squigglysquidd:

anicastes:

😊

I’m really concerned about this direction for Ancient Magus’ Bride. Not only is Chise still underage, but I doubt either of them know what a ‘marriage’ really is. I’m afraid to watch the episode because I really don’t want to see the characters I love written into a relationship they aren’t mature enough to have.

Before anyone gets on me about my opinion, I’ll say that The Ancient Magus’ Bride still holds a place in my heart for the premise and, up until the last few scenes of the last episode, I was all aboard. Sure, the anime skipped some of the little details from the manga, but I could forgive that for the purpose of making it entertaining and fit into episode lengths.

However, after finished watching it, yes, it is very uncomfortable to watch.

For starters, their argument – you know, the one where he tried to kill Stella?? – is solved through chibi? And in a matter of seconds? Come to see that she not once mentions him trying to kill a little girl, but that he was going to do it without talking to her about it. They come to the agreement to talk things over but is anyone going to mention sacrificing a child? No? Alright, then.

Second, a grown woman gives Chise a veil? A wedding veil? Does Angelica not know Chise is still a teenager? I can understand rings – within reason – because Elias had already had a ring made for Chise, but a wedding veil is obvious in intent. Then there’s Stella giving Chise a dress. What’s with everyone forcing a marriage on two people who obviously aren’t mature enough for it? The fae, I can understand, because they think differently than humans, but come on.

Finally there’s the *obvious* wedding scene. Say what you want, but the writers wrote a clear marriage. The fact that they haven’t given Chise any real time to develop apart from Elias only shows that she still has an unhealthy attachment to him. As for him, he still has very little understanding of anything resembling being human. Promising to talk things through doesn’t mean he’s mature enough to be written into a marriage. Watching the scene felt like watching an arranged marriage of two children by the writers. Neither character is mature enough and they still don’t have a healthy relationship.

Everything that was said, could have easily been said between them without the blaring marriage theme.

I know they needed to resolve the story arch and do it in on a set number of episodes, I feel like they rushed everything and didn’t get the message out in a way that didn’t read all sorts of wrong. I’m looking forward to the manga coming out to see if maybe it’s just the anime rushing things that makes it so awkward, but we’ll see.