#kaihen no mahoutsukai

[birdversary]

What is Tanabemas?

Tanabemas is a Christmas event for fans of Yellow Tanabe’s works, including Kekkaishi, Laughter at the World’s End, BIRDMEN, and Kai-Hen Wizards!

Participants will post a wishlist containing prompts for fanworks they would like to receive. During the holiday season, everyone will receive at least 1 thing on their wishlist, courtesy of the moderators! Gifts can be drawings, fics, moodboards, playlists, gifsets, or anything else your gifter can think of.

You do not need to create gifts for anyone to receive something, but if you would like to participate in gifting, all wishlists will be available for public viewing. Happy gifting!

Important Dates

Wishlist submissions will be open from October 18th, 2024 to December 6th, 2024. While you will still be able to edit your wishlist after that, gifts may not reflect changes made after November 15th.

Gift posting will begin on December 20th, 2024, and run until January 10th, 2025. Feel free to post any gifts in this time period. The tag for this event is #tanabemas2024.

If you do not share a social media website with your giftee, you may contact the moderators, who will share your gift with your giftee.

Writing Your Wishlist

Please format your wishlist like so:

Name: Your name

Gift Address: Social media accounts where you are accepting gifts

Wishlist: 

(Fandom) Specifics about your wish

(Fandom) Specifics about your wish

…and so on.

Do Not Want: Things you do not want to receive, such as blood, gore, suggestive art, etc.

Additional: Additional information that may help your gifter make you the perfect gift

Please include at least 3 wishes (at least 5 recommended, but the more the merrier), but feel free to be as vague or as specific as you like.

An example of a wishlist can be found on the Padlet where wishes are posted.

What can I wish for?

You can wish for anything! I want this to be an event where you receive fanworks you have always wanted.

That being said, if your wish makes gifters uncomfortable, you may not receive a gift of that prompt. Please don’t be too disappointed. 

NSFW will be allowed in this event, but please make sure at least 3 of your wishes are SFW. If you are a minor, please do not request or fulfill NSFW wishes.

You may wish for original fan characters or specific AUs, but please provide visual or written references if applicable. 

Posting Your Wishlist

Post your wishlist on this Padlet: https://padlet.com/karaeishi/tanabemas-wishlists-2tg12ibinnn1vyjj

You can create your own post by clicking the “+” button at the bottom right corner.

You do not need to create a Padlet account to make a post. You can also come back to this link at any time to edit or add to your wishlist by clicking on your post. Please refrain from editing the wishlists of other people.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to keep my gift a secret from my giftee?

Not at all. This is not a Secret Santa event, merely a Santa event. If you would like to reach out to your giftee to make sure they are okay with aspects of your gift, go ahead! If you want to post your works in progress, feel free to do that as well. I just ask that you finish any works in progress you post.

Can my requests all be from 1 fandom?

Yes, of course. This was originally a BIRDMEN event, but I wanted to include the long-neglected Kekkaishi fans, and the new Kaihen fans as well, so it was broadened to include all of these series. But I know many people are only in one or two of these fandoms. There will be someone to fulfill your wishes even if you only request from one fandom.

What if someone else has already fulfilled the wish I want to fulfill?

That’s okay! Then your giftee will receive two gifts! How wonderful!

I’m going to be too busy to make any gifts this year. Are you sure it’s okay to wish for things, even if I won’t be able to give anything in return?

YES! I want you to get a little gift just for existing! It would be cool if other people participated in gifting as well but I have zero expectations for anyone else to do so! I just want to do this!!

What if my head is empty and I don't have any wishes? Can I still make gifts?

ALSO YES! Sometimes there is just nothing in particular you want but you still want to gift things. That is okay too!! You are important to the ecosystem as well!!

Moderated by: Soh (Tumblr: @birdmenmanga, X: @arsquare3) and Kitsoa (Tumblr: @kitsoa)

Any additional questions can be sent to our askbox!

[kaihennomahoutsukai]

Read the manga!

🌿 Official JP updates 🌿 Viz English Simulpub (Region-locked to English-speaking countries) 🌹If you'd like to read the Viz English Simulpub, an easy workaround is to download a VPN, and set your location to the US or Canada. I am currently using Windscribe, which has a free plan. 🌿 CN Scanlations

🌿EN chapter archive available on request! DM or send an ask (off anon, so I can answer it privately).

