Hey everyone. Before we get started, I just wanted to give out a big thanks to Joshua Ott for sponsoring this review with his Patreon donation. (At the $60 a month tier, you are allowed to pick one 13ish episode series to be reviewed–which is released in addition to the one article a week I normally put out here on BiggestinJapan.com.) His choice for me to watch was the second half of The Ancient Magus’ Bride and review the whole series (the first half of which I had already seen). So let’s dive right in.
The Ancient Magus’ Bride is the story of Chise, the titular bride. Ever since she can remember, she has been able to perceive (and interact with) eldritch creatures that no one else can see or hear. After her father abandoned her and her mother commited suicide–after first trying to strangle Chise herself–Chise has lived life as a pariah even in her own family. Year after year, she has been passed between family members, never finding a stable home–constantly being harassed by the terrifying monsters that surround her.
Image source: TVアニメ『魔法使いの嫁』 on Twitter
As high school nears its end, she decides that it’s best to end it all. But just in the moments before she does, she meets a strange man who offers her a proposal. Her ability to see spirits marks her as a rare type of human. And while modern society has no use for her, someone in the world’s secret magical society most certainly will–all she has to do is sell herself into slavery at an upcoming magical auction.
At this, her lowest point, Chise is has spent nearly her entire life completely rejected by everyone–including those who were supposed to care for her unconditionally. Even the idea that someone could find a use for her–even as lab rat–is more than she can possibly hope for. Thus she agrees to the proposal and finds herself purchased by Elias Ainsworth, an ancient, inhuman creature that is purported to be one of the world’s few remaining true mages.
Image source: TVアニメ『魔法使いの嫁』 on Twitter
But as she soon discovers, her life with Elias is not one of master and slave–or even one of lab experiment and scientist. Rather, she taken to live with him and is told she will become his apprentice and bride. For the first time since her father walked out on her, she has a stable family and a home.
But while she doesn’t consciously realize it, this is not enough for Chise. The core of her being is unchanged–the insanity that caused her to sell herself into slavery is still the driving force behind her actions. Chise needs to feel useful.
Image source: TVアニメ『魔法使いの嫁』 on Twitter
Though it’s revealed early on that her unique magical nature is ravaging her body–even left unattended she will die in only a couple of years–she continuously throws herself into dangerous situations, using her massive innate magics despite the fact that, each time she does, she draws that much closer to death.
In a very real way, she has never moved on from the mindset she had in the moments before attempting suicide. She doesn’t care if she lives or dies. Being useful, be that to Elias or to the strangers they encounter, is all that matters.
Even when it is revealed that Elias’ whole act is a sham–that everything, from the homey atmosphere to making her his apprentice and bride, was simply to make it easier for him to observe her–she doesn’t care. The fact that he wanted her when no one else did is more than enough retain her loyalty.
Image source: TVアニメ『魔法使いの嫁』 on Twitter
On the other side of the story is Elias. Alive for centuries, this creature of magic is not human–regardless of humanoid form he often wears. Over his long life, he has simply learned how to act human. He knows that kind actions make people more cooperative, so he showers Chise with attention–meeting both her physical and emotional needs. However, he does not actually feel any emotional connection–or emotions at all, for that matter. He is just going through the actions so that he can observe the magical rarity that is Chise and satiate his own curiosity.
…At least at first.
Image source: TVアニメ『魔法使いの嫁』 on Twitter
When it comes down to it, The Ancient Magus’ Bride is a love story of the Beauty and the Beast variety–though many compare it to a more contemporary example: Twilight. After all, on the surface, the similarities are great. A normal adolescent girl finds herself caught up in a supernatural world hidden in the shadows of our own–and begins an epic romance with a man dozens of times older than her. However, there is a key difference: unlike Edward, Elias was never a normal human. While he has lived for centuries and often appears outwardly like a man in his middle years, emotionally (and perhaps even physically for his species) he is still a youth.
Like Chise, Elias found himself to be an outcast. The human world sees him as a monster and the fairy world sees him as a broken creature to be pitied. His lack of emotional connections (and emotions in general) is likely a defence mechanism from stemming from this. While he has had “friends” over the years, he is mainly just going through the actions–doing the types of things friends are supposed to do. And then Chise enters his life.
Image source: TVアニメ『魔法使いの嫁』 on Twitter
Chise is a kindred spirit in being an outcast. She doesn’t look at him with fear or pity, but with happiness. Even when she finds out he is just pretending to care for her, she is unwavering in her commitment towards him. She sees who he really is and doesn’t shy away.
Little by little, his barriers come down and, for the first time in his life, he starts to feel emotions. He is completely unprepared for the experience. When Chise is away making her wand, he learns firsthand of loneliness and is unsure what the feeling even is. But as he experiences more emotions, they start to affect his actions. When Chise makes a normal friend outside of the world of magic, Stella, he reacts with jealousy–eventually physically restraining Chise until she threatens to kill herself if he doesn’t let her go.
Image source: TVアニメ『魔法使いの嫁』 on Twitter
For centuries Elias has been able to lead a completely selfish existence. He smart and powerful enough that most creatures, both human and magical, would rather avoid him. This has awarded him the ability to do what he wants, when he wants. Stopping him would simply be more trouble than it’s worth–especially since he will be returning his to secluded home regardless.
He frankly doesn’t know how to think empathetically about anyone other than himself because he has never had to before. And herein lies the main enteral conflict for the series.
While they share in being unwanted outcasts, they have reacted to it in opposite ways. He is completely selfish, putting himself and his wants above everyone else, including Chise. She, however, is completely selfless, recklessly sacrificing her body and soul the moment a problem arises.
Image source: TVアニメ『魔法使いの嫁』 on Twitter
This conflict comes to a head when, Chise is cursed by a dragon. Her death seems certain unless the dragon is killed or the curse passed to another (which would instead kill this new person). Thus, Chise is resigned to death as she is not willing to let another die in her place. By this point, however, Elias is unwilling to let Chise go, so he goes behind Chise’s back and attempts to transfer the curse to an unknowing person: Stella. To him, this is two birds with one stone: he saves Chise and gets rid of the person he feels jealous of.
Of course, this backfires spectacularly for Elias. But over the climax of the anime, the two are able to move a few steps away from their self-destructive paths.
Image source: TVアニメ『魔法使いの嫁』 on Twitter
Elias is able to accept that Chise has her own wants and needs. She can’t not help people. He can’t keep her out of danger–he can only support her. Chise, on the other hand, comes out of it all wanting to live as long as possible, recognising the way she’s been doing things isn’t the best way to accomplish that.
While the two have been promising time and again to communicate better with each other–only to ignore said promise of communication at the first sign of awkwardness–they finally sit down and pound out a set of rules. Elias has to be willing to let her do her own thing as long as there is no clear danger. Chise, on the other hand, must not foolishly rush into things and call Elias for backup at the first sign of trouble–and after all, often times the best thing to do in a dangerous situation is to run away and go get help.
Image source: TVアニメ『魔法使いの嫁』 on Twitter
This is a compromise between their still rather extreme viewpoints but one they finally seem capable of following. And as compromise is the core of any healthy relationship, this is certainly a good sign for things to come.
The Ancient Magus’ Bride can be seen with English subtitles on Crunchyroll and Aniplus (Asia) and dubbed into English on Funimation.
Top Image Source: TVアニメ『魔法使いの嫁』 on Twitter.
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