Zetsuen no Tempest – 02
Hakaze’s magic has multiple uses. One is to brighten up your dreary walls.
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This week’s episode of Zetsuen did not disappoint… unlike the fact that I had a midterm that I didn’t bother studying for since I had no idea that it was even coming up. I’m not too worried though. Ironically, it was partially on Shakespeare, so hopefully I aced that part. xD |
This was another info dump of an episode, but less so than the last one. There was also more action this episode, which was just as good as last episode’s. Their portrayal of magic isn’t quite like anything I’ve seen in anime before, so it’s quite interesting to watch. Now in that, this episode brought up the fact that Mahiro doesn’t seem to use real magic. Instead, he has borrowed magic from Hakaze. I’m impressed by the fact that she thought that far ahead, but at the same time, I’m not sure how well it’s going to work out for Mahiro and Yoshino. Normally fakes have the disadvantage in pretty much everything, yet Mahiro decided to take the real mage head on. He seems to have a good handle on things thus far, but I’m curious to see how far Hakaze’s magic can take him. Especially since the talismans seem limited until Hakaze can get off the island, and now Yoshino seems to be using up the supply as well.
I mentioned last post about Hakaze’s connections to Prospero, but this episode gave clearer Shakespeare counterparts to the two male protagonists. If you couldn’t guess from his quotes last episode, Mahiro connects to Hamlet. He’s hell bent on revenge and doesn’t care how many people he has to stab through curtains illogical getting it a year later is. I think it’s safe from what they’ve shown us to say that revenge is his #1 reason for living right now. …Who knows what he’ll do afterwards. As for Yoshino, I’m pretty sure he’s Romeo (since, you know, the whole tragic love thing). I’m not entirely sure if Aika lines up with any characters (or if she’s even supposed to) since she hasn’t really quoted anything yet, but we’ll see.
Interesting to point out, only Hakaze’s Shakespeare counterpart gets a happy ending since Hamlet and Romeo both end in tragedy. Could this foreshadow the ending to Zetsuen no Tempest for those characters…?
Yoshino may be mourning the death of his secret girlfriend, but other than that, he seems to have the emotions of a rock. The shock from the last episode aside, he seems to have absolutely no problems with all of the dead bodies surrounding him now. He didn’t even seem all that shaken up by the whole magic thing. On one hand, it’s nice to see a willing hero who doesn’t waste time brooding, but on the other, he’s kind of… dull. Even Mahiro with all of his vengeance obsession is more interesting to watch because he actually has goals as a character. Maybe this lack of emotions has deeply to do with his character, his girlfriend dying and whatnot, but for now it just seems like he’s a bit uninspired. At least my problems with him and Mahiro’s relationship were fixed a bit this episode. That flashback with Mahiro and him talking about Aika not dating seemed like something Mahiro would only tell someone he was close to.
As for Aika… I’m surprised that she’s actually dead. From the last episode and Yoshino’s obsession with her, if figured that she might still be alive and only her and Yoshino knew. I think she’s quite dead since Mahiro and Hakaze can track her murderer and from the sounds of it, I think Hakaze’s family (or something to do with magic) has something to do with it since she mentioned that she was still around at the time and she didn’t notice. If it had been someone like Yoshino, I don’t think she would have cared if she was around or not. My question now is why? Mahiro and Yoshino don’t seem to have anything to do with mages, so why would Aika be murdered? …Well, I’m sure they’ll tell us eventually since that event seems to be half of the plot right now.
Here’s another question: where is Hakaze? It’s clearly winter where Yoshino and Mahiro are.
As much as I love Hanazawa Kana and the song, that ED felt really out of place. There was definitely an abrupt shift from Yoshino practically wading through dead bodies to happy slice of life fun times with Aika. Maybe this will make more sense when we get out of the introduction to the bleak future ahead and into the less morbid character developing episodes (…if those even exist), but it was just a very weird transition this episode. The OP has grown on me quickly though and I managed to find the full thing on Niconico. The OST has been really nice as well, so it’s good music all around. …Now if only that ED felt more appropriate.
End Thoughts:
I have no idea where this story is going, but I like it despite the lack of a firm direction. I’m not sure if all of that recap exposition was necessary at the beginning of the episode, but they quickly brought new things and plenty of fight sequences to make up for it. …I don’t know whether to feel sorry for Evangeline or not. She completely fails fighting one teenage boy once, she fails with the other for the exact same reason and then she decides to try the exact same things AGAIN, even though she just failed twice. I don’t know if that’s tenacity or just stupidity. Well, if anything, we can definitely confirm that she’s dedicated to her job. …Not that we really even know what that is. The plot is still pretty much a mystery despite all of the explaining that they’ve done. I’m okay with that though since they seem to be slowly revealing things as this goes on. The mystery and secrecy they have going is lending to the show in my opinion. I await the next episode eagerly~.
About Karakuri
University student and the one at Metanorn who's known for wearing glasses. Likes blood, insanity and plot twists, but also plays otome games and adores cute romance anime. It balances out... somehow.
POWUH: 600-699 and Wingman with 655 comments
this episode focused on the characters a bit more than the last episode ;P leaving the goody Shakespeare aside, i want to focus on yoshino, he seems to have (as you mentioned) emotions of a rock, since he seems to be fine with bunch of corpses everywhere. either everything happening around him is to surreal to grab sense of it, or he has a mental hardiness of a steel. (especially the part where he gets his wallet back… brr also how he did not hesitate to use the gun) but this! this type of character is either a real rock, or the type who keeps burning flames inside ready to erupt at the right moment 🙂 im gona continue this episode just to check how he does 😀
as for Hakaze, his anger problems are too.. well obvious with obvious endings, like how he will feel empty after he gets he revenge and blah blah
im just hoping yoshino will bring this show to the finish line
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Yeah, I have a feeling that Yoshino has something behind his lack of emotions. It only looks like he’s boring now, but he’ll prove himself soon enough… hopefully. I don’t think I mentioned it above, but I did really like his lack of hesitation over attacking Evagenline.
