#the ancient magus' bride season 2 cour 2

[chaikajpeg]

Zoe and Lucy...

Reference photo: "Peer Gynt" staged at Vienna State Opera, Dec 5 2018, actors: Nikisha Fogo and Denys Cherevychko, photo taken by Ashley Taylor (link to the photo on the Opera's FB page: here, link to the photographer's web: here)

Usually I first get an urge to draw characters and then I go on to find a fitting reference, but this time it was the other way round..... The second I saw the photo on pinterest I was like yeah..... yeah this is Zoe

[chaika-jpeg-shitpost]

Alcyone and Elias forged a deep bond over their shared struggle to communicate with people, but each of them has precisely what the other lacks. Alcyone has only lips, Elias has only eyes. Alcyone can smile at or kiss someone, but Elias can't. Elias can look someone in the eyes, but Alcyone can't.

[chaika-jpeg-shitpost]

HEBEHBehhehhaheahHK;JSS.lhs euehe g

[jupebox]

It looks like I never posted this, but pretty much as soon as I finished watching the first cour of ancient magus bride at the end of 2017 I doodled up this really quick chise. I’m really looking forward to season 2 this spring, and might draw more fanart :3c

[animehouse-moe]

The Ancient Magus' Bride Season 2 Episode 14: Nothing Venture, Nothing Have II

Kafka and MahoYome are settling in to this second cour of its second season, as we refocus on the missing book. While the episode stays pretty well in line with expectations for viewers, there's quite a few ambitious and well executed moments within.

The first thing that springs to mind is the use of CGI. Kafka's shown themselves to rely on it to a decent degree for some moments, so I was expecting to see it in this episode regardless.

Two moments stand out though, as rather well done examples: the werewolf opening scene, and Mariel's Harry Potter style brick-removal trick. I think both look surprisingly good, and that they owe it to the darker compositions of the scenes. CGI in bright light can look bad if your detail or compositing isn't really good, but those are both things that can be better hidden with darker and more bleak lighting and colors.

Let's get into the episode at hand though, mostly because I noticed a mistake (that was pointed out by a comment) with my previous post. That is, that Isaac has a crush (or something of the sort) on Philomela.

That's not the case, those feelings certainly still lie with Rian in some capacity, and we come to understand Isaac's actions through the lens of Rian's past. Here, it's Philomela that he remembers rather than Isaac, which is really interesting. It implies that Philomela and Rian's families were closer before his and Isaac's were, where Philomela originally played the role of Rian's friend/right hand man.

Isaac doesn't seem to understand or know of the past between Philomela and Rian, but he grasps the feel of their emotions. He discerns that there's a type of bond between her and Rian, and he doesn't like that so he ends up pressuring Rian on Philomela in this episode which I thought was very interesting.

For reference, it becomes clearer in hindsight now that Isaac's self-deprecation to Philomela was him comparison himself as a match to Rian. Though I'm unsure if it's meant to be in the romantic sense and that that's why we had that shot of Philomela's chest.

Cruising from character to character, I want to visit Alcyone next because this second cour seems to be doing something very curious with them.

Yes, they're continually aware of Alcyone's height in how they frame layouts, but that's not it.

What I'm more interested in is the piece said by Chise later on in the episode about Alcyone.

It's a really interesting idea that she brings forward, because Alcyone sort of fits the bill for being a replacement/parallel Elias for Philomela. I'm sure that Alcyone will play a critical role in Philomela breaking free of her cage, similar to how Elias impacted Chise. It does make me wonder though if Elias will appear much alongside Chise through this stretch. I think leaving them separate is a good thing as of right now though, and that in doing so they're able to allow Chise to grow as an individual and use her past experiences with Elias to involve herself with Alcyone and Philomela.

Speaking about Philomela so much though, she absolutely has the scene of the episode. I love it so much for so many different reasons.

The narrative behind it is just so great. Philomela thinks she's free from her grandmother at the college, that she has a chance to be a normal student thanks to Chise, that having Alcyone by her side she'll be okay.

