Grimoire of Zero

Episode 4

How odd that Grimoire of Zero's least eventful episode to date would end up being one of its most endearing. After weeks of expecting something a little more exciting and action-packed, I think what helped the most this week was finally letting go of expectations and settling in for the lackadaisical pace GoZ is determined to move at. I may have gone into this series expecting something a little more action-oriented, but it's clear now that this isn't really what the show is about. There are still some battles to be fought and quests to be undertaken, but at the end of the day, Grimoire of Zero is content to spend time with its characters and letting us into their lives. Whatever action or adventure that may occur is more or less incidental, or at least that's how it's felt in this series' first third.

I'm not kidding when I say that this is the show's least eventful episode so far, by the way. The story on the whole has no central focus this week; instead, it chooses to explore tiny vignettes as our heroes wander through the wilderness, fishing and chatting and bonding all the while. The final few minutes tease more dire events to be revealed next episode, but that's all they are – a tease. If I told you that this episode was about “Mercenary, Zero, and Albus travelling to the town of Latette”, I wouldn't just be previewing the story, I'd be giving a complete summary of the episode's plot.

But that isn't a bad thing. I don't know when I realized that I actually enjoyed this episode, but it was probably right around when Zero was teaching Albus to fish. Something about the story clicked, and it dawned on me that I actually enjoy these characters most when the show isn't trying to pretend that its main quest is anything other than perfunctory. The Grimoire that Zero is chasing after is a textbook MacGuffin, and now that I've come to terms with the fact that I couldn't care less about whether these guys actually find the thing, it's much easier for me to enjoy their aimless yet amiable wanderings. Albus has proven himself to be a very low-key kind of charming, and Zero and Mercenary's effortless chemistry is the strongest thing the series has going for it.

I still don't know exactly how old Zero is supposed to be, since her naivety and character design definitely skew a bit younger to me, but the show's efforts to push her and Zero's connection into flirtatious and romantic territory does feel more cute than creepy. Her desire to experiment with kissing on Mercenary could be all sorts of strange, since she has the proportions of a tween and Mercenary is a cat, but somehow the series makes their relationship work. I'll give this series the benefit of the doubt and assume that Zero is just one of those preternaturally petite adults that only exist in the world of anime.

The screenshot I took for this episode captures its successes and shortcomings in one convenient image. It's a little rough to look at and not terribly exciting, but it possesses a certain sweetness all the same. I still don't know where this story is going, or how much of it can even be told in eight more episodes, but having finally come to terms with what kind of anime Grimoire of Zero really is, I'm enjoying myself a lot more. I can't promise that will be able to keep me entertained for another two months, but for now I'm satisfied.

Rating: B

Grimoire of Zero is currently streaming on Amazon's Anime Strike.

James is an English teacher who has loved anime his entire life, and he spends way too much time on Twitter and his blog.