The Ancient Magus' Bride Vol. 5

This series has been hit or miss for me. I loved the initial premise and was intrigued by the setting and mythos of the story. Most manga fantasy deals with Japanese myths and legends. This one borrows from Celtic mythology in creating its fantasy world, and the result is a beautifully illustrated modern-day fairy tale.However, not all the individual chapters or story arcs in past volumes have held my interest. That's why I'm happy to say that this volume has been, for me, the best of the series so far. What makes this volume stand out is that each chapters revealed something new. In this volume, Chise faces a magical challenge that is both emotionally bittersweet and technically difficult for her to do. The consequences of her actions are troubling, but the aftermath takes us to new ground in the story. Even the chapter that is essentially a side story revealed something interesting to me about a minor character.As always, the full-color pages at the front of the book are GORGEOUS. The artist's ability to create a rich, vibrant world for Chise and Elias is one of the reasons why I've kept reading even during the volumes that didn't seem as strong as this one.For all of the above reasons, I'm giving the volume 5 stars. However: if Amazon let me take off half a star, I would give it 4.5 stars because of the unfolding romantic relationship. I was initially drawn to this manga in part because of what seemed like an intriguing romance. I don't mind immortal/mortal romances, and I am usually not bothered by a large age gap between characters. But there's no getting around the fact that Elias and Chise just do not work for me as a couple. I am not entirely sure why. If you look at past reviews of previous volumes, you'll see some readers talking about the fact that Chise doesn't seem to have very good reason for loving Elias. That may be part of the problem.But I think the main problem I have with the romance is the way that Elias seems to move back and forth between being parental and being romantic in his relation to Chise. Throughout the book, characters refer to Chise as Elias' "Fledgling," and talk about him taking her in as a child. And he does treat her as a ward much of the time, as if he were her parental guardian. And yet . . . she is also his prospective bride. If the story had chosen to focus just on his role as her future husband, I would accept their relationship as being an arranged marriage, and I might enjoy the romance despite the age gap. But I'm not comfortable with the way Elias acts like a parent to Chise most of the time with occasional loverlike moments. (Spoiler) The scene with the mistletoe is a good example. The kiss the two exchange is sweet and innocent . . . except for Elias' reaction.If you've already read volumes 1-4 of The Ancient Magus' Bride and are just wondering whether to buy the fifth volume, go ahead and buy it. It's a strong volume. If, however, you are on the fence about trying the series and are trying to get a sense of whether you'd like it, consider that this is both a supernatural romance and a teacher/student romance. Not everyone is comfortable with the latter kind of relationship.

It's been a very long time since I have been so into a manga I literally count the days to the release of new chapters. This series is stunning, both for it's delightful artistry, but also for it's storytelling. The world is immersive, expansive, and feels limitless. The characters are captivating, compelling, and each chapter just leaves you wanting more. Hand's down one of the most thorough world's I've had the pleasure to get sucked into, the lore is just so wonderful and deeply integrated into the storytelling process it's a true gem and work of art. If you haven't given this series a try I urge you to do so, the anime is also wonderful and follows the manga to a T. Don't miss out on this on this one, you wont regret it!

My son loves graphic novels and this didnt disappoint! Fantastic graphics and storyline!

Still a fun read. It is getting more interesting as it goes along. I am looking forward to reading volume #6.

The pace is slow and thoughtful and I am enjoying his rich and ranging take on western mythology. It is basically a quest story with a damaged and resourceful heroine at the center. The side stories and characters add to the depth. However, Kore Yamasaki's art would benefit from a larger format. Plus, I would be able to read the tiniest print without hunting up a bright light and/or magnifying glass.

Another amazing installment of The Ancient Magus' Bride. This volume is a little more tone downed than the others but is important for pushing the story forward with more information. If you don't already know, this series follows a girl named Chise who is captured by a man(?) named Elias.Though by saying so it sounds generic, the reasoning behind Elias's motives make the story interesting as Chise explores the diverse world that Kore Yamazaki puts her characters around.

In less than a few days I'm at book 5 and finished it fast, the story, while sometimes taking weird turns, is a nice tale of 2 individuals growing up together and learning from each other.One of the better manga stories in my humble opinion!

I have absolutely loved reading the series and cannot wait to continue! Items arrived on time and in great condition! Very satisfied with this delivery and order!

Granddaughter loved it!

The product came in time, without delays. The history of Chise and Elias continues on!

Super ebook easy to read but why it ends at vol 5 and they relase vol7 at july ! Where is vol 6 that was released at january??

Sin contar muchos detalles de la historia para que la descubras por tú, la historia es muy linda y tierna con una protagonista que tiene un pasado muy trágico y que justifica, mucho mejor que en la Bella y la Bestia, el motivo por el que nuestros protagonistas se queden juntos a pesar de que Elias (él que sería la Bestia) le da a Chitose (nuestra bella) la libertad inmediatamente. El formato es un poco más caro y pequeño que él de otros editoriales, posiblemente por ser más pequeña, y es para una audiencia para adolescentes por que toca temas fuertes, pero cada centavo que inviertan en este título lo vale, desde el arte hasta la historia y pasando por el diseño y la manera en que se relacionan los personajes y los misterios y lecciones que se les presentan.

Item arrived in good condition. The story is very magical, kinda like Harry Potter but more poignant and warm. I like how more the dynamics of the two main characters (the skull guy and the ginger girl) shifts from father/daughter to mother/son to teacher/student (with either of them being the teacher or student). And the art is beautiful and very detailed. Highly recommended by me.