How The Ancient Magus Bride Makes Magic Feel Real

A just deep enough OP analysis of the ancient magus bride. Also, a deep dive into its fantasy lore and historical roots, because the what’s in an OP? part took like a minute.
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In the depths of his Mother's Basement, Geoff Thew creates videos analyzing the storytelling techniques of anime and video games. He has been named the number one Worst KZbin Anime Reviewer by The Top Tens.

[@nightrocker1343]

I love that they don't sugar coat the folklore. Most modern tellings of Fea are little pixie girls that grant wishes, when in reality Faeries were fucking scary. They don't shy away from the horror elements. They don't hide the fact that these are other worldly beings that could rip your face off just as easily as give you a gift. I've always loved that aspect of folklore.

[@YamiNoSensei13]

Agreed... traditional faeries were powerful, capricious beings that did not have the same agenda as humans. The name "Fair Folk" came about because people didn't want to be overheard talking about "those evil baby-stealing bastards from under the hill" and be punished for it.

[@kamronspencer4910]

@@Shemegory we haven’t gotten a kelpie yet but we got a very similar fae. One of the other water horses

[@towelwet1797]

@@kamronspencer4910 the each uisge

[@kingstrojek9937]

Thier beautiful but like nature it is just as likely to kill you while you’re distracted by it’s beauty and especially when its mistreated

[@kingstrojek9937]

@@kamronspencer4910you do see it later in the series

[@uuyea7549]

FACT: The anime opening is song by a 17 year old girl.

[@madi7178]

Uu yea I’m swear I am not being sarcastic but my mind is blown.

[@sans5955]

Actually, Junna was 16 when she sung it

[@caros.6072]

Junna is amazing 😭

[@yaboigamerdouji7573]

Ain’t no way. She sounds at least 25

[@FirstLast-wk3kc]

@@sans5955 so kinda like Chise?

[@chowrites6179]

TL:DW Magic feels real because its actually presented as a real tool and not just a plot device. Its both the good and the bad and how everyone interprets that.

[@Evilriku13]

or magic that has consequences, not like most presented in anime's and rpg's >_>

[@TheRealGuywithoutaMustache]

This anime is enchanting. The animators sure had something hidden up their sleeves when animating this because watching Ancient Magus Bride is spellbinding.

[@BigT.Larrity]

That.. that wasn't very funny.

[@kami903]

Big T. Larrity Who cares he's 100% right.

[@BigT.Larrity]

I don't want him to be right, I want him to uphold the mustache tradition of shitposting on every video we watch.

[@likogail8803]

Just Some Guy without a Mustache What happened to your mustache?!

[@eris902]

Gotta like for the puns; even if Im 8 months late

[@firebrain2991]

"Faeries are assholes." That, my friend, is an enormous understatement.

[@loritruylio2108]

Faeries are insane sociopaths works too

[@theatheistbear3117]

ADULT ATTACK! - Child Fairy from Berserk

[@scottbruckner4653]

A-fucking-men.

[@eldersprig]

dangerous too

[@titlo3646]

Okamiviking fuck those faeries, fuck griffith, and fuck berserk season 2's animation

[@mikasanchez1310]

I love how the Ancient Magus Bride has such a real and accurate depiction of the magical world. It makes me giddy whenever I watch or read it haha Me having done research into the history of witchcraft and some research on the fair folk, makes me nerd out as heck I also love how it makes me feel this story could really happen in real life - in the background. It feels as if I could go to the outskirts of West London and I'll find a house there where Elias and Chise lives.

[@epicwalrus7183]

Not sure about the house but the town Chise visits with Angela is a real place. It's called Bourton on the Water, the shops, hell even the willow tree by one of the bridges is there. I've visited it a few times its very peaceful. That whole area they live in is so clearly based on the Cotswolds that "Cotswolds" was the first word to come to mind when I saw Elias' House XD

[@squirts1]

Magic isn't real. Lol "real and accurate depiction" 🤦

[@Dell-ol6hb]

@@squirts1 are you serious? Do you think this person actually is saying that magic is real? What are you stupid?

[@hi.241]

seems like someone​ @squirts1 doesnt have an "imagination", dude ofc people know magic isnt real and how are you so blind😭 its pretty obvious theyre talking about how accurate it references stuff like irl folk lore and fairy tales and witchcraft and so much more.

[@wolf25633]

There's a reason why you don't see it all that often. Because it's a fucking nightmare to write and to it right. Not to mention all that research that needs to be done, remembered and you also want to put your own little spin on it. Even more reason to love and celebrate everyone that manages to do all that!

[@oboretaiwritingch.2077]

It's really not though. Wikipedia and the internet made it very, very easy for people to earn a degree-worthy level knowledge of mythology and foreign culture in a matter of days, and it is a very effective way to come up with newer, fresher ideas that while aren't "original" per se since you're ripping off some legends wholesale, makes for an entirely fresh experience in the anime scape. Slavic, African, Southeast Asian, Native American, Hindu mythology, etc offers very rich mythologies and tropes unique to their cultures, yet you don't see any animes(nor Western media) fully make use of them. Yet these days whenever real-world fantasy is concerned, you'll still far more likely see them as ripoffs of however Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest or Fate depicted them(see how many people still believes Bahamut is a dragon in the myths). It's the same why 90% of historical animes are inevitably centered around Sengoku, or how many FGO fans are clearly more likely to look up doujins of the Servants rather than look them up on Wikipedia, many Japanese people have a very narrow worldview and isn't interested in acknowledging that there are people living outside of their tiny island, which means there isn't much motivation for either the writers or audiences to care about anything outside of what is already rooted in modern Japanese culture.

[@ebigunso]

Just being able to look things up, and actually knowing it to the point where you can put your own spin on it without breaking the feel of it is an entirely different thing I think. The latter is still very difficult even with modern internet encyclopedias.

[@oboretaiwritingch.2077]

It's not. Stories like Mahabharata and Ramayana are still very popular in India despite being older than 2000 years old for a reason. One could very easily just adapt them into an anime and you'd already get a 50 episode worthy epic with DBZ power level battles, yet no one is attempting that.Or to drive a nail even deeper into the coffin, not even Japan's own mythical texts like Kojiki or Nihon Shoki have modern anime adaptations. Yet you'll still see the same old Journey to the West, Alice in Wonderland, some form of Arthurian legends and the sort being recycled to hell and back in various mangas and LNs only because they already were rooted in modern Japanese culture. Writers simply are far too lazy to take any efforts to be unique from their contemporaries, that's how we ended up with things like Black Clover.

