Majo no Tabitabi

"Happiness is a way of travel, not a destination."

Fiction often tells us a similar tale: one of the hero saving the day, where happiness is a commodity given as a reward for good and just deeds. In the case of Majo no Tabitabi, which follows Elaina's solitary journey throughout the vast skies and endless seas, this rule of fiction is approached in a more skeptical manner. Good intentions may be rewarded, but it is not always so.

Unlike most anime, Majo no Tabitabi doesn't portray karma as an infallible law from which we can never escape. Sometimes the characters will strive to resolve an issue ... with good intentions, but as a consequence of following their heart, it can sometimes lead not to a problem being fixed, but a problem made worse. These themes can potentially be misconstrued by some viewers as the story being pretentious (among other disparaging terms), but Majo no Tabitabi does not claim that optimism or idealism is wrong, either. Karma and morality are treated as an open-ended question of which there is no inherently correct answer. It is situational and oftentimes a matter of luck, which is demonstrated by the various happy and unhappy conclusions to the episodes.

It's precisely this unpredictable pattern of storytelling which makes Majo no Tabitabi so enchanting. There are happy episodes that warm the soul, more slice-of-life in nature and which will make the viewer laugh and smile. There are darker episodes, which are less frequent, but which make you question the characters' actions as well as your own beliefs. And even in the quieter moments, where the story is meant to be approached more as entertainment, there are subtle themes that can be pursued by the viewer at their behest. What happens when a wall is erected in the middle of a small town, for example? While these themes are nothing exemplary on their own, they do complement the story on a wider scale by showing facets of Elaina's personality which are not otherwise explored in the more serious episodes. It is, after all, as much a story about Elaina herself as it is about the adventure. Travel is personal, and is inherently a story about the traveler.

Most likely, there will be some people who disagree with aspects of Elaina's worldview. And that is fine, as she is an observer and fervently avoids the role of hero. Unlike most anime protagonists, while Elaina is naturally a kind person, she will sometimes ignore the plights of others if it is not of personal benefit or interest to her. There are of course times where she will help the strangers of a country on a more selfless basis, but by and large, she calculates whether or not it is worth getting involved in a problem, just as the vast majority of people in our world do. After several years travelling from place to place, being embroiled in local issues that do not affect her personally, it is inevitable that at least some of her good intentions would have led to tragedy and less-than-happy outcomes. And so Elaina knows, and so she does not assume the helping hand will be met with a just reward. There is a big difference between someone like Elaina, who is experienced and hardened, and an anime character who is cynical and morally grey simply because it is perceived as cool to be so. I would even go as far as to say this is what separates Majo no Tabitabi, a surprisingly adult-oriented anime, apart from series like Oregairu and Re:Zero. Elaina may not possess the same innocence and happy-go-lucky nature as other characters in anime, but that is because she has traveled far and seen the world at large, and has thus not had the luxury of being trapped in a small social bubble, as so many are.

That is not to claim that Majo no Tabitabi's storytelling is without error, because it is not. There are a few aspects that I wish were better, particularly the conclusion of the 9th episode, which was excessive in a way the show hadn't really been up to that point. It's possible the anime staff tried to capture part of that Re:Zero audience, which, for a product seeking financial success, is unfortunate but expected. The themes and the plot of the episode were engaging and shocking in the right ways, but the visual direction had me almost feel as though I were watching a different anime entirely. But it is not as though the serious episodes all follow this same formulae, so the odd directorial shift for the one episode was given little more than a shrug from me.

Another issue some might find is that the pacing, particularly at the start, is lightning fast. Hearing "And so, six months later..." doesn't really allow the viewer to get all too attached to the events of the episode. I do appreciate that the story covers a large span of time (essentially 4+ years, and likely more in the light novels), and I even prefer this over more traditional slice-of-life, but trimming the timeskips down a tad would help to make the passage of time feel more natural and less abrupt. The presence of yuri elements towards the end - a frequent trope in slice-of-life series with predominantly female casts - was also a bit on the unnecessary side. That said, it is not pervasive, and is largely relegated to a single episode, which is fortunate as the series' strengths are not in romance and sudden... homoerotic proposals.

