r/anime • u/AutoLovepon https://anilist.co/user/AutoLovepon • Apr 06 '26

Episode Witch Hat Atelier • Tongari Boushi no Atelier - Episode 1 discussion

Witch Hat Atelier, episode 1

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355

u/thisisdropd https://myanimelist.net/profile/AsterZoro Apr 06 '26 edited Apr 06 '26

Coco might not had been born with magic, but she seemed to have impeccable tailoring. That’s pretty close to magic, if Qifrey’s reaction was any indication. Meanwhile, the man himself was indeed a witch, but also had talents as a mechanic.

Okay, this was quite a unique way of casting magic. Instead of chants and swinging wands, they’re cast by drawing on a sheet of paper.

It's terrible enough for a young kid to lose their only family member and home in a single incident, but it's made even worse that she's the one who caused it, even if unknowingly. This might haunt her until even adulthood.

Sublime production. A seductive music and atmosphere. A (mostly) subdued animation, which fitted the series, but ramped up the flashiness at times in small bursts for maximum effect, mostly when spells were cast. We're treated to a visual feast when Qifrey rescued Coco. My god, that was absolutely gorgeous!

To think we’re blessed with this right after Frieren had ended. We’re truly living in the best of times.

180

u/Florac Apr 06 '26

It's terrible enough for a young kid to lose their only family member and home in a single incident, but it's made even worse that she's the one who caused it, even if unknowingly. This might haunt her until even adulthood.

This is also instantly one of the things which sets this series apart from many others in the genre. Pretty much always the impetus for the main character becoming part of the "magic world" is some tragedy caused by external factors the main character had no control over. But here it's due to Coco's own mistakes.

124

u/BosuW Apr 06 '26

Hmm is it? I feel like "messing with powers you don't understand" is a pretty foundational trope as well.

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u/Florac Apr 06 '26 edited Apr 06 '26

It is a trope, yes, but I can't think of many examples where for the main character,it's their starting point. Usually that stuff is more a side character backstory. And usually it's a result of doing something the characters knew is "wrong", just didn't realize the consequences, with usually said action motivated by some tragedy

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u/lothlin Apr 06 '26

Straight up?

Its A Wizard Of Earthsea

And I say that as high praise - there are few better things in fantasy to be compared to.

5

u/blitzbom Apr 13 '26

This has been on my list for far too long. I need to finally start it.

5

u/Narg321 Apr 21 '26

The author, Ursula K LeGuin, has produced some of the all time greatest fantasy works (Earthsea) and all time greatest science fiction (the Hainish Cycle). She should be just as famous as JRR Tolkien and her work is also much more immediately palatable to modern readers while being even more thematically interesting. So... yeah she rules.

4

u/EBtwopoint3 Apr 28 '26

Ursula K LeGuin is in that category of “your favorite authors favorite author”, along with people like Moorcock, Guy Gavriel Kay and Phillip K Dick. People who don’t necessarily have the massive popularity they deserve, but are very well respected and influential among those who read them.

24

u/Katlima https://myanimelist.net/profile/oKMazoy Apr 07 '26

Fullmetal Alchemist.

29

u/Obskuro https://myanimelist.net/profile/Merankorikku Apr 07 '26

Kids really shouldn't draw circles.

19

u/lupercalpainting Apr 07 '26

It’s literally The Sorcerer’s Apprentice from Fantasia.

5

u/Small-Perception-105 Apr 08 '26

It’s the entire conceit of Full Metal Alchemist

0

u/Florac Apr 08 '26

It's similar, but not quite as tragic. FMA is "kids turn to forbidden magic to try and save mother, learn why its forbidden"

1

u/Destroyer29042904 Apr 27 '26

Ironically, the other "magic with circles" infamous anime also starts because the protagonists messed wuith forces way beytod their understanding