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EP. REVIEW: Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 3: Adopted Daughter of an Archduke


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CostlyAxis



Joined: 10 May 2015
Posts: 25
PostPosted: Sun Apr 19, 2026 9:50 am Reply with quote
It's good to know I wasn't the only person left confused/concerned by the ending of the first episode. The direction and overall visualization of the scene made me think something more serious had happened, and it happened so abruptly.

Overall, it's taking some time to get used to the more detailed visuals of Wit's style compared to the previous seasons. In some ways I think part of the charm came from that more simplistic and rougher look.

But yeah, it was also strange to see the OP was back in episode 3 to the same one that caused all of the AI discussion even after Wit said it would be redone. Hopefully it's just pipeline things.

I'm still looking forward to the rest of the season, but it's definitely giving the feeling of moving at breakneck speed glossing over things.
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Azure Chrysanthemum



Joined: 23 Apr 2023
Posts: 225
PostPosted: Sun Apr 19, 2026 2:43 pm Reply with quote
Bookworm is one of my favorite series ever, I read it during chemotherapy and it helped get me through that awful experience so I am a huge fan. And the GenAI usage has me absolutely FURIOUS, especially since so much of it is now going to taint and permeate all conversation of this genuinely wonderful series.

And yes, the pacing too is definitely a bit erratic. I'm hoping it'll even out in episode 4 with the raising money arc which has some great moments for Myne to genuinely bond with some of those around her, but honestly, I just. Expected so much more from Wit, and it's beyond frustrating that this series STILL isn't getting the respect it's due considering it stands shoulder to shoulder with Re: Zero and Shield Hero in terms of overall sales.
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VirgilTB4
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Joined: 04 Jan 2018
Posts: 48
PostPosted: Sun Apr 19, 2026 2:54 pm Reply with quote
I was also baffled by the 2nd episode seeming to ignore what had occurred at the end of Ep. 1. We know Rosamyne is frail but we’d never seen anything like that before, a trail of blood. Given that the series started in S1 with a foreshadowing scene, it made me wonder if this was somehow another foreshadow when it wasn’t referenced is Ep. 2. That’s why I was glad it was acknowledged finally in Ep. 3. Now we can move on from it, but a very strange start. Of all the things you can sort of skip over, Rosamyne’s health isn’t one of them.
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Tanteikingdomkey



Joined: 03 Sep 2008
Posts: 2456
PostPosted: Sun Apr 19, 2026 2:54 pm Reply with quote
I am extremely worried about this season, and honestly had assumed for years now that this season had been canceled entirely. Like even before the utter trash ai art was used. And the more I learn/see the more concerned I feel.

The good news is that novel club is releasing audiobook versions of the books with mynes voice actress so even if I end up pretending this season exist, that hopefully should keep going and give at least an adaptation of the books that is good for the medium.

Ummm its been a year since the last audiobook part 1 vol3 everyone please buy them so that we can continue getting them for part 2 and 3
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al505



Joined: 29 Nov 2003
Posts: 27
PostPosted: Sun Apr 19, 2026 5:06 pm Reply with quote
Y'all better get used to the AI thing because it ain't going away. In fact, it's only going to become more prevalent in anime, in movies, and other forms of media. Buckle up, buttercup! It's gonna be a bumpy ride, AI style!
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Vanadise



Joined: 06 Apr 2015
Posts: 599
PostPosted: Sun Apr 19, 2026 6:36 pm Reply with quote
al505 wrote:
Y'all better get used to the AI thing because it ain't going away.

Sure man, just like the metaverse and NFTs.

The good news is that even if the majority of animation studios do start using generative AI--most still do not--there's enough existing media out there that I can just stop buying new things. I've probably got enough games and anime in my backlog to keep me busy for a couple decades.
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Tanteikingdomkey



Joined: 03 Sep 2008
Posts: 2456
PostPosted: Sun Apr 19, 2026 7:03 pm Reply with quote
Vanadise wrote:
al505 wrote:
Y'all better get used to the AI thing because it ain't going away.

Sure man, just like the metaverse and NFTs.

The good news is that even if the majority of animation studios do start using generative AI--most still do not--there's enough existing media out there that I can just stop buying new things. I've probably got enough games and anime in my backlog to keep me busy for a couple decades.

Yep I actually agree with that
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Bern73



Joined: 20 Feb 2015
Posts: 56
PostPosted: Sun Apr 19, 2026 8:33 pm Reply with quote
al505 wrote:
Y'all better get used to the AI thing because it ain't going away. In fact, it's only going to become more prevalent in anime, in movies, and other forms of media. Buckle up, buttercup! It's gonna be a bumpy ride, AI style!


