Zero no Tsukaima: Futatsuki no Kishi

I suppose it's inevitable that Futatsuki no Kishi, being a second season of Zero no Tsukaima, will be compared to the first in one way or another, especially since it's pointless to start the series here, but I'll try to appraise its own merits as well.

As implied by the ending of the first season, FnK is a direct continuation of the story. Several new characters are introduced almost immediately, and, while I don't have anything against them, I'd like to point out that they (most notably Agnes) take up quite an amount of screen time with their own subplots, leaving less for the overall story. ... Thankfully, they aren't dragged out for too long. Particularly refreshing is the noticeable advance in Saito and Louise's relationship, during which several important questions are raised and decisions are made.

The animation is done on a fairly high level for the time, although it's not anything outstanding: characters still talk out one side of their face and all that, many scenes lack smoothness—just like in the first season, all things considered. Some scenes, particularly those of burning villages, are pretty nicely done. (I swear I'm not a sociopath!) The sound work borrows most themes from the first season. They're fine for what they are but still come off a little generic. New opening and ending are somewhat enjoyable, definitely more so than those of the first season IMO.

As for the characters, the previously known Academy residents (Kirche, Tabitha, Guiche, etc.) have much less screen time. Not sure if I like that; personally, I'd prefer to see them some more. New characters are passable, if a bit queer-looking. Siesta is still there, being apparently dumber than previously. Yes, everything has to be sacrificed for the sake of fan service. (sigh) On that note, what is particularly annoying about FnK is that fan service has increased in quantity, but definitely not in quality. Saito's obsession with boobs might've been funny at first, but the obviously contrived situations become old very quickly. You might not even notice it at first, but by the last episode it will come screaming in your face. Then again, the finale itself is too silly, anyway.

All in all, with FnK Zero no Tsukaima keeps being a good addition to your collection as long as you enjoy fantasy harem comedies with a questionably high amount of hit-and-miss fan service. Many will laugh, some might even tear up; overall I think the second season is almost as enjoyable as the first, barring the certain cheesiness and an overall drop in the quality of the comedy. However, it might leave something to be desired when it comes to the story progression, so I sincerely hope they won't drag it out for too long. Any further decrease in pace coupled with an increase in fan service could easily ruin the show. (Editing this paragraph from the future: It did ruin the show.)

5 WORDS OR LESS REVIEW: Needs a third season

As a whole, Zero no Tsukaima’s first season seems better than the second season. If I didn’t like the first season, then that would mean that I probably wouldn’t like the second season, right? Then how come I like the second season more than the first? Read on and I’ll tell you why.

The story obviously needed work. I think the problem was that they tried to fit in many different storylines at a time. There was Saito and Louise’s relationship, the ongoing war with Albion and there was Anies’ story too. Each story would have been potentially ... better as stand alones, especially Anies’ story, but a combination of the three isn’t such a good idea. All three at once can be too much, maybe one or two at a time would’ve been better.

Furthermore, I’m really getting tired of the Louise and Saito’s love hate comedy act. It became so predictable – Saito does something that displeases Louise (usually looking at other girls), Louise brings out her whip, screams “You damned dog!” and beats Saito up. It’s been like that since the first season. The only improvement is that both are more aware of their status, that Louise is a noble while Saito is a plain commoner, which is why they’re still not official as a couple.

I’m a little disappointed that there was less screen time for the characters from the first season. I’m sure a lot of Zero no Tsukaima fans were disappointed to see less of Kirche, Tabitha and Guiche. A good side effect from that was more exposure for Henrietta - She was barely seen in the first season so I didn’t like her back then, but the second season showed a different side of her which made me like her more. I also like the new characters, Anies and Julio. Anies has such a cool personality and background, while Julio is such a hottie. He is so much better than Guiche.

Visually, it looks the same as the first season - same colors, same backgrounds. However, I do think the character design looks different. I think the character designs look more crisp, but at the same time, the drawing became more inconsistent. I’m especially glad that there was less fanservice, or rather, more tolerable fanservice in the second season.

Another aspect that didn’t change is the voice acting. I’m glad it didn’t change at all since a lot of my favorite and famous voice actors can be found in the cast list. Rie Kugimiya (Al in Fullmetal Alchemist, Shana in Shakugan no Shana) and Satoshi Hino (Yuuji in Shakugan no Shana, Kouichi in Kimikiss) are still Louise and Saito. There’s also Ayako Kawasumi (Ruriko in Gate Keepers, Ohno in Genshiken) as Henrietta, Yui Horie (Eri in School Rumble, Hanyuu in Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai) as Siesta and Takahiro Sakurai (Shun in Gatekeepers, Cloud in Final Fantasy: Advent Children) as Guiche.

I also like the music. In fact, I think the music is better this time around. In the first season, the songs were too cutesy, but in the second season, the songs were more striking and had better quality. I really like “I say yes” by Ichiko, which is the OP. It’s so different from all the other Ichiko songs I’ve heard. I think it has more power and emotion to it, which makes it so special.

Despite of its many shortcomings, I still like it better than the first season. I thought it was more funny and entertaining, I like the new characters, and I’m especially glad that there was less fanservice this time around. However, the main reason why I like the second season more than the first is potential. I thought the second season had more potential than the first, and I want to see that potential in a third season.

I thought Zero no Tsukaima would provide nothing more than shallow entertainment, and I was quite wrong ... but its sequel, I decided, couldn't possibly live up to the standard set by the original. After all, Zero's effectiveness as a story may have been a fluke, a fortunate accident.

Fluke it was not, all told. I'd still recommend the series to anyone whose tastes seem to run in the general direction of fantasy/harem romance/politics. But despite its strong latter episodes, Futatsuki no Kishi does suffer from a few weaknesses its predecessor managed to keep to a minimum or avoid entirely.

Plot: Again we join Louise and her ... hapless familiar Saito at the Tristain Academy, where their relationship has grown marginally stronger. I have no complaints with how the whole inevitable Saito/Louise pairing is portrayed at first; we're given the impression that things have moved forward for the two, despite Louise's fondness for brandishing that riding crop, and it's an impression we need to be given if we're going to believe in the two as a viable and vital couple. When relationships hit a standstill in the real world, of course, things tend to go sour very soon after.

That said, one of the weakest points of the plot is its handling of the central romance. Louise and Saito make progress with one another in fits and starts, alternating between trite slapstick and almost extreme affection. It's the slapstick that bothers me most, partly because there's so damn much of it, and partly because the plot occasionally has to contort itself in unlikely directions simply to land Saito in unfortunate positions of lechery. Too many episodes are devoted not to progressing the underlying series of political events in any significant way, but to progressing Saito toward a pair of breasts, and Louise toward Saito and said breasts at just the wrong moment. And when they do get along, there are one or two moments of startling physicality that may make it a little difficult to fully appreciate (understandable as these moments may be, Saito and Louise being healthy teenagers and all).

