The appeal and reviews of "The Wise Man's Disciple": A deep story and appealing characters

"The Sage Who Calls Himself a Disciple of the Wise Man": A grand adventure that begins in a VRMMO

The TV anime series "The Wise Man's Disciple," which aired from January to March 2022, is based on a light novel by Ryusen Hirotsugu. This anime is set in the virtual reality world of the VRMMO-RPG "Ark Earth Online," and depicts the unprecedented crisis faced by players and their adventure to resolve it. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal and highlights of this work, as well as recommended points for viewers.

story

"Ark Earth Online" is a VRMMO-RPG where players can freely enjoy adventure. One day, Dunbalf, one of the nine sages who founded the Arkite Kingdom, suddenly finds that he has developed a sense of taste and smell in the game and is unable to log out. Furthermore, NPCs start to show human-like reactions, and he realizes that the game has become reality. Moreover, Dunbalf is shocked to find that 30 years have passed, and for some reason he has turned into a young, beautiful girl. To solve this mystery, Dunbalf calls himself "Mira, the Sage's Disciple" and sets out on an adventure.

The story depicts Milla's growth together with her companions as she solves the mysteries of this new world. Making use of the VRMMO setting, the film beautifully depicts the tension that arises when the boundary between reality and the game becomes ambiguous, as well as the human drama of the characters. In particular, the growth and conflict that Dunbalf experiences as he begins his new life as Milla deeply moves viewers.

character

The appeal of this work lies in its unique characters. The main character, Milla (Dumbledore), has a young appearance but is characterized by her mature behavior and impressive use of summoning magic. Her summons, the Valkyrie Sisters and Cait Sith, and other diverse characters add excitement to the story.

King Solomon of the Kingdom of Arkite is a player who places great trust in Dunbalf, and his dignity as a king is contrasted with his friendly personality. Luminaria of the Nine Sages is a top-ranking magician, but has a casual attitude towards Mira, and the relationships between the characters are depicted in depth.

The members of the Guild Ecarlate Carillon are also attractive, with each having their own unique charm: Emera's kindness and strength, Fricka's intelligence and radicalism, Asval's cheerfulness, and Zeff's past and sense of mission. The drama woven by these characters has the power to draw viewers in.

Production and staff

The Wise Man's Disciple is an animation produced by studio A-CAT and directed by Keitaro Motonaga. Series composition is by Takamitsu Kono, character design by Kumi Horii, art setting by Tsukasa Ohira, art direction by Scott MacDonald, color design by Miyu Yamamoto, director of photography by Tsubasa Yokoyama, 3D direction by Yuichi Goto, editing by Yoshiaki Kimura, sound direction by Yasunori Ebina, sound effects by Kiyotaka Kawada, sound production by Dax Productions, music by Tsuyoshi Sakabe, and music production by MAGES.

The visual beauty and music created by this team of staff members realistically express the worldview of the VRMMO and have the power to draw the viewer into the world of the story. In particular, the summoning scenes and battle scenes are impressive and provide a visual treat.

Broadcast information

"The Wise Man's Disciple" aired on TOKYO MX, BS Nippon Television, Mainichi Broadcasting System, and AT-X from January 12 to March 30, 2022. The broadcast times are as follows:

• TOKYO MX: Every Wednesday from 0:30 to 1:00
• BS Nippon Television: Every Wednesday from 0:30 to 1:00
• Mainichi Broadcasting System: Every Wednesday 3:00-3:30
• AT-X: Every Saturday from 23:30 to 0:00

It will also be streamed online and can be viewed on ABEMA, d Anime Store, Nico Nico Douga, GYAO!, Hikari TV, FOD, Bandai Channel, Hulu, TELASA, J:COM On Demand, Miru Plus All-You-Can-Watch Premium, Animehodai, Amazon, Animeka, U-NEXT, NETFLIX, Disney Plus, etc. Pay-per-view sites include Rakuten TV, DMM.com, music.jp, Video Market, HAPPY! Video, Crank-In! Video, and Movie Full Plus.

