Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 01 – Favorites

Quick Summary • Best Moment • Setup • Delivery • Other Posts

Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 01 – Quick Summary

In Wistoria: Want and Sword episode 1, “Like a Lone Sword,” Will Serfort was a kind, decent human being. Unfortunately, he found himself in a magical academy, and he had zero magical aptitude. The other students, like the arrogant Sion Ulster give Will nothing but grief. Even some of the professors like Edward Serfence to make Will’s life difficult. So why does he stay? Why does Colette Loire stand up for him? And does Will have any hope of passing the upcoming exam, when so much of it depends on magical abilities?

Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.

Favorite Quote from Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 01

Colette wasn’t having any of his nonsense! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

I really like strong female characters. I also like characters who speak their mind. So you can probably guess I like Colette. You’d be right.

This episode really played up Sion’s arrogance and cruelty toward Will. At first (more on that in a minute), I wondered why Will just took the idiot’s abuse. I mean, Will was quietly taking notes, not bothering anyone, when Professor Serfence hassled him. Sion piled on during and then after class. Why didn’t Will at least seethe in silence?

Sion made the mistake of bullying Will after class – in Colette’s earshot. She stamped over to Sion and – quite literally – put her foot down.

“Will is far kinder than you and works harder than anyone!” she said, getting right in Sion’s face (04:33). “I won’t have you insulting my friend!”

Sion’s made out to be one of the most powerful mages in their class, so Colette just storming up to him and putting him in his place was very satisfying!

Favorite Moment from Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 01

A smile and a kind word can change the world. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

So Many Titles to Choose From

This is a tough time of the year. There are several series I’d love to review, but I don’t have the kind of time I need. That applies not only to the time I have to dedicate to actually watching the episode, but the time to rewrite my reviews, too. Lately, I find I almost have to choose a series that airs on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. So I was glad to see that Wistoria: Wand and Sword airs at 5:30AM my time on Sunday. Yeah, it’s early, but it gives me some flexibility if I want to try to watch it before my novel writing session from 10:00AM to noon on Sunday.

But, it’s an unknown, you know? I had no idea if I would enjoy it, or it would have enough material for me to pick a favorite quote or scene in every episode. Earlier that day, I had watched NieR:Automata Ver1.1a (Cour 2), but it was too damned sad. I loved it, and I’ll watch it. But I got too much going on to write about something that heavy. The stakes were high for Wistoria!

A little detail like goggles can make or break a show. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

Then I watched the first episode.

Do you know the first sign that I thought I was in good hands? When I saw Will wearing goggles. Dude wasn’t fighting in a dungeon with spectacles. That’s a little detail I appreciate. The style and presentation caught and held my interest. It’s a beautifully drawn show.

Setup: Will’s Battle Was Great

Interesting lore? Check. Mysterious childhood friend who’s a siren for Will? Check. It struck me, watching this first episode, just how powerful tropes can be. The magical academy trope set up my expectations perfectly, and the tiny details like how Professor Workner Norgram interacted with Will gave that trope a little interesting twist.

Then we got to the last battle – the battle where Will ripped the daylights out of a 10 credit monster (to put that into perspective: a two credit monster should have been a challenge for Will or even someone with Sion’s magical capabilities). He didn’t just defeat the monster. He annihilated it. It wasn’t even my favorite moment (but it was close), but Will’s familiar Kiki wears a gem on her feline head. That gem projected the battle back to Norgram’s officer, where Serfence had come to consult with him. I loved seeing Norgram provide a running commentary as Will reset Serfence’s idea of what a human could accomplish.

I’m looking forward to seeing this guy get taken down a peg. Or six. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

I can see that I am going to enjoy seeing Serfence get his comeuppance. 

That was the moment that cemented my decision. It didn’t hurt that the animators looked like they were having an absolute blast bringing that scene to life. I say “cemented” because my favorite moment, which had come just a little before, had me pretty much convinced.

Will had gone into the dungeon looking for a 2-credit monster. He needed the credit, or he’d fail. He and Kiki went hunting. Turns out that Sion had overheard Will talking to Norgram, who had given Will the idea. Sion decided he’d go into the dungeon with his buddies, kill the monster, and force Will to fail – all for the sake of discrediting the magic-less boy.

Delivery: But Will’s Moment of Decision was More Powerful

Then the 10-credit Evil Sentinel showed up and slaughtered Sion’s two friends. No matter how many fireballs Sion fired at the thing, it just kept advancing.

Will and Kiki heard the screams of Sion’s dying friends. By the time they arrived on the scene, only Scion was still alive. Will gathered himself to save the arrogant boy – and paused.

“Do I actually have any obligation to save him?” he asked himself (15:43). That moment of indecision, where the hero has to make a conscious decision to act or not to act – I adore those moments. It gives me something to root for; or it gives me something to look on in disdain. Will seemed like he actually might walk away. I was already making excuses for him. After all, Sion’s death would make things easier for Will.

Then Will remembered why he was in the academy in the first place. It wasn’t for glory, and it wasn’t to impress his school mates. It wasn’t even to prove his bravery. Will just wanted to stand beside  his childhood friend Elfaria Albis Serfort. Her magical skill earned her the right and the responsibility to ascend the tower. Will wanted to stand beside her.

It’s not just how she looks. It’s who she is that made her opinion of him so important. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

He remembered her telling him (16:24), “I know, you know? Will, you’re kind, and braver than anyone.”

He didn’t see it as his bravery that drove him. He didn’t see it as his kindness. Will just wanted to stand beside her without shame. So he obliterated the Evil Sentinel and saved the idiot. That’s the kind of main character I can understand. It’s the kind of main character I can root for. And it’s a major reason I chose this series to review for the summer 2024 season.

What did you think of the show’s lore? What were your favorite moments? Feel free to share in the comments!

Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 01: Other Posts

Other Anime Sites

• Reddit: Tsue to Tsurugi no Wistoria • Wistoria: Wand and Sword – Episode 1 discussion
• Anime Feminist: Wistoria: Wand and Sword – Episode 1
• Beneath the Tangles: First Impression: Wistoria: Wand and Sword
• Otaku Sinh – How to Anime: The START of a CLASSIC ANIME?!

This Site (Crow’s World of Anime!)

• Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 01 – Like a Lone Sword
• Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 02 – As Though Undaunted
• Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 03 – Order & Watcher
• Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 04: The Eve of the Grand Festival
• Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 05: Raise the Starting Pistol
• Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 06: Between Pride and Passion
• Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 07: Twelve Secret Ice Magics, El Glace Frosse
• Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 08: Shall We Date?
• Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 09: Praxis Begins
• Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 10: Our Dream
• Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 11: The True Name of Cowards
• Wistoria: Want and Sword Episode 12: Wand and Sword