Neco-Arc Bubbles arrives on a beach, lamenting the tragedy of magical girls and the fleetingness of youth, before our favorite ladies of Tsukihime start pampering Shiki, and a lost Shiro tries to figure out what just happened with the whole rocket thing at the end of the previous episode. Soon, it's time for a special summer event—the "Badump Beach Volleyball Competition Hosted by the Tohno Family!" In addition to the various prizes on offer, the game's MVP will get to spend a night alone with Shiki in a private room. Ciel, Arcueid Brunestud, and Miyako are on the "White Team," with Akiha, Sion Eltnam Atlasia, and Hisui on the "Red Team." With his eyes fixed on the MVP title, Ciel charges straight ahead, eliminating Nanako/Seven who was just trying to enjoy a delicious curry.
Meanwhile, Shiro and the Neco-Arc attempt to repair his rocket as the match escalates into an internal conflict that threatens to destroy life as we know it. Akiha and Arcueid Brunestud are the last players standing when it comes down to one point, leaving Shiki to swear he'll never go to the beach with the girls again. Shiro sits across from him at a cafe in a disheveled state, complaining about not being able to repair his rocket.
The next segment, "Afterschool Alleyway Alliance," features Satsuki, Sion, and Riesbyfe Stridberg complaining about their collective lack of screen time. The end credits begin, leading to the Tiger Dojo where Taiga appears in a crude sketch solely as punishment for abusing the budget in the previous episode.
Episode 3: It's a waking dream everywhere
Destiny, the Neco-Arc, announces that she is leaving Ahnenerbe because she realized that all Neco-Arcs have the same face, and it made her lose confidence. Meanwhile, Arcueid Brunestud is waiting for Shiki outside the school because he never spends time with her anymore. Ciel suddenly arrives and tells Arcueid not to cause trouble for Shiki, dragging him inside while he yells at Arcueid that he can't be too hard on Ciel because she saved his life. Arcueid climbs a tree and spies on Shiki in class, but the school is even more boring from the outside, so she decides to become a "mysterious transfer student," even taking the entrance exams like a normal human. She is disheartened, however, to learn that boys and girls are separated for gym and that if you are late, you have to stay after class to clean up, so she eventually decides to quit to reappear as... a janitor!
The Neco arcs reminisce about high school comedies and the boys they liked back then before moving on to a story about Shiro and the ladies. As he prepares to put away the futons, he finds Illya and Taiga Fujimura asleep on them. Illya grabs Shiro and tries to convince him to join them for a nap. He soon falls asleep in her arms and is discovered by a confused Saber, who is then followed by Rin Tohsaka, who manages to oust Illya and take his place. Illya has cast a spell on Shiro so he won't wake up, but the only way she can remove it is by kissing him, which annoys Rin.
Back in Ahnenerbe, the Neco-Arcs are also pretty sleepy, which makes way for another episode of Afterschool Alleyway Alliance with Satsuki still trying to get more airtime while Riesbyfe Stridberg deals with various real-life matters on his cell phone. Meanwhile, in Phantasmoon, White Moon Princess takes out an enemy with spicy mapo tofu, and Taiga composes a rap for Shiro in the post-credits dojo.
Episode 4: Badump! Great Date Plan
The Ahnenerbe guys love their TV, even though it sometimes shows them sad things and they don't have a VCR to make sure they watch their favorite shows. Luckily, Shiro has one, and since he'll be home late from work, he wants Rin Tohsaka to set it up for him. Unfortunately, she's not very tech-savvy and didn't even know that no one has VHS anymore, but she does her best to try and figure out what a Blu-ray recorder is.
Meanwhile, back in Ahnenerbe, they've met an unhappy end in their video game, so it's time for a romance! Shiro and Shiki meet up at a cafe to lament the sorry state of their love lives, as they have too many love interests and their dates are always conflicting. Fearing their girlfriends will kill them, the boys implement the "Badump Date Super Plan," which involves getting up at 4 a.m. to go on as many dates as possible and technically have more than one date at the same time. What should they do, try to date everyone or just pick one? The choice is yours!
In Afterschool Alleyway Alliance, Riesbyfe Stridberg is concerned about the friendship and suggests breaking up. Is this really the end for the gang? For Taiga and Illya, it could be a different kind of ending as they debate whether to burn or read all their complaint letters in this week's Tiger Dojo.
Episode 5: The Berserker's First Mission
Berserker makes an unexpected appearance at Ahnenerbe to cause havoc before the action even begins! Souichirou Kuzuki sits down with Nrvnqsr "Nero" Chaos / Fabro Rowan while the Neco-Arcs attempt to make repairs, and across town, Illyasviel von Einzbern is defeated by a video game. She decides to send Berserker on an errand to buy new batteries in hopes of improving his chances. Berserker has never gone on an errand before, so he's a little anxious. Leysritt decides to follow him at a discreet distance in case he gets into trouble—which is just as well, because "Gilgamesh the Trickster" is out today too! Fortunately, his pranks are quickly foiled, but Leysritt realizes that Berserker has gone out without his axe, which is probably a good thing because he ends up fighting Lancer while trying to pet a "dog," forgetting about the batteries altogether! Resolutely rushing toward his temporary "Holy Grail," Berserker defeats Assassin, Rider, Saber, Caster, Archer, and Lancer, accidentally winning the Holy Grail War and finding his reward in an electric kettle.
Meanwhile, in Phantasm Moon, Princess White Moon must resort to punching her enemies when her Marble Phantasm malfunctions, and Taiga and Illya use business charm in Tiger Dojo!
Episode 6: Type-Moon Sakura TV Series
Ahnenerbe is in the red - they'll have to think about raising their prices! Neco-Arc Evolution arrives just in time to turn on the television for her favorite show, Phantasmoon, for its final episode in which the White Moon Princess faces off against her rivals, Kaleido Ruby, the "otherworldly magical girl of love and justice," Magical Caren, the "abusive magical girl of celebration and peace," and Magical Amber, the "black curtain magical girl of proverbs and medicine."
Meanwhile, Shinji Matou becomes violent with his sister Sakura while Rider watches from inside a closet. Shinji forces Sakura to shovel snow out of the house, even off the roof, while he surfs the internet from the warmth of the house. Rider tries to encourage her to resist, but Sakura says she accepts being bossed around by her brother, both frightened by his violence and worried that he won't be able to manage without her. In an effort to protect her, Rider continues to find "accidental" ways to punish Shinji whenever he tries to use violence against his sister, hoping that Sakura will eventually realize that Shinji is dangerous and that she must leave.
Rider walks past an excited Caster shopping at the supermarket, still thinking about Sakura and her lingering feelings for Shinji. Spotting Caster's Noble Phantasm Rule Breaker carelessly dropped in the middle of the produce aisle attached to her wallet, she picks it up and gives the knife to Sakura, who uses it to save herself from an assault by Shinji, plunging it into her heart, which is then cleansed of the darkness.
Touched by the story of brotherly love, the Neco-Arcs wonder if they too are related since they all have the same face. Archer sits with Nanako/Seven who vents about her "dangerous" master, while the Taiga dojo is cut for "budgetary reasons."
