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Zero no Tsukaima




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Wolverine Princess



Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1100
PostPosted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 5:39 pm Reply with quote
Normally I'm not one to point my finger at an anime and scream "RIP-OFF!!!", no matter how derivative it may be, but Zero no Tsukaima practically is an anime version of Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling needs to sue someone for copyright infringement. I'm only about ten minutes into the first episode, and I don't think I'll be able to finish it because I just can't enjoy it for what it is.

This is what's happened so far: Hermione wakes up, gets dressed, and gets ready to go to Transfiguration class with Professor McGonagall. After putting on her stockings and robe in a very fanservice-y way, the scene cuts to a pan-scan of a bird's-eye-view of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In Transfiguration class, the Professor shows the class how to turn some kind of brown coin thing into some kind of gold coin thing. She then introduces herself to a room full of people that already know her, which is one of my biggest pet-peeves with anime. Draco stands up and also introduces himself, and flatters Mrs. McGonagall, saying they both share the same element (Earth). Then a dark-skinned, female version of Ron stands up and shouts something at Draco. His boobies flail all over the place for a couple of seconds, and he sits back down.

That's as far as I got before I gave up. What are your thoughts? Is this series worth continuing with?
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frentymon
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Joined: 27 Nov 2005
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Location: San Francisco
PostPosted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 5:54 pm Reply with quote
Actually, for me, it's more reminescent of Shakugan no Shana than Harry Potter. After watching six episodes, Zero no Tsukaima seems to be heading toward a romance direction with an ordinary Japanese boy and a tsundere and somewhat moe klutzy failure magic student. The opening theme pretty much points out the direction the series is headed, and there's more quirkiness and humor in this series than HP and SnS as well. It doesn't seem to be taking itself too seriously (which is a plus), and has some fanservice, crass humor involving a "valuable item from the other world", and of course, Louise torturing her poor familiar. The side cast is mostly okay and are pretty much what they are made out to be in the first episode: Kirche is the ace magic student who always likes to make fun of Louise (spoiler[and later falls for Saito and tries to seduce him]), Tabitha is reminenscent of Nagato Yuki, and Guiche (I think that was his name) is the rich snob. The animation team and many of the seiyuu are identical to Shana's, and much of the storyline is definitely similar to Shana as well, so if anything, J.C. Staff needs to sue themselves for copyright infringement (kidding).

I'm enjoying the series, and I don't really mind some little cliches here and there. Saito is definitely a more interesting character than he is made out to be in the first episode, and if anything, his random and sometimes perverted actions are worth watching. Siesta the maid might eventually end up in a bitter love rivalry with Louise (which would be worth watching), and is voiced by one of my favorite seiyuu, Horie Yui. The main focus of the series is finally starting to come out of its shell (the romance storyline, that is), and it'll be interesting to see how Saito and Louise's relationship develop.

I wouldn't say the series improves tremendously after Episode 1, but it definitely starts resembling anime more than Harry Potter.
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Webki



Joined: 20 Jul 2006
Posts: 299
Location: Albany, NY
PostPosted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 7:00 pm Reply with quote
I've been following this series since episode 2 was released (now they are on 6), and I find it to be extremely entertaining. I don't find it anything like Harry Potter, except for the kids in the magic school thing. Other than that, nope, no relation at all.

The character you attributed to Hermione actually can't do magic at all, making her Hermione's polar opposite (though I guess Tabitha can be considered Hermione-esque, because she is insanely smart); however, truthfully, I think it is worth the watch. It's something fun to watch with some kids in a magic school.

It does seem like it is going towards the romance side, though. Also, there is a certain amount of fanservice, but is that a bad thing? Not in my eyes. I like this series for what it is: entertainment. Don't look here for a deep plot or a story that will make you cry; look here for about 23 minutes of entertainment every Sunday/Monday.
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xxfriskoplaya



Joined: 12 Jul 2006
Posts: 39
PostPosted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 8:25 pm Reply with quote
wut the hell are you talkin bout??

zero no tsukaima isnt about harry potter at all..

the only thing thats similar is the mantles that the characters wear and maybe the idea of a school for magicians. You shouldnt judge this anime just because it doesnt suit your tastes
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Wolverine Princess



Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1100
PostPosted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:08 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
You shouldnt judge this anime just because it doesnt suit your tastes

I'm not trying to bash it or anything, I'm just wondering if it's worth watching despite how derivative it seems. And if people didn't judge things because they didn't like them, what would be the point of reviews? That's why Amazon.com reviews for niche anime series aren't helpful; because usually the only people that actually bother to write reviews are those who just loveloveloveloveLOVE~♥ the series in question.
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Pleroma



Joined: 30 Nov 2005
Posts: 443
Location: Eromanga island
PostPosted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 11:17 pm Reply with quote
Been enjoying this one quite a bit. Louise is a BRUTAL master, but then again Saito has so far showm much more promise as a quality male lead than most similar characters do so early in the show (pimpslapping Louise was a nice touch.) After the first episode its really nothing like HP, the tone is different, the character interactions are closer to some harem show and it hasn't used any HP gimmicks or plotlines.