Don't get me wrong, though. Futatsuki no Kishi does have its truly sweet moments. The last episode really nails it, but as it's the last episode, I'll refrain from singing its praises too loudly here.

Due to Futatsuki's focus on the central romance's sporadic twists and turns, the political storyline suffers -- a real disappointment to me, as the two arcs seemed to work so well together in the first season. The first half in particular often interrupts the continuity with breasts, Saito's appreciation thereof, and Louise's resultant disapproval. The shift toward politics in the second half feels like an abrupt temperature change at first, seemingly for the production team as much as we viewers, as the general organization of episodes seven and eight came across as a bit shoddy to me. When the suddenness levels out, however, we get a solid final four episodes. If you were a fan of the politics in the first season, hang in there; it's ultimately worth it.

Characters: I have two major problems with the characterization in Futatsuki, the first being inexplicable personality shifts. The first season gave us a surprisingly strong cast, and I looked forward to said cast developing further from where they left off, but this isn't always the case. Saito, for example, seems at times to have been demoted into your average, everyday pervert. Siesta's resolve to wrest Saito's affections from Louise isn't surprising, considering her acts of momentary boldness in the previous season, but her willingness to throw herself at Saito is a bit disconcerting. These divergences don't seem to be indicative of the kind of change one thinks of when discussing character growth.

Secondly, I didn't appreciate the marginalization of some characters. New characters Agnes and Julio ultimately earn our interest, but season one set Kirche and Tabitha up for a bit of explication, and we hardly see them at all this time around. I feel bad for Tabitha's seiyuu, having to make the trip down to the studio to record a grand total of three or so lines. With Tabitha and Kirche out of the way, it goes without saying that Guiche and Montmorency don't get much screen time, either.

On the other hand, those recurring characters who are further fleshed did good things for me. I couldn't help being interested in Colbert's history and plight, and Delfringher, who has to be the cleverest talking sword in all anime-dom, is even more hilariously pithy than before. Even Henrietta shows her many good and bad sides this time around.

Setting: Tristain Academy hasn't much changed, and, had the majority of the show been set therein, the place may have gotten old. Fortunately, we're introduced to a variety of locales as things move along -- a surprising number, really, considering how much of the plot is fanservice-centric (Saito doesn't let circumstances keep him down, so to speak). Our heroes visit such settings as an underground vault, a snowy mountain, and Louise's ample home, traveling between Tristain and Albion, the flying faux-Britain.

We also gain insight into the general level of technology with the introduction of Tristain's musketeers. Despite this title, the guns employed in Futatsuki are decidedly similar to rifles, in terms of accuracy; it seems that magic coexists with a higher level of technology than was previously made clear. By implication, this tautens the dynamic between aristocrats and plebeians, as those not gifted with magic are proven to be perfectly formidable marksmen. Perhaps the aristocrats' control is not as total as it seems.

Art: Futatsuki brings back the same clean, simple, Shakugan no Shana-esque art style as the original, retaining its reputation as the pastel equivalent of Shana's darkness and fire. Interestingly, the animation itself alternates between very good and shoddy, particularly where fight scenes are concerned, but it balances out in most episodes to be more than acceptable. I'm happy that J.C. Staff decided to forgo the use of 3D computer graphics in rendering flight sequences; such graphics have their place, that place being Last Exile and not here.

Sound: Based on music alone, I would have rated Futatsuki below its predecessor in the sound department. Music throughout the series often comes across as generic action fare, and besides, the opening and ending themes didn't do as much for me this time. Maintaining the score at 7, however, are certain scenes in which the voice acting is absolutely dead-on. Futatsuki's all-star vocal cast definitely delivers.

Verdict: Personally, I prefer my shows to be solid from beginning to end, rather than loaded with meaning, progress, and spectacle in the final four episodes. Either way, Futatsuki no Kishi turned out to be worthwhile thanks to that final stretch, particularly for a viewer who enjoyed the first season as much as I did. It's ultimately worth your attention as a follow-up to Zero no Tsukaima and a segue into the forthcoming season three, but be warned that it has its shaky spots.

As a sequel to the highly entertaining Zero no Tsukaima, I had expected a continuation of the first season with more fleshed out stories, more character development, and just overall better material than what Futatsuki no Kishi provided. Don't get me wrong, the second season doesn't fail, it still provides a decent story with plenty of comedy and lplenty of fan service to back it up, but what Futatsuki mainly lacks is consistency. I feel as though Futatsuki could have stood alone as an entirely different series, as it seems as though if the characters were placed in a situation where they met ... their first season counterparts, they would barely recognize themselves.

Story: 5
While I'd recommend watching the first season first (for obvious reasons), I think that really, it wouldn't be too hard to just pick up from here and start watching. This is one of the main problems involving the story as I mentioned in the introduction.

I'm almost convinced that in the Zero no Tsukaima world this time around, having boobs or liking them makes you dumb, as the only sane person in the anime for the second season seems to be Louise.
Furthermore, Louise and Saito must be the most beautiful couple to ever grace their land, as every busty female character seems to go after Saito, and the handsome male characters after Louise. For every episode, be prepared to find Saito coming into contact with the cleavage of at least one female member of the cast.

The story doesn't actually get serious until the last two episodes, where it feels as though these last few ones could pass off as a continuation of the first season. In fact, I'd say that this is really the only saving grace for the story, and although the ending invokes an awfully convenient deus ex machina to wrap things up, the last episode as a whole was pretty moving and even made me a bit teary-eyed.

The second season more or less has transformed the series into a pure harem anime relying on fan service and fan of the first season to keep viewers, and for this genre, it does well. However, I feel that since that the first season didn't quite have this degree of females throwing their naked selves at Saito, that it didn't really fit in terms of the story.

At times, it is as though the story contorts itself in ways just to have Saito in a situation with a girl such that if he was walked in upon, it would look really bad, and of course, who but Louise should always walk in on these times. At least during the episodes, the story does progress some, saving it from becoming merely a mindless harem/ecchi anime. It is unfortunate that the story is somewhat weak and ending lacks any real conclusion, but it is good (I hope) that a third season is in the works. I should mention that at least the humor in the series isn't too bad, and also, like the first time around, the story is really predictable, but still fun to watch regardless.

Art: 8
This series contains some of my favorite character designs of any anime, especially Louise, who is just adorable; the female designs cater perfectly to those watching for fan service, and the male characters are handsome, as well. Some rather impressive effects and animations are pulled off during the series, especially regarding spells (with the exception of Void Magic). The coloring of the characters is rather pleasant to look at, and the rosy cheeks of many of the embarrassed females (particularly Louise) give off an adorable effect. Overall, I can't say the art is among the most picturesque I've seen, but it certainly doesn't fail to impress.

Sound: 8
I personally liked the very beginning part of the opening song, but after that, it just turns into your standard j-pop number, not particularly bad, but it doesn't really stand out either. Also, it maintain what they did in the first season in adding sound effects to the OP for the last episode.

