Mahoutsukai no Yome
The Ancient Magus' Bride

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--------------------------------Review contains minor spoilers---------------------------------------------------


Synopsis: Hatori Chise is only 16, but she has lost far more than most. With neither family nor hope, it seems all doors are closed to her. But, a chance encounter began to turn the rusted wheels of fate. In her darkest hour, a mysterious magus appears before Chitose, offering a chance she couldn't turn down.

-Ellias Ainsworth, He is an ancient magician with a skull instead of a human head because he is an incomplete being. The Child of Thorns, Chise's master and fiancee, once apprenticed to Master Lindenbaum. A being with both fae and human elements. His origins are a mystery. ... Despite his appearance, he is gentle and polite with humans, who likes Chise Hatori and also offers her to become his bride too. This is definitely a gem for me, I loved it a lot because of its unique setting. Although, it has many male characters that are after main female because of her rare abilities, but it isn't anything that pisses you off. It is actually quite lighthearted yet dark theme.

Genres:- Fantasy, Shonen, Romance, Supernatural.

Story:10/10 (It is still on-going and so far 23 chapters have been released. I am not certain as for where the story will progress, but I loved every chapter of it till now.)

Characters:9.5/10 (TBH, I didn't even bother reading Synopsis when I first the saw the manga on some site. Just the main character's face with romance tag on it was enough for me to read it.)

Artwork:10/10 (Although, it is shonen but there is something about the artwork that gives you senien vibes.)

Enjoyment:- Over 9000 (I read this in one sitting, it just makes you want to read more and more chapters. It is actually fantasy-romance story with depressing atmosphere. I just hope that it won't ahead towards the wrong path.)

Sup,

Before I go into detail on The Ancient Magus Bride (Mahoutsukai no Yome), there are things a few things you need must consider. First, it is a slow paced story, that does a good job of creating characters that have very solid personalities and introduces a nostalgic world that doesn't feel boring, but keeps an air of mystery to itself. Though the demographic for this manga is classified as shounen, there is little to actual battles that take place in the ( at the time of this writing) fifteen chapters. The story unfolds at at a slave auction where we meet Hatori Chise, a ... young fifteen year old, who has been in and out of slave trading every since her mother died; add to the fact that she has been treated like an outcast and you have the perfect emo for our story. In all seriousness, she is a slay vega, think queen bee of the magic world, meaning her body has adapted to consume large amounts of magic and also be able to expel said magic. The effect does have a down side though, as it does damage to her internal system and shortens her life span. Of course, she has no idea of this until she meets her buyer/savior that comes in the form of a goat skull sorcerer by the name of Ellias Ainsworth. Now Ellias Ainsworth is very a odd character for several reasons, one is that he purchases Hatori Chise on a whim, and promises to find a way to be able to save her life; the other is that he claims that she will one day be his bride, but as to why remains a mystery as his past tell us that he has very little to with humans in general, so his purchase of Chise just seems like it is on a whim. Besides those aspects of him, there is very little that is told about him, and he mainly comes off as the badass, mysterious mentor, (compare him to kind of like Shinigami from Soul Eater, or at least I do.) Through Ellias, Chise is introduced to the magic world and the dangers that come with it. These span from the arcs that include her almost being kidnapped and taken to the fairy world, meeting a eccentric dragon tamer and actual dragons, purging the past sins of a murderer form the land, and coming across a sadistic wizard that loves to toy with dead and living only to try to fulfill his goals of self-worth; plus the wizard comes in the form of a young boy/girl (i don't fucking know, it's one of the those characters) which makes him all the more threatening. Of course, Chise is far from helpless as she as Ellias to help her, along with a cool reaper dog, and the support of a tech wizard named Angelica ( she basically makes gear to help harness magic power), plus learning how to use her powers as well. Since it's only fifteen chapters in, it's at the point to where you can pick it up and check it out to see if it's for you.

That's it for me
-Later!

