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After last week's pseudo-recap episode, Zetsuen no Tempest kicks up the gear. So many developments, so little time.

If I had one issue with Zetsuen no Tempest before, it was the pacing. No matter how interesting it got, it felt like the story was moving at snail pace. Just remembering how the first half of the series was taken up by the Hakaze-Samon showdown, makes me a little sad. Regardless, the story is now picking up and we've got a lot to look forward to.

Starting with Hakaze's crush on Yoshino, you just know the series is doing what it does best; exploiting the Shakespearean plot. Not only does this development have a lot to do with the future, it lends itself to many questions. Is this more of the Tree of Beginning's logic Could there be a reason she's fallen in love with him The answer to any questions regarding the fate of it all could be yes or no. This could be an overarching plot or it could just be a Shakespearean twist that we've seen before.

Either way, Yoshino is pulling ahead as the main character. Without doing much he's become suspected of being the mage of Zetsuen, which means he holds the fate of the world in his hand. His continuous role as Zetsuen no Tempest's potential villain is adding another layer of mystery to the series. Not only are we left guessing about Aika's murderer but we're also left with an impending sense of doom. As usual, Yoshino is the one responsible.

With the introduction of a possible mage of Zetsuen, we're finally moving towards the end. Whilst I don't think Megumu is the mage, I don't doubt his involvement in the story will be key later on. All the characters serve some type of purpose. The first 12 episodes could have fooled me into thinking Zetsuen no Tempest was a multi-cour series, so I'm glad to see progress. It'll be interesting to see how the plot develops.