Caster (Fate/Zero)

Caster (キャスター) is the Caster-class Servant of Ryuunosuke Uryuu in the Fourth Holy Grail War of Fate/Zero. He is one of the Servants of the Protagonist of the Grand Order conflicts of Fate/Grand Order.

Identity
Caster's true identity is Jiru do Rei, the version whose notoriety as "" normally overwhelms his heroic aspect.  He was a French nobleman, ranked as a baron, and member of the military during the 15th century. He had a vast fortune, buying up many works of art, and it seemed to many that it would never deplete. His apex land holdings eventually exceeded those held by the and could be regarded as a threat to the king. He became a national hero during the while serving under the Joan of Arc after helping to recapture, and he was given the highest honor with the title of. Both were present at the coronation ceremony of, decorated as saviors and national heroes, and it became a memory that forever encapsulated his glory that even his corruption could not overwhelm. Gilles viewed Joan as the basis for everything to him, his sole salvation and the proof that God existed, so his pious heart fell into despair after Joan was executed as a heretic.

Gilles wasted his seemingly endless fortune extremely quickly to the point where his public finances were almost entirely depleted, so he started to get involved with alchemy with his friend François Prelati, a cleric, to make up for the financial burdens. As he went into madness over the loss of Joan, he began to perform cruel deeds to prove that God is absent because he should punish such actions, losing sight of his monetary problems in dabbling in alchemy and instead concentrating on the aspect of the black magic of summoning demons. François was the primary magus in charge of the rituals, Gilles having no true knowledge of the craft and only acting as a patron. He started to abduct young boys from the area of his domain, raping and slaughtering them by the hundreds, which eventually made him the model for fairy tale "Bluebeard."

Despite the atrocities, others only feared that he would sell his domains to an enemy nation for the purpose of raising money, so they convicted and executed him for his blasphemy and cruel deeds only for the political pretenses of seizing his territory. Due to the nobles of the era disregarding the human rights of commoners, they felt the populations of their territories were no more than disposable livestock. They equated their slaughter to no more than animal abuse and would not have even dealt with Gilles had his land holdings not been so large and had he not been so recently wasteful. It could be said he who "couldn't help but hold suspicions against God exactly because he extolled God too much and infatuated himself with scornfully cursing God" was "finally destroyed without being judged by God." 

Appearance
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Personality
Caster is a troubled person, having lost the woman he admired. Like his Master, he is almost devoid of any morality, and has no interest in obtaining the Holy Grail until he meets Saber. Caster initially expresses an interest in Saber, appearing to be familiar with how she came to ruin at the end of her life. In truth, it is because he has mistaken her for Joan of Arc, whom he had been infatuated with when alive. Even after Saber reveals her true identity, Caster continues to delude himself, believing that her memories were warped by the trauma of her death. He even makes plans to capture Saber and force her to remember her 'true' past.

He enjoys offering his victims brief moments of respite, or even the hope of release or escape, before inflicting death through gruesome and horrific means. According to Caster, allowing his victims' hope will amplify the despair and terror upon their moment of death, a fact that he revels in.

Fate/Zero
Caster was summoned shortly before the Fourth Holy Grail War began. His Master was Ryuunosuke Uryuu, a serial killer who unwittingly performed a successful summoning ritual using the blood of a murdered family. Ryuunosuke lacked a cataylst so the Grail chose a servant with the closest personality to Ryuunosuke. He first introduces himself to his Master as Bluebeard.

It soon comes to the attention of Risei Kotomine, the Holy Grail War's regulator, that Caster is kidnapping children throughout Fuyuki (for use in his spells and for his Master's amusement), and that he and Uryū lack the discretion practiced by the other Master-Servant pairs. Fearing their actions might compromise Tokiomi Tohsaka's chances of winning the War, Risei suspends all fighting and offers a reward of extra Command Spells to the Master who dispatches Caster and Uryuu.

