Witch Hat Atelier Volume 1

Synopsis

Coco dreams of becoming a witch, but in her magical world, you are either born with a gift for magic or not. She, unfortunately, was not born with these abilities. Just as Coco is about to accept her non-magical fate, she meets the magician Qifrey. After sneakily witnessing Qifrey casting a spell, Coco realizes that maybe her dream of becoming a witch is attainable after all. 

Review and Recommendation

From the very first page, Witch Hat Atelier's introduction to its magical world was absolutely stunning, and it melds perfectly with the story's tone. The story does have moments of information dumping that slow the pacing. Still, once you get past it, the story picks up the pace and drops you right into the mystery and action. Though the plot follows a similar pattern to other magic-based stories, the magic system is unique and makes the world distinct. The story's characters also help explain the contradiction of Coco as a witch. Overall, this manga was cozy and engaging with a mystifying magic system that I cant wait to explore more of in the next volume. 

*Spoiler Alert* (A spoiler alert is being issued because there are mentions of specific plot points that relate to the rating of this review.) 

Cautions

Volume one of Witch Hat Atelier is recommended for ages 10 and older. This age rating may be due to sequences of action and adventure throughout the story and two brief instances of nudity. In one panel, it shows a character that appears to be nude, but she is covering her body. In the other panel, a lady’s naked chest and bottom are exposed. Both panels could easily be remedied with a sticker covering the image without compromising the story. The plot is wholesome overall, with no foul language and only a few instances of hazing towards Coco from the other characters.