Tenmaku no Jaadugar

THE DARK HORSE OF THE SEASON. What I Liked: - Great opening and ending songs. - The soundtrack fits the Mongol and Persian vibes of the series perfectly. - The animation is fluid; I didn't notice a single frame of CGI. - Accurate historical depiction despite being a work of fiction. - The costume designs look beautiful and unique. - All the characters are important. Even the side characters play vital roles in the story. - The historical culture, norms, and beliefs of the Mongols are portrayed accurately. - The battle of wits, deceit, and cunning is really well done. What I Disliked: - Because of the art style, everyone looks like a kid to me. It's hard to distinguish their ages based on their appearance (aside from Empress Boraqchin, of course, since she looks old). - Twelve episodes feel too short.

2026 has certainly been a year with so many new original ideas that you would come across. Then we have many folks claiming some of them are their number one of the year. To some, it would be Witch Hat Atelier (which I enjoyed yet not my favorite). To some, it would be Goodbye, Lara (which I really enjoyed more except it wasn't even close to the next couple I will name). To some, it would be the 2026 Ghost in the Shell anime (which I love and certainly up there for my top six of the year in anime alone and in TV shows as a whole). To me, it would have to be Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia. It's understandable that it would not be the case. However, with how the political climate is right now, I would have to place this up to the very top along with another TV show that'll be placed next to called Hulu's Furious. This anime alone has me thinking back to when I was young to where we are currently twenty years in between time periods. Hell, it's gonna be a dozy for what I'm gonna say here. It's not gonna please everyone for what I'm about to say, but it's not gonna silence what I have to say in terms of freedom of speech. There aren't any consequences of human rights, especially for marginalized groups outside of the states. Taking place in the early thirteenth century, in the city of Tus, Khwarazmian Empire, we first meet a little Muslim girl named Sitara, voiced by Akira Sekine (Japanese) and Cristina Vee (English), who is sold as a slave to a family of scholars, including the widow of the family Fatima, voiced by Houko Kuwashima (Japanese) and Marwa Elda (English). Sitara initially tries to run away, the family teaches her the importance of knowledge and ends up working and studying in their home for years. But after their heir, Muhammad, voiced by Jun Saito (Japanese) and Yussef Benelbar (English), leaves for Nishapur to further his studies, the Mongols invade Tus. Sitara is then captured after the death of her mistress Fatima, who thinks of Sitara as a daughter, Sitara is being taken to Mongolia after Tolui, voiced by Ryota Suzuki (Japanese) and Alex Mai (English) and his army laid waste to Tus. Upon arrival, Sitara decides to take the name Fatima and begins to plot her revenge on the Mongols and get the book that was entrusted to her by her mistress with the help of some others without the Mongol army's knowledge such as a boy from Samarkand named Shira, voiced by Miyu Irino (Japanese) and Abi Kumar (English), and the sixth wife of one of the sons of Genghis Khan Toregene Khan, voiced by Ami Koshimizu (Japanese) and Michelle Rojas (English). The story in this anime is interesting as it is loosely based on a true story and real historical figures from the thirteenth century Mongol Empire with Fatima (Sitara, who took the name of her mistress on her quest for vengeance), who worked her way to become an advisor to Toregene Khatan, who is a real historical figure who wielded massive political control over the empire. Of course, this anime is kinda like a prelude to the actual historical events that occurred according to the author Tomato Soup, who largely fictionalized or dramatized these events. So, it's kinda historically inaccurate (really more of a historical drama) while we witness Sitara navigating through royal politics with her advanced knowledge of science, medicine, and mathematics. Not really involving witchcraft as the title suggests, but the title "Jaadugar" means "magician" in Persian. Used as a metaphor for a young woman like Sitara and others like Toregene with exceptional intellect and strategic influence. Although, it comes with the theme that women around the time were misunderstood when it comes to being called a "witch" out of fear or lack of comprehension. Now, I would tell y'all what happened at the end of the event surrounding Fatima and Toregene, but I recommend reading about it since it is as grim as what Sitara had experienced when she was a child while the Mongol's invade and conquer from Tus to the Jin Dynasty as the anime shows. What makes this anime more unique is that executive producer Naoko Yamada and director Abel Gongora of Science SARU had their production team intrgrated specialized research advisors to ground the thirteenth century Persian and Mongolian settings. I'll discuss more on that when we get to the animation portion of this review. We even had knowledge of other historical figures such as Genghis Khan, a known dictator and the first khan of the Mongol Empire, and his sons. Tolui being the fourth prince. Ogedei, voiced by Hiro Shimono (Japanese) and Ethan Marshall (English) being the third prince. Chagatai, voiced by Saisuke Namikawa (Japanese) and Mauricio Ortiz-Segura (English), being the second prince. And Jochi, voiced by Kenji Nojima (Japanese) and Charles Nguyen (English), being the first son. They have a backstory of their own, showing off what happened before picking up where their father had left. We also see backstories of Toregene of where she came from as well as Tolui's first wife Sorghaghtani, voiced by Misaki Kuno (Japanese) and Emi Lo (English), and the first wife of Ogesei Boraqchin, voiced by Kujira (Japanese) and Anastasia Munoz (Engish). We don't just explore their backstories. We explore their culture, too. Learning about where they came from before they fell into Mongol rule, which is understandable to folks being uncomfortable with the theme of slavery as women, children and crafters are being brought under their wings. But at the least these are not like ICE when they put people in detainment camps and raping young women to pass time. Sure, the Mongols do kill any rebellion and invade other countries as we witness it in Tus and the Jin Dynasty, they do treat their women humanely. I kinda doubt if that would be the case during the actual time period this anime was loosely based on. I can't speak for everyone, including folks of Persian and Mongolian culture. It's just a thought with the narrative between vengeance and complex empathy. Every character is treated equally as human than how you would think of them being one-noted when it comes to both ends. Add some incredible voice acting on both sides of English and Japanese (kinda want to watch this in both Persian and Mongolian for the fun of it if those dubs do happen like I would watch any movie from Bollywood in theaters), and you can feel how humane even the Mongolians deliver. Now, here we are in the animation portion of the review, and it is as beautiful both historically and spiritually. What makes this anime unique is that Science SARU had consultants to advise how Persians and Mongolians behaved back in the thirteenth century. One such being that they had advisors help integrate the Mongol language into the script for authenticity by casting real Mongolian sumo wrestlers based in Japan to voice specific characters. To properly capture the Islamic elements via culture and the Adhan (a call to prayer), the production team visited a mosque n central Tokyo to observe customs firsthand and tracked down an authentic performer for the audio. If you recall the first episode, that is the Adhan, as I remember reading a post on social media. The production team have done some field research alongside consulting historical texts as they travel to Mongolia for immersive research. Staying with a nomadoc family in a traditional ger that you would see in the anime, visited local museums for the artifacts that you see in the anime, and studied the exact seasonal shifts in landscape colors to match historical realities. Making this anime absolutely beautiful by the scale of the field both in Tus and the Mongol fields. I really love the spiritual segments when we see Mongol characters operate under the spiritual guidance of Tengri (the Sky Father/Eternal Blue Sky) for their conquests and political decisions. There was a scene where we witnessed this chieftain of the Merkit tribe performing this spiritual ritual that lets him see beyond the sk…