Community

🌿 Reddit: r/WorldWizards 🌿 Discord: not yet 🌿 Fan Wiki: Kai-Hen Wizards Wiki

Yellow Tanabe

🌿 Yellow Tanabe's Official Twitter 🌿 Read Kekkaishi, another supernatural shonen series by Yellow Tanabe 🌿 Read BIRDMEN, a sci-fi shonen series by Yellow Tanabe

[arsquare]

did everyone hear. there's a new yellow tanabe manga coming THIS september 11th

[birdmenmanga]

Tanabe at any given opportunity: so genders, huh?

real and true

[chewykiwiwhee]

Shakuten Special Force, On Duty!!

A.k.a. Kaihen characters as Ginyu Force parody.

[yuudamari]

i had to read kaihen no mahoutsukai's first chapter through someone on 4 chan uploading the images because viz media is, apparently, not available in spain. what teh hell man.

anyways i feel like it was a terrible mess of a first chapter, to be honest...the pacing was a bit all over the place and i feel like it didnt quite set the mood, but im interested anyways and i trust tanabe yellow because even if the birdmen ending sucked ass i know that wasnt on them because they were cut off and the rest slays so. I will obviously be keeping up

[fandompost]

Viz Media Adds ‘Kaihen no Mahoutsukai’ Manga By Yellow Tanabe As Simulpub Series http://dlvr.it/TD6nrT

[leenaevilin-stage-calendar]

[Streams & TV] AUGUST 2021

Stream

♪ August 1st, 2021 舞台 デュラララ!! ～円首方足の章～ (butai durarara!! ~enshuhousoku no shou~) [dmm]

♪ August 1st, 2021 舞台「憂国のモリアーティ」case 2 (butai yuukoku no moriarty case2) [Streaming＋]

♪ August 1st, 2021 劇団CATMINT第17回公演 青い世界線Episode1～哀憐～ (gekidan catmint dai17kai kouen aoi sekaisen episode 1 ~airen~) [Confetti Streaming Theater]

♪ August 1st, 2021 ミラクル☆ステージ『サンリオ男子』〜KAWAII Evolution〜 (miracle☆stage sanrio danshi ~kawaii evolution~) [niconama]

♪ August 7th, 2021 舞台「鬼滅の刃」 其ノ弐 絆 (butai kimetsu no yaiba sono ni kizuna) [dmm]

♪ August 7th, 2021 舞台「鬼滅の刃」 其ノ弐 絆 (butai kimetsu no yaiba sono ni kizuna) [dmm]

♪ August 7th, 2021 舞台「魔法使いの約束」第1章 (butai mahoutsukai no yakusoku dai 1 shou) [niconama]

♪ August 7th, 2021 MANKAI STAGE『A3!』～SUMMER 2019 ～ [niconama]

♪ August 7th, 2021 ミュージカル「憂国のモリアーティ」Op.3 -ホワイトチャペルの亡霊- (musical yuukoku no moriarty op.3 -white chapel no bourei-) [dmm]

♪ August 7th, 2021 ミュージカル「憂国のモリアーティ」Op.3 -ホワイトチャペルの亡霊- (musical yuukoku no moriarty op.3 -white chapel no bourei-) [dmm]

♪ August 8th, 2021 舞台「鬼滅の刃」 其ノ弐 絆 (butai kimetsu no yaiba sono ni kizuna) [dmm] CANCELED

♪ August 8th, 2021 舞台「鬼滅の刃」 其ノ弐 絆 (butai kimetsu no yaiba sono ni kizuna) [dmm] CANCELED

♪ August 14th, 2021 舞台「東京リベンジャーズ」(butai tokyo revengers) [dmm]

♪ August 14th, 2021 舞台「東京リベンジャーズ」(butai tokyo revengers) [dmm]

♪ August 14th, 2021 Live Musical SHOW BY ROCK!! ~ 深淵のCrossAmbivalence~ (live musical show by rock!! ~shinen no crossambivalence) [niconama]

♪ August 15th, 2021 舞台『モブサイコ100』～激突！爪第7支部～ (butai mob psycho 100 ~gekitotsu! tsume dai 7 shibu~) [U-NEXT]

