Source	Chars
Novel	175,525
VN equivalent section (through Ch 5.1)	169,503

Category	Chars	Meaning
Exact Match	109,210	Same wording, same place
Exact Match (Placing Shifted)	25,235	Same wording, different place
Edited (Placing Unshifted)	6,747	Same place, wording differs
Edited (Placing Shifted)	2,149	Different place, wording also differs
Novel Only	8,224	In the book, not found in VN
VN Only	2,641	In VN Ch 1–5.1, not in this book

Much like Volume 1, Volume 2 is almost identical to the VN. It might just be recency bias since the character diff is about the same as Volume 1, but I felt there were more noticeable narrative additions this time around. While there's nothing concrete I can point to regarding new lore or characterisation, the extra descriptive flavour is definitely there and there is maybe some food for thought if you dig deep. At the end, there are "profile-esque notes" written by Aoko for Second Ticket, Flat Snark, Diddle Diddle and the Twiddles. My midnight brain didn't notice anything new lore-wise, but its endearing character voice nonethelesss.

Some examples to illustrate the type of additions, not a comprehensive coverage:
- Soujuurou saving Aoko from the puppet is described as rescuing a kitten drawn to a car, or more accurately, grabbing a kitten with the sheer force of a dump truck. Could be a deliberate callback or simply flavour text.
- Alice showing disagreement with Aoko's lecture regarding the Association’s stance on secrecy, magecraft being the last bastion of the arcane, it losing meaning and all that. She comments that it only "applies by human standards," and the narration notes that Aoko and Alice likely hold different approaches toward magecraft altogether.
- It is a rule that meals in the Kuonji mansion are eaten in the sunroom where possible.
- When Soujuurou catches Alice asleep and they chat, he compares her to the solitary wild animals he knew in the mountains, creatures that cannot survive without being left alone.

Beyond that, there is a surprising amount of mundane narration that I genuinely enjoyed and kind of wish made it into the original visual novel, even if it isn't strictly essential. During the pigeon conversation, for instance, Nasu goes on a tangent about food being the foundational element for human survival and prosperity, noting that larger cities require exponentially more fuel to maintain, before pivoting directly into the founding of fertiliser. Surprisingly, it blends right in between the dialogue pretty seamlessly. Suffice to say, there are quite a few moments like this scattered throughout.

Volume 1 Rough Comparison

It was an untimely—or perhaps entirely abrupt—fall of rain.

Guided by whim, I sought refuge in a small, independent café.
Though the contents of my purse offered little reassurance, it was marginally preferable to being drenched. Upon reflection, a freezing body posed a far graver dilemma than the chill of an empty pocket.
Truly, I find myself utterly starved of leisure.
Nourish not the flower, but the soul. Pleasure is the very bread of life, or so the saying goes. The customs of the city are a tangled affair. Perhaps I should have purchased a single book over this cup of coffee?
Harbouring such regrets after claiming my seat, I placed an order, merely mimicking those around me.
In truth, it was my very first time setting foot in a café.
The coffee presently delivered proved far more meagre in portion than I had envisioned.
Sipping a brew I lacked the palate to comprehend, I waited for the rainclouds to pass.
The delicate chime of a bell welcoming patrons.
The murmur of conversation from neighbouring tables, mingling with the drumming of the rain.
Fitted with Western furnishings, the shop possessed distinctly tall windows. Had the skies been clear, the interior would surely have been bathed in brilliant light. Yet now, even that was veiled within the hazy mist of the rain.
A gentle rain.
A fleeting dream.
The backrest of my chair was remarkably soft, magnitudes finer than the one residing in my own room. With a body so thoroughly exhausted, I caught myself nodding off, as if adrift upon a slumbering boat.

"That was fast, wasn't it?"
"Yeah, well. The guy was all talk."
"I see. And? What did you do? Dispose of him?"
"Of course. Snuffed the life right outta him."
"Let us be off, then. There is something I wish to buy."

Hushed, muted voices drifted over from the seats behind me.
Mundane, if one were to call it mundane.
Yet exceedingly perilous, if one were to actually consider the words. I merely tilted my head at the nature of their exchange.
—Then again, I suppose such things happen.
It was nothing to be so surprised about.
This city, where the masses congregate, is Wonderland itself.
And fairy tales, just like this one, lie scattered everywhere you look.
Glancing out the window, the rainclouds had already passed.
Stifling a yawn, I rose from my seat.
Clang, clang. The chime of the entryway bell rang out once more.

By the way.
Having sought shelter for such a fleeting reason,
where exactly that shop was located,
or what name it happened to bear...
naturally, I could not possibly remember.

