Mahoutsukai no Yome

This is my first review. It's worth noting that this being my first romance anime, my perspective may be influenced by a history of predominantly watching Romance-Comedy. Chise, the main character in the anime, comes across as delicate, gentle, and somewhat oblivious to her own feelings. This can be occasionally frustrating as she tends to brush off her emotions by claiming not to understand them, only to readily express them when the focus shifts to others.. While the ambiance and music contribute to a captivating experience, the character development appears somewhat lacking. The main theme seems to stagnate intentionally, almost as if being deliberately prolonged.Elias, being a non-human entity, may struggle to understand emotions or empathize due to his nature. However, it's perplexing why he suddenly has to act like a tsundere, expressing jealousy and fleeing, which doesn't align with his character design. Sometimes, actions like saying 'Oh, my chest is burning' just don't suit Elias's character at all. They make it feel a bit forced, like they are applying romance reluctantly. For this anime with such potential suffered due to this aspect of the story. While the initial episodes were relatively effortless to watch, it became somewhat challenging as the story progressed. The jokes and dialogues began to feel repetitive. For instance, our main character, being weak, prompts Elias to repeatedly caution her to be careful. The girl responds with a nonchalant "okay, okay," but the incessant repetition feels as if a 10-year-old child is stubbornly refusing to heed advice. In another anime, this could have been executed more smoothly with better tones and delivery, but the girl's voice tone and expressions create an impression that she doesn't care, making it rather irritating.Okay okay I understand she's a girl who has been sold into slavery and is suffering from depression, but does she always have to wear a crying face? Some love scenes become intolerable at times. I'm not someone who watches romance anime all the time, but I can assure you that this anime doesn't make me say, "Wow, this is what romance is." I'm sure there are excellent romance anime out there, but in this one, I can't find anything to say like, "This romance anime is excellent; everything, from character development to the plot, relationships, connections, actions is logical and orderly." If there are other elements that kept me watching, it's probably my curiosity about the stories of characters other than our main girl. I can't outright recommend it. If you have time, you might watch it, but watching it at 1,5-2x speed might be good for your mental health at some parts because it can be challenging to endure. The flow of this anime is notably slow, occasionally even getting a bit tiresome. As I began watching it, I wondered how it could stretch to 24 episodes. Yet, considering its leisurely pace, it's no surprise; they could've easily made it a 48-episode season (or maybe they were going for that 'slow burn' vibe with less than 48 episodes)! It's up to you.

Firstly, this is not a series that I'll recommend to anyone or something that I think everyone will enjoy, but a series that I want everyone to at least give a try once. I also would like to mention that I categorize this more as an appreciation essay than a review for many reasons. With that being said, on to the essay! From the beginning, this series felt like one of those worlds where I could simply get lost in. The world and magic of this anime induce that sense of awe and wonder in me. It has folklore and mythologies from Celtic, Irish, Christianity,British, Shakespear, Russia, Japanese and probably from all around the world at this point. Ever since I was young, I've adored mythologies and folklore from all over the world. Even though I do not believe in the supernatural, I've always loved watching and reading about these mystical and supernatural stories that have been a part of all of our cultures for centuries. So being such a mythos and folklore nerd, one of the most irritating parts about this medium is how it likes to butcher those already amazing stories into cliches or obnoxious rubbish. The West is a bit more respectful most times, but not every one of them managed to capture me. Some of those series that did manage to capture me would be those little book/ film series called Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings. But even compared to those massively popular cliches, this feels better written and more authentic. Not only the mythos but the magic and alchemy too is beautiful. In a medium swept of fantasy MMO RPG worlds with your usual NPCs, your usual class systems and your usual elemental, buff, debuff magic systems you don't really see anything new being made. Because of that, every world and story has become oddly familiar. And no matter how good the story or characters are, the worlds have gotten stale. Or as Garnt said, "Magic ceases to be Magical". So compared to all of those The Ancient