‘Witch Hat Atelier’ Episode 7 review: “Who is Magic For?”

Witch Hat Atelier Episode 7 asks the important question, “Who is Magic For?” and doesn’t let the audience stop thinking about that question for a single beat — not even the cliffhanger lets up on that question. It’s a jam-packed episode with stunning animation that brings Kamome Shirahama’s work to new heights, leaving you on the edge of your seat.

Witch Hat Atelier Episode 7 continues to stun from the start with its animation. Qifrey’s (Natsuki Hanae) magic is beautifully animated in this episode. From the way water flows around the sword he uses, Raincleaver, to the way Agott’s (Hibiku Yamamura) bird soars through the sky to distract the people watching Coco (Rena Motomura), everything flows well. There’s no awkward or stilted animation when transitioning between frames. It’s obvious that the animators at Bug Films have their best animators work on bringing Witch Hat Atelier to life. It’s a visual feast.

Helping the caravan is the perfect introduction to Agott’s backstory. Agott’s desire to prove her family wrong clearly clouds her judgment. Ever since she was introduced, it’s been clear that she has a chip on her shoulder, and now the audience finally knows why. This looks at her background, explains so much about who she is as a person, and why she bullied Coco into proving herself.

Witch Hat Atelier Episode 7 emphasizes how Qifrey and Olruggio teach.

Agott is a complicated, well-written character for someone so young. Trying to prove people wrong about you can turn from motivation to burden very quickly. And that’s something that happens with Agott. Because of this, she finds herself rushing to help despite Qifrey’s warning. And while this isn’t a bad thing per se, Agott realizes that she might be in over her head.

Witch Hat Atelier Episode 7 serves as a teaching lesson for Agott and the rest of the girls. Being able to watch Qifrey and Olruggio (Yuichi Nakamura)  help people with their magic encourages them to ask questions. Qifrey and Olruggio take on a much more hands-on role with the apprentices so the girls can understand exactly how something works. Qifrey explaining how the sword works to the girls is a great example of this. Not only does he tell them how it works, but he also shows the spells written on the blade so they can see exactly what he did and can possibly do it in the future. These moments make it obvious just how much the adults care for these girls and want to teach them as much as possible.

“Who Is Magic For?” does a great job at exploring the relationship between Agott and Coco. It’s obvious that Agott doesn’t consider Coco a friend. That said, her being willing to distract the other people from the caravan so Coco can draw her spell is a huge step for them. This shows that Agott is willing to go that extra step to help her. Her spell is dazzling and gives Coco the time she needs to draw the spells. Later, Coco’s confession that she used what she learned from Richeh makes Agott look at her differently. When Coco refers to the other girls, including Agott, as her friends, you can see the wheels start to turn in her mind.

The biggest hater in Witch Hat Atelier makes his debut.

The complicated relationship between Coco and Agott has changed the most since the start of the series. This is most obvious when Coco tells Agott that her magic saved her, and by extension, Custas. The weird nature of relationships between girls their age and how quickly they can shift is accurate — especially when one girl in the relationship sees the other as less than. Shirahama-sensei and, by extension, the animators at Bug Films, do a brilliant job at crafting this complex relationship from both girls’ perspectives.

Perhaps the biggest hater in the Witch Hat Atelier universe finally makes their appearance in “Who is Magic For?”. Easthies is part of the Knights Moralis, aka the fun police. The moment he gets wind of what’s going on, he sets off to see what the deal is. In theory, he sounds like a decent guy. But the rigid black-and-white perspective he has on magic prevents him from listening to Agott and Coco’s explanations. This intense ideology leaves no room for either girl to be protected from Easthies. And, without Olruggio and Qifrey there to defend them, the episode ends with a cliffhanger that suggests even worse is to come.

Witch Hat Atelier Episode 7 is another stunner episode in an amazing first season. Bug Films continues to bring the magic of the manga to life with such gentle hands, creating a beautiful adaptation. “Who is Magic For?” ushers us along Coco’s journey while expanding on how the world works for both humans and witches, making us question the rules that keep things in place.

Witch Hat Atelier Episode 7 is now streaming on Crunchyroll.

Images courtesy of Crunchyroll. 

Kayla Chu

Made up of feminism, sports, and cheap wine.
Questions, comments, inquries please be sent to kaylamchu@gmail.com