Witch Watch

bro listen… Witch Watch got less rizz than a baby gronk trying to rizz up livvy dunne with a juice box 💀 the story ain’t unique at all — just your basic “witch messes up spells, ogre cleans up the mess” loop on repeat. predictable from episode one, like you could skibidi toilet your way through it blindfolded and still know what happens next. not even the goofy humour could save it, cuh. the art style tries to be cute and light, but it ends up looking like a half-finished ohio doodle. sure, it’s bright, but it doesn’t fit the tone — when things are supposed to feel magical or serious, it still looks like a saturday morning cartoon that forgot the shading. the characters? oh bruv, they got no depth. Nico’s just “clumsy witch with too much energy” and Morihito’s “grumpy protector with zero drip.” they ain’t balanced, they ain’t sigma, they just walk through the same jokes over and over. even when wild stuff happens, their reactions feel so fake — like, no real human (or ogre) acts that calm after being turned into a frog mid-breakfast 🐸 and cuh, maybe some folks will enjoy it — like lil skibidi watchers who want light, easy laughs or fans who love cute, basic slice-of-life anime. but anyone looking for real story depth, emotion, or that alpha-level character growth? nah, they’ll dip after two episodes. final verdict: 2/10 — weak gyatt, zero rizz, only in ohio-tier storytelling. art mid, jokes dry, characters built like AI-generated NPCs. should’ve stayed in the cauldron, cuh. 🪄💀

Quite frankly, not worth my time. I watched the entire thing because it was so devoid of entertainment it helped me fall asleep, most of the time I'm asleep before the episode ever finished. Premise seemed cool, was hoping for cute silly romcom stuff but honestly the show treats Nico's crush on Moi like a bad joke. Not that it didn't have potential, I think there was so much that could've been done with this show: Magic? Instead of going the route that most children shows go that magic shouldn't be a shortcut to real development, this one just throws arbitrary restrictions into the spells to make "funny" gags happen, rather than genuinely backfiring with a "careful what you wish for" kind of twist. Not that every show that uses magic should be like this, but this is what it feels like they wanted to go for and probably should've gone for but missed. Characters? Like with the magic, they substitute character development with (un)funny bits. Nemu and Wolf being the ones with the most potential to be something outside from the primary duo and I'm not saying that because of the forced pivot of Nemu's crush onto Wolf. Nemu could've been a great romantic rival to get to push Nico to be more vocal about her crush towards Moi, didn't happen. Wolf's two personalities (poser and terror) could've had more than the slightest semblance of character development. But no they never really leave their templates. Same goes for Nico and Kansai as well, it's impressive how any pairing of characters are destined for disaster, with the exception of those including Moi, since he's the only competent character in this entire show. Shiki is more competent than the rest of the cast and he's a piece of paper for crying out loud. Also why did they make the household just be crowded with familiars? Speaking of which Miharu wasn't even worth mentioning in characters that had potential, since he doesn't have any. He's just annoying an exists for the sake of it. The bloatage in the main cast is so apparent with 4 dudes in the same house with Nico with the frequent Nemu visits as well. Honestly, max should've been one other guy/girl in the house to keep the cast well... overseeable and allow for depth in the writing. Romance? Entirely irrelevant in this show despite being part of the premise and the episodes that do explore it in any capacity lead to nothing. It's like everyone knows Nico is crushing on Moi, except the guy himself, and it's not even the classic annoying overly oblivious main character issue this time either, it makes sense for Moi as a character to be the way he is, but it never really gets tested either. It's just "oh he's so oblivious" and they basically do nothing to create... anything interesting between the two. Now is this the animators' fault? No, the studio made a nice looking show out of this. I doubt the manga is better and I'm not going to find out, this was horribly boring despite my wishes for better. The best thing it has going for it is being sound for when I try to sleep. I'm giving it a 5/10 overall because... while MAL says 5 is average, we all know 5 is bottom of the barrel, barely worth considering, 4-2 are garbage and 1 is the one rating when the viewer straight up just hated it outright. This here... Is never bad enough to hate, just boring. That being said it's probably fine as like a children's show, though it's probably an offense to any 6 yr old's intellect already..... maybe the 4 y/o's will love this kind of humour ...

