The Ancient Magus' Bride Season 2

Episode 6

Last week gave us a more in-depth introduction to Chise's new school chums, and you'd probably expect that to continue here. Instead, we once again pull back from the College to pick up with more familiar faces and do another dive into the complicated tangle of emotions that holds our leads together. This time, with an assist from Alice, Chise's friend/former enemy/fellow-young-lady-with-really-complicated-feelings-about-the-older-man-she-lives-with.

The complex nature of those feelings takes center stage here, with Alice overhearing Renfred proudly describing her as his daughter and affirming his duty to raise and protect her. It's funny that, in damn near any other situation, this would be a heartwarming climax that brings them closer together, but for Alice, it's the last thing she wants to hear. For her, it's just confirming her anxieties that she's not strong enough to be useful to Renfred and that he must see her as a burden rather than an ally. We, the audience, know that's not an accurate or fair assessment, but Alice can't help defining her worth via her utility to the people she cares about. Combined with the guilt over what happened with Joseph way back before they even joined the show, it's no wonder she looks for guidance from the one person with an even more convoluted home life.

Chise and Elias already touched on their lingering issues in episode four, but it's time for them finally have that conversation together. Elias is still deciphering what his feelings mean, trying to put words to the amorphous blob of thoughts and sensations bubbling up in his bonehead. Everyone struggles with that, so I imagine it's all the more difficult when you're an ageless shadow monster who's neither fae nor human. Chise has a head start on emotional maturity but also way more to contend with as she tries to put a word to what they have. They don't necessarily need one – as she said herself, what matters is that she's happy building a life with him – but at the same time, having a name for something can make it feel more real, more secure, and concrete. You can't tangibly hold a relationship, but being able to call it “friendship,” “family,” or “love” can anchor it in your heart and give clarity on how to move forward.

It's genuinely refreshing to see our lead couple hash things out with honest vulnerability – something they desperately needed but weren't capable of in season one. They don't reach a definitive name for their connection but settle for Bride and Husband for now. Given Chise's age, that could be concerning out of context, but I'm also 100% certain Elias doesn't know what sex is, so it's not all that worrisome. If we ever get an arc about Beltane, then I'll start to clutch pearls over these two.

I also like that Alice's story doesn't get a simple resolution. She might want to treat her relationship with Renfred as one of debt and protection. Still, he's resolute in caring for her out of unconditional love, telling her in his stern way to prioritize her own life rather than trying to pay back his kindness. It's a messy but believable wall for the pair to run into and a strong contrast to their much more open counterparts. Most importantly, it's clear that both care about each other, and as long as they can eventually be transparent with their feelings and intentions, they can work things out.

That said, it does feel strange to double back to this topic again right after we got the ball rolling at school. I appreciate everything that's happening here, and it's plenty engaging all on its own. Still, part of me wonders why we couldn't have either had this sooner or held off until we got a clearer picture of everything happening at the College. Halfway through the season, it still feels like we're waiting for the other shoe to drop with the larger cast and mysteries. I don't need to rush to the fireworks factory, but some sense of forward momentum would do a lot for this season.

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The Ancient Magus' Bride is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.