Ayaka Sajyou (沙条 綾香, Sajō Ayaka?) is the Master of Saber in the Second Tokyo Holy Grail War of Fate/Prototype. She is the main protagonist and younger sister of Manaka Sajyou.
Profile[]
Appearance[]
Ayaka is a young teenager having medium long brown hair and blue eyes, she appears to be very beautiful without her glasses, which attracts the attention of Saber and Archer. She typically wears her uniform but her casual attire is of a purple-blue jacket, white blouse with shorts and stockings.
As a child, she wears pink cardigan and white dress.
Personality[]
Ayaka appears to be a very insecure person, traumatized after the previous Holy Grail War after her father and sister died because of it, and not willing to join the current war. Unlike Shirou, she is known come from a line of Magi and is more adapted to such a lifestyle, although she is also orphaned.
Her sister had been a genius in Magecraft, while she had been mediocre, leading to her developing a complex.[1] Eight years prior during the previous War, her father had told her that sooner or later she too would be a participant in the Grail War, to which she would later scream to herself that she wouldn't do and would run away.
She had been directed by her father to perform a ritual sacrifice every morning, but due to her past trauma she has trouble killing living animals. Unable to kill pigeons she uses her own blood as a substitute. Because of this the Sajyou home's Garden Workshop has gradually become a pigeon nest that keeps growing. Also in part due to this her cooking comes only from ready made ingredients.
She has an attachment to crows. It is also said that removing and putting on her glasses changes her personality. In her eyes, Saber is the ideal prince along with his station as her protector.[3]
She is hinted to have feelings for Saber and/or Archer.
When Saber first met her when she was a child, she reminded him of Vivian, the Lady of the Lake.
Some of her lines detailed in the previous Character Material, the Fate/Prototype trailer and Fate/Prototype Material book are as follows.
"In my own self assessment, my character is the worst".
"I... I... to be like my sister, I can't be like her! But..."
"I'll fight. Even though I can't do anything, to be able to choose to fight, even someone like me can do that!"
Role[]
Fate/Prototype: Fragments of Sky Silver[]
During the First Holy Grail War of 1991, Ayaka acts mainly as a bystander throughout most of the war due to her young age. She is for the most part unaware of her father's and sister's actions, and is only aware that they are involved in a ritual.
Ayaka still attends school during this period for the most part, but goes on break during the second half of the war. She also has a strict curfew during the first half of war. During the second half of the war, Ayaka is mostly confined in her home and is forbidden from leaving the house in order to protect her. Her primary duties at home is her magical studies and taking care of "Garden" which is her mother's botanical garden, but she often slacks off to watch TV after she has finished with her chores.
During the last stages of the war, Ayaka becomes targeted by Manaka out of jealously, due to Ayaka having a conversation with Saber, encouraging him to abandon his wish by telling Saber about how her mother had said that Garden was a representation of her, and how she had inherited her mother's wishes and love by inheriting the Garden that her mother had created for her. Manaka then later kidnaps Ayaka from her own bedroom with the intention of throwing her into the Greater Grail in order to feed her to the Beast.
After her father is apparently killed trying to prevent Manaka from killing her, Ayaka continues struggling to break free. However, despite Ayaka's best attempts to break free, she is about to be tossed into the Greater Grail when Saber impales Manaka from behind, saving her. Though, Ayaka faints from the blood. Ayaka is then targeted by the Beast, however, Saber saves her again by defeating the Beast.
After the Beast's defeat, a comatose Ayaka winds up in the Reiroukan's family's care after Saber leaves her with them prior to disappearing. She remains in their care until she wakes up.
Due to the shock from these events, Ayaka loses most of her memories of this period, and it is not known what her living status was like after her father's death.
Fate/Prototype[]
She is the main character of the original Fate/stay night novel. It was felt that she would not appeal to the target audience of the visual novel, so she was dumped in favor of Shirou who was considered to be more appealing at the time. In Prototype it is revealed that her older sister Manaka Sajyou along with her father Hiroki Sajyou died eight years ago in the previous Holy Grail War.
