The Ancient Magus' Bride: Those Awaiting a Star

A three-part OVA series that will tell a story that takes place before Chise meets Magus. Angelica sends Chise some magical supplies, including a gift. The gift turns out to be a book that Chise read in her childhood. Elias asks Chise to tell him the story behind the book. Chise tells him about Miura-san and the mysterious library she found in the forest when she was a child.

The Ancient Magus' Bride: Those Awaiting a Star (2016-2017) is a Japanese anime fantasy series produced by WIT STUDIO, FlyingDog and Production I.G, presented as a three-episode original video animation. It is a prequel to the main Ancient Magus' Bride story and centers on Chise Hatori, voiced by Atsumi Tanezaki, a young woman whose life is reshaped by magic. Elias Ainsworth, voiced by Ryota Takeuchi, asks her to tell the story behind a book she once read as a child, and her retelling carries the viewer back to Miura-san, voiced by Takahiro Sakurai, and the mysterious library she discovered deep in a forest. Angelica Barley, voiced by Yuhko Kaida, sends magical supplies that set the story in motion. The engine of the episodes is memory and wonder: a lonely child's chance encounter with an unfamiliar world of books, spells and secrets, and the quiet way that encounter keeps resonating. Each episode unfolds at a leisurely pace, built around conversation, recollection and gentle discovery rather than action. The tone is wistful, warm and dreamy, with a pastel, painterly sense of enchantment. Fans of Mushishi, Natsume's Book of Friends and Spirited Away will find a similar blend of folklore atmosphere and understated emotional resonance. Its short runtime makes it an accessible entry point for viewers new to the franchise.

Audience reception is positive, with a modest rating for this short prequel OVA that expands on the story of Chise and the magical library.

• Mushishigentle fantasy tone, magical apprenticeship, whimsical folklore atmosphere
• Spirited Awayfairy tale romance and magical mentorship with lush fantasy visuals
• Natsume's Book of Friendsquiet magical world building, wonder and wistful melancholy in an anime fantasy setting

Release Date

2016-08-13

Episode runtime

23 min

Rating

7.5 / 10 (55)

What is The Ancient Magus' Bride: Those Awaiting a Star about?

Before Chise met the Magus, a young girl's childhood encounter with a mysterious forest library and its keeper shapes a gentle fairy tale told as a prequel.

What is The Ancient Magus' Bride: Those Awaiting a Star like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Ancient Magus' Bride: Those Awaiting a Star as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is The Ancient Magus' Bride: Those Awaiting a Star violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Ancient Magus' Bride: Those Awaiting a Star.

What did critics think of The Ancient Magus' Bride: Those Awaiting a Star?

Audience reception is positive, with a modest rating for this short prequel OVA that expands on the story of Chise and the magical library.

Which shows are like The Ancient Magus' Bride: Those Awaiting a Star?

Shows with a similar feel include Mushishi, Spirited Away, and Natsume's Book of Friends.

How long is The Ancient Magus' Bride: Those Awaiting a Star?

The Ancient Magus' Bride: Those Awaiting a Star: 1 season, 3 episodes.

Is The Ancient Magus' Bride: Those Awaiting a Star still running?

No, The Ancient Magus' Bride: Those Awaiting a Star has ended.