#philomela (mahoutsukai no yome)

[willow-borb]

Since it was brought up in @xxcrossroadsxx post , here's the 29 images that were included in a slideshow in the season 2 limited edition blu-ray 4. These images were drawn by various staff members, like in the staff memorial art book from season 1, but these were never made in print form, only in the video 😔. For reference, a single limited edition blu-ray box retails at 19800 yen (~$137 USD) and is only available in Japan unless you use a proxy to buy. My blu-ray software was very strict about drm and would not allow me to take screenshots (I tried varous things but nothing worked), so these are just shitty photos of my laptop screen that I took using my phone. Not great, but you get the idea of the images. And considering they're not supposed to be shared it's probably better that they're low quality anyways tbh. Credits for each image (the person who drew it and their role as staff) are in the image descriptions in both Japanese and English (the translation is just what I ran through deepl so take it with a grain of salt, the original japanese was also pulled from the images before cropping so there might be mistakes there too).

[xxcrossroadsxx]

More magusposting because I love them.

[elliada]

“And she finds it difficult to believe—that a person would love her even when she isn't trying. Trying to figure out what other people need, trying to be worthy.”

— Margaret Atwood.

[rayy-dreamer]

college gang in a nutshell

[moonpie2405]

Sorcerers and Primogeniture in The World of Ancient Magus Bride

Primogeniture is essentially the firstborn child's right to inherit.

This post began with me thinking about how Rian's mother Jade is heavily implied to be pregnant in the recent chapters: Rian, an only child who has loudly and repeatedly declared his desire to not join the family business or inherit his place as its head, and is adamant about learning magecraft instead. It's not that far-fetched to believe that the new child is meant to replace Rian, though whether it is because of kindness or disappointment towards him is up to debate.

That's when I realised that pretty much every major firstborn character in the College arc, especially from the younger generations, is in a sense 'failing' at what is demanded of the position, in one way or the other.

Let's get started with the rest of them, shall we?

1. Violet St George

Outright calls Jasmine the heir instead of him. Him wearing women's clothing is not something that is approved by their house, nor is him remaining unbothered by their criticisms. The elders seem to be prioritising shaping Jasmine for the role as his replacement. He also isn't as bothered by the house's issues as much as Jasmine is, repeatedly proposing that they should run away and become magi instead (in a chapter called 'Better bend than break', too, like???). Though he acts like he is joking, we don't know how serious he is about this.

2. Seth Noel

He was born with no talent for sorcery or the family trade, and was kicked out of his home with nothing to his name. Hell, even his last name was changed, and he was asked to never reveal his ties to the Websters and bring shame to their name, like what? Lucy was literally born as his replacement (parallels to what's happening in the Scrimgeour house 🤨?)

3. Adam Sargant

Ran away from home. He literally chose to die rather than return to his position in the family regardless of how good he was at it, that's how miserable he was in that place (not that it is surprising, with Lizbeth Sargant as his mother). Along this line, we also have:

4. Philomela Sargant

Let's be honest. Philomela was always set up to fail in the Sargant house, and would have never been in a position to actually inherit the title of family head: in the beginning she was raised by her parents with love and kept far away from the world of sorcery, and later under her grandmother's "care", she was only ever a scapegoat and a begrudging obligation at first, and then a sacrificial pawn in Lizbeth's plans. Heir in name only, there was literally no place for her in that house.

5. Torrey Innis

Changed his name, and even continents, to avoid his role as the heir. Would literally move halfway across the world than inherit the family business, much to Narciss's frustration.

6. Mikhail Renfred*

Did not even want to become a sorcerer, whatever happened with his father is what forced him into this path. I don't know what the family's exact duties are, but given his drunk ramblings, Renfred himself does seem to feel inadequate in his capability as a sorcerer.

7. Adolf Stroud**

Failed to follow the family profession of becoming a doctor. He seems to have had poor grades as a child, and later on he left home altogether. This might not seem terribly important, but I think that this directly fed into him feeling like he has failed Lindel.

