The Familiar of Zero

The Familiar of Zero (ゼロの使い魔, Zero no Tsukaima?) is a fantasy and comedy-oriented series of Japanese light novels written by Noboru Yamaguchi and illustrated by Eiji Usatsuka. The story features several characters from the second year class of a magic academy in a fictional magical world with the main characters being the inept mage Louise and her familiar from Earth, Saito Hiraga. The series has been adapted three times as an anime series. The first season aired in Japan between July and September 2006 produced by the animation studio J.C. Staff and directed by Yoshiaki Iwasaki.[1] The second season, entitled Zero no Tsukaima: Futatsuki no Kishi, was directed by Yū Kō and aired in Japan between July and September 2007. A third anime adaptation, titled Zero no Tsukaima: Princesse no Rondo, is produced by J.C.Staff, with Yū Kō as the director, and aired on Japanese television between July and September 2008.[2] A manga version drawn by Nana Mochizuki began serialization in Media Factory's manga magazine Monthly Comic Alive in July 2006.

On April 21, 2007, Geneon announced that they have picked up the English dubbing rights of the first season of the anime series and will be under the title The Familiar of Zero. The announcement was made at the 2007 Anime Boston convention.[3] On July 3, 2008, Geneon Entertainment and Funimation Entertainment announced an agreement to distribute select titles in North America. While Geneon Entertainment still retains the license, Funimation Entertainment assumes exclusive rights to the manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution of select titles. The Familiar of Zero was one of several titles involved in the deal.


Story

The Familiar of Zero follows the adventures of the protagonists Louise and her familiar Saito. Louise is a second year student at the Tristain Academy of Magic. In this world, those who can use magic are either mages or nobles.

Louise is terrible at magic, and can never use it the way she wants to. She is given the nickname "Zero Louise" by her classmates, due to the inability to use any of the four common magic elements, whereby a mage's power is determined by the number of elements they can use ranging from a single element, one (dot mage), two (line) three (triangle) and four (square). Early in the school year, the second year students summon their familiars; this is considered a special ritual where a mage summons their eternal protector and partner, which usually is some sort of magical creature. Louise manages to summon a human commoner named Saito Hiraga, leaving her totally humiliated. Due to the sacredness of the ritual, Louise is left with no choice but to reluctantly accept Saito as her familiar. She proceeds to treat Saito as any other familiar only worse, making him sleep on a bed of hay and beats him with a whip for little to no reason, among other things.

One day Saito challenges a noble who disrespects commoners (Guiche) to a duel. Saito is beaten badly at first, but once a sword was put in Saito's hands, he gained a mysterious power and with this power he is able to defeat the noble in the duel. Louise and Saito's relationship's develop during the course of the story. Together they face many mysteries and uncover unexpected truths, including the nature of Saito's mysterious power, and the truth behind Louise's inability to cast magic.