When most people think of literary witches, they imagine either a crooked-nosed old hag or a cat-eyed seductress intent on taking your virgin blood. Either way, they are generally written as mischievous or evil women that get their powers from demons. But aside from a few exceptions, it wasn’t until Japan mashed witches with magical girls that the narrative for these sorceresses really changed. Having been unburdened by centuries of Western beliefs, they took what was supposed to be a bogeywoman and turned her into a powerful feminine creature that was gentle to the earth and a frequent purveyor of the healing arts. With help from Japan’s long history of natural religion and a fondness for shrine maidens, the lore of the fictional Japanese witch became ripe with positivity, and downright cute! The anime Flying Witch is no exception.
Debuting in Japan in 2016, Flying Witch is a limited 12-episode series that follows the day-to-day life of witch-in-training Makoto Kowata. Having just recently moved to the countryside to live with her cousins, Makoto takes advantage of the natural space and wild growth to hone her magical abilities, even if it frequently means getting lost in the many winding paths and streets of her new town. Joining her are an eccentric cast of rotating visitors, from the Harbinger of Spring to a dog-faced woman to her own witchy sister, all of whom teach her a little more about what it means to be a witch. Add in her non-magical cousins and a brand new school, Makoto learns just as much about real life as she does about the unseen world.
If you’re reading this review and wondering “sure, that sounds great, but where’s the horror, action, blood and guts?” Well, there isn’t any. Flying Witch is billed as a comedy/slice-of-life and is definitely more chill than thrill. In fact, if you’re a fan of mellow Miyazaki movies or just the magical parts of Harry Potter, than this is right up your alley. There’s no real conflict and certainly no bad guy, which makes the anime a perfect mellow watch for those days where you want to watch something interesting without getting too invested in it. But don’t let that trick you into thinking that the show lacks content. The Flying Witch universe is fully realized with its own original characters and adventures along with interesting magical spells and real-life tidbits about nature and gardening. Makoto is a perfect lead with her inquiring mind and fun personality which allows the watcher to put themselves in her shoes as she explores the world around her. She’s like a tour guide in a witch museum.
On top of the writing, the real selling point is the animation. It’s gorgeous! Unlike multiple season animes that don’t have a hard end time, works that are planned as limited episodes tend to make better use of their animation budgets and really put their all into their work. The animation is an almost straight adaption of its manga source which shies away from over-the-top character design. Granted, the eyes are still pretty big and the designs are slim and perfect, but it’s dialled back with natural hair and age-appropriate clothing. You can definitely show this to a younger audience without worrying about fan-service. The scenery is very natural and subdued and frequently chooses to focus on the balance between nature and man-made structures with a hint of magical playfulness. There’s a real feeling that behind every corner is a sleeping deity or a strange little creature playing in the grass.
If you want to check out the low-key phenomenon that is Flying Witch, the anime is currently streaming on Crunchy Roll (and is one of the few series that can be watched on the site without a subscription). There doesn’t seem to be a DVD option just yet but Sentai Filmworks has bought the rights and will be releasing a dubbed version. I also highly suggest the mangas which, just like the anime, are super fun and will allow you to keep following Makoto’s adventures past the anime. At the time of writing, there are currently seven translated volumes.
So if you’re looking for your next supernatural show or just simply want something to mellow down with, check out Flying Witch! Just don’t be surprised if you suddenly want to become a witch yourself.