Mahoutsukai no Yome

This show will blow your mind. Have you ever heard of the Ainsworth Strange Situation? It was a real life sequence of staged episodes that illustrate the strength of attachment between a child and his or her mother, created by a psychologist in 1978. Google it. Once you consider the eight steps in the Ainsworth Strange Situation, this anime becomes downright poetic and a mind blowing work of art.

Ainsworth purchases Chise in an auction where she put herself up for sale, finding nothing of value left in life. Turns out, she's a special sort of fairy queen that magical creatures flock to, and one ... day it will kill her. I think the setting and lore in this anime are my favorite things about it. Although Chise is Japanese, it is set mostly in Great Britain, so we see a lot of Irish myths and legends. The appearances of some are just wow. Besides that, there is the top layer: Ainsworth is learning what it means to be human and to be both in love/loved as part of a family by a girl who is still figuring those things out as well. But skin that layer away and consider the Ainsworth Strange Situation (again, Google it). Consider that Ainsworth constantly leaves Chise with others (all of the gorgeously detailed minor characters, like Ruth or Stella or Lindel) and both end up learning more about themselves during the absence. Children typically have a variety of responses, much like Chise and Ainsworth (who are both very young in development of their personalities). Wow! I believe this is why characters constantly have comments on the relationship between the two. And, really, it's ingenious.

Now, besides that, the art is gorgeous. When the characters are down and out, you know it. In one episode I really feared Chise's temper. I could rewatch that one a hundred times because it's portrayed perfectly. Another episode featured a baby dragon being tortured and it made me sick. The creators here definitely studied attachment, whether the Ainsworth Strange Situation or our own attachment to characters in a show or book, they do a great job with it!v

This will be my first review, so forgive my poor formatting. I was *really* not feeling it at first, but this show has grown on me so much that I'd like to share my thoughts.

This review contains no spoilers.

The Good
There are many things to like about Mohoutsukai no Yome: the animation is stunning, it's beautifully scored, and the plot arcs are far from predictable. Though Chise is the protagonist of the story, the subplots and backstories of all the minor characters are often much more compelling. The pacing is faster than ideal, in my opinion, but it makes the whole show seem ... like a box of assorted chocolates: you get to sample a bit of everything, but not enough of one single element to make you sick.

The Bad
Compared to the varied and emotionally vibrant minor characters we encounter, both Chise and Elias are exceptionally bland. Chise's backstory explains her tendency to be withdrawn and emotionally distant, but the show unfortunately doesn't really explore aspects of her personality aside from her trauma. We are halfway through the season and I feel like I know next to nothing about her. What does she like? Does she have aspirations beyond "not being homeless"? I understand the whole "super obfuscated mystery past" trope, but I really wish Chise was humanized just a bit more.

The Ugly
I would have picked up this show a lot - and I mean a LOT - sooner if the entire premise was not essentially child grooming. Chise is fifteen. Fifteen! I certainly have no reservations about her being a magical apprentice who harbors some insane amount of hidden power - that's par for the course - but potential bride material for a humanish wizard 100+ years old? I'm sorry, but that's unsettling even by anime standards. Am I projecting because I was a weird loser instead of a magical girl at fifteen? Perhaps. That does not, however, make this setup not creepy.

Overall
Despite its drawbacks, I would ultimately say that this show is worth a try. If you're into fantasy, magic, and finding hope in dark places - give it a shot, but definitely be patient.

It's a bit of a slow burn and there doesn't seem to be all too much behind it story-wise, the villain shows up rarely and there's nothing really tying it together. Music is good, art is solid, magic system is fantastic, does a really solid job of immersing you in this world, you kinda get over the Japan-ness of that first episode pretty quickly. Characters are engaging and memorable, and the characters and magic system are really what makes it worth a watch. I wouldnt be surprised if they rush the last few episodes to incorporate and defeat the villain, though.

The anime was totally beautiful and heart warming....
It was full of emotions !!It's absolutely one of my favorite the ending was also very beautiful.....

"You don't know how It feels to be rotten for decades" Joseph
It has some dark and emotional aspects too it's not all good good and happy as it seems from it's name .......

characters: 10/10
There are numerous characters in the world of Mahoutsukai no Yome and all of them are truly unique with engaging back stories and impressionable dialogue. All characters are pretty good no one is irritating well atleast not for me..... Now you might believe that Mahoutsukai no Yome being a ... fantasy focused story with dragons, magical beings and a talking dog-human would be anything but realistic; That is where you would be extremely wrong about Mahoutsukai no Yome as this narrative is both magical and all too real. Let me give you some further proof of what i mean by discussing several characters and why they could be comparable to many one of you reading this Mahoutsukai no Yome review.

Story: 10/10
Chise Hatori—our main female protagonist—is a girl that has come from dark beginnings and has endured hardship for what seems like the greater majority of her life. While we won’t spoil what Chise went through exactly—episode 22 and the OVA series explain it—her drama can be almost alarmingly like a person who is dealing with depression and self-hatred. The same can be said of Stella for example who gets into a fight with brother and in the process almost loses him to supernatural forces that take her angry words seriously. These characters are but a few who have relatable themes seen in the real world and it makes Mahoutsukai no Yome so understandable as many of us have gone through drama like Chise, Elias, Stella and even the antagonist himself, Cartaphilus.


Art: 9/10
Wit studio are know for some great animations they make beautiful art works...... We have Shingeki no kyojin , Owari no seraph , Hal , Kabeneri of the iron fortress as examples of their great animation works !! This anime is no different it has great animation work....The character designing is awesome the character movements are flawless and fight scenes are good too....

