Ah, finally back to writing! Life and lack of inspiration has kept me from writing on here for a while, but let's jump right in.
"Fate/Zero" is a 2011 anime series based on the light novel prequel to Type-Moon's acclaimed 2004 visual novel "Fate/stay night." Despite the unfortunate origin of the series as an eroge (a visual novel with sexual content), the anime series is largely free of these problems and is worth checking out. The story follows a group of seven mages in Fuyuki, Japan who summon heroic spirits from the past to compete in a battle royale, known as the Fourth Holy Grail War, in order to win the Holy Grail, a magical chalice capable of granting the winner's wishes. The series contains several themes including corruption, heroism, choice, morality, and sin.
Warning: Spoilers for Fate/Zero and Fate/stay night ahead
As the story progresses, it is revealed that the Grail is corrupted and can only fulfill the wishes in the methods that the victor is familiar with. For example, the main protagonist of the city, Kiritsugu Emiya, hopes the Grail can grant his wish of saving everyone in the world. However, since all that Kiritsugu has done to get to his current state is through a life of assassination and deception, which means that the Grail will save everyone, but only by killing a lot of people.
Historically, the Holy Grail has been viewed by the Roman Catholic Church and scholars as the cup from which Jesus drank from during the Lord's Supper. The Grail present in the Fate universe is nothing of the sort, however. The Holy Grail is nothing more than an artifact set up on a pedestal which draws people in with stories of its pure wish-granting abilities. The behavior of the characters in regards to the Grail mirrors is characterized by the sin of idolatry.
In the 10 Commandments, the first two commandments concern worshiping other gods and making idols. Psalm 16:4 says "Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips."
While in this modern age we may not make any statues and worship them, we certainly put other things on a higher priority than God. Such things may include entertainment, friends, family, technology, among other things. We can only get temporary satisfaction from such things, only finding the ultimate satisfaction in God.
Just as the characters if "Fate/Zero" experienced great sorrow in chasing after the Holy Grail, so shall we if are chasing after things other than God.