But then then her old habits kick in and she can't drink the water. She begins to spiral in her isolation, and the iron grip of her grandmother returns in the worst way possible. She uses Alcyone as a vessel for a pre-recorded message to disparage Philomela, to drag her even deeper into the abyss of her own mind. It's an incredibly well put together sequence that shows just how little a thread Philomela has been holding onto as her grandmother threatens to let go of the other end.

And just re-winding a little to the last bit I really want to talk about: the hole in the wall vendor.

One of my favorite things about MahoYome is how consistently it terrifies with the world of magic. How often things are unsightly and uncomfortable, dangerous or menacing. This specific vendor is a great example of that with two things during their interaction with Mariel.

The first is how they search Mariel's mind for the book. In contrast to her way of touching lips, the vendor sticks his hand directly into Mariel's head, which given the physical reaction Mariel has, was not a pleasant experience.

Following that up is the casual explanation that the vendor would have eaten Mariel had she not paid a reasonable price to them for the information that she's searching for.

The world of magic and monsters is such on that the name implies. It is certainly not the realm of humans, and I love that distinction so much. It presents such a unique, but at the same time very classic approach to magic, and I really can't get enough of it.

I also can't get enough of these detailed environments. I wish Kafka had more to play with in regards to the design of the college, because the vendor's space looks incredibly good.

All in all, it's an episode that has a lot of strong points, but can struggle with getting stuck in lulls. Kafka remains a little too ambitious in some scenes as they rely on still images to fill the space. In others though, like the Philomela sequence, they have some really great work being done. I don't think that MahoYome has to be animated perfectly 100% of the time, but I think that the direction and boarding can use some work to promote animation in sequences.

The story remains rock solid though, and I love how much detail and subtle progression there is with the characters here. So so much to love that I essentially forgot about the book that remains lurking on campus. But I suppose there'll be more about that in the next episode.

[doublesama]

The Ancient Magus' Bride Season 2 Part 2 improves upon the first cour of the season, as expected. The first Part spent a lot of time setting up the characters so that the second part could use them.

READ: https://doublesama.com/the-ancient-magus-bride-season-2-part-2/

[chaika-jpeg-shitpost]

when faced with a sorceress with decades of magic expertise and a plan years in the making, using a dangerously powerful magic tome and summoning circle to summon a literal god, with tons of magic energy stolen from other sorcerers, and her solution is "just hit it really hard"

[strawsoldier]

Spring 2023 Anime Round-Up

Lot's of good shows this season; Both sequels and new ones. It's also the first season in a while where I didn't drop any shows. That's more praise than I can give previous seasons to be honest.

Anime of the Season: Vinland Saga Season 2

Drops: N/A

Plans to Watch at a later date: Skip to Loafer

Completed:

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc - (7.5/10)

Despite the still lavish productions, (and a season where I didn't have to listen to Zenitsu's annoying wails) this was a letdown of season. Especially given how The Entertainment District ended off. This arc getting the movie treatment would've benefited it a lot better. Episode 8 was the highlight by a mile.

Ranking of Kings: The Treasure Chest of Courage - (7/10)

Boji and Kage best partners. Not much to say about this season since it was mostly side stories getting animated. Last episode left a lot of excitement for future installments of the series and I hope Wit continues to give it the same love and care.

Vinland Saga Season Two - (10/10)

Calling Vinland Saga S2 a masterpiece of anime would be underselling it greatly. It's been a while since I've seen a cast of well written character go through so much growth and development over an arc. Anything more I could say would just be reiterating what other's have been saying for the past 6 months. Vinland Saga is good y'all.

The Ancient Magus Bride Season 2 - (7/10)

Mahoyome came back with a new director, new studio and many many, many new characters. While there wasn't much plot this season, the world-building and new relationships were explored and developed very well. Good thing the second part of this is already confirmed for later this year, otherwise this score would be a lower. Here's hoping the animation also improves. I know were not at Wit anymore but..

Magical Destroyers - (5/10)

Wathced this because the OP & ED were really good. Turns out it was the only good thing about it.

