Setting and Atmosphere
Flying Witch is one of the best personal slice-of-life series about magic. Within society, witches lived in a semi-secret status. In rural Japan, the alternative civilization offers a peaceful glimpse into the lives of wizards and magic users. Given the relaxing atmosphere, the series is classified as iyashikei or healing (therapeutic animation). Each episode’s storyline offers viewers a close-up look at the daily life of a witch. For the sake of moving yet inspiring stories, it avoids overly dramatic moments. Characterized by the use of light narrative and charming personal stories, iyashikei’s storytelling lulls and soothes the audience. With its mystical components providing a unique flavor appealing to viewers looking for novelty among the many traditional slice-of-life options, it deftly captures the sensation of warmth and comfort.
If the young protagonist of Flying Witch and the thematic similarities are similar to Aria the Animation with the same basic idea, it stands out by adopting a more “quiet town” look. Comparable to series like Laid-Back Camp, Non Non Biyori, and A Place Further Than the Universe as well as a sense of natural wonder similar to Kiki’s Delivery Service, Mushishi, and The Ancient Magus’ Bride, it also celebrates cute interactions and character features reminiscent of K-On! and Is the Order a Rabbit? In their respective genres, the anime exceeds all expectations associated with the prestigious names. There were huge expectations for the series, and it didn’t just live up to it. However, it even goes beyond that.
Makoto’s Journey
Not all of Flying Witch‘s activities revolve around eating fiddlehead ferns. Honestly, what it represents is a perfect example of the preferred type of content: heartfelt slice-of-life stories with a hint of the unusual. The series explores various situations breaking down Makoto’s daily life while following a teenage witch. For the first time, she leaves home to continue her magical studies in rural Japan—where she lives with her cousin’s family. Stories about Makoto’s interactions with her cousins, her magical education, her school days, and her adventures in the secret world of magic abound in the episodes.
Each episode has one or two stand-alone episodes. Each provides a different storyline, opportunity to interact, or lesson to Makoto and her cousin; many of the stories center on magic, although it’s not the only one. In 2016, J.C.Staff brought Flying Witch to life. In addition to the broad appreciation for the magic that exists in everyday life, the anime is also charming because it deliberately avoids love subplots and clichés. Despite Makoto’s undeniable cuteness, she doesn’t seem like a conventional moe character. In contrast, her sister balances it with her extraordinary skills and her easy-going attitude. Indeed, the character designs tend towards the provocative side.
Additionally, Flying Witch incorporates comedic elements into the story by frequently highlighting Makoto’s sporadic or dense nature, her sensitivity to direction, and her tendency to take on silly projects with sincerity. Overall, it provides a fun and upbeat viewing experience with a wonderful sense of humor. It’s the kind of series that’s a great addition to any watchlist, especially in an educational setting. The food illustrations are so well done that it’s tempting to order unique vegetables from the neighborhood grocery store.
Animation and Visual Appeal
J.C.Staff handled the series very well. One of the series’ greatest assets is the animation. It enhances the story, which some viewers may find boring. The character designs are amazing and the animation moves so naturally. The setting is brightly lit with bright colors and charming details. It gives the world a lush rural atmosphere full of wildlife exuding vitality.
However, how well are the animals depicted in the series? The animation team duly paid attention to Makoto and her familiar cat sister. In the narrative, both play an important role. It was really fun to see Chito’s journey and his various reactions, starting from his cute meowing voice and his grumpy look when reprimanding Makoto.
Additionally, the cats’ voice acting is by no means underutilized. By meowing, Chito evokes a charming charm that permeates the entire series. In Flying Witch, has a more human appearance and deviates from the standard moe tropes often seen in other series. Otherwise, characters are stylized and animated. However, they also look older than their actual age. It makes them seem more mature than popular series like Is the Order a Rabbit? Their wide choice of casual clothing also contributes to the nuanced depiction. It further highlights each person’s unique personality.
