In a world of constant war between humans and witches, there exist the "beastfallen"—cursed humans born with the appearance and strength of an animal. Their physical prowess and bestial nature cause them to be feared and shunned by both humans and witches. As a result, many beastfallen become sellswords, making their living through hunting witches.
Despite the enmity between the races, a lighthearted witch named Zero enlists a beastfallen whom she refers to as "Mercenary" to act as her protector. He travels with Zero and Albus, a young magician, on their search for the Grimoire of Zero: a powerful spell book that could be extremely dangerous in the wrong hands. During their journey, his inner kindness is revealed as he starts to show compassion and sympathy towards humans and witches alike, and the unlikely companions grow together.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
Yautja
This review will contain significant spoilers to illustrate several lapses of logic within the show. I thought I'd put in my two cents to this show to help contrast some of the more positive views. Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho (or GoZ as I'll refer to it) is in every sense a mediocre fantasy show. It does very little to distinguish itself from it's peers of the fantasy genre and has multiple lapses in logic and commonsense. GoZ is a action magic fantasy that follows the story of three characters. Two witches, named Zero and Albus as well as a unnamed mercenary. Zero is a somewhatspecial witch as she is the author of the titular Grimoire of Zero that has spread magic into the kingdom in which the GoZ is set. Zero is searching for 13, (and her grimoire) we do not know her reasons for searching for him, who then comes Albus, who is as far as we know is a fairly average young witch who originally was seeking the mercenary's head as he is a beastfallen, who's bodies apparently hold special and useful properties for witches. Zero resolves the issues and hires the mercenary as her guard. Doesn't sound to bad at first. It goes to shit later in the show, when you start asking questions.
We learn Albus is apart of a coven or witch group called the Sorcerers of Zero, who we later learn, who's members have all signed a blood contract with a mysterious man only referred to as "Him". What does that contract entail? Death, if you threaten his safety, you will die. Pretty hefty contract for people to make with a person they've never seen nor met. Lapse in logic: 1, bad writing: 1. So the Sorcerers of Zero are idiots, that much is certain. At least they're nice idiots? Not really, the Sorcerers burned a village to the ground for the unjust murder of a kind witch, named Sorena, who you will later learn of. They ignored all innocents and indiscriminately murdered an entire village. Though this has happened in history so I won't deduct any points from it, I just thought it'd nicely illustrate the sort of characters in the Sorcerers Of Zero.
Anyways, onto the next issue. Throughout their journey, the trio grows closer. At one point Zero is giving the mercenary a bath, how cute. At that point she takes it upon herself to cast a spell on the mercenary's body that will redirect all damages he takes unto her. Yes, she decided all injuries the man / creature she hired to protect her safety shall be redirect to her. Seems a little ironic and counter intuitive. Lapse in logic: 2, bad writing: 2. Sure you can say that it's sweet and all, that she cares for him, but frankly it's a stupid move, driven by bad writing.
Next issue. We learn Thirteen is Zero's enemy and throughout the trio's encounters we learn Thirteen's motive for doing what he's doing. Which is indiscriminately murdering witch's. He's doing it for Zero, but he won't listen to Zero who tells him she doesn't want this. Until like the third time she verbalizes this in which he magically decides 'oh she was serious. Guess I'll stop murdering witches and shack up with Zero and her mercenary." Lapse in logic: 3, bad writing: 3.
And again, next issue. We later learn Albus (which is a man's name if you ask me) is actually a girl, and not just any girl, the granddaughter of that good witch who was unjustly murdered. Why is this relevant? Throughout the trio's journey Zero reveals she's looking for her grimoire and 13. Albus says that the sorcerers have it, and when they arrive to the sorcerers hometown, which has been freshly massacred, says that perhaps Soreana's granddaughter had escaped with it. Wait what? That's her. Why would she lie to the hero which her group named herself after? Lapse in logic: 4, bad writing: 4.
Second to last issue. The world itself. We have plenty of witches in the story who apparently all learned their magic from "Him" and the Grimoire of Zero, and if that is the case, why are there witches that predate Zero, such as Sorena. Sure you can just say she popularized or modernized magic, but near the climax of the anime the trio plan to eliminate magic from the kingdom because Zero apparently has the ability to cancel out magic. Talk about plot armor. This also leaves more questions asked. Can Zero cancel all magic? Or just magic based on the Grimoire of Zero? Why can she do this? Can other witches do it? Frankly these things left the viewer confused. Confused and with unanswered questions Bad Writing: 5.
My last major complaint is one that is simply cliche. Throughout the first half of the show we learn that there are two important characters, whom we haven't seen. The aforementioned 13, and "Him". 13 was a peer and teacher of Zero. "Him" is the founder of the Sorcerers of Zero. "Him" slaughtered everyone in Zero's previous abode to steal the Grimoire of Zero, and followed up by creating basically a cult named the Sorcerers of Zero. If you hadn't already figured it out. "Him" is 13. I won't detail his frankly idiotic master plan, but the fact that "Him" and 13 are the same person is comically bad writing: 6. It was visible from not miles away, but light years.
Those are my major issues with the story, as for my other issues, let's dive into them.
The characters. The character's are not particularly bad or good, they're fairly average. What is however bad about them is their interactions. Almost every dialogue between the major, minor or extra characters fits one of three descriptions. Stupid. Cliche. Contrived. Those three words adequately describe this series' characters, and story.
The story. Routinely leaves questions asked but unanswered. Has several plot holes and previously mentioned fallacies. And to be blunt, is frankly average. Or it would be without all those glaring issues.
Art. Average, nothing good, nothing bad. Utterly mediocre.
Sound. Same.
Overall Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho is a bad anime. A very bad anime, with countless issues, more than I've likely identified. If you're new to anime or not someone who dives to deeply into things, perhaps this show will be for you, but anyone who likes to dissect content, anyone who is notices little details, or any person who has watched a decent amount of anime. Avoid this flaming pile of shit like the plague.
Stark700
Like many shows relating to fantasy, magic, and witchcraft, I can’t say that Zero kara hajimeru Mahou no Sho looks any unique compared to the rest at first glance. I mean, if you look at it carefully, the show’s premise is pretty standard that involves a conflict between human and witches. The additional aspect of beastfallen (cursed humans with animalistic appearances) adds some slight intrigue to the story. But is this show really worth investing time in? Or is it just a show that panders to fans that wants a dose of fantasy in their life? Adapting the light novel of the same name, Zero karahajimeru Mahou no Sho (Grimoire of Zero) takes a very high fantasy approach with both its characters and story. The most noticeable character is a beastfallen dubbed as “Mercenary” by the witch Zero. They travel together with Albus, another magician and throughout their journey, they learn much more about each other. Still, the primary goal of their journey is to find the Grimoire of Zero, a very powerful spellbook that has potential to change the world. Now wait a minute. Witches? Magical artifacts? Journey? If anyone has seen enough anime, it wouldn’t be surprising if this show reminds them of fantasy adventures like Hitsugi no Chaika, Spice and Wolf, or even to an extent, Berserk. The fact is, this show appeals to a fantasy adventure while it tries to be a show that stands on its own feet.
The first few episodes of the series establishes the formation of the main trio. Zero encounters the beastfallen and is enlisted as her bodyguard. On the other hand, Mercenary shows fear for Zero because of her status as a witch. Throughout the journey, he also learns that she’s much more different than appears to be. Then, there’s Albus, the third member of the group and we learn much more about this young magician’s past. In the meantime, I think what can hook the audience into this show is the character chemistry. At its core, Zero and Mercenary always gets me curious as the two are so different. Yet at the same time, it’s really fun to see how far their relationship develop as they are put into compromising positions. For Albus, the character’s past is explored through the eyes of another character named Holdem. From first glance, I disliked the way his character is portrayed with his arrogance. As time went on however, the show reveals a different side of him that I thought as very appreciating. So in essence, characters in this series shouldn’t be judged on what they appear to be on the surface until we understand them better. If there’s one character that I genuinely dislike though, it would be Thirteen. Trouble always seems to follow with this guy and he stands as a dangerous obstacle during our main characters’ journey. His persona fits within the stereotypical type of antagonist that gives a sour taste. Not to mention, I really can’t stand some of his dialogues as they sound very forced.