Also Pink-chan. Pink-chan was good.

Heavenly Delusion - (8/10)

One of the best animated seasonal show's since Mob Psycho. Dystopian settings are some of my favorite in the media so I was always excited to watch this every Saturday. Unfortunately, time and time again, it left me with more questions and rarely gave answers. And the last two episodes were...enough for me to drop this down from a 9 to an 8. Another Spring show with a strong contender for Opening of the Year.

My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 - (9/10)

I've been craving a good romcom and this one delivered and then some. Morio Asaka is a talented director and his vision and directorial quirks really helped elevate this source material greatly. Akane is a disaster child and I will protect her from any harm (and alcohol). Really considering picking up the manga if a season 2 isn't gonna be announced.

Dead Mount Death Play - (7.5/10)

Narita is back and doing what he does best; Balancing a dozen or so characters in a convoluted plot that revolves around a mysterious prefecture. This time, with a reverse isekai twist involved. Excited for the second cour of this.

Oshi no Ko - (9/10)

I don't know how to describe my feelings on this show other than I loved every bit of it. Very excited for the second season and I hope the returning staff continue what they've been doing so far.

Next arc looks very very fun

MASHLE - (7/10)

The adaption played it very safe and didn't go far beyond what was given to them which- for the most part -worked well enough for them. Obviously not gonna have the same staying power surrounding it like OPM and Black Clover, but it was entertaining and that's good enough.

Jigokuraku - (Hell's Paradise) - 5.5/10

I was very disappointed with this adaption, if the score wasn't an enough of an indicator. MAPPA taking on so much titles is a bit of meme at this point but it sucks that an adaption I was greatly looking forward to came out this chopped and poorly-animated. Kaori Makita is a talented director so it's a shame that she was saddled to a show with an unreasonable deadline and limited staff to help her out. I wanna cope and say s2 will be better but I know better..

Only consolation I have is that this show was sacrificed so JJK and AOT will look good.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury S2 - (8/10)

Didn't agree with everything that happened this season. And I think the writers just didn't know what to with Miorine after she was separated from Suletta. That being said, the last few episodes (when they finally did get reunited) were very very good. Also a fantastic finale episode. Glad this was the first Gundam anime I watched to completion. Now I patiently wait for the Sulemio wedding OVA.

[animeking114]

The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Main Trailer Unveils More Cast, Opening Song

The main trailer for Season 2 of The Apothecary Diaries has been released by TOHO animation, unveiling new cast members, music, and premiere details. The highly anticipated anime adaptation of Natsu Hyūga and Touko Shino's light novel series will continue its intricate storytelling and captivating visuals starting January 10, 2024, airing on Nippon TV's FRIDAY ANIME NIGHT programming block. Crunchyroll has confirmed it will stream the second season, ensuring fans worldwide can follow Maomao's adventures.

The Apothecary Diaries First visual poster (Source : @kusuriya_PR)

New Cast and Theme Song Announcement

The trailer introduces Asami Seto as Shisui, a maid joining the palace’s colorful cast of characters. Adding to the excitement, the opening theme song, "Hyakkaryōran" (Splendid Bounty), will be performed by Lilas Ikuta, marking her debut as a solo artist in television anime. Fans may recognize Ikuta as the vocalist of YOASOBI, performing under the name "ikura." The talent behind the series is nothing short of extraordinary. Here’s a closer look: RoleNameNotable WorksDirectorNorihiro NaganumaThe Ancient Magus' BrideAssistant DirectorAkinori FudesakaVarious TOHO projectsMusicSatoru Kousaki, Kevin Penkin, Arisa OkehazamaMade in Abyss, Vivy

What to Expect from the new season of Apothecary Diaries

Season 2 will span two cours (quarters of a year), continuing the momentum from the first season that premiered in October 2023 and aired its second cour in January 2024. Directed by Norihiro Naganuma (The Ancient Magus' Bride), the series has been praised for its stellar adaptation, combining meticulous script supervision, exquisite character designs by Yukiko Nakatani, and an evocative score by renowned composers Satoru Kousaki, Kevin Penkin, and Arisa Okehazama.

