Common Name: Mahoutsikai no Yome
Alternative Names: MahoYome, Ancient Magus' Bride, The Magician's Bride
Score: 8/10, 4/5
Length: 24 Episodes, 3 OVAs, 24 Episode minisieries
Genre: Drama, Romance, Action, Magic, Supernatural, Shoujo, Adventure, Comedy, Slice of Life
Summary: Gifted with the ability to see and interact with the supernatural elements of our world, Hatori Chise's young life has been plagued with tragedy after tragedy. Left with little options left and little hope, she agrees to sell herself to a black market that is especially interested in the power possesses but cannot control having been born as a "Sleigh Beggy." Crushing the offers of all his competitors, a strange and inhuman being calling himself Elias Ainsworth purchases Chise not as a slave, but as a student and future wife. Elias, as it turns out, is a mage skilled in weaving otherworldly magic with the aid of the monsters and spirits, similar to the ones that hunted Chise in her youth, that call the British Isles their home. As a "Sleigh Beggy," Chise already possesses the natural talent to become a mage; all she needs to truly succeed is training from a master such as Elias and familiarity with the two worlds, human and fae alike. Given little choice in the matter, Chise agrees but slowly comes to understand that this apprenticeship is meant to be just as educational for her less-than-human teacher as it is for her.
Review: Since I have a great number of things to talk about with this show, I think I'll cut straight to the chase with this show and let my myriad praises and issues with this show speak to its quality. Mahoutsukai no Yome (MahoYome from here on) is, first and foremost, a fairly typical character drama steeped in the magical lore of the British Isles which gives it the spice and flavor to succeed as a series. Past all the magical intrigue and window dressing, however, this show is ultimately the story of Chise and Elias growing as individuals and as a pair. To say this story is a clumsy one would be a bit of an understatement, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't entranced by Chise's growth as a character. At the start of the series, Hatori Chise is at her lowest point. Having utterly given up any hope that her life might make a turn for the better, she decides to sell herself into slavery since that would at least give some meaning to her miserable existence. We don't learn what drove her to that pit of despair until much later (unless you watched the prequel OVAs first like I did), but it is abundantly clear that Chise's outlook on life isn't a good one.
Though her past is mainly told in quick snippets, these "blink and you'll miss it" moments make it clear
that selling herself into slavery wasn't the first solution to her suffering she'd considered.
So, just as quickly as Chise's auction begins it also ends as we are introduced to the second main character of the series, the enigmatic Elias Ainsworth. Calling himself a mage, the skull-faced Elias quite literally spirits Chise away to his quaint, little home in the English countryside with the promise that he will make Chise his apprentice. Through his less-than-skilled tutelage, Chise learns the basics of what magic is, how it is done, and some of the truth of her own nature as a "Sleigh Beggy." To be precise, she learns that the beings of the supernatural realms are naturally drawn to her and it is through their cooperation that she is able to create miracles that common folk call magic. As she learns these things about herself and the world around her, though, she also gains insight into the man who has promised to be her teacher and future husband. Existing as both/neither human or fae, Elias is understood to be something of an outcast to both worlds yet an assistant in maintaining the balance of both. More importantly, what this also ends up meaning is that Elias is emotionally stunted when it comes to interacting with humanity.
He's like a tall, creepy child and Chise is his new, favorite toy.
Being both an emotionally stunted child and a sociopathic monster, it's generally hard to pin down a solid explanation of who he is and whether or not the things he does are acceptable. Regardless of where you stand with your opinion of Elias, it's hard to ignore the fact that he and Chise are a fairly good match. On the one hand, Elias sees inherent value in Chise's existence that she cannot, at least not at the start. With his continued support of her growth as a mage and a personal desire to see her live a long and happy life, Elias slowly but surely helps her grow into a person that is able to claim she wants to live in spite of her traumatic past. On the other hand, Chise is something of a grounding force for Elias. Since he does not understand emotions like sadness, joy, loneliness, or jealousy, Chise is able to coach him through his feelings until he's able to gauge right from wrong based on her reactions. In a very real sense, Chise ends up becoming Elias's conscience that guides him through the human world while he teaches her the basic knowledge of how fae society works. It might sound corny to say so, but these two characters are perfect for one another. Being a creature born of both the fae and human worlds, Chise is a perfect match in that she's strongly connected to both. On top of that, as the show goes on, Chise slowly grows into the roles of daughter, mother, and wife for Elias in the same way that he learns to become Chise's father, son, and husband.