7.5/10 ~ well that was weird Very unique art style and vibes, the story is a bit odd at some points because the MC doesnt know what to do withher self... relatable. Too much of the cast looks like one another, and most of the names just feel like gibbous to me so it all melds together :/ That being said, it has enough great small details and moments that really makes you appreciate just sitting there and watching the show like its a picture book, which I cannot understate how great that is. I really hope that the show picks up in future seasons.

I think this series is one of those that will be overlooked by many potential watchers. Even those who do give it a try will choose to drop it due to it "being too slow." This is because they came in expecting a traditional revenge story with totally evil, mustache-twirling villains that everyone will hate and love to see fall, during which the MC farms tons of aura while effortlessly outmaneuvering everyone. But this series has chosen to instead treat every one of its characters as real people rather than just plot devices, as other stories do. This includes the MC not always being the smartest person in the room (well, I guess in a way you could say that). Whom the audience eventually, while still understanding where she is coming from, will start to doubt if what she is doing is worth the fight she is willing to wage. In short, those who appreciate slow-burn type stories will come to enjoy this one very much.

"Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia" was one of the most unique and emotionally impactful Historical Drama anime I have watched in recent years! ❤️ From the very first episode this anime had a deep emotional impact on me because I had never seen Islamic themes surrounding the importance of gaining knowledge and being educated represented so beautifully in an anime before. The story immediately grabbed my attention with its well crafted story, fascinating historical setting and unique art style that felt heavily inspired by historical Persian or central Asian paintings. I could genuinely feel that the writer of this story had done a lot of research into both the religious aspects and the history of Mongolia which made the world of this anime feel much more authentic. The themes of revenge were another major reason why I stayed hooked throughout the show. The first two episodes almost made me cry because they were such an emotional setup for Sitara’s revenge story. I felt genuinely angry watching the Mongols destroy her peaceful life and this made me automatically root for her decision to seek revenge! And of course, the heart and soul of this anime was Sitara also known as Fatima❤️ She was such a strong, clever and intelligent female protagonist that I found myself rooting for her from the very beginning. We follow her from when she was just a kid and as life becomes harder and harder for her there's no way for us to not feel connected to this adorable girl who turns into a deeply knowledgable woman with time and stands against the fearsome Mongols just to get her revenge! What I loved most was how she used her extensive knowledge and education to survive even in the most difficult situations. Despite constantly having the odds against her Sitara always managed to turn situations around using her intelligence. I absolutely loved watching her navigate such a dangerous world while pursuing her revenge✨ The relationship between Sitara and Toregene was also beautifully handled. Their friendship felt genuinely unique and I loved how the anime gave both of them enough depth for us to understand their motives, beliefs and ambitions. Characters like Töregene, Sitara, Ögedei and Boraqchin all felt like real people because of how well their personalities and motivations were written. Another mentionable character was Muhammad who had very little screentime but his impact on this story and Sitara's view about knowledge and education is undeniable! I think the voice actors did an excellent job of bringing these characters to life and added more depth to them. I also really enjoyed how the anime explored the history of the Mongol Empire. The way it showed how the Mongols invaded and conquered different territories and the cruelty surrounding their methods was quite impactful to watch. The political developments after Genghis Khan’s death were also fascinating especially seeing how his 3 sons chose to rule after his passing to establish their own power and rule. The inner politics and constant conspiracies became a major driving force of the story and I genuinely enjoyed watching all of them unfold. The cultural elements were another highlight for me. The anime beautifully portrayed historical Central Asia and Persia alongside the vast and feared Mongolian Empire in the making. The visuals of the Mongolian Stepp and the city of Tusc made it feel like I was witnessing this historical period right in front of my eyes 😍 Science SARU’s unique animation style brought this beautiful story to life in every episode and I especially loved how the art style complemented both the characters and the historical setting. The character designs and facial art as well the clothes they were shown to wear and their food habits were represented culturally and historically in the right way. And the dialogues during many important scenes were so genuinely powerful that they stayed with me even after the anime ended! The sound effects and animation effects were also excellent and added even more life to the already great story. I especially loved both the opening song "Stella" by SEKAI NO OWARI and the ending song "Hoshi" by Ziyoou-vachi." 🎶 One of my favorite aspects of the story was its message about knowledge and education. Every episode of this anime was subtly delivering a strong message of how "Knowledge is Power" 🔥 Sitara’s journey showed how having accurate knowledge can help someone survive even in the gravest situations. I loved seeing education portrayed not just as something valuable but as something that could genuinely change a person’s fate. And the way the writer linked this theme of education with the Islamic teachings abouy the worth of knowledge for every human was fantastic! ✨ Overall, "Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia" was an anime that surprised me with how deeply it affected me. Its unique art style, well-researched historical setting, Islamic themes, political turmoil, emotional storytelling and revenge driven narrative all came together beautifully. But for me Sitara was undoubtedly the biggest reason I became so invested in the story. She was intelligent, brave and incredibly resourceful and watching her fight against the circumstances surrounding her was genuinely satisfying🔥 I honestly think this anime has the potential to be remembered as a generational anime and as one of the best anime of recent years featuring such an intelligent and strong female lead! I absolutely loved this story and I am eagerly waiting for a second season announcement! I really hope we get one soon because I’m definitely not ready to say goodbye to Sitara and this incredible world just yet. ❤️ 📌Personal Rating: 9.5

