Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel I. Presage Flower
Ten years after the Fourth Holy Grail War, a devastating clash between Masters and Servants, another war erupts. Shirou Emiya, whose father fought in the first battle, was leading a peaceful life with the warmhearted Sakura Matou. But when hidden forces begin to stir, Shirou resolves to fulfill his father’s dying wish, protect Sakura, and fight for the Holy Grail.
The film earned $17.4M at the global box office.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel I. Presage Flower (2017) exemplifies precise story structure, characteristic of Tomonori Sudo's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 13-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours. With an Arcplot score of 6.9, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (2% through the runtime) establishes Shirou Emiya lives his ordinary life as a high school student, helping others and cooking meals. He crosses paths with Sakura Matou, who visits his home regularly to help with cooking.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 16 minutes when Shirou is accidentally drawn into the Holy Grail War when he witnesses a battle between Servants (Lancer vs Archer) at school. Lancer fatally wounds him to eliminate the witness.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 31 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 26% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Shirou makes the active choice to fight in the Holy Grail War alongside Saber, accepting his role as a Master. He forms an alliance with Rin, committing to this dangerous new world despite knowing he could die., moving from reaction to action.
At 63 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 52% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat True Assassin is revealed, and Servants begin dying to a shadowy entity that shouldn't exist. The rules of the Holy Grail War are breaking down. Caster is killed by an unknown force, raising the stakes and revealing a greater threat than the war itself., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 89 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Saber is consumed by the shadow entity, leaving Shirou defenseless. His primary means of fighting and protecting others is taken away. This represents both a literal death (Saber's loss) and the death of his ability to be the hero he wants to be., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 99 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 83% of the runtime. Shirou commits to his new path, accepting the consequences. The true scope of the corrupted Grail War is revealed. Sakura's suffering and the shadow's nature become clearer. The film ends with the setup for the continuation, as darkness fully descends on Fuyuki City., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel I. Presage Flower's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 13 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel I. Presage Flower against these established plot points, we can identify how Tomonori Sudo utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel I. Presage Flower within the action genre.
Tomonori Sudo's Structural Approach
Among the 3 Tomonori Sudo films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.6, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel I. Presage Flower represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Tomonori Sudo filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional action films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Tomonori Sudo analyses, see Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel III. Spring Song, Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel II. Lost Butterfly.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Shirou Emiya lives his ordinary life as a high school student, helping others and cooking meals. He crosses paths with Sakura Matou, who visits his home regularly to help with cooking.
Theme
Sakura quietly observes that Shirou always puts others before himself, asking "Don't you ever think about yourself?" This establishes the thematic tension between selfless heroism and personal happiness.
Worldbuilding
The Holy Grail War begins in Fuyuki City. We learn about Masters and Servants, the seven-day battle royale for the Holy Grail. Shirou's relationship with Rin Tohsaka and his guardian Taiga is established, along with his connection to Sakura.
Disruption
Shirou is accidentally drawn into the Holy Grail War when he witnesses a battle between Servants (Lancer vs Archer) at school. Lancer fatally wounds him to eliminate the witness.
Resistance
Rin saves Shirou's life with a pendant. Shirou accidentally summons Saber and becomes a Master. He debates whether to participate in the deadly war, resisting his new role while Saber and Rin try to prepare him for what's coming.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Shirou makes the active choice to fight in the Holy Grail War alongside Saber, accepting his role as a Master. He forms an alliance with Rin, committing to this dangerous new world despite knowing he could die.
Premise
The Holy Grail War unfolds with various Master-Servant battles. Shirou and Rin investigate the war's mysteries, encounter other participants like Illyasviel and Berserker. Dark anomalies begin appearing - Masters are being killed in unusual ways, and something is wrong with this war.
Midpoint
True Assassin is revealed, and Servants begin dying to a shadowy entity that shouldn't exist. The rules of the Holy Grail War are breaking down. Caster is killed by an unknown force, raising the stakes and revealing a greater threat than the war itself.
Opposition
The shadow entity kills more Servants. Shirou struggles to protect both Sakura and fulfill his duties as a Master. Zouken Matou is revealed as a sinister player. Sakura's suffering intensifies, and the connection between her and the dark events becomes increasingly apparent.
Collapse
Saber is consumed by the shadow entity, leaving Shirou defenseless. His primary means of fighting and protecting others is taken away. This represents both a literal death (Saber's loss) and the death of his ability to be the hero he wants to be.
Crisis
Shirou confronts his powerlessness and the realization that the darkness is connected to Sakura. He faces the dark truth about what's happening and must process the emotional weight of potentially having to choose between his ideals and the person he cares about.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Shirou commits to his new path, accepting the consequences. The true scope of the corrupted Grail War is revealed. Sakura's suffering and the shadow's nature become clearer. The film ends with the setup for the continuation, as darkness fully descends on Fuyuki City.
Transformation
Final image shows Sakura consumed by darkness, transforming. Shirou stands ready to face whatever comes, having chosen his path. Unlike the opening's ordinary peace, he now faces horror but with clear purpose - protecting Sakura, even if it means abandoning his ideal of saving everyone.