Sound: 10/10
As for the sound tracks there is no doubt this anime has one of the best soundtracks....I literally fall for the opening for the very first time i listened to it. It was awesome

Enjoyment: 10/10
This anime was a full roller coaster of enjoyment and emotions....It maintained it's pace through out the series without getting all messed up it was a masterpiece.....You would agree on this one once you watch the anime

Overall: 10/10
It was Great It was a masterpiece....It was one of it's kind a must watch recommended anime
I would definitely give it a 10/10

I'm just going to go straight into it. This has become one of my favorite anime, an anime to re watch when you're feeling down, when you're feeling sad. Anime is personal to me, in my opinion, I think it's personal for many people other than, and it's comforting to know that there are people out there who feel the same way as I do. There is so much subliminal context in this anime that makes you get that warm feeling inside, a feeling of comfort.



This anime lacks in certain ways, such as not giving you what you want in certain aspects, but the overall ... conclusion is that it is, to me, perfect. I hope that there will be a second season to it, and I hope that they won't screw it up. There are already hints being dropped here and there for an upcoming second season.



The story is great, lots of things happening to keep you interested and wanting more. It progresses and grows slowly but keeps you hooked. As to the characters, Chise is amazing and the rest of the characters are just great too. They keep you happy and just add to the overall charm of the anime.



As for the art and sound, they are great, there are numerous songs that let you sink in and just be happy. I recommend this to anyone feeling down or sad, this will help like it helped me.

If anyone has the same taste or opinions as me, please don't hesitate to send a friend request, I am looking forward to meet people whom I can talk to.

I hope you enjoyed this !

First of all, I just wanna say thank you. This anime has changed me in some type of way, but definetly in a positive one.
Why? you may ask. How? you may ask; The reviews differ a lot from eachother and its interesting to see everyones vision on this piece of art.
__________

Story: A strong 10!
The story flows smoothly, and the characters naturally appeared without it being forced. The series tells you about feelings, emotion, and more and it amazing on how good it was executed. Explaining love is a hard thing, so seeing the emotions develop was really interesting, ... and sometimes the story got me having tears in my eyes because it showed me a way, and that you're not the only one that is struggling, that almost everyone had been through hell but finally managed to get to the point they're at right now.

Art: 10
Woah, where do I even start. The art is appealing to the eye, and the animation was brilliant and smooth. The details were also really satisfying (For instance when Chises hair grows slowly back, it is a minor detail, but when you notice it you'll be amazed at how well this series executed everything.)

Sound: 10/10!
This is probably the best thing about this series. The music was fantastic, and it literally brought tears up in my eyes. It was beautifull, everything fitted with the scenes, the magic sounds wafting through the sky was just a beautiful sight.

Character: 10
The thing I also really like about this anime that Elias isn't an actual person, but tries to be one and wants to learn more about humans, its really sweet to see him along with Chise, and how much he wants to protect her.

Chise is a really good MC, she's smart and kind. At first she had no hope anymore, she didnt see a future anymore, but it changed when she was sold. She had to make hard decisions where someones or her own life were in her hands. It was really fun to see her grow, but painful when she overworked herself.

The other characters were also really fun, they all had visible different personalities and it was enjoyable to watch them all. The 'villain' wasn't a cliché villain, but had his own problems and a source on why he did all those things.

Enjoyment: 10
I really enjoyed everything about this anime. The backstories, the plot, the emotions, everything was brilliant.

Overall: what do you think?
People have mixed opinions about this series. This was mine. A piece of art.

I was hesitant to give this 8 stars at first, thinking maybe it was a 7 star show just because very little of the season has to do with any actual romance between Elias and Chise and the title/genre suggests it would have more to do with the contents. The reason I think it's an 8 though is because 7 is an average score for me, much like a C, and I think that this show was more enjoyable than average.

This was how I spent my new years day, and I was definitely pleasently surprised. At first, I thought it would be a lighthearted romance ... that simply had treacherous background stories, but the pasts of the characters ended up being very significant to the active story, and were very disturbing. I tend to enjoy disturbing anime when it surprises me because if you don't expect it, you get more hooked.

This season had no boundaries apart from any major nudity and language as well as spice to the romance. There was lots of gore, which was really interesting to see. I often found myself wondering if the show had the balls to kill of a significant character. There were many points of surprise in this series which I know makes it more enjoyable for a lot of people.

One thing that almost made me drop the show entirely on episode one was Elias's tendency to call Chise "Puppy." I was very sure at this moment that the show would be cringe, but I was honestly wrong. Lots of lovable characters and relationships and a very strong plot.

Another down-side to this show is the Chise's mindset. If you like a strong willed main character, turn away. Chise is often comparable to a twig that could be snapped in half and I definitely only found this interesting in the first few episodes. In other words, her weakness gets old fast. Do not think that character development is not present, however.

Overall, this show was very entertaining and engaging. I would recommend this to anyone interested in fantasy, and gore. If you liked shows like Jujutsu Kaisen or Tokyo Ghoul, you might find this to be interesting. I don't think this is as well thought out as those shows, however, I still think they are similar in theme and gore levels.

TL;DR Good show. Surprising aspects made it more enjoyable. Don't watch if you don't like weak FMC's.

PS: I watched the DUB version, and I didn't think any of the voice actors' voices were obnoxious! (So, that's a plus).

A truly MAGICAL anime from the plot to animation to the music. A lot of moments will make you feel as if you’ve transported into a magical world. So in that sense this anime has done a fantastical job!!

The ancient magus bride is a fantasy romance anime which is set in Europe, only chise Japanese. I think this is one of those few anime which may suit English dub better due to its setting. However japanese dub is pretty phenomenal too. If you suffer from depression etc, then you’ll have a lot to relate with chise, the fl. It’s a story about how she ... is born afresh in the sense that after a horrid past she learns to find positivity in everything, after being cast away by everyone she still sacrifices herself for the sake of others….and last but not the least, she finds love in what is technically not human, the ancient magus…the magus too has quite an interesting backstory to him, and we’re still in the dark regarding his backstory….maybe we’ll get to know in s2….it is also a story of him who has no memory of his normal self to understand the world of normal once again.

