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Mahou Tsukai no Yome - The Ancient Magus' Bride (Anime Thread)

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Shlugo_the_great King of Burgers from Far Far Away (On A Trope Odyssey) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
King of Burgers
#76: Nov 19th 2017 at 12:25:22 PM

Episode it out and well holy cow, this was terrifying.

Lyendith Since: Mar, 2011
#77: Nov 19th 2017 at 2:28:45 PM

Yikes… Elias is pissed. I didn't think those two words could be in the same sentence.

It's also weird to hear Chise talk so much. And take so many initiatives.

Elfive (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#78: Nov 19th 2017 at 3:48:33 PM

Told y'all she gets better.

FullMoon feeling blue from Surface Since: Jul, 2012 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
feeling blue
#79: Nov 22nd 2017 at 2:11:25 AM

Man the scene with that monster pursuing Chise is 100x creepier animated damn.

Shlugo_the_great King of Burgers from Far Far Away (On A Trope Odyssey) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
King of Burgers
#80: Nov 25th 2017 at 4:03:34 PM

Episode out: Kinda disappointed that Chise didn't get to go apeshit on that little monster. There's apparently a taboo about "warping the natural laws" but I don't really get how it differs from what mages normally do.

Oh well, at least the Church Dog became Chise familiar.

Jedi1113 Since: Jun, 2009
#81: Nov 25th 2017 at 10:25:37 PM

Mages use spirits to perform magic. They don't bend the fabric of reality. Sorcerers do. They talked bout this in an earlier ep.

Lyendith Since: Mar, 2011
#82: Nov 26th 2017 at 3:58:20 AM

So this was the NTR episode I guess. tongue Just kidding.

I found it a bit strange that Ruth went on First-Name Basis with Chise so quickly when she woke up, as if he had always known her… But the development was still kinda sweet. And sad. sad

…By the way, is it me or this episode was a little… dark? I mean, not in the story sense but in a "who turned down the goddamn lights?" sense. I know they're in a forest and all, but still.

Elfive (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#83: Nov 26th 2017 at 6:10:06 AM

Ruth is a dog. And also British.

FullMoon feeling blue from Surface Since: Jul, 2012 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
feeling blue
#84: Nov 26th 2017 at 7:33:32 AM

Yeah I'm pretty sure everyone addresses Chise by her first name, since she's in England, not in Japan. I never actually noticed that until now though, so that's an interesting little detail tongue

Lyendith Since: Mar, 2011
#85: Nov 26th 2017 at 7:49:32 AM

…Now that you say it. >.> Although those who don't know her call her "kid" or "little girl" or other variants, that's probably why it startled me here…

Elfive (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#86: Nov 26th 2017 at 10:13:58 AM

Also "Robin", which the fairies call her.

Shlugo_the_great King of Burgers from Far Far Away (On A Trope Odyssey) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
King of Burgers
#87: Dec 2nd 2017 at 5:10:10 PM

Episode out: "It's important to love something besides yourself."

What a nice, quiet episode.

I feel Chise is way too hard on herself. She isn't particularly selfish.

Also, that's some confusing advice she was getting. "You should rely more on others." "You shouldn't rely on others so much." Make your mind.

A tsundere fairy.

daltar (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#88: Dec 2nd 2017 at 8:01:50 PM

I know it sounds like she was given contrary advice but the gist of it wasn't contradictory.

When she feels bad she hides it, she doesn't care about herself and tries to keep quiet about her problems which is why she should rely on others and tell them about that stuff.

However, when she's called overdependent it is about having no sense of self worth. She entrusted her future to Elias and says she doesn't need anything but what is decided for her, which means she stopped thinking for herself and is dependent on others making decisions about her future.

Lyendith Since: Mar, 2011
#89: Dec 3rd 2017 at 8:35:57 AM

Basically, yeah. A strange episode, not a whole lot happened, yet it kinda did. It at least does a good job at showing where Chise is at the moment. She's clearly no longer the dead-inside Chise of episode 1, but she doesn't quite know what to do with her new life yet. It also helps that she has now someone she can talk to on an equal level at home (since Silky doesn't talk and Elias is, well, Elias).

