Review | Majo no Tabitabi

This review of Majo no Tabitabi Chapter 1 contains spoilers. If you haven't seen the chapters, we recommend you do so and then come back to read the review.

Majo no Tabitabi - Chapter 1: Elaina's apprentice witch

From a very young age Elaina loved books, especially 'The Adventures of Nikeh', which tells the story of the Nikeh witch's travels around the world. So, taking her as an inspiration, she began to study and strive to be a witch, and like her, travel all over the world. She managed to become an apprentice witch at the young age of 14, however, she still lacked one last requirement before she could be considered a true witch. She needed to be recognized by a witch.

The last step to reach her goal was very complicated, because although she was the youngest to become an apprentice witch, she was not attractive to the other witches in Robetta country. Being rejected by all. Until one day she heard her parents talk about the 'Witch Dust of Stars'. An unreliable witch who recently started living in the forest. Elaina took the opportunity and went to the place looking for a new chance, getting her accepted as an apprentice.

Although she was her apprentice, she never received any lessons in sorcery. Elaina's duties with her new teacher were to do everyday things like cooking and cleaning. After a month of waiting, Fran-sensei gave Elaina a test. A combat to see her ability. Without showing mercy, the combat ended in the complete defeat of Elaina, who, between tears and injury, could not let go of her negative emotions for all she had suffered waiting to receive lessons from Fran-sensei. Seeing her apprentice in tears, the 'Stardust Witch' told young Elaina the truth, and then began her real training as a witch's apprentice.

Time passed and one year after meeting each other, the Stardust Witch officially recognized Elaina as a witch, giving her the name 'Ash Witch'. She then left for her country. Elaina, now officially a witch, also left on her own adventure.

The adventures of a witch

With this first episode we welcome you to a series that was waiting to be broadcast from the moment it was announced. Well, I already had the light novel in mind, hoping it would have a fairly relaxed plot most of the time, but with the essential touches to have a witch as the main character. However, I ended up deciding that my first impression would be directly from the animated adaptation, so I currently have no knowledge of the light novel or even the manga adaptation of Majo no Tabitabi.

The original work is the homonymous light novel written by Jougi Shiraishi and illustrated by Azure. So, having a light novel as a source, I hope to show in detail some moments and scenarios that are essential to the plot. Whether it is the general plot of the story or simply to better display the various landscapes that our beloved protagonist has seen.

Now, for me, did this animated adaptation of Majo no Tabitabi start off well? I must honestly say yes and no. On the positive side and only talking about the plot, it showed the beginnings of Elaina's adventure, without the need of a big goal, for example, to stop a war. It showed a little bit about the situation of the world, in which witches do not seem to be extremely rare, but not so frequent either. A world that at first seems peaceful, and until the moment there are only humans. However, they also showed a little bit of the treatment that witches can give to other witches or in their absence to witches' apprentices.

While, on the negative side, I confess that Majo no Tabitabi - Chapter 1 felt like a start too early for me. Referring to the fact that, while I am grateful to show these moments before Elaina began her journey, a part of me feels that this whole episode could have easily been counted as a promotional OVA for the animated adaptation.

It is still too early to know where the plot of the story will go, especially for those of us who, like me, have no knowledge of the light novel and/or manga. However, I have a feeling that it will be a great anime this season if you manage to adapt it correctly. It won't be the best, but it could be in a very good position.

The characters

Having a witch as the main character, I can only hope that most of the important characters in the istoria are those who have knowledge about sorcery or magic. It doesn't matter if they are witches, apprentice witches, aspiring apprentice witches or even an ordinary human with a fondness/fanaticism for magic. And the main character and her teacher made their debut, as well as Elaina's parents as secondary characters... for the time being.

Elaina, being a lover of books and their stories, found what she wanted to be in one of them. Being a teenager of just 14 years old at the beginning of the episode, she could see how she still needed to grow up. However, I think it was exaggerated the way her parents sought to make her a great person and an excellent witch. Personally, in Elaina's shoes in the same situation hearing the whole truth behind the lack of sorcery lessons and the actions of my own parents, I would feel betrayed. For I would see nothing but an action of distrust on the part of my family and disapproval or mockery on the part of my teacher.

In fact, at that point I couldn't help but think that this was more than enough reason for any other character to become a villain. Feeling no support from either side, he sought his own path, finding only the path he was not supposed to take. That would have been my case.

I like Elaina's character, either for her aesthetics or for her personality. While her voice, both in tone and accent, I think it fits the character perfectly. However, I can't assure that she is my favorite or that she will be. Although things are not certain and there may be changes in future episodes, I have a hunch that I will not be able to personally categorize her as a waifu.