I'm sure that many people will find the ED to be ridiculously annoying, but I have to say that I thought it was adorable and very fitting (of course, since the OP and ED were made for the series, but that aside). It is basically the perfect embodiment of what the first ten episodes will be like.

Besides the OP and ED, the music wasn't too bad overall, and fit in pretty well with the respective scenes they were in. Additionally, the voice acting definitely wasn't too shabby, either, with an experienced cast voicing many of the characters.

Character: 7
This is perhaps one of the biggest drawbacks of the second season. It feels as though nearly all of the female cast hit their heads on something hard and now have an unquenchable desire to make Saito the object of their affection.
Perhaps some of the new transitions are understandable, such as Siesta's newfound boldness, as it was seen briefly surfacing in the last season, yet instances like Episode 6 involving Henrietta are just plain ridiculous and seem forced. It is fortunate that Louise maintains her character, however, Saito seems to have changed from the average (slightly more than average in terms of bravery though) teenager whisked from his home to a standard anime pervert who drools at every sight of cleavage he gets despite the fact that he is (somewhat unofficially) together with Louise. Thankfully, he manages to regain his old self in the last few episodes but it's rather distracting having this "new" Saito prancing around. It seems as though the characters have actually regressed, rather than grown and developed like they should.

The budding relationship between Louise and Saito is sweet and fun to watch, although it's greatly stunted by the rough humor that is placed into nearly every episode, and doesn't really make any real leaps or bounds until the last few episodes, although there are a few scenes earlier on that are rather...risque, almost.

It's nice that they added new characters, but most aren't properly developed, and furthermore, that means less of the characters that you've already come to know from the first season. They gave back stories to many of the characters, such as Tabitha, and it's a shame that they didn't build on them more. The one exception would be the story surrounding Colbert-sensei, but I won't go into details as to avoid spoilers.

In summary, it's all your favorite characters from the first time around (plus a few new ones), just a bit more comical and perhaps perverted than before.

Enjoyment: 7
More or less, I found that my enjoyment of this anime was hindered by the excessive fan service and it's new extreme harem feel it had that contrasted with the first season. If I had watched Futatsuki no Kishi for it being a harem, I'm sure I would have loved it, however, I was hoping for more of the goodness that comprised of the first season, and was rather letdown.

Overall: 7
By the end, I'd have to say that the only reason I kept watching was for Louise, and in hopes that the third season will be better. If you've viewed the first season and liked it, then you should definitely check out the second season; if you haven't seen the first season yet, then I'd recommend it to you.
The second season doesn't quite live up to it predecessor, but it's not too bad in whole. Just don't get your hopes too high up. Also, as a harem, it succeeds with flying colors.

Score: 35/50; C- (70%)

I will be very honest here: I enjoyed the first season immensley. I thought it was creative and unique, and proved that the story could get much, much deeper. Admittingly, I had very high expectations for the second season, and I walked away greatly dissapointed.
Art/Sound: Pretty much the same from the first season, but this time around it was very clear they spent more energy on the art than the story. As far as sound goes, it isn't memorable, but it is fitting for the right scenes.
Story/Character: I'll be brutally frank, there are about at most 4 ... episodes worth watching (possibly 3). A large part of the story this season revolves around a recently introduced character (Agnès Chevalier de Milan) who though is shown great detail, also portrays no growth whatsoever. *SPOILER: Expect character death because of her, and her not feeling guilty in the least, which most definatley led to me going "W...T...F?!" END SPOILER* If you are expecting a story about our main characters Saito and Louise, you'll surely be disappointed as I was while you watch them basically take a back seat.
On the topic of our main characters, I had expected some sort of change of character or growth from either Saito or Louise once the second season began. However, this is only evident in previoulsy stated 4 episodes worth watching.
Enjoyment: The only saving grace of this season is the final episode where Saito does something incredibly f***ing GAR (aka badass, awesome, etc.). That, and the promise of a new season. Those are the only two reasons to watch this.
Overall: If you decide to remain a dedicated fan (like me), watch it once, if for the story of the upcoming third season (and the final episode is pretty awesome). The art is at least pretty, and the humor (though occasionally dry and repetitive) should at least get a chuckle out of you.

Zero no Tsukaima: Futatsuki no Kishi (ZnT2 for short) is a sequel to the adapted anime Zero no Tsukaima and deals with their stories right after the first season's ending.

ZnT and ZnT2, for me, is generally a breather away from the harsher animes and just to have fun with (similar to how I treat Hayate no Gotoku!) but the 2nd season has improved greatly in terms of drama and, well.. deteriorated in some departments

This season is actually good but the respectable male lead, Hiraga Saito, has gone from manly guy to pervert, I mean seriously, this spoils a whole lot of everything. Whenever huge boobs ... show up, he MUST notice it. Hell I don't even remember being such a perverted guy when I was his age, I know he's a healthy boy but MUST HE NOTICE EVERY BREAST IN THE WHOLE WORLD? The second thing, Agnes, a new character, almost literally took half the season away from us with her arc, although it ended in a grand fashion that started a chain of other dramatic things.

Let's get on to the real thing:

Story

Well, in this review, I am mostly going to compare this season with last season and maybe some other shows too but I won't be comparing it to the higher standards.

The story is pretty average, the first arc, a girl has village burned, wants revenge, yawn. Its ending was rather epic win though, I have to admit. Second arc is about the war, this arc is quite a bit more awesome because of everything there.

There is pretty much nothing wrong at all with the story. I brief you no more, no less for it is pretty much that. The whole thing with Agnes, although pretty interesting, is not totally that great compared to the 2nd half. Seriously, I was thinking of giving this season a 6/10 with that arc but the 2nd arc totally turned it around for me, it was like the impact player in a football match that won the match for the team and that half did it.

There was also another aspect I liked from the series. The fact that the character development of the main pairing didn't take a full 2 seasons (AHEM Shakugan no Shana) really pleased me. Or maybe that was the novel itself. Either way it's still a contributing factor but that keeps the score at average.

6.4/10

Characters

I have always loved Hiraga Saito for his manly acts and healthy teenager behaviours because well, we don't get a lot of that in Animes. He's unique, you can say. For example, you can see he's not that generic when you see someone like Yuuji from Shakugan no Shana (although he isn't totally generic, you get the point) or some other wussy from some other Animes (although Yuuji is actually not a wussy after he got used to life with Shana)

Aside from the last badass episode that made him King Badass alone in the series, he hasn't gone all too badass himself.

Hiraga Saito has been, as I've hinted, toned down to a perverted badass (but not those bad people types who raep women) who cannot live life without huge boobies dangling around his life in every corner. If you are Hiraga Saito, you will encounter breast hams at every corner of the street. If you are Hiraga Saito, you are Dr. Boobs - no, you are Mr. Boobs. If you are Hiraga Saito, you will be beaten/exploded to death by over-used slapstick stuff from Louise.