After the news of season 2 was announced I was so excited but at the same time I couldn’t recall much apart from few scenes here and there because there has been a gap of 5-5.5 years. This rewatch made me fall in love with it all over again, be it the plot, music or voice acting of everyone. I have read a bit of the manga too but here I would recommend to give preference to the anime>>>> although the events are paced slightly different from the manga, so choose beforehand whichever you wanna stick to…

The season 2 is about to air next month so genuinely watch this if you haven’t or rewatch it again if you watched it while it was airing back then because even though I thought I remembered the storyline enough, I had forgotten so much!

--- This review likely contains spoilers ---

--- Foreword ---

Episodes Watched: 14

My girlfriend was the one who got me into watching this anime and I am currently really enjoying it.

It's a really nice break from the sci-fi / action / isekai animes that I usually decide to watch.

... I'd recommend this to anyone who likes fantasy / magic and potentially romance animes.

In this review, I am going to bring up certain points that people are criticizing this anime over in this review, with my reasons as to why they are not warranted.

--- Story : 8/10 ---

It's a somewhat light-hearted and heart-warming story, based around a 15 year-old girl called "Chisé", who believes that she has nothing left to live for; she has no remaining family, no friends to speak of and was always an outcast and bullied for her ability to see magical creatures, while most others couldn't.

Because she believes there's nothing left for her to live for, she decides OF HER OWN VOLITION*, to sell herself at an auction, not really caring what happens to her after that point.

(1*Now, I put those words in caps, because a lot of people are giving this anime a hard time because of the fact that she, as a person, gets sold, which mimics or likens to human trafficking. Chisé herself decides to go through with this and even signs the contract/paperwork, meaning it's her own choice. So, even though it may be morally wrong by today's standards, if it's her choice, it's her choice, so stop making the anime out to be bad because of this.)

She ends up getting sold to a half-human/half-beast magus named Elias, who ends up buying her for a ridiculous sum of money.

It's later revealed he purchased her for multiple reasons:

- because she is a "sleigh beggy", which means she is magically adept and can see magical creatures
- because he wanted an apprentice
- because he also eventually wants to make her his wife*
- because he wants to know how humans and their emotions work

(2*Again, another point people bring up. She was very likely aware that after having signed her sale contract, that there would be some weirdo who would purchase her for perverted and nasty things. Luckily, Elias isn't actually one of those guys.)

From then on, the story follows her learning the ways of magic and finally opening up and coming to terms with her being included in something; there's also some tell-tale signs that she is legitimately falling in love with Elias, as he is seemingly the only person who truly cares about her and calls her family.

(3*I'm going to bring up a small point here, where people mention Elias is a perverted pedophile, as he undressed her and bathed her and called her "puppy" on a few occasions. It is mentioned later on that Elias does not really know how to deal with humanity and doesn't really feel emotions the way people do. It's not too far-fetched to assume that he didn't know that the things he did were actually morally unacceptable.)


--- Art : 8/10 ---

Not too much to say here.

The artwork is well done and some of the effects and backgrounds are beautiful.

The whole thing is also animated rather nicely.

--- Music : 8/10 ---

Again, everything just works here.

--- Character : 7/10 ---

I'm only giving characters a 7/10, because I feel that no-one has really been fleshed-out yet and we are only now starting to see a development in Elias and Chisé as characters.

Hopefully they get a bit more development later on in the season.

--- Enjoyment : 8/10 ---

Well, I'm enjoying it and I'm not usually a fan of this type of anime, so that must say something right!

--- Overall : 8/10 ---

A very enjoyable and easy-to-watch anime and I'm very interested to see where the story will go, especially after the last episode!

Highly recommend this anime at this point!

Having watched anime since the mid 90's, I can safely say this is one of the more unique shows that are out there. The creator, Kore Yamazaki, does incredible work creating a world that feels alive and real. There are aspects of this series that she took from well known folklore, religion, and mythology. Every name that you hear, every flower that you see, every location mentioned all have purpose and meaning. Yamazaki purposefully dances the line between comfort and discomfort (which can be seen in the very first episode) to keep the viewer guessing and on a mystical ride. Many watch the first episode ... and think it's dangerous or wrong for what is happening to be happening, but once you learn the background of the characters involved it starts to make sense.

This show honestly requires the viewer to pay attention to what is being said and to separate themselves from their own feelings and experiences and imagine being in the character's shoes (primarily Chise and Elias). Remember, Elias is not human and does not know human emotion nor the basics of things like family and marriage. And Chise was on the verge of suicide before giving life one last chance. Too many people complain about this show being about an old mage wanting to hook up with a 15 year old girl. This is absolutely not the case. It is about learning to be confident and loving yourself for who you are, while also learning to not just comfortably depend on someone else but to communicate and work with them. It is about accepting the fact that someone else cares about you and needing you because they truly love you. The character growth feels real and the portrayal of depression, anxiety, jealousy, and shame feels spot on (even though some of those emotions are shown on the extreme end).

This is not an anime where a character's problems are magically solved in 1-2 episodes. It takes some of these characters nearly the entire first season to change their way of thinking. It's things like this that make this show feel so real. Hardly anything is spoon fed to you. There are still unknown mysteries even with 60 chapters of the manga currently out (anime ends on chapter 45). And that is OK! It keeps that mystical wonder in the show without being an annoying dangling carrot on the end of a stick. It makes you really care about these characters and feels like some aspects of the world they are living in could be our actual world.

People who say Chise is always in danger/damsel in distress never paid attention to the first episode where it is clearly stated that being a Sleigh Beggy brings misfortune to her and those around her. And while Chise does end up in undesirable situations, she either put herself there because she does not value herself, or she is able to solve the problem herself. She is actually capable of getting herself out of situations very early in the series on multiple occasions without the help of Elias.