Now if you’re wondering about the main story, the core of the show still involves the characters’ journey in this fantasy adventure. To be honest, the first half of the show feels like it suffers from pacing problems. I don’t mean that by adaptation standards but just in general as some episodes focuses too much on the characters’ lives. It can actually cause less interest for viewers as by the time I finished watching the 5th episode, it seems far less focused on finding the Grimoire. Still, I would also say that the story does improve later on as some episodes got me much more invested into characters such as Mercenary and Albus. The background story told by Holdem in particular felt like a highlight in this show as it not only gave insight about Albus’ past but also how the world viewed witches in general. While I dislike Thirteen as a character, I do find his role in this show to be very thrilling. The way he plays mind games with Zero and Mercenary adds a different dimension of drama that builds more and more. So in essence, the general flow of the storytelling has slow start but gradually develops as more episodes progresses. It will test the patience of the viewers especially those who are less interested in the characters and more invested into the plot.
Adapted by White Fox, it’s not unusual to see that the artwork has some resemblance to other fantasy series. Re:Zero is the first show that comes to mind as Zero has some resemblance to Emilia. However, I would say that Zero is like a dynamite that comes in little packages. She is short but has enormous potential as a witch. Mercenary has the animalistic look with his tiger-like face but barbaric human body. Similarly, Holdem looks like a generic wolf guy you’d expect to see in most fantasy anime. Albus is designed to look fragile and it’s sad to say, but the young magician really doesn’t stand out compared to the other cast members. Still, artwork of the show looks visually appealing if you watch it with a fantasy mindset. On the other hand, I’m not very impressed by the general world building as many places our adventurers’ wanders looks too dull and unoriginal.
For a show about fantasy adventure, it occasionally lacks the mystical feel but thankfully with the soundtrack, it retains its credibility on most parts. From my viewpoint, both the OP and ED theme songs are quite colorfully decorated. The ED theme in particular delivers a more charming presence of the main characters between Zero and Mercenary. I’m also impressed by the voice acting of nonhuman characters such as Mercenary and Holdem. In many ways, they sound very human.
Ah, Grimoire of Zero. This is a show that some people mistook it for Re:Zero’s second coming at first glance. On paper, it’s a fantasy adventure and one that mixes in humans, witches, and beasts. By storytelling standards, it’s nothing impressive to write home about. However, once I got invested into the characters, the show felt more special at heart. It’s not a golden egg in a treasure chest by any means but is still a fun ride if you’re feeling the will to take.
KitsunehimeMilhi
I'm kind of mad because I had my review started and than I accidentally closed the browser. I guess I'll be writing it again. Luckily, I wasn't that far. Grimoire of Zero certainly has brought out mixed feelings among the viewers. Many people really like or even love the show, while many others, like myself, just like it. There are also the people who just don't care for it that much. It's good either way, but it does have its ups and downs. The story is simple. Zero and Mercenary meet unexpectedly after Mercenary falls from a hill top above whereZero was camping out when he was being chased by witches, I believe (I actually forget the details concerning his fall from weeks ago). She forms a contract with him than and promises to turn him into a human, as long as he helps her find the Grimoire of Zero, which is a book she created that is filled with tons of magic spells and has spread far throughout the land. The book was stolen from her and she want sit back before it falls into the wrong hands. The two also meet Albus,a young witch in the group, the sorcerers of Zero. The three of them start their adventure and ht some of their initial walls. The first half of the show is a lot more character driven, which was a little dull at times because the anime seemed to be concentrating on simple stuff like that instead of on finding the grimoire of Zero and advancing the story. Luckily, the second half shows more of the conflict surrounding the war that is close to breaking out between humans and witches, and has many plot twists throughout the scenes. It could be a better story, but at least it was satisfying and ended on a really good note. The best part about it is that it feels like an old time fantasy adventure due to how the spells are cast and the backgrounds shown. The beastfallen designs make a nice touch though. I'd give a story a 7 since the quality rounds out nicely despite the ups and downs in the story.
The art is kind of like the story. It really makes the show feel like an older style fantasy adventure. The character designs, backgrounds, and other art pieces are not always the greatest out there, but the category as whole is good. A few of the background are done really well, especially some that I noticed in the final episode, while some others are just ok. The clothing is definitely of some typical fantasy designing, but it helps show the character's personalities really well and it is still designed nicely. The animation is pretty fluid too. Overall, a 7/10 in deserved.
The sound is my favorite part of the show. I expect a fantasy to have some really good music and Grimoire of Zero doesn't disappoint much in this department. The opening them is quite good, while sounding silly at the same time; it fits very nicely though with a few of the overall simple themes of the show, and it does have nice visuals. The background music is more fierce during the battle scenes and the more conflict based scenes. Other times, it is just some good music that compliments the mood in a good way. I'll give the category a 7/10.
The characters are kind of a difficult area to talk about. They are not the most special, but they leave an impact. Thirteen is kind of a basic antagonist and trouble is always around him, but he does a good job at being part of each side of the war he basically started, which is not something many antagonists can pull off. Zero is a young magician who might easily be the most powerful magician in the world of the show, seeing as how she made the spell book and that action lead to many people throughout the land learning how to use magic. She doesn't try to control people with force and enormous strength though and she is more kind hearted and it doesn't take a whole lot to please her. She is kind of cunning though and she interacts very well with Mercenary. Mercenary is more a tough and rather stern individual until he grows more acquainted with his master, Zero, and breaks out of his shell. He is different from other beastfallen since he doesn't use his look and or position as a soldier to get what he wants. He has a simple dream of wanting to open his tavern. Albus is an ok character, but she doesn't have as much of an impact as the three I mentioned above, and she just kind of seemed to be present at many times without there being a need for her. I don't think she needed to be incorporated into the main traveling crew as often the way she is, but would fit better if there was more of a use for her early in the story. The other characters are not really main people so I'll leave out. Overall, the characters are rather fun to watch and stand out in their own way, despite not being the best out there, so 7/10 it is.
My enjoyment earns a 7/10. I didn't always like every episode as much as another, but overall, I had a fun time watching the anime and some of the scenes were really good. It has a very satisfying ending too, even though the show has a short run time. There is more to be discovered in the world, but every main conflict brought about is solved before it ends.
Mike98
So, the first (wrong) thing this show did was to overestimate the capacity of people to make the difference between Mahō(魔法) - Magic and Majutsu(魔術) - Sorcery. While they are kind of synonyms they have the same difference as normal Alchemy and Alchemy with a Philosopher's Stone. The top review of this series makes this (retarded in my opinion) mistake and makes a lot of comments on the fact that the series is stupid because "how could witches exist before magic if magic was invented by a witch only recently" (Jaden Smith anyone? No?). Well, it is stated, SEVERAL TIMES, that they used sorcery, notmagic. Damn, the white tiger (I'm bad with names) even says: "This magic is very convenient because until now you had to draw circles and make sacrifices". Also,(this is not a spoiler) regarding Zero's ability to negate magic, (now this is a spoiler) SHE GODDAMN SAYS she made mistakes in the Grimoire on purpose in order to be able to be stronger than any other magic user.
Anyway, I felt the need to clear that up. Now the review:
Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho (Grimoire of Zero) is a fantasy anime. It's set in a world where a civil war between witches and normal humans has created countless victims and it's currently destroying the nation. The series is centered on Zero, a young witch that revolutionized witchcraft by giving birth to magic and Mercenary, a beastfallen (humans with the appearance and strength of animals), and it follows their adventures to find (the stolen) Zero's Grimoire that holds the secrets to magic.
The series is sweet, short, and the only complaint I have is that they seemed to go out of their way to produce a loli-ish character (must find a way to appeal to those otakus, amiright?) when the girl needs to be over 15 for the story to make sense. The art isn't amazing but I'm more of a story guy so it didn't impact my enjoyment too much. The sound though, it's lacking. A good soundtrack would've made this anime A LOT better.
