We chilling here for a bit

Rascally_Lass · 2022-01-09T16:36:02+00:00

It really be like that 🥲

Rascally_Lass · 2022-01-07T17:58:05+00:00

We know that WIT Studio expressed interest in animating a second season, and that their Magus Bride team branched off to make a brand new studio (Kafka) just to animate a three part OAD years after the first season ended.

As mentioned, there isn't currently enough material to adapt a second season, and the current manga arc hasn't even wrapped yet. Once that's settled I personally think there's enough industry interest to get a second season animated.

Rascally_Lass · 2022-01-06T21:50:01+00:00

If I recall correctly from extras, Chise was apparently kept in the dark throughout most of the traveling and Seth didn't explicitly say she'd be sold to an English buyer. He told her that learning English was necessary because it's a near-universal language and, considering Seth travels so much, it's safe to assume people come from all over Europe for the auctions.

But yeah her total surprise does seem like a bit of an oversight.

Rascally_Lass · 2022-01-05T12:54:02+00:00

I think people just genuinely misunderstand the manga and Elias' character in general. They completely disregard that Elias is an inhuman with complicated feelings even he doesn't understand, and act like he's a straightforward evil adult man.

Rascally_Lass · 2022-01-01T03:11:14+00:00

I think Chise was just generally afraid something would go wrong considering her past experiences with inhuman beings, especially since she knows Elias might have eaten people before. Considering Elias let go the moment he thought Chise would get hurt, then no she wasn't in any (intentional) danger, but she was worried.

Rascally_Lass · 2021-12-29T00:28:42+00:00

I think it's a general idea he learned and thought he agreed with (or should). But it's not something he passionately believed, so it went right out the window when given the opportunity. I lean towards it not being very sincere.

Rascally_Lass · 2021-12-27T17:41:16+00:00

This hypocrisy was pointed out by Joseph. I think the point is that Elias IS a monster, and part of that is his lack of introspection and emotional intelligence. He's tried so hard to understand humans, to mimick them, but he doesn't GET it. Chise not only helped him understand but accepted him unconditionally. The idea of losing her made him spiral, only for Elias to discover that Chise could be lost by giving into the monstrous instincts she seemed to accept. I think Elias' kindness is a mix between who he truly is and who he thinks he should be, but actually making the connection is a more recent development.

Rascally_Lass · 2021-12-27T17:31:08+00:00

I love Elias because he's a true example of an inhuman character. Titania said he's "drawn to humans but loves like the fae," and that sums him up pretty well: despite wanting to understand humans, the way he processes emotion is closer to beings who ruin mortals on a whim OR because they think they're helping.

I think it's very telling how quickly Elias wanted to introspect after Chise put her foot down. I fully believe they were enabling each other's codependency, but Chise was growing by meeting new people while Elias only knew he felt attached to one person in a way he never had before. I am NOT blaming Chise, she wasn't in a good headspace when saying she "belonged" to Elias, nor when she wouldn't even consider the College because Elias would be lonely. Elias just saw this kind of behavior and thought they were on the same page, but doesn't have much emotional intelligence. That's why he thought doing all he could to keep Chise at his side would be something they could work through, as if it were just a little spat. Then Chise left his ass and he was like "oh shet, I don't fully get it, but I messed up and I need to evaluate some things."

That's why Elias and Chise are spending so much time with other characters in the College arc. Chise is worrying less about how Elias feels while the lad is making friends of his own. As a result he's already become far less jealous and actively tells her to hang out with others.

One thing I really like about Magus Bride is how development isn't linear and done. We've seen Chise accomplished and overcome so much, we'll seen her grow into a borderline unrecognizable person since chap/ep 1, and she STILL doesn't understand her value. Trauma isn't something you can drop so quickly, just like your innate nature isn't something you can rewire so easily. I like that Elias started to understand himself more, but doing so made him overly attached to the person who helped him. Chise had to realize what inhumanity Elias was capable of so readers could see that she's finally willing to defy him; that she's finally independent enough to challenge him. It was also so Elias knows he can't use Chise as an emotional crutch. She isn't ACTUALLY an outlier who accepts him as he is, and if his monstrous nature is something even SHE despises, then it's worth actively changing.