Interesting detail: she says her name in the Western order, which must add a bit of subtle exoticism for Japanese viewers. Speaking of which, where did she learn to speak English so perfectly? If it was mentionned, I wasn't paying attention…

PS: Elias is somewhat even creepier when he keeps his normal voice with his demonic body…

FullMoon feeling blue from Surface Since: Jul, 2012 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
feeling blue
#90: Dec 4th 2017 at 6:32:13 PM

It's mentioned in a manga extra that the guy who sold her had her study English in preparation for the auction.

edited 4th Dec '17 6:32:42 PM by FullMoon

Lyendith Since: Mar, 2011
#91: Dec 9th 2017 at 1:46:42 PM

[up] I see… not that surprising actually.

Episode 10, where we see a glimpse of Elias'… childhood…? if you can call it that? Why do I have a feeling that Elias killed Lindel's master?

daltar (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#92: Dec 9th 2017 at 5:10:48 PM

His history for certain!

Also, Selkie fairy is just too cute. Do like the design of Lyndel's teacher... who apparently, may actually be a Biblical Figure going by her name! Perhaps even an ancestor of Jesus himself.

nothri2 Since: Jun, 2016
#93: Dec 10th 2017 at 11:29:51 PM

So I finished the first episode and wanted to give my random thoughts in no particular order.

The opening scenes of this anime do an excellent job of establishing both how skeevy this whole operation is with the auction, and perhaps more importantly give us a lot of visual information about how deadened Chise is to...everything. My mind keeps lingering especially on the bags under her eyes. We know right away that she's someone who has given up completely- that's obvious from how she signs away her life. The visual cues tell me this also wasn't one profound moment of despair. More like that she's been eroded down by time and misery.

Next thought....who told Elias about the auction? We know that he isn't a frequent guest (which is good, hard to redeem an asshole who attends slave markets regularly) so he must have showed up FOR Chise with his 5 million pounds in hand. So how did he know? Divination? Unnamed source informing him? Can't just be luck, surely.

Bath scene is awkward as hell. Just gonna leave it at that.

The fairies are a nice compromise from sedate modern harmless pixies and the legendary monsters of the original folklore. They are dangerous and tricksters here, trying to seduce and manipulate Chise into coming to fairy land. But they aren't AS bad as they could be. I don't get the impression that they are lying about how nice life would be on the other side, for instance. They seem genuinely eager to dote and play with Chise. Just my impression. Significantly, they don't take offense to her rejection. Its met mostly with a sigh and an "oh well, if you change your mind you know where to find us". Dangerous, but a bit less vicious than I'd expect the legendary fair folk to act after being rebuked. All in all, I like these little bastards a lot.

People have said Chise doesn't have agency in this episode. I disagree. She makes the very significant choice to stay with Elias by the end of the episode. Consider that 24 hours ago she was willing to sign away her life (which, essentially, was a metaphor for killing herself). Now she's facing the same basic choice, arguably in a much more pleasant fashion with fairies. Moreover, the episode implies that she's being mentally compelled by the fae to go with them. Yet now she wants to stay, and that desire is strong enough for her to physically wound herself to break the fairy enchantment. That's not a small step for someone who has given up to take.

Overall, I love the anime. Steeped in folklore, great characters, good music and animation, a wonderful magic system. Lots to love. I'll share my thoughts on the other episodes as they come.

daltar (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#94: Dec 11th 2017 at 1:10:45 AM

Wonderful to see a new fan! And with a good analysis! I hope you continue to enjoy the ride.

AnotherDuck No, the other one. from Stockholm Since: Jul, 2012 Relationship Status: Mu
No, the other one.
#95: Dec 11th 2017 at 1:46:26 AM

I don't get the impression that they are lying about how nice life would be on the other side.
That's what they want you to think. tongue

Yeah, bath scene is awkward, but I think that's also the point. Of three people living in that house, two are very awkward at the start. They get better, at various paces, but one thing to know is that Elias is roughly as human as he looks. One thing I like overall about him is that he's shown to not be morally right or wrong so much as he's morally displaced. May or may not qualify as Blue-and-Orange Morality, but it's in that direction.

Check out my fanfiction!
RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#96: Dec 11th 2017 at 6:53:56 AM

Silky, meanwhile, is just happy to have someone in the house she can make clothes for and cook and clean. Because she's Silky and that's what she does.

