Verdict: I’m willing to take a risk and call Wistoria one of my favorite fantasy anime of all time. I wholeheartedly recommend anybody considering it to give it a watch.

Historically, I don’t typically go for reviews that list specific parts of a show and rate them individually, because they often must work in tandem. But since I had such a great time watching Wistoria, it’s hard to really parse those feelings without isolating those parts, so this might seem a bit stiff in terms of its structure.

I watched Wistoria fresh off the heels of watching MASHLE, both of whom have a roughly similar plot skeleton: the main character can’t use magic in a world where magic culture is dominant and is ostracized for their efforts to pursue regardless. However, the tone very violently differs throughout the story. This is not an indictment of MASHLE as I quite liked it, but you always knew Mash was going to pull through with some nonsense. It was funny, but it kind of made light of the heinous treatment he underwent.

Meanwhile, Wistoria took a more grounded approach, both in terms of the way magic is used as a tool of oppression as well as specifically Will’s struggle. From minute one, it’s obvious that the world is against him and everything he has he must fight tooth and nail to get. In the first episode alone, you’re told that his professor hates him and that one of his only friends tags along with him to magically unlock his locker since he can’t do it himself. Wistoria also does a good job relating Will’s conflict with society to how the magic-less dwarves had to stage a rebellion in order to earn a place among the magically talented elves. His suffering is very real, very upsetting, and it makes him an exceptionally likable protagonist.

Alongside him for the ride is a group of equally compelling side characters, almost all of which I like. It is very easy to tell what type of magic they use by looking at them. Colette is a delightful sidekick to Will and at no point does she give the impression that she pities Will, though they don’t really tell you why they’re close in the first place. Sion makes an impact early, tells you exactly what type of character he’s going to be, and then never strays from the path. It’s cliché at times, but he plays the part well. Each one of the school’s “big three” (Lihanna, Julius and Wignall) are compelling, even if they don’t necessarily have the time to get fully fleshed out in the constraints of the second half of a 12-episode season. Even the characters who will likely prove important in future seasons are captivating and I’m excited to see how they play into the story.

Of course, the entire season is beautifully animated. As someone who takes a lot of screenshots to share with my friend, I found it difficult at times to get good ones because the show is just so good in motion. The soundtrack was also awesome and was always able to deliver on the epic climaxes. I do want to give a special shoutout to Colette’s voice actress, Satomi Amano. I hadn’t heard of her coming into this and she was spectacular throughout. Her work in emotional back-and-forths were exceptional and it was genuinely a highlight of the experience whenever she got to talk.

There isn’t a single thing I think I would change in the show (maybe the teeth look a touch weird at times). The story is grounded and interesting, the characters are exciting, and it’s so beautiful to watch. I couldn’t imagine a person who wouldn’t like it, and you can quote me on that. I think it has a lot to offer beyond just the first season, and I cannot wait to see where it goes.