All in all, Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho is in no way an innovative, never-seen-before anime. The whole fantasy setting has been done so many times it's almost impossible to come up with something new. But who cares? Do you never eat the same food twice? I like binge watching fantasy anime with an accent on magic and I feel like this hit the right spot. It doesn't even need a second season, it's fine as it is! If you like magic and fantasy, this anime is a nice thing to watch.
Psi18c
Just writing because loads of people did a bad review. This anime is not a masterpiece or something that will mark or change your view of the world. However, it is still enjoyable. I'm guessing the people who reviewed it badly had high expectations of this anime. The whole setting its normal. Not a flawless universe, not characters doing the most intelligent action, it actually shows how real people would react because they don't have the capacity to be wise. So, to who I don't think they will like it: Anyone who wants stimulation. Please who like skipping to the important parts instead of watching everything. People who everyone needs toact or do or whatever like this or that because that's what they support to do mindset aka overanalyzing
People who want a perfect anime
People who want to escape in fantasy
People who will enjoy it:
Anyone who just want to see a fantasy anime without expectations.
FerretWithATea
To start off i enjoyed my time with Grimoire of Zero, while it is not an anime of the year let alone season it is a good use of time to watch. Story:The story was fine, it starts with our protagonist the catlike "Mercenary" fighting a witch and stumbling upon another witch(Zero). He joins with the lather witch do to necessity; and forms a contracts by blood. And the former(Albus) because of his contract with the Zero. Like many high fantasy style animes/stories the plot follows resolve around the fate of the world. In this case the story follows the conflict between those who have magic andthose who do not.
Story:The art is reminiscent of older works in the medium. Which while normally jarring fits with the simplistic plot commonly found in shows of the past.
Sound: The sound was neither terribly good nor bad, The sfx fit the actions of the characters but the sound track did little to affect the mood of the scenes. To subdivide my sound score of 7 i would give it an 8 for sfx and a 6 for the sound track.
Character: The three and later four protagonists of the series all have interesting stories as well as unique but relatable characteristics. The jive together well but the underlying relationship between the two primary protagonists can be heavy handed at times. The main issue i have with the characters of the series is the villain the the end of the conflict with him. It feels out of the blue and unsatisfactory.
Enjoyment: The series regardless of its faults and short comings is enjoyable. It is fun to watch and each episode leaves you wanting to continue on.
Overall: Grimoire of Zero is a great anime to watch, especially between seasons or while waiting for your primary show to release a new episode.
It is a great watch if you are not looking for an avante garde piece of a detailed convoluted plot.
if you enjoy a simple show with relatable characters, and a simplistic but good story and art then your time is well worth investing in this show.
PyraXadon
These days, witches are regarded as practitioners of magic and act as the female equivalent of wizards in what would be considered as the pop culture norm for magic. While their original existence no longer has any place in society today, the history of evil witches, people who have made deals with the devil and practice witchcraft still lingers in the ugly recesses of history. With that said, what would happen if you put both of them together? To create a world where in a sense, both the meaning of witches in history and pop culture come together? Story: The Grimoire of Zerostory starts us off in the land of Wenias, a place plagued by those who practice magic known as witches and men who born as animal known as Beastfallen. It is here where we meet a certain beastfallen simply known as ‘Mercenary’ for the entire series (and for the sake of simplification), a self-explanatory character that does the mercenary work of killing witches for hire. On one trip through the woods, he comes in contact with a little witch by the name of ‘Zero’, who tells him that she is on a journey to find what has been stolen, her book of spells, the Grimoire of Zero.
Taking up all twelve episodes of the series to cover just the first book of the original LN series, the adaptation becomes an intriguing story with many facets to its characters, as its main duo of large tiger man and tiny witch protagonists act as a faction-less duo that do practically whatever they want so long as it benefits them and their goals. We’re given a realistic depiction of the reaction to witches in our own history put into a fantasy setting, which to me is a good way to shape up the main conflict. As a result, the show allows the audience to view both sides of the main conflict, testing many of the other characters’ morals and actions while providing a good blend of action and humorous character interactions to aid in filling out holes that the main plot leaves behind.
Adding to that is characterization. Personally I feel as though the show does have some imbalance with how it chose to develop its characters. Due to the nature of the show having two ostracized groups of characters in its society (Beastfallen and Witches), the show primarily focused on the witch characters and the witches’ struggles in society rather than the Beastfallen. Our main protagonist doesn’t really get the time of day aside from a couple choice moments in order to be ‘developed’. Aside from that, the rest of the series is devoted to the problems that the witches in Wenias face and their on-going war for freedom from oppression.
Despite that problem, the show is one of the most well paced series that I’ve seen in a long while. Taking account as many details as they could, White Fox managed to create a series that neither felt boring nor too rushed to watch, letting things continue as they went along at an even pace so that every moment felt engaging. Many times, I felt as though the episodes were too short because I was so engrossed in watching it.
While less eventful than the climax and many other sections of the story, the ending manages to cap off the first main arc of the series that acts both as an ending to the entire series while being open-ended enough to welcome a second season if White Fox so chooses to do so. Not really a big fan of how many things were thrown into exposition, but I guess to develop the whole scope of the story’s events, they had to make a couple things via time skip to make things a lot easier.
Overall, despite its imbalance with who and what it chooses to characterize, Grimoire of Zero was a show that was gripping from start to finish. Having a simple plot that was explored to almost its full extent, the show managed to be both engaging and entertaining to the end while providing good world building that mixed in the central conflict of the series. Every episode felt too short for me to fully appreciate, and it left me wanting more. My only complaint really is that there is no second season. Please White Fox. Do it.
Overview:
+ Well-paced story
+ Simple, yet effective plot
- Who they characterized was imbalance
- Ending is a bit…uneventful comparatively
Characters: As mentioned before, the show’s plethora of characters act as members of one side or one motive while our main characters act as a ‘third’ or ‘faction-less’ group that gets involved with their own sets of goals in mind.
The first is Mercenary; the giant fluffy tiger man that despite having a giant FFVII-esque sword, is actually quite soft and fluffy on the inside with a pension for cooking. Being a Beastfallen, Mercenary is a character that despises witches and dreams of one day curing him of his beast curse and opening up a pub once he’s human. As a character, Mercenary is very much a character that sits in his own morals but doesn’t act outside of what he isn’t involved in. As such, he’s less of a by the numbers fantasy protagonist, and more of a ‘does whatever he wants’ kind of guy, which fits into the story perfectly. He acts as the more grounded character of the duo and gets some significant change once the series starts picking up and his more ‘lone wolf’ demeanor softens up.
Then there’s Zero, the tiny white-haired witch who enjoys the simple things in life: food. Comparatively, Zero is the freer, more airheaded member of the main duo, as she had spent her life in a cave up until her book was stolen, and lacks any kind of basic knowledge of the outside world. Rather than being a ditzy klutz (mostly), Zero is a calm airhead simply because she doesn’t know anything aside from the intricacies of magic, leading to a majority of the show’s comedic and enjoyable moments due to her hilariously blunt nature and lack of what would widely be considered as ‘common sense’. As such, she has something of a unique identity that when mixed with her mercenary, creates fun character interactions between two quite likeable characters.
For the supporting cast, we’re treated to a myriad of characters who act as players to the bigger stage of the kingdom of Wenias, as most if not all of them have some kind of affiliation to one faction or another in the war for magic. As such, characters like Albus and the Sorcerers of Zero are clearly defined to think one way while the royal kingdom and its citizens think the other in order to give clear definition on their opinion of the matter and thus easily explain the overall conflict of the scenario. While less interesting than our main protagonists, the majority of them play their part as the background scenario well, which is the most you could ask for in a series featuring two clearly defined sides. The only one of the supporting cast that differs from this rule is ‘Thirteen’; a character similar to our main protagonists as he only does what he believes is right/based in his own goals and a compatriot of Zero.
Overview:
+ Very intriguing main protagonists
+ Fitting and clearly defined side cast
Art: Produced by White Fox, Grimoire of Zero has the clear fantasy look that the studio has used for previous projects in the past (such as Re:Zero, for example) More or less standard fare in terms of the quality of this day and age, the animation and art quality for the show is good, but not overly amazing or budget breaking.
