Zero no Tsukaima Season 3 – (Non)-Expectations
For a huge fan of season one, I'm not looking forward to another installation of Zero no Tsukaima. I lay the blame squarely on the sequel which not only destroyed the good in the preceding season but went on to mercilessly quell the possibility of having an decent third.
Zero no Tsukaima is mostly about Louise and Saito - their maturing relationship as they individually grow to learn their place and purpose in grand scheme of things. Everything else in the series exist to support or is layered upon this theme. From the overarching plot of Tristaini treachery to Henrietta/Siesta's delicious incursions into Louise territory, the stories never failed to build on the leads' characters or relational growth, well, at least for Season 1.
The coherent and sweet tale of 2 hearts drawing closer to each other through haremic tussles and adversity was usurped by excessive fanservice and an uninteresting side-plot in Season 2, sacrificing character growth and stripping the series much of its original charm. Worse, by hastily raising their relationship to marriage status at the end, we are not only cheated of steady, coherent character growth that is typically accompanied by that warm fuzzy feeling but a poorly justified yet unassailable Louise lead that would negate Henrietta/Siesta competition. A harem series without efficient competition is like a Gundam series with all the shiny mecha sans battles.
We all can guess what will happen in Season 3. They'd do a relationship-roll back like that did with Season 2, frustrating audience and overwrite Louise's lead with fanservice. Fanservice may be good for laughs (IF well-executed) but a cheap substitute for relational growth. I found it utterly insulting that Saito's increasing affections for Henrietta/Siesta in Season 2 was proportional to their increasing bust-size instead of their fabulous personality/character. Fanservice in lieu of character development is a cowardly cop-put, period. Sadly given the closing direction of Season 2, season 3 looks set to use the same sad tactics to maintain the harem facet of the show.
I hope I'm totally wrong. That there'd be compelling material in the novels for scenarios that would circumstantially overwrite Louise's lead in a credible manner, allowing the other haremettes to gain footholds. That the writers would stop using whipping sessions as pseudo-sex and give us REAL character development. That the wonderful bishoujos of ZnT would not be cheapened with meaningless fanservice but lovingly crafted to exude congruent charm befitting of their irresistible personality.
It's a long shot but I sincerely hope I'd be proven all wrong come ZnT S3.
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December 19th, 2007 - 20:08
Speaking of Gundam, we’re also all going to watch this no matter how it turns out.
December 19th, 2007 - 20:33
In a way, the third season has a much better chance of success than the second did, since Tsukaima 2 was so reviled that 3 almost can’t help being better–I’m definitely going into 3 with much lower expectations. Maybe they’ll start season 3 with Saito waking up and finding season 2 was all just a bad dream, so they can pick up from the end of the first season ^_^
December 19th, 2007 - 21:11
Spoileriffic, but the series has been out several months so I assume anyone who still wants to see it after the bad hype has done so.
I never thought the church scene toward the end of season 2 amounted to “marriage” status. Louise passed out before she really said anything too close to the truth of her own feelings. And those items exchanged were less like wedding rings than like an instant walky-talky, letting each of them know when the other had died. Neither expected to live out the night anyways, so any “eternal” promises wouldn’t have been worth the breaths to carry them. The main plot was Louise’s position and how she saw herself in her Nobles’ world. As long as she cared more about her reputation than Saito, there could never be any romance between them–all they could have had would be an illusion, 2 emotional-kids playing at love. Which is what the church scene amounted to–and that only as a distraction from the coming battle. It didn’t fool the characters any more than it fooled us.
That’s not to say that season 2 was any good. It wasn’t–the “reputation” storyline could’ve been spread over a longer season with a stronger main focus on their relationship; would’ve been a lot less annoying that way. If it wasn’t Louise, I’d say a single episode should suffice; but this IS Louise we’re talking about–she’s the epitome of “stubborn obnoxious jerk” when she wants to be. But overall the writers really didn’t negate the entire first season so much as ignore everything but initial characterization in it. I think there’s really no place to go but up for ZnT season 3, so I’m cautiously optimistic about it.
YMMV, of course. In the end, Haruhi 2 is going to overshadow any ZnT 3, especially at the start of the season.
December 19th, 2007 - 23:27
totali: Haha yeah. Despite my bitchings about ZnT 3, I’ll surely be catching it XD
suguru: LOL! That would be an instant redemption for Season 2! But really my benchmark for ZnT franchise is Season 1. So Season 3 would have to do a lot better than just being superior to Season 2 for me to enjoy it.
