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魔法使いの嫁 [Mahōtsukai no Yome] #9

The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 9

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A Deal with the Devil

Elias hoped to break the deadly draconic curse that weighs upon Chise–but his methods have created a rift between them. Now Chise prepares to make a gamble of her own: What could she possibly hope to gain from a bargain with Cartaphilus? It is a time of curses cast and forks in the road. Will the paths of master and apprentice soon diverge…?

180 pages, Paperback

First published March 24, 2018

59 people are currently reading
948 people want to read

About the author

Kore Yamazaki

66 books517 followers
Name (in native language) : ヤマザキコレ

Born in Hokkaido. Also known as Yamao Mitsu.

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5 stars
1,154 (50%)
4 stars
841 (36%)
3 stars
256 (11%)
2 stars
35 (1%)
1 star
5 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
Profile Image for Rod Brown.
7,356 reviews282 followers
May 12, 2019
Every time I start one of the books in this series, I am completely lost. I cannot remember a single thing about what happened in the previous volume. There are just too many characters doing too many things that make almost no sense to me.

Even in my clueless state though, I get drawn into the art and the emotion of the story.

The next volume promises a new direction for the series that may make it easier for me to recall what's going on. It also helps that I have it on hand and will read it immediately.
Profile Image for Mir.
4,974 reviews5,332 followers
March 25, 2019
Another dense one, with lots of recurring characters and more backstory.
Actually managed to create some sympathy for Josef!
Profile Image for Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer.
1,512 reviews5 followers
April 20, 2019
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Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...

We first meet Chise, chained by the neck and wrists being passed over to her new owner, a bone-headed mage whose name she learns later is Elias. A penniless orphan sold on the black market she learns about herself, the magical world filled with fairies and other fantastical creatures as well as what it means to be a part of a family. Her new life as a mage's apprentice is just the beginning as it comes with the secondary title of Ancient Magus' Bride...

The Ancient Magus' Bride vol 9 is MAJOR! Chise and Elias have been jockeying with Josef and he doesn't have any compunction about using and abusing anyone to get what he wants. And Chise has agreed to be used. It's pretty horrifying what he wants too... But it serves a purpose, a crazy, outrageous purpose but a needful one. And as a side effect we learn the truth of what happened to Chise with her father and mother. We learn about Cartaphillus and where that name came from and why he's also called Josef. Elias also catches up to Chise with the help of some of their friends! I actually didn't totally understand the end but the outcome was fascinating.

What a way to end this whole thing with Josef...! I actually wasn't sure if The Ancient Magus' Bride would have anywhere to go after neutralizing him, but I can see that it forms a totally new beginning. The way Kore Yamazaki sees curses was fascinating, they sure are powerful in this world. I was really intrigued to see Chise's mother play a role in her deal with Josef and her conclusions are pretty sad. I did get a little lost in the chase scene and Chise's plan so the tension was bled out a little and a touch anti-climatic. The details are such though that everything right up to the resolution kept you end the edge of your seat. More than anything you want to understand too.

I wasn't a fan of where the story had gone in the volume previous to The Ancient Magus' Bride vol 9. It totally smacked of women manipulating men to get their way. Not that men don't do that too, but why drop to their level? Chise has always been mentally ill though. She's had a traumatic childhood and sought an unhealthy relationship of ownership so while I didn't really like what she did I can say that it feels true to who she is. And what I found was that Elias understood. He got it. He's learning. What other human has had such a profound effect on him... I can count those people on one hand. And I think readers will relate to her decision about her mom and Josef. Who can fault him for his own motivations, even if he lost sight of them himself.

The visuals are stunning in The Ancient Magus' Bride vol 9. I LOVE when Elias is forced to take on other forms due to his emotions. They are creepy and vulnerable and other-worldly. It's all quite beautiful. Sometimes I forget this is about the fae too! So meeting my favorite rulers was neat, especially the implications about Elias' changes toward Chise. The art is so EMOTIONAL! I love that about The Ancient Magus' Bride... and this volume seems to be full up on those particular moments. That final moment that includes a central marriage custom was total icing, especially after their reunion.

The Ancient Magus' Bride vol 9 ends an era of hardship for Chise and Elias. Both have grown from this challenge! The curse is still present. It's still a part of their lives but things are more hopeful. And with that we start a new arc in volume 10! We get a hint... Chise heads off to college!!!

⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tension
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Art

______________________
You can find this manga review and many others on my book blog every Monday @ Perspective of a Writer. See my manga and graphic novel reviews at the bottom of the page.

Please like this review if you enjoyed it! *bow* *bow* It helps me out a ton!!
Profile Image for Janis Kay.
484 reviews29 followers
March 14, 2019
So, we are now at the point where the anime ends. I WANT A SECOND SEASON IT WAS SO GOOD!!!!! Can't wait to delve into the next one!
Profile Image for Kieran.
Author 7 books783 followers
April 30, 2023
Wtf 😭😭 THE DRESS SCENE
Profile Image for Katja.
1,163 reviews36 followers
March 19, 2019
4,5 stars (too hard to decide between 4 and 5...).

The currently latest tankobon of Ancient Magus’ Bride wraps one part of the story and hints the beginning of a new arc. Because the story continues, it doesn’t tie all the loose threads but gives a conclusion to Chise’s problem with the dragon’s curse.

Majority of the book nine is dedicated to Chise and Cartaphilus/Joseph and their fight. There are also flashbacks that reveal their pasts. It was interesting to finally see more of Chise’s childhood and how she became self-loathing and self-destructive girl she was in the beginning of the story. Joseph’s reasons for his actions are also shown and there’s many kinds of pain there. Even though what he has done isn’t right, you understand how he was driven to it. There was great dialogue near the end where Chise tried to reason with Joseph, saying all the pain and blame doesn’t justify bad actions. This volume’s chapters are very tragic.

The last chapter has also great scene where Chise recounts how meeting Elias lifted her up from her depression but he wasn’t the only reason and that she still wishes she hadn’t born a sleigh beggy. That’s so realistic because healing takes a long time and in a way, it might never be completely gone. But Chise's come so far and she's realizing it herself too and that's lovely. And throughout this volume Chise said she hasn’t fully forgiven that Elias tried to sacrifice Stella and he needs to understand why it wasn’t okay. It’s a big thing that shouldn’t go away with a snap of fingers. The writing in this series is so good.

There’s a lot of black in the panels but everything looks great and crisp. This volume of the Finnish publication has different paper than usual, and while this series hasn’t had any problems with the print, this paper makes blacks and whites contrast even better. Art is nice even though sometimes the big noses (big for usual manga style I mean) bother me a bit but that’s miiiinor detail and just something that sticks my eye, somebody else might not even think about it.

Can't wait to see where the story takes Chise next!
Profile Image for Eva.
141 reviews5 followers
November 12, 2022
If the ending is anything to go by, this book marks marks the end of an arc in Chise and Elias's story. The series could have very well ended here if Yamazaki so desired.

While I very much loved the beginning and the twofold character development (I'll go more in-depth on that in the full series review), the last act still feels frantic even if I've watched the anime before. Everything makes sense and some elements are foreshadowed long before but it still carries the feeling of too many cuts in a film's action finale. Too many characters all going on the move at the same time, doing different things, wanting different things. Here and there you get bits and pieces of explanations for each of them. While this act feels like a desperate race against death, there's no such frantic deadline, and only Elias himself is in more of a hurry. We could have done with more breathing room.

Cartaphilus feels more like a plot tool to fix Chise's problems than the villain he's supposed to be. His first couple appearances feel like Team Rocket moments ("oh noes, the protagonist is inconveniencing me! I'll leave until next time~") and no one bothers to explain who the fuck he is to Chise when the Wandering Jew legend is well-known. Thus only in the very last volume when both Chise and Cartaphilus exposition dump at each other do you understand what's up with him. And then she fixes everything and he becomes a non-issue in the background but we barely see any aftermath. Sure the not-wedding is wholesome but I want more.

You'd think miss "we'll go home and talk about what you did" would talk about what happened with Elias, especially given their falling-out. But no, we don't see any of that (yet?). Their talks, seeing how each one's imperfections help smooth away the other's, those are some of the best moments in this series and I honestly feel robbed of that right now. I'm not looking forward to the time-skip to going to Hogwarts, because honestly school plots suck. I want my bait-couple to spend time together, not hide their relationship or be stuck in classes. I've already had to deal with this in Black Butler, I don't want to deal with it in here as well :/
Profile Image for Alyson Stone.
Author 4 books71 followers
August 23, 2021
Book: The Ancient Magus Bride, Volume 9
Author: Kore Yamazaki
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

Reviews this late into a series are rather difficult to write and keep spoiler free. I’ve tried not to sue spoilers for earlier books, but it is difficult when you are in the nineth volume of a series.