Alright Louise is definitely a tsundere. I might be biased because I kinda like tsunderes when they get really dere dere (e.g Taiga from Toradora!) but trouble is she's almost tsun 80% of the time. The 20% of dere-ness are nice moments but then 10% of the tsun will come out from the aftermath of the dere which results in over-used slapstick which is getting frustrating sometimes. There are people who love this and I say to you,"DAT WAS FUNNAY LOL but please, the internet is serious business. I know you're joking with me >_>"

During the most dramatic episode I've ever watched in the series (which I cried at, yea lol I'm a sissy and I'm a guy), after the sweet moment, for no reason at all, Hiraga Saito said something about huge boobs. What was the result? Does he ever EVER learn? Louise makes him explode and we see another slapstick that ruins the mood YET AGAIN. Brilliant directing [/sarcasm]. The slapstick immediately reverted me from butthurt sissy mode to normal, a bit pissed mode. It had such a huge effect but they totally ruined it by including another routine slapstick crap. How charming.

There are also some absurd changes. Siesta, from a good and like-able girl, has gone to a camera-whore, almost literally. She is not afraid to walk around in a bunny suit with cleavage in front of Saito because, oh, you know, it's for Saito and she's convinced slut = win.

The queen is still the same like-able queen. She hasn't changed much and all her actions in this season has not made me note of anything different at all. She's still the same queen in my opinion, the only time Henrietta went totally ballistics from her original character was in her ploy to draw out an enemy and that was actually justified so it wasn't too unexplainable to me (aside from, oh.. you'll see).

Then new characters Julio and Agnes. Julio, to me, is one of my favourite types of stereotyped characters. He's the cool-headed nice guy who knows everything. He knows what and what not to do and is knowledgeable in the arts of teasing too. In a sense, you can compare him to the cool guys from other romance Animes you know (e.g Ikuto from Shugo Chara, Nomiya from Honey & Clover) but he generally radiates more friendly aura than most of them.

Agnes however, is a different case. I didn't care much about her. Oh sure if she was more beautiful I'd pity her more but that still didn't justify the ridiculous amount of screentime her repetitive story got. I know it's impressive and all that your village got burned and shitloads of revenge is stuck in your mind but why take more than half a season? The arc's ending was awesome though, Agnes in my opinion is not really needed, she comes off as someone you don't even care about at the end of the day.

Then previously focused-on characters like Kirche and Tabitha are left out a lot more with the long arc although they were both regulars in the first season, that's a real pity given that Kirche was definitely a fine favourite of mine. It's also a pity imagining Tabitha's seiyuu going through all the trouble as going to the recording sessions and only to record approximately 3 lines an episode (and I'm being generous here).

The quality went more down-hill than it went up-hill for me, 7/10

Art & Music

The art is still very much the same, Shakugan no Shana-esque maybe, since the whole cast does seem Shana-like and even the animations too. The art is OK and deserves a pat on the back for fine consistency.

The music is also well done. I am planning to get the OST sometime later but honestly, I still find SnS and Toradora!'s OST to be better (I'm only using those 2 animes because they are both tsundere-themed and feature Rie Kugimiya as well). The music was well-suited for everything. From the silly and funny moments, to the overtly-over-over-over-over-used slapstick to the saddening dramatic moments, it blended well. Usually it takes good emotional music to make me cry with a scene and this Anime is probably the 2nd one in my book. Maybe that's because I watched the whole thing in one go and maybe because I don't really like watching fully romantic stuff (e.g La Corda Passo D'oro).

The voice acting was not bad. Kugimiya Rie has lived up again to her title of "Queen of Tsundere" as her voice brings in the adjectives pampered and childish into mind, just like how Louise acts. Although I didn't like Yuuji's voice in SnS (who has the same voice actor with Saito, if you haven't a clue) too much when he's hurt and doing stuff (you know, the cracks and the heaves and the hos and the breathing in breathing out when he's shouting and/or yelling) but Saito's voice is really well done. No fault there. Other voices didn't bother me either. Excellent ones in my opinion are Henrietta, Colbert, Kirche, Julio, Siesta and probably her cousin.

8/10

Direction & Enjoyment

Now here lies some problems:

I have no goddamn idea.

What the hell is up with the boobies.

I mean seriously. I see boobies everyday and I don't go around staring at them perversely every single day of my life. That is how Saito has degraded into, your everyday huge-boob-lover. I cannot get what the hell is the obsession with boobs that this guy has. I know he's a healthy kid, but please know more shame, what the hell are you doing staring boob after boob as if you're on a relentless task of seeing every big boob you will ever encounter in your life?

And what is the after-effect of this boobspotting sport you ask? Oh I don't know, ANOTHER ROUND OF OVER-USED SLAPSTICK MAYBE? This ruins the mood. Especially in some episodes when Louise went dere and they had a nice couple moment with each other, boobs are mentioned or something akin to that and boy oh boy, here comes the wonderful slapstick. Go to hell slapstick, it was kinda funny the first time but not the 300th time (for example, in season 1 episode 9 where she drank the love potion, there was slapstick at the end, I could live with that, it was reasonable, what is NOT reasonable is the f-ing ridiculous reasons she would beat him up for). Some people love this, I don't get it, the joke's on me huh?

The drama is also very good ever since the end of the first arc. It was especially in its prime at the grand finale (that was the one that made me cry). The other ending of the first arc was also really sad to me. The new-found dramatic points in this season, when compared to the first season's drama, is a great improvement.

The relationship though, is progressing at a good pace but in some cases almost totally ruined by, again, you must be bored of hearing this from me, the "I has a boobs trauma because I has a flat chest and Saito is a boob fetish LOL!" slapstick. Sigh, so low.

Almost every time, the direction turns to huge tits. I don't get what's so funny about huge tits being shoved around my screen the whole day. I know tits are great, tits are fun but STOP SHOWING ME TITS PLEASE BECAUSE I WANT ANIME, NOT TITS. If I were looking for tits I'd go to a bar or something. Hell even Shakugan no Shana never focuses that much on Yoshida's TITS, except for Shana-tan Returns because, well, it is a PARODY so they focused on her ridiculous boobs but in the normal episodes, her tits are not mentioned a million times. The first season had a number of tit-savoury mentions but those weren't that bad. The director must've looked at the storyboard and said,"Hey! WRITER! WE NEED MORE TITS DAMMIT! ANIMES AREN'T MADE WITHOUT TITS YOU KNOW! What the hell is anime without TITS GODDAMIT? Oh I know, stinker anime!" Go figure.

You director, must have a huge boob fetish to make the series become a boob-fanatic festival. You know you could just go to those sites and quench your thirst but don't put tit after tits up the screen and make even worse slapstick jokes.

