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Wistoria: Wand and Sword (杖と剣のウィストリア, Tsue to Tsurugi no Uisutoria) is a Japanese manga series written by Fujino Ōmori and illustrated by Toshi Aoi. It began serialization on Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine in December 2020, with its chapters collected in 10 tankōbon volumes as of June 2024. The series follows a boy with no talent for magic, working his way up in a magical institution with his swordsmanship skills only in order to reunite with his childhood friend. An anime television series adaptation produced by Actas and Bandai Namco Pictures premiered in July 2024.

Plot

Hundreds of years ago, invaders from the sky ravaged the land and almost destroyed the world. To repel the invaders, five mages joined together and cast a powerful barrier to ward the invaders away, atop a huge tower, the "Mercedes Caulis", becoming known as the first "Magia Vander". The Regarden Magical Academy is focused on training magicians, including those strong enough to become Magia Vander themselves and continue the legacy of maintaining the barrier that protects the kingdom.

Will Serfort is a student from Regarden who swore to become a magician strong enough to be accepted into the Mercedes Caulis and reunite with his childhood friend, Elfaria Albis Serfort, the youngest magician ever to become a Magia Vander. However, Will has no magic aptitude at all, having managed to progress on his studies so far with the perfect scores on written tests and the extra credits obtained from hunting monsters in the school's dungeon, but only a few people know his true power, as what he lacks in magic, he makes up with his swordsmanship, capable of defeating powerful monsters that even the strongest magicians have difficulties against. As Will keeps pushing toward his dream, he makes friends and enemies along the way while showing his true powers which shake the very foundations of the world.

Characters

Main Characters

Will Serfort (ウィル・セルフォルト, Wiru Seruforuto)
Voiced by: Kōhei Amasaki[2] (Japanese); Corey Wilder,[3] Amanda Gael (young)[3] (English)
The main protagonist, who suffers amnesia, is a sixth year student at the Regarden Magical Academy shunned by most students and faculty due to his lack of magical aptitude. To make up for his lack of magic, Will trains his body and swordsmanship in the dungeon, becoming capable of countering any opponent's attacks after witnessing them once. He later discovers that he has the power of Wis, which lets him infuse his sword with magic in order to strengthen his attacks. While he normally needs another person to cast the magic for infusing, he eventually learns to infuse it himself by drawing power from his memories and able to replicate any magic sword he wielded before, albeit with less proficiency.
Kiki (キキ)
Voiced by: Aoi Inase[4] (Japanese); Lynsey Hale[3] (English)
Kiki is Will's familiar and pet. Kiki is a carbuncle, capable of casting reflective magic to protect Will in emergencies.
Elfaria Albis Serfort (エルファリア・アルヴィス・セルフォルト, Erufaria Aruvisu Seruforuto)
Voiced by: Akira Sekine[2] (Japanese); Kelsey Cruz[3] (English)
Will's childhood friend, she is the youngest magician to become a Magia Vander, having mastered ice magic. She commands the ice faction in Mercedes Caulis but is known for slacking and relegating her duties to her subordinates, spending her days waiting for Will to fullfill their promise and reunite with her.