I do however want to bring attention to the various forms of magic used in the show, as the intricate circles and various effects of the spells enhance the art quality to truly feel like a fantasy/magic show. Additionally, and this is more personal than anything, the character design for Zero is amazing. It’s the right amount of complexity and really fits with the overall aesthetic of the show.
Overview:
+ Nice touch on the magic usage
+/- Standard art
Sound: “Hakkensha wa Watashi”, the OP for Grimoire of Zero is a whimsical rock song that helps provide an adventurous tone to the travels of our main characters and contrasts the more serious tone of the magic war in the series. Personally, I feel like the song itself isn’t all that memorable, but it is a good track that’s been on a few of my own song loops.
To contrast, the ED, "Hajimari no Shirushi” is a laid back piece that relies more on strings and light piano to elevate a sense of wonder in our characters’ journey. Accompanied by a children’s book graphic, the ED feels a lot better than its OP counterpart, as it has a nice style to it that gives us a nice contrast everything that the show has given us up until this point.
Overview:
+ Good tracks
+ Memorable ED
Personal Enjoyment: At the start of the season, I always handpick about a dozen shows to watch/review for the season. Some are ‘obligatory’ as I watched and reviewed a previous season of it so it’s only natural that I do the same for subsequent seasons, and others are those that I personally find intriguing. As a fan of fantasy, I found Grimoire of Zero to be interesting at first glance. Before I knew it, it had become my most anticipated show of the season. The overall plot had more to offer than just a simple magic-based story and had a lot of aspects that meshed well with each other to culminate into what we have. I was so sucked into it that I was left wanting more, and I really, really want a second season of this because I really want to see more of Mercenary and Zero’s travels throughout the world plagued by magic.
Did I enjoy this series?
I think I may have enjoyed it a bit too much, but you can’t really blame a guy for having a preference, right? Personally I found Zero to be the highlight of the series. Her character was always such a joy to have on-screen, and I always appreciate a unique character to help tell the story.
What didn’t I like about his series?
Albus was really the big stickler for me. They admittedly do play a big part in the series, but I just kinda found them annoying with their constant, constant preaching for their look on everything while I just sat there wanting to see something else involving Zero.
Would I recommend this series?
If you’re a fan of fantasy of magic, I would highly recommend watching this. It has a unique enough identity large enough to completely separate itself from a majority of the cookie-cutter magic-based shows, showing that original ideas really can be successful. The main characters are interesting, the entire plot is fleshed out, and it has such nice pacing that it feels almost like magic that this kind of even pacing can even exist in this era of rushed adaptations.
reon58
Hey. I'd like to leave a review here. My ranking system is explained on my profile. Story - 7/10 The story was a typical conflict between different groups. The story had nothing very special to it. The main twist was decent but was predictable due to certain shots from earlier in the anime. The story was slightly better than most anime with the premise due to the involvement of Beastfallen, a certain race which is treated as inferior to humans (Revealing more about them would spoil the plot.). There was decent character development. Originality - 5/10Not Original. Plus points for the Beastfallen though
Animation Quality -
7/10
It had a decent animation quality. Nothing too special.
Sound effects/Music -
6/10
Same for the sound. Standard
Profound message -
6/10
There was a standard moral of equality, justice and so on. I went in expecting for at least a bit more.
Overall Enjoyment -
8/10
Did I enjoy the anime? Yes. Even after all the shortcomings, this anime is still quite enjoyable. From technical aspects, it's just a standard anime but, watching the anime still fills you with happiness. :)
Final score -
7/10
Seadragongamv
So this series is nice and it is kinda great to see a new anime series with races like beauty and the beast My complain is just this anime is too pushed and eventhough it takes 1 novel in 1 anime which is freakin slow, they should have been more detailed I mean like when that wolf and 13 turned into super ally and kind after doing horrible things like mass killing & slaving(btw I still hate that wolf for slaving womens) Also what is the reason for albus to like mercenary? Why she kiss mercenary? Ah btw for me mercenary x Alb... *cough* I mean MERCENARY XZERO FTW!! XD
We do really need some more romance if there any season 2 :3
IchUndAnime
(Note: Since I'm currently looking into the anime, I thought I could revise my original review from 2022 and upload it here in English.) Tija is great. I watched this anime slightly overtired and had endless fun, because tigers are great. "Grimoire of Zero" is about the mercenary Mercenary - yes, we don't know his name yet - and Zero. In a world full of magic, in a world of witches and witch burnings, an organization suddenly appears that promises to free the witches from the oppression of humans and avenge the death of a well-known and popular witch. But at the very end of the land,the tiger man and witch hunter encounters the witch Zero - an incredibly powerful witch in search of her book, which is said to have the power to destroy the world.
"Grimoire of Zero" has charm, without a doubt. But some teething troubles can never be completely avoided and so this anime isn't perfect either.
And yet it starts very strongly, so strongly in fact that I have nothing to criticize about the first half. But unfortunately this doesn't last and the closer the series gets to the finale, the worse it gets. Although it was really only a matter of minor things here.
For one thing, I found the series completely predictable. With every story, I try to predict where it's going to go and here it really wasn't difficult to solve 90% of all the mysteries. Who founded the Wizards of Zero? Who stole the book? Where is Zero's missing friend? All important questions that were foreseeable within the first few episodes. Even though I didn't feel like the anime really tried to hide the answers, I really missed the big reveal, the bang at the end of the season.
Secondly, I found many characters too lax, too lukewarm in their convictions. Here, true villains can simply be convinced with a few words, victims may have difficulties accepting them at first, but they always get along very quickly with their sworn enemies. The fact that the entire kingdom simply tolerates witches after decades of witch hunts, suffering and war - in what utopia would that be possible? Apparently in "Grimoire of Zero".
I also found it a shame that very little is explained about the world and especially the magic system. We have a genius here who has revolutionized magic, but magic is never really explained. By guessing from a few scenes, you can make some sense of it, but I would have liked a bit more depth. Where does magic come from? What distinguishes witches from humans? What kind of organization is Zero from? How did the kingdom come into being? These are other questions that could have been included at one point or another.
I would also have liked to have seen a proper happy ending for Mercenary and Zero, even if I still have to see the sequel.
Conclusion: I really had a lot of fun with this series. It's obviously not perfect, but what is? At least I don't know anything.
kawaii123456
1st thing you need to know about any Anime. It ends properly. There's no second season so having an ending is important. Unfortunately the most important thing doesn't matter because it's GARBAGE and it's not just garbage it's jumbled nonsensical garbage. From start to finish the show makes zero sense. It's not that there are underlying mechanisms to magic in the world that are slowly revealed, or there are hidden motivations to the characters, it's just that everything in the show is either outright stupid , self contradictory or both. Toss in a really good helping of "STFU IT'S BECAUSE I SAY SO", logic, and you havea story line that makes you want to hit your head into a wall until your brain stops working.
OK the world makes no sense, been there done that, hows the story line ? It's putrid garbage. Plot elements drop out of nowhere and fall into the protagonists hands. The big mystery i(LOL) s something you solve the moment it's revealed, by the time you get to the end you are wondering how the heck are these people so stupid.
The above wouldn't be unforgivable. It works perfectly well in screwball comedies, romcoms, porn etc. This isn't any of those things. It's an adventure with a mystery/plot, and an element of romance and it's pure fail.
Well maybe it's saved by the characters ?? NOPE !!! not a chance. The characters have traits that get flipped on and off like light switches. I hate you, I love you, I hate you like a blinky fricking light. Oh sorry, I just repeatedly attempted to kill you, so I could cut you up for your parts, no hard feelings ? Lets be besties !!!! Smile cute cute. Youhei, was the arguably the most believable/realatable character there but even he falls flat.
Last chances for this anime ? Art/Music/Sound. I caught the dub so bear that in mind, the voice acting for the most part was below average. Just didn't hit emotional notes well at all. The music and art were OK nothing special, and certainly not enough to save the anime.
Do yourself a favor with this one and just give it a pass.
