In the light novel, that’s chapters 1, 2, 4, 9, and 3 respectively, with 3 being a short after the bonus short story. For this first volume five stories that were in the light novel are adapted here: the first one where she meets the novice Saya when she travels to a flower field with a girl whose fate has been set in stone when she ventures to a country where the prices for travelers are insane her days back as an apprentice witch and a short story where she meets the muscleman. Now first off, this doesn’t mean the rest of the ones won’t get adapted. That’s mainly because the manga adapts the ones I ultimately liked. While there were certainly complaints with some stories in the light novel version, I have to keep my mouth shut this time. With no real grand goal aside from traveling, we follow Elaina as she stops by countries and towns and learns how they operate. The manga version of Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina is basically the light novel version. With her broom, robe, and brooch in tow, she sets off on an adventure and travels around the world just as Nique did! This inspired Elaina to become a witch herself, and some years later, she did. Justin: Elaina began reading the Adventures of Nique series, where a witch traveled around the world and wrote about her illustrious tales. Naturally, I want more of this story, whether it be this manga adaptation, the light novels, or the upcoming anime adaptation, so I can find out a bit more about this wandering witch. I’m curious how Elaina comes off in the light novels where there’s only text here she feels like a confident, and bit spoiled, young woman but I feel like there might be deeper emotions and insecurities that we haven’t dived into yet. Itsuki Nanno’s art is quite pretty, and more detailed than it appears at first glance, but it was these character moments that grabbed my eye more than any moments of flashy magic. In short, the first chapter just feels very different from the other chapters so far I’m curious if the original light novels also started with this story or if the manga did some re-arranging (as is sometimes the case with these adaptations).Īt the same time, even if Elaina’s relationship with Saya seems to have progressed too quickly for me to completely buy into it, that chapter and the flashback with Elaina’s teacher were easily the best chapters in this volume.
None of Elaina’s stays are very long, including this one, and it just felt tough to believe the story when it said that this stop is one that will leave behind a strong memory. Not just because we don’t come across any other witches in this volume (aside from Elaina’s teacher in flashbacks) but also because Elaina forms a “deep” bond with a fellow magic user, Saya, in this first chapter that just doesn’t feel earned. I do think it was an odd move for the story to begin with Elaina visiting a country of just magic users. Even if the story is episodic I do need some motivation for her to travel, even if it’s as simple as a desire to see the world.
She doesn’t appear to be on a quest, and while it seems like she does want to see her teacher again, I think she knows exactly where her old teacher is (i.e, she isn’t searching for her), and it doesn’t seem like witches are required to travel or anything like that. We do spend time learning how Elaina became a witch and to an extent why she wanted to become a witch (and how magic works in this fantasy world), but anything beyond that seems to be an unintentional mystery and that left me feeling disconnected from her. This is perfectly fine, but I also wish it had started off with a little more grounding. The Journey of Elaina starts off episodic, perhaps like a magical Kino’s Journey, and it seems like it’s going to remain episodic for at least the near future. A loner by result, but perhaps not by nature, Elaina is using her magic to travel the world, see new sites, and maybe sometimes help make some small parts of it a better place. She’s talented but still young and, given how selective the witch exams are, she’s extraordinary young to be a full-fledged witch. Helen: Elaina is a witch - she wasn’t born as one but she had to train hard to become one, just like everyone else.
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