Regarden Magical Academy

Students

Colette Loire (コレット・ロワール, Koretto Rowāru)
Voiced by: Satomi Amano[4] (Japanese); Corey Pettit[3] (English)
Will's classmate and one of his few friends. She always worries about him risking himself in the dungeon and has feelings for him.
She is specialized in earth magic.
Sion Ulster (シオン・アルスター, Shion Arusutā)
Voiced by: Masaaki Mizunaka[4] (Japanese); Brandon Acosta[3] (English)
One of Will's classmates. He used to always bully and belittle him for his lack of magic skills. However, after being saved from a monster by Will and witnessing his true strength, he developed a one-sided rivalry with him and later agrees to team up with him for the sake of graduating from the academy. After graduating, he joins the Fire Faction.
He specializes in fire magic and his skills are noted to have only grown since starting his rivalry with Will.
Julius Reinberg (ユリウス・レインバーグ, Yuriusu Reinbāgu)
Voiced by: Tetsuya Kakihara[5]
One of the three top students in Will's class. Being a noble, he initially had a very arrogant demeanor, humiliating those of weaker power and position. After being defeated by Will in a public tournament, however, he mellowed out and even agreed to team up with him for the sake of graduating from the academy. After graduating, he joined the Ice Faction but is later killed by a mysterious serial killer.
He specialized in ice magic, being the only person capable of replicating Elfaria's original spells.
Wignall Lindor (イグノール・リンドール, Igunōru Rindōru)
Voiced by: Kengo Kawanishi[5]
One of the three top students in Will's class. He is elf who is shunned by his peers since, by their standards, his magic is fairly weak. Initially presented as haughty, this is later revealed to be an act to hide his self-esteem issues. However, with Will's help, he overcomes his inferiority complex and comes to respect the latter. He is also a childhood friend of Ellenor, one of the Magia Vander, mirroring Will's relationship with Elfaria. After graduating from the academy, he joins the all-elf Fantasy Faction.
He specializes in wind and illusion magic and later becomes capable of using his race's unique fantasy magic, which can turn illusions into reality.
Lihanna Owenzaus (リアーナ・オーウェンザウス, Riāna Ōuenzausu)
Voiced by: Lynn[5]
One of the three top students in Will's class who aims to become a Magia Vander to save her noble family from ruin. She forms an alliance with Will, Sion, Julius, and Wignall for the sake of graduating from the academy. After graduating, she joins the Lightning Faction.
She specializes in lightning magic, which she uses to enhance her physical abilities, being a unique mage who specializes in close combat known as a "magic knight".
Iris X. Stellamaris (アイリス・X・ステラマリス, Airisu X Sutera Marisu)
Voiced by: Rumi Okubo[6]
One of the students in Regarden. She is actually a watcher, scouts who recruit new members for the Magia Venden's factions, and a member of the Ice Faction sent by Elfaria to watch over Will.
Rosti Nauman (ロスティ・ナウマン, Rosutii Nauman)
Voiced by: Unknown
A student at Regarden and Will's roommate, heavily implied to have been a gender-bend clone of Elfaria that she remote-controlled from a distance. He was "killed" in a terrorist attack during Christmas.
He was a talented magic artificer, making magical items for Will to use.
Gordon Baret (ゴードン・バレー, Gōdon Barē)
Voiced by: Kazuki Ura[6] (Japanese); Michael Stimac[3] (English)
Lyril Marze (リリール・マース, Rirīru Māsu)
Voiced by: Tomohiro Ōno[6] (Japanese); Tristan Bonner[3] (English)
Lunais Alerht (ルナイス・アレート, Runaisu Arēto)
Voiced by: Shinya Takahashi[6]
Jhorua Moraine (ジョルア・モレーン, Jorua Morēn)
Voiced by: Atsushi Tamaru[6]

Faculty

Workner Norgram (ワークナー・ノーグラム, Wākunā Nōguramu)
Voiced by: Tomokazu Seki[7] (Japanese); Jim Foronda[3] (English)
Workner is Will's teacher who believes in his potential and oversees his progress in the dungeon. His death helps Will gain courage and use Wis
Edward Serfence (エドワルド・セルフェンス, Edowarudo Serufensu)
Voiced by: Kōji Yusa[7] (Japanese); Phil Parsons[3] (English)
Edward is a teacher specialized in dark magic who believes that Will does not belong in the academy. He once tried for the position of Magia Vander and almost achieved it, which is the reason he wants Will banished from the academy so he does not suffer with his failure like him.
Caldron Anouve (コルドロン・アヌーブ, Korudoron Anūbu)
Voiced by: Reiko Suzuki[6]
The headmaster of Regarden Magic Academy. She is 64 years old but uses magic to look much younger than she is. She helps Will train and learn Wis in order to impress and join a faction.

Magia Vander

Aaron Masterias Oldking (アロン・マステリアス・オールドキング, Aron Masuteriasu Ōrudokingu)
Voiced by: Hōchū Ōtsuka[6]
The leader of the Magia Vander as well as its oldest and strongest member who specializes in light magic. He often goes on long expeditions, leaving Cariott in charge in his absence.
Cariott Incindia Wiseman (キャリオット・インスティア・ワイズマン, Kyrariott Insutia Waizuman)
Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama[6]
One of the Magia Vander who specializes in fire magic and leads the Fire Faction. He is often left in charge of the Magia Vander by Aaron whenever the latter goes on one of his expeditions.
Ellenor Ljos Alf (エルノール・リヨス・アールヴ, Erunōru Riyosu Āruvu)
Voiced by: Sora Amamiya[6]
An elf and one of the Magia Vander who specializes in her race's unique fantasy magic, which turns illusions into reality, and leads the all-elf Fantasy Faction. She is also a childhood friend of Wignall until they were separated after her talent for magic was discovered, mirroring Elfaria's relationship with Will.
Logwell (ログウェル)
Voiced by: Akio Ōtsuka[6]
Aaron's assistant.
Zeo Thorzeus Reinbolt (ゼオ・トルゼウス・ラインボルト, Zeo Toruzeusu Rainboruto)
Voiced by: Makoto Furukawa[8]
One of the Magia Vander who specialized in lightning magic and leads the Lightning Faction. In the past, he met Will and encouraged him to get stronger, sensing his protentional. Following Will's graduation from the academy, he recruits him into his faction after beating Elfaria a game in of rock-paper-scissor for him.

