Zetsuen no Tempest ~The Civilization Blaster~ ? 09

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One Shakespeare work isn't enough for Zetsuen no Tempest.

A part of me thinks that there is too much meta going on.

A direct comparison to Hamlet may not have been the most tactful of approaches for Zetsuen no Tempest to embrace. We've had the quotes, the comparisons etc. so we didn't need to hear Aika draw a direct comparison to the Shakespearian play. It's almost as if she outlined the rest of the plot for us; Mahiro and Yoshino will end up confronting each other in a violent. showdown.

The switch to The Tempest, wasn't all bad though. It does feel like an obvious way to switch things up whilst maintaining the central style of the series, but given the circumstance it works. Fate being on Hakaze's side will always have an impact on the story, and using another literary work to illustrate that point once more was perhaps one of the better ways to do so.

Shakespearian plot aside, the pacing actually made sense this episode.

Thus far Zetsuen no Tempest has struggled with remaining interesting due to its pace. At times almost snail-like, it became hard to watch it with high expectations. In this episode, the slower pace works because the tension and the plot developments were there to add some excitement. Overall, the series is still on the slow side, however for moments like the ones in this episode that's fine. For once I didn't ask the question, "When is this episode going to end "

Zetsuen no Tempest is getting better. Episodes like these are great for the drama and the tension of the story, which inevitably are its selling point. The characters are becoming more interesting, although Samon has been a bit of a useless character. He's potentially a weak link in this current arc - literally - because every time it feels like he's about to breakdown.

We're getting there. I still think Zetsuen no Tempest needs a "POW" moment to wake us up.