RnckO
I think many reviews didn't do justice to this piece of work. Hence I created an account to write for this review. My first thought after I finished the show was : It makes me remember Spice and Wolf. ------------- There is a reason why this show has a rating 7.2 or above 7 while the reviews has mixed feelings about it. 1) The plot and characters are standard and nothing special. (Rating : 7 standard) ----- True , but it doesn't mean is has no depth. The whole story has a simple and VERY BASIC background settings..... but the depth is there hence you don't see shitty rating of6.9 and below.
*** Trust me , you will find similarities between this show and other big names simply because it has good basics. Just like how all good romance genres has certain similarities with each other.
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2) Depth (Rating : 8 Good)
----- This is NOT a show that tells you "For some and no reason people can use magic and conflict arises from it and blah blah blah".
It(magic) has a profound reason behind it to exist and took years of effort and studies to took hold yet despite what it seems , conflict still arise regardless.
Throughout the series , the settings explanation is done in a well eloquent manners and THE BEST OF ALL : It tells the tale in a very very heartwarming tone like a mother's love.
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3) Plot Progression (Rating : 8 Good)
----- At every turning point , the decision making is being made clear. There is no ambiguous decisions that was made half-hearted , every turning point has a good reason.
** Well , except the way some or if not most characters' introduction scene that is.... but otherwise the story flows well.
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4) Character (Rating : 7 Standard)
----- There is no stupid and spoiled brats throughout. Although some characters changing heart might have been paced too fast , but it can't be helped.
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5) Art and sound (Rating : 7.5 Standard+)
----- Personally I have nothing to complain over it. Medieval time Bgm setting is usually soothing to my ear in a natural way without flashy sound effects, like birds chirping in a garden just the way it is.
As for why I gave it extra 0.5 instead of 7........
because the heartwarming scenes are nicely done even though its nothing flashy/extravagant...... its just.... warm....
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Overall : 7.5 ( Good+ )
Its a well done show , it wraps up nicely without any huge plot hole.
By well done , I mean it has the very basic and standard aspect of Magical Fantasy genre just the same as any other higher rating Magical Fantasy anime like Shakugan no Shana or The Irregular at Magic High School.
All 3 of them shares similar characteristic of giving its magical power a good background explanation and progresses without over relying on overpowered strength alone.
Except it is presented it in a simple yet profound setting.
A standard heartwarming masterpiece for casual viewing indeed.
ktulu007
Zero Kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho is a production based off of a series of light novels. The novel were published in eleven volumes from early '14 to late '17. It has an ongoing manga adaptation and this anime that aired at close to its end. The anime was brought to us by White Fox, the studio that produced such colossal shite as Goblin Slayer & Katanagatari but also brought us some strong anime like Jormungand and Gochuumon wa Usagi desu ka. Let's hope for the best but anticipate the worst with this one. Which is pretty much my modus operandi. Story: Our protagonist is a beastfallen mercenary,which basically means someone's white tiger fursona. One day he's escaping from a witch when he encounters a young looking witch named Zero. She persuades him to work as her bodyguard while she looks for her stolen grimoire and the compatriot of hers who went out looking for it. His condition is simple, she has to turn him from a fursona to a normal man when it's over. He also won't give her his actual name so she refers to him as Youhei.
The big issue with the series is that a lot of the writing is very uneven. Take the meeting between Youhei and Zero. It's established in the events leading up to this that he's terrified of witches but he's won over with very little effort. The same can be said for the resolution for the conflict with Thirteen. Or take Zero's supposed lack of knowledge when it comes to life outside the caves she grew up in. It's an element that comes into play whenever the writer decides to bring it up. For instance, she doesn't know anything about money or commerce but she knows what a sex slave is. What, did she have a teacher in the caves who felt it very important that she know about sex slaves in the event that she wind up in the outside world but felt that understanding the basics of shopping was just useless? Was she taught by Kimura from Azumangah Daioh?
For positives, the pacing is pretty well handled. The series also has some interesting ideas which prevent it from getting boring.
Characters:
The cast isn't very complex. A part of the issue does come from the uneven writing. So, a character will shift but it won't feel like natural development, it'll feel more like they're changing their position because the plot demands it but they're still the same character.
The same rather typical character with very little if anything to differentiate them from a list of similar characters. Even their interactions are very under-written with huge shifts in how they'll act towards each other with little or no reason behind it.
Art:
The artwork is pretty good. The animation flows smoothly. The action sequences are decently handled. The backgrounds include some nice details. You can also credit the series for having some nice character designs.
The biggest issue is with the expressions. A character like Thirteen won't change his expression at any point and a lot of times other characters will have awkward expressions given the circumstances. It's almost like White Fox wanted everyone to look vaguely stern at least half the time because they thought it would make things seem more intense.
Sound:
White Fox got a pretty good cast. Koyasu Takehito, Taichi You, Koyama Tsuyoshi and Hanamori Yumiri all give good performances. Matsuda Akito's music is pretty much typical fare to the point of being boring.
Ho-yay:
There isn't any to be found.
Areas of Improvement:
More consistent story-telling. If you want to have Zero win over Youhei in spite of his fear of witches, actually put some effort into making it believable. Same with Thirteen's change of heart.
Move beyond the character archetypes. We've seen the hero who acts tough but has a heart of gold. We've seen the naive but powerful heroine. Using archetypes as a base is fine but they need to be expanded on and made into something unique to be interesting.
Vary the facial expressions. I know Koyasu is a great actor, but he can't really give a character emotional depth when the art shows them with the same expression at all times. If you want to set a specific tone, both the actors and artists need to work together.
Final Thoughts:
This one definitely isn't as bad as the worst we've seen from White Fox. It's certainly not as strong as the best either, however. It's a mediocre series where the uneven writing and lack of character depth largely waste the potential of the premise. It's not a series that's particularly infuriating or horrendous with its worst elements but it's also not one that's ever great. It ends up quite middling. I'm giving it a 5/10.
Desi_soap
Story: 7/10 Characters: 8/10 Animation: 7/10 Music: 6/10 Enjoyment: 8/10 Overall: 7/10 I enjoyed this anime a lot. The depth and lore this anime has at first is something you would want in every fantasy anime. It takes place in the medieval time place where it's basically about witches being hunted. The premise of this kind of story is already sounds interesting and starts of great until we get the ending. I would have given the story an 8 if it wasn't because of the ending. To be honest if 13 stayed a villain until the very end I would have like things better. Characters were very big for me. Ithink the reason I was enjoying this anime so much was because of its characters. Zero personality was just something I want one female character in every anime to have. Mercenary was also someone I enjoyed with his tsun attitude. Overall I kind just love the anime but I won't say it was the best.
LegendAqua
Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho felt like a show that was going somewhere with it's uniquely different main characters of Zero voiced by Yumiri Hanamori and Mercenary voiced by Tsuyoshi Koyama as well as it's themes of "fantastic racism" permeating through it's characters...however somewhere down the line it just was forgotten. Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho was something of an early dark horse of the Spring 2017, with it having the aforementioned unique main characters of Mercenary who is a beastfallen (as in half-human, half-animal..in this case a white tiger) at birth and hates witches because witches created beastfallen and society's stigma towards beastfallenis extremely apparent and Zero, a recluse witch in which Mercenary stumbles upon to begin their journey to find the titular "Grimoire of Zero". The opening premise in itself as well as it's main duo was what grabbed LA's attention for the anime and even then Zero and Mercenary's relationship (not-so romantic more like master and bodyguard) does develop ALOT in this anime be it through their trials and tribulations in their journey or their relationship being hindered by third parties. The other characters that have focus are Holdem voiced by Masayuki Katou who has beef with Mercenary and Albus voiced by You Taichi (a female seiyuu...HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM) who tags along with Mercenary and Zero who too wants to find the Grimoire of Zero. If anything the more interesting of the two is Holdem from his evolution from jerk who won't leave Mercenary alone to a quite noble person by the end of it, Albus on the other hand does become an important piece in the plot but quite early on, he's nothing but an annoyance in Zero and Mercenary's travels. Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho also has the added benefit of giving us world-building from all the subjects of fantastic racism as well as how the magic works given us through Zero and you know that LA loves when an anime does go into it's lore and how some spells work...however like it's edge on it's racism issues, the lore of magics in Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho also gets forgotten over time.
