Fate/Stay Night - Advent of the Magi (Vol. 1)

Amazon.com The fantasy-adventure Fate/Stay Night (2005) mixes elements from Christian, Celtic, and Greek mythology. High school student Shirou Emiya, who possesses the odd ability to analyze objects and repair them, has always dreamed of becoming a champion of justice. Shirou discovers he commands untapped powers when he's drawn into a violent conflict between good and evil. Every ten years, seven Magi with supernatural servants appear and battle for possession of the Holy Grail, which will grant the winner his wish. Shirou learns he's one of the Magi, from his classmate and fellow-Mage Rin Tohasa. Before he has any idea of what's going on, Shirou acquires the beautiful servant Saber and finds himself fighting pitched battles. The filmmakers have so much background material to fill in, the initial episodes bog down in Morris-the-explainer scenes. As the series progresses, the audience may get to know the numerous characters and unscramble the convoluted plot. (Rated 13 and older: violence, alcohol use, religious imagery) --Charles Solomon