Ancient Magus' Bride Official Guide Book Merkmal, The

Such a wonderful and insightful read for anyone who is a fan of The Ancient Magus Bride.As well as including gorgeous full colour inserts, the guide has a breakdown of every major and minor character that we have come to love in the series. There is a bit of repetition in this section, however I find I don't mind very much as it's nice to have the information collated. Seeing the world building and research that Yamazaki-sensei has done is truly spectacular, especially in regards to various folklore and UK culture that differs from her native Japan. Early character and concept sketches are shown, giving an insight into how our beloved Chise and Elias could have looked. An unused Chapter One storyboard also accompanies these early designs (a much different first volume we could have had). I enjoyed seeing initial references to the college and Chise's schooling that may be brought back when the College Arc starts in the newer volumes.One of my favourite parts in this guide are the interviews with Yamazki-sensei and her Editor. This is something that as an international reader, I would never have been able to experience without being published in this book. Reading about the love and passion Yamazaki-sensei has for her work, as well as her influences and inspirations is fantastic: I especially liked seeing what her favourite Western books were.Over all, Yamazaki-sensei has created a fantasy series that is truly remarkable in its scope, creativity, and development. This guide only confirms for me her strength as a great mangaka, and she has a devoted fan in me for life.

Has a lot of information about the characters in the manga series, wonderful pictures, very interesting read.