With such a complex relationship, I feel it almost goes without saying that
a few...complications do eventually crop up along the way.
On top of the show's personal and romantic angles, it is worth noting that there is a vast cast of characters who work to both help and hinder Chise and Elias on their journey, turning it into a right proper drama and adventure title. First and foremost, there are the various figures within the fae realms whose roles are as variable as the types of fae that exist in Celtic/Anglo-Saxon mythology. Among these are the wind sprite Ariel, the fiery Will-o-Wisp, the seductive Leanan Sídhe, the playful Selkie, and even a few of the world's remaining dragons. Rather than being direct players in the story, however, these beings serve little purpose other than to flesh out the idea that magic and magical beings can and do exist within our own natural world. The larger players within Chise and Elias's story actually tend to be figures that possess a similar mythical gravity to them in their original lore. For example, though it isn't explicitly stated, one of the show's main antagonists known as Ashen Eye is speculated to an Arabic djinn, magical beings created long before humanity in their creation myths. Though the comparison isn't exact, the djinn are similar in many ways to the angels and devils of the Judeo-Christian faiths in that they are older and far more powerful than humans. Even the classical king and queen of the fae, Oberon and Titania, make appearances throughout the show to tease and assist Elias when he's forced to seek their aid.
Even if you aren't familiar with these classic characters, boy does this show
know how to make it clear that they are both important and otherworldly.
There are a couple exceptions to this established notoriety equating to importance to the story, however. First, there is the caretaker of Elias's home, a former Banshee turned Silky who says and does little throughout the story but is a quiet and earnest supporter of Chise's well being. Second is the character known as Ruth, a church grim or hellhound (depending on which mythos you choose) that Chise takes on as a familiar. Being both older than Chise and having suffered losses that drove him to a low point similar to Chise's that caused him to both block out and deny the truth of his existence, Ruth exists throughout the story as a sympathetic partner and older brother figure for Chise. Much like how Chise is Elias's conscience, Ruth is Chise's voice of logic and reason. He is a stable and matter-of-fact pretense that actively works to help Chise manage her worries in heated situations as well as a push her in the right direction whenever she starts to stumble through her own feelings. This, of course, doesn't mean he's without fault and isn't emotional in his own right. It's just that, as a fae creature that possesses both a human intellect and emotions, he is a being split between the worlds like Elias and Chise are. To offer a comparison, on the human-fae scale, he exists mainly as a natural median between Elias and Chise, emotionally closer to Chise but mentally closer to Elias.
Even with the few faults he has, Chise's dog-brother is a pretty cool guy
in both a figurative and literal sense.
Regardless of how any of the fae relate to Elias and Chise, though, I appreciate how the show sticks to the classic mythos of the supernatural. To be more specific, this show does a great job making the supernatural seem natural--like there is more to this world than meets the eye. Appearing as things that cannot be seen and denizens of an untouched, natural world, the fae are presented as both a natural part of this world while simultaneously possessing an unnatural appearance that is similar but vastly different to the things we normally interact with. Known also as the "fair folk," the fae are traditionally known as being alluring and beautiful in an unnatural way. Calling on the second meaning of the word "fair," they are also known for offering various gifts and services that must be paid back in kind, claiming that their deals are always "fair." What this show gets right, though, is the way in which the fae are, at the same time, beautiful and dangerous. There are hundreds of stories that have been crafted and shared over the centuries that tell the tales of those who cross the fae or are tricked into a deal they can't afford. Though is it understood that they prey on humanity for fun for sustenance, it is hard to ignore the charming and deadly power typical of any and all the classical fae and this show does a great deal to show that power at it's best. From the very beginning, we learn from Chise's actions with the Ariels that the fae cannot be wholly trusted. Through interactions with Oberon and Titania, we see how they can be both generous and capricious. Elias himself, even as a half-breed, is the very image of that regal but inherently terrifying nature of the fae. In a roundabout kind of way, though, this dualistic nature of being beautiful and dangerous actually makes them seem all the more natural to our world--the poison dart frog and blue dragon being classic examples of those things being one and the same in nature.
