Genre: Comedy/FantasyAge Appropriate: High School (innuendo)
Emotional Response: Lots of laughter, a few tears
Notable Features: Mages, girls, and dragons (oh my!)
Language: Japanese - English Sub
Length: 4 seasons, 12-13 episodes each
Overall Recommendation: FTW
Familiar of Zero follows a young man. around 15-16, who is summoned by Louise the Zero - a mage girl around the same age, in a different world - Halkeginia. Louise is called Zero because of her abysmal magical abilities, which frequently end up just blowing things up. Each mage will summon their familiar once they hit a certain age/level, usually a creature from their world, with whom they will form a bond and can help them with their individual magical talents. Of course, what fun would it be for an anime if things went normally, right? Louise somehow manages not only to get a familiar from a different world, but a human!
Louise's world is fantasy-based with dragons, elves, mages, sprites, spirits...etc. They don't have modern day technology and has a noble/peasant system - Queens & Popes included.
The young man in question is Hiraga Saito. As a modern day young man from our world, he understands technology, doesn't originally speak the language in Halkeginia and has no practical concept of monarchical systems. He understands them, intellectually, but doesn't understand why anyone would live that way. This makes for many amusing fights between Louise and Saito, and with the other characters as they all get to know each other. As a bunch of high school students a significant part of the beginnings of each season includes shenanigans.
The story develops more seriously as it is discovered that Louise is a Void Mage (some myterious mage powers that are way cooler than normal mages, but are more difficult and require assistance - like her fancy new familiar, titled Gandalfr/Gundulf depending on translation. There is an evil here and an evil there, a fight between neighboring countries and cultural misunderstandings everywhere. Magical Fireworks Abound!
--------------
The relationships between girls and guys are hilarious and primarily based off stereotypical dramatic situations between high school kids. Really, my decision to put a "high school" age recommendation is because of innuendo and some accidental/purposeful groping. I would even lower the age recommendation to jr. high age, if it is a mature 12-13 year old. There is no actual adult content.
It really is mostly a comedy of errors, but as you get to the climax of each season the tone can change dramatically. The final season is much the same, but not. While the first three seasons have a good share of anxious moments, and developing feelings against the evil villian, it's the last season that is a huge emotional hit. It's a good example of why I describe anime as cartoons but for adults. It made me cry twice, which is unusual. A huge success for any anime series experience is that you actually feel what the creators intended you to feel.
I would definitely recommend watching this! Episodes are 20+ minutes, so be prepared to get sucked in an accidentally watch a season on a friday night or sunday afternoon!
------------
Feedback Request: PLEASE! Let me know what you think. I'm mostly wondering about the lists at the top. The basics as it were: Are they ok? Should I add something? Remove something? Find a way to make it more clever.
~Thanks~
Mini-Geek Girl
-----------
Next Viewing: Nabari no Ou
No comments:
Post a Comment