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Class Skills
Presence Concealment D: The ability to seem unthreatening, it makes him suitable for spying. As Kojirou is not a proper Assassin, this wasn't a skill automatically granted to him, but rather the result of his own martial arts training.
It can be disconcerting to see a man wielding a sword, but feel no danger from him, which may in itself be cause for concern. On the other hand, a less perceptive fighter may charge up to him, and be surprised by his actual skill. Kojirou himself places little importance on this skill, at least in Servant-vs-Servant combat, as his preference is to do things fairly by introducing himself before engaging in battle.
Personal Skills
Eye of the Mind (False) A: The ability to avoid danger based on a 6th sense, prescience, or intuition. It reduces the effect of visual obstructions. The difference between the False and True versions is that the former is based on natural talent, while the latter is based mostly on experience.
The mind's eye is a martial arts trope as old as there have been martial arts stories. In canon, Kojirou puts his skills on full display by easily parrying Saber's invisible sword, and giving an accurate measure of its dimensions only after a few exchanges. He could probably fight with his eyes closed if he had to. Servants with lower ranks in the ability are described as possessing great analytical ability, leading them to the surest path to victory, and Kojirou can probably do the same.
Clarity B+: A serene state of mind. This skill protects him from mental interference. By limiting his fighting spirit, it is possible to conceal himself to some extent.
Kojirou's troubles with proper translations begin. You'll see it translated as "Vitrification," "Transparency," or "Evanescence" none of which I think are particularly elegant, but in essence 透化 means to "become transparent." This isn't an especially new idea in martial arts, or even in anime versions of martial arts. It is essentially the idea of Meikyo-Shisui. You may have seen it in G Gundam too. Clear Mirror, Still Water, a serene state of mind that is cleansed of distractions like anger or hatred, focusing only on the goal at hand. The state of ultimate focus.
It means things like illusions, coercion, sick bants, or other mind-affecting skills magical or otherwise slip past him. It allows him to face the frankly terrifying Berserker without hesitation, something not even the honestly suicidal Shirou and Saber can say. Since the Caster of his particular war was his Master, he never actually had to face mindfuck magic though. As far as cutting off his presence goes, see Presence Concealment.
Understanding of Harmony B: A special ability which ensures that no matter how many times he uses the same skill or the same technique, Kojirou's accuracy will not drop. His attacks cannot be analysed. Perhaps it can be said that he never uses attacks so mediocre that it's possible to "get used to them."
宗和の心得 is another phrase with no good translation. 宗和 has no direct translation, but the individual kanji can be unpacked into "essence of harmony." 心得 is to "take to heart," so "understanding" is alright. Which is why the Type Moon wiki's translation of "Knowledge and Respect of Harmony" is unnecessarily long.
"I've seen through your moves!" is a phrase as old as stories about skilled competitors facing off directly against each other. Kojirou cuts that off at the source with a skill that denies such shenanigans, despite possessing expert ability at analysis himself. It makes him an exceptionally dangerous opponent as fights drag on, as he continues to accumulate knowledge on his opponents while he remains an enigma. The disparity is put on display in his fights against Saber, as he rapidly figures out the size of Excalibur despite the sword's invisibility being one of its advantages (see: Eye of the Mind) but all she can glean from him is that he's far beyond her in skill.
This is my educated guess, but the reason why this particular skill was given this particular name is that it is his oneness with nature, his acceptance of his place in the world, his general zen, and his adherence to bushido that has granted him such elevated, instinctive skill. He was never taught swordplay, but was taught the mentality of a swordsman. So it can be said he achieved this perfect mindset before he ever swung a sword.
Secret Technique, Tsubame Gaeshi: The Swallow Reversal. This is the skill that Kojirou came up with in order to cut a swallow in flight. Swallows are swift creatures, who can read the movements of the air on their feathers and dodge a simple swing. However, if one arc won't catch them, then how about two or three? But it's precisely because they are so quick that all three strikes must be executed within the span of a single breath. That's not something an ordinary human can do, but Kojirou had nothing better to do so he practiced anyway, and such was his talent and dedication that not only did he manage to cut three times in one breath, he cut through time itself and slashed three times simultaneously. An undodgeable technique with no counters as long as it's executed perfectly.
He calls it a secret technique, but to slice through dimensions and common sense itself to create three blades from one slash surely cannot be just a skill. It intrudes upon the realm of the gods, and has been called a demonic or magic technique. And yet it is nothing more than a human skill, executed by human hands, and using no more mana than an ordinary swing of the sword. It is an impossible feat in so many ways and yet Kojirou has achieved it, just to kill a bird.
Of course, there is no need to go to such lengths to strike down a mere swallow, and that Kojirou did it anyway is testament to his personality.
