Zetsuen no Tempest – 16

The past few episodes were weird in how they suddenly focused so much on Hakaze’s crush on Yoshino. Compared to the first half of this show, it contrasted completely: here we have this serious series full of mind-screws and world-shattering conflicts… that gets followed by a happy romance story. This episode I think forms the conclusion to that.

Hakaze once again was hilarious, but this episode carried it even further. It showed how Yoshino indirectly used Hakaze’s powers because she was worried about him. From the outside this looks like a cheesy scene, but there is something that just does not add up: Yoshino is no idiot.

I love how, even though he’s the main character, we are not allowed to fully look into Yoshino’s head. The way he used the chain in order to slide to the other side, and just “ran” into that easily avoidable burning building… it’s like he was asking to be saved with magic or something. So we’re now at the point at which a person like him has full control over the end of the world. Hakaze confessed her feelings and will now be very, very heavily influenced by his actions. Oh boy. The question is now: was this on purpose? This show is evil enough to not give any confirmation or denial about this.

There are two series that are referencing classical literature this season: Psycho Pass and Zetsuen no Tempest. They both use it as symbolism, but in completely different ways. Psycho Pass occasionally mentions a classic and compares its own setting to it. Zetsuen no Tempest meanwhile is all about Hamlet and Tempest, using this symbolism to show the difference and similarities between the two works.

Also some really good animator was working on the scene where Yoshino rescued that child. Lots of creative movements!
Rating: 5.5/8 (Excellent)

9 thoughts on “Zetsuen no Tempest – 16

  1. A good episode. Although the relationship building between Yoshino and Hakaze is getting to be very annoying. I don’t think their is a main character in this show as this show cannot function without Hakaze, Yoshino, Samon, and Mahiro. Personally, I would like to see what Mahiro is going to do, as he’s probably the most interesting character.

      1. Ah crap, I forgot about her, you’re right though. The best part of this show is that there are so many interesting characters, Aika included.

  2. Ah crap, I forgot about her, you’re right though. The best part of this show is that there are so many interesting characters, Aika included.

  3. The Tempest is my favorite of Shakespeare’s plays so I was really happy when they mentioned it. That said, I can’t help but feel that the cast and plot mirror Hamlet more closely than The Tempest. Perhaps that’s the point. They’re in a Hamlet-analogy, heading toward tragedy and are trying to shift toward the happy end of The Tempest?

    1. That’s the thing—-is the title a troll or not? We know what Mahiro thinks about Hamlet, and is that point ironic in the end?

      Kind of superficially, love (though maybe not mutual) between members of opposing (or not? still unknown) factions is a pretty common theme, but that invokes yet another Shakespeare work, huh.

      Who knows where this will end, but for now I think Aika must rank highly in the list of characters that are dead before their series starts.

  4. I have lost interest in this show. It has devolved into a rom-com. The writers even pointed this out through Hakaze, but just acknowledging that there is a problem does not make the problem go away.

    1. It would be a problem if that is all this show became after it set us up for more. Since when did it drop everything else for rom-com? Stop being blind to how it ties in with everything else. The writers obviously know what they are doing. If it is that easy for you to lose interest in a show then you must not have had much interest in the first place.

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