If you want another round of comedy with some over-the-top humor or have dedicated episodes of casts being goofy throughout the whole series, take a shot at watching Witch Watch. Other than that, this entire review will focus on the demerits of watching Witch Watch, as those little issues gradually started to become a pet peeve with each subsequent episode. Issue 1: All that glitters is not gold. * This is an odd issue I had with Witch Watch, because it was supposed to be a comedy anime first and foremost. However, the anime seemed to stagnate after a couple of moments of development. This became more apparent when the second cour came along, with more episodes being more focused on comedic gags rather than trying to build its story while simultaneously creating humor along the way. Because the anime took its genre too seriously, it started to feel like they wanted to ensure you laughed first, rather than moving the story along to reveal more intriguing details. As a result, it becomes a formulaic and stale sequence of watching each segment for the punchline to barely get a giggle out of me. Issue 2: Trying too hard to be funny. * As a continuation from my previous sentence, the anime seems to be too headstrong in delivering jokes, which are more obvious to see when the anime starts to use pop references or makes Kanshi act more as the straight man in almost every scenario they create. The comedy segments feel more like a gauntlet rather than pure moments of funny people, because the anime goes out of its way to make certain characters go off-character for certain jokes it wants to deliver. And anime, for its comedy, isn't generally known for being funny. Witch Watch technically recycles these tropes for jokes that barely landed and often fall flat, and you're left with your time being wasted because the show wants to take a shot at talking about YouTube or cancel culture like that. Issue 3: Lack of polish * This is what happens when an anime forgets to do character development or give more exposition to the story. As implied, the anime wants to take it slow and introduce characters through chaotic shenanigans. However, I would prefer if the anime had more lore and exposition than being shoved more dozens of jokes made by the author. There is a lack of focus centered around its magical story, and it feels more like a sideline they eventually have to do before chaos ensues. The thing is, I want to learn more about its magic sequences, and I want to learn more about the world. Plus, whenever there is magic involved, it only goes as far as "Yeah, I have cool magic, but they have really big drawbacks." and is usually used for laughter rather than in more serious situations. Whenever it gets serious, the magic for some reason doesn't have any flaws, which is a contradiction to what the anime formally wants to do. Despite what I'm saying about Witch Watch. I do not think that Witch Watch is bad. It's more of a fun show that sticks to its formula and tries to do it very often without reinventing it. In short, it can get stale after a few episodes of just comedy, since the author struggles to create new development arcs after being satisfied with a couple of new character introductions and becoming complacent shortly after. Thank you for reading.

To be honest, Witch Watch is a strange anime to begin with since some of the stakes are not that satisfying enough for the audience on what I’ve been experiencing ever since half of the show has been released. It’s really quite sad on how the show has been developed to a great to a tiny bit of misunderstanding once you know where this is going when you surpass the second cour but to be fair, it’s definitely an underrated gem for sure on what I’ve truly blessed and how considerate about the narrative that really gives that unique feeling that has genuine charm towards it characters and stories to tell but how does it go deep? here’s my take: The story starts on a boy named Morihito Otogi, who is an ogre that is independent and calm person that has a strong sense of heart to the people who trusted him but back then, he usually doesn’t trust or to show kindness to the other kids since his inexpression personality is getting out of hand which shows on how lonely around his surroundings but one day, he met a individual who is energetic and charismatic about her instincts which goes by the name of Nico Wakatsuki. Their backstories felt persistent and shows deep levels of tension to evaluate conflicts that differs from being ordinary which indicates memories and challenges to discover to get to know each other more naturally. Both of them have a unique chemistry which is to acknowledge their powers and gratitude among others that is not only gives an important point to the story but it’s relatively a great introduction which shows the warmth of heart of the relationship that feels tangible and coherently wholesome. Several years later, a decision was made for Otogi to protect Nico at all cost and on the other hand, this is where the series decided to go on a full whimsy adventure that have worldbuilding and characters to explore which is impeccably the highlight of the storyline. The way they introduce the characters are eccentrical and unexpectedly comical that really seeks deep within the development and hardships to discover. It is one of those animes that are socially viable and doesn’t need to take it seriously just for the sake of creativity that serves the proportion of the formula. Not only discovery is an exception but the emotional in depth is what you really get the feels about the characters. Some of the side stories that are implemented are also a great watch like otakus, depictions and running gags are definitely hilarious and pretty generous about their antics to get to know each of the characters once they enhance their safety and capabilities even further. What makes this series special that it doesn’t need a certain goal to begin with since it’s about taking an exploration through depth of the characters and problems that truly gives the chills and accomplishment that they can possibly intervene and improve their reputation which revolves around responsibility and clarity that gives out an substantial point throughout the surface of the story. One thing to note that the relationship between Nico and Otogi on the series is what I’ve quite certain for the outcome because not only they try to do better for the greater good but to understand their weaknesses slowly and expand their territories that can either be lovesick nor confidence that felt relevant and wholeheartedly competent throughout the series that can be emotional and meaningful about the relationship on what they’ve been gone through. Overall, Witch Watch is a must watch for the people who have good taste into comedy and even slice of life. It focuses on the development of the characters that can either be silly, thoughtful and genuine about the possibilities that are astonishingly creative and emotionally invested throughout the narrative that doesn’t feel generic or bland. It’s highly energetic and totally a mixture of magic and puns which definitely live up my expectations that I would highly recommended to check it out for yourself.