Plot Overview of Season 2

Set in the intricately hierarchical world of the Emperor’s rear palace (hougong), The Apothecary Diaries follows Maomao, a perceptive and resourceful apothecary kidnapped into palace service. Her exceptional knowledge of medicine and poison lands her the precarious role of a food taster for the Emperor's favorite consort. The narrative weaves mystery, intrigue, and Maomao’s subtle rebellion against her circumstances, making it a standout in historical anime storytelling.

The Apothecary Diaries Background and Adaptations

Originally serialized on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website in 2011, the light novel series transitioned into print by Shufunotomo in 2014, featuring illustrations by Touko Shino. An ongoing manga adaptation by Nekokurage began in Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan magazine in 2017. Both the novels and manga are being published in English, with J-Novel Club handling the digital release and Square Enix Manga & Books publishing the print editions. With its engaging characters, complex plots, and the rich cultural tapestry of its setting, The Apothecary Diaries has built a dedicated global fanbase eagerly awaiting the next chapter of Maomao's story. The new trailer promises an expansion of this fascinating world, with fresh faces and a mesmerizing soundtrack setting the stage for another captivating season.

When and Where to Watch?

Mark your calendars! The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 premieres on January 10, 2024, at 11:00 p.m. JST on Nippon TV's FRIDAY ANIME NIGHT. Fans outside Japan can stream it on Crunchyroll, ensuring global accessibility. https://twitter.com/NetflixAnime/status/1866316911157334523 Netflix confirming that the Apothecary Diaries Season 1 will be available on it Here’s a table showing the premiere date and time of The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 in different time zones: RegionTime ZonePremiere TimeDateJapanJapan Standard Time (JST)11:00 p.m.January 10, 2024United StatesEastern Standard Time (EST)9:00 a.m.January 10, 2024United StatesPacific Standard Time (PST)6:00 a.m.January 10, 2024IndiaIndian Standard Time (IST)7:30 p.m.January 10, 2024EuropeCentral European Time (CET)3:00 p.m.January 10, 2024PhilippinesPhilippine Time (PHT)10:00 p.m.January 10, 2024

FAQs

- When will The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 premiere? It will premiere on January 10, 2024, at 11:00 p.m. JST. - Who is performing the opening theme song for Apothecary Diaries Season 2? Lilas Ikuta performs the opening song, “Hyakkaryōran.” - Where can I stream The Apothecary Diaries Season 2? The season will be available for streaming on Crunchyroll . - What is the story of The Apothecary Diaries about? It follows Maomao, an apothecary navigating palace intrigue and solving mysteries with her medical expertise. - Is the manga adaptation available in English? Yes, the manga is published in English by Square Enix Manga & Books. Read the full article

[characterdevelopmentobsessed]

Ancient Magus’ Bride S2 P2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This is (finally) the last of my Fall Anime 2023 reviews

This show is pretty much all vibes. While I loved the vibes, art and characters of this cour I do have to admit that the plot was weak. I think part of what made season 1 so grand was the many small magical stories that were sprinkled in between the ‘moving the main plot’ episodes where you got to travel to different magical places and meet different interesting people whereas in season 2 the episodes between the ‘moving the main plot’ episodes were weak and felt like filler.

[chaika-jpeg-shitpost]

tbh op i wouldnt call this a detail beacuse i'm losing my shit from the information overdose this post gave me

INTERVIEW: The Ancient Magus’ Bride Manga Creator and Editor Tease the Upcoming Shishigari Arc

Basically the Anime NYC 2023 interview from Crunchyroll, but with an important detail...

[chaika-jpeg-shitpost]

mahoyome anime vs manga comparison

Aaaah, I really love how they adapted this moment! In the manga it sounded like Chise chose the thorn rune because she wanted to understand Elias better, to become someone like him, but in the anime it seemed like she felt a distance growing between her and Elias ever since they had started attending the college. She misses him and conciously makes him a part of her everyday life even when he's not around.

