Fate: Sakura was inspired by Fujino from Kara no Kyoukai

Sakura Matou is one of the three main heroines of Fate/stay night and one of the most beloved characters among Fate franchise fans, as well as being quite popular in the otaku community in general. However, something that often goes unnoticed by many new fans is the origin of Sakura’s design and the concept behind the character.

What many people may not know is that the design of the gentle and sweet Sakura was based on Asagami Fujino from Kara no Kyoukai, another work written by Kinoko Nasu, the same author of Fate/stay night.

Fate: Sakura was inspired by Fujino from Kara no Kyoukai

When one of Type-Moon’s founders and illustrator of Fate/stay night, Takashi Takeuchi, showed the early sketches of Fujino to Kinoko Nasu, they were approved and ended up serving as the basis for the creation of Sakura Matou.

Takeuchi used Fujino as a major reference for Sakura’s design. Because of this, both characters share several visual traits, such as a delicate appearance, a reserved personality, and long purple hair.

The similarities between them are not limited to their visuals. Both Sakura and Fujino have stories marked by tragedy and deep trauma, being young women who suffered abuse and carry emotional scars throughout their lives.

Because of these similarities, Fujino is often considered by fans as a prototype of Sakura Matou, or even as the “version zero” of the Fate/stay night heroine.

Source: Fate/side material