Rich: I suppose I’m a lot more forgiving towards Louise. Despite all these talk about the reputation, Louise’s true loyalty lies with Henrietta and not her noble status. Her incessant talk about her nobility is just another facet about her tsundereness. I have no doubt about Louise’s feelings for Saito and it’s all the more interesting to see her struggle against her upbringing to declare her love for someone less than a commoner – a familiar. It’s really like falling in love with your pet hamster, romantically. We need to remember that except for Louise’s 2nd sister, the Valiere family is a pompous, self-important household. Add to the fact that Louise is a magical disgrace to the family, it’s no wonder Louise holds on to the only thing she has left – noble pride. Yet in her love for Saito, she has time and again abandoned her inculcated upbringing, breached social stigma. Louise has a lot of promising layers as a character which I felt was squandered in Season 2. In fact deep down, I feel jealous for Louise when her tsundere clone Shana enjoys so much more popularity even though Louise is the more complex, well-crafted character. I suppose her complexity and JCStaff’s over caricature of her violence had led to her being much misunderstood.
Still like yourself, I approach ZnT3 with lots of caution
December 20th, 2007 - 01:32
I really hated season 2, although I found the scene of saito fighting off the army of 70000 very moving, they just had to end it with Saito coming back and pressing the restart button again..
The anime really (and I mean really!) diverged from the novel. I would of liked to see Louise, brood a little more, believing that Saito died ( in fact the novel goes into much more depth, as well as interaction between Saito and the elf). Sadly the ending to season 2 means that the scenes that would of been enjoyable to watch are now completely out of the question……… It just looked liked the director was picking out all the ecchi and comedy scenes but leaving the more dramatic ones unanimated………..
I’ll probably still watch season 3, hoping that they’ll find some way to save themselves from this deep ditch they dug themselves..
December 20th, 2007 - 09:23
totali: That
December 20th, 2007 - 16:29
myu: That fight with the army was not stupid, in fact it was in the light novel too. That fight was a milestone for Louise and Saito’s relationship. Also he wasn’t “mighty” or too powerful, I mean he didn’t beat the army did he?
It was stated that Gandalfr are stronger then most normal mages so Saito can obviously handle his own against an army of 70 000, but obviously he can’t win (and he didn’t).
The problem was just the anime, it really didn’t develop the last scene well enough and most people felt it just came out of nowhere but that scene with Saito facing off against the army was what I was watching season 2 for so it really succeeded my expectation.
December 21st, 2007 - 09:20
argg I am so behind… was a 3rd season announced already?? Orz
I decided to drop my ZnT Novels for Toradora and okami after vol 8 where Saito “hacksingly”(like there was even such a word lol) got revived… To me that was it…
Expectations for third season? hmm… lets say I want it to be the last… just put Saito out of his misery already!!! =X
December 21st, 2007 - 10:17
holyman282: I felt cheated at the rushed ending of ZnT S2 too. With so much material to cover, I don’t understand why so much time was squandered on the boring revenge sideplot of a new supporting character.
myu: Oh yes, Louise is undoubtedly my FAV tsundere.
But I actually like Saito’s battle although it could have been way more epic if they had devoted more airtime/production values into it.
cyw1988: You are not missing much by skipping ZnT 2…. except maybe frustration XD
December 22nd, 2007 - 00:06
Ah yes that bloody revenge sideplot… Really annoyed the heck out of me.. I really wasn’t interested in what’s name’s revenge against that other person (can’t even remember their names.. That’s how boring that sideplot was..) Let me tell you I was watching all 12 ep of S2 at one go and I still couldn’t stand watching that…..
Apparently the director of S2 was the same one that did Chrono Crusade, (while S1 was done by the person who did love hina..) It really surprised me then that I enjoyed the first season more then the second season considering that I preferred Chrono Crusade over the love hina anime….
December 23rd, 2007 - 20:00
Chrno Crusade had its issues but I enjoyed the final few eps tremendously. Love Hina was one of those series that got me into anime so it’d always have a special place in my heart even though my tastes have evolved beyond
That said, it’s good to see Love Hina’s director retain that magic for S1. hope he helms S3. 
December 27th, 2007 - 17:23
Out of curiousity, is there someone working on the light novels in the US yet? I see that even Welcome to the N.H.K! novels are getting done here, and the comments about how good the LNs are for Zero have me interested.
Thanks in advance
December 28th, 2007 - 07:58
I’ll watch ZnT even if its good or not because its my favorite ^____________^
December 28th, 2007 - 11:54
Rich: Sorry I’m not sure myself. But I’d love to read them if translated.
Keilanter: Haha yeah. Despite all my misgivings, I’ll be watching ZnT3 too. But not after massively moderating expectations
December 29th, 2007 - 23:23
SAito and Louise better get into a relationship soon…
December 30th, 2007 - 08:25
Heh, maybe Saito with Siesta and Louise with Henrietta? XD
January 1st, 2008 - 05:04
I really encourage the fact that the script writers do something about focusing on the relationship of SAito and Louise
.. Thats all that matters to me
January 1st, 2008 - 05:12
I love how they mix comedy and intimate love
January 2nd, 2008 - 07:15
Season 1 did that really well – comedy with romance.
