Review of The Ancient Magus' Bride

A truly enchanting fantasy to lose yourself in if you can work around the pacing problems and other inconsistencies. What catches the eyes of many bidders are not the fantastical creatures as mermaids or fairies, but a human, a frail girl for she has the eyes and body to witness and endure the magical, a sleigh beggy who contracted to sell herself just to have a place to return to, 'Chise Hatori', a bird yearning for a cage. Then appears a mysterious tall man in a black suit who bids five times higher than the original bid, a skull-faced creature who quickly alerts everyone, a lonemage, 'Elias Ainsworth', a mystery as bleak as the dark. While Chise ponders why someone of her demeanor was bought for such a hefty price, the man-monster casts a spell that quickly transports them from the gloomy auction house to a colorful flower garden in front of a country house. As he unbinds her from the chains around her neck, Elias welcomes his apprentice, his puppy to his home.
What wonders will await Chise, and what mysterious relationship does Elias seek from her?

Magical. A spellbinding audiovisual work of art.
Every episode will introduce you to something unfamiliar as you tag along with our protagonist gradually warming up to this fantasy world as she explores more and more. Every new 'neighbor' she interacts with and every place she visits, evokes a sense of wonder and mystery that begs for a separate episode. The show never holds back to showcase its colorful world and characters that you can just lose yourself in, thanks to the gorgeous animation, colorful backgrounds, and a perfectly fitting soundtrack. And while the world and its depiction can be fairytale-like, it's fundamentally a human story.

Chise's trauma derives from her mother's rejection of her birth and her mother's subsequent suicide. With this combined with her capacity 'to see' terrifying things, Chise is shunned by everyone around her and ultimately learns to despise herself. Her interactions with Elias, and everything and everyone else, will assist her in learning to love herself. As time passes, she gradually gains a better understanding of Elias. There are many mini-episodes and portions with their own distinct message, but they are missing something crucial to establish a more solid foundation. Time.

When the plot focuses on anyone other than the main characters, the emotional response intended becomes superficial. The human message it attempts to deliver only reaches the brain and not the heart, owing to pacing issues. There are also occasions when it appears that the characters have become contradictory with their original purpose. It's directed well enough, and there are several scenes that I am absolutely amazed at how well they were shot, but none of it compensates for the drop in narrative quality. While the show understands its sensitive issue well enough not to misappropriate it, it frequently attempts to make things too sentimental and fails to deliver them on an emotional level.

Who should watch this?
A must-watch for every fantasy fan. Granted the fantasy is not action-oriented but atmosphere-oriented.
If you're a fan of "The Beauty and the Beast" type of romance or Slice-of-Life, then also check it out.