Wistoria: Wand and Sword

Wistoria: Wand and Sword (杖と剣のウィストリア) is a Japanese manga series written by Fujino Ōmori and illustrated by Toshi Aoi. It began serialization on Kodansha's manga magazine Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine in December 2020, with its chapters collected in 15 volumes as of April 2026. An anime television series adaptation produced by Actas and Bandai Namco Pictures aired from July to September 2024. A second season premiered in April 2026.

The series follows a boy who seemingly has no talent for magic, working his way up in a magical institution in a country where magic skill is regarded as absolute power with only his swordsmanship skills in order to reunite with his magical prodigy childhood friend.

Plot

Hundreds of years ago, invaders from the sky ravaged the land and almost destroyed the world. To repel the invaders, five mages joined 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 Rigarden 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 Rigarden student 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)
  • The main protagonist. He is a sixth-year student at Rigarden Magical Academy, shunned by his peers due to his lack of magical aptitude. He is also a childhood friend of Magia Vander member Elfaria until their differing stations separated them. Having vowed to reunite with her one day, he strives to earn enough academy points to graduate and join her in the Ice Faction. After finally graduating, however, he is instead recruited by the Thunder Faction.
  • Although unable to use magic, he is highly knowledgeable and an incredibly skilled swordsman, capable of countering his opponents after just witnessing their attacks once. He later discovers that he has an ability called "Wis", which lets him absorb others' magic and infuse it into his sword.
  • Elfaria Albis Serfort (エルファリア・アルヴィス・セルフォルト)
  • Will's childhood friend. She is a prodigious magician who quickly rose through the ranks and became the youngest ever to become a Magia Vander, commanding the Ice Faction. However, privately, she is a slacker who pushes her responsibilities onto her subordinates, spending her days waiting for Will to fulfill his promise to reunite with her.
  • Specializing in ice magic, she created twelve original spells, an unprecedented feat.

Supporting characters

  • Colette Loire (コレット・ロワール)
  • Will's classmate and one of his few friends, who interferes whenever their classmates bully him. She has a crush on him, which is obvious to everyone except him. However, she is too shy to confess. After graduating, she joins the Earth Faction and is later made their mascot, much to her displeasure.
  • She specializes in earth magic and is known as the "Earth Princess" for her skill, a nickname she despises.
  • Sion Ulster (シオン・アルスター)
  • One of Will's classmates who used to bully him. However, after witnessing his true strength, he develops a begrudging one-sided rivalry with him. He also has unreciprocated feelings for Colette, further driving his rivalry with Will. After graduating, he joins the Fire Faction.
  • He specializes in fire magic and his skills have only grown since starting his rivalry with Will.
  • Julius Reinberg (ユリウス・レインバーグ)
  • One of the three top students in Will's class. Being a noble, he initially had a very arrogant demeanor. After Will publicly defeated him, 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.
  • He specialized in ice magic, being the only person capable of replicating one of Elfaria's original spells.
  • Wignall Lindor (イグノール・リンドール)
  • One of the three top students in Will's class. He is an elf shunned by his peers since his magic is weak by their standards. Initially presenting an arrogant facade, he comes to respect Will after he helps him overcome his self-esteem issues. He is also the childhood friend of one of the Magia Vander, Ellenor, 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 ability to turn illusions into reality.
  • Lihanna Owenzaus (リアーナ・オーウェンザウス)
  • One of the three top students in Will's class who aims to become a Magia Vander to save her noble family from ruin. After learning of Will's strength, she allies herself with him, Sion, Julius, and Wignall to graduate from the academy. After graduating, she joins the Thunder Faction along with Will.
  • She is a close combat mage known as a "magic knight" specializing in lightning magic, which she uses to enhance her physical abilities.
  • Rosti Nauman (ロスティ・ナウマン)
  • A student at Rigarden and Will's roommate who professed to have been in love with him and had a slightly androgynous appearance. He is heavily implied to be a gender-bend clone of Elfaria that she controls remotely through magic.
  • He is a talented magic artificer who made magical items for Will to use.
  • Kiki (キキ)
  • Will's pet familiar, a carbuncle capable of casting reflective magic.