Magus' Bride (or MahoYome for short) feels or rather is a breath of fresh air. Magic of this world isn't something that only exists for destruction, it's something beautiful yet frighting and mysterious at the same time. It's never fully explained or understood and that's the beauty of it. The supernatural isn't painted black or white either. It's a phenomenon that can be good, evil or even both depending on various circumstances. Only the bare minimum information that's required is given. We don't learn everything about the world and its magic nor do the characters know about them. Even though beings who've lived for centuries exists in this world, they are still nowhere near understanding everything it has to offer. It's simply a world that exists and has existed for a very long time. Just like our real world. Exploring and learning about that world beyond my understanding is part of what makes MahoYome so compelling and fascinating. The well-detailed world only complements that marvellous magic in the series. Kore Yamazaki, the original mangaka has managed to craft a world that not only feels fresh but somewhat familiar too. The amazing attention to detail that has gone into the series from the architecture to the food and even to the bloody patterns in the train seats! These subtle things are what makes this world feels real and so captivating. One of the worst things a manga could do is to have an English setting with a traditional British cottage and someone eating a piece of Onigiri or a bowl of ramen in the middle of it. A lot of research and care has gone into crafting this little gem and a lot of praise should be given to both the mangaka and the animation studio for it. The magic and world-building are what captured me at first but that's not all there is to this fairytale. Tossed into this mystical world with no magical knowledge and with the help of her "mentor" character, our protagonist Chise Hatori learns more about the world and to appreciate the fantastical elements of it. Which does happen but later on in the story, you'll realize those were more of a surface level backdrop to the story, a pit of quicksand that looks solid until you start to walk into it. It's kind of tough, cause while some Anitubers and reviewers did break this series down to the bone and explain its amazing plot and characters, I kind of don't want to. If I were to do that, I'd reveal many things that initially you aren't supposed to know that will somewhat ruin the fun. But I will mention simple things such as a lot of the character designs in this series are very unique. The designs and character names all have mythological value to them, that reveal either backstories or parts of their characterization. The plot is somewhat monster of the week esque but it's crafted in a way that with happiness, sorrow follows. So it feels well balanced and will always leave you at the edge of your seat. Wit studio most certainly did a magnificent job with this title. They proved that not only can they do action-packed titles like AoT but they can handle some emotional and beautiful titles like MahoYome as well. With gorgeous animation that was followed by some magnificent music, the manga panels were truly brought to life. The inserts complement the animation and the mood of the story very well. Though I'm not one to watch OPs or EDs, this was one of the few instances that I did not skip them in a single episode. It's also mind-boggling that this exceptional production was made by a group of newbies. From the director to the composer are all new names to these titles. Would I recommend this to the general anime fans? Aye, this series became one of my favourite anime of all time. How it handles mythologies and folklore in my opinion, is the best. Another nerdy thing I loved about this world is its mages, witches and sorcerers. Usually, most series only have one of these magic-user types and the one they do have would be either butchered or twisted in an odd way. The fact that three different magic-user types existed in the same world and they all have their intricately detailed features and abilities that differentiate them from one another, which is also very much how folklore had described them over the years blew my mind. Kore Yamazaki is a mythos nerd and it very much shows, which is such a delight for someone like me. Though as great the manga is I think this is one of the rare instances where I prefer the anime over the manga. While I do like the very expressive and detailed drawings of Yamazaki sensei, the excellent animation, soundtrack and voice acting stands tall over its source material. If I somehow managed to pique your interest in this show with this overly long essay then I'd highly recommend you try the OVAs first before watching the series. Though chronologically they should come right after the end of the first cour, the OVAs are what first sold me on the series. Finally, with clamming the 8th spot in my favourite anime of all time, I rate The Ancient Magus' Bride a 9/10.