Source	Chars
Novel	143,393
VN equivalent section (through Ch 5.1)	140,963

Category	Chars	Meaning
Exact Match	86,651	Same wording, same place
Exact Match (Placing Shifted)	26,909	Same wording, different place
Edited (Placing Unshifted)	5,418	Same place, wording differs
Edited (Placing Shifted)	26,886	Different place, wording also differs
Novel Only	6,470	In the book, not found in VN
VN Only	3,977	In VN Ch 1–5.1, not in this book

Not exact counts, but good enough to get the gist. About half of the "Placing Shifted" pile is VN Chp 1.5 relocated to novel Chp 2.5.

Player Survey Results

1. What is your age?

10s or younger	11.2%
20s	35.8%
30s	37.3%
40s	13%
50s or older	2.7%

2. What is your Master Level?

Lv. 200	23.1%
Lv. 195-199	19.7%
Lv. 190-194	9.9%
Lv. 180-189	8.7%
Lv. 160-179	16.3%
Lv. 141-159	13.8%
Below Lv. 140	7.8%
No Response	0.7%

3. What is your gender?

Male	45.8%
Female	53.5%

4. When did you start playing FGO?

Pre-Registration	16.2%
Release ~ Dec 31 2015	7.7%
Jan 1 2016 ~ Dec 31 2016	11%
Jan 1 2017 ~ Dec 31 2017	17.7%
Jan 1 2018 ~ Dec 31 2018	9.3%
Jan 1 2019 ~ Dec 31 2019	8%
Jan 1 2020 ~ Dec 31 2020	6.3%
Jan 1 2021 ~ Dec 31 2021	4.1%
Jan 1 2022 ~ Dec 31 2022	3.6%
Jan 1 2023 ~ Dec 31 2023	3.9%
Jan 1 2024 ~ Dec 31 2024	4.1%
Jan 1 2025 ~ Dec 31 2025	5.6%
Jan 1 2026 ~	2.1%
Did Not Answer	0.4%

5. What is your Main Story progress?

Part 1	0.6%
Epic of Remnant	0.2%
Part 2	2.4%
Ordeal Call I: Paper Moon	0.3%
Ordeal Call II: Id	0.5%
Ordeal Call III: Archetype Inception	0.4%
Ordeal Call IV: Trinity Metatronius	0.5%
Part 2 Final Chapter	0.8%
The Beginning of After Time	3.3%
Three Goddesses of Fate Arc: Past Chaldea	9%
Caught Up	81.4%
Did Not Answer	0.6%

6. Which is your favourite Event?

1.	Antioch, Marauding Crusade Warfront / Snowfield, Resonating Illusion of a Pseudopigrapha	567 votes
2.	Mahoutsukai no Yoru After Night: Murder at the Kumano Hot Springs - The Robin Saw It All! Magicians Die Twice!	361 votes
3.	Bakumatsu Chambara Myth: Gudaguda Shinsengumi - The End: REVENGE OF MAKOTO	255 votes
4.	Deep Sea Cyber Paradise SE.RA.PH	241 votes
5.	Wings of  Lacrimation	227 votes
6.	Chaldea U-Summer Island ~Does the President Dream of Summer?~	156 votes
7.	Servant Summer Festival!	110 votes
8.	Servant Summer Festival 2023!	108 votes
9.	Showa Kishin Project: Gudaguda Ryoma Close Call! The Mystery of the Missing Nobu Head	105 votes
10.	BB Presents☆Celeb Summer Experience! Dubai Strikes Back!	97 votes

7. Which 5 Star Servant do you want most?

1.	U-Olga Marie	215 votes
2.	Lord Logres	158 votes
3.	Urðr	127 votes
4.	John Lackland	119 votes
5.	Ascalaphus	91 votes
6.	Kawakami Gensai	79 votes
7.	Richard I	78 votes
8.	Indra	77 votes
9.	François/Francesca Prelati	66 votes
10.	Typhon Ephemeros	60 votes

8. Which Summer Servants do you think will get a swimsuit next?

(Male)

1.	Senji Muramasa	230 votes
2.	Takasugi Shinsaku	225 votes
3.	Indra	198 votes
4.	Tai Gong Wang	192 votes
5.	Dante Alighieri	141 votes
6.	Arthur Pendragon (Prototype)	139 votes
7.	James Moriarty (Ruler)	139 votes
8.	Jason	108 votes
9.	Enkidu	93 votes
10.	Ozymandias	86 votes

(Female)

1.	Lilith	277 votes
2.	Koyanskaya of Light	237 votes
3.	Beni-Enma	225 votes
4.	Archetype:Earth	193 votes
5.	Aozaki Aoko	161 votes
6.	Pope Joanness	118 votes
7.	Typhon Ephemeros	91 votes
8.	Kukulkan	82 votes
9.	Medusa (Rider)	79 votes
10.	Circe (Caster of Okeanos)	76 votes