So as much as LA is praising (kinda?) Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho, there are some obvious flaws LA purposely left out and some becomes vastly apparent. For one, you'd think the anime would take a more action-orientated approach however for the first half it's more mystery and slice of life of all things that mixes in into this anime and to it's defence, the slice of life elements helps grow Zero and Mercenary (as well as Albus) both individually and their master and bodyguard relationship and explores a bit of world-building here and there, but aside from a few key points within those times...it just "almost" feels like filler until the major arc kicks it into high gear. Next is the more apparent one of plot holes and some plot twist within Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho not making sense in a ways (this revolves around Albus for one and our boring major villain) to the point it feels like the anime is making it up on the spot and covering it's tracks just for surprise value. Lastly is our boring major villain 13 voiced by Takehito Koyasu who is pretty much at the centre of the problems in this anime. From his quite confusing motivations (especially towards Zero) to his grand plan being utterly foiled by Zero by the end of it in a such an anti-climactic way, on that note, because of Zero's importance, she is essentially an extremely OP main character facading as a weak witch. 13 is probably the reason also for shifting focus from it's fantastic racism (from both fronts of the witches and beastfallen) to the more typical good vs. bad routine we've seen time and again and again LA will mention that 13's "defeat" is anticlimactic to say the least.
In terms of animation by White Fox, the animation is quite decent all things considered with some animation derps or dips in quality (though rare or blink before you miss it type), LA did like the character designs but was more favourable to Zero's attire by her end costume of the anime. The backgrounding was typical fair for a fantasy anime, but overall decent enough animation but not much praiseworthy.
However in the voice acting department, LA will honestly say that LA was NOT expecting Yumiri Hanamori to sound like she did as Zero, for those who don't know, LA first noticed Yumiri Hanamori as the ditzy moe main lead Tsumujikaze Koyori from Shakunetsu no Takkyuu Musume to another ditzy moe main lead An Hanakoizumi from Anne Happy to have vocals like this as Zero!, seriously LA was surprised it was Yumiri Hanamori. To that the minor voice cast (however minimal) was decent but quite obviously...Yumiri Hanamori was a definite highlight in terms of voice acting in Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho.
Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho is one of those shows where yes it does have some major flaws at hand especially concerning it's tone and plot but does outweighing it's strengths of character interactions, unique main characters and it's edge on it's take on fantastic racism balance things out?.......for LA. No, ok trust LA this is an "ok" anime but it's flaws just outweigh strengths for LA to say it's a show to invest in, if only the first quarter. Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho is ok, but collapsed in on itself when it was trying to get serious and anticlimaxes and plot holes arose as a result. Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho is the dark horse of the Spring 2017 that pretty much fell and tripped even by it's halfway point and it pains LA to even say that...
TheEtherea
The show is borderline between "it's ok, I can finish this" and "boring". Grimoire has a couple of visible issues that make this into a mediocre show: 1. It's concentrated around a few characters with some support cast who only appear once-twice for a couple of minutes and disappear. This means that we need to have some proper development of both the characters themselves and the relationships between them. Both parts are very limited and shallow simply following a formulaic path of an average plotline. There is nothing special here, at all. Sure, maybe someone will be amused by "uwu she is sleeping on a furry" part, butit worked mostly as comedy.
2. The bland experience.
Since the story doesn't have much comedy beyond the creepy tailor and some gags in the opening episodes, there are also no decent tragic/dramatic episodes to make you as a viewer have any emotional connection. It's just bland, it has no flavor. The unimaginative backstory that could have been at least executed well, but tastes like stale bread.
3. Plotline is rather simple, but is "confusing" and stupid for no reason.
Honestly it's just a bunch of nonsense of Witches doing nobody knows what with nobody knows what goals exactly, Kingdom that simply views them as insane = burn them at the stakes (and it makes sense). A lot of generic talks about "revenge" and "revolts" but it's basically meaningless.
You have beastmen who are hated because legend says witches created them/or they carry sins to be born that way.
And yet Grimoire isn't going all the way with those ideas, doesn't explore them and has nothing to bring at the table. It ends up been - Yeah I've seen this many times before.
Grimoire has some very decent art when it gives you World exposition through history which is drawn in a Medieval style and that elevates the show somewhat.
To sum it up, if I were to try and review it a couple of days later I'm sure I would've forgotten about this show all together and it's one of the typical cases of "short Youtube cuts are more curious than the whole thing". Move along.
Traxdize
The story was very decent I might say. There was some plot twist there and there, but it was mostly predictable anyway. I have nothing much to say about the story. The animation was done by White Fox, Re: Zero's studio so I expected it to be good. I was a fan of the art style. The heroine, Zero's art was done by Shimakaze's (Kancolle) artist and I'm a big fan of Shimakaze. So naturally I liked the design. I'm not a furry, but Mercenary was well designed. I love the opening. Period. The voice actors did a great job. Although most of the characterswere well-written. Their interactions were mostly cliches. But I gotta say that I love any interactions between Mercenary and Zero. I really enjoyed this series. The Loli and the Beast was a decent series.
BanjoTheBear
(This review has been adapted from my blog/reddit thread. Spoilers ahead!) I hope to one day write my own novel. While writing reviews, analyses, and essays is my forte, I have always had a keen interest in fiction. Whether completely imaginary like the Harry Potter series or closer to realism like 1984, the approach involves a different mindset that is fun to indulge. Creating witty dialogue. Describing scenery. Forming logical plotlines. It’s much different than articulating how an anime accomplished its goals or basing events off a personal set of ideas. Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho features a novel of sorts – the Grimoire of Zero –written by one of its characters. In some sense, it contains the purely fictional (to us at any rate). Sadly, it doesn’t contain the solution for the show’s lagging performance.
STORY
Zero kara opens with witches at the stake and a huge white tiger-man fending off a few bounty hunters. After escaping the city, he, by chance, encounters a powerful female sorcerer just trying to enjoy some soup. She offers him the miracle he has always dreamed of: to turn back into a human. He must only act as her bodyguard while they search for her all-important book that, in the wrong hands, could destroy the world. After a finger-blood oath between the two, the witch-hating Mercenary and the “wagahai”-saying Zero begin their adventure in earnest.
Said adventure certainly contains the right elements to achieve narrative strength. The fantasy setting. The writing chops. The noticeable themes. Unfortunately for Zero kara, it takes these elements, attempts to form some magic with them, and ultimately summons a lackluster tale despite its many possibilities.
Lacking begins when it tackles the fantasy that drives the setting. The anime takes place in a world that resembles Medieval times with an extra helping of magic and beast men (known as “beastfallen”). To the show’s credit, it does try to build its world at times. For instance, as the characters investigate the carnage following the sacking of the village of Latette, Zero describes some of the spells used and what they can do. The anime also highlights the tensions between the different political and warring factions, including beastfallen, sorcerers, and regular humans.
Yet the show’s delivery of this information isn’t always sound. For the first three episodes (and never again afterwards), a narrator spews out relevant details to get the audience up to speed rather than letting them learn of it through more natural means. Then, in episode six, the characters do almost nothing but talk with and at each other about the current situation. Again, this info is necessary to create a believable, connected world, but the method behind its creation doesn’t go for anything enticing.
Furthermore, Zero kara doesn’t deliver enough. Despite everything going on, the anime never really goes out of its way to build a finer, more nuanced world for its characters to run around in. The knights hardly interact with the sorcerers, losing out on potential quarrels and insight. Minimal exploration of different areas keeps the kingdom itself either too isolated or too disparate as well.
Beyond the fantasy setting, Zero kara also has some clout with its writing chops. Quite regularly, the anime demonstrates a clear grasp of creating plot points and following through on them in a logical, fair manner.
Take the magic potion that Thirteen gives to Mercenary to nullify his beastfallen self. It not only symbolizes his conviction to stay true to the quest that got him here but also it becomes the item that frees Zero from her magical prison later on.