Media

Manga

Written by Fujino Ōmori and illustrated by Toshi Aoi, Wistoria: Wand and Sword began serialization in Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine on December 9, 2020.[9] The series ended its first part on May 8, 2023.[10] Its chapters have been collected in 10 tankōbon volumes as of June 2024.[11]

During their panel at Anime NYC, Kodansha USA announced that they licensed the manga for English publication, with the first volume releasing in Q4 2022.[12]

Volumes

No. Original release date Original ISBN North American release date North American ISBN
1 April 9, 2021[13]978-4-06-522519-6November 29, 2022[14]978-1-64-651560-8
  • 1. Let Me Be Your Sword
  • 2. Undaunted
  • 3. The Order & The Watcher, Part 1
  • 4. The Order & The Watcher, Part 2
Will Serfort is a boy who is in his last year in Regarden Magical Academy despite having no talent for magic at all, having managed to progress on his studies so far with the perfect scores on written tests and the extra credits obtained from hunting monsters in the school's dungeon. When Edward Serfence, one of the teachers discover that he makes up for his lack of magic with his swordsmanship and his outstanding physical abilities, he forces Will to participate in a test where he shall be expelled from the academy should he fails to land a hit on him. Despite all odds against him, Will succeeds. In the occasion, it is revealed that Will's objective is to reunite with his childhood friend, Elfaria Albis Serfort who is one of the Magia Vander, the top magicians in the world, and lives atop Mercedes Caulus, the magic tower that overlooks the academy, but to do so, he must graduate. He later is approached by another student called Iris X. Stellamaris, unaware that she is a graduated magician sent by Elfaria to watch over him.
2 August 6, 2021[15]978-4-06-524474-6February 7, 2023[16]978-1-64-651624-7
  • 5. Festival Eve
  • 6. On Your Marks...
  • 7. Fury's Flame
  • 8. Between Pride and Passion
3 December 9, 2021[17]978-4-06-526275-7March 28, 2023[18]978-1-64-651742-8
  • 9. El Glace Frosse
  • 10. Festival Finale
  • 11. Shall We Date?
  • 12. Dungeon Dive!
4 April 8, 2022[19]978-4-06-527520-7May 23, 2023[20]978-1-64-651743-5
  • 13. Let the Praxis Begin
  • 14. A Flood of Nightmares
  • 15. Our Dream
  • 16. Defying the Darkness
5 September 9, 2022[21]978-4-06-529143-6July 18, 2023[22]978-1-64-651744-2
  • 17. Rise Above Despair[a]
  • 18. The True Shape of Cowardice
  • 19. Wand and Sword
  • 20. Final Exams
6 January 6, 2023[23]978-4-06-530335-1October 3, 2023[24]978-1-64-651918-7
  • 21. The Terminalia
  • 22. The Party from Hell Begins
  • 23. Ballet of Sorrow
  • 24. Farewell
7 June 8, 2023[25]978-4-06-531874-4March 12, 2024[26]978-1-64-651919-4
  • 25. In a Sea of Scattered Shards
  • 26. A Single Spell
  • 27. An Aria from the World
  • 28. The Story Begins
8 October 6, 2023[27]978-4-06-533145-3August 13, 2024[28]979-8-88-877108-2
  • 29. Day of Departure
  • 30. A Colorless Beginning
  • 31. The First Bloom
  • 32. Only Forward
9 February 8, 2024[29]978-4-06-534548-1——
  • 33. The Limits of Kindness
  • 34. The Witch's Teachings
  • 35. The Page Turns
  • 36. Memories Blossom, Memories Thunder
10 June 7, 2024[11]978-4-06-535800-9——
  • 37. A Clash of Ice and Thunder
  • 38. Ice and Thunder Erupt
  • 39. Battle for the Sword
  • 40. Spy, Boys & Girls

Chapters not yet in tankōbon format

These chapters have yet to be published in a tankōbon volume.