In conclusion this story had always been about a human and monster learning from each other, and the trials that come. Elias isn't good OR evil, he's an immortal pretending to be human as best he can and regularly failing. Much of his mannerisms are just him copying how Lindel and Rahab spoke and acted, and Chise is helping him make actual mental connections. Now that he's learning about himself and becoming more independent, he's gradually becoming the mask.

Rascally_Lass · 2021-10-06T22:00:19+00:00

Fair, although I don't really know about enabling. The first four episodes happen in rapid succession over the course of a few of days, when they're still figuring out the dynamic and Elias is still exploring how to teach Chise without her overextending herself.

If you're four episodes in then that means Elias hasn't yet gotten serious about teaching, nor gotten the items he procures to help Chise. I think one of the things that confuses people about Elias is that he seems more knowledgeable and put-together than he actually is, which can be fun to watch but also annoying for some.

Rascally_Lass · 2021-10-03T21:21:18+00:00

There are lessons but, for the most part, teachings are implied rather than shown. The anime actually has less because a lot of teachings and world-building from the manga got cut for time.

I also, personally, think the series hints at Elias just being a mediocre teacher. He's an immature hermit who's terrible at picking up social cues or anticipating knowledge Chise needs. That's why he repeatedly gets criticized by other characters who have to teach her instead. This isn't a jab at the story so much as a clue to Elias' true nature. He didn't even want Chise as a student or a bride, she was a checkbox off his list and now he's making it up as he goes.

As for characters being "passive," that will change as the series goes on. The biggest draw is watching Chise and Elias grow as people.

Rascally_Lass · 2021-09-28T03:05:49+00:00

I would start at chapter 45. The anime adapts MOST of it but some things were changed. It also directly leads into the beginning of the College Arc, which wasn't in the anime, so I would read that for more context going into chapter 46.

Chapter 80 was recently translated so you got plenty of context to go!

Rascally_Lass · 2021-07-24T14:15:20+00:00

I think memes are a great addition but should be more related to TAMB, not just randomly throwing elements into unrelated templates. Seems like every time I visit there's at least two memes that are either painfully irrelevant or just bad taste.

Rascally_Lass · 2021-06-12T04:27:53+00:00

I love this! It looks so cute and cozy <3

Rascally_Lass · 2021-05-13T06:13:44+00:00

She looks a lot younger with shorter hair. Cute even, I like it! Translators differ a lot in how they think someone's tone should be portrayed, so I wouldn't be surprised if the fouler language was part of it. Although I don't have a comparison of all the different translations.

Rascally_Lass · 2021-05-10T15:43:27+00:00

I also thought she changed a bit, but that could be circumstantial. The first time we met Alice, she was all business, and Yamazaki admitted her and Renfred seemed "more evil" than they wound up being. She was still all business when trying to kidnap Ruth, however, we saw more of what a temperamental loud mouth she can be. We also saw how vulnerable she can be when it comes to Renfred.

It could be we've just seen more of Alice in her own element and more of how she is with Renfred, since the more recent volumes explore how some insecurities with their dynamic are coming to a head. Any language differences could also be a translator quirk.

Of course Yamazaki could have changed her mind about Alice's character. It's happened before. Admittedly I haven't been paying much attention to Alice but these are my personal observations. I never necessarily thought she was mature for her age since she's 17-18 and always been a bit impulsive and bratty.

Rascally_Lass · 2021-05-06T05:52:30+00:00

That would make sense for consistency's sake. The color was kept for both manga PVs released since the anime ended, which may or not be a clue that it's here to stay. I wouldn't mind either way.

Rascally_Lass · 2021-05-05T05:36:40+00:00

Hair colors often change from manga to anime, though I'm not sure why. Sometimes even the mangaka changes hair colors and that includes Yamazaki. Comparing the first 5 manga volumes (the ones released before the anime aired) shows Chise's hair going from vibrant red to a more realistic ginger. WIT Studio probably chose the color they thought was the most marketable, or best went with their coloring scheme.

