Retsgip’s Anime Blog

Darkshaunz conjures a Love Potion…
Score: 8.0/10

Hey guys, thanks for joining me this week as I cover the latest installment of Zero. It’s Summer Break in Hogwarts Academy it seems, and in this episode we follow the trials and tribulations of our favourite Master-Minion duo as they stay back at the academy during the holidays. We are also given more insight about quiet Tabitha’s quite shocking personal life, as Zerbst follows the Quiet, Blue-Haired Genius back to her estate. The theme of this episode is “Love Potion”, and so we are presented with some interesting events this week.

As usual with Zero, episodes start with the obligatory pwning of Saito by his voluptious pink-haired master. But his crime this time is kind of serious. Firstly, he is clasping onto Louise’s chest, after which he comments its not a big deal anyway, “Seeing as they are Flat”. The result is nothing less than painful, a swift elbow to the stomach and a knock off the high horse. Fatality. The two finally meet Zerbst and Tabitha, who were ready to embark on their journey to Mordor to destroy the One Ring, or to enjoy the summer vacation. Kirche, being the leering playgirl, makes sure Saito says goodbye to the “Twins” before she leaves.

Saito chooses a convenient location to “Nap”.

We are then treated to a scene where Kirche tries to make conversation with a rather Ice Cold Tabitha. As she has been protrayed all this time, she remains the Quiet Rei/Yuki Nagato type. We all know she’s Awesome/Overpowered with her insane magic skill. But I guess I really wanted to see her interact more with the other characters. The Directors are trying to project her as the quiet type, but hey, even Yuki Nagato talks and converses, and she’s pretty cool. Tabitha’s got some good character development potential, and as you will find out later, the writers are tapping into that quite effectively.

Not Shown: Something Exciting Happening.

So it turns out that there was a freak storm where Tabitha and Kirche were heading, and they have to take the long way now (OH SNAP). But thats okay, because Kirche has a very cheery, socially-able companion to which to pass time with. Or Not. Transition back to Hortwags Academy now, Louise is pissed! after the whole boob-smooching entangle with Zerbst, Saito must now pay. Which means only one thing, washing lolicious master’s lacey lingerie (though most would argue that is Hardly punishment). At this point, Louise starts to display some “Shana-isms” as in, she begins to question why she gets irritated whenever Saito talks or flirts with other girls.

In his heart, Saito LOVES doing this.

On his way out, Saito meets the two troubled lovers, Guiche and Montmomercy. The Blonde-Haired Romeo and Juliet ensemble of this series. Guiche aka Playboy is having some problems with his dearly beloved. As in, Montmomercy probrably walked in on the moron as he was feeling up an underclassmen. But as with all noble love, its mostly for show and we can tell Monty (My new short form for Montmomercy) really does it to lead Guiche on. After a short sparring of Bold and Beautiful lines, the two speed off into Darkness (Like Serious Darkness). After which Saito spots a Shiny Abandoned Rusty cooking pot. That’s right, its Rusty, yet it still Shines.

“No Ridge, I don’t want to hear your heartbreaking lies no more!”

Holy Shit Guys. Its a Rusty Old Cooking Pot!

Shiny abandoned Cooking Pots and Heartbraking Soapie tributes aside, we are tend shifted to Kirche and Tabitha. The two have finally reached Tabitha’s crib, which is like, Seriously Goddamned Huge (As in that mansion is the gardener’s house Rich). Turns out Tabitha has Royal blood in her AND her real name is Charlotte. Don’t know about you, but I prefer Tabitha. It is here that we learn that Tabitha’s father is dead, he got shot in the chest whilst duelling some other high level mage guy. Knowing your father got murdered whilst doing something honourable probrably sucks a lot, so yes, we can sympathize with Tabitha in this sense. We then get to see Tabitha’s mother, who looks like she has been to Hell and Back.

Welp, if this doesn’t scream MENTALLY UNSTABLE, I dont know what does.

Wait, there’s more! Seems that being Royal Blood has some disadvantages, for example having your Father murdered due to a Throne Power Wrestle, Having a Crazy Mother and also having Jealous Relatives wanting to see your pretty face on the topside of an Imperial Casket. Monarchy, seriously, they have nothing better to do but leech tax money and backstab each other in their free time. But hey, Mothers don’t go nuts for no reason. Seems like Tabitha’s mum paid the ultimate price to protect her dear Tabitha/Charlotte, namely, her Sanity. You see, Imperial Agents wanted to drive little Tabitha insane by offering her Crazy Juice Drink Imbued with Voodoo Magic (not really, but you get the gist). Realizing this, mother grabs Crazy Juice from child and Drinks it (Why not just jam it up the guy who tried to serve it?). So now she is cuddling a doll who she thinks is the real Charlotte, though the doll’s original name is Tabitha. Which is why Charlotte swapped her name into Tabitha.

