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Why was Rin so initially attracted to and 'into' Shirou?

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Apr 3, 2018 8:05 PM
#1
MikeMB
Offline
Apr 2018
2
I consider this the biggest problem of "Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works" and a main reason why the series doesn't make sense.

Shirou survives because somehow Rin--seemingly for years before the start of the series--was attracted to, interested in, and 'into' Shirou.

It's made obvious why Shirou is interested in and 'into' Rin Tohsaka. She's very physically attractive, wealthy, seemingly the most popular girl in school and comes from one of the most prominent and powerful mage families.

But Shirou Emiya is simply a do-gooder who Rin had almost zero interaction with before the start of the 5th Holy Grail War. She didn't even seem to know he was adopted.


Shirou has clear "Plot Armor" for almost all of UBW but it begins with Rin already seeming to love him even though she knows very little about him and has very little interaction with him. The Epilogue makes it worse because we are introduced to the concept of other powerful mage families.

This is for anime-only discussion. It may have been explained in the Visual Novel, but it makes very little sense in the anime including given how magically powerful Rin is and the quality of fighter she is.

Rin seems simply there to mostly be a love interest for Shirou even if it makes little sense.
Apr 5, 2018 7:00 AM
#2
Aidamis
Offline
Nov 2014
591
Hello. I just recently rewatched UBW and I think I can provide my own version of an explanation.

In a late UBW episode, Rin transplants her magic crest onto Shirou who then sees parts of her memories including how she once saw him exercise at the P.E. grounds back in junior high. This episode seems to imply Rin already had some attraction back then. Maybe not full blown love, but an interest.

Now you wrote that "it begins with Rin already seeming to love him even though she knows very little about him and has very little interaction with him." While the show makes it a bit confusing she's actually not "in love" at the start but rather baffled by how he treats her. Maybe it's the first time someone tried to interact with her like with a fellow human being, not a nice body with a brain nor a potential trophy girlfriend. A lot of Rin's shyness can be explained by how she was mildly asocial and introverted throughout most of her childhood. Rin was deprived of a sibling, her parents either died or were interned and the only "pal" she had was Ayako Mitsuzuri. It's actually surprising how Rin kept herself together.

Still, I do agree that the anime does a bad job at building up chemistry and showing a transition between allies of opportunity to friends to lovers.

This doesn't make Rin "only the love interest" imho. She's one of the protagonists, she's Shirou polar opposite: in sex, power and knowledge, a bit in personality (selfless Shirou vs proud Rin) less so in ideals since they share some. Rin is presented to us as a threat, a potential then true ally, a teacher, an advisor, even a voice of consciousness so to speak, someone who openly disagrees with how Shirou views himself and the world and treats himself. That's the impression I had of her, flawed as she may be.

Nonetherless I do understand why you might only see her as a love interest and I won't call you stupid or clueless because of that, God forbids. You have your opinion and I shared mine. Have a good day!

Apr 6, 2018 12:52 PM
#3
MikeMB
Offline
Apr 2018
2
Aidamis:

* Yes, Rin saw Shirou trying the high jump years ago. It's also implied she used to watch him practice 'fighting' during that 'martial arts' class.

But even that isn't explained. Moreover, that doesn't explain why she already loves him at the beginning of UBW. She gives him her special jewel and then goes beyond out of her way to save him repeatedly even though he's clearly the least powerful and least competent mage in the 5th Holy Grail War. If anything, it's obvious she only teams up with him as an excuse to have him near her and soon date her.


* Rin in the anime isn't "in love" with Shirou until the Epilogue and/or "Good End". Rin until then clearly isn't willing to have sex with Shirou.


* Rin is almost worshiped at school and is clearly the 'Queen'. Shinji Matou is the only one who is aggressive and/or d-bag with her.

In the anime it's clear that Shirou didn't think he 'had a chance' with Rin. Once they interact it's clear to Rin that Shirou considers her--and Saber--very physically attractive. Rin teases Shirou about it and it certain he'd agree to a date with Rin. Shirou is shocked Rin wants to go on a date with him.


* We don't see much of Rin's childhood in the anime including in Fate Zero. But Rin was never shy, asocial, and introverted as a teen. She's the most popular girl in school.


* I said Rin seems to there to MOSTLY be a love interest for Shirou. Not "ONLY the love interest".


* Rin has flaws? I'd say her only flaw in UBW is being distant from Kirei Kotomine. He became her guardian, taught her in magecraft and almost--actually did--win the last Holy Grail War. Yet she's relatively very distant with him.

It's one of the things that doesn't fit with Fate Zero. Gilgamesh would consider Kirei and Rin 'superior humans' and likely protect them.


* Only one could win the Holy Grail. Shirou only becomes so powerful because Rin repeatedly saves him and Shirou's being close to Archer somehow gave Shirou equal power to Archer. Rin is there to support Shirou even though until Shirou gets Unlimited Blade Works, Rin is by far the most powerful mage in the 5th Holy Grail War.


* I'm going to start reading the Fate Night Visual Novel. I hope things are better explained even though a large point of the Visual Novel is Shirou's simply deciding who among Saber, Rin, and Sakura he most wants to have sex with.

But the anime doesn't follow Fate Zero well, and it seems the main reason why VN readers want viewers to see Fate Zero last--after the Heaven's Feel movies (and mostly dismiss it?). Rin and Kirei (seeing how Rin was progressing in magecraft, Kirei would have finished his training and mastered all forms of magecraft) would have easily won the Holy Grail. Instead, Rin is used to allow Shirou to 'win'.
Apr 21, 2018 10:48 PM
#4
Aardwolf94

Offline
Oct 2017
1190
Because F/SN is a porn novel
Apr 24, 2018 6:17 AM
#5
john985
Offline
Aug 2011
58
For the most part, your question can only be answer if you play the heavens feel route. Rin was also curios where Sakura is always going, and that's how she learn more about Shirou.
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May 17, 2018 6:57 PM
#6
RWBYimmortal
Offline
Sep 2016
36
Aardwolf94 said:
Because F/SN is a porn novel


Just what he said.
If Rin didnot had any feelings for shirou, she would not hd saved him and he would be dead and then shirou wouldn't be able to become the mc of fate stay night and have his harem.
And there would not be any sex scenes.
So..
RWBYimmortalMay 17, 2018 7:01 PM
Jul 26, 2023 4:21 PM
#7
Seigen123
Offline
Jul 2023
2
No, if you watches the prologue she says "how can i look her in the eye tomorrow" she wasnt attracted to shiro at that moment, she was concerned for sakura, she and sakura has history when they were kids her saying that when she saw shiro bloodied is her way of showing concern for her friend since she knows sakura likes shirou, its not cause of plot armor or iTs a pOrN nOvEl
Jul 26, 2023 4:29 PM
#8
Seigen123
Offline
Jul 2023
2
https://9anime.to/watch/fatestay-night-unlimited-blade-works-prologue.jzr8/ep-1

This is the prologue from rins perspective skip to scene where lancer chases after shirou thats where she says it
Sep 21, 2023 8:28 PM
#9
MengHao
Offline
Nov 2021
12
Idk how people never found out Fate/Zero is the one that doesn't match up lmao. Fate, UBW and HF are the main story. Zero is a spin-off by another writer.
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