Using the captured children as hostages, Caster draws Saber out and traps her in battle with his seemingly infinite army of summoned monsters. He is defeated when Lancer intervenes, breaking through the monster horde with Saber's aid, and using Gáe Dearg to disable Prelati's Spellbook and dispel the summoned creatures. An enraged Caster then retreats.

When Caster and Ryuunosuke returned to their lair, they found that their work was destroyed by others. While Ryuunosuke cries, Caster comforts him but to his surprise Ryuunosuke claims that God punished them for having too much fun. Caster is surprised though, when he's asked about the existence of God, as he didn't believe his master to be spiritual. Ryuunosuke then shares his philosophy that God must be somewhat malicious to make the world with them in it, as he believes that God likely enjoys displays of violence, gore and evil actions. This firmly wins Caster over, as he hails Ryuunosuke as a brilliant philosopher and they resolve to perform a grand spectacle to amuse God.

In his second bid to capture Saber, Caster merges a horde of his monsters into an immense, Lovecraftian beast, with himself at its centre. Despite its vast strength and regenerative powers, it is ultimately defeated by Saber, who incinerates the beast with her anti-fortress Noble Phantasm, Excalibur. The light from Excalibur's blast causes Caster to recall memories from his past, before he began his forays into murder and the occult, back when he still served alongside Joan of Arc. This evokes tears and a measure of regret in Caster, moments before he is destroyed along with his monster. He was the second servant to die in the Fourth Grail War.

Einzbern Consultation Room
Caster gave Irisviel von Einzbern a mask of himself to her, saying it's not much as a present. Irisviel describes him as a polite gentlemen with glistening eyes. Caster pops up in the Einzbern Consultation Room and shocks Zecchan, Zecchan calls him a fish monster. Caster calls Zecchan a cute, adorable girl and asked if she wants to be sacrifice or tortured. He couldn't help himself from pulling a upon feeling her throbbing flesh. He misses his conversation with Ryuunosuke as they could speak all night long about perspective of art.

His happiness was perfect as the Holy Grail War was filled with everything he ever wanted from the beginning to the end. He was content that he made a friend who understood him. He found hope when he recalls the light of Excalibur in his final moments. While Caster doesn't have any regrets but he does have a question that made him linger before merging with the Greater Grail. Caster says he cannot help but think how he was saved yet Joan wasn't. He shouted out that she was betrayed by God and the people. He wonders if she is suffering eternal pain from burning in the inferno by those in power. He decided that he cannot leave and is determined to return to the Holy Grail War to save her.

Irisviel unexpectedly pokes him in the eye to calm himself down and Caster recalls the past when Joan poked his bulging eyes. Irisviel tells Caster that she was saved and was acknowledged as a Saint and became a famous idol in all media. Irisviel hands over a bandanna with the Jeannite★President (ジャンヌナイト★団長) imprinted on it. Caster becomes the number one fan and the president of Joan's fan club group. Before he leaves, he thanks Zecchan and Irisviel and promises to reunite with Joan.

Fate/Apocrypha
 After Caster of Red shows Ruler illusions of her past through the use of First Folio, Caster changes to a different scene, a scene after her execution in her lifetime and therefore story. Caster of Red changes the scene to Gilles's castle, a scene which caused Ruler to think weird. Caster of Red shows Ruler with visions of Gilles de Rais's tale. Caster of Red changes his method and summons Gilles de Rais via his Noble Phantasm and the support of Hanging Gardens of Babylon and Assassin of Red, Caster of Red takes the soul of Gilles and given him a body. Ruler witnessed Gilles killing children but says it's just a hallucination. Caster of Red corrects Ruler saying it is actually real, Gilles is seen gripping onto a boy with silver hair. Gilles talks about how this happened to him because she abandoned him. After witnessing the atrocities Gilles had committed, Ruler started to break down. Gilles tell her that she's a saint who tried to treat everyone equally, even. Gilles pointed out that she wasn't honest about her feelings for Sieg, Ruler denies it and says she only assisted him because he needed help. Gilles then says that Assassin of Black needed help and she killed her. He then adds that how it's obvious she loves him, that her universal love for humanity is just a lie. Ruler says that she doesn't love him because she doesn't have the right to love. After all she is the Maid of Orleans, Jeanne La Pucelle.