Witch Watch is a lighthearted supernatural comedy built around chaotic magic and exaggerated humor. The premise is simple and playful. It is about a young witch returns from her magical training and moves in with her childhood friend, who also happens to be an ogre tasked with protecting her. What follows is a series of unpredictable magical mishaps, eccentric characters, and absurd situations that rarely go the way anyone expects. Yet beneath its energetic comedy lies a surprisingly warm story about friendship, trust, and the strange comfort of everyday life. The story centers on Nico Wakatsuki, an enthusiastic but often clumsy witch who has just completed her magical training. She moves in with Morihito Otogi, her serious and disciplined childhood friend who comes from an ogre lineage. Bound by a family duty to protect her, Morihito takes on the role of her guardian. Their personalities could not be more different. Nico is cheerful, impulsive, and prone to magical accidents, whilst Morihito is stoic, responsible, and constantly trying to maintain order. This contrast creates the foundation for most of the series’ humor, as Nico’s spells often spiral into chaotic situations that Morihito must somehow resolve. As the story progresses, their lonely household gradually becomes far less quiet. Other supernatural characters begin to appear and settle into their lives, bringing new personalities and comedic dynamics into the mix. The laid-back and slightly narcissistic wolf familiar Kanshi Kazamatsuri introduces a playful energy that contrasts with Morihito’s strict seriousness, while the reserved vampire Keigo Magami adds a more subdued presence that often reacts to the chaos with dry humor. Later additions, such as the mischievous tengu girl Nemu Miyao, further expand the group’s dynamic, turning the story into something closer to a lively supernatural household than a simple two-character setup. One of the series’ greatest strengths is its comedic timing. Written by Kenta Shinohara (also known for Sket Dance) Witch Watch constantly experiments with different styles of comedy. Some episodes lean into exaggerated slapstick, others rely on clever wordplay or parody, and many simply allow the characters’ personalities to clash in amusing ways. Even the most ordinary situations like school events, neighborhood errands, or casual conversations can suddenly escalate into bizarre magical and ridiculous scenarios. From spells that accidentally distort reality to supernatural misunderstandings that affect the entire neighborhood, the series constantly finds creative ways to turn ordinary moments into comedic spectacles. Yet what prevents the series from feeling like a collection of disconnected gags is the genuine warmth shared between the characters. As the cast gradually expands, the story develops a comfortable sense of community where everyone gradually finds their place. Such small yet heartwarming moments like sharing meals, teasing one another, or subtly supporting a friend give the world a sense of familiarity that contrasts nicely with the absurdity of Nico’s magic. The interactions between them feel natural and playful without turning the narrative into a string of standalone gags. Over time, subtle hints about Nico’s future and potential dangers also begin to emerge, suggesting that the story may eventually move toward deeper emotional territory. Visually, the series is a treat. Bright, clean art and expressive animation inject energy even into mundane scenes, while the music complements the tone perfectly. The opening by YOASOBI captures the dreamy, energetic, and whimsical atmosphere, making it hard not to smile as the show kicks off. That said, the series’ strong focus on comedy may not appeal to everyone. Because many episodes revolve around standalone magical incidents, the overarching plot develops slowly. Anyone expecting a tightly structured narrative or constant dramatic tension might find the pacing somewhat too relaxed. Yet for those who enjoy character-driven humor and imaginative supernatural antics, this slower pace allows the personalities of the cast to truly shine. Ultimately, Witch Watch succeeds by embracing the idea that small moments can be just as magical as grand adventures. Through its colorful cast, playful supernatural antics, and gentle emotional core, the story transforms ordinary daily life into something slightly absurd, unexpectedly heartfelt, and consistently entertaining. In a genre often dominated by intense battles and high-stakes drama, Witch Watch reminds everyone that frequently the most enjoyable magic comes from laughter shared between supportive friends. Anyway, keep in mind that no opinion is ever purely objective, and every perspective remains open to discussion. Even so, each viewpoint still holds its own value. If you happen to see things differently, simple mutual respect is more than enough. That same respect is the spirit behind this reflection as well. Wishing everyone a peaceful day ahead, and thank you for taking the time to read.