In keeping with the appeal of a slice-of-life story, all the characters are charming. Makoto herself radiates kindness similar to Sakura Kinomoto from Cardcaptor Sakura. Even though the specific moment she was being careless, her negligence can be attributed to her different viewpoint as a witch. At such a moment, she produces a humorous scenario due to the difference between the perception of wizards and humans. It seems, her cats respond when they talk. Although the cats can only communicate by meowing expressively, it adds a cute dimension to their relationship.
One of the most endearing elements of the series is Makoto’s relationship with Chinatsu, the younger sister of the house. At first, Chinatsu doubts Makoto. When she learns of her magical abilities, Makoto begins to act friendly towards her. She is fascinated by her abilities including making magic potions and flying on a broomstick. Despite her initial skepticism, Chinatsu’s easily startled disposition and her slow level of understanding give her a sarcastic quality.
Chinatsu’s Charm
Indeed, Chinatsu’s unbridled childish nature is largely responsible for the series’ lively and enjoyable atmosphere. Her portrayal of a child is spot on; she has an endless supply of energy and an unquenchable interest in anything she finds unique or interesting. Her almost naked honesty is punctuated with truly hilarious facial expressions when she’s surprised. Despite Makoto being considered the main character of Flying Witch, Chinatsu was the one who stole the show. The most important thing is the cat. Often, they need human help to express their ideas properly.
Similar to Luna and Jiji, Chito displays the series’ acute awareness of cat behavior. Unlike Luna and Jiji, neither Chito nor Kenny—another cat—never speaks human language. Instead, their main way of expressing ideas and opinions is through their encounters with witches or, as they point out in an incident so memorable that it is through their body language that they differ.
With significant screen time, another character is Kei, Chinatsu’s older brother. He was a wise young man sometimes mocked for his domestic prowess; Nao, Kei’s classmate is initially confused by Makoto’s strangeness; and Nana, Chinatsu and Kei’s mother, doesn’t seem to mind any oddities. Akane (Makoto’s older sister, traveling the world and enjoying drunken mischief) also periodically makes cameos. So does her acquaintance Inukai, a witch who tells fortunes and, by chance, turns into a dog woman during the day.
The show’s attitude towards witchcraft is similar to that of Kiki’s Delivery Service emphasizing simple and useful designs over flashy displays. Although magical achievements lack aesthetic appeal, they are still very practical. The practical approach is emphasized by Makoto’s desire to pursue medicine. At the start of the series, she describes seeing Mandrake and developing an interest in herbology. The subtle but powerful strategy is well illustrated by Akane’s suggestion to summon a crow using an envelope containing black hair and a written message then burned in a small fire outside.
To avoid giving away any surprises, Flying Witch also contains certain supernatural themes more openly. Of course, Chinatsu’s mother accepted the event with grace. She shows the family’s ability to deal with the paranormal. Additionally, the series periodically receives visits from otherworldly entities such as postmen delivering paper to witches and heralds of spring. Both take humanoid forms like the yokai seen in xxxHolic. Such paranormal experiences add further interest to the structure of the captivating series. With the slice-of-life appeal, it blends perfectly.
Secretive Witch Society
Additionally, the wizarding community in the series functions in a fairly covert manner. Indeed, people personally knew of the existence of witches. Generally, wizards kept their existence or status a secret. When Makoto is asked if she is a witch, she panics a little. Socially, being a witch seems to be frowned upon. It seems, considering the girls aren’t afraid to fly around in broad daylight on strange brooms if their secrets aren’t well known. A discussion between Makoto, Akane, and Chinatsu shows the witches have used their powers in previous battles. It provides a slightly optimistic view of their reception. Even though it is based on practical necessity, the grim witch-hunting past is not there. Maybe, it’s because it’s too serious for the tone of the series.
Such subtle mystical components make Flying Witch so compelling. In addition to the unique situation of Akane’s friends, Makoto, Chinatsu, and Kei find a cafe in the middle of the forest looking like a dilapidated and abandoned building. After holding a small ceremony, the place became well-furnished and repaired. It’s complete with spectral waiters standing by to take orders—the environment is comfortable and charming. However, that is nothing compared to the amazing scene that occurred in the eleventh episode. When the three go to see a giant flying whale carrying a deserted old town on its back, the scenic beauty perfectly blends the world of magic and nature.