Caster of Red and Gilles both claps and tells her, she has done a good job. Caster of Red cancels the illusion and took her out so Shirou Kotomine could talk to her. However Gilles is still in the real world as well. They tell her that Sieg died fighting against Lancer of Red. Ruler uses her presence detection to confirm and finds that Saber of Black is gone. She starts crying saying because she got him into this mess she was really the one who killed him. Shirou comes in and talks about how he wants to give everyone Third Magic so they won't end up like Gilles who changed because she died. To prove that point Gilles changes into his form from Fate/Zero. Gilles talks about how the children can't be saved so he has to atone by saving the world.

Then Ruler and Gilles have a debate about saving the world. Ruler manages to convince Gilles to repent and aid her. However she has complete belief in him anyway. Gilles doesn't have a status as Ruler saw him with her True Name Discernment skill. Physically he's weaker than a Caster-Class servant and he's weaker than his counterpart in the Fourth Holy Grail War. Ruler gives Gilles her Flag to protect Sieg while she's casting her La Pucelle. Gilles uses this to protect both Ruler and Sieg against Shirou's meteors. 

Fate/Grand Order
Caster is an antagonist in the "Wicked Dragon Hundred Year War". He borrows the power of the Holy Grail to create Joan Alter. He summons various servants to face the Protagonist and Mashu. He summoned Berserker-Archer, Berserk-Assassin, Berserk-Lancer, Berserk-Rider and Berserk-Saber.

Chibichuki!
In Chibichuki!, Ryuunosuke and Caster was working on their art, Touko Aozaki altered Ryuunosuke's work on a whim. She recreated it into a Saber figure, Caster starts worshipping Touko as a "teacher" and Ryuunosuke calls it cool.

Other appearances
In Type-Moon's April Fools Day 2009, moon.cinemas.jp is a fake movie theater site listing a number of parody films. He was featured in Chariot Man: A True Tank Man (戦車男), a parody film of. Caster plays the role of Sensha Otoko's Eirei Throne Channel internet friend with the nickname Danna (ダンナ). He's known as criminal number 1. His role is expanded in TYPE-MOON 10th Anniversary Phantasm where he recently seemingly retired. He and the other Eirei Throne Channel suggested Sensha Otoko to buy a Saber figure for El-Melloi Girl. When Ryuunoksuke shows his new artwork, Danna seems dispassionate and compositing photos of Saber with Jeanne head gear. Ryuunoksuke accidently knocked over Danna's customed Jeanne figure with his artwork, Ryuunosuke sacrificed his artwork to save Danna's figure. However Danna dived and saved his artwork. He lectures Ryuunosuke as an artist and becomes passionate about creating new art.

Abilities
In terms of Servants of the Caster class, Gilles is one of the weakest on record. Possessing very little ability in Magecraft himself, most of his power is derived from his Noble Phantasm, Prelati's Spellbook, which acts as a massive mana reserve and a guide for whatever spell he hopes to enact. Despite this however, due to the effects of the spellbook, he is capable of summoning near endless waves of demonic amphibious familiars without fatigue, making him a viable threat despite his failings.

Much like Assassin of the Fifth War, Caster is an aberration in the normal Servant summoning process who cannot be called a proper Heroic Spirit. He was never actually a practitioner of magecraft during life, and he only funded and participated in alchemical and Demon-summoning rituals lead by the magus François Prelati after his sanity was lost. Due to the massive mistakes Ryuunosuke made during the summoning ritual, he was placed into the Caster class container even though he is completely unsuited for it much like "Sasaki Kojirou" was placed into the unsuited Assassin class container. While his occult knowledge is terrifying, it is noted that Gilles has a good body build from his time as a knight, and he could potentially handle classes other than Caster if summoned properly. While he became a general, it can be said his money was his greatest asset rather than his martial prowess.

