The Ancient Magus Bride

This tender anime series adapting the manga of the same name delivers an extraordinary viewing experience. So far I've read the first 13 volumes of Chise Hatori's adventures and have gotten used to reading from right to left surprisingly quickly. I enjoyed returning repeatedly to the safe space that each chapter offered. Especially those in the first series, i.e., the first nine books. The anime covers the first 45 chapters. The emotions evoked by the differently conceived panels are simply refreshing for someone who has long only read specialist books and classic comics. For quite a long time I've been looking for a manga series to make my lockdown more enjoyable, but so far no one compares to Chise. Perhaps just a distant memory of Adolescence of Utena. The Ancient Magus' Bride is a delightful blend of a novel starring a teenage protagonist, a modern fantasy set in London and many magical places, meeting many fascinating creatures and following Kora Yamazaki's enthusiasm for the myths and legends of the British Isles, as well as minor contemporary realities different from Japan. The manga is accompanied by the author's diaries from the creation, mini-stories of favorite characters, and sketches of various environments and details. On the other hand, the anime works very well in respecting the prescribed substance and complementing it with great colors, realistically depicted environments, and classically drawn characters that turn into cartoons during tense scenes. At first, I wasn't sure if I would mind the two forms being combined, but each has its own specific benefits. It's also great to be able to choose between the Japanese and English dubbing, as they each capture the atmosphere differently. (09/03/2021)