While I gave this 10's across the board, I will list my complaints:
The visuals for OP1 and OP2: While the first half of the visuals for OP1 were original and beautiful, it then shows clips from eps 1-12 which included spoilers. Wish episode 12 could have been a complete surprise honestly, even though it was one of the most wonderful scenes of the season, music and all. OP2 had all reused footage and we did not get the properly animated opening until the very last episode. This was confirmed to be due to deadline issues with the production team. While I understand the animation industry can be a crazy place to work, it does feel that "lesser" shows received more attention with original footage for OP and ED. This isn't a deal breaker because clearly they put time and effort into the animation, background, and music for the actual show.

Rushed scenes/missing information: there are 2 sequences I can think of that were music montages with no dialogue where information was not conveyed that would have made the scene feel deeper and more meaningful. While not hugely necessary to the core of the story, it would have been nice if the show was 25 or 26 episodes in order to properly animate these scenes as well as add some scenes that were missing from the manga. Again, nothing major to the overall plot. Also my heart of hearts wants to see chapter 10.5 animated!

Cliffhangers: this seems to be a big complaint. There are only 2 "annoying" cliffhangers that make it appear things are dire when they are really not (end of episodes 2 and 14). Who knows why they chose to do that...the pacing of the manga? Time? I can agree that if watching from week to week it would have been frustrating, but when binge watching the series it doesn't feel as bad. The manga chapters for, arguably more annoying, fox cliffhanger did not flow that way. The chapter continued through that sequence. It is a shame that the episode was timed in that way.

Story: 10
You learn about the world along side Chise. Not much is spoon fed to you and at times you need to put the pieces of the puzzle together (and you may not get a piece until much later on in the series). The manga is still continuing and the latest translated released chapter (57) just now explained a line spoken from episode 1 (Elias explains to Chise why he asked her to be his bride). This is a story to be consumed in its entirety, while still enjoying the individual arcs throughout. This is a slower paced show. Do not expect a lot of action, a ton of magic being haphazardly flung around, or bright and bubbly characters. Having watched so many shows, honestly there are so few with characters as deep and developed as the ones in this series. And it's not just about one character, even though Chise is technically the main here. The dynamic of how she and Elias behave towards themselves and each other is the core of the show.

Art: 10
This series gets compared with Ghibli levels of backgrounds and color. You can practically take a screen shot at any moment during the series and end up with a beautiful wallpaper for your desktop. The designs of many of the characters are unique, especially Elias in each of his forms. The fae/faeries are all very unique and interesting even though they are essentially background pieces as well. Rewatching the show you catch how detailed the background is in even the most insignificant shots (like the display case when Chise visits a cheese shop in episode 9).

Sound: 10
Not only is the OST absolutely stunning, the sound effects throughout the series is detailed and amazing. The birds, the trees blowing in the wind, the swishes of cloth moving, the sound of flesh rendering and bones cracking. While I'm not a big fan of insert songs with lyrics, every single one that was used felt right and amazing. The song playing Leánnan sídhe and Joel final sequence called Rose is such a beautiful piece, along with Nevin's Final Dream song. Lindel's song induces goosebumps and even though it is sung twice in back to back episodes, it does not feel over done. It just works. Even Chise singing the same song 3 times is just so pretty and just puts you in the moment. There is very little animation during Nevin's Dream and Lindel's second time singing his song, making you just sit back and listen and appreciate the scenery.

Characters: 10
Each character you meet is so well fleshed out that every single one of them, human or not, feel important to the story. You do get to know about nearly everyone's past (whether just a glimpse or a larger story) and there are still some with questions left in the air, making us beg for another season. Luckily the manga is continuing.
While Chise is the main character, the show isn't just about her. It is also about Elias and how the two of them deal with their own personal issues as well as their issues with each other. You can see the changes in them as the series progresses, from being content with how things are to discovering new feelings to learning how to talk to one another. You learn and grow with Chise primarily, but you do get brief glimpses from Elias' point of view. With that being said, this is essentially the Chise and Elias show (whether it be about their relationship or about their individual characters). If you do not like these characters, you will most likely not enjoy the show. While the other characters are fantastic in their own ways (Ruth and Silky primarily), they don't get enough attention to pull the viewer away from the fact that this is about Chise and Elias and everyone else plays. Not everyone is up to watching a series about 2 broken people. Both Chise and Elias had horrible pasts and they drag that baggage around with them throughout most of the show. Remember Chise starts the show about to commit suicide, and she is OK with dying several times throughout the series. Remember Elias also had several centuries of trauma (though we don't see it as detailed as Chise's past) causing him to live in solitude for well over 100 years while still having an undeveloped mind completely unable to empathize with human feelings. He is unlike any other character I've seen in both design and attitude.

Enjoyment: 10
Each episode brings something different to the table and is just a joy to watch. The tone changes throughout the series and you have a nice mix of dark moments, gory bits, slice of life, magical and adventure, and background discovery. Happy to say there are no filler episodes and basically no flashbacks/repeat scenes (if any it's a second or two). Again, you've probably seen the negative reviews. If you read them carefully, you'll notice they all basically complain about the same thing. You either enjoy these characters or you don't. But do take a chance with them and get to know them and decide for yourself. If you're OK with a slower paced show where the entire story is one big piece of work rather enjoying bits and pieces at a time, then you will enjoy this show.

Overall: 10
I can't recommend this show enough to anyone who likes any aspects of fantasy, romance, and drama. It has that Full Metal Alchemist vibe of shifting from dark to fun then back again. From light-hearted magical times to heart crushing sadness, from brightly colorful chibi moments to blood spilling all over the place. There are faeries, dragons, monsters, multiple bad guys to deal with, and lovey dovey moments that make you go "dawwwww".
This show absolutely warrants a rewatch as well with lines spoken at the beginning of the series being more appreciated and making more sense after you learn more about the characters.

Magic is bullshit.

It's almost never done right, and, in anime specially, it's mostly used in hand-wavy fashion to allow for cool-looking animation without any proper explanation or limit. It was one said that magic can break the tension of a story is not used correctly, and to use magic correctly, the sheer power has to have consequences. I think that's where Mahoutsukai does immensely right, and where it somewhat fails.