Hoping ZnT3 will be have the same sweet/funny formula.
January 3rd, 2008 - 20:54
I’m guessing that they will negate the marriage with the fact that Henrietta didn’t say “I love you” since she fainted before she managed to say it and things will go back to how they were in the beginning of season two. Which I absolutely hate. I like the relationship they have between them but I would want them to start getting closer. It would fit that he would still gawk at other girls and she would kick his ass for it but she wouldn’t do it like she hated him and she wouldn’t act like all the good things didn’t happen.
January 4th, 2008 - 04:44
Here’s the twist…
everything is just a dream …just what happened at d start of season 2…saito didn’t die..he was badly wounded…and basically. the elf will be Louise’ lead in finding saito..
January 4th, 2008 - 07:08
what more can i say is that this anime rocks!!!! even though S2 was bit out of the line its still kicking and we are still watching it!!! Im just regretting those words that Louise didnt say before she fell asleep…. oh well i guess we should look forward to S3 of ZnT
January 5th, 2008 - 20:07
Spiderbait: Indeed, that is the problem with using tsundere as a hook. Since the trait typically stems from some form of emotional immaturity, they’d need to keep Louise at that level of ungrowth which would stagnant the the relationship that can be frustrating to watch. XD
Saito: I’d love that twist! At the very least, we’ll be able to see more of Louise struggles and expanded tale of how Saito met the elf. Maybe they’d even reanimate the fight to dive us more details of the epic battle. Now there’s hope for ZnT3!
mico: Heh, like totali mentioned, despite all that I say, I’d still look forward to ZnT3 XD
January 6th, 2008 - 22:08
Anyone has a idea IF there is going to be a season 3 ?
January 6th, 2008 - 23:09
In the pipeline. Details sketchy though.
http://heiseidemocracy.com/2007/12/19/anime-news-zero-no-tsukaima-season-3-confirmed/
January 6th, 2008 - 23:54
Stripey did you know the exact date of the ZnT3 will be release?
January 8th, 2008 - 04:39
Sorry I don’t
Will broadcast if I find out. But it’s likely that I get my news from Heisei Democracy or Moetron.
January 8th, 2008 - 06:44
well, u know.. i feel mad when most people say that season 2 didn’t turn our to be more pleasing than the 1st season. I also felt that way though… in the second to the last scene..wherein saito fought a massive 7million albion army to protect Louise her love… i expected a very lonely ending afterwards but i think since it is a comedy (softcore porn for others..heheh) light anime… they decided to eventually change the mood of the story afterwards by making a scene that seems to have no connection in d entire story (d boob joke)hehehe….
BUT BASICALLY… i expect a good 3rd season of znt… and it should be…hehehe
SOME OF MY THOUGHTS:
1) if u have znt season 2, notice the scene in the opening theme… sophie (?)(the new leader of the albion army) has a rune on her forehead…i can’t verify it.. but seems it resembles the gandalf rune in saito’s hand…
2)wiki says that sophie is one of the familiars of the void…. i just think that there is some power up there controlling sophie…. (xpect sophie to play a larger role as a villain in season 3)
3) Louise and saito getting married….heheheh…looks like so… i will be disappointed if the makers of znt will not consider this in the upcoming season
4) the dragon knight of albion that showed on the latter part of the series??..well no idea…hehehe
5) i also hope dat the makers of animation will have a guy who might be paired up for siesta (julio can be a gud choice)…
…that’s all so long folks!!…
January 11th, 2008 - 00:47
LOL I loved season 1, I loved season 2 but ….yea the damn revenge thing was SOO BORING…
At the end of season 2…I was only wishing that it was ending like that… saito dieing there… but he comes back at the end with a joke… I was like: they are kiding me right?…deceiving…yea if he die there there’s nothing else after that… but they could’ve at least do something better than: an elf with big boobs saved me? … wish they show what happened as an intro to znt3….
January 21st, 2008 - 10:48
I can’t wait to see it the 3rd season the 2nd left me with lots of questions
January 29th, 2008 - 04:43
WTF is this was the part w/ louise n saito even considered married?!! n how can some big boobs save his life?!! i mean the scence for guiche.. was an elf casting some magic right??..
i wished ZnT 3 can remodel all the misunderstanding.. this is all screwedZZ
January 29th, 2008 - 21:19
weeeeeeeeeee season 3 !! please bring it out as soon as possible!!! great job guys hope to have me mailed when season 3 comes..hehe keep it up
January 30th, 2008 - 01:16
*sigh* can’t wait for the 0nT 3 >.<