Review of "The Wise Man's Grandson": The charm of magic and adventure

"The Wise Man's Grandson": A new appeal of fantasy set in another world

"The Wise Man's Grandchild" is a fantasy work set in another world that was broadcast as a TV anime series in 2019. The original work is a light novel by Tsuyoshi Yoshioka, published by Famitsu Bunko. The anime aired on AT-X and TOKYO MX every Wednesday from 11:30 pm to 11:30 pm from April 10 to June 26, 2019. It consists of 12 episodes, each 30 minutes long, and was animated by SILVER LINK.

story

The story of "The Wise Man's Grandson" begins with a scene in which a young man who was a modern Japanese office worker is involved in a traffic accident and reincarnated as a baby in another world. He is picked up by a man known as the "Wise Man," Merlin Walford, and is raised as the "Wise Man's Grandson" while being taught magic. The grandson's name is Shin Walford. Shin uses his memories from his past life and the magic he learned from Merlin to acquire "unconventional" strength that surprises everyone. However, 15 years later, Merlin, who was happy to see Shin grow up, tells him something shocking. "Oh, I forgot to teach you common sense!" Shin, who only knew about magic and did not know about this world, enrolls in Earlshide High Magic Academy to gain common sense and friends. This is the beginning of a fantasy life in another world that depicts Shin's growth while surprising those around him, with unconventional strength in magic, swordsmanship, and knowledge.

Commentary

"The Wise Man's Grandson" is a popular work currently being published by Famitsu Bunko and serialized on "Let's Become a Novelist". It has also been made into a manga on the web comic site Young Ace UP (KADOKAWA), and the series has sold over 2.6 million copies in total, including paperbacks and comics. This popular work has finally been made into an anime, to the eager anticipation of many fans. It brings out the charm of the original work to the fullest, while also bringing out new charms through the unique expressions that only an anime can offer.

cast

The cast includes Yusuke Kobayashi as Shin Walford, Shohei Komatsu as August von Earlshide, Rina Motoizumi as Cicely von Claude, Yuki Wakai as Maria von Messina, Yusaku Yara as Merlin Walford, Masaru Takashima as Merida Bowen, Toshiyuki Morikawa as Oliver Strom, Miyu Kubota as Alice Corner, Arisa Shida as Thor von Flegel, Ai Yamaguchi as Lynn Hughes, Juri Nagatsuma as Yuri Carlton, Chiaki Kobayashi as Tony Frayed, Keisuke Kawamoto as Julius von Rittenheim, Shota Hayama as Mark Bean, Saya Sato as Olivia Stone, Shichimi Yoshi as Miranda Wallace, and May von Earlshide as Maya Hinanoki. Each character's unique personality is expressed in a rich way, adding excitement to the story.

Main Staff

The original work is by Tsuyoshi Yoshioka, the character designs are by Masashi Kikuchi and Shunsuke Ogata, the director is Masafumi Tamura, the series composition is Tatsuya Takahashi, the character design is Yuki Sawaniri, the art director is Masakazu Miyake, the color design is Eri Shigetomi, the cinematography is Atsushi Sato, the editor is Michi Takigawa, the sound director is Masaki Tsuchiya, the sound production is Glovision, the music is by Sachi Otani, the music production is Avex Pictures, the animation production is SILVER LINK., and the production is by the Kenmagou Production Committee. The skills and passion of each staff member came together to create a wonderful work.

Main Characters

Shin Walford was a modern Japanese office worker in his previous life, but was reincarnated in another world and raised as the grandson of the sage Merlin. Having lived in the forest, he is naive and enrolls in Earlshide High Magic Academy to acquire common sense. August von Earlshide is the prince of the Earlshide Kingdom and is nicknamed Aug. He enrolls in the Earlshide High Magic Academy with Shin, and while he has the insight of a prince, he also enjoys teasing people close to him, such as Shin. Sicily von Claude is the third daughter of a viscount family and a kind-hearted girl. She happens to meet Shin while strolling through the royal capital and develops a slight crush on him. Maria von Messina is the second daughter of an earl family and Sicily's best friend. She has excellent grades and a bright personality. Merlin Walford is Shin's foster parent, and is revered as a "hero who saved the country" and a "sage" for defeating a demon that once nearly destroyed the Earlshide Kingdom. Merida Bowen is a leading expert in the creation of magical tools, and is revered as "Merida the Guru" who defeated the demons together with "Merlin the Wise." She thinks of Shin as her grandson. Oliver Strom is a teacher at a middle school who defected from the Empire, and is plotting something by calling out to talented students.