♪ August 15th, 2021『ヒプノシスマイク-Division Rap Battle-』 Rule the Stage -Battle of Pride- (hypnosis mic -division rap battle- rule the stage -battle of pride-) [Theater-Complex]

♪ August 15th, 2021『ヒプノシスマイク-Division Rap Battle-』 Rule the Stage -Battle of Pride- (hypnosis mic -division rap battle- rule the stage -battle of pride-) [Theater-Complex]

♪ August 15th, 2021 Live Musical｢SHOW BY ROCK!!｣ -狂騒のBloodyLabyrinth- (live musical show by rock!! -kyousou no bloodylabyrinth-) [niconama]

♪ August 18th, 2021 MANKAI STAGE『A3!』Troupe LIVE ～SPRING 2021～ [Streaming＋]

♪ August 19th, 2021 Live Musical「SHOW BY ROCK!!」-DO 根性北学園編- 夜と黒のReflection (live musical show by rock!! -do konjou kitagakuen hen- yoru to kuro no reflection) [niconama]

♪ August 19th, 2021 MANKAI STAGE『A3!』Troupe LIVE ～SPRING 2021～ [Streaming＋]

♪ August 20th, 2021 MANKAI STAGE『A3!』Troupe LIVE ～SPRING 2021～ [Streaming＋]

♪ August 21st, 2021 MANKAI STAGE『A3!』Troupe LIVE ～SPRING 2021～ [Streaming＋]

♪ August 21st, 2021 MANKAI STAGE『A3!』Troupe LIVE ～SPRING 2021～ [Streaming＋]

♪ August 22nd, 2021 舞台 デュラララ!! ～円首方足の章～ (butai durarara!! ~enshuhousoku no shou~) [dmm]

♪ August 22nd, 2021 舞台 デュラララ!! ～円首方足の章～ (butai durarara!! ~enshuhousoku no shou~) [dmm]

♪ August 22nd, 2021 舞台「東京リベンジャーズ」(butai tokyo revengers) [dmm]

♪ August 22nd, 2021 舞台「東京リベンジャーズ」(butai tokyo revengers) [dmm]

♪ August 22nd, 2021 MANKAI STAGE『A3!』Troupe LIVE ～SPRING 2021～ [Streaming＋]

♪ August 22nd, 2021 MANKAI STAGE『A3!』Troupe LIVE ～SPRING 2021～ [Streaming＋]

♪ August 22nd, 2021 ミュージカル「憂国のモリアーティ」Op.3 -ホワイトチャペルの亡霊- (musical yuukoku no moriarty op.3 -white chapel no bourei-) [dmm]

♪ August 22nd, 2021 ミュージカル「憂国のモリアーティ」Op.3 -ホワイトチャペルの亡霊- (musical yuukoku no moriarty op.3 -white chapel no bourei-) [dmm]

♪ August 24th, 2021『ヒプノシスマイク-Division Rap Battle-』 Rule the Stage -Battle of Pride- (hypnosis mic -division rap battle- rule the stage -battle of pride-) [Theater-Complex]

♪ August 25th, 2021『ヒプノシスマイク-Division Rap Battle-』 Rule the Stage -Battle of Pride- (hypnosis mic -division rap battle- rule the stage -battle of pride-) [Theater-Complex]

♪ August 28th, 2021 Live Musical「SHOW BY ROCK!!」-DO 根性北学園編- 夜と黒のReflection (live musical show by rock!! -do konjou kitagakuen hen- yoru to kuro no reflection) [niconama]

♪ August 29th, 2021 『ヒプノシスマイク-Division Rap Battle-』Rule the Stage -track.1- (hypnosis mic -division rap battle- rule the stage -track.1-) [niconama]

♪ August 29th, 2021 Live Musical「SHOW BY ROCK!!」-DO 根性北学園編- 夜と黒のReflection (live musical show by rock!! -do konjou kitagakuen hen- yoru to kuro no reflection) [niconama]

♪ August 29th, 2021 ミュージカル『テニスの王子様』4thシーズン お披露目会 (musical tennis no oujisama the 4th season ohiromekai) [U-NEXT]

♪ August 31st, 2021 舞台「鬼滅の刃」 其ノ弐 絆 (butai kimetsu no yaiba sono ni kizuna) [dmm]

♪ August 31st, 2021 舞台「鬼滅の刃」 其ノ弐 絆 (butai kimetsu no yaiba sono ni kizuna) [dmm]