On a more technical level, Majo no Tabitabi is solid. While the animation is not something that will explode your mind and make you feel as if you were watching some massive-budget production, there is more effort here than the typical static visuals of most anime. In a lot of anime, it is essentially just a slideshow - panning over a single image for five or more seconds, with the only moving parts being the flapping of a character's lips. Majo no Tabitabi may occasionally fall victim to this shortcutting as well— there are weekly deadlines to be met, after all— but there is often more going on than the average anime, even if it is something as subtle as Elaina shrugging her shoulders while speaking. As well, the art style of Majo no Tabitabi is vibrant and lively, and the characters' facial expressions convey considerable emotion. They do not need to explicitly say 'I am angry' or 'I am sad' for you to understand what they are thinking and feeling. This may sound obvious, and something to be expected, but the sad truth is that most TV anime forget the importance of facial expressions and instead rely on voice acting talent to illustrate a scene. Majo no Tabitabi may be simple, but it excels in said simplicity.

It is also admirable how the anime staff honoured the creator's wishes to keep the anime adaptation free of sexual fanservice. I don't have any issues with sexual content in anime, and— to the contrary— view it as a positive when handled well. But moments involving pantyshots and things of that nature are juvenile and would do nothing but detract from Elaina's character. She is mentally and emotionally mature in a way that most female characters in anime aren't, and seeing her get embarrassed because she was caught changing clothes— or whatever else ecchi anime do these days— would diminish who she is as a person. The anime is confident enough in its own qualities that it does not need to add gratuitous sexual fluff. Leave that to the doujins and fan material, and keep letting Majo no Tabitabi be as it is, I say.

So, yeah. I liked Majo no Tabitabi. Quite a bit, too. A lot of people have drawn parallels between it and Kino no Tabi, and I would say that is quite appropriate. But where Kino no Tabi excelled in worldbuilding, I sometimes thought it fell short with regards to characterization. Majo no Tabitabi is the answer to that issue. While it may be more divisive than other anime of its genre, it comes as a solid recommendation to all varieties of anime fans. Anime like this are exceptionally, and increasingly rare in today's marketplace. If you haven't watched it yet, you're missing out on something special.

And if you're curious, I'll even go a step further: I think Majo no Tabitabi is the best anime of the year - and potentially more.

Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina

This is one of the shows I have bookmarked for this year. It is so sweet I do have a glucose monitor to use if I start to feel wonky.

Storyline: This story follows a cheeky, young witch named Elaina as she sets off on a fantastical journey across the world after being inspired by her favorite book. As with any classic fantasy tale, she’ll meet plenty of folks along the way, from the strange to the bizarre, including giants, townsfolk and even other witches! As she explores the world, her views on her own journey will take shape! ...

All of these elements –plus the efforts of numerous unnamed staff members and workers– make for a seriously beautiful start to a series that feels as cozy as a cup of tea.

But why is Wandering Witch so darn good? Well, let me answer that!

The foundation for Wandering Witch is good on its own: the story is engaging, the magic mystical and interesting, and the characters completely likable. However, the animation for this series is downright beautiful and took my breath away.

Beautiful art can come in a lot of forms, and much like video games, good art doesn’t equal a good story, and vice versa. Thankfully, Wandering Witch’s story matches the animation style beat for beat, providing a gorgeous canvas to tell this really earnest story on. Words really can’t express how lovely Wandering Witch is to just simply look at. Everything feels like it should be in a nice artbook collection.

Whether Elaina’s just in the city or at Fran’s treehouse home, the art is always on point. During action sequences –or even when Elaina takes off on her broom– the animation gets sharp, blending the base art style with slick magic effects that have genuine impact.

However, Elaina’s animation isn’t the only beautiful thing in the series: the music is just as lovely, with cues handled expertly, especially in highly emotional scenes. As stated before, music is handled by AstroNoteS, who’s previous anime-related credits include High School DxD Hero’s theme song “Switch.” AstroNoteS shines here with lilting music choices that immerse the viewers in a fantastical world. I hope that’s a name we’ll see more of in the near future.

satisfying magic sounds into Fran and Elaina’s duel. Everything fits the world quite well: even small, simple sounds tucked into the background flavor the world and really make Wandering Witch a sonically delightful watch.

