Melinda Bowen

Melinda Bowen (also spelled Melida Bowen in some sources) is one of Shin Wolford's adoptive grandparents in the anime Wise Man's Grandchild (Kenja no Mago).

She is a legendary figure known as the "Great Guru," renowned for her mastery in creating magical tools and powerful enchantments. Along with her ex-husband Merlin Wolford, she helped raise and train Shin after he was orphaned as a baby, teaching him advanced magical skills, including gear creation.

In the anime, she appears as an elderly woman in her 70s with a striking, stylish appearance: tall, elegant, and maintaining an impressive figure (thanks to a magical exercise tool Shin invented). She often has a witch-like aura, complete with glasses, and is shown in outfits like a purple shawl over a light purple dress or formal white robes with purple accents. She has a no-nonsense, scolding personality—frequently nagging or lecturing Shin (and Merlin) when they act recklessly or abnormally—while still deeply caring for Shin as her grandson.

Her voice in the Japanese version is provided by Gara Takashima, and in English by Cynthia Cranz. She embodies a mix of wisdom, authority, and occasional comedic exasperation in the series.