The Ancient Magus' Bride

“A Spellbinding Review”

WIT Studio, known for its top-notch creations like the first season of "Attack on Titan," "SpyxFamily," the first episode of "Vinland Saga," and many others, is the creator of the captivating romance fantasy anime series The Ancient Magnus' Bride.

In The Ancient Magnus' Bride, we follow fifteen-year-old Hitori Chise as she makes the tragic choice to sell herself at auction after feeling abandoned by her own family. During the auction, a mysterious mage with a hauntingly enigmatic presence, bearing a bony skull in lieu of a face, purchases her for an astounding price of 5 million pounds. Under his guidance, Chise comes across various magical realms, undergoing a transformative journey.

WIT Studio's talented staff bring Yamazaki's rich world to life through detailed art design and animation. Art director Hidetoshi Kaneko oversees the visual style, ensuring the fantastical environments and characters match the tone of the original work. Character designer Hirotaka Katō adapts Yamazaki's designs for animation, capturing Chise's striking red hair and expressive eyes along with Elias's haunting yet captivating appearance.

Under director Norihiro Naganuma's vision, the anime delves into the complex relationship between Chise and Elias while exploring themes of belonging, identity, and the true meaning of family.

Chise's character arc takes her from despair and self-loathing to slowly opening up and finding her place in the world. Though Elias struggles to understand human emotions, his journey involves learning empathy and caring for Chise.

I anticipated the typical fairytale ending involving a mysterious magician saving a damsel in distress, their subsequent romance, and their triumph over adversity. It's the usual blueprint of any romance anime. But I did not expect to get profound life lessons from a wise dragon in his final moments, to stumble upon unsettling revelations of dark mysteries such as the episode of cat murders and soothing melodious songs set against the backdrop of breathtaking visuals. Ancient Magnus’ Bride was an experience, and here is why.

The plot revolves around Chise, a fifteen-year-old girl who auctions herself off because her family abandoned her. A mysterious mage, Elias, buys her and makes Chise his apprentice and bride.

The series starts with her signing a contract. Later, we learn that it is a contract of slavery. She is selling herself off. Looking at her, it is evident that she has given up on life. The dark circles under her eyes are a testament to her exhausted soul.

Amidst the auction, she encounters a figure veiled in mystique—an enigmatic mage with an animal skull instead of a face. He introduces himself as Elias. Elias buys Chise for 5 million pounds. He whisks her away to Britain, amidst the tranquility of the countryside.

As the narrative unfolds, the audience learns that he bought Chise to make her his apprentice and bride. Despite this shocking revelation, Chise’s stoicism remains unfazed by her tribulations.

Throughout the show, we see her getting flashbacks of her troubled past—her father and brother departing from the lives of her and her mother. Chise’s mother’s final words, laced with disappointment, scarred Chise forever. To complicate matters, Chise is also a Sleigh Beggy, a mage with unlimited magic yet a life with a limited lifespan. If the powers are left unchecked, Chise, too, is expected to die in three years.

Chise finally lets her guard down when Elias calls her a family member. He wins her heart little by little. She is also a fast learner. Audiences often witness her empathetic side. The effects of abandonment weigh heavily on her. However, as she begins to care for Elias, she becomes increasingly interested in learning more about him.

She goes to the Land of Dragons, where she meets Nevin, a wise dragon in his final stage of life. Nevin gives her profound insights into life and even motivates her to live. She is encouraged and decides to slowly lower the walls and eliminate the insecurities that have festered in her heart for so long. She, too, calls Elias’s house her home.

It would be a lie to say that Chise does not have her formidable strength. On her second trip to the island of dragons, she transforms into a fiery phoenix type of bird just because she wants to return to Elias faster, thus using her magic very intensely.

In episode 8, when Chise is about to unleash her powerful magic on Cartaphilus, Elias intercedes, halting her potent display. The irony is palpable—where it was Elias at the beginning of the episode on the brink of losing control and succumbing to his inner ‘demons.’ In the climatic part, Chise possesses the power to unleash destruction.

The Halfling, Elias Ainsworth, owns Chise from the auction. He lives in a world where humans and fairies coexist. Elias's character is emotionally distant and heartless. Even if he comprehends the joy or sorrow, he cannot experience it. He is unable to do so due to his Halfling status. However, as the story progresses, his character grows. Elias was left behind during Chise’s second trip to the Land of Dragons.