Honestly, this was better than what i expected. I really loved how this anime portrayed Persian, Muslim and mongol cultures, the mangaka for jaadugar definitely put a great effort in her research and it’s really a breath of fresh air when a piece of media actually takes effort in portraying cultures very well instead of relying on racist and stereotypical tropes. I also really liked that how the show actually shows us the POV of the mongol empire during their conquests instead of portraying as the ruthless and monstrous force that would decimated anything in their way. Overall, it’s a pretty good anime, I recommend you check it out.

One of the best this season, or even this year! Reminds me a lot of Orb, and it did has so many similarities with the distinct difference is Orb sets in Europe while Jaadugar sets in Mongolia and Persia. Through this anime we followed Sitara's journey for vengeance and honestly what a ride it has been. The story offer political story about Mongol Empire and shows how witty Sitara is. The anime surprisingly doesn't feel too heavy or complicated even with many political influences and tactics, maybe because of the colorful art style. The writing of the character also pretty well written but not developed at peak level yet. I personally love the writings of Sitara, Ögedei, and Töregene! They're all very interesting to watch and see the development. And for production, also big applause to Science Saru for the amazing, well made production. The art style is very unique, kinda reminds me of Disney (in a good way). Graphics also really beautiful, paired with pretty sceneries. And scoring really well produced too, very fit the scenes and adding more nuance! Overall, a really enjoyable watch, and definitely a unique anime. Pls watch this especially if you enjoy Orb. And i really hope there'll be a sequel!

(Spanish review on my list) Mongol history is rarely discussed; there is hardly any information or media adapting it. While it might be better known in China or that part of the world, little is known about it on this side of the pond (the Americas). Personally, I only knew that the Mongols were a barbaric nomadic tribe with a few great conquerors—like Attila the Hun, the "Scourge of God"—and I had perhaps heard the name Genghis Khan, but not much else. *Jadugar: The Witch of Mongolia* adapts or interprets these rarely told historical events—or works with the limited information available. Based on the little I know of Mongol history, this anime effectively portrays the socioeconomic and cultural landscape of those times and regions. It does so through a story that unfolds in a way that makes you grow fond of the characters; they all feel human. Even our protagonist is vulnerable—she makes mistakes and struggles to move forward, and she is deeply affected by the events around her—which makes the show entertaining and enjoyable. The animation is unconventional; it avoids anime clichés like cutesy art styles or "kawaii" expressions, nor does it sexualize any characters. It doesn't force a romance or sugarcoat the cruelties and "misdeeds" of the past. For someone saturated with Western stories and clichés, this is a truly rewarding experience. I appreciated that, even though the culture of the time was patriarchal and positions of power were held by men, the story focuses on the Witches of Mongolia. The women here possess strength—they recognize it and pull the strings to advance their own interests without ever seeming "lesser." In fact, they carry the entire narrative; no one is judged by gender or age, but rather by their worth and capabilities. Another thing I really liked is that the story doesn't try to downplay or hide events that *did* actually happen in the Islamic world and those Mongol regions at the time. From the little research I’ve done, studies show that the treatment of "slaves" in those places differed from the cruelty and injustice we typically associate with the term. Apparently, a "slave" in those regions and eras was more like a full-time worker or a close family member who lived in close proximity to their "masters"—sort of like a modern-day employee with a permanent contract, haha. So, you just have to put things in context to really enjoy the story. On the downside, it doesn't have a proper ending; it feels unfinished and—truth be told—very short, as if nothing actually happened. Even though years fly by within the narrative, for the protagonist, it feels like "nothing" has really occurred during that time... All that's left is to hope for more seasons and keep supporting Fatima/Sitara in her quest for revenge against the empire that took everything from her.