[@sokumotanaka9271]

Reito Shizaki Tghat logic isn't sound putting magic that feels real and has an interesting spin on is difficult, very much so no matter how many times you say no. Mahabharata and ramayanna is a vastly different point you bring up age but that has nothing to do with putting magic in your series whist making it feel real to the world it resides in instead of feeling tacked on and putting an interesting spin on it without it feeling like it's been done or uninteresting. Also the argument of wiki making it easy for people to get degree worthy levels of knowledge makes no sense at all cause wiki's aren't always reliable and using that for your source for developing magic that feels real in media is A. The reason why things like ff13 and rwby's magic feels stale and tacked on last minute and B. has nothing to do with a degree nor would anyone with a degree not look at your comment and go "what?" As a person with two there's no connection between the two task and they usually tell you use the wiki to get a small understanding of things but don't rely on them cause information could be false and you need to depend on your own writing in terms of story crafting any creative writing teacher would tell you the same. Regardless of all that Magic that not only roots your world together and has a spin people possibly either never seen or rarely do *is a creative and difficult thing to pull off* and is easy to mess up. I.E Rwby and ff13 again hell even dbz doesn't really explain their magic much.

[@oboretaiwritingch.2077]

You seem to misunderstand my point. Let me break it down. Magic systems from other mythologies are already established. You can rip them right off and have a fresh ingredient for an adaptation on your hand. Hindu mythology's magic is tied with its philosophy of billions of gods being an aspect of a singular god, Native American magic system is tied with how everything in the world, including mundane things, both nature, humans and destiny works, interesting parallels between the gods of Greco Roman pantheon and Shinto can be easily drawn, etc. This is no different than coming up with your own system of Shinigami or Devil Fruit or whatever. Secondly it is fleshed out enough that someone at some point in human history believed or still believes it. So calling it "tacked on" is just stupid. And above all else, you can't say *it's difficult to pull off* . When *LITERALLY NO ONE TRIED* . If we see a mass of animes based on these cultures failed, then yes I'll admit they are hard to pull off. But as we stand as is, no one even attempted to use these things. Mahou Tsukai no Yome is the exact example of this. None of the magic system ideas are original, they just were well researched and put into anime as is. Church Grim is treated as a Church Grim would be in folklore, applies the same to Cartophilus, Will O' Wisp and Oberon. They just were picked from their source material and popped right into this world *AS IS* . And evidently that made for a great anime. Let me ask you a question, did *you* look any of the systems I listed up? Did *you* attempted to learn them? Saying "wikis aren't reliable" is a very bad excuse for simple laziness. Regardless of whether or not the info are credible, it is rich with unique ideas that can be easily cherry-picked to put into an anime with a fresh taste to it. It's your damn job as a writer to take an information, process it by yourself, and turn it into a compelling narrative. It's the fact that there' s a rich world out there but no one is making an effort to reach out to it. It's the same as why idiot writers would prefer setting their story in an overused Isekai rather than modern Mediterranean or something, where you'd get an even more beautiful landscape rich with people and culture and most importantly *NOT BE CLICHED* . Ask yourself again. Why are fantasy animes so cliched? Why are no one even attempting to get a fresh idea? Why would you even called some stories enjoyed over the millenias as being "tacked on"? Why aren't you giving the efforts to look anything up? There's one very simple answer to all those questions.

[@Pablo360able]

“No, disembodied voice in my head, I am perfectly sane thank you very much” Okay I feel called out

[@nilo4197]

Pablo360able Don't we all?

[@philiphockenbury6563]

Also that statement is absolutely legally valid.

[@starflight]

Got the notification: I sleep. It’s about The Ancient Magus Bride: Oh SHIT THAT ONE IS IMPORTANT MUST WATCH NOE

[@briannabergman8381]

Starflight, Basement Dragon me

[@Odinsday]

*R E A L S H I T*

[@FruitLeo]

YESSSSSS

[@scottbruckner4653]

Fucking yup.

[@RukiaKuchiki58]

I like that they had Tir na nOg, an Irish tale and were able to pronounce it correctly. I'm not sure about them touching the ground though as you're not supposed to be able to if you're from there but I guess cause they're the king and queen its OK. It's probably just a loose adaptation of the myth and I still enjoyed seeing some Irish in the anime.

[@tomatophalanges]

I was going to say the same thing- hearing them actively and distinctly refer to Tir na nOg was something that is so particularly rare, and Irish mythos is particularly underutilised. I'm sincerely hoping we see representation of the Fir Bolg, and of the Tuatha De Danann in some proper form.

[@RukiaKuchiki58]

Tomato Phalanges I'm so glad people agree, I feel like many writers loosely use Irish folk lore in their works but never go full on. We can only hope she uses more especially the ones you mentioned 🙌

[@xiaodengzhang9363]

I love saying Tír na nÓg out loud. It sounds so weird.

[@angelmints]

Yes, I'd love to see that too. I guess the touching the ground thing was ignored because it was mixed up with the Shakespearian characters of Titania and Oberon. Though them being king and queen is a good justification as well, seeing as they're not just rulers of the fairies in Tir na nÓg but also in Albion, as Titania mentions. In a way that would make them part of both worlds.

[@RukiaKuchiki58]

pcworld101 oh yeah no I definitely think it's believable they did a great job!

[@alexbenavidez4500]

8:37 I love how accurate that one police car is. I don't know what it is about not just having the British environments and folklore influence clearly shown in the anime, but also the modern in world as it is today that really grounds the world building. Normally fantasy series set in Britain are medieval, or if you're really lucky, in Victorian times. Just showing the modern countryside is nice and all, but unless you're displaying really distinctive landmarks, it can be swappable with other parts of Europe. Seeing modern British police in anime is such a weirdly nice touch. Even the uniform is completely accurate. Our cemetaries are pretty old at this point, and we really don't bury our dead anymore. We don't have the fucking land space free to put bodies in. The dead are cremated and scattered, so you don't really have "modern" graveyards, if that's even a thing. That scene could be interchangeable with the French countryside, German, even parts of American etc. But that godamn police car and uniform of the officers tells you instantly that it's Britain. Half my family is from the Isle of Man, and let me tell you, they *DO* still believe in fairies. It's a very important part of their folklore there. You've got the fairy bridge you gotta greet the inhabitants of when you drive or walk past, and it's a massive taboo to say the word "rat" because apparently it kills fairies when that happens. You have to whistle afterwards to save it, and that's exactly what locals will do if you say that word around them. There's so many damn caves on the coasts, some with their own stories and legends and the Celtic influence especially is very present with the modern culture of the island. You've got the Manx cats, who it may be common knowledge didn't come from the sea anymore, are still a cherished part of the island, especially now we know they originated there and are widely protected

[@Evilriku13]

afaik the mangaka went to britain once so she does have a sense for that land. Also she lieks to cook quite some, as one can see on her twitter account, and thats reflected in the anime too as u might noticed, like that food looks too realiiitsc for its own good :D

[@yeen.7209]

"how the ancient magus bride makes magic feel real" well, that's because it IS real! this show's entire magic system relies on real life folklore, alongside heavy involvement with topics of witchcraft like paganism and wicca. the fact that power is borrowed from fairies is already directly from these concepts. magic has a process unlike something in harry potter where a spell happens effortlessly. you need incantations, the assistance of outside forces, ingredients like crystals and wands, and maybe even a burning censer. i really wish videogames prefaced this and had a system with it, it'd feel so much more fulfilling. the farthest i know we've gone so far is with minecraft mods like thaumcraft and witchery, which focus on these concepts with such perfection. also hey, it's amazing how their dragons are on the verge of extinction and are completely different from something like the ones from dungeons and dragons. a particular scp nails this too, dragons being noble and respected beings that are inevitably wiped out.