Elaina finally becomes recognized as a full-fledge Witch, and receives the name "the Ashen Witch".
What more can be said about such a powerful premier? Every element of Wandering Witch is enjoyable, from the stunning animation to the beautiful music and the genuinely likable characters. With a strong premier that definitely promises a powerful series, Wandering Witch is the easiest recommendation ever.

Fans of Kino’s Journey –both the original series and the recent new animation- will find that same coziness as Elaina takes to the skies and catalogues her travels as the Ashen Witch. Additionally, light novel readers will be happy to find that the world has –thus far– translated quite well, and feels just as lush as it can in the books.

Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina is already a strong contender for Show of the Season. Safe to say I’ll be induldging in Elaina’s magical world.

Great story, art, sound and character.
It is the work of our lifetime.
Don't miss it.

A journey always begins with the very first step and that’s truer than ever for a young girl named Elaina. With a fantasy setting built by the creative mind of Jougi Shirashi, we are treated one of the must-see shows of this year.

Despite the light novel popularity, we didn’t get an anime adaptation airing until 2020. What’s slightly more concerning is that the anime itself is contained within a 1-cour of 12 episodes, and it raises the question if it’s enough to show its true colors. Thankfully, I can say with easy confidence that Majo no Taitabi (Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina) does indeed ... meet its expectations. This is more than just a fantasy adventure but explores the character journey of a human being.

Watching Majo no Taibtai feels like watching a child growing up, with every day being a new experience. This idea applies directly to Elaina, a young girl who became a witch. She has the heart of an adventurer, the ambition to succeed, and a thirst to prove herself to the world. From the very first episode, she wants to show the world what she’s learned starting with her mentor, Flan. Unfortunately, it also exposes some of her vulnerability as a witch and that she has a lot to learn than meets the eye. That’s where her journey begins. Elaina embarks on personal journey to learn about the world and discover what’s hidden from horizons beyond.

As an episodic adventure, the storytelling usually has a self-contained story but always follows how Elaina meets people or dealing with whatever problem she comes across during her journey. Early on, she encounters Saya, and after helping her, they become friends and seemingly forges an important friendship. It goes to show that Elaina herself is both someone easy to get along with and is a selfless person. She puts others’ needs above herself and is never afraid to take risks to help others. This also leads her into dangerous circumstances where her own life is at stake and she must resort to using what she’s learned to survive. From her journey, Elaina also discovers some of the darker truths of the world. This includes her stay in The Land of Truth Tellers or dealing with a princess with lost memories. From the hidden truths, it reveals that underneath the lighthearted magic adventure, there’s a deeper darkness. Elaina never becomes a victim herself but that doesn’t make other characters an easy prey for sin. One of the most prominent example is during episode 9 when she finds out the dark past of a girl named Estelle. I won’t go into spoilers but from this episode alone, it’s shown that some characters are really beyond redemption.

With each passing episode, we learn not just about Elaina’s adventure story but also about Elaina herself. She has a lot of potential as a witch but sometimes, she isn’t able to fully solve the problem of others. In fact, this anime can be depressing with episodes of despair. In other words, don’t go into the show expecting every episode has a happy ending. Some of them ends up with tragedy and even Elaina herself shows moments of despair. She is still a sensitive girl that is vulnerable to deep emotions. But through meeting new people, she improve herself both mentally and physically. Thankfully, the anime isn’t shy on displaying the character personalities and chemistry of the cast. Two of the most noticeable pairs are Elaina/Saya and Elaina/Fran. One of them is based on mutual friendship as their fellow witches. The other is based on a student and mentor relationship as Elaina wants to prove herself. One other noticeable character by the name of Shelia also appears later in the show. Her personality is mostly characterized being an antithesis of Fran. The anime seized the opportunity to show their past and present relationship, and by the end of this series, they became close friends. In fact, I would say with confidence that friendship is an important theme of the show. It’s through friendship that people can understand each other and resolve problems without just resorting to the magic arts.

Majo no Taibitai is both a light and dark show, meaning that where there’s light comedy and humor, there’s darkness and despair. The comedy mostly comes from the character personalities of the main cast while the darker elements are hidden within the self-contained stories. However, I will say that overall entertainment value still revolves around Elaina’s journey. She carries this show with each episode that has us, the audience, wondering what’s ahead. Will she live up to our expectations or is her journey one that has serves with little purpose? It’s an ambiguous question because it depends on how you approach the show. Despite the storytelling showcasing episodic adventures, they each have recurring elements that ties the overall anime together. When you’ve seen what this anime for what it really is, then there’s a great chance you’ll want more than just 12 episodes.