Theme songs and music

The opening theme is "Ready Set Go!!" by Asaka, and the ending theme is "Ambitious" by Erabareshi. The inserted songs are "Those Who Continue to Challenge" and "Shinryoku no Melodia" by Leticia (Mika Okamoto), and "Ballad" by Asaka. These songs are important elements that liven up the atmosphere of the story.

Ratings and Recommendations

"The Wise Man's Disciple" is a work based on the modern theme of VRMMO, depicting the growth of characters as the boundaries between reality and games become blurred. All elements, including the story development, character appeal, visual beauty and music, are brought together at a high level, deeply moving viewers.

I especially recommend this series to people who like VRMMOs and RPGs, and people who want to enjoy character growth and human drama. I also recommend this series to people who like fantasy elements and adventure stories. Although it is a compact series with only 12 episodes, it is packed with a dense story and fascinating characters, so please give it a watch.

Detailed episode introduction

Below you'll find a brief summary of each episode's subtitle and its contents.

• Episode 1 "I'm cute...": The episode where Dumbledore awakens as Mira. He faces the mysteries of a new world and begins his adventure.
• Episode 2: "I Lied...": Depicts the conflict that arises as Milla hides her true identity and travels with her friends.
• Episode 3 "I... am weak against these sorts of things": An episode in which we see Mira mastering summoning magic and deepening the bonds between her companions.
• Episode 4: "I've reached my limit!": Milla faces a new enemy and challenges her own limits.
• Episode 5: "I'm Reborn!": In this episode, Milla gains new powers and sets out on another adventure.
• Episode 6: "I'm Dressing Up!": In this episode, Milla deepens her bond with her friends as she tries on new clothes.
• Episode 7: "I'm the Strongest!": Mira uses the strongest summoning techniques to overwhelm her enemies.
• Episode 8 "I, Dumbledore": In this episode Mira reveals her true identity and her bonds with her companions deepen.
• Episode 9: "I don't mind this kind of turn of events": Mira faces new developments and grows as a person.
• Episode 10: "I'm Naked!": An episode in which Mira finds herself in danger and fights completely naked.
• Episode 11: "Aren't they praising me...?": An episode in which Mira is praised by her friends and realizes her growth.
• Episode 12: "I Am Here!": The episode in which Mira takes on the final battle and ends her adventure.

Character Details

Below are details about the main characters:

• Milla: A beautiful girl summoner who calls herself Dunbalf's apprentice. She is Dunbalf himself, but her appearance has changed due to various circumstances. Her abilities remain the same, so she can control many powerful summons, befitting her former nickname of "Army." Despite her cute, young appearance, she speaks like an old man.
• Solomon: King of the Kingdom of Arkite. He is one of the players like Dunbalf, and has great trust in him. He shows his dignity as a king in front of his subjects, but in reality he has a friendly personality. He cares deeply about his country, and is busy dealing with the unstable international situation and monsters.
• Luminaria: One of the nine sages of the Arkite Kingdom, a player who is an old acquaintance of Dunbalf and Solomon. A top-ranking magician with the nickname "Luminaria the Disaster". A beautiful woman with a perfect figure, she speaks casually in front of Mira and is quite physical.
• Emera: The vice-leader of the Guild Ecarlate Carillon, and an elven swordsman. She is usually a bright and kind older sister, but when Flicka goes out of control, she uses martial arts to subdue her. She can't leave people in trouble alone.
• Flicka: A magician who belongs to the Guild Ecarlate Carillon. Although he usually has a calm and intelligent demeanor, he has a weakness for cute and small things, and sometimes gets excited around Mira and takes extreme actions...
• Asval: A warrior who belongs to the Guild Ecarlate Carillon. He swings down a large hammer from his large body. He is like an older brother to the guild and has a cheerful personality. He admires Dunbalf.
• Zeff: A scout belonging to the Guild Ecarlate Carillon. Not only is he good at reconnaissance and investigation, but he is also good at knife fighting. He joined the guild to save his sick sister.
• Takuto: A boy who lives in the repose city of Karanac. His adventurer parents went missing and were considered dead, so he heads to the ancient temple of Nebulapolis in search of the Dark Mirror, which is said to allow him to meet the dead.
• Mariana: Dunbalf's aide. She has been managing Dunbalf's room in the Tower of Summoning for 30 years since he disappeared. She is a cheerful and hardworking woman who does all the housework, from cleaning the room to preparing meals. After Mira appeared, she started looking after her.
• Amaratte: The representative of the Nine Sages who manages the Tower of Necromancy. He is the second most powerful person in the Kingdom of Arkite after the Nine Sages. He is always expressionless and difficult to read, but he is very interested in fashion. He is so interested in Mira's clothes that he sometimes acts boldly...
• Creos: A handsome young man who serves as Dunbalf's representative. He is the de facto head of the Tower of Summoning. He continues to pledge his loyalty to Dunbalf, and recognizes the high abilities of his apprentice, Mira. He is also a skilled summoner and serves as a teacher at Alkait Academy.
• Alfina: The eldest sister of Milla's summoning technique, the Valkyrie Sisters. She is a summoned being with a will of her own, and can converse. She is a diligent and obedient being who never misses out on training for her master, but her sisters complain that she is too strict. She is strong against immortal monsters.
• Soul Howl: One of the Nine Sages, a necromancer with the nickname "Soul Howl of the Great Wall". He has a pathological love for immortal girls. He uses the ancient temple of Nebulapolis as his base and collects information on the Holy Grail of Divine Life.
• Cero: The leader of the Ecarlate Carillon guild. A former player with great talent. While searching for other players in the same situation, he continued his journey to help people in this world that had become reality, which led him to form a guild.
• Meirin: One of the Nine Sages, she is a magician with the nickname "Meirin of Control". She is currently on a journey of training and has put off returning to Lunatic Lake. She is the type who forgets promises when she becomes engrossed.
• Member No. 1 (Cait Sith): A Cait Sith who has a summoning contract with Mira. A summoned being who can speak, he calls Mira the leader and expresses his emotions with a placard. He is an excellent scout and can gather information from animals.
• Hinata: A teacher of summoning arts at Alkait Academy. She has a gentle personality and is always smiling, but is troubled by the fact that there are no students studying summoning arts. Most of the summoned creatures she has contracted with are basic. Her special skill is puzzle solving.
• Kou: A member of the mysterious armed group Chimera Clausen that hunts spirits. He wears a jet black cloak and hides his face with a mask. He is quite a powerful man.
• Blue: An onmyouji of the Isuzu Federation, an organization opposed to Chimera Clausen. He looks like a Shinto priest wearing a crown. He fights with a naginata engraved with a pentagram while mixing talismans.
• White: A sage belonging to the Isuzu Federation. He wears a Yamabushi outfit. He and Blue were pursuing the Chimera Clausen man. He provides information about Chimera Clausen to Milla.
• White Hood: One of the group of people in white clothing with horns. A resident of a far-away time, he calls himself a Tenma. He is heading for a place called the Gate of Reincarnation in order to evolve into a new species.
• Dunbalf: One of the nine sages of the Kingdom of Arkite. He is nicknamed "Dunbalf of the Army" because he leads a large army using summoning magic. He is said to have disappeared mysteriously 30 years ago, but his heroic feats are still widely talked about.

Recommended points

"The Wise Man's Disciple" is a work based on the modern theme of VRMMO, depicting the growth of characters as the boundaries between reality and games become blurred. All elements, including the story development, character appeal, visual beauty and music, are brought together at a high level, deeply moving viewers.

I especially recommend this series to people who like VRMMOs and RPGs, and people who want to enjoy character growth and human drama. I also recommend this series to people who like fantasy elements and adventure stories. Although it is a compact series with only 12 episodes, it is packed with a dense story and fascinating characters, so please give it a watch.

This work offers viewers a new adventure and a memorable experience by letting them feel the growth and bonds between the characters. Please watch "The Wise Man's Disciple" and feel its charm.