[@Yumecha36]

Okay, that Here Be Dragons reference literally hurt me, lol. I cried when reading that SCP, but I completely agree with you!

[@my_girl_seraphine5294]

Its something I’m taking notes to use in my own fantasy world

[@roofoochoo]

This anime is beautiful

[@ghostsuckgame]

it's look good but don't make story good

[@RobH73]

It looks gorgeous sure, but it's still Twilight.

[@ghostsuckgame]

Robert Herman It's Twilight with stockholm syndrome. Chise come off character type in abusive relationship like Harley Quinn

[@ghostsuckgame]

Hannibal did better job in creepy relationship than Ancient Magus Bride. A Will Graham try kill Hannibal B better writing in general C Will Graham admit his feeling for Hannibal is toxic, take season 3 to do it and feel real

[@Harshhaze]

@@ghostsuckgame yeah, story felt a bit short-sticked, and I wasn't truly invested because I don't really have a good understanding of things yet. It seems I'm always being dragged along rather than walking with the story

[@xxkerosenexkidxx]

The Phoenix part is indeed from later in the story and one of my most anticipated parts so see recreated in this series. It was such a beautiful part in the manga

[@evandavis8550]

Definitely in my top 3. I’m a sucker for unconventional romance and this one gently walks that line without descending into creepy. The characters often call Chise the “child of thorn” but you could just as easily call her “mother of thorn.” This is because both she and Elias both have a hand in building each other as people since they’re both very childish in different ways. Chise lacks self value and Elias does not see value in others. The process of these two healing each other is beautiful and heartwarming.

[@TheRedneckGamer1979]

Magus Bride is part of a very short list of media (any media really) that scratches a very specific itch for me. Alot of the tone and setting is not only similar to but some of it is ripped straight out of the folk lore and fairy tales i grew up hearing from my family. My family is irish btw

[@faunina669]

THOROUGH👏WORLD👏BUILDING👏ANALYSIS👏THIS👏IS👏THE👏CONTENT👏IM👏HERE👏FOR!!!!!👏👏👏👏👏

[@renhatori2849]

Agreed

[@LimeyLassen]

The problem with a lot of contemporary fantasy is that it's second or third degree; authors draw their inspiration from other works like Dungeons and Dragons or Final Fantasy rather than anything rooted in reality and history. I mean, did you know that the idea of "mana" is Polynesian? Or that the mineral cobalt is named after kobolds? Games were designed with compromises for balance and a lot of cool stuff is lost in translation.

[@Moslain]

I never thought about that. Thankyou, this comment was very helpful.

[@KironVB]

I mean it's the difference between high and low fantasy. The vast majority of fantasy is high fantasy, drawing from the works of DnD, Tolkien, Warhammer etc where far less these days you get works of low fantasy, stories about our world with fantastical elements. Good example of Low fantasy is Brother Grimm fairy tails or old mythology. People seem to have this idea that things like Beserk and Warhammer are low fantasy while Tolkien and DnD is high fantasy, but in reality with "low" refering to one work focusing on heroes while another focuses on more loser normal people but the term low fantasy actually means stories about our real world that involve fantastical, mythological or magical elements.

[@ShinKyuubi]

KironVB Yeah I've read more high fantasy stuff simply because it's more numerous and thus you find it easier but when you can find a good low fantasy novel or series it's pretty cool. I just started with this series as I found the manga in the local bookstore and had heard many good things so I picked up volume 1 to see how it would be..I was not disappointed. One thing I found quite interesting in the manga in the two volumes I have as of now (as I haven't seen the anime yet) is the constant comparisons that are made with how magic, mages, and alchemist work vs. how a computer works. Comparing magic and technology meshes the world together well and the mentions of how Mages are less numerous compared to alchemist and thus a dying breed makes you feel for the characters that know that their kind are not long for this world but they still fight and struggle to exist as long as they can. Also the scene between Titania and the priest that is sorta/kinda friends with Elias as well as the faeries' comments about how people don't see them much anymore and even talking about how a friend of theirs' went to America and was called a demon shows what the supernatural world would think in a very realistic way.

[@singoflovesongs]

that is certainly true. you can really tell if a manga-ka actually puts time and effort into researching lore/history/reality rather than taking inspiration off of other roots. i'd say it's one of the main reasons why it's widely claimed that anime seems to rehash from one another these days. (a claim i certainly agree to) that being said, it's nice that the manga-ka for the ancient magus bride has great interest and respect in the about fantasy/biblical lore she reads about. i swear i remember reading in an author comment for another manga of her's (Frau Faust) that she actually has group meetings just reading and talking about this kind of stuff lol from time to time lol.

[@ShinKyuubi]

singoflovesongs Oh that sounds pretty cool, I didn't know that Frau Faust was done by the same manga-ka, I'll have to check it out past flipping through a few pages like I did last time I saw it in the book store. I like the idea of manga-ka getting with their crew or other manga-ka and just talking about things they want to put in their manga and putting a ton of research into it if it's something like this series. My mother loved fantasy and got me into, which dovetailed nicely with my own love of mythology so to see such research put into this series (up to six volumes in my collection now, trying to get the other two from the book store when I have the money) really puts a smile on my face, especially since on my grandmother's side of the family I'm Irish so seeing some myths and creatures from across the pond puts a nice spin on my day. I really liked the chapter that dealt with Silky's story and how she came to be at Elias' home.

[@queencyrys6309]

Can I just say, the moment this show had me drawn in completely was when we were shown the English countryside in episode 2. As someone who grew up in the countryside, and who has always loved it, that caught me off guard and made me happy beyond belief to see it drawn so beautifully. And hell, the city of cats even reminded me of my hometown.