Like many others, I highly anticipated Mahoutsukai no Yome. Maybe that was my mistake, and I expected too much. But even anime that fail to live up to expectations usually fail them this hard. So where did things go wrong? The plot? The characters? The worldbuilding? All of the above? I’ll start with what I liked about Mahoutsukai no Yome. It’s beautiful. There were scenes that were, for a lack of a better word, magical. The soundtrack is also worth listening too. But despite having high production quality and a magical world to explore, Magus Bride falls flat thanks to its dull cast and lackof subtlety. The side cast is composed of characters with similar “blandly nice” personalities with few exceptions. If you described these characters by personality alone, you wouldn’t be able to tell most of the cast apart. Our heroine, Chise, isn’t much better, which is really a shame. The story about a young woman overcoming depression through love and exploring a magical realm has great potential, but this supposedly traumatized girl ends up swapping overly dramatic and intimate backstories with every person she meets. It happens too often, which, in addition to losing its effectiveness, also makes it hard to believe Chise struggled to connect with people prior to the story. She also makes a poor first impression. In the first handful of episodes, the only action she takes is selling herself into slavery. She barely even walks on her own. I get that she’s depressed, but a character is supposed to entertain, not act like a living blob. Once she finally shows interest into something other than the 400+-year-old man-child who bought her, she grows more interesting, but falls into the same “blandly nice” personality as the rest of the cast. Elias, our hero, has a personality at least, but it’s not one I’m a fan of. He’s a man-child who throws a magical hissy fit the second Chise talks to someone he didn’t tell her to. While the show does call him out for some of his more possessive behavior, it often gets played off as humorous instead of dangerous. The show’s premise doesn’t do Elias any favors. He starts the story buying an underage girl and calling her his bride. I get that Elias doesn’t quite understand the connotations of the word “bride,” but the mangaka does. That is the connection the writers wanted the audience to make. While I think people often overreact to this, since the story seems aware of the problematic aspects of Chise’s and Elias’ relationship, it takes all the mystery out of their relationship. It frames everything they do automatically in a romantic light, rather than leaving room for mystery, magic, and interpretation. This might not have bothered me except that the entire show does this. Everything is so blandly obvious it feels like the producers are holding up cue cards to the audience saying “cry now” or “find this magical” rather than subtly guiding the audience or letting them make up their own minds. Every single episode has some grand moment where the music gets big and characters exchange tragic backstory and Chise has some “magical” moment of character progression and on and on. This is fine if done once or twice, but it’s done so often it feels hamfisted rather than genuine. The show also seems addicted to cliff-hangers. Characters how up and threaten Chise, only to reveal themselves as good guys within a minute of the next episode. It gets old quick and makes you wonder why these supposedly nice people wanted to come across as creepy kidnappers during their first impression. I really wanted to like this show, but it lacks the magic similar shows like Natsume Yuujinchou and Mushishi mastered. In the end, when you look beyond the exceptional backdrops, stunning soundtrack, and excellent production, there’s just not much there.

Opening a book and reading word by word is simple. Jumping into a story becoming part of its world while being enveloped by its ideas is a whole different experience. Mahoutsukai no Yome (The Ancient Magus Bride) has a way that make us see through its world, characters, and story. If you fancy yourself for a creative fantasy experience that blends between the lines of fiction and reality, then you came to the right place. An anime adaptation of Mahoutsukai no Yome is pretty inevitable in the eyes of many fans who are familiar with the author’s work. Ever since we got the 3-episode prologue OVAs,a full TV anime adaptation would bring in fans hunger for more. This TV anime adaptation focuses directly on the manga as it chronicles the life of Chise Hatori and guide the viewer through her experience. The life she once knew changed forever after meeting Elias Ainsworth, a supernatural being with traits of fae and humanity. Jumping straight into this TV anime shouldn’t be a problem even if it’s the first time you’ve ever heard of this show before. The first few episodes successfully introduces the story along with a beautiful imaginative world. It shouldn’t take long for viewers to begin and understand the type of person Chise is. To describe her, Chise can sometimes be a normal teenage girl while other times feel like she’s not. She’s been through a lot in her life before meeting Elias and many events influenced her to develop a more subservient personality. She can also be a bit of socially awkward but if you look beyond that, Chise is really a person with strong heart and will to change people. Throughout the show, she changes herself too after meeting certain characters and experiencing a new life she’s never began to imagine before. That brings in Elias, a supernatural being with mysterious origins. In the beginning of the show, he became Chise’s master after buying her at an auction event. Now you’re probably thinking…is this going to be a show about a master and a slave type of relationship? The answer is far from it as we see the depth of their relationship development. Despite being a supernatural being and not understanding humans, Elias develops genuine feelings of care for Chise