9. Which Type-Moon characters do you want implemented in FGO?

1.	Aozaki Touko	375 votes
2.	Tohno Shiki	290 votes
3.	Caster (F/SF) / Alexandre Dumas	107 votes
4.	Matou Shinji	98 votes
5.	Flat Escardos	97 votes
6.	Sajyou Manaka	86 votes
7.	Gilgamesh (Fate/Prototype)	83 votes
8.	Sajyou Ayaka	80 votes
9.	Tohno Akiha	53 votes
10.	Archer (F/SR) / Zhou Yu	51 votes

10. Which Grand Servant did you choose?

(Saber)

1.	Artoria Pendragon	368 votes
2.	Senji Muramasa	268 votes
3.	Lord Logres	232 votes
4.	Miyamoto Iori	215 votes
5.	Saito Hajime	168 votes
6.	Okita Souji	158 votes
7.	Miyamoto Musashi	147 votes
8.	Arthur Pendragon (Prototype)	121 votes
9.	Richard I	115 votes
10.	Charlemagne	96 votes

(Archer)

1.	Gilgamesh	553 votes
2.	Baobhan Sith	236 votes
3.	Takasugi Shinsaku	229 votes
4.	Ptolemy	212 votes
5.	James Moriarty	181 votes
6.	EMIYA	147 votes
7.	Arjuna	144 votes
8.	Ishtar	123 votes
9.	Euryale	116 votes
10.	Tiamat	104 votes

(Lancer)

1.	Melusine	528 votes
2.	Enkidu	455 votes
3.	Indra	298 votes
4.	Karna	268 votes
5.	Ereshkigal	249 votes
6.	Scathach	232 votes
7.	Harada Sanosuke	157 votes
8.	Cu Chulainn	122 votes
9.	Sakamoto Ryouma	104 votes
10.	Artoria Pendragon (Lancer)	77 votes

(Rider)

1.	Ozymandias	391 votes
2.	Taigong Wang	347 votes
3.	Nemo/Noah	272 votes
4.	Nemo	227 votes
5.	Hippolyte	167 votes
6.	Iskandar	150 votes
7.	Mandricardo	147 votes
8.	Achilles	104 votes
9.	Kriemhild (Rider)	104 votes
10.	Sima Yi (Reines)	99 votes

(Caster)

1.	Aesc the Savior/Aesc the Rain Witch	748 votes
2.	Artoria Caster (Caster)	617 votes
3.	Merlin	292 votes
4.	Gilgamesh (Caster)	187 votes
5.	Zhuge Liang (Lord El-Melloi II)	144 votes
6.	Kuonji Alice	133 votes
7.	Scheherazade	116 votes
8.	François/Francesca Prelati	92 votes
9.	Illyasviel von Einzbern (Caster)	89 votes
10.	Cú Chulainn (Caster)	89 votes

(Assassin)

1.	Kawakami Gensai	612 votes
2.	"King Hassan" (Old Man of the Mountain)	408 votes
3.	Kama (Assassin)	374 votes
4.	Tezcatlipoca	326 votes
5.	Koyanskaya of Light	268 votes
6.	Okada Izou	207 votes
7.	Ryougi Shiki	196 votes
8.	Jack the Ripper	106 votes
9.	Gray	79 votes
10.	Yan Qing	75 votes

(Berserker)

1.	Artoria Caster (Berserker)	640 votes
2.	Morgan	631 votes
3.	Lilith	340 votes
4.	Arjuna Alter	325 votes
5.	Sakata Kintoki	177 votes
6.	Heracles	137 votes
7.	Louhi	115 votes
8.	Cu Chulainn Alter	112 votes
9.	Hijikata Toshizou	81 votes
10.	Duryodhana	65 votes

(Extra 1)

1.	Mash Kyrielight	640 votes
2.	Mysterious Executor C.I.E.L.	391 votes
3.	Jeanne D’Arc (Alter) (Avenger)	341 votes
4.	The Count of Monte Cristo	328 votes
5.	Archetype: EARTH	272 votes
6.	Demon King Nobunaga	92 votes
7.	Uesugi Kenshin	83 votes
8.	Edmond Dantes	82 votes
9.	Heisuke Todo	77 votes
10.	Hessian Lobo (Avenger of Shinjuku)	71 votes

(Extra 2)

1.	U-Olga Marie	697 votes
2.	Oberon	444 votes
3.	Solomon	210 votes
4.	Meltryllis	193 votes
5.	Ashiya Douman	183 votes
6.	Phantasmoon	153 votes
7.	Dante Alighieri	129 votes
8.	Space Ereshkigal	128 votes
9.	Sodom’s Beast - Draco	111 votes
10.	Typhon Ephemeros	101 votes

11. Have you ever used a Compass of Retrospection?

Have Used	55.7%
Have Not Used	43.3%

For those who have, how many have you used?

