Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 9 Review

Wistoria: Wand and Sword brought back the action this week with episode 9, making it an immediate upgrade over last week’s episode for numerous reasons. Will is back where he excels—the dungeon—and it looks like he’s going to have to lead the way in getting everyone back together while proving others wrong (again). Is there some repetitiveness in the writing? Yes, but episode 9 of Wistoria had much to be praised for rather than criticized, especially when it came to character spotlights.

Wistoria’s Possible Main Antagonist

One thing I’ve criticized Wistoria for in the past was a lack of an antagonist. Up until this point, there hasn’t been anyone to test the limits of Will, or everyone else for that matter. We’ve had Shion and Julius but they are more just side characters with anger issues. And despite these two mysterious characters briefly being in episode 8, we got to see them again this week, albeit just barely more screen time.

Now, with even the professors of the academy on the alert, it’s no more second guessing that we have very capable antagonists on our hands, ones that have no regard for taking the extreme route for those that come across them. This is something Wistoria desperately needed due to some repetitiveness in the writing up until this point.

First, Shion was sought out to be Will’s big bully. Then it was Julius. Now, it’s Wignall. While he’s not really a bully and just riding the elf society high horse, it’s still another character that makes me roll my eyes since he’s also calling Will a laggard and a burden (also yelling at him). His backstory was definitely intriguing considering he’s the “laggard” amongst the elves, and it was a twist since he carried himself as if he was an elf prodigy.

I was originally on Wignall’s side when he welcomed Will into the party and told Shion and Julius to keep their mouths shut. But now it’s obvious he’s just another strong character will has to prove wrong. It’s also why I enjoy Colette’s character, seeing as she’s from a prestigious family and harbors no ill will. So I hope Wignall comes around to Will considering he knows what it’s like to be in his position, maybe developing a friendly rivalry.

Luckily, the antagonists of the series are something to look forward to. Their identities are unknown as are their abilities. All that we know is they hold nothing back in the way they take others out. Even more so, the barrier seems to be falling apart while the Light Sovereign has still yet to be properly introduced. There’s a lot more room for growth with Wistoria and that’s what I love about where the series stands.

Lihanna

Lihanna finally brings to the table another capable support character. While she hasn’t outright taken the route Shion, Julius, and Wignall have, some could argue that her inviting Will to join them in the dungeon was just to use him rather than simply work with him, which Will even pointed out himself as being a pack mule.

That being said, Lihanna presents an interesting character outside of just her design and demeanor. Someone, like Colette, who comes from a prestigious family possessing strong magical abilities must have a compelling backstory, especially, as I’ve said before, when there seems to be something there with Colette that’s teased in the opening.

Lihanna stated she made the current party because she believed everyone in it was necessary to take down the Naberus, meaning she recognized Will’s talents. Yet, Colette is the only one who inserted herself into the party and Lihanna didn’t say anything or even objectify at all. So there has to be a reason why.

The Divide Between Will and Others

Episode 9 of Wistoria: Wand and Sword also did a great job of showcasing what Will has to go through in the dungeon compared to others. Mages can simply absorb magic traces from monsters they defeat with their wands so the academy can rightfully distribute points to them. Meanwhile, Will has to physically carry parts of the monsters he defeats, proving to be a much more daunting task.

We saw this is how Will receives points at the beginning of the season, but this episode showed for the first time just how far the divide is in terms of difficulty. The only thing I want to know is when is Will going to finally stop living a lie.

We saw in his fight with Shion how angry he actually is from all of the verbal abuse he takes. And in this episode, he had a moment where he says to himself that he’ll try and make himself useful for them. I want to see Will at a point where he’s done taking crap from others and just becomes this confident, dominant force among the students so this downpour of insults comes to a halt.

Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 9 Wrap-Up

I love a protagonist who proves others wrong, but when it’s constantly people in their circle throughout the story giving the MC a hard time, it gets to a point where you want Will to snap at everyone and say enough is enough. Wistoria has much more in store and I’m walking in with cash hand ready to buy what could possibly hit the shelves.

Episode 9 rating: 8/10

If you enjoyed Wistoria: Wand and Sword episode 9 then vote for the episode in our weekly poll! Episode 10 will be released on Sunday, September 15, on Crunchyroll.

Screenshots via Crunchyroll
©Fujino Omori, Toshi Aoi, Kodansha/Wistoria: Wand and Sword Production Committee