8/10

Overall: 7.7/10 (not average)

If you've liked the 1st season and you like drama, the last half of the season will totally redeem everything you've watched in the first half but just watch the whole thing because it's not really itself without watching the whole thing.

I know lots of people are saying the 2nd season is far less superior than the 1st season but the last half of this was worth the score because I love teh drama :)

In any case, if you love the drama in season 1, want more Saito x Louise-ness, totally gay for boobs and over-used slapstick, you will definitely like (or maybe love) this season, depending on your preference because some people think the first half was too much crap for the other half to handle and blah blah blah so who knows, it's pretty much preference. I recommend you try it first. I only love the last half of season 2 more than season 1 in general because of all the built-up drama but the score suffers from the immediate boring old slapstick right after the effective drama. Meh -_-

On the other hand, if you hate every Tsundere character on the face of the Earth, hate season 1, hate drama, hate the love-hate relationships of the couple (Saito and Louise), totally despise slapstick and are traumatic of huge, surreal and impossible boobies and the booby-watchers, then you will hate this season 'till you cringe

tl;dr 1st review
kthxbai!

I will assume that, if you are reading this, you have watched the first season of Zero no Tsukaima. Also, the review contains spoilers for the first episode of the series and relationships further down the line.


The first season of Zero no Tsukaima was an enjoyable experience. I admired the way it juggled character development and the small but steady reveal of the main plot. The first season is extremely solid and, by the end, I felt satisfied. It is charming, cool and, most importantly, engaging.

The ending especially was shocking to me. Going in I already knew this series had four seasons and I ... expected the love relationship between Louise and Saito to be stretched out until the last season, with small tidbits of development here and there. What I didn't expect was to see them kiss at the end of Season 1.

"I get it now!" I thought, "I understand why everybody praises this series!"

I didn't see the warning signs in front of me.

Excitedly, and almost immediately after finishing season 1, I started watching Zero no Tsukaima: Futatsuki no Kishi. The first episode is sublime (or at least so I thought). It is basically a long send-off to one of S1's main gimmicks: the Harem element.

I don't particularly enjoy harems, and the Harem elements in S1 were no exception. However, I sat through it because the world and characters were so interesting I just couldn't stop watching. Going into S2, I knew the series' mystique wouldn't trump the Harem elements if there were any.

That is why I enjoyed Ep1. Having Louise chastise Saito for oogling or supposedly flirting with the other girls that, in S1, were potential love interests was a neat concept and, without the incredible power of hindsight, seemed to me, initially at least, a kind of send-off to the Harem in S1. I really can not be blamed for thinking this way, the episode seemed structured to give off that idea.

From that episode on, I was hooked. I expected the series to leave behind the immaturity of the love relationships in S1 to portray a more mature and realistic love dynamic between Saito and Louis and, maybe even use the other female characters as more than just love interests for Saito.

My disappointment when I realized this wasn't the case was unmeasurable.

The Harem element persisted. Louise and Saito's relationship seemed to reset and all the progress done in S1 was flung out the window. My initial prediction about the love relationship in the series seemed confirmed.

Now, I know what many of you might be thinking. "You shouldn't criticise a series for what YOU want it to be." And you are right, I shouldn't. However, I believe that this forced Harem, persistent up to the point I watched, hinders the storytelling and makes the humor of the overall series stale.

As regards storytelling, the story matures and the plot thickens (that is the political and mystery plots), but the Romantic storyline doesn't follow suit. This dissonance between plot lines is jarring. One second you are hooked with political maneuvering and the next you are bombarded with a useless and unnecessary scene of a ship being teased. The overall quality of the show is damaged as I can not enjoy the intriguing scenes of the main storyline without being reminded of the substanceless Harem.

I am aware that the Harem element is one of the main attractions of the anime, but, in this particular case, I feel it is misused.

As regards humor, all the jokes seem reliant on Louise becoming jealous of another girl for flirting with Saito. The formula goes as follows:

Saito showing interest in another girl + Louise becoming jealous
=
Saito being blown by an explosion

I swear every joke plays out this exact way. There are some outliers, but for the most part, they are all like this. I don't have to stress how boring this becomes after a while. The joke wasn't even that funny, to begin with.

Those are my thoughts in regards to the fatal flaw in Zero no Tsukaima.

I will address the other points of critique of the series in a more "rapid-fire" kind of way.

Tha animation is good. The character designs are distinct and memorable and everything flows quite smoothly. However, it isn't outstanding.

The main storyline, the one regarding the war in Tristain, is good. However, as previously stated, it can not be fully enjoyed.

Finally, most female characters are boiled down to love interests for Saito. As a result, they all come off incredibly weak.

All in all, Zero no Tsukaima has potential. However, by focusing on the Harem instead of the infinitely more interesting elements it presents, it falls flat on its face and becomes boring after a while.

This isnt a review as such, but a comparison to the first season (as this is what i wanted to see when i was looking whether to watch the second season or not)

well the advantages is that its a continuation of the anime - so you see the characters again, more action, romance etc. theres also more characters (which are more your confidence determined rock solid women), you find out secrets, and the princesses character is developed more.
i found the animation more crisp in the second series as well. the storyline at the end was more emotional and more action in the second season as ... well.
it did still continue the good humour, storyline and humour too.

however, there were many set backs.
firstly the humour was much more ecchi. (though that could be an advantage for some). some acts got a bit tiresome after a while (mainly the constant whipping of saito).
also i thought the characters changed slightly - particularly saito, who - in the first season - was your average kind, lovable character who's in love, changes to become quite perverted in the second season to the extent of annoyance, and start to question whether he really loves louise or not. on the other hand he becomes more serious at the end which makes up for it. another major change is siesta - the once gentle, kind, shy servant girl now becomes the determined rival to saito's love, which is quite annoying.
also, some characters in the 1st season - tabitha and kirche especially, are hardly mentioned. their character (as well as louise) is hardly developed compared to the first season.
personally the storyline was was worse than the first series - though that is expected as its hard to develop after youve had the good old girl meets boy and falls in love. the romance is still there, and does develop slightly, but is not focused on much (except towards the end), instead there are 2 other arcs, which seemed a bit too much to juggle in the one series. the overall storyline was quite predictable, apart from the end (which was pretty good and made up for the past).
the action was more guns and machines centred rather than magic, and rather than school-based, it is battle-based. (though that again, could be an advantage)

overall, the second series was pretty good, though it lacked ever-so-slightly slightly compared to the first season.

Length: 12 episodes
Original Airdates: 7/07-9/07
Demographic: Seinen
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Ecchi, Romance, Supernatural
WARNING: Contains several HIGHLY sexually suggestive moments.... though no nudity.