  • 41. "From Knight to Thunderbolt"
  • 42. "For Whom the Bird Flies"

Anime

An anime television series adaptation was announced in February 2024. The series is produced by Actas and Bandai Namco Pictures and directed and written by Tatsuya Yoshihara, with Sayaka Ono designing the characters and Yuki Hayashi composing the music.[2] It premiered on July 7, 2024, on TBS and its affiliates. The opening theme song is "Fire and Fear" performed by Penguin Research, while the ending theme song is "Frozen" performed by True.[6] Crunchyroll licensed the series.[30] Muse Communication licensed the series in Southeast Asia.[31]

Episodes

No.Title [32][33]Directed by [b]Written by [b]Storyboarded by [b]Original air date [34]
1"Like a Lone Sword"
Transliteration: "Ichi Furi no Tsurugi no Yōni" (Japanese: 一振りの剣（つるぎ）のように)		Tatsuya Yoshihara
Masakazu Yoshimoto		Tatsuya YoshiharaTatsuya YoshiharaJuly 7, 2024 (2024-07-07)
At Rigarden Magical Academy, Will Serfort, an honors student in his sixth and final year who is very knowledgeable in magic despite being unable to use magic himself, is called out by Professor Edward Serfence to use magic and after failing to do so, Edward emphasizes that magic is absolute supremacy. After class, Will is approached by Sion Ulster, an arrogant classmate hailing from a prestigious noble family, and bullies him to remind him that he will never become a Magia Vander, a title for the most powerful wizards, before Will's friend Colette Loire comes to his defense. Will recalls his promise he made to his childhood friend, who became the youngest Magia Vander in history, that serves as his reason for attending magic school. Will sees his advisor, Professor Workner Norgam, after another dungeon raid and Workner tries to convince him to give up since graduating without any spellwork credits is practically impossible. Needing four credits in two days to avoid flunking out, he sets out to the sixth floor of the dungeon to fight a Baskerville. Sion overhears their conversation and heads to the sixth floor himself to defeat the Baskerville before Will has a chance to ensure his expulsion, but encounters a Sentinel, a ten-credit monster normally found in deeper floors. Sion is powerless against the Sentinel, but Will arrives and uses his master swordsmanship to easily defeat the monster to earn ten credits and meet the quota required to stay in school.
2"Undauntedly"
Transliteration: "Fukutsu no Gotoku" (Japanese: 不屈のごとく)		Takahiko UsuiTatsuya YoshiharaTakahiko Usui
Isuta		July 14, 2024 (2024-07-14)
Five years ago, Will started school not long after his childhood friend Elfaria Albis Serfort became a Magia Vander, and despite his inability to use magic, impressed the headmaster Caldron Anouve with his swordsmanship, who envisions his sword being a wand. Back in the present, Workner explains in a class lecture what ascending the tower means as the next step to becoming a Magia Vander is to advance to the Upper Institute, either by inventing a new magic or earning a large number of credits with the latter being the conventional route but the former being Will's only realistic route. After class, Will runs into Sion, who takes out his anger at Will for defeating the Sentinel. Meanwhile, Edward demands Caldron to expel Will for failing spellwork despite acing all other subjects. Caldron agrees to do so if he fails a special test administered by Edward. While studying in the library with Colette, Edward summons Will to the magic hall for the test where Will's objective is to land a hit on Edward. Without his sword, Will struggles, but after Colette delivers Will his sword that he had put in his locker earlier, he slices through Edward's magic and attacks from his blind spot from above to graze is face and pass the test.
3"Order & Watcher"Ayataka TanemuraTatsuya YoshiharaAyataka TanemuraJuly 21, 2024 (2024-07-21)
Will reveals that his goggles he wears when fighting are a parting gift from Elfaria after she graduated from the academy. Back in the present, Will finishes his morning job to deliver newspapers that reveal that Elfaria invented a new magic, and subsequently passes down an order to the academy to collect Frost Walker cores. Will asks his roommate Rosti Nauman to craft a magical item for this order. Afterwards, Will goes to the fourth floor of the dungeon where he saves the student Iris Churchill, who claims to be once saved by Elfaria. Will and Iris go looking for a Frost Rex on the fourth floor, and encounter an unusually strong one called the Frost Rex. With Will's swordsmanship and knowledge about the Frost Rex, he ties up the monster and uses explosives Rosti made to defeat it. Iris is revealed to be the watcher Iris X. Stellamaris who was sent by Elfaria to pose as a student and keep watch on Will. Iris reports to the Magia Vander and puts in a recommendation for Will to take a tower position with the Fated Day just around the corner, but the Magia Vanders object. With the Grand Festival coming, they decide to hold off on deciding on tower positions until after the festival.