The moral of this story: No matter what, don't mess with the fae.
What this show also gets right, however, is the fact that the dualistic nature of the fae was in many ways always meant to be a reflection of humanity's own potential to be beautiful and dangerous. Throughout the show, there are also a number of human figures that help and hinder Chise in much the same way the fae do. For example, one of the main antagonists of the series is the being known as either Joseph or Cartaphilus, also as the mythological Wandering Jew, a human damned to live an immortal life after mocking Jesus Christ as he carried the cross. Throughout the show, he is presented as a direct opposite to Chise but in terms of both morals and goals. Yet, at the same time, he is also similar to Elias in some ways. Namely, they seem to share almost childish single-mindedness to get what they want without ever considering what might be lost in the process. Along with Joseph, the show is littered with just as many humans with various degrees of magical abilities as there far fae. The magical Artificer Angelica and her husband, for instance, play a similar role but opposing stance to the fae king and queen. Where Titania and Oberon exist as parental figures that encourage Elias to come to the world of the fae, Angelica and her husband reaffirm that Chise is still very much a human, fragile and short-lived, in spite of possessing magical abilities similar to the fae. Also, in much the same way that Elias has developed connections with their fae neighbors, Chise develops multiple connections with their human neighbors as well.
In fact, some of Chise's best moments as a character are when
she's just palling around with her human friends.
So, you'd think, with all this setup and establishment of themes and amazing characters, that MahoYome might just be akin to the second coming of Christ in terms of anime and, at least for the first half of the show, you'd be right. During the show's first twelve episodes, everything pretty much goes off without a hitch. So long as you are able to understand and sympathize with Chise's suffering, it is very easy to get sucked into the show's action and drama alike as Chise is ferried from one magical situation to another. As the season goes on, Chise grows more confident and, in turn, more reckless as she follows in the step of every anime protagonist before her--sacrificing life and limb for the sake of anyone who she connects with, no matter how arbitrary that connection might be. While all that happens, the show also gains a great amount of interest as it slowly but surely fleshes out who and what Elias really is.
Surprise; following standard anime protocol once more, Elias is actually a
creepy shapeshifter with a penchant for tentacles.
I am only partially joking when I say that.
Even the questionable and complicated romance these two share gains some considerable traction as the understanding and bond these two characters share begins to deepen in spite of the complications born of their differences. As fun as it is to make jokes comparing MahoYome to 50 Shades of Grey, the dom/sub relationship Elias and Chise share makes a lot of sense and develops in a fairly healthy way. Crazy as it might sound, this show actually goes well out of its way to make their relationship one that actually might work. So much so, in fact, that a lot of the issues that Chise faces with finding her own feet in the world of magic also end up speaking to how she also needs to find her own feet in her relationship with Elias. One of the most heart-wrenching and powerful scenes in the first cour is actually when Angelica draws attention to the fact that Chise has grown complacent and overly dependent on Elias. For obvious reasons, this comment makes Chise, who legitimately believes that she doesn't deserve to be more than his plaything, lose it for half a second only to fall immediately into that approval-seeking behavior with Angelica as the target rather than Elias, which only reaffirms Angelica's worries. What I think I like best about this scene is that, rather than ignoring Angelica's criticism, Chise actually considers her words and even takes a few, stumbling steps toward understanding her own feelings and fears.
Being insecure as she is, though, her self-reflection is still colored
with negativity, but it is still a step in the right direction.