This separation made Elias realize the coldness surrounding him. He said that even though it is summer and the stove is on, he feels cold. He realizes that the time apart from Chise is causing him to feel cold. When Chise comes back, he lets her know again about the coldness that he feels.

Chise states that he must have been lonely. This epiphany marks a pivotal turning point in Elias’s emotional development. He does not like talking about himself much. He hides his past from Chise. He keeps on asking Chise if she is scared of him.

Elias’s character is very caring. He, too, has psychological issues. However, the good thing about his character arc is that he is not scared to learn and develop despite his vulnerabilities. Ruth is Chise’s familiar, able to transform into a human or a black dog. He can be both. Familiars are deeply connected with their mages and share everything with them, so if Chise dies, so will Ruth. Ruth, too, has a backstory filled with issues that he overcame with Chise’s encouragement.

His name is a Biblical reference: “For wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people and your God my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus and more may the Lord do to me if anything but death parts me from you." (Ruth 1:16–17).

Silky, a character with a unique role, is the one responsible for all the household chores—cooking, cleaning, and laundry. Despite her lack of speech, her emotions are vividly expressed through her facial expressions. As the series progresses, she develops a fondness for Chise, to the point where Elias affectionately refers to her as the ‘landlady.’ Silky's silent presence, a constant in most episodes, is a testament to her importance in the narrative.

Elias received guidance from Echoes, and it was Echoes’ master who bestowed the name ‘Elias’ upon our skull-headed male protagonist. Echoes serve as the caretaker of the Land of Dragons. His chants are based on music. Echoes is introduced in a rather unconventional way.

He ‘kidnaps’ Chise and transports her to the land of dragons. However, it becomes evident to the audience that he is not villainous. He took Elias in when he had nowhere to go. Despite Elias’s initial shocking and fearful persona, Echoes was loyal to him. Furthermore, it was Echoes who let Chise know about Elias’s past.

The artwork of The Ancient Magnus’ Bride is unique and detailed. The character designs of Elias and other mystical creatures, such as fairies inhabiting the world, were done with meticulous attention. Chise’s captivating eyes and vibrant red hair made her visually striking. Elias’s design, however, takes the win. Even though he has a unique appearance, it is not revolting to the eyes.

The animation was exceptionally well executed, with gripping fight sequences and special effects that enhanced the scene's intensity. Including Chibis to alleviate tension and inject humor was also a clever decision.

The first opening song was 'Here' by Junna. It pulls you in right away. The song, too, goes from hopelessness to finding a reason to live, reflecting Chise's life.

The lyrics

"The rubble presses down on my chest so hard I can’t breathe,

And as the rain begins to pour, it's so dark that I feel like I’m asleep" conveys how Chise felt at the beginning of the anime series. Towards the end of the song, the lyrics

"My heart still cried out

I can hear a voice calling to me.”

“Come here” basically conveys how Chise feels when Elias calls her family.

The first ending theme is "Cycle" by Itoki Hana. This song transports you to another fantastical dimension with a melancholic touch. Its haunting melody complements the overall vibe of the anime. The second opening theme song is "You" by May'n, and the second ending theme song is "Tsuki no Mou Hanbun" by Aiki and Akino.

Moving on to the source material, Kore Yamazaki is the author and illustrator of the ongoing manga series The Ancient Magus' Bride. Publisher Mag Garden has collected the manga into 19 volumes as of 2023 after serializing it in Monthly Comic Garden and Monthly Comic Blade since 2014. Seven Seas Entertainment is releasing the English translation. The anime adaptation closely follows the manga's events, capturing the essence of Yamazaki's enchanting storytelling and character development.

The anime was enjoyable. I particularly liked how Chise's and Elias's characters developed slowly throughout the show. Even their relationship dynamics were depicted in a remarkably realistic manner. They both grappled with their troubled past while striving to heal. Seeing that there was no rush in their growth while the anime boldly tackled some severe psychological and mental health issues was nice.

With all that being said, Chise's "kidnapping" at the start of every arc was repetitive. Given Chise’s immense power and the constant threats she faces, she and Elias are expected to be a bit more careful. But they always let their guard down, and Chise somehow gets caught up in a mess.

Despite this minor flaw, each episode was enriching and essential to the story. There were no filler episodes, making it a recommended watch for everyone seeking a fantasy romance anime series.