1	29.3%
2	21.5%
3	12.6%
4	7.3%
5	9.1%
6 ~ 10	13.8%
11 ~ 20	4.6%
21 ~ 30	0.9%
31 ~ 44	0.6%
More than 45	0.3%

12. How many Bond 15 Servants do you have?

1.	0 Servants	17%
2.	1 Servant	9.7%
3.	2 Servants	8%
4.	3 Servants	8.1%
5.	4 Servants	6.6%
6.	5-7 Servants	14.6%
7.	8-10 Servants	11.7%
8.	11-15 Servants	10.4%
9.	16-20 Servants	4.8%
10.	21-49 Servants	2.8%
11.	More than 50 Servants	0.2%
12.	Did Not Answer	6.1%

13. What new features and systems do you want?

A 10-pull summon using 10 Summon Tickets.(Hyu / 30s / Male)
A pickup banner for permanent 5★ Craft Essences (like in story summons).(Kyure / 20s / Female)
When raising skill levels, I want a feature to use all materials I have to max them out in one go.(Hanasaki / 30s / Female)
I want the Extra classes for Grand Servants to be subdivided. (200000000000000000000 / 20s / Male)
I want a re-battle feature for story battles. I want to see the special cutscenes again! (Ponpon Pain / 30s / Male)
A feature that lets you continue consecutive free quest deployments without having to re-select your friend support. (Kale / Under 10 / Female)
Please, give Part 1 Story stills too... I'd also love to have special lines for Bond Level 10... And before FGO ends, please consider a novel adaptation of the story (preferably in print)... (Asobuko / 30s / Female)
I want an on/off toggle for Noble Phantasm-exclusive BGMs. It subtly bothers me when the boss battle music cuts off during story scenes. (Yamata Kiyohime / 30s / Male)
Either implement a battle auto function, or give us quest skip tickets — about 3 per day would be fine!(Aji / 30s / Female)
Carry-over of the pity counter. (Pirika / 20s / Male)

Part 2 Awards

1. Which was your favourite Main Story Chapter or Main Interlude?

1.	Lostbelt 6: Avalon le Fae
2.	Part 2 Final Chapter
3.	Ordeal Call III: Archetype Inception

Which was your favourite Section?

1.	Lostbelt 6: Avalon le FaeSection 30: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

What was your favourite line?

1.	BB Dubai: Because of course they will! They put their all into everything they do!

Which Servant do you think played the largest role in the story?

1.	Mash Kyrielight
2.	Artoria Caster (Caster)
3.	Nemo

Which Character do you think played the largest role in the story?

1.	Fujimaru Ritsuka (Protagonist)
2.	Goredolf Musik

Which was your favourite NPC from the story?

1.	Patxi
2.	Tepeu
3.	Camazotz

Who was the most punishing enemy to fight?

1.	Cernunnos
2.	ORT

Which was your favourite CG?

1.	Oberon falling in the Abyss

Which was your favourite Main Quest Map?

1.	Lostbelt 7: Nahui Mictlān

Which was the most moving Noble Phantasm animation?

1.	Rayproof Kyrielight: Hope-Affirming Sword of the Human Order

Which was your favourite Grand Coronation Battle?

1.	Caster: Apocryphal Solomon

Which Cosmos Tree did you want to fell most?

1.	M-Spectrum

Which was your favourite Part 2 Main Story Theme Song?

1.	Part 2 Main Theme 「Backlight 」

Which was your favourite Event Theme Song?

1.	Wings of Lacrimation Theme「Echoes」

Which was your favourite track?

1.	Overcoming the Storm ~Backlight Instrumental ver.~

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Links:

• Full Kanou Interview Translation

We're looking forward to it. Is there anything you personally want to pursue in FGO going forward?

Kanou: I'd certainly like to create more content that makes full use of Grand Servants. In the first place, the Grand Servant feature wasn't originally part of the plan; it was conceived out of a desire to expand the available content on the Bleached Earth map.

Please tell us more about that!

Kanou: Conceptually, the Bleached Earth map corresponds to that moment in a traditional RPG where you acquire a ship or an airship—where the traversable map suddenly opens up, allowing players to explore various locations while gearing up for the final showdown. As the next stage of preparation, the idea evolved into giving Servants further enhancements and allowing Masters to crown Grand Servants as their ultimate weapons.

It was a fantastic system that allowed players to empower their personal favourites. So you'd like to build more opportunities for those Grand Servants to shine?

Kanou: While they certainly proved valuable in many situations, I personally feel they could do even more. If anything, not being able to create a wider variety of content tailored to them feels like a piece of unfinished business.

Moving away from systems, what about narrative direction and presentation? Is there anything you personally want to achieve?