She could have Ditched it, but she chose to End her Sanity. lol what?

Sorry, but only Kaede (Shuffle!) can pull that look off convincingly.

So we know why Tabitha is such the troubled child now, I’d be pretty Crazy if I had that kind of family. Which leads me to question, she’s got so much power. What she needs to do now is go commando on the people who were after her. Like I don’t know F-6 Tornado no Jutsu their estate or something along those lines. Holing yourself and becoming an anti-socialite does nothing to solve the situation, its time to spill some blood imo. According to her butler, Tabitha used to be a cheery little poppet, until the whole “lol your relatives want you dead” affair. In fact, they tried to indirectly kill her by asking her to SLAY a 3 headed Dark Dragon of +100 Badassery. Also, Tabitha looked a million times cuter and cooler with her old look. Now she looks like complete Fail compared to her old self.

The Old Tabitha, aka Superior Version.

Well we enjoyed two episodes of no Siesta the Desperate Maid. But it seems that we have to see her desperately try to get into Saito’s pants again this episode. Saito apparently turns the huge cooking pot into a traditional Japanese bath and Siesta decides its the perfect opportunity to seduce him. Now, for those of you who have actually watched it, you know I am demonizing her excessively, probrably because I think she sucks worse as a character compared to Yoshida in Shakugan no Shana (and Yoshida is unbearable). She’s so desperate, I bet she would /wrists if Saito asks her to, which is annoying as hell. They talk about how Siesta’s great grandad is kind of like Saito which will no doubt lead to some important plot device later on. After /sexing Saito in her mind, Siesta decides that whore time is over and she needs to get back to work.

Siesta’s Head makes for a good Arctic Warfare Target Practice. BLAM.

Now, Louise catches the both of them naked in the bath tub, and at this point I can’t help but feel sorry for our Pink Thunder. I mean, misinterpretations ahoy is one thing, but it was probrably what Siesta wanted. I can safely say that the look on Louise’s face is pretty distraught and nearly traumatic.

Kaede-chan would be Proud of you, Louise. Now grab that Boxcutter.

In her fury, Louise marches over to where Guiche and Monty are having their “Sorry I broke your Heart” dinner. Like all normal, rational and intelligent people, she decides that Alcohol is the magical fluid to solve her troubles. Alas! she didn’t know that Monty had tainted that glass of wine with a Love Potion, and our heroine mistakenly downs the whole lot like a champion. She then leaves the two lovebirds to their usual stupidity to take a champion’s rest in her quarters. Then as Saito returns, he finds that Louise is finally feeling the after-effects of the pot. She looks so cute in her tomato-faced high that I think she set a new record for Loli-Moe.

We got Defcon 6 on the Moe-dar. I watch Zero for this.

But thats not the end to it, Love-sick Louise goes all out as she really hits the wall with the drug. She reaches out to Saito in a slow-mo fashion that would make real life afternoon soapies seem like Child’s play. To me, this is the scene that made the episode and the Siesta bullshit all worth it. It’s also a pretty touching moment, as it gives Louise an excuse to truly project her feelings for Saito without any form of consequence. Louise proceeds to tell Saito that she loves him very much in her drunken haze and acts so dere-dere about the fact that he was with Saito. Saito, was of course so shocked the guy looked like he got struck by a Heart-Attack.

“Opportunity” - It only comes once. Muahahaha!

Monty then comes in to check on Love-Sick Louise and as expected, sees her all over Saito like Ants to Honey. The Episode then concludes with Tabitha having a horrible Nightmare about the night her mother took the Crazy Voodoo Juice in order to protect her. This is also another sad moment, but being the good friend that Kirche is, she decides to comfort Tabitha while she is asleep. A Solemn yet satisfying end for a series which has helped moved the series along plotwise, and of course, it was priceless to see Louise go Super-Tsundere.

Like Yuki Nagato, Tabitha looks waayy better without Glasses.

That’s it for this wrap up for Episode 8 of Zero no Tsukaima. I hope you enjoyed watching Louise get all drugged up and Tsundere as much as I did, plus seeing Tabitha’s crazy family also helped with the enjoyment. Next episode looks to be a real treat as we see how Lovesick Louise handles her current situation. Until then, remember not to throw out your old huge cooking pots.

Cheers,

Darkshaunz.