Well it took me some time to catch up with this anime from past season. Reason is I was worried that it would not land exacly well. And land it did not. Ofc the worst idea would be trying to binge it, so I’m glad I planned to stretch the watchtime across several days, but it still didn’t help with overwhelming boredom for 80% of the watchtime. Decision to make it a 25 ep anime was the thing I feared the most during the first batch and it did not work well for the series. The jokes weren’t landing as good as in the first couple of ep’s, cast wasn’t as appealing as it could’ve been, plotline had nothing of interest to offer. I am aware that it is a slice of life comedy, thus by plot I mean the overall short stories and how each of them presented different view on characters and placed them before problems to solve/lessons to learn. Regarding the characters, even tho we do have a group of different, over-the-top personalities stuffed in one house, each and every one of those goobers is as developed as a cardboard cutout. Ofc I don't expect superb writing, exposing the very nature of human psyche, just - you know - some sort of progress with their relationship or, instead of that, exploring their comedic usage by making them perform all sorts of activities closely tied to their personality, not staying in the safe zone of repetitive 3-4 jokes the wholes show. As for the jokes, what can be said. Comedy is subjective, but I can't recall myself laughing at any point after first 4 or so episodes, except of the gender-swap ep and the cringey stand up comedy in the last ep. It did force a few smirks out of me, tho I could probably count them on the fingers of one hand. Witch Watch underperformed at all listed instances, especially compared to the greats in the industry such as Azumanga, Saiki K or Dragon Maid. What it did excel at was different usage of animation in some of the eps and voice acting. Playing with the medium thru different animation styles for characters was certainly a highlight of usually boring eps. As for VA’s, every role was depicted amazingly by the seiyuus, my favs by far being the charater of Minami (Takahashi Rie couldn’t have fumbled) and Makuwa sensei (Komatsu Mikako has a great vocal range), tho rest of the cast didn’t fall behind by a great margin. Both of the OP's also had a ton of love poured into them, with the studio even trying to create a viral dance in the 2nd one, which is admirable. Funny, how I felt greater camaraderie between the main cast in the 2nd op then during most of the show. Overall mediocre, pretty drawn-out anime that lost it’s footing somewhere after it’s first half, with significant lack of new joke ideas after just a 4 episodes runtime, but made watchable by the performance of voice actors and occasional animation switcharoos, tho I expected much more of it ;( 4,5/10

A really entertaining and enjoyable to watch! Premise was interesting and executed very well. For the whole 25 episode they delivered the comedy well with most of the punchline hit the spot. Romance was subtle but still giving more spice to the story. Love the friendship too. But yes the comedy in this one is top tier and they also like to reference other anime manga so it's doubled the fun. Oh and also reminds me of saiki k too actually in terms of absurd comedy and the magic/superpower on it. Production wise also good, with great graphic and decent scoring. They also went creative with opening of one of the eps too. Definitely recommend if u're looking for a light comedy anime with a dash of romance and not heavy drama!!

Well, just as I thought... TRASH! This might be one of the worst anime I've ever seen in my ENTIRE life. I know for a fact that this kind of slice-of-life with a touch of romance between the main characters is not my cup of tea, but I gave it a try because of the "the witching hour" badge. I was actually hoping to see some magic, or at least some DEVELOPMENT, but I didn't get any of it. The characters are completely forgettable (and also SO generic-looking); the main character is completely annoying, and her love interest is just a knock-off, bootleg version of every strong male character who is supposed to be the group's hero. And the whole story itself is just so boring, annoying, not interesting in ANY way. It is so painful to watch that I actually fell asleep in some episodes. There was only one good episode, but it couldn't save all the 24 horrible episodes that came with it. I mean, there are so many things you can do with your money, and I can't accept the fact that an anime company actually thought that creating an anime about THIS story was actually a good idea! If you want to spend your money, just donate it to charity or something, because this project is just a complete waste of everybody's time.

Simply one of the most tedious and forced anime I've seen in a long time. Forced "humor," absurdly awful and unfunny jokes, even slapstick comedy manages to feel more natural. The characters have stereotypical, unique, and unchanging personalities, which gets tiresome even before the halfway point of the season—which, by the way, was longer than it should have been. There's no attempt at development, extra layers, or meaningful emotional conflicts: each character is stuck in an exaggerated pattern from beginning to end, as if the show simply wanted to repeat formulas. In the end, everything feels artificial and predictable, taking away not only the overall impact, but even the humor. Another point that ruins everything is that the idea of ​​putting an anime within another anime in some episodes was simply one of the worst experiences and ideas I've ever had or seen in my life. The desperation and the feeling that I'm watching a random anime is terrible; every time I have to exit the episode, analyze all the information, and skip countless frames until I can understand what's happening. As for the magic part, it's very simplistic, which is sometimes practical and avoids weird incantations or even awkward reverse audio clips. The problem is that it all boils down to a combination of ridiculous, almost childish and lazy words and a one-second pink glow to indicate that the magic has been performed, which ends up making everything too bland and basic, lacking a certain "charm." In the end, magic is nothing more than a secondary element within the world, functioning More like a detail thrown in than an actual part of the plot. In practice, it just becomes a silly excuse to sneak in another pointless, unfunny joke at the end. Note: I'm surprised a new season has been confirmed.