Kanou: I don't know if it's feasible, and it would require an immense amount of effort and resource expenditure... but I'd love to increase the variety of character sprites. There have been countless moments in the past where I thought, “I wish we had a profile view here.” Having characters face the same direction or talk face-to-face would dramatically broaden our expressive range. It's the sort of suggestion that would probably make the rest of the dev team think, “What on earth is he on about?” but I genuinely think it would be marvellous if we could deliver production quality in FGO on par with Mahoutsukai no Yoru. Though it's such a distant goal that even voicing it out loud feels painful (laughs).

Could you tell us about the major updates planned for the 11th Anniversary?

Kanou: First and foremost is the overhaul of battle animations for all Servants. We've finally been able to fulfill that long-standing promise.

At long last! Thank you so much for your hard work.

Kanou: Additionally, Bond Levels can now be raised to 16, and HP/ATK caps can be increased to 3000. To accompany this, new variants of Fous and Lanterns of Chaldea will be introduced.

That's a major change! It gives players even more ways to invest in their favourite Servants.

Kanou: To support this, we're introducing a new feature called the “Mausoleum of Azrael.” Within it lies monthly high-difficulty quests called the “Trials of Hell,” through which players can clear challenges to earn the new Fou and Lantern variants. We certainly hope players will take on and overcome these trials.

So we have no choice but to answer the administrative advisor’s unreasonable demands, then!

Kanou: ...(laughs). Well, if Azrael demands it, I suppose we've no choice... Aside from the “Trials of Hell,” we're introducing the “Angel's Bazaar,” where players can exchange surplus materials for other items. The inventory changes daily, so do keep an eye on it.

We also heard there's something special planned regarding the GSSRs.

Kanou: Rather than a standard GSSR, it's a specialized variant of Destiny Order we’re dubbing “Beast Order.” This guarantees an acquisition of a Beast-class Servant—something previously unobtainable even through conventional GSSR banners. Since Azrael is arriving with the 11th Anniversary as well, we hope players will welcome him alongside a Beast Servant to their rosters.

The GSSRs featured a school festival theme this time. Is that a format you intend to continue moving forward?

Kanou: Previously, we often categorized banners by release year, but we tried a slightly different approach this time. The sheer variety of GSSRs was expanding every year, so while narrowing the pool to a degree, we thought players might enjoy selecting from options aligned with the school festival theme.

Current student players might find it fun to roll on the GSSR corresponding to their own school club!

Kanou: Additionally, we implemented features allowing players to virtually experience FGO Fes in-game. It grew out of a desire to offer something enjoyable for those unable to attend the venue in person. It all started during a meeting about other anniversary initiatives, when Nasu suddenly chimed in, “Why don't we use the actual Fes venue map?!”—and it was decided on the spot. We're still at the nail-biting stage of whether we can implement it in time, but by the time this interview is published, players should be actively enjoying it!

Even after reaching the 11th Anniversary, brand new initiatives are still decided on short notice!

Kanou: Schedules constantly shifting on the fly—that's FGO for you. ...Well, behind the scenes, we might be wincing in pain, but looking back, every decision turned out to be worth doing. While the date the Three Goddesses of Fate Arc ends has been decided, there's no telling how far things will actually proceed according to plan.

It might suddenly end up doubling in length!

Kanou: You know it... Right now, I almost feel as though that distant “blue sky” is gradually slipping further away (laughs). Just as when the Final Chapter concluded, I intend to keep running alongside everyone until we can all glimpse that next “blue sky” together. I would be delighted if you continue to join us on this journey.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Links:

• Full Interview Translation
• Part 1 (Thoughts on Part 2 Ending)
• Part 2 (Production on Final Chapter)
• Part 3 (Production in General)
• Player Survey Rankings

Across the entirety of the Final Chapter, are there any particular scenes that left a lasting impression on you?

Kanou: That's a remarkably tough question, and as a player myself, the honest truth is that I simply can't pick just one. If I had to single something out, though... it would be the scene with Sion and Nemo. Knowing full well where Chaldea was headed, Sion dove straight into Lostbelt 0, resulting in her becoming unable to leave that world... Her resolve and self-sacrifice to preserve the Human Order, even at the cost of herself, was moving enough on its own, but having Nemo gently stay by her side made it truly emotional. I was already in tears over that scene during development. We were playtesting it from the rough draft stage, and every time the artwork was updated and refined, I ended up crying all over again—it was quite overwhelming. On another note, I absolutely loved Olga Marie's “blunder ranking.” The reaction of “You're bringing that up at a time like this?! And you're not even going to tell us everything?!” felt so quintessentially Olga Marie (laughs). It made me reflect on how extraordinarily long she, too, had been striving on behalf of the Human Order... Bringing out that sort of playful exchange in that moment, with all its lighthearted charm and underlying warmth, really touched me.

Both were deeply poignant scenes, weren't they?