He is also capable of keeping human beings in stasis with his magic, allowing his master to play with the victims organs as a musical instrument.

Creation and Conception
Before Gilles de Rais was chosen for Fate/Zero. Gen Urobuchi had trouble thinking of a Caster-class Servant for the Fourth Holy Grail War, so he asked Kinoko Nasu if he can use a Chinese. It was when Nasu explained the Western-only rule of the Fuyuki system. The inspiration for Gilles came to Urobuchi from the fact that many people, including himself, believed Saber's identity to be Joan of Arc. While he originally thought to tease the readers in the same manner with another woman who people would identify as Joan, he eventually came to the idea of using Gilles as a Servant.

Takashi Takeuchi likes drawing a character with such strong peculiarities. While he used to be good looking, he comments that Gilles must have "wet his eyebrowless, round, and cute eyes as he was adoring Joan." Urobuchi believes he is more the style of a creature than a Caster, and that he is at his height when he smiles.

Tsuruoka Satoshi (Voice actor of Gilles) claims he was inspired by and a mixture of big actresses and entertainers for his portrayal of Caster. When Ryuunosuke was shot in episode 14, Tsuruoka was overjoyed that he was able to feel, "Oh, no...Ryuunosuke..." That scene was original to the anime. Tsuruoka had recorded two versions after discussing the performance with Director. One was an upbeat performance like, "But do not worry, Ryuunosuke!", while the other performance, "You have died and left me alone" was sadder, was said as if he was cradling Ryuunosuke. The former was chosen for the broadcast version, but at the end, he go, "Behold, Ryuunosuke!" As a performer, Tsuruoka was happy that he had realized that Ryuunosuke still existed somewhere inside his heart. According to (Voice actor of Kayneth) said whenever Tsuruoka talked, the temperature in the studio went up two degrees.

Atsuhi Ikariya was in charge of the character design for the anime version. He says that when he first read the original novel, he had difficulty designing the Caster team. He thought he was pretty emotionless at first. After listening to the characters' actor made him think more about them, he realized he was incredibly rich emotionally so he hastily change his drawing and got him more interested in the pair. He explained that Caster doesn't have eyebrows so it's hard to express his emotions. He plumped up the facial muscles in the area above his brow, so now his face can convey a wide range of expression. By changing the shape of his forehead to match his emotions, his facial expressions are made richer and more pronounced. His fishlike wall-eyes in particular are a standout trait.

Reception
Tsuruoka said he and went to the café that Ufotable runs and he was shocked to see Ryuunosuke and Gilles were popular that characters like them were so well received. Tsuruoka thought the visual scene in episode 13 where Gilles and Ryuunosuke discussed about god was beautiful and he loved the light streaming down from heaven. That scene was a real positive moment for Satoshi Tsuruoka and Gilles. According to Tsuruoka, he considers the scene was so charming. Tsuruoka describes Gilles to be a slacker because he's always letting his hobbies get the better of him.

(Voice actor of Ryuunosuke) said he has a mixed feeling over the fact that a character like him is well received. Ishida thought it was fascinating how Caster who doubts god's existence and Ryuunosuke, who is a believer, mesh so well together somehow. Ishida believe that Gilles and Ryuunosuke need to apply themselves in order to win the Holy Grail War and that they might win if they had gone-all-out.

(Voice actress of Sola-Ui) claims she loves Caster.

Kinoko Nasu said the scene where Caster first shows up is horrific enough in the book, but the way Ufotable animated has made it even more memorable.

Takeuchi joked about Caster and Ryuunosuke ought to get married already.


 * In the Type-Moon's 10th Anniversary Character Poll, Caster was ranked 47th.