WandMaking

        

*Before you start reading I just want you all to know that in the following statement I typed you will a few times come across the word, "magi" I am using that as a short-term word to describe people with magical abilities like witchs, wiccas, wizards, sorcerors, etc. I want to include them into my statements and listing them all out will be too detailed and long so that is why I decided on the term "magi" for them just for this paragraph. Other then that, ENJOY!! 


A wand is a thin, light-weight rod that is held with one hand and is traditionally made of wood but may also be made of other materials, such as metal or plastic. A wand that is used for magical purposes is often called a magic wand. - Wikipedia.
Wands were introduced into the occult in the 1200s via the Latin grimories. Since then, they have become an important part to many different areas of the occults but are more often used by Neopagans, Wiccans, and Shamans and by other people, in rituals, healing, and spell-casting.
But we are also familiar with them from popular fictions were they serve as the primary source of power for many wizards, witches, wiccans, and sorceresses regardless if they are good or evil. While most of the time wands do intend to share very common traits when it comes to wielding the mystical arts there have been a few talented writers who have found interesting ways to branch out and explore different ways for wands to be used.
One good example of this would have to be from the popular series by J.K Rowlings, Harry Potter where they are common, personal wands used to channel one's own magic but are also used as weapons in magical duels and even in World of Warcraft where caster classes such as mages and warlocks use them for offensive actions.
Although wands and their abilities have evolved into different varieties of usage and explored the one area that hasn't been touched upon was how they were made.
We all know from several books, movies and TV series that deals with the fantasy and magical realms that in most cases, wands are shown to already be premade and might also be described in some details to the specific type of tree barks/branch they are carved from and might also have a certain mythological animal extraction to it and later on (in some popular cases), the wand will end up choosing its' owner.
But in November 2013 a new aspiring mangaka, Kore Yamazaki would write a fantasy manga entitled "The Ancient Magus Bride" where she kept the contents and plot to her series deep in the supernatural world of ancient Celtic/Gaelic mythology and even though using a couple of well-known magical tools she was not afraid to throw in some different twists to them, with one of those being wands and not so much in their magical abilities but mostly in the making of them.
As it was hinted earlier on in the series, the main heroine Chise was told that one day she would have to make her own wand which perked my own interest a bit and then later on in Ep. 10 and ch. 15 we learn that Chise is summoned to the land of the dragons by magi Lindel to start the creation of her own wand. It was from there that it would take a interesting turn when Lindel reveals that there are certain steps that have to take in making one's own wand the first one of which is cutting several tree branches yourself and then afterward would choose from the different varieties of them which one you would want to use to carve and shape your wand from.
Once a piece of wood is chosen the magi then carves the wand themselves and is even instructed to talk to themselves while carving it, most likely in doing so to form lets them form a closer bond to their wands. One of the next steps is they would then have some of their hair trimmed off as it's explained by Lindel that magic lingers in hair and is used as the core for the staff. Once the magi have finished carving his/her wand the finishing touches are added on by a superior magi to complete it which includes their hair and some additional pieces of jewels or other accessories to it.

The entire scenario from when Chise cut off the first branch to when she started to carve it was really a very intriguing scene to watch as I am sure that some might even recognize a few parts of it to be some similarities to the way wands are made in the Wicca culture and how Wiccans go about creating their own personal wand.
As shown when Lindel laid out several other pieces of tree branches for Chise to choose from is also similar to wand making in the Wicca culture. Choosing from a variety of different branches from certain trees as the branches themselves contain certain properties and even different elements to them to be used to perform different or even specific varieties of magickal works.
This series has once again proven not to disappoint and to delve into something that doesn't get explored much, therefore, making (in my own personal opinion) the entire wand making process quite an exciting thing to see be done.
Despite how wands have been portrayed in the past as always being shown pre-made and then they (the wand) ends up choosing its' owner I have to personally and honestly say that the way of their origin that was shown in more details in The Ancient Magus Bride has become my own personal way for a wand to be made. I am not ignoring the talents of other writers like J.K. Rowlings, I just feel that this is a more proper way for a magi, witch, wizard, and even a sorcer or sorceress to make their wands as picking the branch out and carving it to their own liking as it would give them a much more deeply rooted personal connection to their wand.
I also think that during the carving process which is (also my own personal opinion again) the most crucial part as the magi is putting a lot of their own time and energy into the making of their wand that it's during this stage of the carving that their own magical energy is also absorbed into the wand and because they even put a lot of personal feelings into it as well the idea that they could also form a mental link to the wand is not too far-fetched.
Some could speak out and say that it's absurd but just like in the recent years and the changes to many other classical genres some of those changes or even additions that we have seen we have come to either love or hate. Just like in 2 previous personal opinions of mine, trees in ways already have some certain properties to them and some of it is magical innate properties and once a branch from that tree is used by a magi they bring that magic forward with this own magical energy which combines together and molds the properties of that specific magi's magic & special properties of the tree branch.
The world of both anime and manga has always been one of my biggest passions in addition to the "magical" worlds. You are always shown new forms and even styles of magic in some of them but for the first time, even though anime fans are introduced to magic once again that is a combination of fact and fiction but the mangaka also gives viewers a look at magi wands and how they come into existence which is something no one has ever done before as important as magic is to many magis so are their wands and I think it's great that someone finally decided to decipher and delve into that subject.
There have been quite a few shows and movies which are usually set in medieval times whether it be in Europe or Asia. We the viewers have at one time in our lives watched a scene where a sword is being forged and made and just like a sword is important to a knight or even a samurai; wands are just as important to a mage. So getting to see how a wand is made which in my case by the magi who is going to wield it I believe it to be a vital and important set to a story plot and this could also be seen as another step in showing their development of not just magical abilities but their character too.
Praise and credit go out to Kore Yamazaki for her wonderful imagination and creativity for her manga but for also, showing the way wands come to be and for also quite possibly opening the door for others to hopefully follow it as well.



The Ancient Magus Bride (c) - Kore Yamazaki