At the same time, however, the show makes it clear that Chise isn't the only one who needs to change to make their imbalanced relationship work. Just like Chise needs to grow enough to see her own self-worth to not get caught up in Elias's wants, Elias needs to learn where the boundaries between right and wrong lie so that he doesn't end up pushing Chise away. Unfortunately for him, that means he needs to learn to understand what all his various emotions mean while simultaneously learning to control those emotions before they can control him. Since that's obviously pretty hard to do, though, most of Elias's grown involves him stumbling time and time again, hammering the point of his lessons in over and over, until he and Chise can find some kind of happy medium. This pattern, unfortunately, makes the vast majority of Elias's growth during the second cour repetitive to the point of being annoying.
This single line might just be one of my biggest issues with the show at large.
Circling back around now, I think one of the main reason this show's romance works as well as it does is the fact that it's tied deeply with the revelation and resolution of Chise's past. As crazy as it might be for a girl to fall for a monster, the show does a pretty great job expressing why Elias and all the other horrors of the fae realms don't really frighten, disgust, or deter Chise. Without going into too much detail, the simple truth of the matter is that there are things that can and have scared her far more than Elias ever could. As she describes it, her past has forced her to live a cursed life in which even the fear of death at the hands of a horrible monster pales in comparisons to the nightmares she relives regularly. Whether for good or bad, the simple removal of that basic fear of the unknown makes it far simpler for an atypical relationship to form between these two.
Can't get any more atypical than a romance between a magical snake beast and a teenage girl.
Beyond the romantic drama and adventure aspects of this show, however, I can't say things meet the same level of quality. Particularly when things start to heat up toward the more action-y aspects of MahoYome's plot, things start to fall apart real fast simply because the show doesn't really know how to handle these intense and fast-paced moments. I cannot count how many times I got frustrated with the second cour just because it couldn't pace the action in a reasonable manner. For 80% of a show's runtime, things would be solid as it addressed the romantic drama that fuels this show. Then, as if out of nowhere, a villain or problem would show up to start some shit only to have all the impact and threat of their appearance sucked out of the scene by cutting the episode mid-conflict. To make that pacing issue all the worse, most of those threats typically ended up getting resolved within the first four minutes of the next episode. Had the show implemented of these kinds of poorly-executed cliffhangers once or twice, I might have been able to look past it. I'm sorry to say, though, that they became a staple of the second cour that ended up driving me up the wall.
As much as I would love to hate this show's villains for being...well...villainous, I ended up
hating them for how much they screwed up the show's pacing even more.
As these issues kept cropping up in the second cour, another issue started to develop that I simply can't deal with. Toward the end, this show actually started to become predictable and mediocre. Even worse, it started to fall into the realm of being nonsensical. I don't know if it's because too much content was cut or too much was added, but in either case, there never felt like there was nearly enough explanation to provide context for all the weird twists and turns that show took during its second half. Particularly in the last couple episodes, as everything collided into one final conflict, I could not begin to tell you what happened or why it happened. Instead of being an emotional climax, it felt like the final battle was written by a couple of 2nd graders whose only reference for action was their imaginary battles on the playground where everyone has powers that appear without pretext and everyone is actually immortal anyway so it doesn't really matter.
Oh, you're a god, huh? Then I'll just summon an eldritch monster that eats gods for breakfast. I can totally do that, Jimmy. It isn't fair if you get to be an unkillable god.
Put plainly, MahoYome lost the magic and logic that made it so believably magical in the first place. There were still some magical moments and a few great character sequences and short bursts of growth. After the twelfth or thirteenth episode, though, it just never met that same standard. Even with the same awe-inspiring art that made people compare it to Ghibli, it just wasn't the same. Even with sweeping orchestral musical numbers that evoked memories of Fantasia while keeping with a Celtic style that spoke to a certain reverence for the old traditions and stories that inspired this work in the first place, it wasn't enough to win me back after that point. On paper, this should have been, from start to finish, a home run of a series that I could have recommend without hesitation.
I even got the ending I wanted, for Christ sake! How is this not a 10/10?!
Unfortunately, that just isn't possible. I am legitimately hesitant to recommend this series that I love just because large portions of the second half were handled as poorly as every clip show opening this series got. I can't begin to express how frustrated that makes me. So, unfortunately, the best I can do is say it deserves a shot but temper your expectations because at least then it won't be nearly as big of a letdown as it was for me.