While watching this episode, I was reminded of another show that loved to pull off convoluted plots: Code Geass.
Code Geass’ plots left me hanging off the edge of my seat. Zetsuen’s plots make me nap until we get back to the romcom stuff. What’s the difference?
A big part of it, I believe, is how Zetsuen spends more time discussing the plot than actually executing it. Code Geass does the opposite. It plays its hand close to its chest, usually leaving the viewer in the dark. Then it looks like Lelouch is going to bite the dust, he pulls a remote control out of his pocket, presses the button, and the enemy fortress collapses. Say what you will about the logic of it all, but Code Geass was exciting. Zetsuen no Tempest, on the other hand, manages to make conspiracies boring.
Further Thoughts
I feel like it’s not a very bright idea to shoot one of your two kidnappers in the back when you don’t appear to have much of a chance of getting the other.
No wonder Hakase keeps staring at Mahiro’s ship.
…right…
I like the way they put the crumbs around his mouth. Makes the whole idea of him saving the world single-handedly look a heck of a lot more questionable.
Only in Zetsuen can the world be saved by cross-dressing.
About Code Geass, I definitely enjoyed that show more than Zetsuen. On an entertaiment-level the show always kept me wanting to watch the next episode. (Thank goodness I didn’t find this before it finished airing), but when I look at it at an intellectual level and step back, I realize there are probably enough plot holes to sink the Titantic. For Zetsuen there are definitely holes, but such meticulous detail is put into explaining everything that it tricks me sometimes into seeing it as flawless. In the end, that makes it less entertaining, but I wouldn’t say its boring. The music and the animation help somewhat too. I don’t know… To each their own opinion I suppose. As for me I’m too much swept into the show to be bored. This is my favorite show airing this season, with Shin Sekai Yori in close second and nobody’s going to change my mind. Code Geass is still the better of the two shows though.
Strike that. Shin Sekai yori is the best show now.
I’m glad you’ve seen the light. 🙂
Great point. Code Geass didn’t try to explain things so the flaws were much more obvious. But it was also much more fun.
For the most part, I think Tempest is entertaining too. Those few episodes talking at the log though… I started to lose my patience.