This is a world established by magic, and it breathes it through its gorgeous animation, amazing soundtrack and odd and wicked sort of male protagonist Elias. I'll admit to being blown away by the setting alone, ... enthralled by the way magic felt in this world. It wasn't just that magic was a device, Mahoutsusai is magical. Fantastical. I enjoyed it even more when they depicted correctly the true nature of faes (or fairies) — I'll avoid saying any more about it, but anyone who knows the folklore can see where I'm going with this.

In Mahoutsukai, magic has consequences, especially for the newbie true protagonist, Chie. The entire anime waves between gorgeous and terrifying and I didn't know how badly I wanted it until now. I thoroughly recommend it despite its beauty — which made me cry in at least 4, maybe 5 different episodes — dwindling as it progresses. I still think it's utterly magical and deserves a watch.

This will be revised once completed. The score is for personal enjoyment. Here´s my rather more objective review.

First off: The series seems to give many watchers rather uncomfortable moral conflict. I´m a tad surprised this is such a big problem for some here who (probably) can watch zombies munching on people´s brains or people killing people without much issue... Well, according to some cultural studies we westerners are more sensitive to romantic deviations than most other things. While there is no incest or non-con or real loli involved, „Ancient Magus‘ Bride“ depicts age gap and ignorance of personal boundaries by a character who is ... socially ignorant or simply prefers to ignore human social norms. From myanimelist: „He understands why humans feel the emotions they do, but has never experienced them himself“.

The series also presents a supernatural agency selling off humans as „creatures“ due to special powers they inhabit - Sleigh Beggy (start of ep 01). Personally I don´t agree with something like this but accept it in stories when it is a part of world building and plot history.

Moral compass aside: give this a try if you like shoujo anime with a slow(!) build-up with a pairing that would be a prime example of crackship turned serious in fanfictions. Tbh it is hard to say how the mains‘ connection will turn out. On one hand Chise is treated like a kid (with the nickname „puppy“). On the other hand our dear old not-quite-human Magus calls her his Bride in capital letters (whatever that means to him). Literal or not?

Definitely a nice approach to the human/fairy relationship that (for me) had a good start in the unknown yet enjoyable „Earl & Fairy“.

MnY is an anime where you can relax and watch it doesn't bore you with its slow pace and you will not get tachicardia from action
Story: In my opinion the story is uniqe in its own the mangaka has made use of vile acts such as human traficking slavery etc. and made it disolve in a not so human but wannabe protagonist so that it isnt a downside but an uniqe narative point.
Sound: I myself love your lie in april it was a masterpiece among anime and the piano there was absolutely perfect, In this show the piano and the orchestra are so good that ... even the music based animes can watch and learn absolutely great when your lie in april was 120/100 this show i give 97/100
characters:Chise is the character development assigned character and elias is... well elias is dark but wants to be more than just "it"
Overall:at the end it has striked me where i couldn't hoped i was expecting a tragedy love sort of thing but what did i get an amazing atmosphere with just the right colors a protagonist that is neither a anti hhero nor hero just some thing that wants to be someone a not so likeable and tragic heroine that we can emphatize and grow to like and i cant express it enough the maestro of the orchestra is one genious everytime the music starts the anime becomees backgrond

I'm still watching this anime and I'm glad to say that this anime really met my expectations when it comes to terms. I love the animation in show it really looks like a film rather than a actual series in my case. The Op and End of the just amazing and it's relaxing to listen to. The plot of it is thought out when they are sent to do some things in Britain and see how Chise learns from these events and uses that to improve on her magic. There are some funny moments in the series and yet it still makes it heart warming ... at the end but that's just me. So if you're looking for a good anime to watch I highly recommend the anime to your list or watch whatever you want to watch it's up to you.

Family is something that is important to all of us. Whether being related by blood or not, having someone to be there for you is always appreciated and is something that we sometimes take for granted. But what about those less fortunate than us. But what about those that don't have a family or someone to take care for them? How will they cope? And if they do manage to get someone to take care for them, how will they react?

Today we are looking at an anime series where that is just that. Set in a fantasy version of our world and the mysteries ... and wonders that surround it all while watching it happen in the eyes of two flawed characters who need each other.

Sit back, relax, pull out your wand; swish and flick and say "Wingardium Leviossssaaaaaaaaaaaaa" as I present to you the anime review of the 2017 anime by studio Wit; The Ancient Magus Bride. Lets begin.

Story: 9/10

The story is very much a character driven story with the overall plot shaped by our main characters' actions. As such, through their eyes, we get to see a world where fantasy and magic exists in mainly the countryside of London and sometimes in Iceland as well. It kind of works like Harry Potter where you got the non magic users going around their daily lives; then you got the magic users and fantasy creatures that live alongside them in secret. So through Chise's and Elias' eyes, we get to see this magical world that has been living right under our noses. Seeing this fantasy world that our characters our in wants me know more
about this "other world" and what secrets are kept hidden. From a Dragon sanctuary to an opposite world where fairy's live makes an world that feels wonderful and whimsical all at the same time with some Chibi and light hearted comedy to make you laugh and smile.

That doesn't mean that it is all light and fluffy. Like other anime like Madoka Magica and Higurashi, Magus Bride can flip the switch and can be rather dark, bordering on thriller. From curses to horrifying creatures to the nature of Elias, we are never truly in the light and fluffy world for long periods of time as it were. This means that you can never be truly comfortable with the situation considering the world around them and you want the characters to be safe, encouraging us to care for them. You hope that the characters can encounter safe and wonderful places but you know that is not going to happen. That will cause you to keep on your toes to see what happens next, normally ending on a mini cliffhanger, Attack on Titan style.

It is a good thing these things happen too. Since this is a character driven story, the pacing is rather slow as the plot progressess as the characters progress. So you are going to need something that is going to keep you hooked or otherwise you might drift off. So in this case it's the thriller sequences or the emotional bonding moments between Chise and Elias to keep you watching. Otherwise you might lose interest.