Kaede Hondo is the seiyuu in charge of giving voice to Elaina, who has also done so with characters such as: Minoa Asagaya (Animegataris), Koyume Koizuka (Comic Girls), Hikari Takanashi (Demi-chan wa Kataritai), Maple (Bofuri), Mizuha Kiryuu (Hensuki), Sakura Minamoto (Zombieland Saga), among many others.

The 'Stardust Witch', Fran-sensei, was the one who most caught my attention of the two. Although, unlike the 'Witch Ash', Fran-sensei captivated me more aesthetically than by his personality. Since she has signs of "clumsiness", of which I am not a fan. Although I do not hate them either.

Being a witch from another country, a part of me expected them to have other traditions, even if it is a slight change. But that doesn't seem to be the case, which gives me more clues as to what the world in which Majo no Tabitabi takes place is like. However, I have the feeling that Fran-sensei is bigger than he appears. And in case she was right, it doesn't seem to affect her, at least not as much as the other witches that appeared in Majo no Tabitabi - Chapter 1.

The seiyuu in charge of giving voice to Fran-sensei is Kana Hanazawa, who has also done it with: Hinata Kawamoto (3-gatsu no Lion), Ichika Nakano (Gotoubun no Hanayome), Kanade Tachibana (Angel Beats!), Nadeko Sengoku (Monogatari Series), Roka Shibasaki (D-Frag!), among others.

By the way, Elaina's parents, especially her mother, seemed suspicious to me. Not in a bad way. But, I began to suspect them since they happened to talk very loudly about a new witch in the woods. Only to find out later that they had already met the witch and had even bought her to give lessons to their daughter (though not the lessons Elaina was looking for). Besides the fact that Fran-sensei had gone there to meet a person. And in his meeting with Elaina's parents no one was on the defensive. It felt like they had known each other for a long time, because of the friendly atmosphere at that meeting, especially for an "unreliable" witch.

In any case, speaking of the characters in general, I think they have a lot of potential for development. And not only the main character, from whom I expect a great development of the character by the experience she gets in her travels. But even from Fran-sensei herself and other characters that will be added to the story as the chapters go by. However, what I expect most from the characters is that they show more details about my suspicion in the relationship between the 'Witch Stardust' and Elaina's mother.

Technical details of Majo no Tabitabi

The studio in charge of the animation of Majo no Tabitabi is the C2C studio. A study that although it has had some work, are not so many or so recognized. So it could be a good opportunity to know a little more of the characteristic style of animation that could have C2C. Some animations in which he has worked in animation are: Hitoribocchi no Marumaru Seikatsu, Oneechan ga Kita, Harukana Receive, Aquarion Logos, SukaSuka, among others. Having a certain tendency for the genres Life Stories and Fantasy. So I expect a great performance for an anime that has those two genres as a standard.

Now then, speaking a little about the aniamation shown in Majo no Tabitabi - Chapter 1. I must confess that I am satisfied, but I have my doubts and concerns for the future.

They showed a great quality in the general animation as well as in the fluidity of the characters and the magic. For example, the scene in which Elaina meets Fran-sensei for the first time and approaches him ready to talk. In that scene what made me repeat it was the so "organic" form that I saw the broom disappear.

However, my concern in the animation is due to the test scene between Elaina and Fran-sensei, the scene of their fight. Although I could assume it was raining at the time, the truth is that I did not see the raindrops most of the time. Even so, both were soaked. Also, although they weren't completely bad jobs, I feel that they could have pissed off the settings in the episode a lot more. There were times when I felt something was missing from the animation, although I still don't know what.

By the way, I appreciate the request not to show Elaina's underwear. Even if it takes away some of the fan service from the series, it's not like I lose it completely. After all, in Majo no Tabitabi - Chapter 1 we could see Fran-sensei demonstrating it.

As for the sound sifter, I must confess that I loved it. The musicalization matches perfectly with what I expect in each scene. Whether it's a quiet one or a more agitated one, everything without losing that touch of fantasy that was necessary. While the sound effects were also up to scratch, but only a little lower. I could hear the sparks of the fire thundering, the breeze being changed direction as magic was present, a waterfall in the distance during the combat, the thunder caused by the lightning, etc.

The sound section is one of the ones I enjoy the most when watching a Fantasy anime, as sitno is essential to get the viewer even more into the story. Even if the plot of the story is not very deep.

At the moment Majo no Tabitabi is on the right track. So I can't help but be excited to see the places where Elania will go on her journey. Whether it's quiet meadows, bustling cities or scary forests.