-🟡Summer 2026 It’s good, BUT... I really grew to like this anime. In theory, everything works: the story is unpredictable, the characters are compelling, and the attention to historical detail—combined with beautiful animation—draws you into its atmosphere. There’s a warmth to its fairytale-like aesthetic, seasoned with humor, which contrasts effectively with the often more serious themes and tone of the narrative. However, the pacing feels rushed, and not everything lands with the impact it deserves. Plot threads with real potential fail to deliver the emotional punch they could have had, had they been given more episodes to develop and build up properly. It feels a bit like an overly hurried prologue to a larger story—essentially just setting the pieces on the chessboard for now. There’s also an issue with the somewhat naive approach taken toward certain themes, such as slavery. Yet, despite these flaws—and a review that might lean more toward "mixed feelings"—the anime still managed to charm me. I believe it’s worth watching, and I’m giving it a thumbs up.......... "A Persian slave ends up at the court of the Mongol Empire and uses her knowledge to seek revenge against those who took everything from her." To begin with, a significant part of the plot involves a fairly accurate (in terms of specific facts) depiction of the Mongol Empire—finally, a historical anime that offers more than just a generic historical backdrop! Against this setting, the fictional story of our protagonist unfolds as she becomes entangled in various intrigues. The series places a strong emphasis on showcasing the customs and beliefs of the Mongols and the peoples they conquered. The setting is truly unique, as the anime industry rarely ventures into that part of the world—especially with the intent to portray it in a relatively authentic and positive light. This alone is a significant merit, particularly given that it is a historical anime. BUT... at times, the character designs and rather childish humor make the whole thing feel like a play where children are dressing up as historical figures to reenact past events. That said, this mostly applies to the men in the background going about their own business; the protagonist and the intrigues among the women at the Mongol court—despite the humor—don’t carry that same impression, and these plot threads remain credible in terms of drama. Moving on... Although the premise promises a story about a woman who uses her knowledge to exact revenge, the anime doesn't actually focus much on schemes where the protagonist exerts any significant influence. In reality, she often appears helpless; her successes frequently come about by pure chance after long stretches of time, and even when it seems like she might achieve something, it often turns out to be a mere illusion. This subverts expectations: while the initial setup suggests a meticulous quest for vengeance by an intelligent character—leading the viewer to anticipate a complex, high-stakes game of strategy—the story, across its 12 episodes, proves to be surprisingly grounded. Despite its whimsical aesthetic and frequent childish humor, it avoids many common tropes and feels all the more realistic for it. BUT... at times, the plot feels a bit too convenient for the protagonist, effectively stripping her of some of her agency—specifically, the discovery of a certain object that proves far too pivotal, as its very existence resolves too many of Sitara’s problems. On one hand, this reflects the "realistic" side of the narrative and an essential part of Sitara’s development: she must come to realize that she is not as brilliant as she once believed, and that exacting revenge on the Mongols will be no simple task. Despite years of harboring deep-seated hatred and motivation, she achieves nothing until the right opportunity finally arises; she does what she can—securing a position of influence—but realizes she cannot succeed on her own. On the other hand, however, once that opportunity presents itself, a series of fortunate coincidences—an "avalanche" of lucky breaks—propels her actions forward, once again undermining her personal agency. Ultimately, the story simultaneously highlights the limitations of Sitara’s own power while making it too easy for her to reach her goals; as a result, her own initiative often doesn't feel sufficient to justify the progress she makes. Further... The revenge theme seems truly intriguing because the main character's enemy could also be the desire to let go, move on, and fulfill her dreams, which conveys the nuance of the senselessness of revenge. The Mongol Empire, which killed Sitara's loved ones and enslaved her, is presented more in shades of gray. We don't have standard villains here that we're supposed to hate and then enjoy watching the main character exact revenge. The Mongols conquer and kill, are cruel to their enemies, but are good stewards of the conquered peoples and want to create a great, magnificent empire of which even these people will be a part. At the same time, they feel no remorse for their actions and see no problem with bloody conquests in the name of their ideals. Therefore, there is room for nuance and the main character's ambiguous relationships with the people who took everything from her, without a one-dimensional focus on a single emotion. BUT... despite this, this anime seems to whitewash the Mongols a bit too much and separates their bloody conquests from their role as good rulers. It seems there's a lack of representation of the more violent nature of at least some of the Mongols, who nevertheless live off their conquests and wield power over the peoples they conquer. It's not even about the brutality itself, but also about showing characters who, apart from Sitara and Töregene, would feel the consequences of their conquests. It seems that, besides these two characters, every other slave has accepted their fate, started a family, or decided to adapt and achieve something in their new reality. It seems that every perspective is represented in this anime, but as I mentioned, only two characters seeking revenge (the point is revenge for the killing of loved ones, rather than the issue of being a slave in itself) and everyone else resigned to their fate weakens the credibility of the whole. The characters in this anime don't have to be detached from the realities of their era; this anime tries not to impose contemporary moral standards on them. What I mean is that, for example, the main character is never bothered by the laws of Islam or patriarchy in general, nor is being a slave because she was born a slave, raised in a specific culture, and doesn't have a modern approach to all of these things, at least that's how I perceive it. At the same time, to a small extent, this anime also presents a different perspective on patriarchy through the deuteragonist Töregene. BUT...combining this with the previous point, slavery in this anime seems insufficiently detailed, focusing on characters who are adapted to it and often ignoring the less pleasant aspects. It often gives the impression that being a slave doesn't matter and everyone is just one big family. This applies mainly to the first episode, where we meet Sitara and her "new family." In the case of the Mongols, it's better because we see the bloody process of acquiring these slaves and treating them like cattle. However, after the second episode, as I mentioned earlier, this more brutal perspective on slavery seems limited. And the last point, where I'll focus mainly on the characters... Firstly, as I mentioned at the very beginning, the characters are really good, have well-founded motivations, and aren't obvious. Sitara as the main character does a great job; you can really appreciate her balance between her strengths and weaknesses. From the very beginning, we see that she's clever, knows how to use her charm, and is skilled at playing someone she's not.…

Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia is the perfect coalescence of a deeply complex political thriller, an epic world-spanning adventure tale, and one of the best productions of the entire year. The blending of different cultures as the Mongol hoards conquer their way through central Asia at a time when the scientific world is making some of its most vital discoveries brings this world to life in ways that I have not experienced with fiction in many, many years, and the visual representations of this are simply gorgeous. Whether it’s the vast and breathtaking scenery of different areas across the Steppes, the details found in the clothing and tools of different parts of the world, or the many character acting flourishes that highlight different social aspects of the time and region, this is simply one of the most impeccably detailed and vibrant productions of the season. The true meat of the story, however, lies in intricate relationships and motivations of the sprawling cast of characters. Sitara’s rage at the Mongols for taking everything precious to her burns with intense ferocity through a combination of deeply layered characterization on all sides and her struggle against the natural human tendency to adapt to new circumstances, leading her to form and break alliances with many members of the upper political caste of Mongol society, occasionally to the detriment of her central goal due to more amorphous and abstract personal ideals. Akira Sekine lends perhaps her most impressive voice acting performance to date to truly sell the deeply affecting anger dwelling within Sitara, while the rich and lavish color design and lighting craft the perfect mood for nearly every single moment to distill as much raw emotion as possible from every scheme, betrayal, and emotional outburst. This is a series that has given me just about everything I could want and more, packaged with extreme beauty and visual care and stands head and shoulders above everything around it this season. It is an absolute must-watch, overflowing with complicated and compelling ideas to nourish your soul.

At a baseline this show is fantastic, and as a history nerd this has particular interest for me. Unlike most anime this is not a childish show. It covers a lot of mature themes and is trying to be good in the same way that prestige Western shows do like Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, etc. I was looking for another slow-burn mostly-serious show like Apothecary Diaries or Frieren. It succeeds somewhat, but I have a lot of minor-to-moderate issues with it. Most of this review is listing those issues, but don't presume that because most of this review is negative that I disliked the show. It simply takes more words to explain the problems. Problem 1: The show wallows in suffering a bit more than it needs to in the first several episodes. It doesn't exactly go full Re;Zero, but as a show about the Mongols, there's a lot of death. The protagonist is shown to lose everything she loves as a result of the Mongols, then she gets to their camp as a slave. She meets some other characters there, and they *also* have stories of losing everything they love due to the Mongols. This happens like 3 or 4 times. Problem 2: The biggest issue by far is one this shares with other prestige shows, in that it leaves too much of the explanation up to subtext. This issue is compounded by a lot of the female characters looking pretty similar between each other, making it hard to put names to faces. The end result is that I was confused in a lot of scenes that are clearly set up to be big reveals. One example is where a female character is supposed to remarry, and the show gives off vibes that this is a Very Bad Thing for some reason, but the reasoning is left ambiguous. At one point the protagonist starts massively freaking out over it as if the person was committing suicide, and I was very confused since it's not like the guy she was remarrying to was totally terrible or anything. After doing a Google search I discovered that in Mongol culture a widow can be extremely powerful, but it's expected that when they get married they become a doormat, so remarrying was like throwing all their political power away. Maybe this was mentioned at some point but I don't recall if it was, and in any case the damage was already done to my enjoyment of the scene. There are several other examples like this throughout the series. Problem 3: The artstyle. It's certainly unique, but I honestly think that generic LN adaptation anime looks much better. I was actually put-off by the artstyle enough that I almost passed on the show since it looked pretty goofy and low-quality. I'm glad I didn't trust my intuition on that. Problem 4: The series ends before the protagonist does much. Part of the enjoyment of these types of shows is watching the protagonist be highly competent, and while this show hints that the MC will become like Mao Mao from Apothecary Diaries at some point, she doesn't reach that level in S1. I hope

"Let the two of us summon a storm". I don't know if Sitara/Fatima will actually manage to do it, but I know for sure that this anime stirred up a storm of emotions in me. I'm putting it at the very top of my list for the Summer 2026 season. The anime has a strong script dealing with eternal human struggles. The main character is a woman named Sitara, a slave during the Mongol invasion. Placing a female character in such a setting and driving the plot through other female characters is a very interesting idea. I sympathize with their stories, eagerly watch their actions, and look forward to where they will lead each heroine. The story of Töregene hit me the hardest emotionally. As Ögedei noted, the pain and hatred in her eyes embody all the people who have lost their loved ones and homes under the Mongol yoke. But the story isn't black-and-white, and that's precisely what the anime shows us. Sitara and those like her are starting to move past their tragedy; life goes on. They cross paths not only with bad people. This raises the question: what kind of choice must one make? To keep living, or to hold onto hatred in your heart until your dying day? Or perhaps there are other paths? At the same time, the anime doesn't burden us with a heavy, gloomy story about enslaved people. It finds room for funny moments as well as glimpses of our characters' ordinary daily lives. We aren't stuck in constant suffering; instead, we experience a wide spectrum of different emotions from scene to scene. Another major strength of the story is the intrigue within the imperial family. Building plots to gain and hold power, and watching them unfold, leaves you holding your breath, waiting to see what happens next and who will come out on top. The imperial family consists of diverse, charismatic characters who are fascinating to watch, and the main character's interactions with them add a whole separate layer of interest. That alone would have been enough for me to fall in love with this anime, but on top of that, it boasts incredible visual style and animation, wonderful opening and ending themes, and every single OST makes you immerse yourself in this world as if you're right there among the arranged tents in those endless Mongolian steppes. Don't pass this one by - it is well worth your time, and I am left eagerly awaiting the continuation of this magnificent story's adaptation.