[@theredeft5319]

I love this anime. The lore feels so rich. The dragon episode is so beautiful. I'm glad it's doing well. It does actually remind me a lot of studio ghibli. Ever since I saw the OVA I was very excited for this anime

[@demonangel918]

I cried during that episode T_T. It was so beautiful

[@theredeft5319]

demonangel918 Me too. That's only episode 3 too. I hope it continues to have great episodes going forward.

[@jacksonnintendo3ds]

The Red Salamander I disagree, tho the animation was great.

[@ShinKyuubi]

I read that chapter in the manga and started tearing up myself, I'm man enough to admit it was a beautiful chapter, though I am sad that from what I can see at 4:40 in this vid they had to change the bird in the auction house from it's SUPREMELY obvious Final Fantasy Chocobo to the green thing.

[@qwertyzxcvbn6929]

I don't even want to look up the manga at this point, the experience feels so much complete in a world that I can hear as well. It brought back something I forgot as a child, it made magic oh so magical again for me.

[@kylerosa4369]

That story about the cats was Lovecraft. The concept of a King may have come from a fairy tale from England, but the story of the episode and the ideas behind it comes from the short story "The Cats of Ulthar," by HP Lovecraft.

[@kamronspencer4910]

Kyle Rosa yeah the author combined the legend of the king of cats with a lovecraft story with a very fairy tale esq feel to make that storyline

[@matthewmuir8884]

And it's not the only time the story has used Lovecraftian fiction. The main plot device of season 2: the Testament of Carnamagos, is from a Lovecraftian short story: "The Treader of the Dust", written by Clark Ashton Smith in 1935.

[@kylerosa4369]

@@matthewmuir8884 I haven't read that one. I'll look into it.

[@matthewmuir8884]

@@kylerosa4369 Neither have I; I learned about the short story by googling "ancient magus bride the treader of the dust" to figure out what the source for the book and the lovecraftian monster it summoned was.

[@matthewmuir8884]

@@kylerosa4369 Admittedly, I haven't read that short story either (I'm not a fan of Lovecraftian horror).

[@aradg9796]

I kept on putting this on hold and now, have just finished an hour ago. I have noticed that many reviews (none so far from what I have seen) failed to talk about the sensibilities of the dialogues. The contrast of the harsh realities and the magical environment gave so much color and depth to the story. The dialogues simply teach how to keep going and face things magically despite your horrible or unfortunate circumstances. And yes! The animation is superb. It was really breathtaking.

[@kuma977]

There's too much video in your ad. Fix it please.

[@cassarapainter7237]

I absolutely love The Ancient Magus Bride. The animation alone would be reason enough to watch it. But the magic of the world and the characters are just as interesting.

[@AraMarkov]

5:35 Also the Cats of Ulthar is an HP Lovecraft story.

[@n0denz]

Kore gets my immediate praise for referencing a Lovecraft idea besides Cthulhu, the Necronomicon, or general cosmic horror. There's another somewhat obscure HPL reference in which Elias tells Chise that she has the key to the silver lock which, given she references Ulthar, is probably a reference to, "The Silver Key."

[@kamronspencer4910]

Jon I think there are 2 other lovecraft references in the story as well

[@gaphic]

You’d really like the worldbuilding and references to buddhism in Houseki no Kuni.

[@foultarnished3134]

Chase Tona YES!!! Tell him! Someone important must bring up Houseki no Kuni or it will fade away and be forgotten and it doesn't deserve that! I want more people to know how good it is...

[@mothersbasement]

I watched 3 eps and it was not my jam. I have heard it gets crazy later on but I don't know how many I need to watch to get to that point.

[@nekotj_]

please give the whole thing a review before putting it down. You should give it a fair chance and not just dismiss it as just another 3D anime.

[@parksolomon7084]

I'd say you watched just right before it gets really good. But I can see why some people might not like it

[@ebigunso]

The imagination that it wouldn't feel soft when you touch these girls, prevents me from being fully attracted to any of the characters, and that's a shame :( I can see how the story is one of the better ones.

[@ryantheanimator1156]

Now this is how a fantastic fantasy anime should be! Compelling plot, stunning visual and mesmerizing music, AMB got everything in one package!

[@negspirito]

... I can only agree with you on the "stunning visuals" point.

[@Evilriku13]

@@negspirito so u dont like the music nor the plot? How so?

[@negspirito]

@@Evilriku13 the music genuinely doesn't fit the setting, meanwhile the plot can't decide whether it wants to be a tense "thriller" or an iyashikei, constantly switching between the two genres at the perfect moment to ruin the enjoyment of both of them.

[@nyon7209]

@@negspirito Well, it doesn't want to be a thriller or an iyashikei, so if you're trying to watch it as either, I'm not surprised it breaks down. I'm not from Britain, so, aside from Japanese lyrics, I can't really say if the music fits the setting, but it was usually on point with tone.

[@negspirito]

@@nyon7209 I wasn't talking about the country it's in when I said setting. I was talking about how it's set in "a magical world hidden from the eyes of ordinary people". To that end the grand, bombastic tone doesn't fit it. As for the first part of your comment, I don't see how literally putting a knife to the main characters throat isn't trying to be thrilling.

[@chainer8686]

"You're not crazy. I can see them too. You're just as sane as I am." -Luna

[@TheBilayer]

i adore the animation, I find both MC are wounded psychology, that made the couple chemistry so great.

[@niknovak537]

Where's the fucking avatar martial arts video!!! Thank you

[@calepjones1663]

Nik Novak I second this lol

[@AshnSilvercorp]

Repeat the Last Airbender OP 100 times in a row, and it will appear... all around you

[@TheKoiFish]

Also the video talking about how Brain Burst in Accel World makes no sense. I'm still waiting on that.

[@tedg2003]

It was sooooo good. The Ancient Magus Bride and Violet Evergreen are my absolute 2 fav anime of the past few years. Definitely top 10.

[@FruitLeo]

Such an amazing anime... so glad we get more than one season, but I know that the 24 magical episodes will leave me wanting MORE when it's all over.

[@philiphockenbury6563]

Maria the virgin witch. The depiction of medevil weapons and warfare is spot on.

[@dynamicworlds1]

Best depiction of it in any show, animated or otherwise, hands down

[@nizar8326]

The thing is even in manga Elias said that "in some places, some things may hold magical property while it isn't in other places depeneding on the tradition in that area.." it's not like usual world where you can do anything in every place with the same thing... it also feels like more suited to the real world where different place has their own way to conduct rituals and so on..