Or how about those blood contracts near the very beginning of the season. They form the basis for Thirteen’s scheme when he reveals that his death as “Him” will kill every Sorcerer of Zero and rogue witch out there presently.
Zero’s tattered robe that she trades for a better set of stylish clothes counts, too. It gets used as part of a tracking spell that was in turn introduced back in the second episode of the season with Mercenary’s fur and the undercover witch.
Can’t forget about the “curse” placed upon Mercenary by Zero either, for it pops up in quadruple fashion. Once when Mercenary is shot with an arrow. Once when Thirteen stops the guards from attacking him. Once when the giant dude bites Mercenary’s arm. Once when Mercenary blocks Zero’s mega attack to stop her from accidentally killing Thirteen and subsequently herself.
Not to mention the cool idea of Zero purposefully writing the spells in the Grimoire of Zero incorrectly, a detail that the audience can potentially catch onto when noticing her chants during her duel with Thirteen.
Truth be told, none of these examples stand out as exceptional in terms of impact or intrigue. But they no doubt stand as evidence for the anime’s respectable writing choices.
However, it must be noted that several of Zero kara’s story beats belittle the progression made instead. Biggest among them? The entire plot predicated by the fact that Thirteen essentially didn’t talk with and ask Zero about what she really wants. Plus, the tension involved throughout the last conflict lacks weight. Thirteen already used his rat familiar to coerce his followers to fight, yet he apparently cannot undo his decree despite their devoutness.
Smaller writing oddities affect the show as well. The convenient forced-teleportation spell after triggering a specific word seems too easy to push things where they need to go. A strange decision to cut the dramatic scene following Zero’s near death has no place. The group managing to traverse the entire kingdom in a strangely timely manner when placing the five mega-magic circles raises an eyebrow. With all the respect the writing deserves, it still foregoes some of it of its own accord when it commits to these weirder, weaker choices.
After the setting and the writing, the themes also try their hand. They dabble in morality through perspectives on racism and mindsets. One of the best scenes from the season follows these throughputs well. In episode seven, a young lady humors Mercenary, tricking him to have him help drive away other beastfallen at their establishment (or, as she and he put it, “It is what it is”).
These moments are few and far between, though. Indeed, Zero kara often misses out on a more balanced view of these topics, portraying each group involved as mostly negative rather than reaching for a middle ground. Serena was a kind sorcerer as was that old man who let Holdem walk free. Yet the constant misbehavior of the beastfallen. The current sorcerers almost never using their powers for good. The on-the-nose lines yelled by various villagers about the witches and their evil ways. Everything adds up to misbalance the anime’s thematic presence.
Altogether, the setting, writing, and themes are all there for the show to capitalize on. Unfortunately, that doesn’t exactly happen even with its best efforts, leaving the narrative without an option to summon further refinement.
ART & ANIMATION
For the most part, Zero kara gets the job done with its visuals. On an artistic level, the locations do little else besides fit where the characters are and what they are doing. E.g., traveling through a forest, visiting a busy city. They aren’t explored to any large degree, and the details present do not invite anything of interest to look at. Most likely a byproduct of the anime’s lack of world-building drive.
Nevertheless, the show displays at a semi-infrequent rate key shots that argue a lot more in its favor. A faraway view of the kingdom’s capital with a mountainous backdrop. The crew’s bonfire illuminates their lonely spot during the forest’s dark night; it eventually gives way to them overlooking a section of the forest as a rainbow arcs overhead. A somewhat top-down shot of Zero’s cavernous “home” as ominous red lighting fills the air. Again, these shots are by no means around all the time let alone to a noticeable extent. But, when they do appear, one has to at least appreciate their detail.
For the rest of the anime’s production and animation, it goes back to that serviceable state. It rarely tries for anything fancy in its scene composition or techniques in general. The most adventurous it gets is in episode six. Thirteen and Mercenary hold a private conversation, and a neat rotating-camera trick simulates the former’s hypnosis of the latter. All the while, the centralized glass vial housing the magic potion he desires reflects their faces.
Otherwise, a couple of rotated frames here and a few magic uses there counteract the weird charging close-ups of Holdem in his duel with Mercenary and the disregard for any interesting imagery overall.
The character designs likewise follow suit. Albus is designed to look like a teenage boy, so her looks do conceal her true nature, but the tradeoff is extreme plainness. Thirteen’s black cloak, dark purple eyes, unkempt hair, and angled face translate well into an evil aura, but his demeanor and slowness strip away any intimidation. Mercenary and Zero do fair a bit better, though. Mercenary’s large build, rogue outfit, and white fur both mirror and complement Zero’s small build, sorcery attire, and white hair, making their designs a fun, dichotomous duo.
In all, the visuals remain consistent in their meager delivery. Not that that hurts the anime, but it doesn’t help it out either.
CHARACTERS
Mercenary, Zero, Albus, and Thirteen. As the four main characters of Zero kara, they contribute to this anime in various ways. They also vary in their efficacy, too, putting their group in a questionable spot right alongside most of the other parts to this anime.
Mercenary stands the tallest among the group both within the show and in an analytical sense. With fangs, fur, and ferocity, he embodies the beastfallen moniker. His white coat coats his fervent dislike for witches, and his big build and even bigger sword makes him a force during any fight. Yet beneath his rough exterior, a softness of heart guides his path.
For, while he may frown upon Zero and Albus for their sorcery and their actions, he looks out for their well-being. He makes them soup. He finds them lodgings. He protects them to the best of his ability. He’s no saint, but he clearly strives for what is at least morally good. A statement reinforced by his honesty when dealing with Zero’s priceless gems in episode three.
Although, his kindness towards them is somewhat out of a desire of his own: to be a full-fledged human. This conflict arises out of a few interspersed scenes. In a flashback, he attacks and kills a gang of bandits who were terrorizing his village to obtain his head. Another occurs in his arrested freefall where he remembers how he and other beastfallen were mainly expendable losses in war, and his prowess and violence earned him the nickname “The Black Beast of Death” as well as jeers for his demise.
So, when Zero crosses that path of his, and her sincere words match those of his mother’s from when he was a kid, he accepts her offer with his own style of oath. What follows, then, is his journey alongside that which (and witch) he hates, experiencing troubles of a physical and mental nature as he fends off baddies and learns more about the magical world (and people) around him.
Come the end of episode six, however, it is clear that the seeds of doubt still stir in his soul. He (unwillingly) raises his blade against Zero, forcing their separation and his contemplation. Nevertheless, she keeps him alive thanks to her powers and keeps him sane thanks to her reaffirmation of the softness within him. The latter especially, for he nearly succumbs to the beastfallen desire of eating flesh that the show alludes to a few times throughout the season. Thankfully, his memories (albeit neither extensive nor moving) of their time together stay his fangs.
Now with a clearer mind, he knows what he must do. He works with Holdem to save Albus from her untimely fate. He scales the side of a cliff and climbs the outside of a castle to reach Zero and to tell her that what little brains he has were enough to convince himself that he had to be there for her despite his doubts. He even takes part in the final magic ritual (but not before a playful prod), indicating that, by this point, he has overcome his disdain for those arts to at least some miniscule extent.
Zero kara gives Mercenary a rather appreciable arc to his character – except it flubs his finale. With his journey complete, he doesn’t receive his desire to become a human. He doesn’t get to settle down as an inn proprietor like he wanted to either. The audience doesn’t even get to learn his real name, missing out on a neat full-circle writing chance right at the end.
Rather, the anime doubles down thrice. One, the beast part of soul is fused even tighter to him after the ritual. Two, he continues traveling with Zero. And three, he actively refuses to give his true name or learn Zero’s, saying, “Well, maybe it won’t be so bad if I’m a beastfallen a little while longer,” a statement that contradicts his base motivations. In short, this open-endedness to his arc stops him from being a solid character and closer to barely a competent one.
Arguably, his line there follows a theme on being comfortable in one’s skin (or, in this case, fur). But that was never really a talking point of the show. Instead, what it focused on most was that of indirect loneliness. The audience sees it handily with Mercenary. As a beastfallen, he’s ostracized to some extent, he is belittled, and he cannot get along with humans or witches.
