Summary
Thanks to franchises such asSailor MoonandPuella Magi Madoka Magica, the idea of magical girls has become a staple genre in anime culture. Their portrayals often pit magical girls against various forces of evil - be it other magic-users, monsters, or even their counterparts in the form of witches. It’s this traditional dichotomy that can make the very idea of witches taking the lead in a series quite surreal. After all, witches are often associated with cursing others, not necessarily as saviors.
However, some manga stand out by putting witches as the lead of their very own series. Unlike the traditional magical girl formula of being dragged into a world of magic, some of the more popular witch-centric manga add a twist to the concept by introducing interesting takes on magical society, magic systems, or even subversions of popular tropes. For fans and newcomers to the idea of witches and magical girls, just what stories of this genre are must-tries?
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Illustrator
Miki Yoshikawa
When delinquent Ryu Yamada swaps bodies with Urara Shiraishi inYamada-kun and the Seven Witches, they discover the swap occurs with a kiss. This triggers a chain of events, wherein the school revives the Supernatural Studies Club, more girls pop up with strange powers, and somehow Ryu can copy their abilities. These schoolgirls with special powers are called Witches and cangather in groups of sevento fulfill a wish. Throughout the story, Ryu slowly uncovers the identity of these Witches, one of whom is Urara, and becomes involved with other factions such as Witch Killers and Spotters.
Despite Ryu being the token male protagonist in the harem manga,Yamada-kun and the Seven Witcheshas a surprising cast of well-developed female protagonists. For instance, student ace Urara Shiraishi is smart, but she tends to be bullied due to her grades. Other Witches include a mangaka hopeful with telepathy, a delinquent who can look into people’s past, and a student council member with a charm power - all of whom develop levels of investment in Ryu.
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Takashi Iwasaki
In the world ofGrimoire of Zero, Witches are known to practice sorcery butknowledge about magicremains unknown. Their notoriety is often associated with their creation of Beastfallen, or anthropomorphic humans cursed by Witches to possess power while serving as their soldiers. The manga’s story begins when the Witch Zero approaches a Beastfallen known only as Mercenary to accompany her in her search for the eponymous Grimoire of Zero: an all-powerful tome that can bring the world to its knees. Promising to transform the Mercenary into a human upon the Grimoire’s acquisition, the two begin their journey.
The main appeal ofGrimoire of Zeroconcerns the chemistry between Zero and Mercenary, especially their initial intention. Zero comes off as arrogant with no social cues, whereas Mercenary maintains a kind personality beneath his gruff exterior despite abuse from others. Despite its short run,Grimoire of Zeroprovides a straightforward take on a world where Witches are mysterious and powerful.
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Terio Teri
It’s not always that manga is graced by aseries revolving around a magic school, andLittle Witch Academiatakes this route for its protagonists. Set in the prestigious Luna Nova Magical Academy, protagonist Atsuko “Akko” Kagari from Japan aspires to be a Witch like her idol Shiny Chariot. As someone who doesn’t have magical abilities, it’s only thanks to the Shiny Rod that Akko can attend school. Joining her is the soft-spoken Lotte Jansson from Finland with a knack for communicating with spirits inside old items, and the mischievous Sucy Manbavaran from the Philippines specializing in brewing potions.
The contrasting personalities of the three young Witches already make room for chemistry between them, especially for Akko whose lack of magical prowess is only replaced by her determination. The story ofLittle Witch Academiaalso partially explores how old-school magic society views the rest of the world, while Akko believes in magic’s capability of making the world a better place. The manga’s more optimistic and slice-of-life approach transforms it into a worthwhile comfortable reading experience.
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Studio Headline
Despite its short story,The Witches’ Marriageis quite a delightful read for fans who want an interesting alternative take to the concept of Witches. In its story, the Witch Melissa aspires to access the Door of Truth, the ultimate goal and source of power to Witches in the land. To do this, Melissa takes advantage of the Witches’ Marriage, a supernatural contract that “obligates” the universe to grow the power of its users based on how deep their bonds have become. Melissa has practically abused this Contract countless times, entering it with other women and then terminating it as soon as she’s acquired sufficient power.
InThe Witches’ Marriage, Melissa stumbles upon a grave error as she thinks she can steel her resolve against the adorable Tanya she set up as her new target. Unfortunately for Melissa, she’s quick to fall prey to Tanya’s cuteness, paving the way for an entertaining slice-of-life with a dash of wholesome romance.
Kenta Shinohara
In the story ofWitch Watch, protagonist Nico Wakatsuki finally completes hertraining as a Witchand must choose an animal to become her Familiar. Due to her family’s history with the family of her childhood friend Morihito Otogi, she transforms him into her faithful servant - much to his chagrin. Moreover, as Nico’s parents are out doing their respective duties inside and outside the magical world, Nico and Otogi live under the same roof. Things get ahead when a prophecy talks of a disaster to befall Nico at some point in the future, forcing Morihito to take up the role of her protector. This is convenient for Nico, as she has a massive crush on Morihito.