Witch Watch is an anime for people who like good vibes with some tension here and there. Nico wishes to grow into a witch who can help people, but there's a lingering sense of danger she needs protection from. However, this is a plot line that doesn't get as much attention as the light-hearted episodes wherein characters end up in unserious situations (mostly through Nico's magic). If you're into plot-driven anime, this might not be the anime for you. It's much more suited for people who like a bit of slice of life with some occasional action. The characters are good. They have moments of depth and each brings a different type of energy to the main group. They also each have their flaws and quirks that occasionally get used for funny moments but the humor fell flat at times, so I liked them but wasn't head over heels. There are opinions that it wasn't satisfying to see Nico stay impulsive and clumsy with her magic, which I can understand, but that brings me back to the point it's more of a comedy anime than one with serious character developments. Not to say there's no character development, but Nico messing up a little bit is the heart of this story's gags. There's a bit of romance sprinkled between Nico and Morihito throughout this season. It's nice and pure, but it moves very slowly. The romance is there as a side-plot and won't be there in every episode. So, don't mistake it for a romance anime like I did, haha. There was this plot twist between them that felt a bit lazy to me yet it still added good moments. The further I got into the season, the more interested I became in the side couple. Nemu is my favorite character from this series; she's a bit shy, easily flustered, kind, and her character design is my favorite. I love cat-dog dynamics, so I hope to see more of the side couple! Overall, it was an enjoyable watch. The magic has funny twists that keep it from being OP. The supernatural beings are fun to explore. The voice acting, colors, and soundtrack was really nice and brought the story and characters so much more to life. While there weren't a lot of high stake moments, they always got me excited. Sure, I have my critics and it's not an anime I'd recommend to everyone, but it gave me a good time.

Story development is decent in the first half, but goes slow in the second half where it shows more comedy. In the slice of life comedic theme, there are heart touching moments that actually made me cry. Style is similar to classic 2000s anime such as doraemon. which brings the cute comedic style of the anime. The comedy is certainly not for everyone, some of it even feels forced, and its even harder to understand if one watches this without knowing at least some japanese culture and language which is essential for the joke to go through. An enjoyable comedic watch with some unexpectedly highly emotional moments.

