This recap episode is not available in the US. It comes right after episode 12 in the anime and has no new footage. The only "new" things are a narrative that is overlaid between the dialogue that is already in the show and an extended version of Lindel's magical song (which is absolutely beautiful and can only hear if you have the OST). I wouldn't say it is a must watch for even the most die hard of fans of the show as there is nothing new to gain from it.
As an individual episode disconnected from the rest of the series I am honestly
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Jul 11, 2019
Mahoutsukai no Yome
(Anime)
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Recommended
Having watched anime since the mid 90's, I can safely say this is one of the more unique shows that are out there. The creator, Kore Yamazaki, does incredible work creating a world that feels alive and real. There are aspects of this series that she took from well known folklore, religion, and mythology. Every name that you hear, every flower that you see, every location mentioned all have purpose and meaning. Yamazaki purposefully dances the line between comfort and discomfort (which can be seen in the very first episode) to keep the viewer guessing and on a mystical ride. Many watch the first episode
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and think it's dangerous or wrong for what is happening to be happening, but once you learn the background of the characters involved it starts to make sense.
This show honestly requires the viewer to pay attention to what is being said and to separate themselves from their own feelings and experiences and imagine being in the character's shoes (primarily Chise and Elias). Remember, Elias is not human and does not know human emotion nor the basics of things like family and marriage. And Chise was on the verge of suicide before giving life one last chance. Too many people complain about this show being about an old mage wanting to hook up with a 15 year old girl. This is absolutely not the case. It is about learning to be confident and loving yourself for who you are, while also learning to not just comfortably depend on someone else but to communicate and work with them. It is about accepting the fact that someone else cares about you and needing you because they truly love you. The character growth feels real and the portrayal of depression, anxiety, jealousy, and shame feels spot on (even though some of those emotions are shown on the extreme end). This is not an anime where a character's problems are magically solved in 1-2 episodes. It takes some of these characters nearly the entire first season to change their way of thinking. It's things like this that make this show feel so real. Hardly anything is spoon fed to you. There are still unknown mysteries even with 60 chapters of the manga currently out (anime ends on chapter 45). And that is OK! It keeps that mystical wonder in the show without being an annoying dangling carrot on the end of a stick. It makes you really care about these characters and feels like some aspects of the world they are living in could be our actual world. People who say Chise is always in danger/damsel in distress never paid attention to the first episode where it is clearly stated that being a Sleigh Beggy brings misfortune to her and those around her. And while Chise does end up in undesirable situations, she either put herself there because she does not value herself, or she is able to solve the problem herself. She is actually capable of getting herself out of situations very early in the series on multiple occasions without the help of Elias. While I gave this 10's across the board, I will list my complaints: The visuals for OP1 and OP2: While the first half of the visuals for OP1 were original and beautiful, it then shows clips from eps 1-12 which included spoilers. Wish episode 12 could have been a complete surprise honestly, even though it was one of the most wonderful scenes of the season, music and all. OP2 had all reused footage and we did not get the properly animated opening until the very last episode. This was confirmed to be due to deadline issues with the production team. While I understand the animation industry can be a crazy place to work, it does feel that "lesser" shows received more attention with original footage for OP and ED. This isn't a deal breaker because clearly they put time and effort into the animation, background, and music for the actual show. Rushed scenes/missing information: there are 2 sequences I can think of that were music montages with no dialogue where information was not conveyed that would have made the scene feel deeper and more meaningful. While not hugely necessary to the core of the story, it would have been nice if the show was 25 or 26 episodes in order to properly animate these scenes as well as add some scenes that were missing from the manga. Again, nothing major to the overall plot. Also my heart of hearts wants to see chapter 10.5 animated! Cliffhangers: this seems to be a big complaint. There are only 2 "annoying" cliffhangers that make it appear things are dire when they are really not (end of episodes 2 and 14). Who knows why they chose to do that...the pacing of the manga? Time? I can agree that if watching from week to week it would have been frustrating, but when binge watching the series it doesn't feel as bad. The manga chapters for, arguably more annoying, fox cliffhanger did not flow that way. The chapter continued through that sequence. It is a shame that the episode was timed in that way. Story: 10 You learn about the world along side Chise. Not much is spoon