The debut ofPromise of Wizardfeels like the type of old-school anime that once explored the concept of protagonists getting transported to other worlds beforeisekaibecame an official genre and took the industry by storm. Some might even say thatPromise of Wizardsgives offTwelve Kingdomvibes, minus the foreboding atmosphere that permeated the latter classic’s first episode.
Part of this distinctive overall feel separatingPromise of Wizardfrom modern isekai undoubtedly comes from how protagonist Akira Masaki is transported to the world of magic. There’s actually a physical conduit that takes her away, and it’s rather appropriately an elevator. More importantly, Akira isn’t killed by “truck-san,” a god doesn’t get involved and give her a “cheat” skill, and she doesn’t just suddenly find herself in a new place with no logical explanation, as is all commonplace in modern isekai.
Promise of Wizard Is a Great Fantasy Anime With Nostalgic Pre-Isekai Vibes
Based on the Online Simulation Video Game by Coly; Produced by Liden Films
Although vastly different in tone, some viewers might getTwelve Kingdomvibes because a wizard suddenly materializes next to Akira on the elevator and says some otherworldly things, such as referring to her as “Sage” before mysteriously vanishing. This is reminiscent ofTwelve Kingdoms' Keiki, a mysterious, oddly clad man who swears fealty to the protagonist Yoko before whisking her away.
There are also allusions to supernatural phenomena in both opening episodes. InThe Twelve Kingdoms, Yoko is plagued by nightmares. Although not ominous or as frequent, Akira does make one foretelling discovery that the current night just so happens to share many of the same distinctions as those her grandmother always said would result in “strange things"happening. It’s also noteworthy thatPromise of Wizard’s Akira almost immediately finds herself in the middle of a situation in the new world that could very easily escalate to full-blown violence and her eventual capture, all of which do happen to Yoko.
However,Promise of Wizards' Akira isn’t plagued by terrifying nightmares and doesn’t witness a fight among terrifying beasts, nor is there any indication that, like Yoko, she’s bullied by her peers or shamed by authority figures at home. In fact,Promise of Wizard’s time spent in the regular world is quite short. But the foreshadowing words of her grandmother, the disappearing wizard, and the conflict she finds herself in all contribute to the series' overall tone that’s reminiscent ofThe Twelve Kingdom’s distinctive feel.
Promise of Wizard Shies Away From Modern Isekai’s Most Conventional Tropes
Although the elevator is definitely an old-school feature in earlier anime, this isn’t to say that modern isekai haven’t incorporated such elements before. A more recent example includesI Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in the Real World, Too. Yuya goes back and forth between his new world through his grandfather’s cottage. The difference, however, is that the first episode quickly starts to explore some of the more common tropes in isekai like leveling up in an RPG-based world.
As ofPromise of Wizardepisode #1,there are no signs that Akira’s new world has any elements of a real-life RPG, though, that could easily change. A less prominent example isMy Instant Death Ability is Overpoweredthrough the use of a bus, butthat quickly devolved into a death game. Of course, viewers who are familiar with the original game, upon which this anime is based, know the truth.
Although not a carbon copy ofThe Twelve Kingdoms,Promise of Wizardcurrently feels akin to old-school anime like it, and for those who are tired of theusualisekaitropes, hopefully, it will stay that way.