Everyone who got History classes heard about the Mongol invasions. Endless cruelty and massacres, incredibly efficient battle tactics, conquering country after country and kingdom after empire... they started in the middle of nowhere meadows and ended up conquering almost all of the known world from Europe to Asia. And in the middle of it, they destroyed the advanced civilization of the Muslim states in the whole Middle-East. But what happens when the greatest leader dies? Does the empire crumble in succession wars? Tenmaku no Jaadugar leads us through history from the eyes of a young slave girl whose fate gets her closer than ever to the Mongol 'court' intrigues. Power struggles, influence, life and death is in the balance, survival and vengeance are the red lines we are invited to follow. And how does she achieve that? Knowledge is the key... because scholars are recognized in the Mongol culture. I was first surprised by the high rating for this anime as I found the visuals unattractive (silly me), so I left it for later. When I started watching... I ended up binge watching the whole season! Like me, have a look and get hooked, it's one of those animes you might want to rewatch afterwards... It's really worth it!

Jaadugar is a period piece set in the Islamic golden age, and its positive and faithful depiction of Islamic culture—something rare in any media nowadays—already sets it apart. It follows the tragic story of Sitara, a slave girl whose family is killed during an invasion by the Mongols. Dragged into a new and unfamiliar society with a culture that she views as violent and primitive, she's left unsure of what to do with herself until she gets roped into imperial politics and meets Toregene, a woman with a similar backstory. Together they decide to get their revenge on the Mongols and set a scheme in motion. The show has a very unique artstyle, and the animation is great throughout. The characters are complex and the politics at play quite gripping. Sitara's story is a very unique one, with much of the season being dedicated to the listlessness she feels after losing everything and, after that, the conflict of whether she should sustain her hatred of the Mongols or just move on with her life. The political intrigue is also quite compelling, and I particularly like how Ogedei is framed as though he's the protagonist of another, mostly unseen story. This story isn't afraid to lets its characters be morally grey and work through complex feelings. Tolui does some horrific things, but afterwards the show also spends time showing us how he is loyal, earnest, and ever-positive to a fault. Sitara is deeply arrogant, and this ends up allowing her to be manipulated when she thinks she has everyone in the palm of her hands. The characters really are the highlight here. One thing that left me a bit disappointed was the ending, as the season doesn't really have a climax. Plenty of interesting things happen, but we don't get the payoff to most of it yet. The final scene feels like square one, with everything that preceded it having just been the setup for something greater. Great stories have used similar approaches to this—Vinland Saga comes to mind—but I feel the writers could and should have gone to a bit more effort to make this season's conclusion feel a bit more like, well, a conclusion. Regardless, I'm quite eager to see how the rest of this story progresses, as what we got is very compelling so far.

Completed - 8.30 After last season’s NIPPON SANGOKU—a series I soured on quickly—I went into Jaadugar with skepticism. What I didn’t expect was for it to become the stepping stone that made me want to keep exploring historical drama at all. Political conflict has always been the most difficult to sit through, especially in period settings, but Jaadugar’s approach splits the difference instead, leaning as much into slice-of-life texture as it does its political stakes—which was enough on its own to keep my interest throughout the season. The story never entirely pulled me in—it has its standouts and a steady, if unremarkable, level of drama throughout—but most of the series is carried by the show’s specific cultural significance, as well as the compelling cast. Sitara does the majority of the heavy lifting here; she reminds me of my early impressions of Maomao—impulsively curious and a little conniving—but Sitara’s approach here feels less organised, clumsier, and more direct, adding a natural texture to the narrative thread—the plot feels like it's happening to her, not simply around her. None of it is especially ambitious storytelling-wise, but it is consistent enough to carry the series credibly across its arcs.What’s more noteworthy is the scenery itself—the series covers Mongolia’s expansion into Central Asia, a period of history anime has never addressed before, and that alone lends Jaadugar a distinct feel worth exploring. Science SARU is the other half of that ambition, delivering one of the most artistically driven works this year, an experience in its entirety—rich in culture, vivid in color, and meticulous in its attention to detail. The atmosphere gives the series a lived-in sensibility, while the direction balances both the show's emotional weight and its smaller comedic beats. All of it adds up to a series that's genuinely breathtaking to look at—one that didn't convert me to political period drama as a genre, but it didn’t have to either—Jaadugar made its case entirely on its own terms, creating a world I didn’t know I wanted to spend a season in.