It's been fun.
Elfive (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#97: Dec 11th 2017 at 7:53:58 AM

Yeah, if it was just Elias it'd be one thing, but Chise also has Silky and Ruth and Angelica and Grandpa Lindel looking out for her.

edited 11th Dec '17 7:54:25 AM by Elfive

Shlugo_the_great King of Burgers from Far Far Away (On A Trope Odyssey) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
King of Burgers
#98: Dec 11th 2017 at 12:55:18 PM

So that's Elias origin story. Not that it actually explained much.

AnotherDuck No, the other one. from Stockholm Since: Jul, 2012 Relationship Status: Mu
No, the other one.
#99: Dec 11th 2017 at 2:03:51 PM

Silky is awsome, in that way she's awesome in.

Check out my fanfiction!
nothri Since: Jan, 2001
#100: Dec 11th 2017 at 3:20:39 PM

Episode two thoughts:

Well, we begin on such an uplifting note with mom declaring that she should not have given birth to Chise (presumably). Dunno what to make of that statement. It sounds cold hearted and awful, but she's also crying based on the water running down her face. So could that actually be some sort of apology? Not "I wish you were never born" so much as "I'm sorry I brought you into this world when I'm not able to take care of you the way you deserve". Guess we'll find out.

Next scene, and my main thought is that I'm officially okay if some dashing skull faced mage or his red haired apprentice want to set fantasy-slave-acutioneer-san on fire in some future episode.

Sorry, Chise, no time to angst over your self-inflicted wounds. Silent elf lady has clothes for you! I presume Silky is a reference to this fairy- http://megamitensei.wikia.com/wiki/Silky. Quite dedicated to her work. The fact that she remains mostly silent makes me all the more curious about her. She doesn't seem to mind Chise living there in the least, which I was concerned about last episode. Hell, she's gone out of her way to provide for the girl. I mean, that seems to be her THING as a fairy, doing house work and such, but still. She seems very nice. Mysterious, but nice. If she's a landlady, I wonder what kind of rent she gets for all the tasks she performs?

Wizard mail is a lot more wondrous than the normal postal service. But given how often it rains in Britain, I wonder how useful that orgami spell really is.

Oh boy. Getting the impression Elias may be throwing around words like bride and honeymoon without a firm grasp on what they actually mean.

I like the little touches this anime has. Like how Silky comes into frame carrying a green coat that Chise is wearing in the next scene. Since Silky is completely silent this episode, the director does a good job of showing us what she's about- to wit anticipating the needs of her house guests before they know what they need.

Heh. Last episode was all about how assured and together our master mage was when it came to the affairs of magic. This episode is all about how totally incoherent he is regarding mundane things like interacting with humans. Fake, indeed.

Jeez. Its impossible to hate any of the side characters in this series. Angelica is particularly awesome, however. Redoubling my impression that this episode is all about showcasing how clueless poor Elias is. That Falcon Punch for his sketchy behavior followed about the ranting of lacking any common sense kinda cements his character. Interesting how his nature makes him as much an outcast among the fae as Chise is an outcast among humanity. Back to Angelica, her daughter makes some pretty epic 'I'm 5 and pissed' faces.

Wow. So magic has a price. I wonder if one of those prices is getting a animal skull for a face?

Sleigh Bevy have a slight problem with holding back their power, I see. Also, this show continues to be lovely.

Ah. Maybe Chise didn't have a problem with control because of her nature. Maybe the memory was just very painful given what happened to Mom.

That's one way to sum up the situation, Elias. "No matter how fucked up your backstory, it doesn't change the fact that you are here now." Has the advantage of being perfectly true and not especially helpful all at once. Glad Chise found comfort in it.

I wonder what order Simon is a part of. Catholic? Anglican? Do Elias' people have a problem with him for something he's done, or is this the general folklore 'fae hate the church' thing?

Silky keeps stealing the show. "Here. Have a sandwich. I'll just hold onto you protectively to make sure Churchman-san doesn't try anything while you eat." Also, Salamander followed them home!

That dragon is an asshole...and on their "honeymoon" no less.

All in all a pretty excellent world building/character intro episode.


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