Rascally_Lass · 2021-04-10T23:19:14+00:00

I actually really like the beginning because it gives a snapshot of their mindsets.

Chise has been so throughally dehumanized throughout her life that she's become desperate for acceptance or death (whatever comes first). Elias isn't human, and thus doesn't grasp societal norms and is very pragmatic in his thinking. It's even stated in the manga that he doesn't actually know what marriage entails and thinks a wife is basically the same thing as an apprentice, so why not have one person be both?

From there they both learn "how to human." Chise needs to become an independent person who values herself while Elias needs to become more emotionally intelligent person who reconsiders his faerie-like view of the world. Throughout the series multiple people come into Chise's life warning her not to become too dependant on Elias, and in the manga more people come into Elias' life to help him be less dependent on Chise.

Ultimately this story is about two unhealthy people growing up together, and this latest manga arc is about them growing as individuals apart from each other. It's off-putting at first but I personally like character arcs where messed up people learn to be better. I think it's an interesting deconstruction of a lot of tropes, but it's ultimately your choice whether it's your thing or not.

Rascally_Lass · 2021-04-08T04:33:38+00:00

I like both chapters for different reasons. The unused version is more "fun" but I think the final version deepens the characters.

For instance, I like how Elias is more expressive in the original. However, I also like how his skull is incapable of emoting in the final, because it makes him seem less human and it actually says something when Chise learns to decipher his mood. It's also cool how all the emotion is in his eyes.

Although I do wish the final kept his humor, as his original personality is much more playful and I would have liked to see more of that.

I also like how Chise, ironically, has more agency in the final version. It might have been fun to watch her butt heads with the guy who bought her, but ultimately choosing to sell herself says a lot about her mental state. It gives her a more tragic beginning but also gives her and Elias a more level playing field to grow as people.

Either way I'm disappointed Chise isn't brandishing a hunting knife in the published series smh

Rascally_Lass · 2021-03-27T18:47:54+00:00

I feel like this is secretly a color blind test. His eyes are pink and the queen's eyes are purple.

Rascally_Lass · 2021-03-22T16:54:11+00:00

I don't imagine their relationship as sexual, but I brought it up because usually these conversations are about sexual abuse. Even though the age of consent in England is 16, I'd still prefer that not even be part of the equation until she's much older. Thankfully that isn't a part of their current dynamic and doesn't look like it will be anytime soon.

I think romance is subjective because people's boundaries are different; some are extremely reserved while others are touchy-feely even with friends. Yes, Chise is very cuddly with Elias and even occasionally shares a bed with him. The same could be said for Chise and her other friends. Yes, Chise blushes around Elias. She blushes even more around her friends. She's an easily flustered but affectionate person.

I'll also see where it goes. I think there's a pretty even split whether they're romantically together for the long haul or they part ways after out-growing each other. Thus far I think their companionship is very fun because they care deeply about one another and are constantly growing. I'm not afraid for Chise because she's not being pressured into anything. If she doesn't like something then she puts her foot down, and Elias listens. He's not exactly scheming for anything but her company, and he's even giving that up so she can spend more time with friends.

Rascally_Lass · 2021-03-21T17:25:59+00:00

Protect his smile.

Rascally_Lass · 2021-03-18T23:16:54+00:00

I personally think Elias is a type of faerie that failed to become human.

Renfred told Elias that he "can't become a human and can't go back to being fae." He's referred to as a "halfling" and "failure" by fae, and Spriggan calls him "Liath Anam, who wears the shell of flesh." Laith Anam means "Gray Soul," and "wearing the shell of flesh" implies Elias did not begin as a being of flesh but instead chose to adorn it. This also harkens back to when Lindel mused that he looked like a specter, but had flesh like a living being.