The law of primogeniture constantly being subverted in the manga is just one of the examples of how the current generation is creating ripples of change, both within the rigid structures of the sorcerers and the world of Ancient Magus Bride itself as a whole.

*Okay, I don't actually have any confirmation about Renfred being a firstborn, but c'mon. Just look at him, he's literally the most only child ever. Can you blame me for the assumption? Welcome to the list, Renfred.

**Another exception, seeing that Adolf does not come from a sorcerer family at all. But he has firmly rooted himself in their world (Lindel's words, not mine), so I'm counting him too.

(If you've managed to make it to the end of this, thank you for reading my ramblings!)

[purpletyrant]

(extremely loud incorrect buzzer sound)

[robinmage]

SHE DESERVES THE WORLD AND EVERYTHING IN IT

[chaikajpeg]

for all the veronica x philomela fans (me)

reference: my summer of love (2004)

i've been carrying this idea around in my head since last april. don't know how i haven't exploded

upd: here's a slightly more contrast version. my monitor is acting weird, the contrast of the pictures changes over time so i can't tell which version is truer to life

[stacotto]

Eat up, Violethoodie shippers! Yamazaki gave us croutons this month

[fluffygreenkoala]

Wanted to share my VioletHoodie shrine heheh🥰💜💙

[linsdoods]

all 3 hand holding

[clau1r9i]

I'm sorry to be the one to say this but Chise is clearly bisexual

I mean, c’mon you know why i say this

[xxcrossroadsxx]

(SAMPLE) The Ancient Magus' Bride Official Complete Book (2024)

[elliada]

“all my grief says the same thing: this isn't how it's supposed to be. this isn't how it's supposed to be. and the world laughs. holds my hope by the throat. says: but this is how it is.”

— Fortesa Latifi, The Truth About Grief.

[rayy-dreamer]

More random tamb thought (or headcannons ig)

This is based on a convo I had a while back with a mate of mine. Basically, I think it's very funny that you can technically separate the college gang in three different categories so I will share them with you guys

The put-together ones

This is Lucy and Rian they give the vibes of people that always smells great, are dress well with a full face of make up at 6 in the fucking morning and the make it look easy to be like that .

The NPCs normal ones

This is Isaac and Philomela they are perfectly normal (all things considered) they look as presentable as possible, and they are just there trying their best with life

THEY JUST FOUGHT A CAT AND LOST

This Zoe and Chise, the title is self-explanatory, but if you need an explanation for those two, I think it's impressive they make it to class every day.

Idk why but this categories make so much sense for them in my mind and also it makes me laught thinking that those six hang out together and sit close to each other in class it must be a sight in the mornings. Like those guys are the class clowns, and they don't even know it. ANYWAY, that's all for me. Thanks for listening to my rumbles

[moonpie2405]

Thinking about Alcyone, once again. More specifically about how Alcyone is synonymous with halcyon. About how halcyon days "denote a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful". And isn't that exactly what Alcyone returned to Philomela when she got destroyed? Memories of a time when their family used to be happy, memories that Iris had specifically asked Alcyone to hold and safeguard. Memories that Lizbeth selfishly destroyed from Philomela's mind. But Lizbeth could not destroy Alcyone's records no matter how much she tampered with her, so Philomela ended up receiving the memories of those days back.

But the cost is that those idyllic days of the past will stay just that: days of the past. No one from that time can stand by Philomela's side now. Alcyone's destruction can bring 'Adam' back: to protect Philomela, but not to stay with her, because the hexcraft cannot bring the actual Adam back. And because Alcyone was made for Philomela's sake, she can no longer stay with her, either. Alcyone can give Philomela her memories but in doing that, she cannot stay by her side anymore. Yes, Philomela, now free, can make new happy memories with the new people she has found, but at the same time she can never ever return to those halcyon days.