Hatori Chise is only 16, but she has lost far more than most. With neither family nor hope, it seems all doors are closed to her. But, a chance encounter began to turn the rusted wheels of fate. In her darkest hour, a mysterious magus appears before Chitose, offering a chance she couldn't turn down. This magus who seems closer to demon than human, will he bring her the light she desperately seeks, or drown her in ever deeper shadows? Source: Sense-Scans

First manga of the manga artist Yamazaki Kore. Art of the characters, their surroundings and areas are very well drawn and maybe even rare ... to see in shounen mangas, depending of course which mangas you have read.

Story starts as very interesting and it has potential to be very great story, which it by looks of it start to fill very well. Small comedy is well fitted into story and does not go over. Both comedy and drama in story are not fighting yet to each other and both possible darker and lighter elements and coexisting good.

Overall this nice good manga series to read, that can be recommended to all fantasy and shounen manga readers.

My second review :) enjoy!
Slight spoilers I gues :/ not really to be honest.

Story: (9/10)
The plot is very original, I enjoy the fantasy aspect of the world. It's filled with faeries, dragons, vampires, spirits, sorcerers, magical beings, and much more yet to be discovered. Yet, Chise is a normal human being? Or so, that's what we thought

In the beginning, Chise is sold at an auction. Yes, a human is sold to a monster- I mean, Elias. Who may look like a monster in our eyes but he's a sorcerer who is looking for an apprentice, and a wife. Upon taking Chise under his wing, we ... discover that Chise is no where near ordinary. She's a Slay Vega. A human born with the ability to see what normal beings can't. As a result they absorb magic from their surroundings and amass great amounts within their bodies. This makes the story very intriguing and also adds a lot to her character as we learn more about the ability she has.

From that day forward, Chise's life change and she meets many new characters who help her through her struggles. She lives a new life learning magic with Elias, going on many adventures with dragons, learning the meaning of her existence, and giving herself a reason to live. Through said adventures comes lessons we learn beside Chise.

The plot may start slow at first, but the development is outstanding. I highly recommend giving this manga a try. Especially with the anime coming out soon.


Art: (10/10)
There's nothing really special about the art style, it's simply beautiful and even without color it is colorful in my eyes

The way the magical world is presented is beautiful. If the manga is this astonishing, I hope the anime can really add it's true colors that it deserves. I can't wait to experience how wonderfully captivating some manga scenes are in the anime!


Characters: (9/10)
The character development as of chapter 40 is absolutely intriguing. I feel like I should go in depth with each character but the destroys the point of reading the manga.

Brief descriptions: Chise is a Slay Vega (as previously stated) and the apprentice of Elias. She is the main character that we follow through the manga. Elias is a "monster" speculated to be a Wendigo. Feel free to furthers spoil yourself by looking up what that is. Otherwise, read the manga before doing some research. Ruth is Chise's familiar, who takes the shape of a dog and is a faithful companion. Silver, aka Silky, is a Silky who is the landlady. She is a supporting character in which she supports the main characters with meals and silent appreciation. These are just four of the many characters Chise meets and learns from. Like an ancient dragon, a cunning faerie, a magic shop owner, and the normal neighbors who don't suspect a thing.


Enjoyment: (10/10)
How could I not enjoy such an inspiring work of art?! I've always been a big fan of fantasy but this knocks it out of the park. I can really relate to Chise's hardships in her life and her struggles to overcome her memories. Even though Elias isn't even human and doesn't understand human emotions I feel like I can also relate to him as well.

Though I see lots of people look down upon this series for it's lack of romance, I still enjoy the bonds that Chise has created with many characters. Especially with Elias and how they teach each other lessons on many different things.

I have very high expectations for the upcoming chapters and I have a good feelings I won't be let down. The anime however has all my hype. For a lil preview into the anime world of Mahou Tsukai no Yome, there is an OVA that offers insight into Chise's past. Truly stunning.

Here's my take after watching 8 episodes and reading 13 chapters of the otherworldly beauty which is Mahoutsukai no Yome by Wit Studio and the original art and story of Kore Yamazaki.

It's rare for me to find a story that captures my imagination, immerses me in the world and lore that is being projected in front of me.