Unique artstyle, premise and setting, a semi interesting teaser and Science SARU as the studio behind it were enough for me to somewhat keep this show under my radar. Then I kept my expectations low, first after I was told that this anime is not like Chikyuu no Undo ni Suite or Viland Saga and more like Kusuriya no Hitorigoto, which I didn’t like nor even bothered to finish it as I dropped it out of boredom midway through its first season. And then later on I lowered them even more because I was told that it’s like a curious telenovella, and even another person told me that the beginning of the manga was crap. So as you see there was not much reason for me to watch it at that point but I still did that after I finished all the anime from its season that kinda interested me but not as much as this one. I gotta say that I don’t understand the warnings or comparisons I got. The concerns about the astros are very small in the series to compare it with Chikyuu no Undo ni Suite, but I get it, it’s a historical drama about the importance of saving, conserving and passing down knowledge, and there’s another tiny bit about religion as well. Other than that the shows are not comparable so I don’t know why the other one was brought up, but I get it, this one is not as ambitiously intellectual nor as dramatic, is what I gathered. The link with Vinland Saga is even thinner, like I guess this is also a historical drama about revenge, but instead of exploring the emptiness and self destructive nature of the path to it from that show, this one is about not forgetting that goal despite the passing of time and the apparition of a chance of moving on from it, at least from what was seen in this season, and that’s quite not the best message is it now? But I think I get it, this is not an action filled historical drama about revenge, it shares the theme but it’s otherwise different as it’s more chill and about political scheming. The comparison with Kusuriya no Hitorigoto makes slightly more sense, as this anime is also about the internal political conflicts within an empire, but it is also slightly more serious, it’s not about episodic mysteries, and Sitara is nowhere near as capable as the almost Mary Sue Mao Mao was, which is what made me drop the other show. But oh well, the two are Josei series about internal political plots within an empire, I get it. And finally I see no relation with a telenovella whatsoever. At least where I come from, that genre is about the melodramatic lives of middle class characters (usually) with lots of romance, cheating, breaking and getting back, and stuff. Encountering anything akin to that in this anime is what scared me the most, but luckily there was nothing of the sort here. And the guy who told me that the beginning of the manga was crap ended up saying that it became good later on, so ok, no problem. So in the end there was no real reason to be worried about when starting this anime, but let’s move on into its actual issues, all related to the narrative and some of which resulted in me not liking the show. The most minor issue is the tone not being as serious as I would have expected and liked from the premise, as sometimes the characters can do something silly in the middle of what’s supposed to be a serious scene about a part of the plan of the protagonist in a historical drama series about betrayal and revenge, but oh well I guess that it seems like that’s inevitably going to happen with most anime out there. It’s nowhere near as bad as the main character in World is Dancing ruining everything else, in the early episodes at least, or Sparks of Tomorrow being mostly unserious. Like I said, the protagonist is not very capable. Although it’s nice to have a different lead than Mary Mao Mao Sue, Sitara messes up in ways that sometimes are solved purely by luck or due to the will of other characters or for the lighthearted tone of the series at points. It's not like there aren’t moments when she makes things go in her favor due her own intelligence, but most of it comes from supposed scheming and smart other characters easily falling for her lies and fake smiles. Well, I can actually excuse this seemingly flaw up to a point. Sitara is a slave without much that she can actually do so it makes sense that she’s this close to fail at getting her objective, and as it turns out, the antagonists were outplaying her in her own field. Not like the constant plot conveniences in Sparks of Tomorrow. That does not take away that sometimes the script does play a little conveniently for the main character to save her ass from her mistakes, like no one telling her apart from the slave she impersonates in I believe episode 5? See, sometimes this is too silly and easygoing, guess it’s still a Josei despite not having chibi comedy, that episode was the worst of all 12 of them. And there are even things that I don’t know how believable they are, just as letting a slave do all the stuff Sitara does, as it was kinda the case as well with Mao Mao, but at least she was under direct command of an important figure inside her palace, while this main character does not have even that level of importance/rank. Although the story is constantly moving and keeping you engaged, there kinda is a pacing issue, as important historical events and deaths are glossed over to show the relevant characters more, but oh well that can be mostly excused for the focus of the anime itself. It’s not about the war and conquest themselves, it’s about the politics that were happening behind the scenes. What can’t be excused is when the pacing affects the character dynamics, like when the original master or owner of the protagonist throws herself to protect Sitara and even refers to her as her daughter, in just two episodes and after a big time skip. Time skips are abundant in the show and it doesn’t feel like the plot nor the main character progressed much after them, and like I just said, it makes some things feel inorganic. Now that I mentioned that, let’s talk about the real main issue of the show and the primary reason why I can’t like it on a personal level, which is how pro slavery is at times. It’s presented more of a circumstance which lets the protagonist get more knowledge, but in order to accept her being enraged for “everything that was took from me” as she claims, which is her previous life as a slave, you really have to get in the mindset of watching something set thousand of years ago and with a fitting mostly conservative view, otherwise you will dislike this anime as I do. For example there’s another secondary woman that talks all happily about the husband and family she started in the Mongolian empire, and yes that’s a reason to be happy about but it happening after being slaved by the Mongols is not, what are we doing here? It could maybe be said that it’s not that important because it’s a throwaway character, but we go back to what I said about the main character earlier and what then? Even if the anime tried to say that not all slave owners were bad, or equally bad, there’s no time dedicated to her newfound family before she loses them, because of the timeskips, thus the audience can’t exactly understand nor accept that dynamic, relationship and feeling, and by extension her motivation, and also, Vinland Saga 2 did it better. But oh well now with the bad out of the way, let’s focus on the good stuff of this anime that I didn’t mention so far The first obvious thing is the artwork which is the most unique from the year, even more so than Sayonara Lara’s. It’s hard to even compare it to other anime, as it’s closer to a combination of Persepolis and The Breadwinner (2017 animated movie), both of which even have some thematic connection, so they are the recommended list of the day, despite feeling like the exact opposite to this series, if you know what I mean. I have my complaints about the character designs making the characters seem younger or no…

