Grimoire of Zero

TreeOfWolf Aug 1, 2017

9

I am very fond of it. Greatness isn't about being the best, I enjoyed its spirit so much that I watched it twice in a row. He's like a fluffier version of Berserk (the opening pose is similar to the 90s version), she's small but tough like Toradora, but he's the tiger. They have a sweet tsundere journey between frienemies. It's a beautiful world, I care about the characters. It'd deep about issues like discrimination, condemning a whole group for the wrongdoings of a few, good people can do bad things, bad people can do good things, and best of all: hatred and the desire to kill can literally turn against us... like a double edge sword. I don't mind watching a slice of life. I would have been fine if they just got closer slowly on an endless quest... but the plot twist impressed me. Even the sex jokes made me laugh. I'm usually disgusted because anime often degrade women and trivializes sexual assault (grabbing someone's boobs and giggling them without consent isn't just disrespectful, it's a crime). But this anime showed in a funny way how wrong and gross it is to obsess over someone sexually. The best way to be close to someone is to see them as your equal, not as an object to abuse or worship, not to force them by making them lose their free will to have power over them... To truly welcome and connect with who they are in spite of your fears and differences... It's a very wonderful anime. I read other reviews and people can be too critical. Analyzing the technicalities of the art coldly can make you forget to feel its spirit with your heart. The voice actors did a great job. I can't remember the music but that's because it fits well with the atmosphere as a whole. I gave it a 4 but then a 4.5 because, maybe others animes can be better in every way, but this one made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. And that deserves extra points. Enjoy~

Itsukarine Jul 2, 2017

6

This is a show that could've been much more but instead just barely passed by.I found the story a bit unoriginal and predictable, but it was certainly enough to be engaging. I usually like witches too so maybe there's a bias.The animation and sound were average, maybe a bit above since it was in a decently attractive style.The characters are the most likeable part, as the heroine is really cute and the villian is somewhat of an enigma through the whole show, start to finish. Probably because he's difficult to read.The mood/atmosphere really had this spice and wolf feeling because of the ending theme and some of the interactions between the hero and heroine, but it never really fully captured it, besides the cuteness of the first couple episodes interactions. I kind of wish the whole show held that quaintness to it, but it quickly got involved in the more serious story. It's still worth a watch if you're bored and want something decently engaging that is story driven, big plus if you like cute silver haired jailbait in oversized clothes.In fact, watch it just for that.

Ryukami Mar 23, 2018

6

So much potential, all down the drain in the first episode. In the first episode, the viewer is led to belieave that the show will be about the relationship and adventure of Mercenary - a beastfallen and Zero - a genius witch, Zero even summons an cute demon, but guess how many times demons are summoned after this? 0, but time after time I kept thinking what does this story want/try to be? This is why light novels and their adaptations are not taken seriously, the story is too convenient = things and events happen or are fererenced right before they are needed, full of plot holes that are sloppily fixed later... Imagine playing an rpg and getting into a room full of traps and suddenly an old man emerges from the shadows and says that the room on the left has an item that reveals all the traps, and later it's revealed that the old man was actually a ghost who died to the traps and was there to prevent the same fate from falling on others. There is an actual fricking "Arrow to the knee" line... sigh Were you hoping for a satisfying conclusion and after math of removing magic? Too bad for you, that would be good writing. Thoughts Story is average, so much potential and interesting ideas... none of them properly explored. Great animation, althought mostly just people talking to each other. Sound is great and fitting. Characters are average, the show is more interested in the story than in developing the characters. About the Magic The magic is very inconsistent, there are two magic systems, a ritual and magic circle based one and another one that needs neither. The ritual magic exists and that's basically how much we see and learn about it, the new magic system is created, not developed, CREATED by Zero and she can deny said magic when others use it, but only sometimes, oh and how was she able to create magic? Demons... she made a deal with a demon who patrons the magic... Sometimes the new magic needs incantations, the chapter and page number said out loud and sometimes it doesn't About the writing Way too predictable narrative, when the party is nearing Latette they put up all the death flags available, HIM is exactly who you think he is, Brats reaction to the grand daughter of Sorena is way too obvious. Characters are not consistent, 13 stops his plan in a snap , Zero says 13 crossed the line and it's unforgivable and then proceeds to go eat lunch with him... Hordem keeps and abuses slaves and later it's revealed that he is actually a good guy tasked with protecting the grand daughter. HIM is constantly said to have the grimoire, but at the same time they wonder who has the grimoire and at times they say a Sorcerer of Zero member must have taken it. A random witch says that only the creator of the new magic system can seal it, how does she know this? Oh and later Zero says that she needs 13 to help her seal the magic but only when they are already ready to seal it, oh and then they say that they need a third witch and the Brat comes, oh and then Zero says that now they need a offering of greatest quality... Oh and obviously Zero wrote the spells with intentional mistakes to always have an advantage against other witches, even though she created the magic not for combat but to help everyday life, oh and this is not apparent or referenced before the fight between Zero and 13... Oh and the plague was started by novice witches, but if you thought that you would find out why or who the witches were, you clearly haven't seen LN shows before.