Mahoutsukai no Yome did that for me and more. Both the manga and anime adaptation shackled my heart like how Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi and Hunter x Hunter did to me before until now.

I wanted to write this review taking into consideration both the manga and ... anime adaptation; how great they are separately and as one media.

The story revolves around Chise Hatori a young girl aimlessly wandering without purpose, and Elias Ainsworth a Mahoutsukai (Mage) who purchased her in an auction for 5 million pounds.

It would only take you 1 chapter of the manga or 1 episode of the anime adaptation for you to be enchanted in its world filled with magical creatures, amazing European-inspired settings, and quirky characters.

The art of the manga is superb and it is magnified even more with the anime adaptation. It has a ghibli feel to it but it is only an initial impression and would not take away from the experience at all.

The music in the anime is what elevates the story to another level as it brings all the mystical elements all together into one strong punch to your soul.

The omakes (extras) in the manga give you a well-deserved breather from the story with zany situations.

Character-wise, they may seem to be the typical stereotypes which can be a disappointment for some, but I believe it was meant that way to give more attention to the experiences and situations that they encounter.

If you love stories that take you away on a faraway journey to a magical neverland and make you fall in love with their out-of-the-ordinary love story, this is a sure win for you.

With that said, I would give both the anime and manga of Mahoutsukai no Yome a perfect 10 enchantment stones out of 10.

Series review up to chapter 91/early volume 19: 4/5
READERS BEWARE: there's old versions of the 1st volume's chapters that mention witches or magicians instead of magi as they should.

The Ancient Magus' Bride hits so many niche interests just right and I'm sure my 15yo self would have gone gaga over the series. A wild but gorgeous fantasy world that is realistically integrated with the modern age and isn't overwhelming to keep track of. A (female) MC who experiences a lot of growth and ends up being very fun to follow. The monster, both in body and in nature, who offers her a new chance at ... life, a cage of thorns in which she can have the peace to heal until she must claw her way out. Their really odd and unique relationship, platonic, familiar, with some romance bait thrown into the mix. How their worst traits make them clash and how this pushes them to better themselves. The good selection of supporting cast (I fucking love Alice and Zoe ;_;) made up of nuanced people, many of them carrying interesting flaws or struggles.

I could go on, but rather I want to move on to the 3 main issues I've had with this series. These seem less prevalent in the latest volumes but given the approaching climax I wouldn't be surprised if they were on hold until the next arc introduction. They are:
* Lack of clarity with speech bubbles. You'll have a mere 3 people in a scene and you can't make out to whom the balloon is pointing, and often times it's impossible to tell from context (maybe it's the translation?);
* Too much love for in media res. It's cheap shock value because it just causes momentary confusion or upset at thinking something got skipped over. Way too often we finish an arc then skip ahead to the midst of the next, and then we go back to explain how did they get there. The earliest example I can give is the dragon episode intro. It wasn't a glaring situation but it was certainly pointless;
* Too many characters with interesting stories to tell but not enough time spent with them. It's like too many cuts in an action film, we spend a page checking in with a character, another on another group... Speaking of, remember Ruth? Remember when Ruth was a brother character and not some tool that only shows up near the climactic end of the arc? Yea.

About the art, it started out a bit on the shakey side? Chise could've stood to look a bit more her age and Elias's face went through plenty of changes. At some point these issues ceased to be and now it just looks gorgeous and cute.

This is my first review on this site and as such most will be expecting something short and sweet for this anime and for those of you looking for such a thing, I LOVED this manga, it has become one of my favorite serialized pieces to date. I would recommend you also look into it if ever you need something to read.

Now that I’ve satisfied those of you who want something short and sweet, time to get into the bits and pieces which actually make up a review which I hope helps to justify my earlier statement. Before I begin however I admit my bias ... towards this sort of setting. I have always loved a European setting for fantasy and I admit this does bias my review somewhat in favor of this series automatically so take all of this with a grain of salt.

