The_Witch_and_the_Beast

<i>The Witch and the Beast</i>

The Witch and the Beast

Japanese manga series


The Witch and the Beast (Japanese: 魔女と野獣, Hepburn: Majo to Yajū) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kousuke Satake. It started serialization in Young Magazine the 3rd in November 2016, before moving to Monthly Young Magazine following Young Magazine the 3rd publishing its final issue. As of August 2022, its individual chapters have been collected in 10 tankōbon volumes. An anime television series adaptation produced by Yokohama Animation Laboratory aired from January to April 2024.

Quick Facts 魔女と野獣 (Majo to Yajū), Genre ...

Plot

The story is set in a fictitious magical world of eight continents with the world's most influential organization, the Global Holy Church, located on the First Continent in the west. On an isolated island between the seventh and eighth continents there is a bottomless pit called "The Fall" with seventeen levels, each with its own different independent world. The events are centered on Ashaf, a tall quietly spoken agent of the church and his partner, Guideau, who has the appearance of a girl, but whose masked and powerful alter ego is contained within a coffin strapped to Ashaf's back. They are tasked by the Order of Magical Resonance to bring rogue witches to account and they travel the country seeking a particular witch who cast a spell on Guideau and poses as grave threat to society.

Characters

Main characters

Guideau (ギド, Gido)
Voiced by: Yō Taichi[3] (Japanese); Rowan Gilvie[4] (English)
Guideau looks like a girl, but she was originally a man whose appearance was changed by a witch's curse. She joined the Order of Magical Resonance to find the witch and lift the curse and reluctantly travels with Ashaf, helping him solve cases involving magic. She has an alternate form of a huge powerful masked man which can be released by kissing a witch.
Ashaf (アシャフ, Ashafu)
Voiced by: Toshiyuki Morikawa[3] (Japanese); Xan Cramer[4] (English)
Ashaf, a tall quietly spoken chain-smoking man with a coffin strapped to his back who works for the Order of Magical Resonance, part of the Global Holy Church's headquarters on the First Continent. He is partnered with Guideau whom he first met three years earlier on the Fifth Continent which was relatively untouched by magic. They travel from place to place, solving mysteries involving magic for the Order.

