'Mahoutsukai no Yome' and the Head Boggling Magus

Will you seriously fall for a skull-faced creature who helped you out of a sticky situation? Just what the head is going on in this anime?!

I'm seriously thinking of a prettier intro to write on my blog for this new anime that I've watched but my eyes got glued, stuck and couldn't move on fast because of the un-likely-hood and bizaareness of one new character. I'm all outrage right now and badly need to release this or I'll blow up really really bad because despite the splendedid-ness and beauty of the anime; setting aside the perfectly and intricately illustrated library in the forest--my head is mind stuck and still strongly lingering on the most devious and obviously curious extremely-over-the-top guy, the hero of this new anime entitled Mahoutsukai no Yome!

He has an alligator-shaped head or should I call it with something else? It's definitely an alligator, with its narrow head and protruded nose and mouth, unless this is a fossil skull of some already extinct bird from Jurassic era. The lead male character is called Alias Ainsworth, but because of his very obvious unflattering skull face, I'll just call him Alli-Alias. I can't think for the life of me decide how I must begin my blog on this one. It's all the head that matters here. The one strange thing that caused me with OA reactions. I can't help it. Honestly. 

And I usually come up with an eye catching praise worthy heading. My mind is boggled. (Deep sigh.)

Truthfully speaking, this new unlikely Prince Charming casts Beast in dark shadows simply with his very obvious glaring abnormal alligator head. He appeared normal from the neck down except head up. Seriously. Beats Beast, the all out monster. What happened to Alias Ainsworth? How did he become like that? Is he cursed as well or is it really his actual un-transformable monstrosity?

I don't wanna touch the manga right now. I want my imagination to run wild first in comprehending this totally unlikely male hero. A head reminiscent of Renji's Zabimaru from Bleach and no better but not the worst of Beast. I really don't know. At least, Beast was a blond prince when the spell was broken. Alias, will he be...or is he forever like that?

The funniest thing in this first episode was when Chise was so intent on watching Alias drink from the teacup. Even I will be curious, too. A face like that, how does he drink with etiquette? He was born from wealth, so it seemed. From the cottage he owned and the way he's dressed, he seemed noble. He has a grand stature and an honest-to-goodness intimidating aura but still, it's really the head that makes it so unnervingly headcracking just by watching it. 

Everything is just introduced in this first episode. Chise lives in a cottage in the English countryside. She lives with a black dog changing human called Ruth, which is more handsome as a dog than the wavy black haired young man he is.  The blond haired lolita, I have yet to find the name, Angelica, a magician friend, and obviously, the head subject--Alias Ainsworth. Chise is going to learn magic under the guidance of this skull faced magician.

Chise went through a difficult childhood. She was a kid who can see strange things and didn't know what to do about it. She was adopted by a family who never really cared about her. As a kid and before her mom died on her, she was left with very nasty scars of pain, physically and emotionally. She has gone through all the downs of life until Alias saved her life (though it's not yet shown in this first episode. I thought it's on this episode. I was hoping I'll be seeing that famous line that the reviewers have echoed repetitively; during the time when they met but it might be shown in the future episodes, maybe on Episode 2 which I have just checked will be on February 4, 2017. Sighs. Just how long is that? That's ages from now. Talk about prolonging the excitement and curiosity. It's technically next year. And today's just September.T_T)

What may draw people to watch this anime is possibly its unique plot, not to mention its uniquely strange characters. It's a magical fantasy set in the modern contemporary England. The comedy is well delivered and produces really funny punchlines. There's still more to be discovered since it's just the pilot episode. I'm honestly curious about the story of Alias. He's the most intriguing character, so far. 

The other thing that will draw fans will be the beautifully drawn animation which I was once thought was a shoujo at first sight because of the way it was drawn; so, it's actually shounen. Shounen mangaka's seldom come up with this kind of plot. Stories like these are usually written by female writers or so I think for I've read so many shoujo manga.

The drawing is superb. Totally. At almost all angles. The illustrators are really skilled on this line of art. The color blend is so alive and clear cut. The library in the forest, repeated, is gorgeous. The chandelier and the entire ceiling--actually, it's the entire library, were so finely crafted. Then, the animation, the way the lamps lighted out inside the study room of Alias cottage glowing in golden orange with the cute little creatures appearing at the same time was really a magical touch. Aside from that, the apartment complex where Chise used to live when she was still in Japan, it was so realistic, too. Was it captured or drawn? 

Honestly, no matter how many times I repeat looking at the anime, I'm intensely drawn to the beauty of its art. It's perfect art. The fog, the houses, just everything. The woods built on the walls glow like their made of gold. The trees in the forest was drawn superb, especially the leaves. It's so realistic.

Character illustrations were drawn above average. They appear shoujo-like even if this one's a shounen type anime.  The little creatures that floats and appears before Chise in a sneaky way are so cute to look at. A head like Alias is another out of this world character illustration. Not so normal and way weirder than Beast. 

Then there goes the music behind the scene. Infinitely exciting to the ears. Is it violin? And all the other sounds behind. The ending song is like a song from inside the church, a strong reminder of the Church of England. This work of art and its music definitely stands out. 

The voice actors and actresses. I like Angelica's voice, so mature and big sisterly. Ruth's, pretty and young. Chise's voice is straight and emotionless for a young girl, still cute in a husky way. Alias--his voice is a mystery just like his unsightly head. He sounds so mature. This unlikely couple kind of reminds me of Judy Abbott and daddy long legs. It's bestial romance though, way too uncharacteristic than Belle and Beast. No shadow villains this time but Alias' freaky head. 

I'm really expecting a good story out of this anime. I hope I won't be disappointed. I really love the way it was drawn. So English in the setting, conjuring the familiar British magic everyone likes, admires, and endowed with, not to mention Harry Potter and all the other cool magical creatures that existed here.

This new splash of magic that commences this September where new magicians are introduced in the far heart of London, tucked in the countryside, inside a normal looking cottage where magic is learnt and studied is something that magical fantasy genre fans may really be intrigue to watch about. It's a head turner.