(manga chapter 79 page 23)

[wotakugo]

Part 2 of The Ancient Magus’ Bride Season 2 revealed a new trailer that features the ending theme song “fam” by Yuyu. The second cour begins on October 5. Studio Kafka is animating.[wpcc-iframe data-lazyloaded="1" data-ezsrc="about:blank" title="「魔法使いの嫁 SEASON2」5th Trailer" width="1170" height="658" data-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i27QYesj8qA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen class="ezlazyload"][wpcc-iframe title="「魔法使いの嫁 SEASON2」5th Trailer" width="1170" height="658" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i27QYesj8qA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen]The Ancient Magus’ Bride Season 2 – New TrailerThe Ancient Magus’ Bride is based on a manga by Kore Yamazaki, which started serialization in 2013, first in  Mag Garden’s Monthly Comic Blade before moving to Monthly Comic Garden magazine in 2014. An anime adaptation by WIT Studio aired in 2017 and had 24 episodes. before the premiere, The Ancient Magus’ Bride: Those Awaiting a Star OVA, which served as an introduction to the series, aired from 2016 to 2017 with a total of 3 episodes.A new OAD (original disc animation) series, titled The Boy from the West and the Knight of the Blue Storm premiered in 2021. Although it focuses on new characters, the original cast still appears. Studio Kafka took over for the 3-part OVA, with Kazuaki Terasawa as the director. All of the episodes came bundled with special editions of manga volumes – the third and final one is expected on September 9, with the 18th Volume.Seven Seas Entertainment licensed the original manga and describes the plot as:Hatori Chise has lived a life full of neglect and abuse, devoid of anything resembling love. Far from the warmth of family, she has had her share of troubles and pitfalls. Just when all hope seems lost, a fateful encounter awaits her. When a man with the head of a beast, wielding strange powers, obtains her through a slave auction, Chise’s life will never be the same again.The man is a “magus,” a sorcerer of great power, who decides to free Chise from the bonds of captivity. The magus then makes a bold statement: Chise will become his apprentice–and his bride!Crunchyroll is streaming The Ancient Magus’ Bride anime and its OVAs.Source: Official Website© 2022. Kore Yamazaki/MAG Garden corp, Mahoyme PartnersAfter AnimeCorner

[chaika-jpeg-shitpost]

sobbing

Can I pet your snakes? | Zoe Ivey & Lucy Webster

Commission for @wertzunge

A/N: Another commission for always kind and adorable Max *sobs* again, thank you SO MUCH for your kind support, Max and also for always being a patient little bean ❤️ I hope you enjoy this! I'm loving Mahoutsukai no Yome new season so much dkfnfkfnf

Summary: Lucy hasn't left the infirmary after several days, it's only natural that her friends want to visit her, including Zoe.

Can I pet your snakes? Can. I. Pet. Your. Snakes? Can I- 

Zoe felt his face on fire. To have someone asking him that kind of thing… out of nowhere! And no other than Lucy Webster of all people, the one who was partly to blame for it being known that he was a Gorgon, but hey, thanks to that incident he had also made friends, something he thought impossible. But still! Well... she couldn't really know the meaning of such a thing, right? She really didn't look like someone who-

“I used to have spiders.”

“Huh?” Zoe blinked, his eyes fixing on Lucy's face as she stared at a snake nuzzling into her hand, happily enjoying the gentle, warm touch of her fingers.

Lucy looked at the creature with sad eyes as she spoke again: “I adored them so much.”

Zoe’s eyes softened a little and, although feeling awkward, he still tried to say something back, but… what could he possibly have said to that? 

“I see…,” he mumbled, seeing the snake moving away from her hand when she moved. “W-What- eek!” 

Reaching out, Lucy's hand moved near his neck, trying to touch the snakes far behind him. However, Zeo couldn't help but squirm with a light giggle when her fingers accidentally brushed his ear. 

“L-Luhuhucy!” 

“What's so funny?” She asked, frowning and looking at him as if he was the weirdest creature to ever exist. His blush deepened and he shyly averted his eyes from hers. 