An uncomfortable situation forcing protagonists to live under the same roof is a recipe for a traditional rom-com. Still, the comedic aspects of Nico’s attempts at helpful magic backfiring are always a welcome sight. Throughout the manga, more of Nico and Morihito’s supernatural friends move in with them, including a “crow” who is a tengu, a werewolf who becomes another person at the sight of a crescent, and a vampire who needs a parasol to shield him from the sun.
Naoki Etsumi
The story ofUnnamed Memorybegins when Oscar, the Crown Prince of Farsas, overcomes the magical tower of the Azure Witch Tinassha. He does so with only one intention: to get the continent’s most powerful Witch to break the curse that renders him childless. When even Tinassha discovers that only a powerful relationship can break the spell, Oscar convinces her to begin a one-year contract to be his bride to help him overcome this curse. This premise at first seems like a traditional “contractual marriage between two conflicting main characters,” but character development inUnnamed Memorymakes up for all the romantic comedy tropes the manga manages to adapt.
The manga isadapted from a light novel, which gives it a much-needed visual luster to highlight the innate charms of both protagonists. The manga is worth exploring because it provides readers with rather stable main characters - the chivalrous and honorable Oscar and the secretive but cunning Tinassha - and how it manages to question and transform their established worldviews. Not to mention, Tinassha’s expertise in magic allows her to expand on their world’s magic system properly, crediting the fantastical concepts the story eventually introduces.
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Akitaka
It seems even Witches consider life in the city as “the dream,” especially whenA Witch’s Life in a Six-Tatami Roomprotagonist Madge has always wanted to leave her life as a Witch in the province to have a glorious life as a popular Witch in the metro instead. However, when she runs away from home to start a new life as a city Witch, her skills are evaluated as C-Class - the lowest for a Witch - making her start at the bottom. Madge eventually meets Lilica, a fellow C-Class Witch, and moves into her six-tatami apartment.
As the title implies,A Witch’s Life in a Six-Tatami Roomexplores the misadventures of Madge and Lilica as they work their way up the Witch rankings. LikeSaitama’s adventures inOne-Punch Man, “ranking up” means doing various errands - resulting in hilarious hijinks from the viewers' perspective. Despite these hardships, Madge and Silica’s friendship grows over time, transformingA Witch’s Lifeinto a delightful slice-of-life spin to the supernatural genre.
Itsuki Nanao
Unlike other fantasy manga,Wandering Witchdoesn’t have an overarching plot involving dragons, knights, and even calamitous battles. Instead, it revolves aroundthe Witch Elainaand her adventures around the world. At the story’s beginning, it’s established that Elaina was inspired by “The Adventures of Nike,” a collection of stories by another traveling Witch. Desiring to see these worlds for herself, Elaina trained in the art of witchcraft and didn’t take long to become equipped with the skills she needed to fend for herself in her travels.
However, as the Ashen Witch, Elaina displays an immense proficiency in magic. Such is the skill that she tends to be conceited and arrogant - a quality that usually backfires throughout her adventures in the manga. Being a rather casual story,Wandering Witchis still an ongoing tale, with Elaina’s travels across nations condensed across volumes. True to the adage that it’s the journey that counts, readers looking for a travel-themed story akin toMushoku Tenseiwithout the plot intensity should find plenty to enjoy here.
Chihiro Ishizuka
Fans of magic stories looking for a breath of fresh air away from magical adventures may revel in the talesFlying Witchoffers. Set in a premise that quite literally exudes an ambiance of fresh air,Flying Witchinvolves the young Witch Makoto Kowataas she moves from the busy city of Yokohama to live a quiet life in Hirosaki, Aomori. As a result,Flying Witchlargely involves Makoto’s day-to-day life - something she usually spends with her familiar cat Chito, or her cousin Chinatsu Kuramoto, who has a keen interest in the supernatural.
Categorized under iyashikei,Flying Witchis a welcome change of pace for fans who want less intense magic fights and more of a calmer atmosphere. Makoto’s daily activities often involve her with more mundane magical affairs in her community, usually opting for her to exhibit her knowledge of the supernatural in surprising and often hilarious ways.
Kamome Shirahama
Compared to other magic-themed stories,Witch Hat Atelierbegins with an innocent and gripping premise: kindhearted Coco who loves magic finally learns how to cast spells after meeting a Witch named Qifrey. Unfortunately, her lack of experience inadvertently turns her mother to stone. As Qifrey is investigating an unrelated incident in Coco’s area, he takes her in as a student to help her save her mother. Unbeknownst to both of them, this move forces the entirety of the magic world to put an interest in Coco.
Despite its straightforward take on the “magicless girl becomes a magical girl” premise, theevolution ofWitch Hat Atelierinto a semi-lighthearted fantasy story into a rather deep emotional take makes it a must-read for magic fans. Not only that, the mesmerizing art style ofWitch Hat Ateliercan grab the attention of any reader, with the manga boasting some of the most unique art styles to grace the medium.