[@Aondeug]

I'm going to say that, yeah, a big part of why I'm so fond of the show so far is that its way of presenting magic and the supernatural feels a lot more like how I actually conceive of it. The presentation of how the Fair Folk act stands out there for me, in particular. It's one part tone and one part the research. I haven't caught up the series but I have a hope to actually see representation of the sort of poetry based magics that existed in the folklore and mythology of the Celtic cultures. And for once I feel like that might be a safe bet, as opposed to a mad wish. Because wow look there's the stories I've heard with that sort of tone, and wow there's the sort of approach I take to my own beliefs. Just right there! In anime form! It also helps that her husband is a spooky skull man and I've always been deeply enchanted by tales of people accidentally selling themselves to the Fair Folk and the like. Or like ones where we get super good at poetry because of them and then die horribly at an early age and are stolen off to Otherworld.

[@DeadPig325]

His shilling has now advanced into the realm of ironic sarcasm, that intro shill was wonderful, Geoff's been on a track, been soaring.

[@Alice-si8uz]

Shrill?

[@autumnwyvern489]

I've been a fan of the manga a long time coming (and honestly I didn't expect it to ever get an anime adaptation, I always felt it was pretty niche) like I physically own all of the currently released manga volumes, and for a broke college student who shouldn't really be spending money on manga that's saying something. And, well, yes the phoenix is a thing that happens later on. I strongly encourage you and whoever else is reading this to read the manga (or catch up on it) it does a good job of showing not only how Elias and Chise depend on each other, but why that dependency is... Not good. Also you get to see Elias act like a spoiled bratty puppy. It's a monthly release manga too so you don't have to worry about falling too far behind.

[@boitata2617]

I haven't read the manga, but I would like to ask you a few questions, First do you think there is a chance for a Second season? And second when you say that the dependency of Elias and Chise is not good, does it mean that it's wrong to ship them or it's something they will have to work out and change, while staying together?

[@Evilriku13]

@@boitata2617 There will highly liekly be a 2nd season, but give the manga some time, it ended the same time when the anime ended, so season 2 is still in its infancy. I mean the relationship has changed fom both parts, Elias noting that he doesnt own Chise, and Chise gaining the power to face her inner demons and turning them into strength, with help of Nevin and the people she met. Otherwise, there is a teaser trailer for said 2nd season out there, it is what I wrote, a teaser, nothing more as of yet. But it gives a glimpse of whats to come!

[@CourtOfWinter]

It's been my favourite manga for a while, would you recommend I watch the anime?

[@Cesaredu41950]

​@@CourtOfWinterI think you should (if you haven't already) The anime does justice to the manga

[@billiejean6520]

Feel like people forgot about this Anime, it really needs to be talked about more, I don’t want this series to get the Parasyte treatment

[@GamingFoodie]

The subreddit discord is active and people still love this series as much today as we did years ago. Definitely do not want to see this series forgotten.

[@smpn4732]

Watched it a year ago,it was such a good watch.Season 2 has also been consistent so far

[@silverdragonwolf1]

I really enjoy Ancient Magus Bride, it really does feel alive at times and I'm sometimes unsure of what era the story is taking place in, that has mostly to do with the backdrops that seem to be closer to a much earlier time in our history. I like how the story has drawn on world mythology as a whole while also allowing us to focus on the lore of whatever place or nation the story seems to be taking place in, for the moment that seems to mostly be England. I don't have a problem with drawing on the lore of a nation and doing so heavily when that is the current location of the main cast is fine, but there are times I wonder about the lesser-known lore of the nations that has yet to truly be touched on. Ariels, Figure in Shakespear, and just about anything from Arthurian lore is all tied to the lore and mythology of England and very well-known. Figures like the King of Cats are a bit more obscure, but still pretty well-known in terms of lore. Faerie lore is something that permeates Europe, especially England, Scotland, and Ireland. In England, there are faeries known as Spriggans, and while being referenced occasionally in popular media are not very well represented, they're mostly just named dropped and that's the end of the reference. For creatures like the Spriggans that's a real disservice, they're described as being one of the main reasons you should fear faeries. Spriggans are described as being the main perpetrators of the changeling phenomenon in England in addition to being described as being extremely aggressive, some accounts of them even describing them having a warped and corrupted warrior mentality. I can not wait for them visit Ireland, and I'm really hoping they do at some point, just for the deep Celtic and faerie lore that is there. Unlike most faerie lores, Irish faerie lore actually breaks faeries up into what is known as the Courts of the Fey, said courts a described in such a way that makes them distinct and informs of the nature of the kinds of faeries found within them. The Seelie, also known as the Summer Court, are described as being mischievous but never really holding any malice or ill will towards other beings, most of them are just out to have a good time and don't really want to cause any serious injury death in their merrymaking. They ruled over by a queen, a faerie known as Summer, hence why they are also called the Summer Court. Summer herself is described as being an embodiment of the season that shares her name, which can mean a number of things. The Unseelie, also known as the Winter Court, are described as being malicious, sometimes even spiteful creatures, that delight in harming, and sometimes even killing, mortals in their games and merrymaking. They are ruled over by the queen known as Winter, hence the name Winter Court, who described as being the opposite of Summer in terms of her temperament. Winter is described as having a cold, sometimes even frigid, personality in addition to being stated to be an embodiment of the season that shares her name. There are also numerous faeries in both courts that can come off as memorable, if not always endearing. Irish lore tells of a faerie called the Brownie (pronounced Broo-Nee), from their description brownies, are clearly members of the Seelie. Brownies are described as mischievous prankster that really don't want to hurt anyone, but its also said that if you managed to catch one it will be your servant for life (whose life isn't stated, but due to the short lives of humans in those days it's likely the life of the one who caught them) and they will stay on as your housekeepr or whatever duty is required of them and must be fed scraps from at least two meals a day as payment for their services. The Kelpie, on the other hand, is clearly one of the Unseelie, they appear in Scotland as well but quite different from their Irish cousins. In Irish lore the Kelpie is a faerie with 3 forms, its natural state looks like that of a black horse. Kelpies are described as appearing as a black horse, a big black dog, or a human (usually a man) dressed all in black. Kelpies are said to live in deep water, like that found in rivers and lakes, and are said to try and trick humans into coming near the waters of their home so they can tear out their livers and feast upon them. However, there are also fey that exist outside the courts, such as the Dullahan. Dullahan are described as being a faeries version of the Grim Reaper, so there's that image for you. Dullahan are described as being a headless rider on a headless horse. They are described as carrying either blade made of human bone or a whip made from a human spine. They are also said to only ride at night, and usually at certain nights of the year. It is said that if any of the blood from their weapon splatters on you then you are their next reap. The banshee are an interesting case, it said if you hear their wail then you will die within a three to four hour period of hearing it. Everyone knows what a banshee is supposed to look like, so I won't go into that. However, something was lost in translation. Original banshee lore states the banshees only wailed if the death of members of certain noble Irish families were going to die.