Teachers

  • Workner Norgram (ワークナー・ノーグラム)
  • A teacher at Rigarden Magic Academy. He believes in Will's potential and oversees his progress in the dungeon.
  • He specializes in handling magical familiars.
  • Edward Serfence (エドワルド・セルフェンス)
  • A teacher at Rigarden Magic Academy who is infamous for his strictness. Having failed to become a Magia Vander in the past, he wants Will to give up on his goal, not wanting the boy to suffer the same failure as himself, even if it means having to sabotage him.
  • He is the strongest teacher at the academy, specializing in dark magic.
  • Caldron Anouve (コルドロン・アヌーブ)
  • The headmaster of Rigarden Magic Academy. She is 64 years old but can use magic to appear much younger than she is in order to live a double life. She helps Will train and learn Wis in order to impress scouts 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)
  • The leader of the Magia Vander and its oldest member, leading the Light Faction. He often goes on long expeditions, leaving Cariott in charge in his absence.
  • He specializes in light magic and is noted to be the strongest of the Magia Vander.
  • Cariott Incindia Wiseman (キャリオット・インスティア・ワイズマン)
  • One of the Magia Vander, leading the Fire Faction. He is often left in charge of the group whenever Aaron goes on one of his lengthy expeditions.
  • He specializes in fire magic.
  • Ellenor Ljos Alf (エルノール・リヨス・アールヴ)
  • An elf and one of the Magia Vander, leading the all-elf Fantasy Faction. She is also a former childhood friend of Wignall until they were separated after her magical talent was discovered, mirroring Elfaria's relationship with Will.
  • She specializes in her race's unique fantasy magic, which can turn illusions into reality.
  • Zeo Thorzeus Reinbolt (ゼオ・トルゼウス・ラインボルト)
  • [7]
  • One of the Magia Vander, leading the Thunder Faction. Following Will's graduation from the academy, he recruits him into his faction after beating Elfaria in a game of rock-paper-scissor for him, having sensed the boy's potential.
  • He uses lightning magic and specializes in a technique called "wrathbolt", which enhances his physical abilities using pure magic manipulation.

Others

  • Iris X. Stellamaris (アイリス・X・ステラマリス)
  • One of the students in Rigarden. Though she presents a sociable and clumsy facade to her peers, she is actually a serious girl and a Watcher, talented young magicians who serve as scouts to recruit new members for the Magia Vanders' factions, a position regarded as an urban legend among the student body. She is also a member of the Ice Faction and told by Elfaria to assess Will's progress. When scouting for talented students in the dungeon, she meets Will and witnesses him defeat a powerful dungeon boss single-handedly. During a meeting with the Magia Vander, she deems him the only student of note and recommends he be immediately scouted for a position in the Tower. She has a crush on Will due to his capability.
  • Gordon Baret (ゴードン・バレー)
  • Lyril Marze (リリール・マース)
  • Renaisse Arette (ルナイス・アレート)
  • Jorua Moraine (ジョルア・モレーン)
  • Logwell (ログウェル)
  • Aaron's assistant.
  • Clairie Serah (クレイルウィ・セラ)
  • [8]

Media

Manga

Written by Fujino Ōmori and illustrated by Toshi Aoi, Wistoria: Wand and Sword began serialization in Kodansha's 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 15 volumes as of April 2026.

During their panel at Anime NYC, Kodansha USA announced that they licensed the manga for English publication, with the first volume released on November 29, 2022.[11]

Volumes

Chapters not yet in tankōbon format

These chapters have yet to be published in a volume.

  • 62. Beyond Regarden

Volumes

Chapters not yet in tankōbon format

These chapters have yet to be published in a volume.

  • 62. Beyond Regarden

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.[39] It aired from July 7 to September 29, 2024, on TBS and its affiliates. The opening theme is "Fire and Fear" performed by Penguin Research, while the ending theme is "Frozen" performed by True.[40] Crunchyroll streamed the series.[41] Muse Communication licensed the series in Southeast Asia.[42]

Following the airing of the final episode, a second season was announced and premiered on April 12, 2026.[43][44][45][46] The cast and staff from the first season is returning to reprise their roles, with Tatsuya Yoshihara set to serve as the chief director and Hideaki Nakano as director.[45] For the second season, the opening theme is "Believers" performed by Ash Da Hero, while the ending theme is "Reachlight" performed by Shiyui.[47]

Episodes

Season 1 (2024)

Season 2 (2026)

Season 1 (2024)

Season 2 (2026)

Episodes

Season 1 (2024)

Season 2 (2026)

Season 1 (2024)

Season 2 (2026)

Reception

The series was nominated for the seventh Next Manga Awards in 2021 in the print category.[54]

Further reading

References

  1. Wistoria: Wand and Sword Kodansha USA, retrieved January 25, 2024^
  2. Eric Himmelheber, Tamara Lazic. Interview: Composers Yuki Hayashi and Makoto Miyazaki on Anime Music and More Anime Corner, August 10, 2024, retrieved August 22, 2024^
  3. Liam Dempsey. Wistoria: Wand and Sword English Dub Reveals Cast & Crew, Release Date Crunchyroll, July 19, 2024, retrieved July 19, 2024^
  4. Crystalyn Hodgkins. Wistoria: Wand and Sword TV Anime Reveals 3 More Cast Members Anime News Network, February 23, 2024, retrieved February 23, 2024^
  5. Crystalyn Hodgkins. Wistoria: Wand and Sword TV Anime Reveals 3 More Cast, New Visual Anime News Network, March 24, 2024, retrieved March 24, 2024^
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  7. Archived copy retrieved 2024-06-23^
  8. Joanna Cayanan. Wistoria: Wand and Sword Season 2 Casts Mai Nakahara Anime News Network, April 5, 2026, retrieved April 5, 2026^
  9. Crystalyn Hodgkins. DanMachi's Fujino Ōmori Launches New Dungeon Fantasy Manga on December 9 Anime News Network, October 14, 2020, retrieved January 25, 2024^
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