ばか！バカ！　馬鹿ー月！

Hello, I was wondering how closely the anime adaptation of Zero No Tsukaima followed the light novel itself?

Also, how is it paced? I initially thought it was usually 1 season (~13) Episodes = 2 Volumes like Sword Art Online or High School DxD, but after watching To Aru Majutsu no Index's anime adaptation, I realized I was clearly wrong.

Also, would it be fine to watch the anime and then just follow on the light novel? I was fine when I did that for High School DxD but after I did so for To Aru Majutsu no Index, I felt a bit lost.

Thanks!

The answer is NO Their is spoilers and major plot (won't kill you but you would hate me ) in this so be careful. In spoilers= the volume were it happens

Seriously, the Anime doesn't really follow the LN. And this is why the LN is soo good!

the anime has mixed a lot of event and has cut a lot of parts, like when louise tries to find saito after fighting an army, or when saito goes in the past or when louise for the first time says to saito that she loves her ... etc....etc.....etc....

the main thing is also that many events that occurred in the second season should have occurred in the third season... and vice/versa

Well the story is way better in the novel. The emotions fells real, like when louise and saito tries to ignore each other to get the attention of the other (saito's explanation of louise being a cat is pretty nice too) ....when louise can't support saito being with other girls, or not taking care enough of her...etc... You really understand tsundere when reading it.

Oh and the forth season of ZnT in Anime isn't Volume 13 to the end. Except the first general plot, like the war at the beginning, saito getting a mansion with louise and saito being capture by the elves, noting is the same. The forth season isn't the real story.

I really recommend you to read the LN. It is the best LN, as for me. And it is so, way better than the Anime! Everything fells different and better! You won't regret it.

after season 1 the anime began to walk sort of a different path from the LN.

Season 2 was not thaaat bad but from 3 and after it became almost like a different series than what it started out to be.

A bit like comparing the anime Mahou Sensei Negima with the Negima?! spin off

After readying the last 2-3 translated novels and compard them with the anime I was quite upset over how much they mangled and rushed the story.

I suggest you to watch the anime to the end first and only then start the novel or if you read the novel first you will find yourself yelling at the screen " WRONG WRONG THIS IS WRONG!" in the anime