Reading your comments, Kraco, I did give it a try.
I do hope they get serious at key moments, with flashy fights, it may happen... or at least the door is open for that.
Average ecchiness of the show is still very present, but it isn't that bad when it's not the only thing there is in the ep.
All the things I really like to do are either illegal, immoral, or fattening. And then: Golf.
Well, well... Who would have thought we would get these two subbing this series as well?
Episode 1 HD - SS-Eclipse
Episode 1 xvid - SS-Eclipse
All the things I really like to do are either illegal, immoral, or fattening. And then: Golf.
Ep 2 and 3 subbed yet?Originally Posted by Kraco
Not by SS-Eclipse no
You're right about episode 3, but they subbed episode 2 on the 19th:
[SS-Eclipse] Zero no Tsukaima - Princess no Rondo - 02 (1280x720 h264)
[SS-Eclipse] Zero no Tsukaima - Princess no Rondo - 02 (xvid)
Just watched season 2 of the series... wasn't as bad as you guys made it out ot be. I think you guys have the wrong expectations of this show, and are way overrating the first season. The second season was as good as the first season, which doesn't say much in my opinion. I mean, you guys are complaining about the episode in which Colbert died? Come on... Sure, it had one or two crappy episodes towards the end, but that's about it. The rest was quite enjoyable, at least most of it.
Will start the third season next week hopefully.
Last edited by Munsu; Fri, 07-25-2008 at 04:50 AM.
I believe most people were complaining about the entire second half of season 2. Between people complaining about cut-outs from the novels (Saito getting a much more...suggestive experience from Henrietta, etc) and the entire last war arc being as horribly compressed as the final episodes from season 1 (which a lot of people complained about then too)...there were a lot of different complaints thrown around.
The end of the first season felt incredibly rushed, and the entire latter half of season 2 got the same treatment.
The buzz from fans of the novels raised a lot of expectations for this franchise, and both seasons 1 and 2 disappointed a lot of people. I loved the first season, but the second season completely soured for me. Too many third party characters got introduced and were never really developed. One in particular never really got a name until the very end (Sheffield) and she is only now being developed in season 3.
Given that season 2 was not well received during its run, most of us were not expecting a season 3. That made the unexplained parts towards the end of season 2 that much worse.
Last edited by Ryllharu; Fri, 07-25-2008 at 03:27 PM. Reason: "series" -> "franchise"
Lol. If you look at both seasons from the perspective that the franchise is a typical fanservice riddled harem comedy about a typical harem loser, and a bunch of typical haremettes playing out a typical story then both seasons are pretty much equal in how little they resemble say Seirei no Moribito or some other 'good' anime. If you don't buy into either on a level above what they appear to be then they will both satisfy on that level.
However, I recall marked differences in the quality of the story telling and the quality of the characterizations between the first and second seasons. I don't see anything wrong with caring about these elements even when watching a typical harem-comedy and if one does so one should notice the difference between the two seasons.
In season 2 just about everything seemed laughable from the actual jokes to the treatment of more serious content like war and death and even love. However, in season 1 while things were still generally laughable they at least managed to foster a better and more believable sense of emotional involvement (compared to season 2 not Seirei no Moribito).
Season 1 certainly isn't going to win any prizes, but when I watched it I was entertained, emotionally engaged, and excited about the prospect of a season 2. When season 2 was over I was entertained but I was relieved I wouldn't have to spend any more time on the series since I wasn't really engaged in the story by then.
A hamburger may taste like a hamburger when you're hungry for filet mignon, but when you're hungry for a hamburger McDonalds doesn't taste like Five Guys.
I guess the negativity describing the second season was exaggerated in my opinion. The storytelling aspects of the first season were marginally better... not enough to just label the second season as a complete failure as I've seen many around categorizing it as such. Sure it was underwhelming in some aspects, but it wasn't much of a departure from what Zero no Tsukaima had already established itself as. The first season might look a bit better because it's all new and refreshing, but when you sit down and take a look at it as a whole, it suffered from many of the same things that the second season suffered from.
From season 2, I only recall 3 episodes that I didn't like... the Underground document one, and episodes 10 and 11. The rest where fairly enjoyable and consistant with the rest. Sure not many of the new characters were well developed, but at the expense of what would you have them develop them? At the other side of the equation, if they had developed them, we'd probably hear a lot of complains about them getting too much screen time.
Anyways, my comments are stemming from the exeggerated negativity the second season received. It wasn't great, but it wasn't abysmal either... when I look at all the complains about the Colbert's dying episode, which was quite decent if not good, it tells me that many had expected too much from this series and it summizes to me how unfairly this season was judged (and it summizes my disagreements with the conclusions of others regarding the season).
It's like a setting up a straw man argument... people focus on one small fraction that bothered them about an episode/series, in an attempt to draw a conclusion on it. From looking at how the comments for the series were, people were fairly happy with the first half... then a couple of bad episodes came, and suddenly it's all worth garbage. Don't see a lot of validity in these kinds of judgements. Just because we get a couple of disapointing episode is not enough to make the season a disapointment in my opinion.
