The Ancient Magus' Bride
Prepare to enter a world of myths, magic, empowered women, and guys that look like women. No, this isn't a description about America under Barack Obama's presidency. It's a basic rundown of The Ancient Magus' Bride.
The story follows a girl called Chise, who's as depressed as she is depressing. Anyway, when we first start reading, Chise is in the process of being bought some creature the looks like Skeletor's pet dog who goes by the surprisingly human name Elias. This doesn't seem to bother Chise as she's too depressed to care. Immediately, you start asking, where are this girl's parents. We learn about them a few issues in, but that comes later.
Anyway, what makes Chise so special that this skeleton headed guy just had to buy her. It turns out she is something called a Sleigh Beggy, a wizard with so much magic power that it will kill her unless she can keep it in check. This, however, takes second place to the real theme; Chise's relationship with Elias. It's here where Chise's past become a factor.
In the chapters that depict her past, it's revealed that Chise had a family. Her mother, father, brother, and Chise herself could all see monsters. They were happy...until they weren't. For whatever reason, Chise's father takes her brother and abandons her and her mother. Then, Chise's mother tries to kill her, before ultimately deciding to spare Chise and kill her. Her own family left her to suffer alone. Knowing this, it's understandable why the girl starts of so depressed.
This is why the she cares for Elias so much. Yes, he bought her at something that resembles a slave auction, but he took her in when everyone else discarded her. This makes her feel needed. That is all kinds of messed up.
Anyway, the world of The Ancient Magus' Bride is filled to the brim with mythology. From The Wandering Jew to fairies to dragons, it's all in there. With all this mythology, surely plenty of ass gets kicked, right? Not so much.
There are a few fights, but this manga tackles real-life subjects such as companionship, friendship, overcoming drug addiction, and coming to terms with the death of loved ones. For a fairly nonviolent manga, there is a surprising amount of death. Someone dies in almost every issue. Heck, Chise almost dies several times herself. It's amazing really.
Of course no manga is complete without guys that look like girls. There are as many girly men as there are manly men. Yes, this is likely because this is a thinly-veiled shoujo manga, but it's kind of scary. Seriously, this is the scariest part of the series. Topping it all of is a dog called Ruth who can transform into a man that looks like a forty-year old woman. Yeah...
All in all, the manga is...meh. It's okay. Just okay. The world and all the mythology is interesting, but everything falls flat because there are so few fights. It is good, just don't expect to be reading the next Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.
The story follows a girl called Chise, who's as depressed as she is depressing. Anyway, when we first start reading, Chise is in the process of being bought some creature the looks like Skeletor's pet dog who goes by the surprisingly human name Elias. This doesn't seem to bother Chise as she's too depressed to care. Immediately, you start asking, where are this girl's parents. We learn about them a few issues in, but that comes later.
Anyway, what makes Chise so special that this skeleton headed guy just had to buy her. It turns out she is something called a Sleigh Beggy, a wizard with so much magic power that it will kill her unless she can keep it in check. This, however, takes second place to the real theme; Chise's relationship with Elias. It's here where Chise's past become a factor.
In the chapters that depict her past, it's revealed that Chise had a family. Her mother, father, brother, and Chise herself could all see monsters. They were happy...until they weren't. For whatever reason, Chise's father takes her brother and abandons her and her mother. Then, Chise's mother tries to kill her, before ultimately deciding to spare Chise and kill her. Her own family left her to suffer alone. Knowing this, it's understandable why the girl starts of so depressed.
This is why the she cares for Elias so much. Yes, he bought her at something that resembles a slave auction, but he took her in when everyone else discarded her. This makes her feel needed. That is all kinds of messed up.
Anyway, the world of The Ancient Magus' Bride is filled to the brim with mythology. From The Wandering Jew to fairies to dragons, it's all in there. With all this mythology, surely plenty of ass gets kicked, right? Not so much.
There are a few fights, but this manga tackles real-life subjects such as companionship, friendship, overcoming drug addiction, and coming to terms with the death of loved ones. For a fairly nonviolent manga, there is a surprising amount of death. Someone dies in almost every issue. Heck, Chise almost dies several times herself. It's amazing really.
Of course no manga is complete without guys that look like girls. There are as many girly men as there are manly men. Yes, this is likely because this is a thinly-veiled shoujo manga, but it's kind of scary. Seriously, this is the scariest part of the series. Topping it all of is a dog called Ruth who can transform into a man that looks like a forty-year old woman. Yeah...
All in all, the manga is...meh. It's okay. Just okay. The world and all the mythology is interesting, but everything falls flat because there are so few fights. It is good, just don't expect to be reading the next Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.
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