[@EmilioReyes_97]

My lord you are quit passionate XD. Least we know Silky is a Banshee now. Guess that's why she doesn't speak.......though it does make me wonder how Elias got a hold of that house.....0_0

[@renhatori2849]

Did you have to write an iter bisertashi

[@dracone4370]

@@renhatori2849 I felt it was necessary at time

[@scottbruckner4653]

My dude. THIS SHOW HAS DRIVEN MY HEART STRINGS TO THEIR FUCKING LIMITS.

[@goodhunter9791]

This anime genuinely blew me away. It's breathtaking scenes of beauty, it's slower paced writing, it's magic having clear inspirations from all kinds of sources that I personally don't think get enough representation or proper handling... Just, wow. I literally cannot wait for season 2. And of all things... it's a love story. I'm usually not a fan of these sorts of things, but I'm all in on this one!

[@leerose8628]

So many pieces of of media have made me feel exited but very few have made me feel genuinely good emotional.

[@dylchap1029]

Mr. Crowley, what went on in your head? Oh, Mr. Crowley, did you talk to the dead? Your life style to me seemed so tragic. With the thrill of it all. You fooled all the people with magic.

[@android19willpwn]

yeah you waited on Satan's call. Mr. Charming...

[@crimson3532]

I have a garden! In my head it’s where I grow my depression but it hasn’t been selling well recently

[@lancerguy3667]

I was going to reassure you that, although you're a shameless shill, you're an interesting one, so it's all good. ...Then we got to the point where you call back to your old SAO gameplay video... and you only showed footage of yourself shilling LootAnime... That was when I realized I was dealing with a once-in-a-generation shillnobi, who needed no reassurance from a mortal like me. O.O

[@sofrazi2]

I’ve watched this anime 7 times.. from exposing it to all my friends and watching it with them. It is my favorite anime and I cry multiple times every watch it’s so beautiful and the music is phenomenal.

[@CBusschaert]

I have always been mad at fiction for using magic as an escape route for inconsistency. In my french community we have this acronym: 'TGCM' : Ta Gueule C'est Magique, meaning "shut up it's magic". This shows how much magic has been used poorly, and how we, as viewers or readers, often see it as a poor excuse for deus ex machinas. The Ancient Magus' Bride, from the 19 eps I've watched this far, does seem like one rare pearl of storytelling that embraces magic in its full self: stuff. I often make the argument that magic doesn't exist. I say magic is the word we give to anything we do not take as granted and factual, and aren't willing to fully trust. Tell me about someone who can be at two places at once and I will call that wizardry, and won't believe it. Tell a 10th century peasant about a box that can capture a landscape with the press of a button and they will react the same. Tell an antic roman about ways to speak almost live with people on the moon, and they'll think spells rather than waves. Anything part of a world, is part of the world, and that's it. If your world has people able to harness the earth's energy to make fire or heal or whatever, then it's a thing and it exists, and there's no "not believing" in it - there still can be "fearing" it though. The Ancient Magus' Bride, much like Tolkien's work or Miyazaki's creation, decided "okay here's the rules. Here's how things work. The universe is regulated by laws, and here they are" ; those laws are just more permissive than what we understand of our actual universe. "Magic" in this show is not a tool, it's just a thing. Some people use it as a tool, others depend on it to exist, some are not even aware of it. Pretty much like electricity or quantum entanglement. I love this show.

[@JalapenoCupcake]

i love this show, its so beautifully done i have cried at least once per every episode

[@okerbel]

"Give me money on patreon" haha

[@SiMeGamer]

#FullmetalAlchemistHasFantasticMagicImplementation

[@KenBladehart]

Its more of alchemist stuff than magic, but ok. You do you

[@SiMeGamer]

For us as human beings in our real world, it's practically magic. "Alchemy" means nothing to us. It's just as alien as magic. Maybe you could even say it's a subset of magic.

[@KenBladehart]

Alchemy is a transmutation of elements like turn lead to gold (without going too deep), actually, scientist managed to do that but very costly

[@SiMeGamer]

Dude. They use their inner power and other worldly sht in order to be able to transmute. There is nothing scientific about it. The only scientific thing is the mass of particles used and even then 'human lives' (whatever those are) are used to not even care about the equivalent mass logic. There is no way for humans to do the "simple stuff" without technology, which lands it in the realm of magic. It's not possible irl. I see extreme similarity in how well alchemy is used in FMA and how it is used in TANMB. That's all there is to it. There is no point in discussing the etymology of 'magic' since it's so vague :/

[@riley8385]

"actually, scientist managed to do that but very costly" Eh, no. Not at all. It's actually more plausible to turn gold into lead than the other way around.

[@NBD5]

I think one of my favorite things about The Ancient Magus’ Bride is how the main character is not reactive to the world of magic she is thrown into. She reminds me of my best friend who is an artist. Something about this show is really special.

[@lkriticos7619]

Now that you mention it I think that staying true to folklore is one of the reasons anime was the perfect way to adapt Howl's Moving Castle. You mentioned Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl and Gaiman's work but I think Diana Wynne Jones was one of the first Western fantasy authors blending magic and the modern world. And she did it in a way that kept a lot of the darker elements of folktales as well as the wonder of them. Anime is the perfect way to capture both. I can picture 'Charmed Life' in the style of season 1 of Promised Neverland or 'The Ogre Downstairs' in the style of FMA Brotherhood. The only live action thing I can think of that comes close to capturing that same air of awe and menace is Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth.

[@GingerBeanie]

This reminds me so much of Snow White with the Red Hair.

[@AshnSilvercorp]

YAUS!

[@Unabuu]

xSonicSeedrian Man I want another season :(

[@alejosagues426]

For some reason, it reminds me of FMA, and I do not know why, but I fucking love it.

[@Coco-pk6pg]

Tony Phan-Nguyen me too 💔

[@keiichimorisato98]

for me, it could just very well take place in Natsume Book of Friends. oh man, how i wish a cross over would happen.

[@BlaxeFrost-X]

i really like the way the nasuverse (fate/stay night, tsukihime and more) treats fantasy in a way that anything that has been believed by humanity as group, even a little bit, becomes posible

[@Zaphod_]

You know what's also a good modern Fantasy story? Skullduggery Pleasant.

[@divinkitty9452]

I don't really comprehend the concept of why people complain about youtube videos being too long. You clicked on the video, it has a time stamp, I imagine you're here to enjoy the video. I'll watch videos that are based on what I enjoy that are five minutes long, and I'll watch videos that are based on what I enjoy that are ten hours long. I personally love it when videos are longer because then that usually means there's a more interesting argument than just someone posting a statement and being done with it. I loooove me some in depth analysis.

