English Dub Review: The Ancient Magus’ Bride “East, west, home’s best”

Darn snow bugs.

Overview:

Under Elias’ watch, Chise shears some Wooly Bugs. Following an accident, she and Elias finally have a talk about their relationship.

Our Take:

Now that Chise has returned, she has time to reflect on her relationship with Elias. When she discusses Elias’ past, he makes to wipe her memory. However, Chise refuses, saying that even if it’s a shocking experience, she wants to remember everything about someone precious to her. This is once again a difference in values between Elias and Chise. Elias, who can’t comprehend emotions, is practical to an extreme. He’s not wrong since normally living with someone who tried to eat you would hurt a relationship rather than help it. However, Chise treasures the fact that she now knows more about her mysterious benefactor, and so she wants to remember- and learn- everything, good and bad. In being able to discuss his emotions with Chise, Elias is able to comprehend parts of himself that he wouldn’t normally have access to. Chise initially doesn’t seem to be in a powerful position, but her ability as Elias’ anchor and the teacher makes her an important member of the household.

This time, when Chise brings up her family, she is able to do so calmly. She admits that her family left her, and being abandoned hurt her deeply. Elias accepting her, but also accepting her into his family, forged a strong connection with Chise, and so she values him deeply. It isn’t just that he’s kind to her, but also that he is willing to become her new family.

This also brings up the question: what exactly are Sleigh Beggies? We know that they’re beings with intense magical potential and short lifespans, but that’s it. They have a vague connection with the fair folk, but even that isn’t fully explained. Somehow, just the sight of her is enough to get Ashen Eye enraged. This is our first time meeting Ashen Eye, but he has lived for thousands of years and seems to be quite knowledgeable. However, he is quick to attack Chise and turn her into a fox, assumably only because she’s a Sleigh Beggy. There has to be some reason for this, but the attack happens so fast that we don’t have time to learn anything. What a cliffhanger. Looking forward to the next episode!