That's my take on the situation. On to season 3.
Last edited by Munsu; Fri, 07-25-2008 at 08:13 PM.
I felt that most of the problems could have been solved by simply making the series a full 26 eps series rather than the short, half-season.
ARIA after all was three seasons as well, 13 and then 26 and then 13 again. The middle season allowed them to get in the overwhelming majority of the material in, and allowed the writers to finish up and polish everything off neatly in the third season. If they had simply made either season 1 or season 2 of ZnT a little longer (it would have helped season 2 more), then I do not see where any of my complaints would exist. I cannot say a whole lot for the complaints of others though.
Moving on...
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[SS-Eclipse] Zero no Tsukaima - Princess no Rondo - 03 (1280x720 h264)
I'm certainly liking the stupidity of Saito always staring at Tiffania's breasts to the dismay of both Louise and Siesta, but I am wondering what is going to happen with Tiffania if she really turns out to be the third void mage in the series.
Which does bring me to a problem. We were under the impression that *a* Void Mage appeared only a few hundred or thousands of years. I could understand Sheffield's master being another one, but Tiffania being a third extends a bit too far over my suspension of disbelief of the history that the series itself laid out.
It is a fantasy series, so I suppose I can ignore it for the most part, but it still bothers me.
Anyway...moving back to Tiffania, I wonder if she will pick up her own familiar. The little song she sang does hint at something though. The Gandalfr is the left hand of the void mage and a warrior and shiled, and the other, the right hand, Windalfr is kind at heart.
Seeing that we've already got a Gandalfr, and a Frzzugabstulblatz (whatever the hell Sheffield is), I wonder if Tiffania will just become Louise's Windalfr, or if some one else...*cough* Siesta *cough* will become Tiffania's Windalfr and her familiar.
Lol good fun this ep, and Tiffania is certainly more than she seemed, though it was kind of obvious she ws going to be important just because she is a new character and she's in the OP.
One thing about this series that still gets on my nerves is the seeming lack of sufficient back story for the bad guys as well as the world the story takes place in outside of Tristain (Trysting or whatever SS-Eclpse is using just looks weird). Who is this Albionion royal guy who's pretending to be incompetent? Do we know him already or is he new? I've never been able to glean a good picture of the politics of the world ZnT, especially the Albionions who seem to be the major adversaries of the story since so often the serious discussions are overshadowed or interrupted by random Typical Harem Moments
I was having WTF moments with this new season "villian" until yesterday when i rewatch some of the older episodes with a friend.Who is this Albionion royal guy who's pretending to be incompetent? Do we know him already or is he new? I've never been able to glean a good picture of the politics of the world ZnT, especially the Albionions who seem to be the major adversaries of the story since so often the serious discussions are overshadowed or interrupted by random Typical Harem Moments
It could just faulty subbing but from my understanding the new villian is from Galia and not Albion.
At the end of episode 2 Shefield refers to him as "Joseph-Sama"
Episode 10 of the first season, we learn that Tabitha is from the Galian royal family.
The current king of Galia name Joseph is Tabitha's Uncle. Tabitha father death and mother going insane was apparently caused by Joseph or his followers.
It seems we are going to get some more back story on Tabitha this season so there's some potential to be good.
We've gotten a good amount of Tabitha's backstory already (thanks Dark Dragon for all the reminders), so where is all of Kirche's background? I recall her mentioning something about the reasons she was studying here and not in her homecountry as well. Of course those reasons were never expanded upon.
After spoiling myself something fierce on Wikipedia I confirmed I was wrong about Joeseph. He is King of Galia not Albion, I must have read it wrong. I think he did say that Tristain, Albion, and Germania were coming to meet with him to try and take over his country so it stands to reason he's not from Albion.
Tabatha is also from Galia and from what I remember of season two she's got an interesting past there.
Just the right temperature:
Episode 4 HD - SS-Eclipse
Episode 4 SD - SS-Eclipse
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A somewhat low content episode what comes to the greater plot but funny enough otherwise. Things move just as slowly between Saito and Louise as always.
I find this season's face much better than the previous season... Maybe the addition of Tiffa "gift" was the cause?...
Thanks shinta|hikari for the sig.
Here you go. Episode 7 by Osu!
http://tracker.anirena.com/download.php?id=12148
Thanks shinta|hikari for the sig.
Episode 6 - SS-Eclipse
Mostly recycled material (not flashbacks but the plot), but a couple of minutes of it could have some significance. Still, the bigger plot of the season really should appear more often, instead of these random events.
Zero familiarity:
Episode 7 h264 - SS-Eclipse
Episode 7 xvid - SS-Eclipse
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Edit: Hmm... I thought that guy was dead. My memory surely isn't what it used to be... Or maybe he's a zombie. That would be cool.
Last edited by Kraco; Tue, 08-26-2008 at 09:29 AM.
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