I know that my rating really doesn’t change from volume to volume, but I do really think each volume is getting better. We started out with a really slow start plot wise and a deep sense of character development. As the series goes on, I am starting to see a change in that. The plot is really picking up and moving into an action packed story.

I am really glad that we got all of that character in the start of the series. Now, we see why characters make the choices they do and why they are the way they are. Had we not taken the time to develop these characters at the start of the series, then I don’t think it would have worked as well. We needed that time to allow the characters to grow and develop in order for them to become what they are. The biggest character change I have noticed is in Chise. At the start of the series, she lets other make her choices for her and doesn’t really have any involvement in what is happening to her. Now, we see her take charge and morph into this leader almost. She is in charge. Though she still relies on those around her, it is more of a partnership now rather than one of them just taking control. I don’t really want to say that the dependency is gone-it seems like all are dependent on each other rather than Chise being solely dependent on them.

I really like the curse elements. I will admit at first I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it, but the more I get into the series, the more I realize that I do enjoy it. Seeing the complex layers of the curse just adds so much to the story. At first, the curse was just there in the background, but now I can see what it means and how it really is going to add to the story. It adds a heartbreaking element and just pulls at you. It makes you wonder just how many others in this series act the way they do because of a curse.

Now, no volume in this series is complete without getting a little backstory. In this one, we finally find out what happened to Chise’s parents. She is shown this through a series of visions-I think….I really don’t know what else to really call them. I am glad that it happened at this point in the series. It just felt right. I am curious to see what happens now that she knows the truth about her past. I really want to know what this going to add to her character.

Anyway, I had a great time with this one and can’t wait to pick up the next volume.
Profile Image for L.ivresse.des.mots.
614 reviews14 followers
August 27, 2021
Un manga riche en perspectives fantastiques.

Je ne le conseillerai pas en premiere lecture manga. Mais pour les amateurs du genre fantasy , c'est un régal.

Le seul bémol c'est la relation que Chisé a avec son maître. Elle est bizarre d'ailleurs, dans le sens peu d'explications. Chisé est une femme-enfant tantôt plus mature que son âge de par ses actions tantôt aussi naïve qu'un nouveau né.

C'est l'atmosphère qui reste particulière. Les personnages secondaires font partie intégrante de l'intrigue et ça c'est un énorme point positif. Ce premier acte terminé. Je sens bien d'autres surprises arrivées.

👿🐉🧚‍♀️🎭🐕🧬📼🚪🔯🌳📚🎒
Profile Image for Sammy.
325 reviews1 follower
September 18, 2020
A lot happened in this volume! A lot of character development! Keep reading! X
Profile Image for Yub Yub Commander.
387 reviews38 followers
April 7, 2019
One of the reasons I enjoy The Ancient Magus' Bride was the beginning, how well it explained things going on in the world. Again, the lack of this occurring in this volume may be due to translation errors and not being able to fully grasp what's said in Japanese or the full meaning behind certain words or phrases, but I think it's more the style of manga as a whole.

Chise and Elias are a fascinating pair of people. I loved getting the backstory in this on both Chise and Josef, but getting the backstory intermixed between their arguments and the whole fight cut the action, making it super disjointing to be reading backstory and suddenly be flung back into the main story. This is a common theme of storytelling I've noticed across so many series of manga, and, for me personally, it takes some of the enjoyment out of the story because you're constantly being flung around to multiple times/POVs with no warning. It makes it harder to keep track of what's actually going on in a fight when we're so busy learning about why the villain or hero's backstory by taking crucial moments when the fight could be building.

I'll keep reading for sure, but if this kind of jumping around continues to happen, I guess this will be yet another manga series I DNF.
Profile Image for Jesus Flores.
2,570 reviews65 followers
July 5, 2021
Magus Bride 9

Flashback de Chise y Joshep-Carthaphilus. Conclusion de ese hilo.

Buena, la historia avanza, y parece que iniciara un nuevo hilo con los personajes ya en una dinámica diferente.