Story:

So let’s start by talking about the story itself. The story itself revolves around the magical beings inhabiting this fantastical world which overlays our own, filled with pixies, dragons, vampires, demons and other creatures from myth and legend and those who interact with them who can only perceive them under special circumstances. Chise, this story’s main protagonist, is one of the few people who can see and interact with these characters naturally from birth which, as you can imagine has led to a hard life filled with tragedy up until she sold herself to be brought by Ainsworth, an unusual figure who is perceived without any alteration as being a thrown together from a combination of the body parts of multiple animals.

Now, as you probably guessed from the title and reading up to this point, those who interact with these beings are called Magus with the Magus being divided into two groups: Those who can perceive these beings and gain aid from them in exchange for mana, sorcerers and those who use knowledge of the natural laws in order to achieve the same results, wizards. These two groups are the most important, by and large to the story with the vast majority of characters belonging to one of these two groups. One of the few downsides in fact is that the only normal people who receive extensive mention are those shown from Chise’s past, at least, in so far as the story has led to this point.

Now, this story is slow paced, taking its time to establish its characters and concepts within this world. In this, it diverts itself from normal shounen series and perhaps sets itself apart from the majority of other forms of manga as well being something so rarely seen. There is very little action in this story, something which may change as items progress, and the conflicts by and large are on a interpersonal scale rather than of a larger scale as one might be used to seeing focusing on direct clashes between different characters based on the motivations and beliefs of each character all of which is orchestrated based on the underlying mysticism of this hidden, unseen and unreachable realm which only a few have the ability to interact with.

This allows for a somewhat fantastical and refreshing story and plot overall, with strong tension and an ability to utilize the author’s obvious talent for world building to it’s fullest. 10/10

Characters:

Surprisingly, amongst the characters there were few who were atypical. Rather, the dialog and interactions heavily made use of techniques and ideas which I’d associate far more strongly with Western novels and felt far more natural within the setting they were shown within. The dialog felt natural and there was exquisite detail put into every single interaction held with even the minor conversations holding a sense of importance within the narrative.

Each character had a strong sense of personality and self with the author avoiding the projection of faceless men who lack importance. There were side characters however these characters were all shown with a sense of story and character which is rarely seen in this day and age. Perhaps the closest comparison I can reminisce of is Spice And Wolf in this fact however even there the level of detail is slightly lower than it is here.

I suppose to summarize this section there are four main things which made me love the characters here: Strong, mostly unique characters, natural dialog, no character is made insignificant, every character has at least a decent amount of time given to them. 10/10

Artwork:

The artwork for this piece is a combination actually. Whilst overall I would say that the artwork in this piece is fantastic, during periods where quality isn’t needed there is a slight decline within said quality. It’s still leagues ahead of most other series even then however it is one thing I should note here whilst talking about it. On the other hand, the visuals during the times when it IS necessary for them to be as such are spectacular, almost dazzling with the illustrator clearly working hard to maintain the feel of mysticism within this fantastical wonderland. The illustrator’s heavy usage of shading and ability to apply complex detail to every panel certainly allows it to stand out in this regard and thus I give it a 10/10.

Overall enjoyment:
I think it should be clear by this point the extent of which I enjoyed this piece. 10/10

40 chapters in:
I saw that an anime was coming out, and got me interested in this. Did a quick search of it and decided I wouldn't wait for the anime, and I'm glad I didn't.

I really like fantasy, and I like magic. While I do enjoy those isekai anime or magic anime, this is kind of the ones I'm really looking for but can never find. Truly, the setting has a very fantasy and magical feel to it, with fae, mythical creatures and a sense of wonder.

The series' strong points are its setting and general feel to it, and the characters. The relationship between the ... main two characters - the magus and his apprentice - is really amazing. It feels like dependence and love (not in the romantic way, at least yet), in its purest yet twisted form. And it's not in the cliche way like love at first sight or those things, but it feels natural and real.

