It’s hard for me to say what I like most about anime. Awesome art that allows for effects live action could never achieve is up there. Larger than life characters are another. But one attraction that has grown on me over the years is wholesomeness. Dark media has its place and can even expertly transform a story into peak wholesome content — watch Violet Evergarden for evidence of that — but some of my favorite anime over the last few years have achieved that status either by being largely wholesome, or having wholesome plots that define the show.
I can’t call WITCH WATCH a favorite yet, but I can say that it’s wholesome fun. If you like crazy magic shenanigans, hearts on sleeves, good girls and good boys, or doomsday prophecies, WITCH WATCH might be for you.
The Wholesome Lie
WITCH WATCH is about young witch Nico Wakatsuki and her childhood friend Morihito Otogi, whom she calls Moi. Nico has returned after graduating from her witch training, and Morihito is an oni (translated as ogre) that she wants to be her familiar. Morihito looks human and grew up among humans, but has super strength. Nico has magic that can do almost anything, but she’s been away from society for a long time. Together, they do crimes.
Wait, no, sorry, I meant to say ‘together they do whatever they want.’ Any similarity between their vandalism and other shenanigans and real crimes is purely coincidental. These two start by smashing multiple objects (buildings count as objects, right?), proceed to experimenting with dimensions and flight, and they don’t slow down. Everything’s okay though, because Nico can repair damage with magic, and Morihito does his best to protect Nico from the consequences of her actions.
Episodes are full-length, but each has multiple short stories. It’s a wholesome premise, right?
Wrong. Lies. Morihito accepts his position as Nico’s familiar not for zany high jinks, but because Nico’s own mother prophesied that her daughter would meet with a doom only Morihito can save her from. She doesn’t know what the doom is, or what Morihito needs to do to save Nico, so Morihito needs to stay by Nico’s side. Which is why they will live together. Nico’s mom is definitely not playing matchmaker.
Lies or Reality?
Is the wholesomeness an illusion? A temporary delay for the real plot to begin? Not that I’ve seen in five episodes. If anything, the concept of prophecies and dooms is used as an excuse for the weird, fun-sized plot lines. The one-year deadline for when the primary doom is expected supports my theory. A year is forever in most anime timelines, and WITCH WATCH isn’t paced faced. Maybe a future season will have a time skip, but if it does, I’d put money on it being to progress the romance plot first and the doom second.
Wholesome Love
Romance isn’t mandatory for a wholesome anime, but a wholesome romance can make even a cynical anime seem upbeat. In WITCH WATCH’s case, Nico’s straightforward love for Morihito is the wholesomeness cherry on top of a warmhearted sundae. Nico is devoted, affectionate, and builds wild fantasies about her love. She’s the archetypal young girl in love. And her approaches are cute to watch, even as Morihito stays ignorant and uninterested. He’s not unaffected by Nico, but winning his heart will be her trial. If there’s an overarching plot in WITCH WATCH, it’s likely the love story.
In this sense, WITCH WATCH reminds me of Medaka Kuroiwa Is Impervious to My Charms. However, instead of a hyper-arrogant lead with devious plots, Nico is incredibly innocent in how she plans to win Morihito. Morihito, by contrast, is who Medaka Kuroiwa wishes he was: impervious to the worst of the horniness his female costar inspires. He also enjoys Nico’s company and likes her as a person, which makes him seem more reliable than Medaka.
The Sum of Wholesome Parts
Like Medaka Kuroiwa, I think WITCH WATCH has hidden depths yet to be revealed. It’s fun and cute now, but between the in-your-face romance and the dooms that have already occurred on screen, there’s room for hard-hitting events between lighthearted short stories. Come for the simple premise, stay for the wholesome moments, and wait for the reveals. At least that’s what I’ll be doing as I finish WITCH WATCH.
If you want a preview of the show, the full music video of the OP [Watch Me!] by YOASOBI does a good job of displaying the mood. It’s visually noisier than I’d like, but still cute and upbeat, with music to match.
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