4 star

SPOILERS


Profile Image for Lauren.
55 reviews4 followers
July 22, 2020
I think overall I enjoyed it, but it was a bit jumbled and jammed packed with stuff that it got a bit confusing at times. It felt like it could have been a bit better if it was spaced out into two volumes instead of one. Still, it's nice to have a conclusion to the arc and I am looking forward to seeing what the next one has to offer.
15 reviews
March 2, 2021
Backstory plots abound in this volume. And I’m still not sure if I should sympathize with Josef.
I’m kind of on board with what Chise says:

“No matter how much you’re suffering, you do not have the right to inflict pain on others!”

“It hurts doesn’t it? Not being understood.”

And the next volume comes the college arc. Magic school sounds interesting...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Laura.
223 reviews6 followers
May 19, 2020
Dang. That ending got me in my feels. Shout out to Angelica for her gift and sweet clueless Elias having no idea what to do with it.

I am scared for the college arc because I’m bad with arc changes but I love all these characters and I couldn’t leave this unfinished.
Profile Image for Federica Gelmi.
100 reviews1 follower
May 19, 2022
Bello, ricco di scene toccanti e ben disegnate. Direi uno dei miei preferiti!
Con questo nono volume si conclude un bell'arco narrativo e con il prossimo ne inizierà un altro che per il momento non voglio leggere.
Per ora sono soddisfatta così.
Profile Image for Liliana.
301 reviews15 followers
August 3, 2019
I liked it less than the previous books which is sad as it was the ending of an arc
Profile Image for Raechel.
601 reviews33 followers
November 15, 2021
Really enjoyed the backstory we got on Josef, that's how you make a sympathetic villain.

This volume ends with the start of the magic school arc, not sure if I'll enjoy it.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
350 reviews9 followers
January 28, 2022
I’m suddenly 1000% attached to these characters and I’m having all the feelings 😭
Profile Image for Alex.
190 reviews2 followers
February 6, 2020
I loved the fantastic end to the current arc. The new arc that was teased at the end of this volume I am VERY exited for as it involved one of my favorite aspects in literature.
Profile Image for Bara.
Author 3 books34 followers
January 1, 2020
Jsem spokojená. Epický souboj. Dojemné usmíření. Tenhle příběh mě prostě vždy dokáže pohladit po duši.
Profile Image for Loz.
1,674 reviews22 followers
August 3, 2019
Some drama and a lot of resolution! Excited to see what next arc does! Art continues to be amazing.
Profile Image for Judyth.
1,726 reviews41 followers
January 20, 2020
~3.5 Stars
(Contains very light spoilers.)

We finally get to see what happened to Chise in this volume.
As she's with Josef, there's a struggle between them. And then Chise is forced to go back and watch her past. We see when she was younger, when things were good... and then when things turned bad. The contrast feels like it should be unbelievable, because you don't want to believe that a person can change so much, can turn in such a way. But it happens. The way that it's handled, and the way that Chise overcomes it and how she is forced to accept and decide regarding it, was really well done. I appreciated her stance on what happened.
And then we see Josef's past.
It's all very sad and messy, and it results in an equally messy end. Though I think that Chise comes out of it all right, even for the better in some ways.
After all of that, it looks like a new plot line is starting. They're off to a new journey, and I'm intrigued by where it will go next.
Profile Image for Doc.
1,959 reviews30 followers
September 26, 2019
We have language so that we can talk out our differences.

Elias made some bad decisions when trying to save Chise from a deadly curse and ends up losing her for the time being. As she strikes out on her own she must make her own decisions and pay the consequences for each one. As we reach the end to the arc we get glimpses into both Chise and Joseph's past and each character's journey (of which there are still plenty) carries them into the new arc. I am looking forward to see if Chise and Elias suffer any other problems or if they both learn from their mistakes and draw closer to one another as their life moves on. I can't tell you very much without accidentally spoiling this volume so be sure to read this volume if you have followed this series so far. :)
Profile Image for Kristin.
573 reviews27 followers
October 11, 2018
An overstuffed finale to the first story arc that can serve as a season or series finale, depending on what you think of the story so far.

There are too many characters jostling for panel time and the boss battle was confusing and underwhelming, but it was worth it to see Chise give orders and take charge of her life for a change. The epilogue/prologue paves the way for more independence for Chise and a healthier dynamic between her and Elias.
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