With each passing season,fans keep an eye out for the next hitShōnen Jumpanime series. The weekly publication has housed many of the biggest manga titles in history, fromDragon BalltoSlam Dunk, the “Big Three” toDemon Slayer, and so on. When aWeekly Shōnen Jumpseries is announced to receive an anime adaptation, fans are typically all over it. However, it seems that the latest smash hit based on aJumptitle might have already arrived while no one was looking: Bibury Animation Studios’WITCH WATCH.
Based on the manga by Kenta Shinohara,WITCH WATCHbegan publication inWeekly Shōnen Jumpon June 10, 2025, and has since been collected into 21 volumes. The series blends fantasy, romance, and places a heavy emphasis on comedy, to fill a niche the magazine has been lacking for some time. Though it’s built itself a nice following over the last four years, it hasn’t drummed up the sort of hype otherShōnen Jumptitles are known for,but its anime adaptation might just change that.
Anime’s Next Big Rom-Com Hit Has Arrived
WITCH WATCH Makes a Strong First Impression
After a winter anime season that was relatively light on romance,WITCH WATCHhas stepped in anddeclared itself a must-watch this spring. The series follows dual protagonists Nico Wakatsuki, the titular witch, and Morihito Otogi, an ogre who appears very much human. Due to an ancestral agreement between their families, Otogi is to become Wakatsuki’s familiar, or a guardian of sorts who will protect the witch as she learns to control her magic.
The two characters were childhood friends that hadn’t seen each other in some time, and when the series' main witch arrives at Otogi’s home to stay, she’s looking for more than just a familiar. Wakatsuki is hoping to both improve her magic abilities and make her childhood friend fall in love with her. From a set-up standpoint, the romance between childhood friends is fairly run-of-the-mill,butWITCH WATCHelevates it with its unique fantasy elements. What truly shines throughout the series' first few episodes, however, is its comedy.
WITCH WATCH’s Comedy Elevates the Series
Constant Gags and References Keep the Series Entertaining
Sometimes, an anime series can havea difficult time getting its comedy across to a western audience. Jokes can be lost in translation or differences in culture can determine whether a punch line lands. Comedy can be a tricky thing, and an over-reliance on it can spell disaster for a show that audiences don’t find very funny. Fortunately,WITCH WATCH’s constantreferences to other anime titles, slapstick humor, and often surreal gags are incredibly entertaining and have a knack of catching viewers off-guard.
In only two episodes, the anime has referenced other works likeAttack on Titan,Dragon Ball,Hunter x Hunter,Demon Slayer, and more, in a manner reminiscent of a series likeGintama. It can be somewhat rare for an anime to do comedy well, and that goes double forromance-centered shows. Many times, a series can be bogged down by attempts at humor that more often than not distract from the plot or take time away from the leading couple.
Instead,WITCH WATCHkeeps humor at the center of the dynamic between Wakatsuki and Otogi,and no joke overstays its welcome. The gags come in at rapid fire, the next more unexpected than the last. This unique quality adds to just how fresh the entire watching experience is, and anime fans would do themselves a favor by giving the series a try. The spring 2025 season has plenty of heavy hitters, butWITCH WATCHhas a legitimate chance of stealing the season’s spotlight.
WITCH WATCH Might Place an Unexpected Bid for Spring’s Best New Show
The Series Has a Chance of Becoming Anime’s Show of the Season
Aside fromOne Piece’s return, the spring anime season doesn’t really have that one major series the entire community is looking forward to. That doesn’t mean the season is lacking, however.Fire Forcehas returned for its long-awaited third season, whilea variety of brand-new titlesare all fighting for the spotlight. Among them,WITCH WATCHhas made an incredibly strong first impression, but it doesn’t quite have a clear shot at stealing the crown for the season’s best new show. One other series is also impressing in its early goings.
The series that many fans have had their eye on isLazarus, the latest work of famed director Shinichiro Watanabe. With a resume that includes titles likeCowboy BebopandSamurai Champloo, it isn’t much of a surprise thatLazarusis airing with built-in hype. It’s still incredibly early in the spring season, but as of now,WITCH WATCHhas made a rather unexpected appearance in the mix with other highly anticipated shows, and for good reason. Fans of the original manga by Kenta Shinohara might’ve seen this coming,but for most anime fans, it’s an unexpected, welcome development.
Shōnen Jumpisn’t typically the place manga fans will find their favorite rom-coms, but it hashoused some big ones over the years. More recently,Blue Boxhas fulfilled that role for the magazine, and the series received quite the boost from its anime adaptation just this past fall. However, it seemsWITCH WATCHflew under the radar of the majority of the anime community, and has a legitimate chance to run away with the spotlightin a season that’s light on other shows like it.
Many modern anime rom-coms can be hit or miss, and often rely on tropes that have been done to death in the genre over the last decade. Though it isn’t groundbreaking in its premise and doesn’t seem to involve any complex narrative,WITCH WATCHhas found a way to remain fresh while offering a fun viewing experience. Any fan looking for some laughs or an overall wholesome show to watch this spring anime season can find what they’re looking for in spring’s underrated newShōnen Jumpseries.
WITCH WATCH
Cast
Witch Watch follows Morihito, an ogre-powered teen, and his childhood friend Nico, an aspiring witch, as they navigate the chaos caused by Nico’s unpredictable magic while living together. The film unfolds with fantastical antics as the pair grapples with magical mishaps and growing challenges in their shared adventure.