“N-No, it just- you t-tickled me a little… that's all.” His body tensed as he waited for Lucy to play with his snakes until she was content, but he was surprised when he felt that tingly sensation against his ear again. A soft touch around the reddened shell of his ear. 

“W-Wahahait!” He giggled, scrunching his shoulders and trying to hide his ear from Lucy's gentle touch that, to his surprise, did not stop; on the contrary, the more he giggled it seemed that Lucy tickled him even more as well. “L-Luhuhucy? Thahahat reheheally tihihickles!” 

“It's been a while… since I heard someone laughing like this,” she said, and opening a slightly teary eye, Zoe let out a strangled sound looking at Lucy. 

She was wearing a gentle smile, even playful, but tired and sad all at the same time. And Zoe didn't have the heart to actually stop her when she let out a soft chuckle when her fingers moved to his neck and his laughter kicked up an octave and he scrunched his neck like a turtle, making Lucy want to tickle him more, or at least that was what she said. 

“L-Luhuhucy, plehehehease! I'm reheheally tihihihicklish!” He giggled, squeaking when her other hand also joined on the other side of his neck and he kicked out, nearly falling off the chair beside Lucy's bed.

His hands clinged to her wrists, but ultimately did the bare minimum to stop her. The snakes all around his head squirmed, over excited by his reactions, curling around Lucy's arms not in an attempt to stop her, but more like trying to keep her in place, and Zoe wanted to curse at them, but he was too busy tilting his head back with bright, cute laughter when Lucy suddenly reached down to tickle his sides. 

Zoe yelped, jumping with each squeeze to his poor flanks. Lucy said it had been a while since she heard someone laughing like this and Zoe thought that it had been a while since someone had tickled him like this. It had been a while since he didn't feel the pressure to hide himself, the fear to show who he really was. It had been a while since he felt safe like this. Safe enough to be laughing his head off, with his snakes moving around freely, in front of someone that weren't his parents. 

He couldn't deny he liked that sensation of freedom and he made sure to savor it as he giggled and laughed and squeaked and yelped as Lucy tickled his sides as if she had done this so many times before. 

“L-Luhuhucy! Ahahahaha!” 

Lucy chuckled. “You are too loud,” she complained, but did nothing to relent her playful attack to Zoe's poor ticklish sides. “You're going to wake up everyone.”

“It tihihickles reheheally bahahad! Ahahah, not thehehere!” He let out a soft cackle when Lucy's hands reached back up to his ears, her fingernails gently scratching at the soft, sensitive skin. Zoe laughed like a kid, his feet stomping against the wooden floor. “W-Why, Luhuhuhucy!” 

“Why?” Lucy pondered out loud, humming as Zoe covered his mouth and nose when he snorted, one of Lucy's hands in the back of his neck and one on the front, making his laughter panicky and frantic. “I think… I just like your laugh, Zoe.” 

Zoe could feel he was beyond red. He felt the blush spreading all over his face, from his hairline to the tip of his chin and then moving to his ears and past his neck. It was terribly embarrassing to be laughing like this, but he also felt like he didn't care too much about it either. 

“AHAHAHA! Goohohohodness, dohohon't!” 

“Ah, so it worked,” Lucy said with a tone of pride in her voice and Zoe was horrified, (not really), when he felt the little heads of two traitorous snakes touching his ears, their fine forked tongues touching his ears, making him burst into the loudest laughter that night. 

He shook his head, trying to make the snakes stop their attack, but it was useless. They easily followed each of his movements and so did Lucy when her hands again moved down to his sides. Zoe fought the urge to jump off the chair, instead he curled himself forward, but that only let Lucy get the back of his ribs and Zoe cackled brightly; on top of that, he had a pretty necklace of snake heads around his neck, tickling him with little nuzzles and touches of their forked tongues; paired with the ones tickling his ears like crazy. 

Since when were their snakes able to tickle him?! 

“Could it be that I can also work with snakes?” Lucy asked in serious thought over his laughter, but Zoe could only let out shrieky laughter, feeling himself burning with slight embarrassment. Now his snakes were also against him? Ridiculous! 