Zero experiences such indirect loneliness as well. In fact, almost her entire character stems from this idea. It’s obvious from her interactions in the city and with Mercenary that, despite her skills, she doesn’t have a grasp on how regular life and normal society works. Seemingly because she has been kept in a cave for most of her life, knowing only faded pages for friends and an occasional peeking sun to keep her company. She explains as such periodically, too.
As such, her connection to Mercenary means a lot to her since he’s one of the only people – beastfallen or otherwise – that she has ever bonded with. Unfortunately, Zero kara does not go too out of its way to build their relationship.
That’s partly because of Albus, a necessary evil in this show. She basically represents the “other side,” the counterpoint to much of the plot’s discussion about the warring factions. She either introduces or says a line of thinking that relates to the sorcerers’ camp, and the anime proceeds to highlight why her naïve worldview isn’t as black-and-white as she may believe. Furthermore, without Serena around anymore, and realizing that her newfound friends do not necessarily agree with her stances, she as well goes through that same indirect loneliness.
However, with her inclusion, she severely detracts from that key component of Zero kara: Zero and Mercenary’s relationship. With this third wheel constantly around and spinning, the two main characters of the anime hardly have any scenes just together to make their connection worthwhile.
Not to mention that Zero is simply not a compelling character on her own, and the anime itself sidelines her for a sizable chunk of the last half of the season. This sidelining mirrors her time in the caves and coincides with that indirect loneliness, so it does make sense on a writing level. However, the anime spends very little time addressing her thoughts and her actions while in captivity to make it worth the time. So, when her climactic scene with Mercenary in the castle tower arrives, it’s nice in concept, but the foundation for it doesn’t exist or at the minimum doesn’t have the support required to elevate it to a strong level.
Then there’s Thirteen, the weakest of the four. He appears roughly halfway through the season as a quasi-evil dude. Simultaneously, he acts as Zero’s caretaker and teacher (or to her, “brother”) during her cave times and, after his leave, a zealot to the cause of granting her the world that (he thought) she desires. Where she viewed magic as a tool that would benefit everyone, Thirteen saw that it would be nothing else besides a weapon for the common simpleton.
His thinking somewhat comes true when his secret ploy upholds the inevitable abuse and misuse of this magic. As for his actual character, it does not uphold as well. Because of the mystery that surrounds him on a plot level, he never receives enough attention. There’s no tangible context to his rise as “Him.” His admiration of Serena has little to no basis. His feuds with Albus and Holdem do not have the necessary room to grow. He doesn’t relate to that indirect loneliness as well as the others. Just a weak character all in all.
Overall, on the total execution scale, Mercenary rises above Zero, Albus, and Thirteen. But when Mercenary does not attain anything higher than competency, the cast here do not deserve much praise whatsoever.
MUSIC & SOUND
Although last in order, the ending track wins first. Titled “Hajimari no Shirushi,” delicate piano keys and light acoustic strings calm the audience in their simple, gentle flow. Soft vocals accompany the instrumentals, upping the calmness of the piece that much more. The melodic pace moves the song along in a nice way, and the rise in tone changes its structure without taking anything away from that calming feel.
Opposite the ED, the opening track heads for the back of the pact. Immediately, the sound of this piece is entirely unfitting. It would be appropriate for a story aimed at something slightly whimsical rather than serious like Zero kara. The vocals aren’t shabby, and the beat has a catchiness to it, but the punk-rock body of the song simply detracts from the established direction of the content itself.
Tsuyoshi Koyama as Mercenary likewise hurts the show’s chances. To start, his voice for the white-furred beastfallen does not go deep enough to match his build. The delivery of his lines lacks emotion, too. And roars sound less like a ferocious tiger and more like a guy frustrated from stubbing his toe on a nearby table. Not that his performance is a total failure – it just didn’t embody the main character in full.
Less frustrating is the rest of the original soundtrack. While it has lively songs like the one that plays when the group enter Formicum, the OST mostly sticks with mystery vibes and everyday tunes instead. Deliberate piano keys. Calm trumpets. Reminiscent wind instruments. Wild yet reserved violin strings. These tracks are all rather simple in design, but they support the anime well enough throughout the season.
With the ED and the OST on one side, and the OP and the VA performances on the other side, “split” just about sums up Zero kara’s audio outing.
ENJOYMENT
My initial impression of this anime was not favorable. I hardly liked anything that it set out to do: the bland characters, the plot direction, the different details at each turn. Just a whole lot of me shaking my head at its repeated, failed attempts to pull me in.
Lo and behold, revisiting the show anew with fresh eyes and a fresh mind did not change my thoughts.
Those characters? Mercenary is not funny or cool or interesting or nuanced. The best he can do is take up a lot of space on-screen as he complains out loud. Zero says “Wagahai” a lot, but her formality cannot distract from the fact that the pebbles on the sidewalk have more intrigue about them than she does. Thirteen is thirteen times too boring. And don’t even get me started on Albus, for I only need one simple word to describe her: annoying.
That plot? Let’s just let Thirteen live as an innocent among us despite him literally prolonging a war that killed hundreds if not thousands of beastfallen, witches, and humans. Holdem kept a bunch of women as slaves, but we’ll forget about that whole aside I suppose. I couldn’t care less about the twist that Albus is Sorena’s granddaughter because I couldn’t care less about her.
These extra details? Magic battles and usage were not entertaining. Mercenary and Holdem run through a crowd of people that somehow grows in size the longer they sprint. That one guy who got attacked at the secret hideout for the Sorcerers of Zero needlessly died because they stood around and did not bother to heal him.
Admittedly, I’m being rather harsh right now on the anime. To its credit, it never really gets worse as each episode rolls along. Nothing that it presents is outright horrible or ill-conceived, and I can tell effort exists within this project. Yet because it remains consistent in a mired, mediocre state for nearly its entire run, the small grievances I have just pile up to the point that I cannot personally perceive it in a positive position.
Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho does have something to show for itself, but so many of its decisions drag it down. The story and characters include a lot of that pushback, but the serviceable and questionable audiovisual elements don’t do a whole lot in return. Fiction or no, it writes out a lagging novel all the same.
SUMMARY
Story: Fine, the setting, the writing, and the themes have definite clout, but they each have a bunch of problems regarding exploration, nuance, and balance that ultimately affect the narrative’s execution
Art & Animation: Fine, the visuals involved get the job done, nothing more and nothing less
Characters: Bad, Mercenary’s open-ended arc leaves him as competent rather than solid, Zero is neither compelling nor connected, Albus is a necessary evil, Thirteen misses the mark, but at least a theme on indirect loneliness can be found among them
Music & Sound: Fine, an unfitting OP counteracts a nice ED, not all the VA performances pass, and the OST works, albeit in a very simple fashion
Enjoyment: Terrible, boring characters, lame plot, and uninteresting details
Final Score: 3/10
NickSpringfield
In short note: Beauty and the Beast, Fantasy anime version Story: 8 It seems like a typical fantasy world adventure at first, but the plot thickens in the middle with several twists behind another twist. Although it feels a bit off in the end, this may or may not be the best point of the show. Art: 7 Standard LN adaptation art style, and Character Design. But the city in medieval age portrayal , Beastmen model and landscapes was looks nice too. The battle scenes and the spellworks were decent even without that spectacular movement. This is a show about mage after all and mage doesn't move that much. Thespinning bottle scene was hilariously real.
Sound: 6
Standard BGM during fights, nice ED. Nothing much to say in here.
Character: 6
Aside from MC and Main Heroine, all other Character are so plain. The villain was especially have a bad writing that it doesn't even qualify as a villain. The only person that notable was that one dead character that keeps getting mentioned every time along the show, without even met the MC. If only this show has better writings, this show could be much better.
Enjoyment:7
I got hooked for a while in the middle part, but may put off some people in the last bit. If you can bare the lame part with the curiosity alone, you might as well enjoy this to the end.
Overall:7
Fantasy world full of mages, with some nice city and background art. Have a decent story with good pacing, with the most lame villain ever. Have some potential in the middle, but falls of in the last part.