Chise (the main girl) has risen up the ranks in my list of favourite characters quickly. It's not because she's quirky or has particularly amazing traits, but because of how well she's done. She can be mild and seemingly a very normal girl - yet not boring. She can be stubborn. The thing is, whatever she's doing or how she's acting, she's always in character. The character development is just really great.
Same goes for the other main character, Elias. There are just so many sides to his character - wise, uncaring, emotionless, emotional?, selfish, and most of all innocently childlike (in that sense, he's actually very like one of the fae folk). And all of these make sense, and work well. They're not just a walking character archetype.

The story doesn't have a very fast pacing. This isn't a complaint. In fact, for this, I actually most enjoy chapters where they are just interacting peacefully and Elias is explaining the magic of things to Chise. But things do happen. And from early on we do understand that their current relationship (again, not romance, yet) is not going to be easy. We're reminded, time and again, of this. Not through words which hold little meaning, but from what we observe as we read on. Thus the quiet peaceful chapters too hold a special meaning for me - the wonder in the beautiful chapters of them just going about with their life.

Overall, I'll describe this series as beautiful and strangely touching at times. It's not an exciting type of manga at all. It gives a very light and otherworldly feeling with its storytelling and setting, but it can also be complicated and tug at the heartstrings. Characters are really amazing and truly carry the story. It makes me really care for them and hope for the best for them. The art is beautiful and all the fae folk and fairytale/magic things are really interesting.

I'd love to give it a 10 - because this is probably the first manga that I have zero complaints about. I'll think about changing it after more chapters. Even my favourite pandora hearts isn't perfect, but Mahuotsukai no yome might as well be perfect as far as I'm concerned. I'll recommend this to everyone - especially those with a love for fantasy with great characters with an appreciation for complex character relationships, and for those who want a break from all that cliche stuff. Read slowly, and enjoy the moments - that's what I think is best to get the most out of this manga.

Edit: chapter 55
In recent chapters, there's less of the immersive, fantasy atmosphere at the start which I really enjoyed, now that the setting has changed a little, disappointingly. It's slow-paced still, so it'll be a while before I expect to have that again. It's still interesting, but less immersive for sure. I think it'll change in the future as I'm sure we have many more story arcs to go - but just a little thing of mine.

When I took this manga to read, I was totally surprised. All the development of the history won me since the first page, thanks to the characters, plot and mythology. It's a history, until then, light, but also have your depths. With every page that I leaf through, I feel more involved.

The characters are so different and captivating. While Chise lives in this bubble of past feelings, Elias is someone that doesn't know these feelings. Both end up evolving together, helping each other in these discoveries - sentimental or magic. About the others characters, I'll not go into too much detail, but Ruth, Alice and ... Silky are on my list of favorites because your complexities and, even so, simplicities.

It's definitly one of my favorites mangas currently, I would recommend it to all my friends.

All right. No need for a summary. Lets just start with the review.

Tl;Dr at the end (spoiler free so just read that if you haven't read the manga)

[MINOR SPOILERS] sorry bout that

Story (7): For a fantasy manga, Yamazaki Kore has done us good with The Ancient Magus's Bride. The author has made creative use of the dark and comedic tones. This manga also is rather slow paced but that's good for giving the setting and story details. And the "bride" part is creative as well. One of the 2 main characters decides to make the other his bride but his naive personality makes it come ... off as not taken seriously. How's that for a story? However there is one dissapointing thing depending on your taste.

The romance. It seems rather lacking. The 2 main characters are probably going to get together in the end but still. As the manga goes on, the only hints of romance goes along the lines of, "I want to stay with you forever." With a bit of jealousy. But according to MAL, it isn't tagged as "romance" so I guess the emphasis is lowered down?

To contrast this, however, there is the impresive world building. It's clear that Yamazaki put a decent amount of effort into making the world.

Character (8): There's quite a bit of characters to talk about and that's just great lol. First is Chise.

As you read the manga, it is quite evident that her character development is surprisingly massive. At the start, she depends on Elias, her mentor, and then she starts to be more independent while even being annoyed at him.This makes her one of the more unique characters. She also seems to have a variety of clothes.

Moving on to Elias. Elias's design was great. I liked how he looked and he's probably the character I liked the most. He also has a lot of character development as well. For example, he initially thinks of Chise indifferently and then grows more attached to her with hints of romantic feelings. That makes him cute in one way. Overall, I really liked him.