Plot Synopsis
This sequel is a continuation of the previous season, not long after the war. Louise and Saito seemingly getting along now since she knows that he had given up his only chance to return to Tokyo for her. The story continues as Louise begins to use Void Magic from a mysterious secret book she had recieved from her majesty Henrietta, while a new villain has appeared in town causing trouble.
(From Anime News Network)

... Personal Opinion
This is another one of those "shift in quality at middle" animes. Though this time the shift was HUGE...
Okay so first thing first... the cons... and the biggest one of them all...
THEY CHANGED THE EFFING CHARACTER PERSONALITIES!!!
I mean in the first season... Saito was the typical lovable loser... he rarely did anything to make us not like him... This season... it's all different.. he's a HUGE perv.
As for the other personality change, that would be Siesta... she goes from a good friend to the object of jealousy. Also other characters lose their spotlight, especially Tabitha.
The other con that i'll mention is the objectionable scenes. In the 4th episode there was moment towards teh end that could be described as "hentai with clothes on". Again this much ecchi elements weren't in the first season
And more of personal peeve... the relationship btw Louise and Saito doesn't seem to advance AT ALL!!!
Now for the pros
When the show got into the 2nd half of the season... it became REALLY good. It added drama elements and action. In fact episodes 7-9 had probably one of the best arcs i've ever scene. The finale was also quite good... quite epic and moving.

I'll still be watching the 3rd season... hopefully it'll be more like the 2nd half of this season...

So overall..
1st half - 5/10
2nd half - 9/10
leading to...
7/10

Similar to...
Same list as first season

Everything I said of the first season applies for this second season, except that there are less "laughing times":

" The story is another cliché that we've seen a lot and this time it really is bad. The main story has as many plot holes as you can imagine (without taking into consideration how bad it is itself). The visual quality is really bad taking into consideration that it's not that old of an anime.
The character development is almost non existent and for the ones that do develop it is really bad. A lot of characters make an appearance without the proper relations to the story ... and that makes it almost idiotic.
Except for one case, everyone is either good or evil so you know where it's going to end with anyone.
The music is really stupid and even though it goes with the "atmosphere" of the show it could have been a lot better (believe me, I'm being pretty generous).

Nevertheless, the reason I enjoyed his show despite all and every bad aspect is because of it sense of humor. Almost every episode had me laughing and thats the only reason I finished it.

So if you really don't mind those incredible bad aspects and you want to laugh a little then give it a chance."

Cheers! To a seconds season with more explosions than a Michel Bay movie! No but seriously that school should invest in bomb suits…

The story of the second season seems to be a lot more aimed at character development under the impending situations that is picked up where season 1 left off. Despite all that’s going on, there still seems to be a lot of times you’re not sure if you’re watching a bad harem, magical romance or cringe worthy comedy. However within all this, it was much better paced out than its prequel even so, there are the occasional parts that a very easily predicted

The ... art and styles at first glance don’t seems to have changed much. But upon closer inspection background and scenery seem to be a lot better than simple cell shaded pigments that look like an elementary schoolers painting. Effects on magic usage in some elements have not changed where others, namely fire and… explosive void failures, have been given a bit of love in the effects boosting.

Music took the leap of a lifetime and it seems to have paid off. There is so much more original music in this than its predecessor and its very pleasing to note. The action episodes lasting over the space of a few episodes each instead of 3 in 4 episodes, allows us to take in a better lot of musical pieces at length instead of being given a large chunk of half minute sample sounds.

Character development is a lot more in depth in this season with a few new faces and significantly more family back story for both new and old characters alike. You will come to laugh, cry and even detest some returning characters while their pasts get explored more and new characters that have a deeper bond, with the older ones, than you may think.

Overall enjoyment was very off on at the start but almost brought me to tears in its finale… Only to have it ruined by an incredibly stupid ending. Was it supposed to be comedic? Because it backfired, majorly. Anyway, throughout the 12 episodes, it will make you laugh, it will make you cringe and it will make you wonder how stupid can the writers make a character. Even still, it was a major step up from season 1

To be honest , i was quite shock at how well the second season is . Even though i hate when the fan service events pop up because i felt like these fan service on Zero no Tsukaima always happen like every 5 minutes . I don't hate fan service . What i hate is how many times does these fan service always shows up . If it were like 4-5 times , i wouldn't mind . Although this fan service stop a bit after a bit of episodes . Anyway , back to the review .

Story:8
The story on the second season tells us ... after the events that took place on the first season . Louise now know that Saito have given up on coming back to his own world . Not long after that , Louise receive a message from the queen herself about the war with Albion . New villains . New comrades . More fan service . More cute adorable female characters . What could go wrong ehh ? Anyway , compared to the first season , this one improved a bit on the story plot .

Art:8
The arts and animation are the same as before . Does have some beautiful animation . Again , the arts for the character here does have some flaw that i wish they will improved it on the next one .

Sound:9
Same voice actor and actress . The OP and ED were nice . I like the OP better because it have this thrill effect when i hear it .

Character:8
The characters from before were shown less on this time . I guess they trying to focus on some new characters maybe . Not that i mind or hate or anything . Now , they presented us with some new characters like Louise sisters , Cattleya and Eleanor . Cattleya was the nice sister type while Eleanor was the 'Not gonna show my true feelings' sister . Basically , it means what she did may seems harsh , but she just want to protect her sister . You will understand when you watch this . Anyways , there are a lot of new characters here but the one that did make me cry because how well it was made is gotta be Jean Colbert . His death was enough to make me feels sorry for him although he was only as a secondary character . The characters plot was fine and all .

Enjoyment:9
I enjoy this anime just fine . From the first till the last episodes . The comedy here are as always funny . With how stubborn Saito is with his huge boobs problem . Not to mention how many times did Louise smack him , electrocute him , whip him , you name it . Saito just doesn't learn the point here . Never mess with Louise . Like i said , more fan service , a lot of funny events , does have some crying moments and an epic battle at the last episodes .

Overall:8
Does have a lot of improvement than the last one which i gotta give them a credit for doing that . If you love the first season of Zero no Tsukaima , then you will love this one without a doubt .

Well for starters let me just say that I've just recently gotten into watching anime. As a 17 year old boy, I never really figured that this show would appeal to me. In fact, when I listed the few that I had watched and liked people tried to dissuade me from this genre.

I ended up watching it after marathon watching TTGL and Code Geass for the first time, and then feeling really depressed at the end of both of them. I wanted something silly yet enjoyable and I figured I would give this a try.

At the beginning of season one I was like... lame. I ... can't stand Harry Potter (bear with me, I'm not saying its a Harry Potter knock off), so I was kind of put off by the whole magic school thing. But I stuck through it and ended up watching the whole first season in two sittings. After the first few episodes the characters start to develop a little more, as well as the story. By the end of season one I was watching it for the story more than the comedy.

But enough about season one. ZnT: FnK took what the original season did with the story and made it 10x more thrilling and enjoyable. They kept the silliness exactly where I wanted it the whole time.

I'm not ashamed to say this: by the end of FnK I was extremely emotionally invested in this shenanigan fest. Obviously I don't want to give anything away, but the end of this season had me on the edge of my seat, obviously not in a way Code Geass did, but in a less serious but just as enjoyable roller-coaster ride.

