r/WitchHatAtelier

https://x.com/i/status/2042885533366697989

Currently, I don't think I like how inconsistent the anime seems with the characterization regarding the characters ages. This isn't like an un-usual thing for anime, I think it just stands out more to me here BECAUSE the rest of everything is so very polished (art, animation, world building... probably?).

The 10-13 year olds look their age but don't overall act it. They also don't immediately appear to be consistently treated as if they are children of that age (>!Mr. Adult Qifrey planning on leavin Coco and the other 3 alone in the atelier for days, after Coco has just had a huge destabilising event + he hasn't made sure that they all get along & won't be likely to develop any unhealthy dynamics; yk, the ones typical for kids who deal with a lotta burdens like all 4 of them seem to bear!<). They sprinkle little 'this is what a 12 year old would do' elements here n there, but forsake it expeditiously to move the narrative forward in a way that only a slightly older kid/teen/adult-aged person could/would do (i mean to say: in a way thats clearer to understand due to emotions being expressed more straight-forwardly & cleanly, in a way that allows for more controlled consequences etc.). The voice actors also underline this, since they don't particularly try to sound very childish (i DO NOT mean "loli-ish", 'high-pitched moe type way', by that), that is, they don't do much to take away their adult-like assuredness of "i know what i'm doing and saying 24/7" type vibe out of their performance. It's very typically ridgid in a way that is usually great for the adjacent genre; for comfy projecting purposes onto the ((unrealistic)) adventurer main character who's portrayal is backed by supporting characters of similar caliber. I think the lines they are given, alongside the vibe switch ups (for example: into very curated humor bits), don't ask/allow for a different performance either. (Neither would the director since they surely understand the material.) I'm saying that it doesn't do much to hide this inherent character inconsistency and my suspension of disbelief is not any less challenged. If the characters themselves weren't that young i feel my prior fantasy-anime conditioning would've sufficed more i guess? pffft

I dunno.... i guess they are 'anime children' and i expected less of it. Tho...I can tots understand the 'have cake and eat it too' way of writing (yk, add child-resemblences to lighten the vibes all around + make it have a 'hope' type baseline and adopt some of the states & stakes from the archetype for the drama, whichever is convenient, and then leave out what isn't to add characteristics from other archetypes, filling the gaps in the road to certain storybeats that allow the drama to persist, rinse n repeat), but i wish that it was less obvious for this universe/premise in specific. I feel it has much more independent potential than the writer has allowed it. Away from recognizable tropes n the likes.

I thought that one scene in the fabric shop had that quality to itself (the specific instant where >!Coco traced and cut the fabric steadily & Queefs reaction to it!<). I think it was my favourite scene. Especially when looking back, it's a great AND believable set-up that already felt like it would be relevant in the most pay-off way later on!!

Anywayz, enough complaints and such. Expressing all this has helped me think it thru and I now know how I can persist in watching it, since my god i really wouldn't wanna miss out on the animation and magical system stuff. I will simply adjust my expectations n see it for another thing i rlly do like (magical girl emotional torture indulgences).

Edit: I also forgot to say that i very much look forward to the world building, however consistent it'll be.

It's far better maintained than fandom and has vastly more content. As far as Witch Hat is concerned, it's the best resource there is. Please support it instead of Fandom!

OH, AND IT'S ADD FREE

https://witchhatatelier.telepedia.net/wiki/Witch_Hat_Atelier_Wiki

The concept came from a friend giving me ideas to make an oc that was bubble based, and I went crazy last night with this. Her backstory, witch hat details, and how she use her magic are in the next few slide if anyone is interested in learning more🫧✨🫧✨

wanted to share my brushbug sketches

Hello, Ive been reading the manga for some time now and with the anime showing new details about spell drawing I've noticed that because of shoes shapes the outer circles from the spells never really connect despite the user keeping both halves together.

Is there any info about how the magic works that I didn't get?

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=4364730387139186

The direct parallel is crazy

👉👈

ch 94 in case someone wants to know

Broke:
Olruggio's deal with Qifrey was selfish because he gets to have it easy while Qifrey suffers.