What is not detailed is if she was aware that she was to be a sacrifice to the Grail in that war, as her sister had already offered their father before turning to her. As she was about to be sacrificed, she was saved by her sister's former Servant.
On the anniversary of her father and sister's death, Ayaka heads to the graveyard. While paying her respects to her family's grave, she encounters Sancraid who is also there to pay his respects. Sancraid then brings up the Holy Grail War and asks her why she hasn't summoned her Servant yet. Upset, Ayaka declares that she doesn't want anything to do with it, but Sancraid whispers that she cannot run away from it. That night, she would be pursued by Lancer much like Shirou had been. Similar to her counterpart, she would be saved at the last moment as her near death would summon her Servant, Saber.
The next day, Ayaka continues bickering with Saber about not participating in the war. Saber calmly counters her arguments before approaching her and teasingly removing her glasses.
On one morning, Ayaka encounters Rider in his student disguise (who is posing as Aro Isemi) on the way to school. Along the way, they chat. Eventually, Rider asks why she is always walking to school alone. Ayaka tries to rebut, but Rider doesn't believe her and starts talking about his Master instead. Suddenly, Rider then brings up rumors about creepy things going on in the south side school building. He then changes the conversation back to his original question and wonders if Ayaka chooses to be alone because she hates humans.
At another point, Ayaka secretly meets with Sancraid at her sister's favourite coffee shop to discuss how to free each other from their Servants. As Sancraid pleads his case, Ayaka becomes hesitant and tells him that she will think about it.
Later, Misaya and Lancer face off with Ayaka and Saber again. However, this time, Misaya and Lancer manage to get the upper hand against Saber due to the difference in the Masters' capability and seriously wound him. Misaya berates the pair before asking Saber to join her. Saber sarcastically refuses, causing Misaya to order Lancer to pin him to the wall with his lance. In the process Saber insults Misaya by calling her a terrible Master, causing Lancer to say that it's "the end" to be told such by Saber of all people. Infuriated, Misaya orders Lancer to slowly torture him. Lancer does so. In the process, Saber manages to get away, but is forced to release Excalibur from Invisible Air, using it to bring Ayaka to safety. Lancer experiences great joy in seeing Saber unleash his Noble Phantasm, praising him as a knight among knights. When Ayaka brings up his comment about her also being a horrible Master, Lancer then reveals he was speaking of Saber's former Master, Manaka Sajyou.[4]
At another point, Ayaka receives intelligence from Sancraid about suspicious activities in the industrial zone. She heads there with Saber to confront the culprit and comes across Rider on a mountain of corpses. Saber angrily confronts him and engages him in battle. During the fight, Rider turns his attention to Ayaka and is out to kill her when he suddenly stops. This gives Saber the chance to retrieve Ayaka and escape. As they escape, Ayaka thinks about the mountain corpses and starts to accept of the reality of her situation.
At about the midway point of the Holy Grail War, Ayaka is having a moment with Saber. When suddenly the pair is interrupted by Archer. Approaching the teacher's dais, Gilgamesh complains about his ranking before proposing to Ayaka. Upset, Saber stands in front of her protectively and tells Ayaka to ignore him. This encounter leads Archer to consider Saber his rival.
At some point she would also be poisoned, to which Archer would taunt his rival with the cure, a small vial containing a glowing liquid.
She would, like Shirou in the Heaven’s feel route, would lose her Servant after Saber is nearly beaten to death by Berseker. His master, Sancraid Phahn would corrupt Saber and take Ayaka's Command Spells for himself. It would be at this time that Lancer loses his Master, as the curse that had been placed upon Misaya finally kills her. Masterless, Lancer forms a contract with Ayaka and the two go to take on Berserker and the corrupted Saber, whom Ayaka wants safe and returned to her. After the second battle with Sancraid, he reveals that he is an extra Master to Ayaka.