Characters 9/10

So since this is a character driven anime, you got to hope that the main characters are interesting enough and enjoyable to watch in order to keep watching. Thankfully, they are.

Lets start with Hatori Chise first. Chise is the character that most of the anime involves around and our experiences with the world goes through her. But what makes
her such a great character is her development throughout the series. At the beginning, we see a character down on her luck with the world having thoroughly kicked the s*** out of her. But over time she starts to become more confident and independent as she starts to believe in herself and not having to always rely on others, mainly Elias. You will notice it too by the way she speaks and sometimes acting on her own but it is still done subtly so you won't notice. This makes her character arc probably one of the best in recent anime history.

Next up we have Elias Ainsworth, a character that for about halfway through the anime is a character shrouded in mystery since we don't know who or what he is. All we know is that he is neither human nor fairy, but something else entirely. You would think that would be something that we would discover along the way but it is never really explored outside of a flashback about halfway through the show. Instead, we take a look of how Elias' character develops through his interactions with Chise. Although he knows and has a grasp on human emotions, he doesn't feel them so he doesn't truly understand or be sympathetic towards them. That is until Chise arrives into his life and he starts to feel these emotions and feelings that he has never felt before. One particular scene is when Elias tells Chise that he and the house felt cold due to her absence; he was told what he was feeling was loneliness. It's these kind of interactions that make us think is Elias truly a monster? or someone who is misunderstood and just needs someone who wants to be with him? As such he does act irrational at times because he doesn't know what to do or how to react and doesn't want to scare Chise away and end up alone again, hence why he wanted to make Chise his apprentice and his "bride."

These two characters drive the show and their interactions are what keeps the viewer hooked. Chise and Elias need each other in order to solve their problems. Chise needs Elias to gain self confidence and prove someone does care for her and Elias needs Chise in order to understand human emotions and feelings so he can be more human.They are what keeps the show entertaining and makes for the best scenes of the show through emotional bonds and hardships to awkward Chibi moments for a quick laugh.

With the sole focus being on Chise and Elias, the side characters feel like side characters, only there to support the main characters. That isn't necessarily a bad thing as some of the side characters like Ruth and Alice do get development and how they came to be through origin stories so they aren't left out. That being said, not all of them get much development and really do feel like side characters. Even the villains of the show aren't all clear cut as it isn't very clear who is the main villain despite all these characters who have an interest in Chise until near the end of the anime when we get an answer. That's probably due to focusing on Chise and Elias having to deal with their inner daemons and how they can overcome them.

Animation 9.5/10

It's fair to say that the animation of the show is superb and one of its strongest qualities, which isn't really surprising from studio Wit. Everything just flows and moves naturally and some of the scenery and environments are just a sight to see. And while the character models aren't always wowing, they're still good. Chise obviously stands out in that regard with her red hair and emerald eyes makes her design attention grabbing as if we didn't already know she was the protagonist. However, the animation does take a very slight decrease as the show goes on but not enough to distract you and can still produce consistent quality. Then there is the moments where the animation changes to Chibi character models as to try and add humour to the situation. While it may annoy some people, in the right context, it worked and is never really forced onto us. It somewhat happens naturally and I like it.

Sound 8/10

The soundtrack is normally light with good use of Piano whether being high tune notes or low tune notes. it very much sets the tone of the scene and adds to the atmosphere. However, there is one track that stands out and that is when any of the characters are in danger and the situation becomes bad. With the frantic and quick pace of the piano to the sudden sound of trumpets to add to the question "what's going on?" Its frantic and fast and makes the a bad situation dire and adds to the scene, making it my favourite soundtrack of the bunch. That's not to say the other soundtracks can't hold their own as each soundtrack it enjoyable to listen to but that particular one stands out.

Now I have some gripes with the openings of this show, but I will say that the first opening is clearly the better opening of the two in terms of animation and song. The first opening of the show, "Here" by Junna, is a great piece with those opening lyrics and and then the change in tone from being lost to finding a new world as it were, with animation to boot. But, but but but but, it uses scenes from the first half of the show in order of when they are seen in the show, spoiling what is yet to come. Now spoilers in opening have been done before. Mirai Nikki and Shiki have done it with their first openings but they were subtle and you wouldn't realise it until it was already happening. But this is clearly just ripping scenes from the actual show and putting it into the opening. The second opening, "You" by May'n, is very much accused of this. Aside from the first opening seconds, the footage is just scenes from the first half of the show. Scenes you have already seen; being showed again. This happens until the last episode where it used original scenes. This leaves the question, "Why didn't you do this earlier? To me, this opening is very skippable.

The endings were okay, mainly consisting of still images and light hearted songs, not much to say here.

Now the last thing I want to say about sound is the dub. Now the dub is interesting to me in that it is neither good nor bad than the sub but more as an alternative. Chise dub actress sounds more chirpy than her sub actress since in sub, Chise sounds more mellow and more to herself. Elias is the same way, whereas in sub, Elias sounds more straight and emotionless whereas in the dub, he sounds more like a fatherly figure which is kind of appropriate for the character. Overall the dub is worth checking out if you are curious.

Conclusion

So overall is The Ancient Magus Bride worth watching? Well I would say yes, yes it is. It's a touching tale carried by two strong leads and stunning animations to make an enjoyable piece of entertainment that was definitely one of the highlights of fall season. It never truly sticks to one mold as it can go from slice of life to thriller when the situation becomes dire. Well it does have its minor problems, its pros out-way its cons as it flies into the sunset as it finds its peace. The show is definitely worth your time.

My personal enjoyment: 9.5

Overall score: 9/10 Recommendation: Watch it

Welcome! I hope you will enjoy reading my review about MahouTsukai no Yome and give this anime a try. Well I'll try my best to not bore you reader and make it very on point for what you are interested to see from this anime.