Kanou: Also—and this is a major spoiler—the scene where Daybit smiles was particularly memorable. When I reached the line in the script about how (paradoxically) the remembered five minutes will endure no matter what happens, I physically let out an audible “Aah! So this is where it connects. Nasu truly is incredible.”

What about from a development and operations perspective?

Kanou: It would be the exact moment we revealed that Chaldea's world is Lostbelt 0. As developers, we felt tremendous anxiety over how players would react once they absorbed that revelation.

Indeed, I recall being thoroughly shocked when reading it. I nearly dropped my smartphone.

Kanou: To be completely honest, the impact was even harsher when I first read it in the initial plot outline. If I remember correctly, I was on the Shinkansen heading back to Tokyo from my parents' home. I saw a message come in thinking, “Nasu sent quite the hefty message,” and when I opened the attached file, all I could utter was, “Whoa…”

A total bombshell to drop on someone while in transit.

Kanou: Whenever I first receive a plot draft or script, I tend to absorb it from the perspective of an individual player, so my immediate reaction was, “This is going to be a deeply shocking twist.” However, as we worked on developing the presentation and staging, it softened slightly, in a manner of speaking. While by no means easy to swallow, my impression is that it was gradually adjusted into a form that players could digest better than the initial pitch. Even so, I was extremely anxious when it was finally implemented live.

Takeuchi also mentioned he was glad it ended up being a “gentle ending.”

Kanou: My impression was that the final scene retroactively redeemed everything that came before. Having seen the storyboard roughs during the production process, I thought, “If it leads to this, we might just get through it.” At the same time, because we had to slot in the raids, a gap in time was unavoidable. I couldn't help thinking, “The players are going to feel thoroughly down during this wait.” While I wanted to rush them through to the conclusion as quickly as possible, the raids were simply too vital to skip.

Indeed, it was a battle to bring the count down to zero ourselves—a fight to bring things to a close.

Kanou: Then there was Solomon's Noble Phantasm scene and the final battle. There are so many memorable moments, but those three stand head and shoulders above the rest.

By Solomon's Noble Phantasm, you mean the scene with the monologue matching the Part 2 PV?

Kanou: Actually, for that scene, TYPE-MOON gave us very specific, extensive notes on how they wanted the visual direction handled. The feedback came in after we'd already assembled our initial version, so the scripting team had to rebuild it to match their vision. As the developers, there was a touch of frustration that we hadn't quite nailed their expectations on our own first attempt, but the finished final scene was quintessentially TYPE-MOON through and through. The frame cuts, the application of visual effects, the camera movement... it became a unique direction that evoked emotional responses uniquely tailored to a game medium—something an animated video couldn't quite replicate. I was genuinely blown away by it.

I understand that fine-tuning for the final battle continued right up until the last minute.

Kanou: Indeed, we pushed it right to the wire. Two or three times a week, I would take team members over to TYPE-MOON's office and back, repeating that cycle constantly. Even before the script was finished, we got a rough verbal idea of the final battle from Nasu. I would then consult with Takeuchi, envision the necessary assets, and build a prototype, refining it through back-and-forth feedback like “No, that's not quite it” or “Shall we tweak it a bit more like this?”

So you weren't communicating directly with Nasu during that phase?

Kanou: Nasu was still in the middle of writing at the time. As a result, we had to take fragmentary keywords and hints from him, aligning our understanding by asking ourselves, “This must be what Nasu intends here,” as we gradually brought it closer to the final product. In the very earliest version, we packed in so many of the set pieces we wanted to try that the pacing became dreadfully sluggish... If I recall correctly, when I playtested it back then, it took nearly an hour to complete.

Ultimately, I feel the final battle turned out to be balanced just right, but how did you go about fine-tuning it?

Kanou: While we did cut certain elements, the main focus was on “compression.” Driven by the shared feeling of wanting to showcase the set pieces we prepared, we consulted with Nasu to overlap sequences so they wouldn't impede gameplay, condensing everything tightly while ensuring each element remained clearly visible.

The map transitions in the Final Chapter were also particularly striking; how was that aspect to work on?

Kanou: If anything, designing the map might have been our greatest struggle. Nasu provided us with the script in installments as he finished them, and we created assets while verifying each part. We would read through the text and figure out what visual elements were required... but that proved to be quite an ordeal. Even when I formed an idea of what something should look like based on the text, interpretations would diverge among other team members and Takeuchi. We had moments where we wondered, “Wait, why has the Bleached Earth appeared twice?” or “We went to Fuyuki, but now we've looped back... hang on, where are we now?”, making it exceptionally difficult to decipher the map's structure purely from the written script. Until we were finally able to get in direct contact with Nasu, we repeatedly parsed and theorised the layout through imaginative brainstorming sessions with Takeuchi.