I don’t see Mahiro doing much after his revenge is over to be honest. I’m thinking they’ll just kill him off or something since revenge is all he has.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I’m the type of person who obsessively hoards items and things that have limited uses in games…How can Mahiro just abuse his powers when the talismans break after their energy is depleted? This kid really is hot-blooded =_= At this rate he’s going to use it all up before he gets to the island.
I find Yoshino to be pretty dull too. Even his self-pitying thoughts are boring. =A= He needs to be around someone else to be interesting. As soon as he starts wandering on his own, then the inner monologues start and things go downhill.
Evangeline is actually pretty cool in my books. She’s highly capable, but there’s only so far guns and fighting skills can get you against MAGIC.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
YES THAT’S ME AS WELL. I’m hoping that they won’t end up in a situation where they face a mage and don’t have magic, but I have a feeling they might. …Or maybe there’s a way to get magic by themselves? I don’t even understand how the whole magic thing works to be honest.
Well at least he can fight. That’s the only redeeming thing for his character thus far really. …Hopefully he becomes more interesting soon.
…I’m still wondering what Evangeline’s purpose in tracking down Mahiro is. She seems awfully determined, if anything.
POWUH: 600-699 with 691 comments
i tried to read the manga but… it’s even worse than the anime…it’s just too evangelion with no mechas…
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Confession time: I’ve never actually seen Evangelion. I don’t think I’ll touch the Zetsuen no Tempest manga until after the anime is finished though in any case.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
For someone who was murdered, Aika had a rather peaceful and elegant posture. Which leaves to question as to what was her manner of death. It doesn’t look like the work of someone who’d be labeled a mindless, savage killer. Whoever did it had considerable time on their hands. My theory is that Aika got killed because she accidently stumbled onto Hakaze’s clan and saw too much. Secret clans usually do everything they feel is neccesary to stay hidden.
I guess sometimes in certain situations, a fake can be more real and powerful than the real thing.
Mahiro and Yoshino sure don’t feel any uneasiness being isolated in an area most would consider now a dead zone. With so much uncomfortable silence with a barren wasteland outlook when they’re getting screen time individually, I sometimes wonder if zombies aren’t suddenly going to start roaming around.
Yoshino’s hiding the truth about his late girlfriend. I want to see Mahiro’s reaction when he finds out they were dating behind his back. Though he may be dull, he’s pretty twisted inside if he can calmly point a gun at someone with a real intention of shooting them and nonchalantly walking the streets among corpses.
And since Mahiro connects with Hamlet in his drive for revenge no matter the cost, I’m wondering if Romeo and Juliet will be used between Yoshino and Aika. Though the female in the story here has died first.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
They do show her rather peaceful looking, but I think that’s more of the anime showing us Yoshino and Mahiro’s vision of her being perfect as opposed to how she was found dead. From their point of view and flashbacks, it seems that they were both under the impression that she had no flaws and therefore, that’s why they’re both deeply upset by her murder since she seemed like the least deserving person to die. …Or at least that’s how I interpreted it.
I can’t help but feel like Mahiro is at a huge disadvantage still since his magic supply is limited. …Oh well, he seems resourceful/vengeful enough to get the job done.
There certainly are enough corpses. …Though I’m not getting an eerie vibe from the place since both protagonists seem uncaring about all of the dead people around.
LOL I’m expecting a lot of shouting once the truth comes out. Yoshino has all of the potential for a good character, he’s just lacking motives at the moment. …That and a personality.
I’m wondering about that as well. If that is true, then there’s also the fact that Juliet was faking death in Shakespeare’s play, so maybe Aika’s not as dead as she seems. …Even though Mahiro can track her murderer. …Yeah.
POWUH: 400-499 with 489 comments
Shakespeare makes good anime.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Damn right he does.
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
IMO tht mage looks like Sebastian frm Black Butler lol.
And I can’t unsee tht Red Head looks lk genderbended Kurisu after seeing a comment….
Feels so weird tht Yoshino don’t care too much abt majority of things. Like seeing a whole town of ex-human statue. He too (almost) emotionless lol.
Also, shouldn’t they use those those super rare talisman slowly??
And why do I have a feeling Mahiro just did something stupid?? Chalenging a real mage with borrowed magic, really?
Aika and him were secretly dating be4 her death?? Did not saw tht coming. I thought Yoshino regretted tht he did not ask her out earlier lol. Aika death seems to be linked with those mages… She knows too much??
Also. thk for the info on those Shakespeare quote.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Which redhead? Samon? I can’t unsee him as Asch the Bloody from Tales of the Abyss. Even though they don’t really look that similar, my mind just connects the two for some reason. OTL
Like I said, emotions of a rock.
YES. I thought Mahiro went into that stupidly too! Though I don’t know the limits on the magic, so maybe borrowed magic is just as good as real.
I wonder when the whole dating thing started.
No problem~ I’m loving the connections between this and Shakespeare, so I’ll probably be talking about it the whole series.
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
Aaannd my comment is eaten again. Why??
PS. Some shot in the ED reminds me of TWEWY and the 3rd birthday XD But still the ED doesn’t fit the setting/mood of the show lol.