Why do so many characters resemble Saber in Fate/Stay Night?

In the Fate franchise, Artoria Pendragon is undeniably one of the most iconic and beloved characters. She has appeared in various adaptations, such as the visual novel Fate/stay night, the anime Fate/Zero, and the mobile game Fate/Grand Order, to name a few. However, fans of the franchise have noticed that there are an abundance of characters that look strikingly similar to Artoria, so much so that they are referred to as “Saberfaces.”

The term “Saberface” first appeared in the Fate parody manga Fate/GUDAGUDA Order in 2015, although the trend of characters resembling Artoria has been present in the franchise since its inception. But how did this trend begin? And what qualifies as a Saberface?

The earliest examples of Saberfaces in the Fate franchise are characters that are related to Artoria in some way. One such example is Mordred, the son of King Arthur, who was first revealed in the 2006 collection Character Material. Mordred’s resemblance to Artoria is understandable from a character design standpoint, given their familial ties. Additionally, in Fate/Zero, the Caster Servant Gilles de Rais mistakes Artoria for Jeanne d’Arc, who did not have a design at the time. By the time the anime was released in 2010, the canceled Fate/Apocrypha online game yielded the design for Jeanne, which is quite similar to Artoria’s.

As the years went on, more and more characters were created with designs that were almost mirrors of Artoria, with less and less justification. Some of these Saberfaces are easily recognizable by their hairstyles, which tend to have side-swept bangs in some variation, often a different color or direction from Artoria’s hair. Other Saberfaces are identified by the shape of their eyes and general expression, which is more of a signifier of character designer Takashi Takeuchi’s art style than anything else. Despite these similarities, there are nuances between the Saberfaces that differentiate them from one another.

Despite the criticisms of the abundance of Saberfaces in the Fate franchise, the trend persists. In Fate/Grand Order, which has become a worldwide phenomenon, Saberface characters are still being created and released as collectibles. Some characters even target Saberfaces exclusively or do more damage to them with certain attacks. The Saberface has become almost a tradition within the franchise, much like a recurring role in a play.

While some fans may find the abundance of Saberfaces amusing or annoying, it is clear that the trend is not going away anytime soon. Even newer characters, such as Gray from Lord El-Melloi II’s Case Files, are Saberfaces, although she wasn’t born looking like Artoria and hides her face from El-Melloi because Saber’s face reminds him of the events of Fate/Zero. It remains to be seen whether the Saberface trend will continue in the future of the Fate franchise, but it is safe to say that Artoria Pendragon will remain a beloved and influential character within it.

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