Throughout its existence, Flying Witch has attracted audiences with its quiet elegance rather than its flashy magical performances. It doesn’t have to be, it’s so that people never feel the urge to return to splendor.
Beloved Opening Sequence
When the series first came out, the opening scene was one of the most prominent aspects. The opening scene of Flying Witch is arguably one of the most beloved of its time due to its energetic dance moves, catchy animation, and catchy tune. With upbeat percussion, Shanranran by miwa which opens the album is a fun pop song. It creates a memorable tune that sticks directly in the listener’s head. Including more eccentric players, they performed a series of strange dances that perfectly matched the songs. Effectively, it creates the tone and atmosphere of the event from the start.
While skillfully balancing enjoyable everyday events, the show is interesting because it explores magic. In a very cute early-season episode, Makoto and her classmates were returning home from school when they discovered a Mandrake root. She chose to take it and give it to her new friend. Without realizing it, ordinary people don’t find strange gifts interesting. The events that follow make for a humorous episode combining magic with the mundane. It ends with Makoto finding the root of the screams much to everyone’s dismay.
Another episode incorporating magic into ordinary life features a visit to a magical cafe serving various customers, such as ladybugs, foxes, and other members of the magical community. The cafe staff contains a shy ghost not want to be seen by customers. In addition to adding mystery, the elements enhance the environment and atmosphere of the series. It gives the story an alluring charm that sticks in the mind.
Herbology and Environmentalism
Unexceptionally, Flying Witch also has a strong focus on environmentalism and herbalism. Makoto and her family move to the Japanese countryside and are surrounded by lots of land. It gave her an ideal opportunity to learn about the nuances of planting and growing herbs and vegetables. On her daily trip to school, Makoto immerses herself in nature. She learned about the many uses of the plants she encountered. Perhaps, she made a short trip to the countryside to collect edible plants. On the other hand, he learned from his cousin growing up on a farm. With the expert transformation of plants into delicious snacks and giving viewers helpful advice on how they too can take part in growing plants or foraging, the scenes almost resemble a cooking show aesthetic blended perfectly with slice-of-life and magic elements.
The charming personalities of Makoto and the friends he encounters in the magical world add to the charm of the series. Flying Witch features several highly creative characters reminiscent of traditional mystical archetypes. With a certain sense of magic, it enhances each episode. The characters range from ghosts to giant whales floating in the sky, to heralds of spring. One of the important events is the arrival of the spring harbinger, a strange owl-like figure that travels around the region to ensure winter’s remains have been properly buried. Visiting Makoto at his new residence to welcome the family, he accidentally scares Chinatsu. It turns him into an interesting character as well as a means to understand the complex mechanisms of the anime’s magical nature. His presence provides interesting insight into the workings of the magical world.
Colorful Cast of Characters
There are many interesting people in the series each with their quirks. For example, Makoto’s sister is a powerful witch traveling the world. She is lazy and likes drinking alcohol. His sister’s friend, the fortune teller, was cursed and turned into a dog during the day after eating magic chocolate. She is accompanied by a hamster known to her. Even with the excited group, Chinatsu has a strong curiosity and shows a strong interest in magic. Gradually, it is very interesting to watch her explore and learn about a magical world she never knew existed. She takes on the role of an outsider—making it easier for viewers to relate to her. She also asks in-depth questions giving us important details about how the wizarding world works.
Flying Witch is a great choice for people looking for a peaceful yet enchanting viewing experience as it embodies an optimal balance between magic and relaxation. As time goes by, it solidifies its position as a fun diversion that is always relaxing yet exciting.
Bibliography
- Crusch, M. (2021). Anime girls can finally chill. Polygon.
- Irina. (2017). Flying Witch. I drink and watch anime.
- Rathkolb, G. (2017). [Review] The Flying Witch—Complete Collection. Otaku USA.