Last episode, I said that Grimoire of Zero is a peculiar case. The flow of the story suggested that its episodic format is serving justice to the anime. I don’t know if that could have been remedied with better directing decisions or even better cliffhangers, but the plot twist of Episode 10 would have been better if Grimoire was a 2-hour movie than a 12-episode anime cour.
Japanese Title: 明かされた真相
Our favorite couple reunites this week in a heartfelt moment that came after Mercenary perfected his Spiderman skills. The tough façade that Zero kept throughout the series broke under the pressure of a sincere apology from Mercenary’s side. Zero is a powerful wizard, but she is also a girl who invested in her relationship with a man who she thought would always be by her side. That’s the only thing she wanted: for Mercenary to stay true to their bond, to their friendship, to the memories they built together. Her tears were the only proof Mercenary needed to help him go back to his witty self, the one that lets Zero drop into his furry arms and rekindle their relationship. Their chemistry is as smooch as ever and the passion that exist between them could be misinterpreted for almost sexual.
So please, don’t leave me again
Albus and Holdem, on the other hand, have exactly the screen time that they need. I still feel that Holdem’s escape was a bit too convenient, but someone had to free the wolf so he could save the little mistress. I’m going to repeat myself, but Albus and Holdem went from mere actors to full-fledged protagonists whose part in the story is more than accidental.
And for the plot twist? Ok, who didn’t expect that? All that HIM and HIM and HIM. Either Ville Valo was the mastermind behind the Sorcerer’s of Zero or Thirteen. Thirteen was the one who had the Grimoire of Zero all along. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed that we didn’t have a more formidable opponent than Thirteen, but his plan to kill the same people who have a blood oath with him is twisted enough to elevate him as a formidable villain.
Anger: I wish the production had the time and the inspiration to play better with this scene. The clash of passion and intelligence was very interesting but I had to rely on my own imagination to create a more intense and believable battle. Thirteen didn’t seem that angry to me.
The more of your anger you reveal, the more inferior your intelligence comes
Familiar Spirit: Do you remember Harry’s owl, Ros’s rat, and Hermione’s cat? These are similar to the little mouse that brought the message to the big-boobs Sorcerer of Zero. In European folklore, these little critters were supernatural creatures (usually sentient) who assisted witches and wizards. The animal we usually associate with a familiar is the black cat.
It’s a fact that the first half of the series was almost boring. The only think that kept the story interesting was the good chemistry between the protagonists. As soon as Zero and Mercenary were split apart, the story took a boost in action and purpose and brought forth the more story-specific details that were until then shadowed by the info damps and the world-building. Imagine a movie that spent the one third of the movie bonding the heroes and telling us more about the world, a second third with Albus and Holden, and a third part with Thirteen and the plot twist.
I am just sad that many viewers were probably disheartened by the first couple of episodes and dropped the series before it started getting interesting.
Lately, I’ve been quite vocal in my personal otaku circles about my opinion on anime series vs anime movies. Grimoire of Zero is one of those cases I believe would benefit from a recap movie that will take out all superfluous information and give the story the flow it deserves. For now, I am curious to see how our group will be able to conclude this story in a peaceful way.
Did you like Episode 10 of Grimoire of Zero? Let us know in the comments below by using either the forum or the Facebook tab! Join us in our new forum and let’s talk about our favorite series! Also, don’t forget to check the rest of our episodic anime reviews for Spring 2017.
Also, don’t forget to check out the titles we are going to cover in Summer 2017!
NEXT TIME: The Witch and the Sorcerer (魔女と魔術師)
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(C)2016 虎走かける／ＫＡＤＯＫＡＷＡ アスキー・メディアワークス／ゼロの魔術師団
Can you already smell the sea? Can you feel the sun on your skin? Have you already had your first slice of watermelon? Well, the only certain thing is that the summer anime season is coming this July!