TV

♪ August 1st, 2021 舞台「銀河英雄伝説 Die Neue These」～第二章 それぞれの星～ (butai ginga eiyuu densetsu die neue these ~dainishou sorezore no hoshi~) [衛星劇場] 

♪ August 1st, 2021 舞台「KING OF PRISM-Rose Party on STAGE 2019-」(butai king of prism -rose party on stage 2019-) [衛星劇場]

♪ August 1st, 2021 おうちで喜劇公演「コントショー特別リクエスト公演～サマースイートホテル～」(ouchi de kigeki koen konto show tokubetsu request kouen ~summer suite hotel~) [日テレプラス]

♪ August 2nd, 2021 LOOSER～失い続けてしまうアルバム～ (looser ~ushinai tsuzuketeshimau album~) [日テレプラス]

♪ August 3rd, 2021 恋を読む vol.3『秒速5センチメートル』(koi wo yomu byousoku 5 centimetere) [日テレプラス]

 ♪ August 4th, 2021 ミュージカル『テニスの王子様』 3rdシーズン 青学vs比嘉 (musical tennis no oujisama 3rd season seigaku vs higa) [WOWOWライブ]

♪ August 7th, 2021 舞台『刀剣乱舞』虚伝 燃ゆる本能寺 (butai touken ranbu ~kyoden moyuru honnouji~) [日テレプラス]

♪ August 7th, 2021 舞台『刀剣乱舞』虚伝 燃ゆる本能寺 ~再演~ (butai touken ranbu ~kyoden moyuru honnouji~ saien) [日テレプラス]

♪ August 7th, 2021 舞台『刀剣乱舞』義伝 暁の独眼竜 (butai touken ranbu ~giden akatsuki no dokuganryuu~) [日テレプラス]

♪ August 7th, 2021 舞台『刀剣乱舞』外伝 此の夜らの小田原 (butai touken ranbu ~gaiden kono yoora no odawara) [日テレプラス]

♪ August 7th, 2021 舞台『刀剣乱舞』ジョ伝 三つら星刀語り (butai touken ranbu ~joden mitsuraboshi katanagatari~) [日テレプラス]

♪ August 7th, 2021 舞台『刀剣乱舞』~悲伝 結いの目の不如帰~ (butai touken ranbu ~hiden yui no me no hototogisu~) [日テレプラス]

♪ August 7th, 2021 マーダーミステリーシアター 演技の代償 (murder mystery theater engi no daishou) [衛星劇場]

♪ August 8th, 2021 舞台「銀河英雄伝説 Die Neue These」～第三章 嵐の前～ (butai ginga eiyuu densetsu die neue these ~daisanshou arashi no mae~) [衛星劇場]

♪ August 8th, 2021 舞台『刀剣乱舞』慈伝 日日の葉よ散るらむ (butai touken ranbu jiden hibi no ha yo chiruramu) [日テレプラス]

♪ August 8th, 2021 舞台『刀剣乱舞』 維伝 朧の志士たち (butai touken ranbu ~ iden oboro no shishitachi) [日テレプラス]

♪ August 8th, 2021 科白劇 舞台『刀剣乱舞/灯』 改変 いくさ世の徒花の記憶 (kahakugeki butai touken ranbu/tomoshibi kaihen ikusayu no adabana no kioku) [日テレプラス]

♪ August 8th, 2021 ミュージカル「テニスの王子様」コンサート Dream Live 2017 (musical tennis no oujisama concert dream live 2017) [WOWOWライブ]

♪ August 9th, 2021 イノサンmusicale Version Rouge (innocent musicale version rouge) [日テレプラス]

♪ August 10th, 2021 最遊記歌劇伝－Oasis－ (saiyuuki kagekiden -oasis-) [WOWOWライブ]

♪ August 14th, 2021 マーダーミステリーシアター 演技の代償 (murder mystery theater engi no daishou) [衛星劇場]

♪ August 15th, 2021 舞台「KING OF DANCE」(butai king of dance) [日テレプラス]

♪ August 16th, 2021 イノサンmusicale Version Bleu (innocent musicale) Version Bleu [日テレプラス]

♪ August 18th, 2021 MANKAI STAGE『A3!』Troupe LIVE ～SPRING 2021～ [日テレプラス]