Woke:
Olruggio is about to cry talking to Qifrey in chapter 36 and it isn't actually about the apprentices. Not remembering the deal, he thinks the most precious person in his life - whom he at that point had spent days worrying over, sitting by his sickbed - is acting in ways that indicate he doesn't value him as a friend; which hurts him deeply. Olruggio thinks he's not doing a good enough job being reliable or getting Qifrey to trust him, which is why Qifrey keeps leaving him or not confiding in him (Qifrey mentions repeatedly trying to abandon Olly in ch 93 and there's the story in the anthology too), so he gives him the snugstone as proof to Qifrey that he cares , and starts hanging around at the atelier more. But afterwards Qifrey keeps holding secrets from him.

When checking his glasses and noticing the seal on them, Olruggio would (not remembering having engraved them or that Qifrey's has vision loss, since this memory is tied to his secret) think that Qifrey had gone to someone else to have them fixed despite knowing that Olly was readily available and willing to help. Worst case scenario he would realize he had had his memories tampered with and feel betrayed.

Add to this the fact that each memory wipe probably makes these feelings worse, because each time Olly figures Qifrey out an even longer time has passed; making Olly's perceived inability to understand him much worse ("I've been living with him for 5-10-15-20 years and didn't notice this? What is wrong with me?").

In ch. 9 he's not mad at Qifrey for taking in Coco because it is a violation of the law (Olruggio hates the Knight Moralis as much as Qifrey and will lie to them without issue), but because Qifrey had promised him to drop the search for the Brimcaps and settle down with him and the apprentices. Now Qifrey is both breaking that promise, jeopardizing the life they have built, and is making big decisions behind Olruggio's back. He wants Coco out as a way of protest against Qifrey.

With this in mind, I think the reason Olruggio explains to Jujy that he doesn't want apprentices because he (implicitly) can't trust himself to prioritize them over Qifrey, is because he is realizing he was hypocritical in accusing Qifrey of not keeping his priorities straight after the second test. Having Beldaruit comment that Qifrey has become a better person at the Tower of Tomes while Olruggio is still suspicious of him, and Jujy talking to him about how it shouldn't be hard balancing your responsibilities with helping those you care for in Ch 39, Olly probably took that as another affirmation that he was in the wrong for being mad at Qufrey and wasn't doing enough to understand him. So he confronts him in ch 40, tries to communicate, and is mind wiped for his efforts.

I'm sometimes a little concerned that the switch in tone on Olruggio's character following the ch.40 mind wipe is not character development but something deliberate. Because as Ininia says the "wipe your mind of specific thing" spell doesn't just target a specific moment or memory, but every memory related to said thing. So when Qifrey said he erased everything pertaining to his secret, maybe Olruggio just straight up forgot every grievance he had with Qifrey over Qifrey's secrecy and his own self-loathing which was tied to it? Which is why he suddenly started becoming more open to getting closer to everyone at the atelier? If he had just forgotten the moment he confronted Qifrey the grievances would still be there.

Another thing worth noting is that Qifrey always acts surprised when Olruggio mentions being upset with him. Which I think means that Qifrey isn't realizing the impact his behavior has on Olruggio outside of the memory wipes. He says Olruggio keeps finding out his secret because Olruggio is good at sleuthing, but the fact of the matter is that Olruggio starts confronting him because Qifrey is constantly, unintentionally, committing micro-agressions against him.

Before he comes out in the next few episodes I just wanted to cement my flag w/ Olruggio my favorite character. It’s not often as a Latino we get representation in huge works of Manga/Anime, and just like how Shirahama-sensei wanted I feel seen. My hairs been grown out, and my beards been coming in nice for the next con I attend (which will be my first). This is a thank you to Shirahama-sensei, and a flag posted in honor of Olruggio >=3 Excited to post pictures for next time! Anyone looking forward to cosplaying someone from WHA?

Edit- I know nationalities aren’t ever confirmed but as the dub showed Shirahama-sensei made it a point to put people from all over the world in witch hat :) So, whether he’s Latino or not matters not. I see myself in his appearance and I think that’s cool enough for me🫡😄

Any other merch recommendations are welcome too!

Patience has limits