Its not perfect the story has some pacing issues and there are a few to many characters that look a like due to all waring similar outfits but I'll give it this if you wanted to convince some one with standard Non Anime fan American Taste in media the Power of chibi Character Design as a story telling tool or maybe you want to convince yourself of that then I can't think of a better show for that job then Jaadugar cus both has a serious dramatic period piece thriller story what i like to call a "HBO vibes" (mean dark and mature but without anything weird meaning it wont freak out any viewers too much) but also uses chibi character designs to tell that story and uses them to there fullest of advantages making care for the characters more and more shocked when you see the acts of extreme violences being done to these cute characters by other cute characters really showing how messed up war is by taking out any of the coolness factor a war scene can have so ya if your looking for a historical drama with a lot of heart then this series is for you

The art style of the characters took me a little but to get accustomed to but in general the aesthetics and tone of this anime are awesome. You even still get the whole "anime character with cool af eyes". This is a great drama fused with history. The characters feel rooted in their own cultures, religions, and customs. The imagery portrayed for things like calling upon the spirits for a storm really allow that to be played out as well. I like how they made Sitara not afraid to learn. It kept her alive in more ways than one. One thing I didn't understand was how she, as a slave, got away with saying so many things and being found where she wasn't supposed to be. I'm sure there was some sort of system that would punish that sort of thing but I'm not going to speculate about things that I don't know about especially when they are within an anime lol. It's a good watch. This season was wrapped up pretty neatly but the stage has been set for a second season if it gets one.

Tenmaku no Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia has a plot based in historical facts from the Mongolian Empire, following two women that wanted vengeance towards the Mongolian. That's how the anime is presented and it's true. However, I must say this season is more like a setting for the events that would come in following seasons. It centers around Sitara, historically known as Fatima, a girl that ends up in the Mongolian Empire when the Mongolian invade her city, in which she was the slave, and also student, of erudites. Because of that, she has a lot of knowledge; however, she's not so mature. In the Mongolian Empire, she learns more about the world, how to use that knowledge for her own benefit, and explores her own feelings and desire of revenge. Töregene, the other protagonist, is more like a support for her throughout all the season. She is the one who makes Sitara's desire of revenge arise again, or betterly said, the one who gives her hope again when she is getting used to living in the empire. They are well developed and realistic. The plot gets more interesting when the antagonist is revealed; however, I won't talk about that character as it would be a major spoiler. Until that, the story feels more like Sitara's story, but then it starts to be more a historical narration and an intelectual battle between the sides. Even though, don't expect that much chaos. As I said, it is more like a setting; the villain takes much importance in this first season, while the protagonists are still determining to act. I expect the next season, if they produce it, to be more active. The animation has a really high quality. I advise you it might take time to get used to the art style, but it is quite pretty. The backgrounds and illumination, especially. I would recommend you this anime if you: -Want to learn about History and/or the Mongolian Empire, because this anime is loyal to the actual history. -Enjoy stories in which the plot advances because of the intelligence of someone controlling it behind the shadows. -Want a revenge story that also explores philosophy. -Want to see an anime which makes you create theories and that slightly forces you to think. Also, I suggest you to stay neutral; don't take a position, even if they're telling you the story through a specific character point of view. That way, you might enjoy it even more.

[i]Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia[/i] is a landmark in terms of adapting manga for the female demographic (at first, it ran in the Josei magazine Souffle, but now [i]Jaadugar[/i] also runs in a shojo magazine, Mystery Bonita, and is published by Princess Comics), and this series makes a fantastic case for why it appears in multiple magazines for multiple demographics: Simply put, this story is universal, as it is a valuable story from our history, telling of women's empowerment and the horrors of war, in a time where slavery was commonplace. Butt along with being a big moment for women's manga, it is also just a fantastic anime in its own regard, teaching you history in a way that is visually beautiful, entertaining and enriching. This anime was adapted by the acclaimed animation studio Science Saru ( [i]Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken, [/i] [i] Heike Monogatari [/i]), and the 2 directors that are co-directing this anime are Abel Gongora (a director who began in the western sphere working on Cartoon Saloon stuff, since he is Spanish), and the Japanese director Naoko Yamada (ever heard of [i]K-On [/i] or [i]A Silent Voice [/i]?). The two directors working on this project showcased a worldly, mature and expert perspective on representing history with respect and intricate detail. Taking one look at the ornate carpeted buildings of the Persia city of Tus (of which our Muslim protagonist hails from), will give you that perspective instantly: This is a one of a kind anime and it is simply the type of animation you can recommend to anyone in your family. This work of art can be enjoyed by any person regardless of their respect for anime or their ability to enjoy anime tropes, because simply put, this is not an anime that will present you with predictable tropes, it is a historical fiction that does not fit into a genre such as shonen battle (however, the aforementioned Abel Gongora did make some very good Battle Shonen, he directed [i]Dandadan! [/i]) Long story short, if you enjoy shows like [i]Dandadan [/i] and other shows by Science Saru, you owe it to yourself to watch this! If you enjoy animation that doesn't feel as if it has specific anime tropes in it (such as superpowered fights or fanservice) then you will enjoy that this anime has zero of that type of content, and you owe it to yourself to watch this! If you are a fan of animation as a medium, then [b]you owe it to yourself to watch this...[/b]