MahouTsukai no Yome is a breath of fresh air for the fall/winter 2017/2018 anime season but also for the anime industry who lately was suffocated with the "copy-paste" shows made each season. The first thing that will captivate you when you start watching this anime are the visuals, they have a very essential role for the whole story and for ... the worldbuilding. In my opinion if you take the visual vocabulary from this anime, the story and world lose all of its charm and the viewer will lose all of its interest.

Our characters introduce us to a world filled with magic and mythical creatures who have their own role and contribution to that world. It's a journey that will awaken your inner childhood self, a journey who will take you on an adventure that you will never forget. Chise our main female lead will conquer your heart and soul with her story and growth along her journey in that magical world. She will experience new feelings that she didn't knew about them and from each encounter a lesson about life itself. But not everything comes free, that world has its own rules so Chise must pay a certain price to attain her goal.

The characters are firm foundation for the story and world in MahouTsukai no Yome. Each of them tells you a story about their own life, their mistakes and temptations that lead them on the wrong path or made them what they are in the present . Chise starts off as a fragile human being who only knows about despair and pain in her life. Meeting Elias changes her whole world and helps her grow as a person and character. She becomes stronger, more independent , she starts to accept her own past and stops running from it, she becomes that kind of reliable person that puts other's safety above her own.

Throughout her journey and encounters Chise is not the only character who has development her influence manages to change those around her . Even Elias who is presented as a firm, motionless, unflinching character, who is feared and resented by other mythical creatures, in the presence of Chise his weak spot is revealed and he starts to experience unknown feelings that he doesn't know how to handle them making him more human like despite its gruesome appearance (monster). This creates a certain bond between those two that cannot be explained by mere words and will be tested by that magical world becoming each other's raison d'etre.

As for what I didn't liked from this anime and couldn't give it a higher rate than 8 is the second half which sadly drops in quality. I don't wanna spoil and ruin your enjoyment but they repeat the same formula of Chise getting in trouble and saved by Elias then vice versa until the last arc. I know this is meant to put an emphasis on the bond between those two but we already knew about that from the current events that happen in the first half so it kinda drags the story and leaves a bland impression overall.

In conclusion MahouTsukai no Yome is a great watch that all viewers who seek enjoyment and quality at the same time should watch, with visuals who blend with the story and create a harmony for its main themes and a fantastic female lead that you can't help yourself other than love her. Don't miss this visually attractive gem of 2018 (especially you Niklas)!

Thank you for reading!












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I've been contemplating writing a review since episode 6, but procrastination got the better of me. Here we go.

The Ancient Magus Bride is about Chise Hatori, a 15 year old girl with an uncanny amount of magic, due to being a Sleigh Beggy. She has the ability to produce and store large quantities of magic in her body, at the expense of her being fragile.

Story: The story of The Ancient Magus Bride is... sometimes simple, yet not. The events that occur are simple in nature, building off each other, but the motives and overall feelings/whatever happens beneath the surface is much more. Chise may go ... to the dragon's den and listen to some history, which sounds basic enough, but she's not just going there to listen to some history. Every episode so far has been a trip, being one to develop a story, or characters. The story itself doesn't follow the same rise and fall in quality like in some animes, and instead exceeds my expectation of what the next episode is going to be, spare the first 2 introduction episodes that are supposed to be like that.

Art: The art in this anime is beautiful. It's unique and doesn't follow the normal anime style art that most airing ones have today. Backgrounds are drawn with immense detail, and effects like magic are appealing to the eye. But despite the beautiful visuals, characters look a bit bland in comparison. Sure, Chise has that eye catching fiery red hair, but outside of that, she doesn't stand out too much. Clothing is more of what sets the characters apart, not much of faces.

Sound: Sound, all throughout, is extremely good. Not only is the voice acting on point, but the music is just amazing. The tracks sound orchestrated, and each one is different from the rest. The strings that play in the background of scenes set the mood, while also not interfering with your experience. They're like that little hint of lime. Speaking of music, I'll go and talk about the openings, like I usually do. The first season's opening, Here, by Junna, is something of its own category to be described. However, to save your eyes, I'll make it short. The music starts with this almost sort of Spanish flair with the instruments, giving a completely different vibe. It shows you that this show is not going to be like the rest of the animes that are airing. The visuals from the opening do cut and jump a lot, but the music is consistent and an amazing opening.

TL;DR Sound: 10/10 would buy again

Character: The characters in this anime are really well developed, and relatable in their own ways. Chise is a young girl trying to find her place in the world, Elias, a mage trying to find purpose in his existence, and so much more. What sets this anime apart from others with character, however, is how they build the characters. Ancient Magus Bride uses almost every sort of way you can use to develop the characters without getting into filler episodes. They do have flashbacks, but successfully make it so that the episodes don't become filler. If you think about how they do developing, it's pretty generic, but that is countered with what they develop. What most animes do is let what characters say just reflect their personality and emotions, but this reflects their morals, struggles, and overall what they're going through. It's pretty evident when you watch the anime.

Enjoyment: So far, this show has been more than enjoyable. It's been captivating every second I watch, with visuals that prevent my eye from turning away. The sound was enough to get me to start watching by itself, and the story, albeit a bit simple, has hidden and underlying meanings that I can relate to and think about.

Overall: The Ancient Magus Bride overall is an anime that has been getting better and better with each new episode. It starts out just a tad bit slow, but it picks up after the first or second episode, and then stays at a constant rate. It's not perfect by any means, but I'd say it's pretty close.

After reading a few of the reviews for this show I felt I needed to write one of my own. ESPECIALLY after reading some of the highest voted ones....LOL...I've never wanted a down vote button on a review so bad or a way to comment on a review, but instead some innocent reader is going to read some of that BS and be swayed by their garbage and potentially bypass this GEM. I will also note that at this time I've watched 19 episodes of the show, and waiting to see the last 5 or so, and will change this review if those ... last few episodes cause me to reflect any differently on this (BTW...I have now completed this anime and my review stands....it deserves the 9 rating I gave it).