♪ August 22nd, 2021 舞台『パタリロ！』 (butai patalliro!) [衛星劇場]

♪ August 22nd, 2021 舞台 『パタリロ!』スターダスト計画 (butai patalliro! sturdust keikaku) [衛星劇場]

♪ August 22nd, 2021 舞台『パタリロ！』～霧のロンドンエアポート～ (butai patalliro! ~kiri no london airport~) [衛星劇場]

♪ August 22nd, 2021 『ヒプノシスマイク-Division Rap Battle-』Rule the Stage -track.1- (hypnosis mic -division rap battle- rule the stage -track.1-) [日テレプラス]

♪ August 22nd, 2021 『ヒプノシスマイク-Division Rap Battle-』Rule the Stage -track.2- (hypnosis mic -division rap battle- rule the stage -track.2-) [日テレプラス]

♪ August 22nd, 2021 『ヒプノシスマイク-Division Rap Battle-』Rule the Stage -track.3- (hypnosis mic -division rap battle- rule the stage -track.3-) [日テレプラス]

♪ August 25th, 2021『ヒプノシスマイク-Division Rap Battle-』 Rule the Stage -Battle of Pride- (hypnosis mic -division rap battle- rule the stage -battle of pride-) [日テレプラス]

♪ August 27th, 2021 FAKE MOTION -THE SUPER STAGE- [日テレプラス]

♪ August 28th, 2021 舞台「俺たちマジ校デストロイ」(butai oretachi majikou destroy) [衛星劇場]

♪ August 28th, 2021 FAKE MOTION 2021 SS LIVE SHOW [日テレプラス]

♪ August 29th, 2021 舞台 おおきく振りかぶって (butai ookiku furikabutte) [衛星劇場]

♪ August 29th, 2021 舞台 おおきく振りかぶって 夏の大会編 (butai ookiku furikabutte natsu no taikai hen) [衛星劇場]

♪ August 29th, 2021 舞台 おおきく振りかぶって 秋の大会編 (butai ookiku furikabutte aki no taikai hen) [衛星劇場]

♪ August 30th, 2021 舞台「文豪とアルケミスト 余計者ノ挽歌」(butai bungou to alchemist ~ yokeimon no elegy) [日テレプラス]

[birdmenmanga]

Predicting the Class Warfare Plotline in Kai-hen Wizards

At first glance, Kai-Hen Wizards seems to be a perfectly normal fantasy shonen manga. With supernatural powers wreaking havoc on the world, a seemingly amnesiac prince, and immortal wizards standing atop everything, this seems like an unlikely place to find a metaphor for class warfare.

And yet, with socialism being a main theme of the author's previous work, there are already hints even just a mere 4 chapters in that Kai-Hen Wizards, too, will shape up to be a story about class warfare.

Mana and Gems

It's very clear that mana and gems are a major form of capital of this universe.

It's very telling that THIS is the first real piece of worldbuilding regarding the mana. A typical series might hone in on what the 7 different colors represent, or what types of spells one might be able to cast, but the aspect of the magic that is spotlit first... is its economic importance.

Another point of interest is how mundane those objects in the bottom left corner are. On one hand, it is almost SO mundane that it breaks the fantasy world immersion, but at the same time it really drives the point home that "even ordinary people use them every day". Gems are not actually gatekept from the masses.

What's fascinating is the section about the Seven: they're so powerful they can form gems themselves.

It's reading very much as: they do not need to labor in order to gain more wealth; they are so rich already that gems have just become a form of passive income making them richer.

The Prince

It's not just anybody who can become a wizard's apprentice, says Raichi. It ought to be someone who has a high tolerance for mana, and someone who has mana to start with.

If you do not have capital to start with, how can you possibly go about investing it and refining it into something more powerful?

Of course, there's the in-universe explanation that mana itself is toxic to the natural world. I actually quite like this aspect of the worldbuilding; it's a very obvious continuation of the ideas explored in late Kekkaishi, with the toxic mana being a climate change metaphor, but now explicitly tied to capitalism.

Even though Raichi clearly wants to be an apprentice, she feels that she is inferior to the prince when it comes to mana, and cedes that position to him even though she wants it a million times more than he does.

In fact, she's deeply frustrated by the prince's lack of interest in becoming Zemu's apprentice.