Anyways, I know nobody probably reads reviews for this season, because you'll only be watching it if you saw the first season and liked it, but in my opinion this one blasted the first out of the water.

Now I'm conflicted though... how am I supposed to enjoy season 3 knowing its the last one?

Honestly I love the ZnT series, there's just something about it, I can tell it wasn't some rushed second season, they actually sat down and planned it. What I liked most was that they found a way to continue the plot in a way that continued the first one with the war, I'm just glad they didn't make a whole new story that came from nowhere which can be an easy mistake to make and people should really apreciate that more. Some people like to nit pick at it and complain but thats just because they want to have something to whine about, if one ... things fixed then something else is wrong, just be happy we're getting more seasons. The ending really got to me, I loved seeing them finally admit how much they really care for each other, and what saito did (not spoiling it) almost made me and a lot of other people cry. while there are some smaller stories within the story going on I say just use your brain, a lot of people wanted depth now there's a little and they can't handle it, make up your minds. ZnT is great for everyone if you want laughs prepare to fall over rofl-ing, if you want a good story this one is well thought out, and if you want characters that are almost real then you're definately in the right place. Idc if there are animes with similar plots out there because this one does it right, time and effort were put into it, so sit back and just go along for the ride. btw stop complaining about louise whipping saito, it has never failed to make me laugh and I find it almost a must along with blowing him up.

Futatsuki no Kishi, the second season of Zero no Tsukaima takes us back to the magical world where Louise and her familiar Saito continue their adventures. The first season was pretty entertaining and that hasn’t changed much in the second one either. The problem with season two is that most of the episodes follow an individual plot and build up the main storyline slower than what we have encountered in season one. There’s action going on, sure, but the whole bang starts during the last few episodes. Some may not care as much, but it will undoubtedly turn off a couple of less tolerant viewers.

Surprisingly ... enough, Saito and Louise’s relationship hasn’t changed much. From the very first episode it seems that they’re back to square one and Louise quickly goes back to whipping Saito as if nothing ever happened between them. I didn’t appreciate the lack of progress very much and Saito doesn’t help much either: even though he confessed his love to Louise, he keeps staring at other girls’ boobs and keeps the perverted thoughts coming. There are some nice little touches here and there, and there are a lot more significant scenes that depict the intimacy between Saito and Louise.

There are also a couple of new characters introduced and some really add some edge to the overall feel of the series. First you’ve got Louise’s sisters Eléonore and Cattleya, who seem to start playing a significant role in the anime, but are later overlooked and neglected. Cattleya is of more of a gracious and good willed character than her other sisters and only resembles Louise due to her pink-coloured hair. Eléonore, on the other hand, is just as scornful and arrogant as her younger sister and she’s even got her own whip!

By far the best character introduced is Agnès, the captain of Henrietta’s musketeer force. She is portrayed as being a tough military leader and her skill in swordsmanship is quite impressive. Many will consider her as being a tomboy and she does have a small story arc going on for a couple of episodes. Her presence throughout the anime is indeed significant and she does give the audience a nice break from Saito and Louise’s tiring situation. Another new character would be Julio Chesaré, a transfer student from Romalia who starts showing affection for Louise, which in turn leads to an interesting and funny conflict between him and Saito. There’s an entire episode devoted to his development as a character, but he turns out to be of little importance after that.

The most negative thing about season two is Siesta’s character, which is completely butchered throughout the entire series. Many will recall her as the goodhearted love interest of Saito and a lot actually preferred her to Louise during the first season. There’s an obvious change this time around, though, and the character is completely butchered in season two. The kind and delightful girl suddenly turned into a lying and manipulative bitch that will do anything to sabotage Saito’s relationship with Louise and win Saito over. Not nice, not nice at all.

As mentioned before, the story doesn’t progress too well and there are a lot of things that lack balance and don’t make too much sense. It’s still entertaining, though, which is always a plus, especially when you’re talking about anime. There are also a lot more ecchi scenes during season two – there are never enough anyway! The final episode is much more powerful and climatic than the one in season one and there’s a lot more emotion involved this time. There really isn’t any reason to skip Zero no Tsukaima: Futatsuki no Kishi if you’ve seen season one and there’s enough entertainment to keep it from failing, even though it’s not as proficient in substance as the first season was.

Season in mainly
about the war between Albion and Tristain. But don't understand this wrong,
Its not ALL war. Because there is Comedy in this anime (LOTS OF IT) and it also
has its serious and intense moments. And some moments were you just think WTF!
this anime has it all! An amazing story, good art, and most importantly, well
something That I feel is important that a lot of animes lack,
Deaths of characters that you just love. Now dont get me
wrong, I'm not for characters dying, but it gets all too boring when
you can predict what happens in an anime. and this is not one of those animes.
which is ... exactly why I love it so much.

The Genres of this anime or season are; : Action, Adventure, Comedy, Ecchi,
Fantasy, Magic, Romance, School life and of course Harem!
Now that is a lot of genres. and usually I dislike having many genres in an anime
especially because it confuses me quite often, its understandable for animes
which have a lot of episodes like Naruto. But for a 12 episode anime to fit
this much in one season its really hard to do, or better yet, its hard
to make it work well. But despite all that this anime did a really good job.

Next im going to be talking about the soundtracks and the music,
Im not sure about all of you, But this is something for me that is really
important in any anime. If the music is not good and cant suit a certain
mood, I probably wont watch the anime, Unless the story has me blown away.
Music is what adds emotions to not only animes but also movies,
This anime did a very good job on soundtracks and how they used them
So in the field of Soundtracks and Music I give this anime a 9/10
The reason why I didn't give it a 10 is because my mind functions a little
different and I think other instruments could have been used. I will show
you guys an example of what I mean by that. So I will take a soundtrack
that is the same piece, but is played with a different tempo and different
instrument, Some of you might know this soundtrack.

Here is the First Sound track:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Zj4VQy9k30

And Here is the Second:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKYquaCRfIg

So I hope you understood what I meant by that. Moving on.

Next is my perspective on art.
The artwork on this anime was all too good, It could have been better,
But in my opinion it could have ruined some parts in this anime, so staying
in between cartoon and a little more than mid realistic was a good choice
so Artwork gets a 10/10

Next I want to mention the characters. While watching this anime
I felt like there are a few characters that should not have been added.
or at least should have had a different attitude to what they have.
But progressing further into the anime, I did not feel this way any more,
mainly because I got used to it, and also because I started thinking that
this anime would be a little suckish if they were not there.
Characters get 9/10

Next will be the enjoyment:
I feel that this is an anime that anyone will enjoy, while watching this anime
I did not once look away to play with my rubix cube, or start kinda drawing
on my desk or the nearest piece of paper like I would usually do,
It was interesting and enjoyable throughout, there was never any boring
moments at all
So enjoyment also gets 10/10

Lastly I would like to mention the actual story,
There has not been a single anime that has less than 26 episodes in one season
which is this breath taking. This anime is absolutely amazing and I cant believe
that I hesitated to watch it for almost a whole year now. Absolutely incredible,
there is not a single word which can defy how amazing this
anime really is, Because it truly is amazing!
10/10

And overall rating for this anime is a 10/10

I was reluctant to watch this series. It was on my to watch list for about a year. But tonight i've watched the first two seasons through and through and now i'm telling myself that i should have watched this so much sooner.

