The following contains spoilers for The Witch and the Beast, Episode 1 – "The Witch and the City of Blazing Red", streaming on Crunchyroll.

The first episode of the thrilling anime adaptation of mangaka Kousuke Satake's The Witch and the Beast hit Crunchyroll on January 11, almost eight years after the manga's debut, as part of a fantastic Winter 2024 anime season. This is Yokohama Animation Laboratory's 11th attempt at a television anime series in their eight-year lifespan, and they deliver the first episode of The Witch and the Beast beautifully, with stunning animation, a steady pace that walks viewers through character motivations, and ends in an explosion of action. The debut episode covers the first two chapters of the manga, with some subtle changes along the way, and captures the magic of the story immediately.

In 24 minutes, The Witch and the Beast sets up a story worth following; two characters who arrive with their motivations clear, and a lore that captivates the hearts of anyone into magic-based storylines driven by a darker tone and mature themes. That being said, it wasn't a perfect episode by any stretch, but one that promises to improve as the season continues.

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The History of Witches and Those Who Hunt Them

The opening monologue discusses a witch's curse and the two methods of reversing it; a loving kiss from Prince Charming, and a change of heart from the witch responsible for that curse. It's revealed that the knowledge and magic of the 17 Origin Witches has been passed on to the witches of the current age, who are believed to either aid people or place a curse on them. Viewers are then introduced to the story's two main characters; Ashaf, an intellectual first-rate mage, and Guideau, the hot-headed partner.

Their motivations are made clear from the moment they arrive on the scene, with Ashaf investigating and seeking out the witch to learn more about the situation, and Guideau's thirst for violence and a need to sucker punch the witch in the face. The contrast between the two is both charming and humorous to watch, like Ashaf's matter-of-fact demeanor and logical approach throwing Guideau off, as her one and only desire is to get her hands on the witch and cause as much mayhem as possible. The common goal they share at this moment is to find the witch, albeit for very different reasons.

It is at this moment that the viewer is welcomed to a beautiful display of visuals, with carefully-crafted backgrounds packed with buildings and life, creating a world that sucks the viewer in with interest. The anime adaptation follows the manga closely in the opening moments of the first episode, driving the attention towards gaining information on the witch through dialogue with some citizens of the city. The first three minutes certainly feel like the calm before the storm, as the viewer learns that the witch is, in fact, not evil at all, and is referred to as a hero among all the citizens in town. An eyebrow-raising moment, as Ashaf wishes to learn more about how this came to be, while Guideau scoffs at the idea.

From this moment on, The Witch and the Beast blasts its audience with a glass-shattering moment, and Ashaf and Guideau are met by a giant shark-like beast, walking the streets and causing mayhem in its way. Ashaf quickly assesses the situation of a mage with transformation abilities, helping the audience learn of the dynamic of the story, and that witches and mages possess power beyond human understanding. For Guideau, it's a perfect opportunity to seek out the witch, who isn't too far behind.

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Action Packed, But Lacking Details

The action of The Witch and the Beast leaves nothing on the table, as it provides a pleasing-to-the-eye experience. In the witch's introduction, the audience is treated to the stunning visual and true power of one of her attacks, as she sends a magic blast directly into the mouth of the shark. Realizing her chance, and much to the dismay of Ashaf, Guideau lunges into the scene to launch a pre-emptive strike, only to be thwarted. The stark difference in power is made ever so clear, as Guideau is bound by the witch's magic and rendered helpless. In just a few moments, the story showcases a taste of the witch's powers, and the reveal of Ashaf's mage abilities.

The story is easy to follow thus far, but leaves some minor details and backstory out of the equation. At this point in time, the citizens' love and respect for the witch doesn't feel justified, nor does Guideau's hatred towards witches, who are said to be hated and feared, but not the case in this town. The episode does a good job in the second half, when more information is delivered to the audience, though some aspects feel hollow, such as the witch's true nature of the attacks and why the town is truly cursed.

Contrary to this, The Witch and the Beast does a good job at avoiding over-explaining the story, rather leaving things open to interpretation and allowing the action to breathe. The audience feels less like their hand is being held throughout the episode, letting them decide the true motivations of the witch and the hunters, and learning more about the enriched lore of the events that took place over 400 years ago.

An Ending Worthy of Discussion

In the final ten minutes, viewers are sent directly into a whirlwind of events that lead to some major reveals and discussion points that will have many anticipating the second episode. An exciting jazz-like jingle sets the pace for Guideau and Ashaf to exit their hotel, where they are met by security and city officials who wish to arrest them in an attempt to stop their attack on the witch. The viewer is immediately turned on their head as the story switches to the witch's point of view, who now has many of the city's young women stripped down, with their hands and feet cut off. The witch, who was believed to be the city's hero, had actually plotted this moment for over 100 years, using her guests as keys to unlock the hellfire onto the city.

The twist wasn't so much unexpected as it was shocking to see the violence she had caused, rectifying Guideau's absolute hatred towards witches. She and Ashaf burst onto the scene, the former launching an attack on the witch, while Ashaf remains behind in order to protect the girls. The real twist is revealed at this moment as Guideau shows a cursed mark on her neck, stating that she wishes to have it reversed by the witch. Unfortunately, Ione is not the witch who cursed her, and therefore, the reversal can not be applied as it doesn't fall under the two methods.

A second surprise is then delivered as Ashaf states a third method, which is to kiss a witch, which Guideau takes advantage of and lands a kiss on Ione. Her curse spirals out from her back and into the coffin that Ashaf is carrying, which holds the true form of Guideau — a monstrous beast with unlimited power and the true enemy of the witches. Following Ione's defeat, Guideau reverts to her previous form, learning that the third method of kissing a witch is only a temporary fix. With that understood by Guideau and Ashaf, the two make their way back to headquarters in order to continue their search for the witch that cursed Guideau. Stunning visuals during the action scenes certainly stand out, and an intriguing story driven by two characters makes for a season worth investing in.

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