Insert innuendo with making lemonade or something.

Zero no Tsukaima F First Impression Grade: C-

My interest in Zero no Tsukaima isn’t so much in the show itself—which continues to not be all that interesting—but what it could mean for other long-running, multiple season, generally light novel-based anime. Somehow, Shana and Zero got final seasons, seemingly because it was inevitable rather than for any merits of their own. You might take this as a good sign that well established, once popular shows will eventually get to see their conclusions in animated. However, how much interest is there even left for them? As a moderate fan of both series, almost all interest faded in the 3-4 year gap since their previous seasons. Without much passion left for them, the shows feel anachronistic; relics of times when you couldn’t make a show without Kugimiya Rie.

If these shows fail (Shana doesn’t look like it’s doing so hot), what does it mean for their light novel brethren that are currently in limbo? Shows like: Full Metal Panic! (an episode last aired in 2006!), Haruhi (2009, 2010 movie, perhaps for reasons beyond their control), or Index (2009, 2010 if you count Railgun)? You might scoff and say: certainly at least Haruhi and Index will get continuations, if not completions, but who really knows? Perhaps I’m just worrying too much, but with each passing year I get more anxious for announcements.

Well, at least Seitokai no Ichizon, the show that itself proclaimed would not get another season, is getting another. Perhaps it really is too early to worry about things.

Off the top of my head, other light novel-based shows I’d like to see continued: Infinite Stratos (2011, and yeah I went there), Durarara!! (2010), Kure-nai (2010, do-over please), Spice and Wolf (2009), Denpa teki na Kanojo (2009), Maria-sama ga Miteru (2009), Baccano! (2007), Kino no Tabi (2003 anime, 2007 movie), Banner of the Stars (2005), Twelve Kingdoms (2003 ;_;). May as well throw Ben-to in there too, since a sequel seems highly unlikely.