Carnival Phantasm[]
The final segment features Ayaka Sajyou calling Ahnenerbe as a lead in to Fate/Prototype.[5]
Other appearances[]
In Back Alley Satsuki, she is a gold heroine of rat to protect the first temple and she is known as Rat system Idol AYAKA (ネズミー系アイドルAYAKA, Nezumī-kei Aidoru AYAKA?).
Abilities[]
Ayaka seems to practice an older form of magic according to Lancer. A type of dark magic, she seems capable of using black feathers like darts to attack her enemies, even causing Lancer to guard against them. She also showed the capacity to control plants, causing them to grow rapidly outside the green house door in order to bar entry.
She is a practitioner of general black magic, Witchcraft, however she finds herself unskilled in it. It would be later on during the war that Saber would suggest that she try using Formalcraft. Though not seen as very useful by common Magi, she finds she has an amazing affinity for it that normal Magi cannot use to the same degree. She is bad at cultivating medicinal plants, and, strangely, is close with crows.
Development[]
Creation and Conception[]
She is the precursor of Shirou Emiya who was to be the protagonist of the original Fate/stay night novel that was never finished. She was originally detailed in Character Material, and she has been given an expanded role in Prototype.
Another character also named Ayaka Sajyou appears in Fate/strange Fake who looks almost identical to her, but they are actually different people. Additionally, Ayaka from Fate/school life is mentioned as being in Romania during the events of strange Fake.[6][7]
Reception[]
- In the Type-Moon's 10th Anniversary Character Poll, Ayaka was ranked 53rd.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5
[] Fate/Prototype: Fragments of Sky Silver - Volume 1: Little Lady Arc - Character profile: Ayaka Sajyou [T] She is Manaka’s younger sister.
She goes to Suginami’s elementary school which is close to her home residence.
Her thoughts are a bit mature compared to her classmates, for she is in the middle of receiving training as a magus already from her father, although she remains marked for her immature age.
She harbors an inferiority complex and at the same time admires, her “genius” sister who she doesn’t talk to too much.
Her favorite sunny side up fried eggs is turnover eggs.
Personal Data:
First Person:
Watashi
Magic Lineage:
Black Magic
Quality of Magic Circuits
C
Amount of Magic Circuits
C
Composition of Magic Circuits:
Normal
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6
[] Prototype material - CHARACTER Profile: Ayaka Sajyou, p.030-031 Ayaka Sajyou
- Addresses self as: “Watashi”
- Master Rank: Rank 7–Princes
- Magecraft System: General black magic (Witchcraft). Is bad at cultivating medicinal plants. Strangely, is close with crows.
- Circuit Quality: C
- Circuit Quantity: C
- Circuit Composition: Normal
Comment from Takeuchi Takashi: Although she has quiet and inconspicuous behavior, in truth she could be said to be a virtuous heroine character. Without her glasses, both her eye color and hair color become brighter.
Explanation: The protagonist. At first glance is quiet and melancholic. On the inside is tsun-tsun and aggressive. Because of her appearance, her past, and the fact that she has little skill as a magus, or perhaps because she has a complex about being a magus, she always acts frightened around other people.
Haughty at home but meek outside. At home she acts self-assured. (When like this she is similar to Rin from Fate/stay night, but she isn’t brimming with confidence like Rin. Rather, she acts more like a child)
Because her older sister who departed the world 8 years ago was a genius, she has a complex about her ordinariness. Although her father, who also died 8 years ago, told her “There will be a day when you, too, participate in the Holy Grail War”, she was absolutely unwilling, and ran. When she was about to be killed by Lancer, she summoned Saber. Because he saved her, she had no choice but to participate in the Holy Grail War.