Bottom line, its no more an HP ripoff than Negima. Fun show overall, I suggest you stick with it.
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selenta
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Joined: 19 Apr 2006
Posts: 1774
Location: Seattle, WA
PostPosted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:49 am Reply with quote
To be honest, I never even realized what it was that was so familiar about this show (the Harry Potter school wizardry thingy). Rolling Eyes

Don't worry, your fears (while well founded), don't pan out. This is certainly not a ripoff of HP except perhaps in the concept of a school for magic (which was by no means an original creation for HP Wink ).

Saito does bug me though.... while he does stand up to Louise... I for one would not be taking that abuse. It makes me angry to watch people let that happen to them, there was another Tsukaima thread not too long ago where I bitched about that.
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omar235



Joined: 02 Apr 2006
Posts: 1572
Location: Florida, Jacksonvile
PostPosted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 8:39 am Reply with quote
It really is in the first episode very similar to HP but its only because of the scenery, so you really should keep on watching, it does get better, and funnier. In the last thread I talked about how he needed to take the abuse to survive but now that she knows he's from another world shouldn't she be nicer to him since he's not a familiar? I guess what does make me angery is that he takes the abuse so well.
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Daemonblue



Joined: 05 Jul 2006
Posts: 701
PostPosted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 9:48 am Reply with quote
I still like the Summoned Book and the Staff of Destruction..... But I've been keeping up since the 1st ep and I really enjoy it (shame there's only gonna be 12 or 13 eps though). I want to see what else happens to Louise spoiler[I mean, being ordered to act as a commoner was tough for her as it is, then the maid-esque uniform for the tavern...yay]. I hope they keep up with the good work Anime smile (that being said, I was wondering why this reminded me of SnS and in some ways Haruhi [the eyes seem very similar, though I'm not sure if it's the same as the one who did the eyes for Haruhi and SnS]).
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frentymon
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Joined: 27 Nov 2005
Posts: 2362
Location: San Francisco
PostPosted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 11:23 am Reply with quote
Daemonblue wrote:
(that being said, I was wondering why this reminded me of SnS and in some ways Haruhi [the eyes seem very similar, though I'm not sure if it's the same as the one who did the eyes for Haruhi and SnS]).


Haruhi and Shana share the same character designer, Itou Noizi. Shana and Zero no Tsukaima are both animated by the same animation team. The animation/character designs of Haruhi and Zero no Tsukaima have at most an indirect connection in this regard.
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Ohoni



Joined: 10 Jun 2003
Posts: 3421
PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:54 am Reply with quote
This is definitely my favorite series of the new season, I'm loving it so far.

It does borrow a lot of visual elements from Harry Potter, but that's about it. I don't really blame them for this, since it's meant to be in a Euro-centric school of magic, and what better visual reference for them to use? But as people have pointed out, aside from a passing resemblance, Louise has nothing to do with Hermione. Guiche is also a completely different character than Draco, vain and firty, but not actually evil at all, and quickly becomes one of the core goto group of characters. The closest would be the headmaster, who's visually very similar to Dumbledore, but obviously he's just a Merlin rip-off in the first place.

Then of course the world is completely different (full D&D fantasy land with no concept of our earth rather than a magic kingdom superimposed over our Earth), the plot so far bears no actual similarities, there're no brooms and certainly no Quidditch, There seems to be a villain of sorts but no apparent "Voldemort" similarities, etc.

Overall though, I think it's a cute little action-fanservice-comedy in the same vein as perhaps Full Metal Panic or Ranma 1/2.
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Daemonblue



Joined: 05 Jul 2006
Posts: 701
PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 3:04 pm Reply with quote
The latest episode as, well, pretty darn good. the more I watch this series, the more I believe a second season will be made, just for the fact that ending what's currently happening in 3 episodes seems like it would be VERY rushed. That and, of course, fan outcry always helps in the production of another season. Rolling Eyes
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