Saber (F/SN)

Saber is one of the three main heroines featured in Type-Moon's 2004 visual novel Fate/stay night, serving as the main love interest of the VN's first route also titled Fate. She is one of the story's seven "Servants", various mythological and historical figures that fight for their "Masters". In the beginning of the story, Saber was inadvertently summoned by protagonist Shirou Emiya during the fifth Holy Grail War and becomes his Servant. She is depicted as a blonde knight wearing a blue dress and plate armor, fights with a sword befitting of her class, and acts in a dignified and formal manner.

Saber also appears in the prequel light novel and 2011-2012 anime Fate/Zero as an ally of Shirou's foster father Kiritsugu Emiya and his wife Irisviel von Einzbern during the fourth Grail War. Much of the story involves the knight fighting other Servants while Kiritsugu seeks to kill other Masters using military weapons.

Saber's true name is Artoria Pendragon - a gender-swapped version of the legendary English figure King Arthur. This is supposed to be a spoiler in the original VN; however, it is rendered moot nowadays, as her identity is widely known in the anime otaku fandom because of the franchise's numerous installments and the existence of "Saberfaces" - Fate girls modeled after her design such as Nero, Mordred, Jeanne, and Souji - which neccessitates using her real name to distinguish herself. However, many fans still prefer to call Artoria "Saber" because she's one of the original characters of the entire franchise.

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First appearing in the Winter 2006 anime adaptation, Saber is one of the oldest active competitors in the saimoe contests, with her longevity being attributed to her status as the face of the Fate franchise. She is the only contestant to have appeared in all International Saimoe League main tournaments since its inception in 2008; she once shared this distinction with Haruhi Suzumiya until the latter failed to qualify for the 2021 regular season.

Saber's power arguably reached its peak in the mid-2010's, a period where the Unlimited Blade Works adaptation was aired. In 2015, she finished runner-up in r/anime's Best Girl 2 after losing to Yukino Yukinoshita by 78 votes. Later that year, she won her first major championship in the inaugural edition of China's Bilibili Moe contest, blowing out same-series rival Rin Tohsaka in the final match. Saber's best finish in ISML happened in 2016; securing third place through the consolation matches despite getting knocked out by Prisma Illya in the quarter-finals.

Main Tournament

 * 20th (43-1-20)

2009

 * 21st (45-0-0-18)

2010

 * 8th (41-0-8)


 * Haruhi Suzumiya > Saber (3966-3262)
 * Saber > Hitagi Senjougahara (3107-2893)
 * Hinagiku Katsura > Saber (3696-2538)
 * Yui Hirasawa > Saber (3961-3619)
 * Tomoyo Sakagami > Saber (5171-4611)

2011

 * 18th (32-0-17)

2012

 * Stella 7th (30-0-5)


 * Post Season Phase 1 (Stella Division Finals)
 * Saber > Senjōgahara Hitagi (4804-3504)
 * Saber > Shana (5029-4818)
 * Aisaka Taiga > Saber (6524-3648)
 * Post Season Phase 2 (League Finals)
 * Nakamura Yuri > Saber (5127-4128)
 * Saber > Suzumiya Haruhi (5270-4970)
 * Nagato Yuki > Saber (5741-4972)
 * Yui > Saber (5253-5024)
 * Nakamura Yuri > Saber (6829-6492)
 * Exhibition Match
 * Kirigaya Kazuto + Yūki Asuna > Emiya Kiritsugu + Saber (8140-3097)

2013

 * Stella 14th (22-0-13)


 * Postseason Phase 1 Stella Division
 * Misaka Mikoto > Saber (5752-4127)

2014

 * Stella 15th (20-0-15)


 * Postseason Phase 1 Stella Division

Anime Saimoe Tournament
Saimoe 2006


 * Saber > Touka > Mama (494-297-292)
 * Suigintou > Saber > Akira E. Ferrari (778-632-277)

Saimoe 2010


 * Fate Testarossa > Saber > Yuuko Kinoshita > Koyomi Morishita (428-125-118-71)

Saimoe 2012


 * Saber > Touka Ryuumonbuchi > Agiri Goshiki (262-236-160)
 * Louise Vallière > Makoto Kikuchi > Saber (224-204-97)

Korea Best Moe Tournament
KBM 2010


 * Saber > Sawako Kuronuma > Kagura (Inuyasha) (663-533-524)
 * Nadeko Sengoku > Saber (933-731)

KBM 2012


 * Saber > Tsumugi Kotobuki > Maria Takayama (130-58-39)
 * Saber > Azusa Nakano (131-125)
 * Saber > Yin (106-76)
 * Eru Chitanda > Saber (123-117)

Honours
International Saimoe League


 * Best playoff finish: Quarter-finals (2016)
 * Highest final position: 3rd place (2016)

Chronological list
Total Wins : 12


 * 1) DM123 AnimeFans Saimoe 2012
 * 2) Baidu Harem Moe 2012
 * 3) Facebook @Jishuzhai (lit. TechnologyHouse) Saimoe 2012
 * 4) Xinzhi Moe 2012
 * 5) Facebook Kuwanjia(@cool-gamer) Moe 2013
 * 6) Tiangshidongman Moe 2015/16
 * 7) Bilibili Moe 2015 ★
 * 8) Anime Trending 2011 Grand Run-off polls
 * 9) Facebook Waifu Awards 2020
 * 10) Facebook Battle of the Moe 2020
 * 11) FACEBOOK El Rincón De Las Waifus 2021
 * 12) 1ra Campona Torneo de waifu Anime en casa 2021

Runner-up Lists
List of runner-up finishes = 4
 * 1) r/anime's Best Girl 2
 * 2) Animefans Saimoe Tournament 2008
 * 3) Aniparty Super Moe Tournament 2008
 * 4) Waifu Madness 2018