fed to you and at times you need to put the pieces of the puzzle together (and you may not get a piece until much later on in the series). The manga is still continuing and the latest translated released chapter (57) just now explained a line spoken from episode 1 (Elias explains to Chise why he asked her to be his bride). This is a story to be consumed in its entirety, while still enjoying the individual arcs throughout. This is a slower paced show. Do not expect a lot of action, a ton of magic being haphazardly flung around, or bright and bubbly characters. Having watched so many shows, honestly there are so few with characters as deep and developed as the ones in this series. And it's not just about one character, even though Chise is technically the main here. The dynamic of how she and Elias behave towards themselves and each other is the core of the show. Art: 10 This series gets compared with Ghibli levels of backgrounds and color. You can practically take a screen shot at any moment during the series and end up with a beautiful wallpaper for your desktop. The designs of many of the characters are unique, especially Elias in each of his forms. The fae/faeries are all very unique and interesting even though they are essentially background pieces as well. Rewatching the show you catch how detailed the background is in even the most insignificant shots (like the display case when Chise visits a cheese shop in episode 9). Sound: 10 Not only is the OST absolutely stunning, the sound effects throughout the series is detailed and amazing. The birds, the trees blowing in the wind, the swishes of cloth moving, the sound of flesh rendering and bones cracking. While I'm not a big fan of insert songs with lyrics, every single one that was used felt right and amazing. The song playing Leánnan sídhe and Joel final sequence called Rose is such a beautiful piece, along with Nevin's Final Dream song. Lindel's song induces goosebumps and even though it is sung twice in back to back episodes, it does not feel over done. It just works. Even Chise singing the same song 3 times is just so pretty and just puts you in the moment. There is very little animation during Nevin's Dream and Lindel's second time singing his song, making you just sit back and listen and appreciate the scenery. Characters: 10 Each character you meet is so well fleshed out that every single one of them, human or not, feel important to the story. You do get to know about nearly everyone's past (whether just a glimpse or a larger story) and there are still some with questions left in the air, making us beg for another season. Luckily the manga is continuing. While Chise is the main character, the show isn't just about her. It is also about Elias and how the two of them deal with their own personal issues as well as their issues with each other. You can see the changes in them as the series progresses, from being content with how things are to discovering new feelings to learning how to talk to one another. You learn and grow with Chise primarily, but you do get brief glimpses from Elias' point of view. With that being said, this is essentially the Chise and Elias show (whether it be about their relationship or about their individual characters). If you do not like these characters, you will most likely not enjoy the show. While the other characters are fantastic in their own ways (Ruth and Silky primarily), they don't get enough attention to pull the viewer away from the fact that this is about Chise and Elias and everyone else plays. Not everyone is up to watching a series about 2 broken people. Both Chise and Elias had horrible pasts and they drag that baggage around with them throughout most of the show. Remember Chise starts the show about to commit suicide, and she is OK with dying several times throughout the series. Remember Elias also had several centuries of trauma (though we don't see it as detailed as Chise's past) causing him to live in solitude for well over 100 years while still having an undeveloped mind completely unable to empathize with human feelings. He is unlike any other character I've seen in both design and attitude. Enjoyment: 10 Each episode brings something different to the table and is just a joy to watch. The tone changes throughout the series and you have a nice mix of dark moments, gory bits, slice of life, magical and adventure, and background discovery. Happy to say there are no filler episodes and basically no flashbacks/repeat scenes (if any it's a second or two). Again, you've probably seen the negative reviews. If you read them carefully, you'll notice they all basically complain about the same thing. You either enjoy these characters or you don't. But do take a chance with them and get to know them and decide for yourself. If you're OK with a slower paced show where the entire story is one big piece of work rather enjoying bits and pieces at a time, then you will enjoy this show. Overall: 10 I can't recommend this show enough to anyone who likes any aspects of fantasy, romance, and drama. It has that Full Metal Alchemist vibe of shifting from dark to fun then back again. From light-hearted magical times to heart crushing sadness, from brightly colorful chibi moments to blood spilling all over the place. There are faeries, dragons, monsters, multiple bad guys to deal with, and lovey dovey moments that make you go "dawwwww". This show absolutely warrants a rewatch as well with lines spoken at the beginning of the series being more appreciated and making more sense after you learn more about the characters.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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