Yeah that's why every time a corporation tries to implement it and they inevitably get huge amounts of backlash, they immediately backtrack. They know it's garbage and unpopular lmao
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blahmoomoo
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Joined: 27 Jan 2020
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2026 12:34 am Reply with quote
Regarding what was omitted from the end of the first episode, the novel did have a good explanation for why she was allowed to faint.

Ferdinand and Sylvester knew that Wilfred wouldn't treat Rozemyne right even if they explained that she was frail. I believe the novel showed him being rather rambunctious before the baptism. So, they let him drag her away to play and they were keeping watch. So after she collapsed, they immediately treated her and Wilfred learned his lesson. It was better to do this now, even if it was probably traumatic for Wilfred, than for him to cause her to collapse without any adults around. They didn't expect her to land on her nose though; that's why she was bleeding.

Also of note: the novels are written from Rozemyne's perspective. So, because she blacked out before she hit the ground, she only heard after she woke up that she had smashed her nose.

This adaptation is skipping a lot of details, though there was plenty of that in previous seasons. For example, Rozemyne had a lot of input in the blueprints that were drafted for the new monastery, but the anime made it seem like Ferdinand drew it up in seconds. This season feels like it's moving at an even faster pace because there are so many events being covered in the novel, so the cuts feel more significant.
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IronWish



Joined: 05 Jan 2024
Posts: 231
Location: Ukraine
PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2026 3:22 am Reply with quote
TBH, I'm not as perplexed by "unresolved" cliffhanger of episode 1 as most people are. It's like four-hundredth time we've seen Myne collapsing, it's just what she does every other episode of the show for an entirety of its run!
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Hyorp



Joined: 19 Oct 2021
Posts: 17
PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2026 11:30 am Reply with quote
On the topic of the AI coming back in episode 3... It looks like Crunchyroll released the wrong version of the episode.
Saw live reactions in JP that showed the opening as the non-AI slop one.. So Crunchyroll is to blame for releasing the wrong version of the episode (again)
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Greed1914



Joined: 28 Oct 2007
Posts: 5343
PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2026 12:18 pm Reply with quote
Hyorp wrote:
On the topic of the AI coming back in episode 3... It looks like Crunchyroll released the wrong version of the episode.
Saw live reactions in JP that showed the opening as the non-AI slop one.. So Crunchyroll is to blame for releasing the wrong version of the episode (again)


Makes sense. There are plenty of examples of companies using what they had without knowing it wasn't a finalized version, and I can imagine that happened here. It makes more sense than WIT changing the opening only to go back right away. Although, it also highlights what the review said. Now, people are second-guessing what they see because gen-AI was used in the first place.



Bern73 wrote:
al505 wrote:
Y'all better get used to the AI thing because it ain't going away. In fact, it's only going to become more prevalent in anime, in movies, and other forms of media. Buckle up, buttercup! It's gonna be a bumpy ride, AI style!


Yeah that's why every time a corporation tries to implement it and they inevitably get huge amounts of backlash, they immediately backtrack. They know it's garbage and unpopular lmao


True. If they felt that strongly about using it, the response would be to stand by it rather than replace it. I doubt that will happen, and instead companies will hope that one day the results are good enough that it doesn't get noticed.
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Covnam



Joined: 31 May 2005
Posts: 4364
PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2026 3:08 pm Reply with quote
Yeah, it was odd not to have the long trail of blood addressed. She's definitely collapsed before, but I don't recall her looking like she was going to bleed to death from it...
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Azure Chrysanthemum



Joined: 23 Apr 2023
Posts: 225
PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2026 3:13 pm Reply with quote
Covnam wrote:
Yeah, it was odd not to have the long trail of blood addressed. She's definitely collapsed before, but I don't recall her looking like she was going to bleed to death from it...


I wonder if that's just a signal that her health issues are going to be animated a bit more horrifically than they had been before. As an artistic decision I don't particularly mind it and can see the logic - Rosemyne is VERY frail and I think making her condition (one she routinely brushes off) look alarming does a lot.
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blahmoomoo
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Joined: 27 Jan 2020
Posts: 576
PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2026 3:18 pm Reply with quote
Covnam wrote:
Yeah, it was odd not to have the long trail of blood addressed. She's definitely collapsed before, but I don't recall her looking like she was going to bleed to death from it...


Wilfred was so focused on his desire to play that he didn't notice that she collapsed and dragged her for a distance, so she got a variety of scrapes and cuts, especially on her face and legs. I slightly misremembered before about her landing on her nose (I double checked the novel just now), but close enough.

This adaptation did show him dragging her around for a few seconds before he noticed, but that was hardly sufficient to make it clear that her condition didn't directly cause her to bleed.
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