It may be the case that Witch Watch suffers from a ‘watcher expectation problem’. If you try to get into it thinking this is a rom-com because of the art, like you’ve come to expect from a fellow Jump series like ‘Nisekoi’, then you’re probably not going to enjoy it very much. The root of the problem is… Witch Watch is not ‘BokuBen’ or ‘Ichigo 100%’. Witch Watch is closer to an urban fantasy ‘Gintama’ (although I’m not sure I want to make that comparison, since I haven’t really watched it yet). What I mean by ‘watcher expectation problem’ is that Witch Watch is not mainly a romance manga. And I don’t say that just because there aren’t enough girls, but because the main focus isn’t the story itself or the development of the characters within it. This is a gag manga. And if you treat it like that, then it’ll treat you… fairly well. But only when it sees itself like that, which is not always the case. I’m not saying that Witch Watch shouldn’t focus on its story, but that I’m not expecting it to, because when it did… it was underwhelming. My point is something akin to this: when I want to eat Italian food, I prefer going to an Italian restaurant. If I sit down and order some pasta and it comes with a side of French fries, I don’t particularly mind. I like French fries. I’ll gladly eat them too, but the thing is… I came to eat Italian food, and now I’m just eating something French instead. It’s not that I’m just looking for only one type of food, but if I really want something French cooked really well, I’ll go to a bistro, right? The anime adaptation of Witch Watch moves some things around, but it generally follows the structure of the manga: episodic chapters with some focused arcs every now and then, slowly introducing more characters. I think the only real “arc” with genuine stakes this season was ‘Dogs and Raindrops’, where a warlock (an evil witch) and her werewolf helper want to capture Nico. And that’s what gets me to my first point: 1) Tone: Seriousness or Self-Awareness? What I think it gets right: For the most part, Witch Watch hits its mark. From the very first episodes, it was clear for me that this is a comedy show. They’re mostly divided into mini episodes, the gimmick being that Nico always has a spell that’s meant to do something, but surprise! It either doesn’t work 100% or has some crazy drawback, so Morihito has to do something about it. It’s simple and effective, and you can create a trillion stories just with that, as long as the author invents creative spells every time. It isn’t really that distant from Doraemon’s future gadgets, if you think about it. What I’m trying to get to is: it plays on tropes. The problem is the reaction it expects from the viewer. It does really well when it makes fun of them, the episode where the student council is introduced being a very clear example. I also really like the manga/anime culture references and the metacommentary, although I feel like they’re more prevalent on the first cour. What I think it gets wrong: What I couldn’t be sure, though, is if the author knew just how many tropes he put in ‘Dogs and Raindrops’. I understand it’s impossible to create any narrative without relying on them. But normally it’s not their use that’s the problem, but the lack of subversion. The result just makes the French fries bland… and mushy. Let’s just start with Nico being ‘The Chosen One’. Okay, sure, but isn’t she a ‘Damsel In Distress’ most of the time, anyway? Their enemy is a ‘Wicked Witch’ who has a ‘Werewolf’. But wait! That werewolf doesn’t transform when it sees the full moon…! It’s actually a crescent moon! Isn’t that different? Anyway, we see way too many fight scenes come out of nowhere, of course, with Morihito ‘Calling His Attacks’. The whole twist was: Keigo was the Werewolf all along (good to mention that they changed some chapters around so Keigo has a little bit more screentime to give this reveal more punch, nice job!) but all is resolved in the end, when they discover it was a case of ‘Greater-Scope Villain’. But of course, not without ‘Befriending The Enemy’ first. That’s quite a bit of tropes to expect viewers to take seriously, is it not? I prefer it when the author sticks to what mostly works, which is: 2) Humor: Setup, Internal Logic… Punchline? What I think it gets right: Something I found really fun was the consistent, internal logic created for the magic. There are a lot of examples to give: When Nico copies clothes from a magazine, only the front side is created, since the magazine only has that one angle; When Kanshi asks for Nico to make him super fast, the rest of the world, in his view, gets super slow; When you create a clone, your smarts are cut in half for each part; When Nico creates a cloud to shield Miharu’s head from the sun, it depends entirely on his mood, so if he gets happy, the cloud dissipates, etc. So, by definition, the author seems to have a very good grip on setups and his premises for jokes can be really funny. Another thing I really like is how it brings more modern day-to-day problems to light, similar to what ‘Lucky☆Star’ would have done around 20 years ago. For example, when Nico and Kanshi try making a YouTube channel, it’s cute and endearing, and it’s interesting to see how Morihito and Keigo approach the problem. Same thing with when Kanshi gives Keigo a marble, and he transforms it into a viral phenomenon just by posting a video about it. The apology video section is also very funny. It’s not something I ever thought I'd see talked about in anime before, but it's done well here. What I think it gets wrong: A great setup doesn’t make a great joke, unfortunately. Obviously, when you’re serialized on a weekly magazine of Shounen Jump’s size, I don’t expect a hit every chapter. I can’t even imagine how to deal with that much pressure. What frustrates me most is when the premise is really good, but the execution is lacking. Again, it’s an expectation problem. You can’t just say ‘the pasta’s gonna be really good today’ and then serve me salty and overcooked food, that’s just cruel. Anyway, let me give you a very frustrating example of this: we’re introduced to this character that speaks like a person inside an English book would, so he’s overly formal and doesn’t act like a normal person. So there’s some pretty funny back-and-forths, but then he asks for Nico to cast a spell that would make him speak differently, and she refuses. The lesson here is ‘be yourself’, which I find to be an interesting direction. Why use magic on something that isn’t broken? So far so good, right? Well, turns out the girl he likes… speaks in exactly the same manner as him all along. So not only did Nico and her friends actively choose not to help him, but he didn’t even really need them after all. So that’s the punchline to that joke. Remove all the agency of the cast and rely on a crazy coincidence. Maybe something better would be for him to be rejected, try to change, fail, and *then* find someone who accepts him for who he is, flaws and all. Maybe it just didn’t fit into one chapter. Speaking of romance, let’s talk about something else: 3) Romance: Will they, won’t they…?! Do I even care…? What I think it gets right: One of the things I liked most about Witch Watch is ironically… the blossoming romance between Keigo and Nemu. Keigo’s a hipster, a loner, he constantly doubts himself, even though he always wants to come off as really cool. Nemu can be standoffish, a bit envious, shy (and kinda freaky ngl), but she's a competent witch (at least knowledge-wise), and really, just wants friends. These two are insecure oddballs who share a secret: Nemu does not want the group to know she’s the cat that comes to be pet every once in a while (kinda freaky ngl), so Wolf, casanova that he is, strikes a deal with her to come see him at least once a month. What I really enjoyed was episode 16, where Nemu tries to summon Wolf so she keeps her promise, but ends up having a whole…

Ever since Saiki K., I've been looking for a HILARIOUS anime that could warm the soul and I must say "Witch Watch" exactly does that! I love its premise being about a witch that wants to live the human life and his ogre roommate that became his bodyguard too. At first, I was a bit skeptical that the lore was going to be about the two of those alone, which made me worried it was going to be boring. Its first few episodes also gave me the impression that it wasn't going to center too much on comedy, but romance. As time went by though and more characters came into the picture, I realized that it was more on the light-hearted side and that it shows their own respective stories. Personally, I find its content funny! It also gets cringy and embarrassing, which adds more to its charm. The only downside in it is that as the episodes came by, its animation quality slowly downgraded with it. Sometimes it would feel like the animators placed the bare minimum into the anime and that some details are not taken into consideration for. A part of me thinks it's because of their budget too, so I wish more people can watch this and unlock its potential. I was so hyped when I heard it's getting a season 2, so I wish to see more and for it to get even better!

Pfew. Finally. Unfortunately, this show can't be measured by normal standards, because the plot contrivances are supposed to occur, to make the scenes "funny". Basically, its the kind of anime that you'll like if you enjoy slice-of-life slapstick comedy. Not good comedy, but that kind of thing. Some of the visuals look amazing. Some animation is good. The colour palette is decent enough. The cinematography is meh. And thats all there is to say about this anime. You need to watch 1-3 episodes and you'll know if you are ok with it or not. There's no character development, no plot, nothing to guide you, sorry. So, you either say "ok, this is boring/annoying" or you'll laugh you ass off. It gets a rating of pure 5, mixed feelings. The most mid thing. Something to see and to forget about it. And after a while you'll go "oh yeah, I saw that anime" and you'll remember stuff from it but not too specific. It looks ok, but the story is very simple and magic is solution to every problem. So, don't take it seriously if you wanna enjoy it. Have a lovely evening.

