Review of The Ancient Magus' Bride

This show has some really interesting ideas and themes regarding depression, suicide, redemption, and recovery. What a shame it executes them so poorly it's viscerally painful to watch. This show suffers from a chronic inability to focus on what matters, including the very characters it relies on for emotional impact. It would rather spend all of its time on cheap emotional payoffs; repetitive, futile, shallow conflicts; and skin-deep worldbuilding. The show seems to periodically forget that its core romance is in fact with a child slave. Bad things that happen to Chise end up a weird test of her loyalty. Even the magic system shows alack of continuity (i.e., wait, she can be an animal now?).

Maybe the manga is better? I hope so. Watch Violet Evergarden instead.