Kara Dennison
May 7, 2024 
There’s no shortage of fantasy anime in the world, be it this season or in general. But if you only watch one this season, consider Unnamed Memory. Based on the light novel by Kuji Furumiya, this new title blends politics, romance, and multiple schools of magic into an uncommon story. And it’s already winning over new fans!
Here are just a few reasons this series deserves your time—and why you should jump on while it’s still early!
An Intricate Story
On the surface, Unnamed Memory has a fairly straightforward story. Prince Oscar has had a curse put on him, which will cause any woman who bears him a child to die. Hearing that Tinasha, the Witch of the Azure Moon will grant a favor to anyone who can defeat the challenges of her tower, he accepts—and succeeds. But since the curse is a bit thorny even for her, she suggests finding a wife who could withstand the effects of the curse… and Oscar notes that she fits the bill.
But as she (reluctantly) follows him home to work on alternate methods and serve as his protector, more gears are set in motion. Unfamiliar people weave themselves into Tinasha’s lives, and lots of people appear to have a specific interest in how this year goes for her. Why? That remains to be seen.
An Uncommon Romance
A big part of the story of Unnamed Memory is Oscar and Tinasha’s growing relationship. She seems dead set against it, but Oscar isn’t about to give up on winning her over. And given what we’ve seen of his dreams (thanks to a certain curse from one of Tinasha’s fellow witches), it appears he’s invested in her for more than her magical resilience.
Tinasha does raise some fair points in her protests—one being that she knew Oscar’s great-grandfather. She does slip a little, saying if she granted requests like Oscar’s all the time, she’d be his great-grandmother. So… tell us more about that, Tinasha.
Echoes of a Certain Other Series
We’re not the first to notice that Unnamed Memory has some similarities to Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, and we’re sure we won’t be the last. While Tinasha isn’t quite as long-lived as everyone’s favorite elf mage, she’s got a lot of life behind her… and a lot of memories. The two are both super-powerful, and both seem more interested in the pursuit of their magic than in socializing… though Frieren’s is more a hyperfixation while Tinasha maintains that witches should be feared.
There’s another major similarity, though: memories and regrets. Anime-onlies are still digging into what Tinasha left behind, but it seems to mirror some of Frieren’s own musings. With a new self-professed romantic interest at her side, this could make for an unusually poignant journey.
Meet more of this season’s anime power couples!
