The Ancient Magus’ Bride is a 10 volume manga series written by Kore Yamazaki. The series follows the adventures of Chise Hatori, an orphan sleigh buggy, and her fiance and mentor, Elias Ainsworth.
Volume 1 is jam-packed with content. But the most significant portions in my opinion would include Chise’s run in with the fairies, the couple’s visit with Angelica, and the ending scenes that ultimately lead to the next volume.
Of course, there are many things that happen in this volume that are significant to the story as a whole, like her visit with Lindel and his dragons (more specifially Nevin). But I find these scenes to be more filler content and explanatory than anything else.
From the start, everything is fast paced and it gives very little direct information about how it is Chise was sold into slavery. Of course, there are bits and pieces we get from her memory that give us slight hints as to how her home life negatively affected her.
The first we really hear of Chise’s family starts with the fairies. Ultimately, we learn that after he mother’s death, she was passed around from family member to family member until she willingly gave herself up for auction. This lack of family and love makes her susceptible to the fairies’ somewhat sinister plans. However, it is this same sentiment that makes her deny the fairies.
After this encounter, Elias takes Chise into the city where they meet with an old friend of his. In true manga form, Angelica, an artificer mage, has a small breakdown upon learning of the couple’s engagement. She throws Elias out of her shop and begins to shed light upon the more magical aspects of the world Chise has found herself thrust into.
Here we learn about difference in Alchemy and Magic. Angelica, not knowing of Chise’s sleigh buggy status, has Chise try out some magic. This of course goes wrong and Elias has to step in before the entire shop is turned into a crystal poppy field. This is where we learn what a sleigh buggy is.
Skip to the end of Chapter 5, we find Chise at the beginning of a purification spell. This of course seems dumb considering how inexperienced she is. If you think back to her first try at magic by which she almost destroyed Angelica’s shop, you’d agree that she should not be performing magic at this time.
Elias says that his powers are more aligned with the darker side of nature. Personally, I feel this excuse was not worth the problems that would have definitely arrived with Chise doing somewhat complicated spell work.
But of course, right as she is separated from Elias and beginning her spell, Renfred and apprentice capture her. Now, this being the first volume of the series, there was no way we could have expected Yamazaki to not leave us hanging.
Overall, if you like fantasical magic, inhuman creatures, narcissistic alchemist, and cliff hangers, this is most definitely the manga for you.
Tune in next month for The Ancient Magus’ Bride Vol. 2.