Reception

The series was nominated for the seventh Next Manga Awards in 2021 in the print category.[35]

Notes

  1. ^ For the serialization on the magazine, this episode was published as the 17th and 18th episodes, titled Parts 1 and 2
  2. ^ a b c Production staff information is taken from the ending credits of each episode

References

  1. ^ a b Wistoria: Wand and Sword. Kodansha USA. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Mateo, Alex (February 7, 2024). "Wistoria: Wand and Sword Manga Gets TV Anime in July". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Dempsey, Liam (July 19, 2024). "Wistoria: Wand and Sword English Dub Reveals Cast & Crew, Release Date". Crunchyroll. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Hodgkins, Crystalyn (February 23, 2024). "Wistoria: Wand and Sword TV Anime Reveals 3 More Cast Members". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 24, 2024). "Wistoria: Wand and Sword TV Anime Reveals 3 More Cast, New Visual". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Mateo, Alex (June 6, 2024). "Wistoria: Wand and Sword Anime's Promo Video Unveils Theme Songs, Additional Cast, July 7 Premiere (Updated)". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Hodgkins, Crystalyn (May 17, 2024). "Wistoria: Wand and Sword Anime Reveals Character Promo Video, More Cast". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  8. ^ https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2024/6/6/wistoria-wand-and-sword-release-date
  9. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (October 14, 2020). "DanMachi's Fujino Ōmori Launches New Dungeon Fantasy Manga on December 9". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  10. ^ Cayanan, Joanna (May 8, 2023). "Wistoria: Wand & Sword Manga Ends 1st Part, Gets Epilogue". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  11. ^ a b 杖と剣のウィストリア（１０） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  12. ^ Hazra, Adriana (November 21, 2021). "Kodansha Comics Announces 14 Manga Titles for Next Fall". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  13. ^ 杖と剣のウィストリア（１） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  14. ^ "Wistoria: Wand and Sword, Volume 1". Kodansha USA. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  15. ^ 杖と剣のウィストリア（２） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  16. ^ "Wistoria: Wand and Sword, Volume 2". Kodansha USA. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  17. ^ 杖と剣のウィストリア（３） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  18. ^ "Wistoria: Wand and Sword, Volume 3". Kodansha USA. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  19. ^ 杖と剣のウィストリア（４） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  20. ^ "Wistoria: Wand and Sword, Volume 4". Kodansha USA. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  21. ^ 杖と剣のウィストリア（５） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  22. ^ "Wistoria: Wand and Sword, Volume 5". Kodansha USA. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  23. ^ 杖と剣のウィストリア（６） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  24. ^ "Wistoria: Wand and Sword, Volume 6". Kodansha USA. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  25. ^ 杖と剣のウィストリア（７） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  26. ^ "Wistoria: Wand and Sword, Volume 7". Kodansha USA. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  27. ^ 杖と剣のウィストリア（８） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  28. ^ "Wistoria: Wand and Sword, Volume 8". Kodansha USA. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  29. ^ 杖と剣のウィストリア（９） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  30. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 16, 2024). "Crunchyroll to Stream Sound! Euphonium 3, Date A Live V, Unnamed Memory Anime, More". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  31. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (April 29, 2024). "Muse Asia Licenses Wistoria: Wand and Sword TV Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  32. ^ "Episodes｜Terebi Anime『Tsue to Tsurugi no Wisutoria』Koshiki Saito" EPISODES｜TVアニメ『杖と剣のウィストリア』公式サイト [Episodes｜TV Anime "Wistoria: Wand and Sword" Official Site]. wistoria-anime.com (in Japanese). Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  33. ^ "Watch Wistoria: Wand and Sword - Crunchyroll". Crunchyroll. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  34. ^ "On'ea｜Terebi Anime『Tsue to Tsurugi no Wisutoria』Koshiki Saito" ON AIR｜TVアニメ『杖と剣のウィストリア』公式サイト [On Air｜TV Anime "Wistoria: Wand and Sword" Official Site]. wistoria-anime.com (in Japanese). Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  35. ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (June 21, 2021). "Voting Opens for Next Manga Awards 2021". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 25, 2024.

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