while displaying human behavior. On the other hand, Chise begins to grow more confident of herself and accepting her role as an apprentice mage. Throughout the show, we can see how much she grows from an average teenage girl to a strong and dedicated woman. The loyalty she displays for Elias and her friends is admirable and throughout her experience as a mage, she learns much more about them and their world. This is what really gave me a favorable impression of the show. It’s how characters change and able to influence others while we understand them. In many ways, the story feels very human for the main characters. Teenage girls at her age tend to change a lot and whether it’s a good or bad thing can be a controversial topic. However, Chise’s change is displayed in ways that I can’t help but find inspiring. The show crafts her character from the beginning and capitalizes on her every action without wasting any time. Whether it’s meeting new people/supernatural beings, experimenting with magic, or battling her personal demons, she’s a character that you can’t turn a blind eye to. Of course, this show isn’t just about Chise and Elias. While they are the main stars, Mahoutsukai no Yome does a lot to make the viewers get invested into its story. One of the first things people will find curious is the world setting. While there’s the modern setting of urban cities and streets, there’s also magic and a world with otherworldly creatures. Dragons, faeries, goddesses, and will-o’the-wisps are just a few to name. Possibly inspired by English, Scottish, or other European lore, it shouldn’t take long for viewers to recognize some of them. Furthermore, the show displays a wealth of magic with the many effects they can bring. It’s also interesting to note that magic in this show is considered a power that’s neither good nor evil. It’s used as a power that can have consequences or can really make a difference. At its most apex, magic can be extremely impactful that it can affect the story and change people in ways they can’t even begin to imagine. Making a show like this takes a lot of risk too. Characters would have to at least make an impression that give viewers something to remember by. I can’t say this for all the characters but there’s definitely a list of them that people should take notice. These range from Chise’s familiar Roth to the beautiful vampire faerie, Leanan Sidhe. Chise encounters them in the story and makes her realize certain aspects about herself. However, there are also others such as Cartaphilius (Joseph) who can really bring out a side from Chise that she hopes others won’t ever have to see. The psychology and character chemistry between the cast isn’t just impactful but also characterizes their personalities. While there are probably some characters that will be more forgettable compared to others, the show still gets its priorities right to give viewers something to talk about. As serious as this show may seem, it still balances between its light comedy at times so it isn’t just a moody story. When business picks up, you’ll realize how the author wants to make you feel. Other times, I feel like this anime really did a great job at capitalizing most of its ideas. As a manga adaptation, the show is mostly faithful at capturing the story without delaying or accelerating its plot. In fact, I think some scenes adapted from the manga looked even more impressive in the anime thanks to the modern talent of Norihiro Naganuma. Just be aware that the manga is still ongoing and with 24 episodes, it was inevitable that the anime would still leave out what’s ahead. Adapted by Wit Studio, it feels like this show is a work of art. I don’t mean the type that you can see at some art gallery but more as a world that you can enjoy freely with an open mind. The beautiful world consists of many elements from modern fantasy such as enchanted forests, land of dragons, and to a more civilized city. Visual quality exceeded my expectations as there were no episodes that I found lazily made or sloppily animated. The character designs also takes time to accept but is creatively crafted. The most noticeable character to land eyes on is Elias. He has no human characteristics and looks like a creature you’d imagine from some dark fantasy. Other creatures in the show may look more familiar but fulfills its fantasy expectations. Adapted from the manga, they consist of characteristics that is incredibly faithful. Oddly enough, Chise is possibly the most normal looking character despite being a bit of an oddball. With her signature red hair, green coat, and necklace, she’s definitely the type of the character you can easily accept. Matching its artistic elements, the soundtrack also brings in great value such as the OST and theme songs. The first OP song “Here” by JUUNA is masterfully crafted to showcase the potential of the show with its style. Similarly, both the ED theme songs capitalized on its fantasy setting. Unfortunately, the second OP song dropped the ball and didn’t manage to hold a candle compared to the first with reused footage. However, the OST manages to fully capture the thrilling feel of this adaptation. Some scenes adapted straight out of the manga is what I had pictured would be and with the music, it made it that much more alive. Character voice mannerism is also easy to take notice with characters such as Elias, Cartaphilius, Titania, and among others. Every book has its meaning and intentions. For a show like Mahoutsukai no Yome, jumping into the story and world is like reading the text and realizing what the author wants us to know. Throughout watching this anime, I learned a lot about the characters and what it means for someone like Chise to experience her new life. The world setting remained committed to its premise while avoiding the mistakes of going overboard. While I can’t say this anime is for everyone, it definitely manages to elevate the heights of a fantasy tale.

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