So first of all, let me just say if you're the type that likes everything to be politically correct and goes crying "offensive!!" whenever something you disagree with is displayed in a TV show, perhaps you should %#$& OFF. :D Ok, now for the rest of us that appreciates a good story and realizes injustices occur in the world, that this is FICTION, and aren't afraid to hear about the good and bad parts of life (esp if we learn something from it) ...then read on and know you'll probably enjoy this show!

This is a fantasy story about finding oneself and learning to deal with the harshness and challenges of life. It has all sorts of other stories intertwined in it's midst as well...tales of lost loves, legends, life, loss, family, miracles, romance, etc... If you want all sunshine and roses in everything you watch though 1) are you 5? and 2) see my second paragraph, last portion of first sentence, as this show...while it certainly has many warm and happy moments, it also is not afraid to remind us that with life comes pain of all sorts....happiness too, sometimes in very unexpected places, but life's not all sunshine. I appreciate that about this show, and I also appreciate a story with adult concepts and not all giddy school kid bullshit. :D

The characters of this show are wonderful. When they feel, you feel....they relay that really well, despite the challenge that likely is considering one of the main chars has a skull for a face (aka so no emotions to show really). The story really conveys well what the main characters may be experiencing and how their feelings can change drastically as the show progresses. The characters are complex, and intriguing. The main characters, true enough have a pretty large age gap.....but who cares. This is fiction, she is not 10...she's 16...and is very mature for her age and he's not you're average ..anything really...and is god knows how old (so if that's what you're going by any human is "too young" for him). Also, if you've seen Natsume's Book of Friends and weren't offended by the little fish lady falling in love with the little boy, then I think you'll be just fine (and if you were offended by that see second paragraph, last part of first sentence). I actually recall thinking several times that this show reminds me of Natsume BoF....and I adore that show as well. This is like that but way more "fantasy" elements (elves, fairies, magical beasts, etc... it's like Harry Potter meets Natsume BoF...kind of).

This truly is a magical experience. It is a unique and fantastical world and story that grips you all the way through. I think this is one of those rare gems you come across, so I would advise you all to watch it yourself, don't listen to the idiots talking about how there is slavery and that's so wrong or any of that other bull, as the wrongs that happen in life are what make the happy moments shine so bright in this show....so, hell don't even listen to my rants here....go right now and watch this for yourself and make your own decision. I am confident you'll be glad you did. :D

Animation (10/10) the fight scenes were awesome, the small background animations were supreme, the creature movement animation were superb and so on;
Sound (10/10) was just perfect, the series had one of the best sound design I've ever heard, The musical compositions were perfect for what was going on the screen and it really immersed me into the show;
Characters (10/10) almost all of the characters were, reasonably balanced and pretty realistic feeling, the show had a wide variety of different characters and almost all of them had their own small quirks which were shown off in the show so that was an amazing small detail that ... I enjoyed;
Story (10/10) One of the best stories for the Fantasy genre, the story was almost perfect and I would say the whole show, was basically a 8 hour long movie. The ending leaves almost nothing more to be wanted.

Overall 10/10

First Impressions:

"The episode opens with a broken, anxious, and destitute Hatori Chise being auctioned off as property before being snatched up by a man named Elias. With a skull for a head, the menacing Elias proves to be rather kind as he explains to Chise that he’s a mage and he had paid for her in the hopes of training her as his apprentice. After Chise is given a warm welcome into Elias’ home, she almost ends up entering the fairies’ world during a midnight stroll. However, she rejects the forceful offer since Elias had called her family, which is something ... none of her adoptive families ever did despite all of them being blood-related to her. Elias then swoops in, warns the fairies to never try that sort of stunt again, and carries her through the forest back to their home. The episode ends with Elias admitting that while he purchased Chise with the intention to raise her as his apprentice, he also hopes that one day she would be his wife.

There’s something universally attractive about magic. Just think of all of the popular anime that feature magic! The possibilities that exist within such settings is certainly enticing, as with the flashy displays of magic that are simply cool. Mahoutsukai no Yome, however, doesn’t opt to just rely on such theatrics and has already woven an emotional message into the narrative by tackling a topic that resonates with many a viewer. While exploring the concept of family is not exactly original, the series executes the concept well and is successful at getting the audience to care for Chise. Seeing a misfortune girl regain her sense of confidence after being told that she actually belongs is likely one of the major reasons why most are interested in following Mahoutsukai no Yome. Another reason to get excited is that the series seems to be much more than just Chise’s story. If the opening is anything to go by, then the series is set to feature some climatic and dramatic moments. Having nothing to go by other than the 3-episode OVA (which I would highly recommend watching before watching this first episode yet isn’t strictly necessary if one wants to get technical), I can only look forward to seeing how Mahoutsukai no Yome progresses from here on.

Verdict Worth Watching – Give it a shot! It almost feels like I watching a fairy tale unfold, to be honest, and that has me wishing for emotional scenes and moments that’ll leave me breathless and wanting more. And so far, Mahoutsukai no Yome has proven to be sincere, touching, and beautiful (due to its wonderful animation), leaving me hopeful that my expectations will be fulfilled. There’s a lot of hype surrounding this series, frankly, and it’s easy to see why. Whether or not it can deliver remains to be seen, but so far the series is off to a decently strong start. Be that as it may, the way Elias refers to Chise as “my puppy” is a bit off-putting, but perhaps he’s just socially awkward. The 3 OVA episodes seem to support this theory. Speaking of which, I suggest watching the OVA episodes before jumping into this first episode, however. Think of it as a potential time-saver – you might feel nothing for the series after spending roughly an hour and half watching Chise tell a story from her past, so you can feel justified in refraining from following Mahoutsukai no Yome in its entirety, which is set to air for 2 seasons and thus will take around 12 hours to watch over a period of months. I myself wasn’t sold until I finished watching the OVA episodes, so you might be surprised!!"-The Outerhaven