Becoming a wizard's apprentice means inheriting their spells (wealth), and magical domain (land), and is equivalent to being royalty (social status). Wizards are the bourgeois of this universe, who hoard wealth and pass it on only to those who are already in the same class as them.

The prince, who is both of high social status (being a prince), and also already possess great wealth (represented by his mana/mana tolerance), is poised perfectly to inherit the position of wizard. But his interests lie elsewhere...

The Liberation of Humans

Well, the prince doesn't think of it like that, obviously. But he DOES want Roue back, and it's clear he wants her back in a way that is specifically OUTSIDE their preexisting prince-and-wizard dynamic. He has never wanted to be a prince, and he never loved Roue because she was a wizard. He wants to live in a world where he and his favorite human can live without those socioeconomic restraints.

But beyond the social and economic classes we've already discussed, there's a third axis of oppression in this world: race.

It's made very clear that the castle has no humans in it, and hasn't ever had them because Zemu, apparently, hates humans (despite the fact he used to be one? more on this later). The inhabitants of the castle are clearly unfamiliar with interacting with humans, relying on stereotypes to make sense of the prince's behavior.

So, you're an Asian kid. Is that right? What do you like? It didn't read as a microaggression the first time around, but if someone said this to me in real life I'd definitely be thinking "why did my race have to be a prerequisite to this conversation???"

In fact, I think the prince's first encounter with Raichi is extremely telling.

She's racist!! She's fucking racist!!! We're in a world where it's apparently okay to call humans "primitives" like it's no big deal!

And YET even though Raichi clearly sees herself as superior to the prince from a racial point of view, she STILL cedes the position of apprentice to him based on the differences in their economic class! In fact she is actively upset that the prince is seemingly refusing all these great perks of apprenticeship... for no reason. After all, to her, who grew up in this capitalistic system, the pressure to climb is second nature.

The Altitude Motif

We had one of these in BIRDMEN as well! In that series, the ever increasing altitude represented the ascension to godhood (which itself was a metaphor for dictatorship). However, I believe in Kai-Hen Wizards, the altitude is actually supposed to represent the capitalistic pressure to climb. To hustle, to grind, to make those big bucks, to wring more money out of the system, to get that promotion, to move up in society.

The prince wakes up in the basement of the castle with no memories.

Throughout the first chapter, as he remembers more and more about his past, his status as royalty, and his role as the flying country's treasure, he is funneled higher and higher into the castle, even as he tries to escape.

Raichi articulates what the castle signals to the prince: you should only want to go up! Why would you ever want to go down? Or, god forbid, leave this castle and this system entirely?

What strikes me as interesting is this page in particular, where he notices the locked doors.

I think it's no coincidence that it's revealed in Chapter 4 that what doors he CAN open lead downwards.

THIS is the out from the system that the prince was looking for in the first chapter. And yet, in order to open more doors, he must participate in the castle's system.

You'll have to put your nose against the grindstone, to work within the castle in order to even attempt to leave it, and even then, the fulfillment of your wishes is not guaranteed.

And what DOES Zemu stand to gain from all this?

Quelling the Rage

In what is possibly the most self-aware protagonist monologue of all time, the prince says the following:

It's not just an incredibly self-aware examination of his mental state, it also succinctly summarizes the idea that those who stand to lose nothing are the most easily moved to violence in order to gain what they want. It's not framed in a socioeconomic way in this case, but it is nonetheless true. (Don't think about unnecessary things, Zemu adds.)

So what is Zemu's response to this threat? To dangle the prospects of freedom in front of the prince. To almost, just barely promise him the possibility of leaving this castle.

You want. You hunger. So I'll use that to my advantage, and I'll and wring as much profit from that desperation.

Don't say that you have nothing! You have so much potential (economic) value! You have so much (economic) worth! Don't say you have nothing! Provide your labor in my castle and feel content! Put down your proletariat rage. I have uses for you yet.

Zemu, the Ex-Human

What a fascinating character.

He's an immortal wizard who hates humans, and yet he used to be one himself. He can't let go of the mundane activity of eating, even though he no longer needs to do that.

I can't put it more succinctly than Disco Elysium did, the truth...

I suspect that in Zemu's journey to becoming an immortal wizard, he became so distanced from his fellow humans that he began to feel uncomfortable among them, finding himself to have more in common with the more privileged anthros.

