Mismatched Storytelling with Unappealing Protagonist

arorashadow_2003

Wandering Witch isn't so much your classic character's journey as much as it's just a bunch of happening in a world that happens to have some semblance of magic and fantasy. With that every week is a new adventure but it's an adventure with no goal, no purpose no appeal.

Elaina who is a bright young girl becomes a certified witch and sets off to explore the lands and well that's pretty much it. The big drawback is Elaina as a main character is so unappealing because it feels like she matters little to the story. Bouncing between a character who is only looking out for her self interests or a character who is just a passive player in her own story. Honestly by the fourth episode you'll be wondering, what is even the point?

Pro tip, if you're going to make your character a generic blank slate for us to see the world through their eyes, make sure the world is actually interesting. Elaina's world is one of joy and sorrow and the show does its best to replicate that, a noble pursuit but the results are mixed and being so cynical of the main character, doesn't make me care all that much. That said the world of this fantasy, isn't very fantastic at all. Frankly, if you stripped Elaina of her broom stick and gave her a horse, motorcycle or her own two feet, there wouldn't be a lot about this story that would change, that leaves this setting feel more like a pseudo historical backdrop and there's already plenty of boring isekai shows that do this already.

Elaina is a pretty looking show with very vibrant colors and lovely animation, and the CGI is also great too, when it's used for anything worthwhile which isn't very often.

Between the terrible character, boring stories saved by a few memorable moments and nice art, Elaina is probably my most disappointing show this year, even more so than Magia Record, but with Magia Record I already had low expctations going in, this was hopefully going to be different. I'm in need of a good fantasy that is just a fantasy and not another character reborn into another generic MMORPG yet again.

score 4/10

arorashadow_2003 27 December 2020

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw6410910/