Hey everyone! I actually have a personal anime evaluation sheet that I use to score every series I watch. For a category to earn a point, it has to meet at least 3 out of 5 criteria, so it's a bit strict 😅. On the bright side, it helps me consider almost every aspect of a show and give it the score I think it deserves... or at least that's the idea 🗿🤝 According to that system, Witch Watch ended up with a 5/10. The characters were definitely the strongest part for me. They had great chemistry, were fun to watch, and carried most of the entertainment value of the series. I genuinely enjoyed spending time with the cast.👍 That said, the story never really grabbed me. It wasn't bad, but I rarely felt invested in where things were going, and a lot of the episodes felt more enjoyable in the moment than memorable afterward.😭 Overall, I think Witch Watch is a fun and easy show to spend some time with. I don't regret watching it, but it's probably not one that will stick with me for very long. 5/10✨

Witch Watch is a comedy series of an acquired taste, as is the case of all comedies adapted from gag manga. It is a series with many, many flashes of comedic brilliance, delving into metatextual and trope-centric knowledge to such an intense degree that my laughter was balanced in equal part by my sheer amazement at the scope and scale of the set-ups and punchlines. Kenta Shinohara has proven to be an author on-par with Aka Akasaka in regards to his ability to accurately read societal shifts and parody them to an almost uncomfortable degree. That said, it is also extremely wide-ranging in its style of humor, with a large portion being devoted to gags that are intentionally cringe, a subgenre that I actively avoid for personal preferences, and while I adored the main cast and the surprising level of nuance put into their characterization, there’s only so much that can be done with comedy that you just don’t care for. As for its visual presentation, its strongest aspects are in conveying its comedy to the viewer. Top-notch editing and perfect timing are a huge boon to the overall delivery, and the moments that they really want to look good do have an impressive polish to them. Generally, however, there is definitely a noticeable roughness to a lot of the artwork. This is kind of to be expected from a gag series since intentional roughness can prove humorously effective, but I still wish the overall quality was a bit higher. In the end, either you vibe with what this show’s throwing down or you don’t, and if you do, it’s certainly work sticking through some of its rougher moments.

The team at Bibury is back with another comedy series, fresh from the kitchen. I think the show is good at building up a solid repertoire. It's technically centered around Nico and her familiar Morihito but they not only gather more familiars like Kanshi and Miharu but they also have fun recurring side characters like the student council president and the mangaka duo. While there are some infamous absolute stinker segments (like anything to do with Uron Mirage or the jeans segment), even then I found a couple of chuckle-worthy jokes, I don't think there's one segment where there's absolutely NOTHING of value in them, even when they're mostly a drag. Bibury does a good job at bringing Nico's spells to life, they can build romantic moments, they went all out for the Uron Mirage section (as unfortunately bad as the writing for it is, even in the manga), I don't think Witch Watch fans could've hoped for a better adaptation, even if it's not going to blow your socks off. I watched 3 comedy shows during these 2 seasons Witch Watch was running and I think even if you include the shows that weren't primarily comedy, I think this one was my favorite. It's funny, it has cute romantic moments, it has a solid cast of characters, I recommend this show.

i do not like the anime of witchwatch firstly, the art is horrible. not that its horrible itself, but that it totally screwed up the manga's artstyle. it looks so bland and average, they could've done it more justice. especially morihito! secondly, the pacing is terrible. this show is so slow, especially in the second half. each episode feels long and uninteresting, i'm literally fighting demons to stay focused. the manga solves this problem, since you can control your reading speed. i believe slice of life and comedy media like this are usually better when consumed through manga, and this is especially the case for witchwatch. if you're new to romance/comedy anime, you might not mind this. after all, it's (mostly) very light-hearted and wholesome, and nico and morihito make a nice main couple. along with the other friends, the main cast is very appealing. the anime actually does a very good job of accurately following manga though, so props for that i think you should just read the manga. this anime is so "whatever," there's nothing special about it. average art, average animation, average plot, average voice acting... i think the only good thing that came out of this was the catfishing spectacular opening and catchy ending.