Finally the side characters. Almost all of them have backstories with Ruth's (Chise's familiar) and Silky's (maid of the house) being more clear. We also have Renfred's straightforward personality with his bodyguard Alice serving as kind of rivals to Elias (although it's more like Renfred vs. Elias). Another character I would like to praise is Cartaphilus. The main villain one might say. In his first appearance he looked like your generic crazy villian but his backstory got me curious. It didn't look like he was evil. Then again, that might be an act. Who knows.

In conclusion, each of the characters support each other and equally contribute to the story. Their backstories also actually make sense.

Art (7): The art is nothing special. I like it that way though. No complaints here.

Enjoyment (6): Let me be honest. I only read this because of the romance but as I said talking about the story, the romance is lacking. That might be shallow of me to only read this for romance but that's the truth. Don't get me wrong. I still like this manga. But for now, I did not enjoy it as much as I hoped.

Overall (7): This is a unique fantasy manga with dark elements beneath and comedic events to contrast that. If you like fantasy and romance then I do recommend reading this. The Ancient Magus's Bride is one of the more interesting mangas to read compared to others.

[Tl;Dr]
Pros
- Characters
- World Building
- Dark tones with comedic contrast
- Cute
- Creative use of folklore and mythology

Cons
- Romance (depends on your perspective)
- Some cliche's
- Slow paced

Overall (7/10): An interesting manga that can lighten up your day but at the same time could also make you feel excited and want more. Suspenseful and entertaining, this is what a good manga should be.

I'd say this is my favorite manga of all time, but there's one other just about like this that suprasses it for me. I'll explain later.

I just love these 'forbidden love' stories. Love that should not be, but against odds it's there. A creature horrific and shunned, but touched by a smaller, often more fragile soul.
However in this story the specific 'creature' is very powerful and also respected at some parts. But still, he is the thorn mage, still somewhat belittled and unholy in other eyes. But Chise knows better, she knows how to find that heart.

and that's what I love more about ... stories than most of the other popular Shonen anime/manga out there. The concept is simple, but misundertood a lot. For me its more powerful of story telling because of that.

This is my favorite Anime of all time, but not my favorite manga by one other manga out there. It is the manga which the Ancient Magus Bride was inspired by. And if you like this manga/anime, I highly recommend reading "The Girl From The Other Side" , by narrator and illustrator Nagabe.
For me, this story means a lot and every book touches me. As I said the magus bride was inspired by it, so the story concept is very close, but yet very different too. I won't spoil more, but I'm sure you'd like it too.

I love this anime and I love the manga, even more, it is 9/10 wholesome chungus. Do yourself a favor and read this it is actually so poggers though fr.
You might be like "bro whatchu mean this sucks" except you wouldn't be like that because this manga is so good you wouldn't even dare to utter those words out of your mouth (not literally because you would never see me in person so you wouldn't actually say it to me you would type it) because it is such an amazing piece of fiction.
All the characters are unique in their own way and they all ... have their own troubles to follow i love this manga, watch the anime as well the art is beautiful in both.

This series would be better named "Stockholm Syndrome and the Wendigo" , I cant quite figure out what others see in this series. Chise and Elias have a strained Owner-Pet relationship throughout the 10+ volumes i suffered through. It comes off as extremely toxic, and every time Chise forgives Elias for being a literal monster, it just seems so forced... Some of the side characters are more interesting, Ruth, Silky, and Alice Swayne have genuinely captivating backstories, and i would happily read a spinoff series about them.

The Ancient Magus Bride ticks a lot of boxes. I wanted to like this series, but honestly I ... found it to be extremely predictable, not to mention boring. There seems to be some missing context to everything shown, like i should be reading this as a sequel to something else. Maybe this series gets by on it's impressive an beautiful art, however that is in vain due to how little narrative is actually displayed. The story moves like molasses, and seemingly important plot points are immediately glossed over or resolved by means of unexplained "magic".

I cant recommend this Manga, it was a chore to read.