We travelled to the Bleached Earth, went to Fuyuki, returned once more, and then entered the interior of CHALDEAS... the location certainly shifted repeatedly, didn't it?

Kanou: The interior of CHALDEAS was quite a trial as well. We understood that we would pierce CHALDEAS and move inside, where the final battlefield would take place, but then we wondered, “Wait, reading into Marisbury's mindset, the inside ought to be hollow... hold on, how do we handle the map for CHALDEAS' interior then?” In the end, we had to redraw the interior of CHALDEAS quite extensively. How to structure the Cosmos Trees, civilisation, and Maris was something we decided after substantial deliberation.

What sort of keywords or descriptors did you receive from Nasu?

Kanou: I was told that “The civilisation (inside) is completely jumbled up. Since Marisbury is indifferent, it isn't neatly arranged; everything is just shoved in haphazardly.” So I realized it wasn't simply destroyed and desolate. But then, capturing that sense of being “shoved in” while still remaining recognisable as a civilization proved incredibly difficult. Redrawing it time and time again... piecing together the map and backgrounds one by one while visualising the concept was truly painstaking work.

Ultimately, I think it turned out to be a magnificent map. It carried an uncanny, unsettling quality—almost like peering at visceral internal organs.

Kanou: Truth be told, it was actually even more repulsive initially, but we toned it down just a bit (laughs). It looks densely crammed together in sheer chaos, yet upon closer inspection, it seems to follow some underlying rule. If players managed to sense that characteristic touch of Marisbury, I couldn't be happier.

Was the process different from creating maps for other Nasu chapters?

Kanou: For the Final Chapter's map, I had the sense that if the structure was too easy to understand, it probably wouldn’t be the space Nasu was envisioning. It needed to sit in that realm of feeling almost comprehensible yet elusive, all while maintaining internal spatial consistency. Striking the right balance between what to depict clearly and what to leave ambiguous was extraordinarily tricky.

That certainly sounds...

Kanou: That said, looking back at the Final Chapter as a whole, I feel it went more smoothly than we'd originally anticipated—hard work though it was (laughs).

Is that so?

Kanou: Calling it “smooth” might give the wrong impression, though. It was more that everyone had fully steeled their resolve. Even as workload piled on, no one complained; everyone just quietly put their heads down thinking, “Right, we just have to get this done.” TYPE-MOON, Aniplex, and our team all shared the understanding that this was the destination we'd been striving towards, so we were able to build it up bit by bit from a fairly early stage. The final sprint at the end was grueling, to be sure... but if anything, it was the kind of tough work that brings a sense of fulfillment.

Fulfillment?

Kanou: You could call it a positive, constructive hardship inherent to creation. There was real excitement in watching the picture of our end goal become clearer and clearer. It felt like returning to the formative roots of game development—a distinct sense that we had made a “single game.” ...(looks upward briefly) I guess recalling it brings those emotions back.

(Laughs). But in all honesty, you must have been busy not just during development, but after release as well, right? The Final Chapter had raids, after all.

Kanou: Indeed. Incidentally, during the raid period, we set up something like a command center. We arranged multiple large monitors and monitored all kinds of real-time metrics alongside the engineers, calling out things like “X minutes elapsed! Cosmos Tree No. X has X% remaining!” (laughs). We prepared our server infrastructure on the largest scale to date, approaching the event with full readiness.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Links (Will be added when ready):

• Full Interview Translation
• Part 1 (Thoughts on Part 2 Ending)
• Part 3 (Production in General)
• Part 4 (What's Coming Next?)

The Development Director Looks Back: The Turbulent Part 2 Final Chapter

Kanou Yoshiki Interview

Part 2 took eight long years to reach its conclusion. We interviewed Development Director Kanou Yoshiki, who has overseen everything from the very beginning to the end on the frontlines, directly asking him about the Final Chapter of Part 2!

Freed from immense pressure, seeing a “blue sky” for the first time in a long while

In last year's interview, you mentioned that you’d probably silently cry at home. How did you actually feel after playing through the Part 2 Final Chapter (hereinafter, all references refer to Part 2 unless stated otherwise) and reaching the ending?

Kanou: It was a difficult feeling to put into words. To be honest, it was deeply complex... In truth, I didn't end up crying at home. It's a common story in game development, but I had already broken down in tears before anyone else during the internal playtesting phase at the office. So by the time it was officially implemented in the live game, I had already cried several times over. As for when I finally cleared the Final Chapter on my personal device, that was on December 31st.

So you didn't play it immediately after the story chapter dropped? Did you have a particular reason for holding back?

Kanou: The thought that this was really the end of Part 2 made it emotionally difficult to move forward. But I was well aware of the lore regarding December 31st at 23:59, and Marisbury mentioned it as well, didn't he? I felt that December 31st was the key turning point for me too. I kept dragging my feet and putting off playing until then, but eventually, I resolved myself, thinking, “No, I’ve gotta do this today,” and cleared it. What left a profound impression on me afterwards was that the blue sky genuinely felt like a “blue sky” to me.