Witch Watch is obviously at it's best when it can default to it's primary theme, which is more of the comedic, supernatural and rom-com elements of the show. When it's about weird side effects of Nico's clumsy magic spells, Kanshi struggling to hold jobs due to his flaky and lazy nature, or even Uron Mirage, the show shines. Because that's what the entire manga was created for in the first place. Nothing's too serious, everything's more laid back, and that's kind of apparent in every setting of the show. "Like erm actually, why is Nico not in a special magic school?" "Erm, her bodyguards are really lax and she's always in potential danger because of it" Who the hell are we kidding? This show doesn't really care about that--it's about a show where Nico and her magical antics has fun with her household with a loose theme of "her becoming a mature witch" looming in the background. This is also why when more serious arcs happen, the show kind of sucks. Obviously when you place a comedic cast into battle shounen situations, it doesn't really work out very well. Keigo's arc is especially poor, with the most serious performances and the most obvious plot points in the entire anime. I know it's just a random shounen, but the logic completely falls apart in serious situations like that arc, where there's never any lasting consequences, everything works out in the end, and the arc is wrapped in a nice little bowtie. This is also why arcs more like the final episode which still maintain just a little bit of urgency but very largely inconsequential and manageable with its theming is a lot better produced in my eyes. Still, of course, the main villain of that episode gets off largely scot free and is forced to "run laps as punishment" for basically assaulting other people. The vampire arc is similar, but again, because the stakes are much lower than Keigo's arc, they're a lot more manageable despite being pretty below average in many ways. Of course, the comedic aspects of the show dominate, and it does make up for the poor action sequences and serious arcs that it has scattered around the show. It's definitely above average, and I especially like Kanshi's character and how his manzai is on point in many of the arcs which cause it to come to life. As long as the anime keeps up its pacing of pushing out more of the comedic content, I wouldn't mind watching another season. Still, also nothing too much is missed out if you decide to skip.

Witch Watch's Magical Debut is like watching a magic trick when you know how it's done. It's still impressive, but the magic just isn't there and you focus more on what the magician is doing well. Synopsis - Childhood friends meet again as Nico, the with comes in Morihito's, a descendent of ogres, life and it's discovered that he is her familiar, and it's his job to protect her as it's slowly revealed what Nico's true power is, assuming they can make it thru all the magical hijinks and the chaos her magic causes. Story - This is a slice of school life romcom, with Nico's magic usually being the added spice that takes a simple solution and makes it worse. This review is from someone who read the manga, dropped it, and then picked it back up because I was shocked it was still going. It is with that mindset that I think many viewers looking at this story will have as well, as it's very slow burning, focusing more on a "situation" of the week style of writing with there really only being one part of the storyline that moves the plot forward. Think of it this way, they wrote the movie, but now they need to know who is gonna star in it, and slowly build the cast, and at the end of the first season we feel like we are actually now going to begin filming the movie and telling the story. It may turn some people off, but I promise as a second season was announced at the time of this writing that the story does get going, but for now it is a low point when grading it. It's only saving grace is that all of these episodes that are just them goofing around, are very good and do a lot of tongue and cheek making fun of tropes or established topics in life or in anime. A casual fan may not enjoy it as much as say someone who is use to all of the tropes we have seen again and again. Characters - Speaking of those characters they recruit, while they have their own tropes each of them are very likable and all of them have their own flaws that while if it was real life is annoying, the writing does a great job of heightening it to great comedic effect, as to be expected in Shinohara's writing, the story is almost always second, and the characters first and making them bright and likeable and you wanting to see what hijinks they get into next, which is why it's so forgiving to excuse the less that stellar pace of the writing. If you have read any of Shinohara's past works you know he does characters very well, and you're happy to spend time with each of them. Animation - Bibury, a studio who is no stranger to the romance slice of life genre, I regret to inform almost seem to have dropped the ball. While the openings and endings in this anime are phenomenal, and there is actual movement of the characters, it still felt rigid and almost boring at times, and with such a fun bright show like this I think they could have gone more loose with it and put some extra love into it, perhaps the episode load total made this more difficult. That being said it is a very colorful show, and they do a good job with even simple things like background characters to make them each feel unique and not the same repeated model over and over again. If they are doing the next season I hope that they really get the chance to make it better than before Audio/Music/Voice - Cute is honestly how I describe everything about this show. From the music, to the sound track, to Nico's magic, to it's characters. It's all light and uplifting and honestly cozy, perhaps that's why it didn't leave much of an impression with me, but I say this positive tone, because I enjoyed almost just relaxing while watching this anime. The voice actors are all fun and play their parts well when they need to be goofy, dramatic, or love struck. Genre - This didn't break the mold of which you would assign it to, beyond putting just a little more oomph in the emphasis of the action side when her familiars need to protect her. It does it's job and it does it well, learning to pace the comedic, with the dramatic, with the action packed side of things. I know this first season won't be everyone's cup of tea, and that's fine, I myself was wavering from a scale of 6 to 8 as for almost every good thing I found, I also saw a negative or lacking aspect of this show. Because what it does well or does differently it does very well, like how something as simple as Nico's magic going haywire because of a play on words, but where it lulls or does badly it really does take away from making you want to continue to watch. All I can say as the end of the day I did enjoy this, and with a second season on the horizon I may come back to watch this season, only time will tell