Studio C2C managed to do excellent work when it comes animating the setting and overall world fiction of the show. From day one, I noticed that every character is distinctive in some way or form. Elaina has the classic look of a young witch complete with a hat, silver hair, and youthful appearance. Similarly, other characters such as Fran and Shelia has their look as more experienced witches. However, the biggest perk of the show is the overall world building. Almost every episode depicts a new setting as Elaina travels from place to place. It sort of feels like playing a JRPG with a character going into towns and resolving new problems. Only here, we follow Elaina on her adventure as we watch her. The different settings are also saturated with colorful content such as the Land of Mages and magical Kingdoms. Without a doubt, Majo no Taibitai convinced me that Elaina’s journey knew what it was doing when it sells its visual storyteller.

On the subject of character voice acting, I would like to say the majority of the character cast fulfills their role but Elaina herself can sometime display childish tendencies, which translates to some awkward moments in the show. Other than that, the anime contains charming themes with an elegant tranquility, especially for its opening music song and general pace of its soundtrack.

Yes, it’s only 12 episodes long and the light novel has more content if you’re thirsty to continue Elaina’s journey. But judging on the anime adaptation, this is nothing short of a hallmark of entertainment. It shows that when a show with creative ideas and charming character cast is executed together, the storytelling sells itself. You can be the judge and decide to recommend this to others or not. But for me, Majo no Taibitai is a show that sets a fantasy adventure by excellence.

I'm honestly in love with this show, while sure it isn't perfect, but it's certainly one to watch for this season, and here is why!

This honestly reminds me of Kino's journey. It's a fun show with it's premise. Making each and every episode different and unique in it's own way. Which I honestly think is brilliant. It not only allows you to explore the world in more details, but also add an element of surprise each and every week so far. With it's story following our witch protagonist, as she goes from location to location, engaging in different kinds of story. It's really fun and ... imaginative. With the stories having a mix of emotions all through out.

The characters themselves? All seem realistic and each have a different kind of appeal to them. Which is great to see, always good to have a wide range of personalities to keep a show fresh and engaging to the viewer. Particularly our MC, with having more than one layer to her personality, which adds more to her character. Which can only be a good thing.

The art and sound is always great, it's always interesting to see what new environments come about. Really is. You can't go wrong here, even the magic our MC uses itself is good looking, along with any kind of action scenes in general, it's really good stuff, and goes along with every scene within the show. While the song is very fitting to each scene.

The way the characters move is also very great, as their movements never look off, or bad at all. It's really good stuff all round. They really did a good job at not only the details, but making sure it all flows smoothly.

Should you watch this? Yes, it's a very good show and certainly one of my stand outs of the season so far, which is very much keeping my interest week in and week out. So you should watch it too!

Watching The Journey of Elaina feels like reading a storybook. It is about Elaina, a traveler from a faraway distant land, and her journey as she travels to lots of different places and encounters new people. The show seemed like a happy go lucky anime at first, surprisingly it has a darker tone. It shows how harsh reality and the truth could be as Elaina journeys around the world. It is like the fairy tale you read as a child however not all fairy tales have happy endings.

When Elaina encounters problems along the way. She may seem not to care but she does. She ... feels responsible and she has to live with those feelings. However, it does not mean she is obligated to help them. That's the beauty of the anime. In reality, you are under no obligation to help someone in distress. In Elaina's case, she simply wants to travel around the world. That is why she wanted to become a witch to travel! She can help whenever she wants. She will help when she can.

While listening to the opening song, Literature by Reina Ueda, I feel so relaxed and calm. You can feel the fun adventures of Elaina, and how light, mesmerizing, and exciting it could be. However, in the ending song 灰色のサーガ by ChouCho you feel the opposite, you can feel how dark, strange, and frightening the journey of Elaina but in a good way. Which is why I love both the opening and ending song.

You can learn a lot of things in this show and it is simply beautiful.
Please give this show a watch, Majo no Tabitabi needs more recognition!