Supporting characters

Ione (イオーネ, Iōne)
Voiced by: Yoko Hikasa[5] (Japanese); Lydia Mackay[4] (English)
A scheming witch who is mistakenly considered a hero and city protector by the townspeople. Appears in The Witch and the City of Blazing Red arc.
Mary (マリー, Marī)
Voiced by: Noriko Shibasaki[5] (Japanese); Kelly Greenshield[4] (English)
Ione's apprentice.
Kiera Haines (キーラ・ヘインス, Kīra Heinsu)
Voiced by: Junko Minagawa[5]
A mage who works as police officer in Hayden, the capital of Pheres where she is engaged to catch the witch responsible for a number of serial killings. Appears in The Witch's Pastime arc.
Reuben Cole (ルーベン・コール, Rūben Kōru)
Voiced by: Hidenobu Kiuchi[5]
Hayden's police detective and Kiera's late boyfriend. One of the victim of the serial killings in The Witch's Pastime arc.
Shulk (シュルク, Shuruku) and Loran (ロラン, Roran)
Voiced by: Atsushi Kousaka[5] and Takuma Terashima[5]
Kiera's adopted twin sons.
Phanora Kristoffel (ファノーラ・クリストフル, Fanōra Kurisutofuru)
Voiced by: Saori Hayami[5]
A blue-eyed, pale-skinned necromancer who works for the Order of Magical Resonance. Appears in Beauty and Death arc.
Johan (ヨハン, Yohan)
Voiced by: Ryōta Ōsaka[5]
A tall dark-haired, pale-skinned man with a patch over his left eye who is Phanora's assistant and whom she treats as her servant. Appears in Beauty and Death arc.
Jeff Enker (ジェフ・エンカー, Jefu Enkā)
Voiced by: Hozumi Gōda[5]
A sergeant in the police force in a certain city. He contacted the Order of Magical Resonance for undead problems happened in the city. Appears in Beauty and Death arc.
Necromancer (死霊魔術師, Shiryō Majutsushi)
Voiced by: Nozomu Sasaki[5]
An unauthorized necromancer who resurrects people for his own ends. Appears in Beauty and Death arc.
Helga Velvette (へルガ・ベルベット, Heruga Berubetto)
Voiced by: Miyu Tomita[6]
A young witch with unique sword-like markings, or Ultoma in her right cheek. She is a descendant of Quena Velvette, one of seventeen Origins witches of the Dauntless Witches clan who kept a seal on the Demon Sword Ashgan which has the power to destroy the world. She is the sole survivor after the Executioners attacked the Dauntless Witches clan's refuge seeking the sword, forcing them to kill each other. Her sister sacrificed herself so Helga could to continue protecting the world from the sword's demonic power. First appears in The Witch and the Demon Sword arc.
Magic Sword Ashgan (魔剣アシュガン, Maken Ashugan)
Voiced by: Rintarō Nishi[6]
A one-eye talking sword which is one of the Demon Sword that can bring great calamity to the world. Currently in possession of Helga Velvette.
Matt Cugat (マット・クーガ, Matto Kūga)
Voiced by: Akira Ishida[6]
A high-ranking commander of Paladin Corps. He is a powerful "elemental" and he can manifest and control ice. First appears in The Witch and the Demon Sword arc.
The Executioner (処刑人, Shokei hito)
Voiced by: Kazuhiro Yamaji[6]
An emissary of The Global Holy Church who led the attack by the Executioners on the Dauntles Witches' refuge seeking the Demon Sword Ashgan. He has the power of mind control through his Demon Hand Ishlingen which has the skins of seventeen ancient kings sewn onto it plus a royal ring. Appears in The Witch and the Demon Sword arc.
Farmus (ファーマス, Fāmasu)
Voiced by: Kōsei Hirota[6]
A middle-aged man who works as vice-commander of Matt's battalion in Paladin Corps.
Lowell (ローエル, Rōeru)
Voiced by: Yū Kobayashi[6]
A ginger woman who works as Matt's assistant in Paladin Corps.
Angela-Anne Huell (アンジェラ=アン・フュール, Anjera An Fuyūru)
Voiced by: Kana Hanazawa[7]
Known as the Eternal Witch and one of the Origins witches. The witch who's responsible for Guideau's curse. She's able to live past 200 years due to her body stealing ability on another person, including Guideau. Because of this ability, neither Guideau nor Ashaf know Angela's current appearance, therefore make it difficult to track her. First appears in the Origin Witch arc.
Falvell Farmington (ハルベル・ハーミントン, Haruberu Hāminton)
Voiced by: Mizuki Mano[8]
A descendant of the Origins witch known as the Mystic Witch, Luna Farmington. She became a mute due to an unknown witch's curse. Appears in the Eloquence and Silence arc.
Owent Farmington (オーエント・ハーミントン, Ōento Hāminton)
Voiced by: Aimi Tanaka[9]
Falvell's younger brother.

Media

Manga

The series is written and illustrated by Kousuke Satake, and started serialization in Young Magazine the 3rd on November 6, 2016.[10] Following Young Magazine the 3rd publishing its final issue in April 2021, the series was moved to the new Monthly Young Magazine, starting on May 20.[11] The series went on an initial two-month hiatus after January 2023, that was later extended upon due to Satake's health.[12] The first tankōbon volume was released on September 20, 2017.[13] As of August 2022, the individual chapters have been collected in 10 tankōbon volumes.[14]

At New York Comic Con 2019, Kodansha USA announced they licensed the series for English publication.[15]

Volumes

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Anime

In August 2022, it was announced that the series would be receiving an anime adaptation.[35] It was later confirmed to be a television series produced by Yokohama Animation Laboratory and directed by Takayuki Hamana.[36] Yūichirō Momose is writing the scripts, Hiroya Iijima handling the character designs, and Hanae Nakamura and Natsumi Tabuchi composing the music.[5] The series aired from January 12 to April 5, 2024, on TBS, BS11 and other networks.[3][6][lower-alpha 1] The opening theme song is "Soumonka", performed by Sokoninaru,[38] while the ending theme song is "Hikari no Trill", performed by Yoshino Nanjo.[39] Crunchyroll licensed the series outside of Asia.[40] Plus Media Networks Asia licensed the series in Southeast Asia.[41]

