Welcome to the penultimate episode of Chise and friends, the premier hollow friendship simulator of the season. This week on Mahoutsukai we have biblical backstories, every named character shows up and a general decline from last episode. Lets jump in!
In terms of general quality, its a step down from last week. That isn’t unexpected, not because Mahoutsukai is a terrible show, but because last episode was simply its best showing. I would have been surprised if it managed to do that level of quality again. That said this episode is filled with stills, panning shots and low-detail characters everywhere Mahoutsukai thinks it can get away with it. Even the effects have mostly been downgraded to flashes/glows of color. It lacks the visual punch needed for our upcoming finale next week. As far as story goes this week it was, at best, acceptable. Both Cartaphilus’s backstory and Elias’s side plot have problems. From feeling rushed/condensed to just being unnecessary. And after last week? That’s just disappointing.
The meat of this episode was the backstory of Joseph/Cartaphilus. Compared to Chise, who got basically the full episode to herself, this one couldn’t help but come off as rushed. It felt like we sped over the key points. Yes he is alone, why? Desperate for connection, picks Cartaphilus, why was he just buried there? Is it truly so easy for him to just kill people and take body parts? It feels like there is more to explore here. Its an interesting story, the cursed immortal, and could have been incredibly interesting. I would have loved to see a slow descent into madness into of this sudden “Lets become one” merger, maybe even get that explained some. I guess my core complain here just comes down to more. Give me more. Take more time with your leads. I know exactly who/where to take it from. The side characters.
Getting back to my season old gripe with Mahoutsukai, the side characters need to go. This was my main complaint with Elias’s side plot this episode to. Don’t bring Renfred and Alice back, keep the Witches away. Focus on our leads. I can take Titania and Oberon, they are fun and suitably neutral/have their own selfish reasons for what they do. I am also fine with the brief flash of Lindel and such as they search for Chise, remind of all we have been through to this point. But please Mahoutsukai, leave this final confrontation to our leads. This is their story, they need to be its focus. No some Witch turning into a bull at the last second. Let Chise use her own magic, have her ride Elias or Ruth and chat as they go. Don’t bring a side character with no personality into it. Its a waste.
The last bit to talk about this week is the ending, or next weeks possible ending atleast. Where does it go? What happens? Personally I have no idea. I was expecting the ending to be Chise swapping parts with Cartaphilus and then confronting Elias. Instead those two make up quickly and now our favorite psychopathic midget is back to being the main villain. I am still holding out hope that the trade goes off however, the reason being Chise has to survive this somehow. If by some miracle Mahoutsukai throws a curve-ball and lets her die, choosing to go out on her own terms, I will be shocked. Impressed, but shocked. The one thing I hope Mahoutsukai has the brains not do is save Chise via Deus Ex Machina. After all this, there has to be a cost. No perfect happy ending. Otherwise this whole last cour was a waste.
So all-in-all, this week was disappointing but acceptable fare. I had hope that Mahoutsukai could hold out until the last episode with some quality story, but that was a mistake. At best it appears we will end on some melodrama, typical for the series up until now. Really its very similar to Inuyashiki in that regard. Both had compelling character stories, but have largely thrown them away in favor of higher-stakes stories. A shame as small-scale stakes, important to no one but the characters, tend to have the best emotional payoffs in my opinion. Guess we will find out next week on the last episode of Mahoutsukai. See you then.
Small scale conflicts like in Made in Abyss?
I tolerated the ending of Inuyashiki, because it was more like a dark superhero movie. Like in short stories, having the characters die, gives closure to the supernatural implications.
In regards to Mahoutsukai, I thought this episode just was meandering around, since aside from the villain’s backstory, nothing of value happens. Also the backstory of the villain, I have to say the way Inuyasha told it was better. Joseph has a victim’s complex that’s hard to relate in the way it was told.
Did he really talked to himself? If he also knew how to make medicine why couldn’t he have related through that with other people. How did he knew he could sacrifice his body to merge with Carthaphilus? I suppose the idea was the old schtick of the villain isn’t that different from the hero, and the intention was telling he was also a sleighbeggy, since in the context of the story it’ll make sense he also ended alone and how he was able to merge.
Elias really got put in the sidelines, and it’s a bit frustrating having him full of doubt at this point of the story.
All in all, I expect the final boss battle with Phoenix Chise against a monster form of Carthaphilus made of tentacle chimeras (like Naraku). All ending in Chise finally putting Joseph out of his misery. And maybe a surprise coming out of nowhere.