“AHAHAHA! Pl-Plehehease! Mahahake thehehem stohohohop, L-Luhuhucy!” Asking Lucy to control his own snakes, wasn't that peak embarrassment? But he really couldn't think straight at that moment. “My ehehehears!” Not only his ears, his neck too and the back of his ribs and his sides! 

Lucy hummed. “I think they really like your laugh. I feel like they're happy, you know? Can't you feel that too?” 

He could and that made it all even worse! There was no way he could stand more of that - not because he didn't want to, it was just too much and he was really ticklish. Maybe… some other time again they could- no! What was he thinking right now?!

“LUHUHUCY! I reheheally- ahahahaha! I cahahan’t!” 

“Giving up already?” Lucy teased him with a soft chuckle, but she stopped and as soon as her hands were away from his body, his snakes also left his ears and neck alone, although they tingled like crazy and Zoe couldn't stop giggling even after a few seconds the tickling had stopped. 

“Was it too much? I'm sorry,” Lucy said, laying on her bed again as if nothing had happened. 

Zoe shook his head, taking a deep breath once he relaxed and he leaned close to the bed again, a snake nuzzling into Lucy's hand one more time. Zoe thought all that happened was a silly hallucination, but he still jumped slightly whenever he felt a snake too close to his ear and his sides were still making him smile silly. 

“It was… a little fun,” he admitted shyly and Lucy smiled, nodding her head a little. 

“Yeah, I thought so too.” 

Silence reigned again, Zoe's heart was still pounding a little hard against his chest and his cheeks were still burning, but it was comfortable… until he remembered what Lucy said earlier and he felt agitated again. 

“Hey, Lucy…,” he started, looking away from Lucy. “You shouldn't be so quick to ask other Gorgons to let you touch their snakes,” he explained gently. “It has a special meaning to us- huh?” 

Lucy had fallen asleep! Wasn't Zoe the one who was tickled to nearly death?! And also, he was explaining to her why what she said was… 

Zoe sighed. “Oh, well…”

They could have this conversation some other time, either way. She's been going through a lot lately, it was better that way. Let her rest for the night, after all, she already had at least a little fun thanks to him. Time to go, then. 

“Ah, youth.”

[animebw]

Short Reflection: The Ancient Magus’ Bride OVA (Those Awaiting a Star)

The Ancient Magus’ Bride was one of the first anime I watched seasonally, picking it up when it was about halfway through its run. It’s also, short of Code Geass, the anime my opinion of which deteriorated the most in the weeks and months following its completion. Honesty, going into these prequel OVAs, I wasn’t even sure how I would properly contextualize my feelings towards the franchise at large when it came time to write about them. It’s been so long since I watched the show, and my thoughts on it have shifted and faded so much, that I genuinely had no idea if it would be even possible for me to connect my feelings towards this OVA, whatever those feelings might be, to my feelings regarding Magus Bride as a whole. Thankfully, that turned out not to be the case, because Those Awaiting a Star is pretty much a perfect microcosm of the show at large, strengths and weaknesses alike. If you haven’t seen Magus Bride for yourself and are curious whether or not you’ll enjoy it, I suggest you watch these three episodes and decide from there. They’ll pretty much tell you all you need to know about the kind of experience you’re gonna get.

So, to briefly remind you all what the show proper was about, The Ancient Magus’ Bride a slow-burn fantasy slice-of-life set in modern day London, where magic has evolved alongside the normal world Harry Potter style, although this world’s magic is less witches and wizards and far more classic fey inspired, with faeries, elves, pixies, nature spirits, and all manner of enchanting discoveries hiding around every shadowy corner and inside every thick shrubbery. It follows a depressed, magic-sensitive slave girl named Chise who gets sold to Elias Ainsworth, the titular ancient magus with a face of bone, who prompty frees her and makes her his proper mage’s apprentice because this is not Shield Hero, thank you very much, and even if he has the intention of making her his bride some day, he would rather their partnership be on equal terms. So the show follows their daily life as Chise explores the world of magic she’s been made privy to, meeting all sorts of whimsical characters and situations (and some much more threatening), while slowly overcoming her personal trauma and helping Elias overcome his own biases towards her so they can stand on increasingly even footing with each other.

