Witch Watch: A Promising Blend of Shonen, Romance, and Supernatural Goofiness
The anime landscape is constantly evolving, with fan preferences shifting and new genres emerging. If the anime releases of 2024 are any indication, shonen enthusiasts are increasingly drawn to romantic comedies with a supernatural twist. Capitalizing on this trend, Gkids has offered a theatrical preview of the first three episodes of Witch Watch, a fresh Shonen Jump anime, giving audiences an early taste before its wider release on streaming platforms like Crunchyroll, Netflix, and Hulu. While the humor may require some acclimatization for Western viewers, Witch Watch makes a positive initial impression, hinting at the potential to become a leading comedic force in the anime world of 2025.
Animated by Bibury Animation Studios, Witch Watch centers on the intertwined lives of Nico, an effervescent and somewhat clumsy witch in training, and Morihito, a reserved and protective ogre boy. Their childhood friendship takes an unexpected turn when Morihito’s father reveals a looming danger that threatens Nico. To ensure her safety, the two must live together under the same roof. Morihito, ever the dutiful protector, eagerly embraces this opportunity, viewing his role as a guardian against any potential harm.
Morihito approaches his task with the seriousness of a shonen anime protagonist, perceiving every day as a battle where Nico’s well-being is constantly at stake. In contrast, Nico sees their cohabitation as the genesis of a grand love story, envisioning their unconventional circumstances as the foundation of a deep and lasting romance. The series unfolds as a series of comical misadventures, as the duo juggles the responsibility of quelling supernatural occurrences (often caused by Nico herself) in their town while navigating the complexities of their lopsided relationship.
Despite being a newcomer to the anime scene, Witch Watch evokes a sense of nostalgia, drawing parallels to the early gag manga works of Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball, and the captivating will-they-won’t-they dynamic found in Rumiko Takahashi’s Urusei Yatsura. While some of the initial comedic exchanges in Witch Watch might not resonate immediately with Western audiences due to cultural nuances, the show quickly establishes a strong foundation of situational humor between the main characters and a wealth of clever references to other popular shonen anime.
At the heart of the show’s appeal is the dynamic between Morihito and Nico, which resembles the classic "manzai" comedy duo, where one plays the straight man and the other the funny man. Nico is characterized by her genuine kindness and an irresistible urge to showcase her magical abilities whenever she sees an opportunity to improve the lives of those around her or to impress Morihito. Whether she’s rescuing a woman from a burning building or granting her classmates the ability to fly during a free period, Nico readily employs her spells to address both mundane and life-threatening situations with Morihito.
However, Nico’s clumsiness often leads to unintended consequences. Her spells frequently backfire, resulting in ridiculous situations that she somehow manages to exacerbate. These "oopsie daisy" moments include accidentally revealing her identity as a witch to the entire class after mistakenly enlarging Morihito’s head and arm during a lesson while attempting to magically embiggen his crumpled eraser. Another instance involves her splitting into four miniature versions of herself in a misguided attempt to make moving boxes easier.
These mishaps, in turn, create opportunities for Morihito to step in and save the day. He either covers for Nico by passing off her overzealous spells as something else to the unsuspecting public or directly intervenes using his own demonic powers to protect everyone from the escalating dangers. Morihito’s protective role fuels Nico’s romantic fantasies, leading to hilarious imagined confessionals reminiscent of reality TV shows, where she excitedly narrates the "progress" in their relationship amidst the chaos of her magical mishaps.
The other key element that contributes to Witch Watch‘s comedic success is its clever use of references to other well-known manga series. Witch Watch, being a Shonen Jump manga series itself, takes full advantage of its position to directly reference iconic anime titles within its punchlines. This manifests through straight-man characters like Morihito and their closeted otaku teacher, Yuri Makuwa, who serve as the setup for visual gags. These include instances where Morihito’s hair stands on end, resembling adult Gon from Hunter x Hunter, Nico’s anti-gravity spell transforming the classroom into a scene from Demon Slayer‘s Infinity Castle, or Nico’s flight spell causing her classmates to soar through the air like Piccolo from Dragon Ball Z. Understanding these references is essential to fully appreciating the humor. It will be interesting to see if the show incorporates less mainstream titles into its repertoire of referential humor in the future.
The theatrical premiere of Witch Watch effectively establishes the foundation for an anime with the potential to become one of the most charming and lighthearted romantic comedies of 2025. The show’s blend of shonen action, romantic comedy tropes, and supernatural elements, combined with its self-aware humor and clever anime references, creates a unique and engaging viewing experience. Viewers should be aware of the potential for Japanese cultural nuances to play a part in their enjoyment of the program. With its engaging characters, well-paced plot, and comedic timing, there is good reason to believe that Witch Watch will continue to cast its spell on anime fans when it premieres on Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Hulu on April 6.
