The penultimate episode of Witch Hat Atelier lulls you in with the test going well, only for it to end on a wild note. Witch Hat Atelier Episode 12 focuses solely on the characters taking the Pentagram Test, giving these three students a moment to shine in the dark of Serpentback Cave. With only one episode left in the season, the final arc is doing everything right.
A running theme of Witch Hat Atelier is that magic is not something to mess with. Qifrey illustrates this in the story of Serpentback Cave and Cavern Nation of Romonon, the witches who lived there. It’s a harrowing flashback that makes it clear that magic can warp the way people view others, witch or human. Eventually, their desire to keep unworthy outsiders away led to the infighting that destroyed them. Magic within this world can bring so much joy, but it’s an important lesson for each apprentice to learn that it can also be harmful. History is bound to repeat itself if they don’t learn from those who came before them.
Witch Hat Atelier Episode 12 celebrates creativity
Richeh is the standout character in “The Shadow of Romonon” for quite a couple of reasons. Her ability to be so uniquely herself and be secure in who she is for someone who young is amazing to see in a character. She knows, without a doubt, that she only wants to write and perform her spells. It’s a level of confidence that Qifrey does see and nurture in Richeh even when it might slow down her growth as an apprentice because he knows that it came at a steep price.
Richeh’s first teacher clearly did not care about giving her any sort of freedom to explore magic, instead destroying the spells she worked so hard to create. This is exactly why the last handful of episodes have hammered home the one thing Richeh has been saying all season long: she doesn’t like adults who treat kids like things instead of people. And it’s because of this, that she most likely sees a part of herself in Euini.
Anxiety stifles Euini’s spark
Euini is a painfully relatable character for many people, myself included. His anxiety and fear surrounding what he perceives to be inability to do anything right stem from the words he’s being told by the person who is supposed to be supporting him. Because of this, his own insecurities have worsened to the point that he is unable to even draw a spell in front of another person. This, in turn, creates a self-fulfilling prophecy for Euini. It only makes this young child feel ashamed of himself.
Richeh’s ability to encourage Euini instead of shutting him down is an amazing thing to watch. Yes, she’s a little harsh. Yes, she’s annoyed at him. But those things don’t cancel out the fact that she’s encouraging him to complete the test. Without that push, he would have resigned to failing the test. Encouragement from peers is something that can change a person’s whole perspective on whatever they might be doing for the better.
The artistic joy springs out in every episode
The animation in each episode of Witch Hat Atelier is so great that it’s hard not to mention it each week. “The Shadow of Romonon” animation especially shows this when it comes to Euini figuring out how to hide and draw his spells. By drawing him in the form of a shadow with a white outline, it prevents his transformation from falling flat and having him blend in with the background of the cave. This also makes him stand out from Agott and Richeh in a more physical way, almost creating an othering of him. Additionally, Richeh’s ribbon spell animation with the use of different materials shows how adaptable the spell can be. It’s a nice representation of the magic she holds so dear to her heart.
On top of that, the voice acting was superb. Hika Tsukishiro does a great job at bringing the little nuances out in Richeh. It can be easy to make her character very one-note, but that’s not the case with Hika. Additionally, Hiiro Ishibashi makes Euini’s struggle pull at your heartstrings with the emotion poured into each line of dialogue. Their voice acting brings Episode 11 to a whole new level.
One more for the season
Witch Hat Atelier Episode 12 ends on the perfect cliffhanger to lead into the season finale. The setup is exactly what the show needs to end an amazing first season on a high note. With the combination of animation and storytelling, “The Shadow of Romonon” is one of the most successful penultimate episodes of anime that I’ve watched in a long time. There’s only one episode of Witch Hat Atelier left to watch and if this episode is anything to go by, it’s bound to be a stunner.
Witch Hat Atelier Episode 12 is now streaming on Crunchyroll.
Images courtesy of ©Kamome Shirahama/KODANSHA/ Witch Hat Atelier Committee
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‘Witch Hat Atelier’ Episode 12 - 9/10
9/10
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