And it was the kind of show that you really wanted to like just on principle, just by virtue of how confidently it charted its own, mature path through the often hellish waters of seasonal anime. It was real fantasy in a world dominated by isekai! It was slow-paced and contemplative! It was quiet and self-assured, rejecting all the overplayed anime tropes in favor of its much homier, grown-up aesthetic! Add to that a strong, full 2-cours production from Studio Wit, and it’s no wonder Magus Bride ended up dominating the Fall 2017 season so single-handedly. Unfortunately, while there was a lot to like, and even love, about Magus Bride, it also had its fair share of weakness that became harder and harder to ignore as it went on, especially in its second half. And this prequel OVA, technically set right around the show’s midway point and using the framing device of Chise telling a story about her past to Elias, is a perfect example of all those complex feelings.

Magus Bride’s greatest strength has always been the charm and wonder of its magical worldbuilding. It captures that same Harry Potter excitement of seeing a perfectly realized magical concept come to life, making you feel the wonder of “I could imagine this actually existing and interacting with our world”. The magical library around which Chise’s story centers is an instantly believable enchanted locale, with so much unspoken history dripping from every banister that you just want to leap through the screen and explore the place for yourself. Studio Wit’s production is lush and colorful without being oversaturated, like a warm summer’s day thick with just the right level of humidity. You feel like you could get lost in this world, with these people, teasing out every nuance of how its magical rules operate for hours on end. Through its slow slice-of-life pacing, it presents the kind of atmosphere that makes you just want to relax into the warmth of the library, read books under its librarian’s watchful eye. And Chise’s characterization is strong as ever, painting an eminently sympathetic portrait of a lonely girl struggling with emotional baggage far greater than any person should have to deal with, least of all someone that young. Your heart can’t help but reach out to her and pray that she finds the same peace of mind in this magical world as you’ve found yourself.

But it’s here that the flaws start creeping in. Once Magus Bride gets past the inherent enchantment of its premise and ideas, it just doesn’t have that much else to offer. I know the point of this kind of iyashikei healing show is to reach a level of simplicity and warmth that allows you to just soak in the atmosphere, but once you properly relax into it, there’s just nothing for you to do there. It’s a vibrant world, but it’s also static, where not much changes and it takes ages for any meaningful evolution of its ideas and themes to occur. As a result, the pacing goes too far beyond the relaxing atmosphere it’s aiming for and ends up painfully slow. The charms of any one episode of Magus Bride only last so long as you’re able to maintain interest in its general atmosphere; once that interest fades, it becomes an exercise in checking the running time every few minutes and thinking with shock, “How the hell has so little time passed? It feels like an eternity!” I can’t help but think back to a show like Mushishi, which pulled this kind of relaxing tone off perfectly without ever sacrificing a second of narrative engagement. That show would’ve taken just one episode to tell the same story this OVA tells in three, and nothing of emotional or atmospheric value would be lost in the translation.

The Ancient Magus Bride is a show that requires a great amount patience to appreciate its charms, patience that it doesn’t always earn. Which is a shame, because the moments where I was really, truly invested in this show were magical and engrossing like few anime have accomplished. If nothing else, I appreciate Those Awaiting a Star for helping confirm my thoughts on the show as a whole, and I’m glad I got this second chance to process my complicated feelings towards this deeply flawed, but ambitious and honorable, anime series. Honestly, this was more of a review of the original show than a review of this OVA, but considering how well it embodies the show, I suppose that’s justified. If you have the patience to handle Magus Bride, I definitely think it’s worth a look. At its best, it’s something truly enchanting. Just don’t be surprised if it’s a little to lethargic for comfort. And I give this OVA the same score I gave the show itself:

6/10

Welcome to the Summer of Suggestions, everyone. See you tomorrow for the start of Parasyte: the Maxim.