The blue sky genuinely felt like a “blue sky?”

Kanou: I reckon anyone working in game development might understand this feeling a bit, but back in the era when we only had physical packaged software, you would crunch intensely to hit master submission, and once it went gold, you released it in a state that could no longer be altered. You'd say, “It's over! Great work everyone!” and head home. On days when master submission wrapped up relatively early during daytime hours, I would often look up at the blue sky upon leaving the office with a sense of “Ah, it's finally finished…” On December 31st, after clearing the Final Chapter, I experienced that exact sensation for the first time in ages. I don't think I had ever perceived the blue sky as a true “blue sky” even once since I first became involved with FGO.

So throughout the eight years since Part 2 began, you kept running without ever truly experiencing that sense of completion.

Kanou: To be completely honest, there wasn't a single second of rest. I was on call 24 hours a day, never knowing when a message might come in from either the company or TYPE-MOON. But in truth, that single day was the only time I was able to feel that it was “over,” as we had the Lord Logres banner scheduled right on New Year's Day.

Ah, so that’s why. On 31 December, there were numerous eyewitness posts on X claiming you were at Tokyo Station!

Kanou: Well, about that... Since Lord Logres was being implemented for New Year's, I had to head into the office to handle preparations for it. But before that, I suddenly thought, “I really want to drop by Tokyo Station,” and made a quick stop there. I was taking photos matching the exact cuts from the final animation sequence. Just as I was about to walk over to the signboard at the end, a man standing nearby suddenly gasped, as if realizing who I was, and turned around to look at me.

Just like a scene right out of the ending.

Kanou: Exactly. It genuinely felt like a moment between the protagonist and Mash in the game (laughs). The other person was completely stunned the whole time.

Well, understandable. They certainly wouldn't expect to run into you there of all places...

Kanou: Right there on the spot, they offered their heartfelt thanks, saying, “Thank you so much!” As a fellow player, I chatted with them, saying stuff like, “It really has been quite something, hasn't it?” and suggesting that “Since we're both here, why don't we take a photo together?”, which set everything off. But then they went, “Kanou-san, please wait just a moment, I'll go call my friends!” and sprinted off into the distance. Moments later, a group that seemed to be heading back from Comiket came rushing over (laughs). A bit of a queue formed for an impromptu photo session.

(Laughs).

Kanou: Once that whole photo session wound down and I walked away from Tokyo Station, it hit me: “Ah! I forgot to take a photo of the signboard!” (laughs). I quietly snuck back so I wouldn't be recognised and took the photo, but it had already gotten quite dark by then... Still, I suppose that makes for a fond memory in its own right. It became an unforgettable 31st of December.

Now that Part 2 has concluded, your title has also changed to simply “Development Director,” hasn't it?

Kanou: That's right. That was the result of various discussions, but Takeuchi told me, “Since we've successfully completed Part 2, I don't think you need to specify 'Part 2' in your title any longer.” It took eight years to drop that qualification and finally be recognised officially as just the Director (laughs). To be completely honest, though, I'm still not quite used to it. Having introduced myself as “FGO Part 2 Development Director” for so long, the phrase just slips out naturally. Even recently during rehearsals, I caught myself saying it several times.

When changing the title, did you consider keeping a similar nuance with something like “New Chapter Development Director”?

Kanou: We considered various proposals, but we agreed that we wouldn’t simply slap a 3 on the title. It was a shared understanding between us and TYPE-MOON that while this may be the “Three Goddesses Arc,” it isn't Part 3. This final stretch following the end of Part 2 feels, in a sense, like an extra or a bonus segment. So with all those nuances in mind, we deliberately chose to drop the “Part 2” designation.

If it had been labelled “Part 3,” players might have braced themselves, thinking, “Wait, there's more?! Are we in for another eight years?!” (laughs).

Kanou: They might have worried, “Is it going to double to 16 years this time?!” (laughs). But that's precisely the organic nature of operating FGO. Behind the scenes, our schedules and milestones are constantly shifting. We observe TYPE-MOON's creative ideas and the community's reactions, thinking, “Wouldn't it be interesting to throw this in here?” or “In that case, let's push the schedule back a bit…”

You mentioned something similar last year regarding the New Year's Eve Bell Raids (Space Phantasmoon Event).

Kanou: “The New Year's Eve bell, huh... wait, if we're adding that, how on earth do we adjust the schedule?” That's just the kind of development environment we have—things are always evolving on the fly.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Links (Will be added when ready):

• Full Interview Translation
• Part 2 (Production on Final Chapter)
• Part 3 (Production in General)
• Part 4 (What's Coming Next?)