Wistoria: Wand and Sword Season 2

Episodes 8-10

It makes sense that Wistoria's second season would benefit from a sort of binge-watching model. I can imagine that I would have found the pacing of these last few episodes a bit more annoying if I had to wait a week in between each viewing like usual. I am just coming back from an extended overseas vacation as of this writing, however, and I have to say that I found myself much more invested in the whole First Bloom storyline as I caught up on Episodes 8, 9, and 10 of this second season all in one go. It ended up being a pretty naturally structured little mini-story, honestly. In Episode 8, Will bonds with Julius as they both end up under the tutelage of the Witch Cerridwen. Then, in Episode 9, Cerridwen's magic allows Will to relive some important core memories involving Elfaria and the origins of his unique magic-absorption abilities. Finally, Episode 10 sends our heroes back into the Bloom so Will can put his discoveries through their paces and re-re-re-prove himself to the people in charge. I'm sure this will be the last time he is so unfairly tested, though.

Beyond some decent action cuts and a much appreciated bit of characterization for Julius, I think the best thing about this string of episodes is that Wistoria is finally putting Will's relationship with Elfaria front and center. Don't get me wrong, their whole dynamic is still pretty shallow and cliché, but we can at least work with shallow and cliché when the main couple in question is actually getting some screen time. The flashback to Will's fateful defense of Elfaria in the forest is probably the highlight of this whole run. It gives their already fairy-tale-tinged romance a welcome fairy-tale framework that helps us better feel the way these kids have become so inextricably linked to one another. I even dig the choices that don't entirely work, like the blown-out color palette of the dream-memory scenes. It honestly isn't always easy to look at or parse, but the fact that the show is at least attempting some stylistic change-ups is commendable.

Through a mix of admittedly manipulative sorcery, classic fantasy tropes, and a dash of good old-fashioned romanticism, we have in Will and Elfie a duo that can at least sustain the cheesy action-adventure spectacle that Wistoria trades in. Heck, even poor Colette blasting Elfaria's habit of doing jack-all in her room while Will suffers for it helps add texture to the characters' relationships. It makes the doomed childhood friend more likeable while also treating Elfie like more than just a prize waiting for Will at the top of a tower (which is ironic, considering what Colette is complaining about). The more Will, Elfie, and the others feel like at least passing approximations of real people, the better off the show will be overall.

The big action beats of Episode 10 aren't the best the series has offered, but the emotional stakes feel more immediate than usual, so it ends up balancing out. The “Mad Dissector” Harlon gives Will an immediate antagonist to deal with, which is great, and the episode's cliffhanger with Zeo stepping in to claim Will finally gives Elfaria the chance to leap into the fray herself and stand up for her man. Is it earth-shattering storytelling that elevates Wistoria as a work of art? Absolutely not, but it establishes enough foundation for the story to make for good escapist fantasy. That's all Wistoria has ever really aimed for, and I can't fault it too much for making strides towards achieving its goals.

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James is a writer with many thoughts and feelings about anime and other pop-culture, which can also be found on BlueSky, his blog, and his podcast.

Wistoria: Wand and Sword is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.