During the War, her personality changed a little bit. (That is, she broke free from her trauma)沙条 綾香
- 一人称: わたし
- マスター階梯: 第七位・権天使
- 魔術系統: 黒魔術(ウイッチクラフト)全般。薬草作りは苦手。男に妙になつかれる。
- 魔術回路/質: C
- 魔術回路/量: C
- 魔術回路編成: 正常
Comment from Takeuchi Takashi: 敢えて地味に目立たないように振る舞っていますが、実は 美人さんという王道ヒロインキャラ。眼鏡外すと、眼の色 どころか髪の色まで明るくなります。
Explanation: 主人公。一見おとなしめ、暗め。内面はツンツン、攻撃的。外見、過去、魔術師としての技量の低さ、そもそも魔術 師である事にコンプレックスをもっているので、他人がいるところでは基本、ビクビクしている。 内弁慶。家では強気。(内弁慶の時は Fate/stay night の凛に近いが、あそこまで自信満々ではない。子供の我が儘 に近いので) 八年前に他界した姉が天才だった事もあり、自分の平凡さがコンプレックスになっている。同じく八年前に死去した 父親に「いずれおまえも聖杯戦争に参加する」と言われていたが、本人は絶対にイヤ、と逃げてきた。ランサーに殺さ れそうになった時、セイバーを召還・助けられ、仕方なく聖杯戦争に参加することに。 戦いを通じて、少しずつ性格改善していく。(というか、トラウマから脱却する) - Addresses self as: “Watashi”
- ↑
[] Prototype material - CHARACTER Profile: Saber, p.032-033 Saber
- Addresses self as: “Boku” (towards Ayaka)/“Watashi” (towards enemies)
- Servant Rank: Rank 1
- Strength: B
- Endurance: A
- Agility: B
- Magic: E
- Luck: C
- Noble Phantasm: C(EX)
Comment from Takeuchi Takashi: Handsome and calm, the 90s ideal image of a legendary hero. As I thought, his plain clothes are a longcoat. The armor that Aikura-san designed is very cool. The hood is seriously moe.
Explanation: He possesses mature values and a sense of justice. Likes good things, and investigates bad things, a pleasant hero. Although, sometimes he says some nihilistic things (Similar to Archer from Fate/Stay Night). With regards to Ayaka, he is an ideal prince and guardian.
He originally answered the Holy Grail’s call with the intention of rewriting history. In the Grail War eight years ago he won all his battles until the very end, but when he was only a step away from the Grail, he was forced to abandon the summons, and withdraw. As though there were aftereffects of an illness, his memories of the previous Grail War are fuzzy……is what he says.
His true name is King Arthur. It goes without saying that his Noble Phantasm is Excalibur, but because it is too well known he uses Invisible Air (a C ranked Noble Phantasm) to conceal it. By experiencing the previous Grail War, he freed himself from his previous dream of “saving his country”. Instead, this time he answered the Holy Grail’s call with the wish to save the girl who, eight years ago, indirectly showed him that the wishes placed on the Holy Grail would become distorted (Ayaka).セイバー
- 一人称:
- サーヴァント階位:
- 筋力:
- 耐久:
- 敏捷:
- 魔力:
- 運:
- 宝具:
Comment from Takeuchi Takashi:
Explanation: - Addresses self as: “Boku” (towards Ayaka)/“Watashi” (towards enemies)
- ↑ Prototype material - S03/LANCER'S ATTACK, S04/THE SUMMONING OF SABER, S05/MISAYA (I), S09/MISAYA (II), S13/AYAKA AND MISAYA
- ↑ Carnival Phantasm Episode 12: "Badump! Date Super Plan - Answer"
- ↑ Fate/strange Fake Volume 3 - Chapter 9: Day 1, Evening "A Horse Yet Pale: Mud Yet Firm"
- ↑ Fate/strange Fake Volume 6 - Chapter 17: Day 3, Morning "Breaking Dawn and Wakeless Dreams II"
viSajyou Ayaka