When people get nailed by truck-kun, it’s not the end of their suffering. Usually, they get saddled with baggage like quests to do, worlds to save, and dark lords to slay. Not Ryo from The Water Magician. When Ryo dies, he requests a slow life. Let’s see if being reincarnated is everything Ryo hoped it could be.
Living as a Water Magician
Ryo is given a few favors by his overseeing angel, along with a slow fantasy life. A home away from civilization and a month’s worth of food. A beginner’s guide to monsters. Plus water magic. There’s no cheating here. Ryo has to learn to use magic the hard way, and is only told that it takes imagination to work. He does get one extra advantage for his slow, more casual life, and that’s eternal youth. Ryo is reincarnated as a young man, and doesn’t age a day afterward. Though the youth is an accidental power.
While he doesn’t need shelter, his food won’t last forever. The first episode of The Water Magician is about Ryo learning to survive. Fighting, fauna, flora, and fairies — in the form of a dullahan — all show up, and though the anime doesn’t make it explicit, it’s implied that Ryo’s early life takes place over months, if not years. Years are plenty of time for Ryo. He goes from merely generating a limp stream of water to creating large icicle barriers and fire hose levels of water pressure.
Slice of a Slow Life
Ryo’s slow life doesn’t live up to its name. Sure, he gets to study magic on his own, but the need for food leads Ryo to hunt monster boars and confront a dragon soon enough. The anime maintains a casual vibe, though. This casual goal really becomes clear once a man named Abel is shipwrecked and Ryo saves his life. The story settles into a pattern. A scene or two is about casual cabin life, or eating a meal in civilization, once Ryo takes Abel there. Another couple of scenes are exposition about the world as it introduces the Adventurer’s Guild, or other magic users, or specific monsters. Finally, a couple of scenes dive into monster-fighting action.
Rhythm of a Water Magician
While these types of scenes don’t come in a repetitive order, they do help The Water Magician settle into a low-tension rhythm. The majority of events are set up or slice-of-life scenes instead of conflicts, and even though some fights are life-or-death, they’re quick and don’t feel stressful.
This creates a few opportunities. It turns out Ryo’s take on magic is the equivalent of overpowered cheating in this world, because he understands water molecules a little, and doesn’t have preconceived notions of how magic is supposed to work. For instance, he can make magic originate away from his body. Other magicians project magic from their bodies. Why? Because that’s how they’re taught. So Ryo curb stomps all threats, right? No.
Instead, the slower pacing of The Water Magician leaves Ryo on the sidelines as other characters join the cast, and allows them to solve their own problems: Ryo’s too busy learning alchemy and eyeing up an elf woman he’s interested in. It’s a breath of fresh air to see side characters solve real problems without the overpowered main character.
The slower pace also allows for drip-fed exposition. Bland isekai tend to explain a ton up front, like in Bogus Skill “Fruitmaster”. Rich fantasy anime like Lord of Mysteries need even more exposition, though it also tends to be more interesting. By contrast, The Water Magician is never overwhelming. Explanations come in short scenes or are mixed with the slice-of-life and action.
Getting to a Point
Ryo’s about as ambitious as a mildly curious dog: willing to look and sniff, even paw at plot, but not to chase any dreams. Not unless plot bounces off his nose like a ball. And the slow pace drags on the plot.
Yes, early on Ryo learns magic and hunting. Then, once he’s in civilization, he starts researching alchemy. But these academic efforts aren’t part of any grand scheme. They waste time. Ryo isn’t looking for a wife, or a home, or to return to his peaceful cabin in monster territory either. The show draws attention to this when it introduces Japanese-style curry. Ryo recognizes that most isekai protagonists have to search for or even invent the dish, while he has it handed to him.
The Non-Eternal Water Magician
For anyone looking to relax with a slice of life isekai fantasy after a hard day, dive into The Water Magician. Dip your toes in if you can enjoy casual stories. But viewers looking for high-octane combat or deep lore should look elsewhere to slake their thirst. We’re not in a fantasy drought this season.
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