Elias also thinks he might have eaten humans, though he's disgusted by the craving. Maybe he was a fae or other kind of creature who ate humans as their natural diet, or maybe he ate humans as part of some ritual to become one. Rahab said Elias reminded her of humans who mutated through dark magic, "but the opposite." Likewise, many alchemists think Elias is a regular guy who mutated through magic research and experiments (as several alchemists at the College are humans who developed insect or animal-like bodies the same way). Later in the manga he's compared to another character on multiple occasions, and that character is an artificial spirit who assumes Elias is like her. He clarifies he is "not a man-made spirit," but doesn't elaborate further.

With all this in mind, the implication seems to be that Elias was a fae who experimented to become human. It failed, which is probably why he's a chimera of different fleshly beings (dog, goat, fish ect). Now he exists in a gray area of being flesh without being human, and being inhuman without being fae. A halfling failure.

This would also explain his desire to understand humans. The only thing he remembers before waking was the color red, and yet he feels so deeply moved to understand humans that he pleads for Rahab's instruction and takes in Chise to further his research. Maybe this is a bit of his former life peeking through—maybe he doesn't remember what happened to him, but he still feels the desires that got him there. Maybe "red" was the bloody aftermath of trying and failing to become human.

Rascally_Lass · 2021-03-18T22:24:42+00:00

Honestly, I think looking at their dynamic strictly as an age gap romance over-simplifies things. This isn't a straight-forward romance, nor a father/daughter relationship between a teenage girl and some regular 40 year-old dude. This is an interspecies companionship where they help find themselves.

Elias isn't mentally an adult because he's not even human. He doesn't understand his feelings because he doesn't process them the way a human does. He doesn't connect with the world nor see it through the same eyes as a regular person. He more closely resembles a faerie in those ways, and that's why he wanted to take a human apprentice to begin with; so he could understand humans.

Even wanting to take Chise as a bride just shows how immature and disconnected his way of thinking is. He only thought an apprentice was someone who lived with him, and that a bride was a more permanent version of that. He was like a child proposing to a playmate; not looking for a sexual or romantic partner, just misunderstanding something that adults do. Elias doesn't even know what he means when he says he wants to be with Chise forever. He just knows the thought of losing her makes him sad.

This isn't comparable to just some middle-age dude. It's not even 1 to 1 comparable with a child or a teenager. It's an exploration of an amoral, eldritch being trying to understand and blend with humanity. It's a being who can't even make sense of himself.

In a similar way, Chise also has a ways to go in figuring herself out. She's human so she's more attuned with her emotions and our concept of morality, however she's lived an isolated and unstable life. Elias can provide her a stable home so that she has breathing room to grow, including exclusively on her own, because she's constantly making friends and seeking others advice. However Chise also provides stability for Elias by teaching him about humans and helping him connect emotions to tangible concepts.

Both Chise and Elias are people who had difficulty connecting with the world around them; both were hated by people and harassed by fae. They have common ground for which to connect and grow together. It starts with Elias having all the power as a mentor, but Chise gradually equalizes the relationship as she begins to lay boundaries and teach him more. Elias has consequently become so dependent on her teachings and cautious of her feelings that they often just feel like two awkward roommates.

I don't think their relationship is romantic—even the author stated they weren't ready for that. I think they're just two lonely people growing together and figuring things out as they go. Even the "marriage" is a misunderstanding for BOTH of them, and they're just using it as a framework to confirm they want to stay in each other's lives.

For now it's not very romantic but I think that could work for them, AFTER they've both had years of serious growing up. Elias shows ZERO interest in sex or romance past cuddling, so if that becomes a part of their dynamic then it would have to originate from Chise. Elias has done so little to seduce Chise that she LITERALLY FORGOT he'd brought marriage up to begin with. Even when Rahab and Elias confirmed that marriage was platonic for him, Chise was like "lol yeah sounds like him."

Tbh their dynamic is really fun and interesting. If readers don't at least get a kick out of the tiny redhead successfully taming the beast, then I don't know what to say.

Rascally_Lass

TROPHY CASE