Presence Concealment D: The ability to seem unthreatening, it makes him suitable for spying. As Kojirou is not a proper Assassin, this wasn't a skill automatically granted to him, but rather the result of his own martial arts training.
It can be disconcerting to see a man wielding a sword, but feel no danger from him, which may in itself be cause for concern. On the other hand, a less perceptive fighter may charge up to him, and be surprised by his actual skill. Kojirou himself places little importance on this skill, at least in Servant-vs-Servant combat, as his preference is to do things fairly by introducing himself before engaging in battle.
Personal Skills
Eye of the Mind (False) A: The ability to avoid danger based on a 6th sense, prescience, or intuition. It reduces the effect of visual obstructions. The difference between the False and True versions is that the former is based on natural talent, while the latter is based mostly on experience.
The mind's eye is a martial arts trope as old as there have been martial arts stories. In canon, Kojirou puts his skills on full display by easily parrying Saber's invisible sword, and giving an accurate measure of its dimensions only after a few exchanges. He could probably fight with his eyes closed if he had to. Servants with lower ranks in the ability are described as possessing great analytical ability, leading them to the surest path to victory, and Kojirou can probably do the same.
Clarity B+: A serene state of mind. This skill protects him from mental interference. By limiting his fighting spirit, it is possible to conceal himself to some extent.
Kojirou's troubles with proper translations begin. You'll see it translated as "Vitrification," "Transparency," or "Evanescence" none of which I think are particularly elegant, but in essence 透化 means to "become transparent." This isn't an especially new idea in martial arts, or even in anime versions of martial arts. It is essentially the idea of Meikyo-Shisui. You may have seen it in G Gundam too. Clear Mirror, Still Water, a serene state of mind that is cleansed of distractions like anger or hatred, focusing only on the goal at hand. The state of ultimate focus.
It means things like illusions, coercion, sick bants, or other mind-affecting skills magical or otherwise slip past him. It allows him to face the frankly terrifying Berserker without hesitation, something not even the honestly suicidal Shirou and Saber can say. Since the Caster of his particular war was his Master, he never actually had to face mindfuck magic though. As far as cutting off his presence goes, see Presence Concealment.
Understanding of Harmony B: A special ability which ensures that no matter how many times he uses the same skill or the same technique, Kojirou's accuracy will not drop. His attacks cannot be analysed. Perhaps it can be said that he never uses attacks so mediocre that it's possible to "get used to them."
宗和の心得 is another phrase with no good translation. 宗和 has no direct translation, but the individual kanji can be unpacked into "essence of harmony." 心得 is to "take to heart," so "understanding" is alright. Which is why the Type Moon wiki's translation of "Knowledge and Respect of Harmony" is unnecessarily long.
"I've seen through your moves!" is a phrase as old as stories about skilled competitors facing off directly against each other. Kojirou cuts that off at the source with a skill that denies such shenanigans, despite possessing expert ability at analysis himself. It makes him an exceptionally dangerous opponent as fights drag on, as he continues to accumulate knowledge on his opponents while he remains an enigma. The disparity is put on display in his fights against Saber, as he rapidly figures out the size of Excalibur despite the sword's invisibility being one of its advantages (see: Eye of the Mind) but all she can glean from him is that he's far beyond her in skill.
This is my educated guess, but the reason why this particular skill was given this particular name is that it is his oneness with nature, his acceptance of his place in the world, his general zen, and his adherence to bushido that has granted him such elevated, instinctive skill. He was never taught swordplay, but was taught the mentality of a swordsman. So it can be said he achieved this perfect mindset before he ever swung a sword.
Secret Technique, Tsubame Gaeshi: The Swallow Reversal. This is the skill that Kojirou came up with in order to cut a swallow in flight. Swallows are swift creatures, who can read the movements of the air on their feathers and dodge a simple swing. However, if one arc won't catch them, then how about two or three? But it's precisely because they are so quick that all three strikes must be executed within the span of a single breath. That's not something an ordinary human can do, but Kojirou had nothing better to do so he practiced anyway, and such was his talent and dedication that not only did he manage to cut three times in one breath, he cut through time itself and slashed three times simultaneously. An undodgeable technique with no counters as long as it's executed perfectly.
He calls it a secret technique, but to slice through dimensions and common sense itself to create three blades from one slash surely cannot be just a skill. It intrudes upon the realm of the gods, and has been called a demonic or magic technique. And yet it is nothing more than a human skill, executed by human hands, and using no more mana than an ordinary swing of the sword. It is an impossible feat in so many ways and yet Kojirou has achieved it, just to kill a bird.
Of course, there is no need to go to such lengths to strike down a mere swallow, and that Kojirou did it anyway is testament to his personality.