subtitle

Episode 1 "The Naive, Arrives in the Royal Capital" (2019/04/11), Episode 2 "The Unconventional Freshman" (2019/04/18), Episode 3 "Emergency Occurrence!" (2019/04/25), Episode 4 "The Name of the Mastermind" (2019/05/02), Episode 5 "The Unconventional New Hero" (2019/05/09), Episode 6 "The Outbreak of War and Joint Training" (2019/05/16), Episode 7 "Let's Go to Training Camp!" (2019 Each episode is different and keeps viewers hooked: episode 10 "The Greatest Magicians in History" (2019/06/20), episode 11 "The Greatest Magicians in History" (2019/06/20), episode 12 "And Then, to the World..." (2019/06/27), episode 13 "The Greatest Magicians in History" (2019/06/23), episode 14 "The Greatest Magicians in History" (2019/06/20), episode 15 "The Greatest Magicians in History" (2019/06/20), episode 16 "The Greatest Magicians in History" (2019/06/20), episode 17 "The Greatest Magicians in History" (2019/06/20), episode 18 "The Greatest Magicians in History" (2019/06/20), episode 19 "The Greatest Magicians in History" (2019/06/20), episode 20 "The Greatest Magicians in History" (2019/06/20), episode 21 "The Greatest Magicians in History" (2019/06/20), episode 22 "And Then, to the World..." (2019/06/27).

Theme songs and music

The opening theme is "Ultimate☆MAGIC", with lyrics by Hirose Yuki and Kaneko Mayumi, music by Hirose Yuki, arrangement by Kuga Maon, and singing by I☆Ris. It was used as the ending theme for the first episode. The ending theme is "Overwhelming Vivid Days", with lyrics and music by Oda Asuka, arrangement by Tomaru Ryota, and singing by Yoshishichimi. These songs add to the atmosphere of the story and capture the hearts of viewers.

Evaluation and Impressions

While "The Wise Man's Grandchild" is based on the popular genre of reincarnation in another world, it has a unique appeal by depicting the growth of the main character, Shin Walford, and his interactions with the characters around him. Scenes in which Shin learns common sense while surprising those around him with his magic and swordsmanship are exhilarating to watch. The unique characters that gather around Shin are also charming, and his faint love for Sicily and friendship with August will warm the hearts of viewers in particular.

SILVER LINK., the animation production company, faithfully reproduces the worldview of the original work while pursuing visual beauty with the unique expression of anime. The magic and battle scenes are particularly impressive and have the power to draw the viewer in. The character designs and background art are also beautiful, allowing you to fully feel the atmosphere of another world.

The voice actors' performances are also excellent, especially Yusuke Kobayashi, who plays Shin, who realistically portrays Shin's growth process. Rina Motoizumi, who plays Sicily, and Shohei Komatsu, who plays Augusto, also bring out the charm of their respective characters. The music also matches the atmosphere of the story, and the opening and ending songs are particularly memorable.

Recommended points

"The Wise Man's Grandson" is recommended for those who want to enjoy fantasy in another world, those who like the growth story of the main character, and those who like magic and swordplay battle scenes. In addition, the interactions between the unique characters and the romance elements are also attractive, so it is perfect for those who want to enjoy those elements. Furthermore, the original light novel and manga are also popular, so fans of the original can also enjoy the anime version.

The anime version condenses the episodes from the original work, but the important scenes are well-drawn. It is particularly moving to see Shin solve problems on his own while learning common sense. The characters around Shin are also charming, and watching Shin grow through his interactions with them is heartwarming.

Overall, "The Wise Man's Grandchild" is a work that brings out a new charm in fantasy set in another world, and I'm sure it will be loved by many viewers. Please give it a watch and experience its charm for yourself.