I’M SO EMOTIONAL!!! The Ancient Magus’ Bride has now come to a close, and I was honestly very pleased with how it was wrapped up! As if it was tied with a beautiful red ribbon… If you decided to read my review first before watching the finale just to see if it’s any good, please watch and see it for yourself now! Just read this review later! I’m sure you won’t be disappointed!

Plot

It was finally time for the two who have suffered so much to face off against each other! Who would win: the one who inflicted suffering on others to ease his pain? Or the one who still tried to be kind at the cost of suffering more herself? Where will Chise’s journey end? I’m just stating questions on questions to make it more exciting and non-spoilery for those who still haven’t watched the episode at this point. Beyond this, don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Episode Highlights

Showdown: Chise was so badass when she said it’s her job to beat the hell out of Joseph! The whole centipede swarm that Joseph attacked her with was disgusting though. Blegh! I probably would’ve fainted just from seeing that! Another unfortunate thing was that Ashen Eye just had to go and interfere so suddenly! I actually forgot about him and his alliance with Joseph! He was already annoying before, but when he said he was getting involved with Joseph and Chise because their suffering and other human emotions entertained him, it just made me so angry! He was making fun of all the suffering they experienced!! That’s why when Elias and the Ariel joined forces to ‘kill’ him, I was thrilled! That may not have ultimately taught him a lesson, but at least it shut him up for a while.

Good night: Goodness gracious, the mini heart attack I got when Chise got stabbed through her gut by Joseph, again! I was wondering why she didn’t think of the possibility that her magic wouldn’t work on him because he has her eye, but turns out it was her plan all along! A very dangerous plan at that… Well, she probably already took into consideration that she was immortal, that’s why she went with such a risky plan, huh? How ingenious! But still dangerous. In any case, just thinking about the lengths she went through to help Joseph makes me so emo! Especially the part where she patted his back, consoled him for what he went through and sang him a lullaby… It was so touching! It makes me so glad that Chise’s sleeping specialty was used for this important moment! To put the cherry on top, Joseph was crying as she cradled him afterward!!! I would yell here in all caps just to express my emotions, but I’ll just tell you that my heart is crying so much!! 

Meeting halfway: Honestly, I’m glad the problem of Chise’s dying body and Joseph’s immortality wasn’t resolved according to how it was initially supposed to go. Plot twist! I am still a bit conflicted with Joseph’s case, as nothing is as sweet as death for him, but I’m also happy that he gets to continue living peacefully, even if it’s just sleeping the days away for now. Seeing him so calm like that was somehow soothing to me for some reason. On the other hand, it never occurred to me that if Chise became completely immortal, she’d likely suffer the same way Joseph did, even if she was more fortunate than him now. That’s why it’s so amazing that the blessing of immortality and the dragon’s curse met halfway! She can live on with a normal human’s span, enjoying the life that she has now! Or maybe even far longer, huh?

Going forward: How wonderful is it that the rift made between Elias and Chise truly allowed their relationship to become healthier and even better, just as expected last week!  The both of them became more open with each other about their complaints, and even reached a consensus on Chise’s dangerous tendencies. What I loved the most, however, was when Chise realized she’s glad she didn’t jump back then. Giving life another chance allowed her to meet Elias, and through it, she obtained many treasures, people and experiences alike. And now they’re technically married! The whole thing was just so beautiful, especially when Elias carried her and called her his bride, proving that he still did remember what he told her before! Now, Chise really is officially the Ancient Magus’ Bride! Ta–dah! (On a side note, I found it funny that Chise had no problems practically proposing to Elias, but got embarrassed to call him her teacher! To me, it paints a perfect picture of just how innocent the both of them still are.)

Themes & Trivia

Live and let live: This means that you should live life how you want to and let others do the same. Tolerate them, even if they’re different from you.

Wedding: This celebration is full of symbolism and traditions! Wedding rings symbolize union, eternity, and completeness, that’s why it’s shaped like a full circle, with no beginning and no end. The bride’s veil hides her face from any evil spirits who might steal her away. Those are just two of many beliefs!

Comments

I’m sure I don’t have to reiterate further how much I loved this finale! For one, I adore that it was only here in the last episode that the opening sequence finally changed into something new, but was still a retelling of Chise’s journey this second cour. It was like it prepared me for what’s to come! Second, even if we didn’t have a source material to reference back to, I’m totally happy because it made the whole experience much more genuine! Much more magical! I’m actually not sure if Yamazaki Kore herself oversaw the writing of this last episode, or if she let the staff handle it themselves. But no matter which it is, for me it’s perfect! It’s a perfect conclusion to show that, no matter how hard life gets, we have the choice to continue being kind, and that eventually, it’ll definitely get better.

You’ve come so far

We have to say goodbye to another beautiful series, which is so bittersweet! On one hand, I want to see more of Chise’s growth as a mage and as a person, living out more adventures with Elias. On another, I’m already incredibly satisfied with this ending! I’m just super relieved and happy with everything!

What about you guys? How did you like what happened? Let us know in the comments! I’d love to hear all your thoughts on it! Most of our Winter 2018 anime have also ended, so check out our last reviews! Look out for our series reviews on them, too!

The Ancient Magus’ Bride

Fall 2017–Winter 2018 | Anime Info Page