Episodes

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Reception

As part of Anime News Network's Fall 2021 manga guide, Rebecca Silverman and Caitlin Moore reviewed the first volume for the website. They both praised the art and concept, whilst also being critical of how the concept of the series is executed.[46] Sarah from Anime UK News also praised the artwork, while criticizing the characters.[2] Contrary to other critics, Che Gilson from Otaku USA praised the plot and setting in addition to the artwork.[47]

The series has over 500,000 copies in circulation.[48]

Notes

  1. TBS listed the series premiere at 25:28 on January 11, which is January 12 at 1:28 a.m.[37]
  2. All English titles are taken from Crunchyroll.[43]
  3. Information is taken from the ending credits of each episode.
  4. Episode 7 was postponed from its original air date on February 23, 2024.[44]
  5. This episode aired at 1:58 a.m. JST, 30 minutes after the original air time on TBS.[45]

References

  1. The Witch and the Beast. Kodansha USA. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  2. Sarah (December 9, 2020). "The Witch and the Beast Volume 1 Review". Anime UK News. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  3. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (November 19, 2023). "The Witch and the Beast Anime Unveils More Cast & Staff, New Visual". Anime News Network. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  4. Saabedra, Humberto (December 17, 2023). "The Witch and the Beast TV Anime Unveils New Key Visual, Trailer and Additional Cast". Crunchyroll. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  5. @majo_yajuu (March 21, 2024). "TVアニメ『#魔女と野獣』追加キャスト発表🧙‍♀️" [TV anime “#The Witch and the Beast” Additional Cast Announcement 🧙‍♀️] (Tweet). Retrieved March 23, 2024 via Twitter.
  6. @majo_yajuu (March 28, 2024). "TVアニメ『#魔女と野獣』追加キャスト発表①🧙‍♀️" [TV anime “#The Witch and the Beast” Additional Cast Announcement ① 🧙‍♀️] (Tweet). Retrieved April 7, 2024 via Twitter.
  7. @majo_yajuu (March 28, 2024). "TVアニメ『#魔女と野獣』追加キャスト発表②🧙‍♀️" [TV anime “#The Witch and the Beast” Additional Cast Announcement ② 🧙‍♀️] (Tweet). Retrieved April 7, 2024 via Twitter.
  8. ヤンマガサードで「10DANCE」復活、魔女の呪いを描く新連載もスタート. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. November 6, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  9. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (April 6, 2021). "Fates Revealed for Manga in Young Magazine the 3rd Magazine (Updated)". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  10. Cayanan, Joanna (March 23, 2023). "Kōsuke Satake's The Witch and the Beast Manga Continues Hiatus". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  11. 魔女と野獣(10) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  12. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (October 4, 2019). "Kodansha Comics Licenses Kōsuke Satake's The Witch and the Beast Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  13. 魔女と野獣(1) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  14. 魔女と野獣(2) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  15. 魔女と野獣(3) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  16. 魔女と野獣(4) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  17. 魔女と野獣(5) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  18. 魔女と野獣(6) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  19. 魔女と野獣(7) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  20. 魔女と野獣(8) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  21. 魔女と野獣(9) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  22. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (August 18, 2022). "The Witch and the Beast Manga Gets Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  23. "Hōsō Jōhō|Terebi Anime "Majo to Yajū" Kōshiki Saito|TBS Terebi" 放送情報|TVアニメ「魔女と野獣」公式サイト|TBSテレビ [Broadcast Information|TV Anime "The Witch and the Beast" Official Site|TBS Television]. www.tbs.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  24. "Arasuji|Terebi Anime "Majo to Yajū" Kōshiki Saito|TBS Terebi" あらすじ|TVアニメ「魔女と野獣」公式サイト|TBSテレビ [Synopsis|TV Anime "The Witch and the Beast" Official Site|TBS Television]. www.tbs.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  25. @majo_yajuu (February 15, 2024). "TVアニメ『#魔女と野獣』放送日変更のお知らせ" [Notice of change in broadcast date of TV anime “#Witch and the Beast”] (Tweet). Retrieved February 23, 2024 via Twitter.
  26. Silverman, Rebecca; Moore, Caitlin (November 17, 2020). "The Fall 2020 Manga Guide: The Witch and the Beast". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  27. Gilson, Che (May 14, 2021). "The Witch and the Beast [Manga Review]". Otaku USA. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  28. 魔女と野獣:「月刊ヤンマガ」のダークファンタジーがアニメ化. Mantan Web (in Japanese). August 18, 2022. Retrieved August 18, 2022.

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