[@RedNiel100]

Hi Jeff! There are two OP:s that I really would love to hear your analysis of: 1: Ergo Proxy. There's so much that I don't get about that anime, and I don't want the opening to be one of them. 2: Attack on Titan's third opening. Come on! You've done the other two, and you did MHA's third OP... YHE MEME-WAR MUST CONTINUE!!

[@qwertyzxcvbn6929]

The anime is pretty divisive where people either absolutely love it or really hate it in terms of the story. Though the general consensus is it looks and sounds amazing. Personally I love it but I think the people who hate it are probably looking for something else entirely / judging the characters too harshly early on. Most of the complaints I've heard that aren't absolutely spoileriffic are: Chise is useless and does nothing - Considering she has no idea wtf is going on you can't really blame her and her personal demons holding her back. Though this goes on for quite a while so I can see why people see it that way. Elias is a pretty flat character - Elias' character development comes later and he's deliberately unlikable but mysterious with the reasons why implied early on, which may come across as flat for other people. Pacing is slow - Not really an issue as the story picks up faster once a sufficient world is built and while it's getting set up you get to explore the fae in chise's eyes as an outsider.

[@CooperSummersVA]

Did you just pronounce my boy Neil's last name wrong? Massively triggered (but not actually)

[@Sauramas]

Hehe, on the topic of the mangaka taking inspiration from a wide variety of sources, I like how the cat episode also makes some pretty blatant references to the H.P. Lovecraft story, "Cats of Ulthar."

[@Psy_Ro]

Pretty weirdly. The Nasuverse (Fate series) is the magical universe that most impresses me. The magic is treated as a science, and all the mythology in that world comes back to explain to expand on that idea.

[@myrasoonge]

Without a doubt. This anime is the best world building make it feel real anime I have ever had the joy to watch. I love this anime just because it's world feels so raw and wonderous as well as well conceived and realized. It is going to be on my top ten list for the rest of my days.

[@josepalomino9395]

Can you do a "what's in an op" of 3-gatsu no lion?

[@AshnSilvercorp]

oh my word, yes

[@MapleRhubarb]

I agree; any of 3-gatsu no lion's ops or eds have a lot to them.

[@lunokhod3937]

Sad to see it pretty much forgotten, my thoughts keep drifting back to it.

[@vitoriadias7990]

Not by everyone. =)

[@CaturDe]

This reminds me of watching TV: ads every five minutes

[@quickbeam7361]

Omfg....Elias, sorry for spelling rip me, is best boy tho. He's so coot. :3

[@user-nc5wc7dh7l]

Wait, Wait WAIT! There's a sequel to Spice and Wolf?!

[@badthesolguy4057]

That internal monologue about magic had me dying

[@insanitea4265]

This so far is looking like its my personal favorite anime of the year.

[@doremidreams]

God I love this anime. I'm reading the manga and have been for two years so I was so excited for the anime version, and it's everything I wanted so far. Great vid even if you life spice and wolf so much haha

[@PoProstu_Ameryka]

One of best anime of 2017. Has the Harry Potter in anime world feel.

[@christianguerrero70]

pekusos1 Harry potter feel? Almost sold but what are some other good features the show has going for it? I hear a lot of positive things but know nothing of this show?

[@Emy-fv5ny]

I think it has its own feeling nothing to do with Harry Potter apart from the magic.

[@emmanuelanteneh1393]

Christian Guerrero don't watch until it gets good for now it's really boring trust me I've watched most of it and the ovas wait till it gets Good for now its real boring tho

[@dangantrash7050]

Have you watched little witch academia? Its much more similar to HP and also v good

[@fellowman8796]

pekusos1 How does it have a Harry Potter feel?

[@baneoftechnology]

Anyone who is looking for similarly enriching urban-magic worlds should check out "A Madness of Angels", it is absolutely incredible in its world-building and tragically underrated

[@jmhaces]

It surprises me that not enough people seem to catch the HP Lovecraft reference in the story with the King of Cats, since the little village is named Ulthar, which in Lovecraft's stories about the Dreamlands is a city where cats are beloved and sacred and it's considered a terrible crime to harm them.

[@matthewmuir8884]

It's not the only Cthullu Mythos reference; the main plot device in season 2 is an eldritch spell book called the Testament of Carnamagos, which is from a short story called _The Treader of the Dust_ that Clark Ashton Smith wrote in 1935 (Clark Ashton Smith being one of the other creators of the Cthullu Mythos alongside Lovecraft).

[@Squiddlezz]

I love magus bride. I fucking love it. its so cute, but its also some of the most accurate anime magic I've ever seen and I read books about the occult side of ancient civilizations for funzies and their representation of Gaelic lore is nearly spot on. Since they're set in rural England, a lot of the spirits and magical beings they run into are pretty much the ones that (if this stuff was real) you would run into in actual England.

[@exumbra1399]

"they use the fact that magic isn't real to unfetter themselves from the boundaries of reality (like physics, for instance) and create worlds that are totally unique (unless you've read Tolkien before)" I have never read a more apt quote in describing fantasy. How many fantasy stories DON'T have Elves, after all?

[@EmilioReyes_97]

.......Does Game of Thrones count? I mean you got that one dwarf but still.

[@dynamicworlds1]

Making something completely unique is almost impossible. Making something that _feels_ unique is usually just a matter of going 1-2 steps past the source material that most draw from to take things in a different direction than the source that most are making things based on. At this point, even just going back _to_ Tolkien can produce some interesting things because most things these days are actually drawing more on D&D than Tolkien, and most of today's Isekai are drawing on modern MMOs based on rpgs, based on D&D, based on Tolkien, based on European mythology....making them derivative at least 5 times over. I'm all for reconstructing and/or breathing some new life into tired tropes. That means either giving us a new spin on them and/or going way back to their origins to unpack what made them great in the first place. For elves that means digging past the haughtiness off D&D elves, the tragic somberness of Tolkien elves, and getting way back to their fey routes (which if you're doing your fey right, like AMB, means dangerously otherworldly with at least a bit of blue and orange morality)

[@erichoward9104]

I think this anime is a cut above its tied right now with 86 as one of my favorites

[@wuzi7049]

sees icon... what channel is this???

[@Zaphod_]

Milk Boobies

[@Odinsday]

Moist Basement

[@RebelPanda]

Advertising.

[@templeofthegods]

I've just discovered this wonderful show and it's a true joy to watch unfold before me! 😊 7 Eps in and im captivated with the rich characters and incredible blending of different worlds together ❤️ I'm not often surprised by a show or caught up in a story so much! I've just seen that a second season is coming and I couldn't be happier 😁😁😁

[@hithere5553]

This has got to be the best year for anime in at least a decade. Ancient magus bride, made in abyss, my hero academia s2, so much great shit has come out this year it’s incredible.