Forecasting the Prince's Character Arc

Zemu's past, I think, is going to be the blueprint for the prince's character arc.

Right now, the prince we know, who has just cut his hair and treasures Roue deeply, is the version of himself that is most true to himself. THIS is the person he's always viewed himself as, even if he wasn't allowed to live like it. He cuts his hair immediately, despite the fact it lowers his mana and it went against the custom of keeping sharp tools away from royalty. He gets to eat the foods that he wants, he gets to help around the castle instead of being treated like glass.

But at the same time, he has clear goals. First, to bring Roue back, and second, to escape this castle. The more he learns about the castle, the more he realizes he will likely have to become Zemu's apprentice in order to achieve both of these goals.

In order to open the doors leading out, he must move up in the castle's society.

I think he will experience a gradual loss of the self, where his love for Roue, and his distaste for power will be eclipsed by the chase for ever more capital/mana. The long hair he once despised will be grown back once more to maximize his mana, and when he finally gains the ability to leave the castle and bring Roue back, he will no longer want to. He has cut off so much of himself in order to gain these powers he has become unrecognizable to himself. He will become Zemu's image.

But hey, wait!! Doesn't that make for kind of a depressing story?!

Well, it's a good thing that I feel like that's just going to be the first act of the series. Tanabe may write bittersweet tragedies, but she tends to add a hopeful spin to the endings. And we haven't even gotten to...

The Wizard Killers

What's the deal with the immortality anyways? Shouldn't you be born immortal? How can you BECOME immortal? This just smells too sweet for it not to have a cost...

I suspect there's some philosopher's stone-esque shenanigans going on here, where the lives of (likely, but probably not exclusively) humans are used to form the basis of the immortality (a metaphor for the exploitation of "inferior races", naturally). Thus, to kill an immortal... you simply need to cut off their source of lives.

This could explain the part of Zemu's characterization which is extremely reluctant to take on the prince as an apprentice. It could be that he knows the immortality is built on the exploitation of humans, and while he benefits from it now and he doesn't want to NOT be immortal anymore, he also feels guilty subjecting other humans to this same moral dilemma. (This may also explain why he refuses to keep humans in the castle-- guilt.)

It would follow naturally that the Wizard Killers are a group of human revolutionaries seeking to dismantle the rule of the wizards so their lives will no longer be used as fuel for the wizards' immortality. Obviously the anthros look upon the Wizard Killers with great fear as well, because they see themselves as closer to immortals than those primitive humans, even though they too are oppressed by the capitalistic wizard system.

I think the prince's awakening and radicalization will happen when the Wizard Killers arrive on Zemu's doorstep. I can see this happening in a few ways:

Roue is the vanguard of the Wizard Killers. There's no way he wouldn't be swayed if it was Roue there to turn the tables. Roue VS All the Capitalistic Wealth I've Accumulated: WHO WOULD WIN? (What??? But isn't Roue dead??? Well... what if the prince and Roue swapped heads... and both of them are actually still alive... <- I don't have the energy to expand on this in this post. It deserves its own, albeit much shorter, post. Or maybe it'll just get directly jossed this week)

The gardener, who we haven't actually seen yet, is a Wizard Killers sympathizer, and if they end up having a close relationship with the prince, could possibly radicalize him by coming out as a Wizard Killer when the rest of them arrive.

okay yeah I don't see a third way yet but also we only have 4 chapters so far so I think I should be forgiven for this

Either way I do feel like this is a largely incomplete picture of what's going on in the universe. We've only met one of the other wizards, and we still barely know what the kai-hen actually is. However I do feel fairly confident in the "the prince becomes Zemu"/"minority representation in elite society will not actually liberate said minority because the time spent amongst elites will fundamentally change you" prediction... if I'm wrong we can all point and laugh as it gets jossed week by week. and I guess I'll have the outline for a cool kaihen fanfiction

[kaihennomahoutsukai]

Chapter 8 out now!

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[kaihennomahoutsukai]

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[arsquare]

she's never going to be able to stop thinking about this stupid boy

[kaihennomahoutsukai]

Chapter 2 out now!

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[kaihennomahoutsukai]

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[kaihennomahoutsukai]

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[kaihennomahoutsukai]

Chapter 4 out now!

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