The story really reminds me of fullmetal alchemist brotherhood. And in a lot of ways it is. To simplify, Zero no Tsukaima is like an opposite of fullmetal. Where fma had a lot of action and little romance, this has a similar story that is heavy on the romance and light on the actual action. And there's a purpose for this. Fma ... most likely had a budget 2 maybe 3 times as big as the producers here. Thus we don't get a masterpiece like fma but it's still a really well done anime.

But i do have some gripes with this show, especially with this season. It seems like most of the action at the end was really seriously cut off. The stuff you do see it pretty awesome, 1 v. 70,000, he kicks ass. But like i said before, the producers were probably like, "ok guys, this is really getting pricey, wrap it up!" but you know...in japanese.

Another small small gripe i have, is that i wish they would use the familiars a bit more like in a battle or something. The only ones we really see are the dragons...and the others are more of a plot device. And whatever happened to the fat kid with the owl...did he die?

Anyways, i think this is an anime definitely worth looking into if you're into romance with a good story.

Zero no Tsukaima Futatsuki no Kishi delivers everything and more than I expected from the prequel, the story it's basically the same but that doesn't mean it's bad, the art on this one it's pretty impressive with not so linear characters, Saito is much like a pervert but holds a little when Louise it's present, and Louise it's still a hardheaded girl and selfish brat that keeps abusing Saito.

Well you either love it or hate and so far I've liked it a lot it has outdone the first entry and with strong romance and comedy you have an outstanding anime and will always be one ... of the best.

The second season of zero no tsukaima poses a diffrerent story from the first whereby a battle is being fought between two major parties creating another epic battle towards the end of the series, with a similar cast and a few new entries.

The story was better than the first in my opinion, because it moves at a slightly faster pace not having to introduce too much on the characters. There's an even greater amount of romance in this series as well as drama. Again as the first it does not feature your cliched magic school academy in fact, it moves further away from that in ... the second series and focuses more on the war that breaks out.

The art was the same as the first so there int really much i have to say about the art of the series, other than it was flawless but not exceptional.

I personally loved the opening of this series it was so touching and sentimental, but again no insert songs(not that i remember), had there been any it would have left a deep impression on me since the drama and romance was much more significant in this series.

The characters carry on from the first story wth a few new ones coming in, for an anime with only 12 episodes i think they managed to give some depth to the new characters by focusing on them in certain episodes. In this series the relationship between Louise and Saito is brought out more and a level higherand this is especially evident towards the end of the series which was quite touching and sentimental, also there is a new couple which i won't spoil for you.

I definitely enjoyed this season if not more than the first, the comedy still prevails to quite a good level which does not interfere or make the story lok childish. Even at the end, i found it quite hilarious and suitable ending to the series, of course there are some questions that are left unanswered, but the fact that a third season is coming out already solves that problem.

Overall, The season was better than the first as they did not have to spend episodes introducing the characters again, however, as said of the first season, the series should be made longer as it lacks depth in some areas, but seeing that it is meant to be a romantic comedy its ok that there is a lack of seriousness in some cases, yet the true story is still brought out well with a good balance in the serious and comical side of the show, no doubt if you loved the first you will definitely enjoy this series.

Season 1: 6/10

The continuation of the 'Familiar of Zero' series, 'Zero no Tsukaima: Futatsuki no Kishi' fairs slightly better than the first season in some aspects, but not by much. The previous season had some problems with one of the said problems being an uninteresting story. Another problem to address from the previous season would be the uninteresting characters, however this second season makes an attempt to spice up the story, and it does itself some justice...

Story: 6/10
Much like the first season, the second season of the 'Familiar of Zero' series doesn't really have much of a exciting story. The story is still very cliched ... and predictable. The last episode of this season was a little like that of the first season, which lead to me saying, "Of course."
However to the shows credit, it did attempt to spice up the story by introducing a few new characters. One of these said new characters is named Agnes, a knight for Henrietta; the queen of Tristan. The show reveals that Agnes had a terrible past and is looking to seek revenge against the person that made her endure that terrible past.
This leads to one of the shows major fixes, which is character development.

Character: 7/10
If anything, the second season of the show revolves around the character development between some of the characters such as Saito x Louise, and Agnes.
Agnes wasn't that bad of a character, if anything she was probably the most memorable supporting character out of all of the other side characters. This is because the show teaches us about her past and what motivates her to achieve revenge.
But besides Agnes, what's REALLY refreshing about this second season is the development of the relationship between Louise and Saito. Despite this relationship building being mostly in episodes 4, 10, 11, and 12 of this season, it was refreshing enough. The love-hate humor is still there, but because of the development between Louise and Saito, it made the humor more enjoyable because it makes the person watching this think, "She really likes him, and she cares for him." and vice versa with Saito.

Art: 7/10
The art factor of the season didn't change all that much, there just wasn't anything spectacular and eye catching. However, a memorable moment, at least for me, would be the flash backs of Agnes's past with the scenes involving fire. Was it memorable because it stuck out like a black bead in a container of white beads? For me, this was the reason why it was memorable. The animation for this part of the season was just a bit better then the rest of the other episodes.

Sound: 6/10
Regarding the section of sound, there wasn't anything memorable or worth talking about. To the anime's credit, the sounds were used appropriately when needed and gave the scenes the mood of the situation.

Enjoyment: 8/10
Despite this anime still having flaws, I fairly enjoyed this anime. I really enjoyed the last three episodes where the critical point of development between Saito and Louise bloomed (see what I did there? You gotta watch the last episode to get it.) Despite the ending being sort of like deus ex machina, it was still fun to watch.

Overall: 7/10

This second season of 'The Familiar of Zero' is good. It fixes some of the points that were needed to be addressed in the first season. The points being character development, and art.
Though the show still needs to fix its mediocre story, sound, and character development of the side characters (with the exception of Agnes).

As much as I would love to recommend the third season of this show, I don't recommend it to everyone. I for one, being a fan of the show, watched the third season. The third season is similar to this second season of the anime, but with even more character development between Louise and Saito with the addition of an arc regarding a certain mage.
If you are a fan of the show and want to see the Louise x Saito pairing grow, I recommend you watch it.
If you aren't a fan of the show, I recommend you watch at least episodes 1~5 and maybe episode 7 of season 3. Who knows? You might come to enjoy it.