[@jayterra2585]

Anime has always been great and trying to claim this is the best year is a hard argument, one you should research to make sure you even agree with. 2016: 3-Gatsu no Lion, Natsume's Book of Friends, Mob Psycho, JoJo, BNHA, Re:zero, Ushio to Tora, Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, KonoSuba, 2015: OPM, Noragami, Snow White with the Red Hair, Hibike Euphonium, Baby Steps, Knights of Sidonia, Kekkai Sensen, JoJo, Death Parade, 2014: Mushishi, Shirobako, Akatsuki no Yona, Barakamon, Space Dandy, Ping Pong the Animation, Baby Steps 2013: Hajime no Ippo, Magi, Little Busters, Kill la Kill, Log Horizon, Gundam Build Fighters, Monogatari, Kingdom Uchouten Kazoku, Senyuu, Attack on Titan, Chihayafuru 2012: Bakuman, Shinsekai Yori, Psycho Pass, JoJo, Magi, Initial D, Zetsuen no Tempest, Humanity has Declined, Fate/Zero, Space Brothers, Kids on the Slope, Hyouka 2011: HxH, Fate/Zero, Bakuman, Chihayafuru, UN-GO, Nurarihyon no Mago, Mawaru Penguindrum, No. 6, Steins;Gate, AnoHana, Nichijou, Kaiji, Hyouge Mono, Tiger & Bunny, Hanasaku Iroha, Madoka Magica, Gosick, Wandering Son, Level E 2010: Bakuman, Kuragehime, Panty & Stocking, Shiki, The Tatami Galaxy, Rainbow, Major, Angel Beats, K-On, Saraiya Goyou, Big Windup, Giant Killing, Katanagatari, Heartcatch Precure, Durarara Out of this list, I mostly only listed what I have seen and there's probably a lot more that people love. Found it fun going through this so don't take it as a rant lol. Included sequels because you did ;)

[@Wuffskers]

What about Owarimonogatari 2, my personal anime of the year so far and a 10/10 in my opinion, Little Witch Academia, Kekkai Sensen & Beyond, and Shingeki no Kyojin season 2?

[@foultarnished3134]

Please, check out Houseki no Kuni, I want more people to know about it so it doesn't fade away...

[@LiveConcertJunkie]

So we’re just gonna act like Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu wasn’t the best show both this and last year

[@hithere5553]

MaxSnow24 I honestly thought those came out in 2016

[@RallyCheetah]

Might have to check this one out. I like fantasy shows if they are done well. Right now my favorite anime is "Moribito Guardian of the Spirit." The art in that anime is gorgeous, and I love how all the characters feel real and relatively believable. The magic, however, takes a totally different approach than the one you just stated for the Ancient Magus Bride. Rather than having the story set in our present world it's in it's own unique world. Unlike many other animes though the creators were frugal with the magic's implication and make it more of a mysterious force than something that's common and known by many. This, I feel, helps makes the story more believable as any that may believe in or study magic/supernatural forces in our world tend to say there's much about it that is unknown and can not be explained. If you haven't watched this anime I'd recommend it. It's a bit old now but I feel it still blasts most competition out of the water in terms of world building and character development.

[@billandnancy6940]

As an Irish person the way they pronounced Tir na nOg in the dub made me feel like the cats in the shack

[@madengineerkyouma]

Anime of the year! Oh, wait, made in abyss was this year too. I cannot decide.

[@hamham0317]

The Ancient Magus Bride restored a part of my soul I feared lost foreverthis show is amazing

[@caitlynclendenning870]

This show is honestly my everything rn

[@OtakuBox]

Not mythology per se but the parallel of literary figures in Bungou Stray Dogs I felt was very well done. In the same way that AMB uses its magic in conjunction with reality to feel real, BSD draws from the personalites and works of the real figures to mold their anime counterparts that although used in extremely fantastical moments and set pieces still something I give them respect for.

[@YamiNoSensei13]

H.P. Lovecraft diving in the water in the last episodes is one of my favorite moments in the whole series!

[@janb7361]

The first arc of season 2 of that was SO good,it really surprised me.

[@demonangel918]

I started watching this a few days ago myself! I was hoping you'd do a video on it!

[@mouved1]

Each times I see "Artemis Fowl" it brings tears in my heart I wonder why tough

[@cupcake5114]

Not really a fantasy, but Shinsekai Yori has, in my opinion, the greatest world building I have ever seen in an anime, and it mixes really well what we would consider supernatural, with mundane ordinary life. Also it's my second favorite anime of all time after FMAB.

[@solarphina]

The Ancient Magus Bride is my favorite anime series. Has been since I Started reading the manga a few years back, and I’ve loved it ever since. The anime adaption is beautiful and will remain one of my favorites for a long time.

[@serbian88]

Well, your analysis of AMB worldbuilding, I am reconsidering my writing ideas XD

[@DrPeacemakerX]

I wish I had a skeleton husband.

[@SmurphFe]

i love you for the artemis fowl reference

[@hithere5553]

The fact that ancient magus bride is one rank below made in abyss proves there is justice in this world.

[@zeemod1556]

I really liked A Flying Witch's approach to witchcraft, making it feel more like close up magic than over the top colorful glowy sparkly effects all over the place.

[@Evilgenius122]

Oberon X Titania is always my OTP

[@Evilriku13]

I do wonder what they actually like at each other to stay together xD

[@StudyofSwords]

While it takes some considerable liberties, the world building in Maria the Virgin Witch is a really decent blend of 14th century European society (and is arguably one of the best representations of medieval warfare that's available, minus the magic and angels and whatnot), while also referencing some older pagan aspects. Anything that mentions Cerrunos as a deity is probably going to have had some thought put into it. Little Witch Academy, has some really novel adaptations of Gaelic folklore, woven pretty deeply into the fabric of the world and the narrative. Fate, as a series, is pretty scattershot and more akin to name dropping from both history and folklore, but also happens to feature more figures from the Ulster and Fenian Cycles of Irish literature than just about any other series, and as someone who has a deep personal love of said source material, I'll take what adaptations I can get. The perennially underrated Rental Magica has another really decent blend of cultural magical systems into a coherent whole that is both intriguing on a mechanics level, while faithful to the systems it draws from.

[@BRWednesday]

Wow, I JUST finished the last episode not even 3min ago. I came to YT to find some reviews, perfect timing!

[@animorph17]

I have a garden. It's notably cheaper than buying fresh veggies, though is only reliable in the spring and early summer.

[@realitysmasher6192]

What do you recommend to read if I like this show?

[@tess9302]

the manga

[@realitysmasher6192]

Tess it's a joke. He says a lot of times to read spice and Wolf if you like the show.