Wondering Witch Elaina, “Every journey begins with a single step. We just have to have patience.”

The story isn't all adventuring to fun nations; it gets dark from time to time. The story shows that the world isn't always a bright place, especially since magic isn't always used for good, and there are wars going on...

Elaina's character display is a realistic portrayal of personality that isn't being shown on some anime nowadays. If you notice every little detail, and character interactions, you'll start to feel that some of this is not being shown on some typical anime that you've already watched. If you are the ... type who enjoys Fantasy, Slice of Life and somehow a little dark twist, then this one is just for you!

That being said, this is the type of show that you will very much enjoy from the start to the very last episode.

"When I grow up, I'm going to go on an adventure just like Nikéh did!" - A young, growing silver-haired "Ashen Witch" named Elaina.

To be completely honest, this show is one of (if not) the hardest reviews I've ever written, and for very promiscuous reasons. From the "similar-but-different Kino's Journey" vibes, to the many controversies of "fanservice" and the in-between stories of light-heartedness and deep, plunging darkness, Majo no Tabitabi (or Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina) is definitely something that's a stand-out in the Fall season alone for the lore of fantasy, with a cinch of the classic adventurous spirit of young-and-upcoming newbies just ... starting their magical journey across the outside world. Prepare your witch brooms and sit comfortably, because this will be a long and arduous journey, from start to finish. (Spoilers be warned, but putting in storyline context so that it's not as heavy.)

The wonderous life of a young child that's awakened by the love of books, and one particular book about it raises this young girl's interest: "Nikéh's Adventure", based on a collection of short stories which detailed the former's adventures around the world (a.k.a a re-imagining of Kino's Journey's "The world is not beautiful, therefore it is" tagline). The growth that spurred her to become the youngest apprentice witch at 14 years of age, and in order to travel to places unimaginable at age 18, this is the "adventure of a lifetime's" journey record of the Wandering "Ashen" Witch Elaina, off to mimic Nikéh's legacy and create new ones in the process (even if she has a hint of knowing who Nikéh was in the first place or not, that's not the main point).

Right off the bat, you'll notice that I didn't mention that Elaina IS a protagonist, because like Kino, they're NOT meant to play off as the "hero" counterpart, and at its core, they are what they are: adventurers at heart (or you could call them protagonists, but on a neutral standpoint, same thing). For the most part, these adventurers can only "monkey see, monkey do" at the various towns of strange cultures and folk people, and strike up conversations with them, while letting the "series of unfortunate events" play out as follows in a 3rd-person perspective. If there are circumstances which need their help, they can only offer as much as they're willing to, everything else is out of their control. This is a stark contrast to the obscene counts of Shonen characters who are oh-so-willing to see lives in danger and adapt their instincts to save the day (of which there are many, don't quote me on that).

With that out of the way, let's go through my main counteractive points:
Remember what I've said in the beginning about the "similar-but-different Kino's Journey" vibes? Because this series is just that and more with the added elements of fantasy and magic brewed in for a change of diversity, that's honestly not a bad thing. As much as I love both the 2003 (original) and 2017 (re-imagining) versions of Kino's Journey, the thought of adding a magical fantasy pinch would leave me springing for so much more, and thankfully newbie novelist Jougi Shiraishi has brought that to his first LN work released in 2016. The thought of reading a LN that's far in the way, interesting and original (well, in its own skin) really fascinated me, and these kind of fairy-tale-esque stories of comedic, mysterious, yet emotional and dark finesse are really one-of-a-kind, and I highly recommend that if you're left wanting for more, please pick up the LN.

Speaking of Jougi Shiraishi, there was a panelist interview between the anime magazine Newtype and the creator himself, speaking after the series' debut of Episode 1, with the VERY ODD request that he was stressed and nerve-wracked out while meeting with the production staff, with a simple request of: "Absolutely do not show underwear, please." to limit the appeal of the anime to pure fanboys "sexism fuel". WHY? For all you people living in the West who DO NOT understand the complications of Japan's adoration for such overuse of warped and perverted "sex appeal" censorship material, recall of the ecchi shows you've watched before, and insert the context to this. This was such a controversial topic that initially had fans wreck the internet with heavy backlash about such a decision made, and sadly this wasn't the first time this request was done before (e.g. Rumiko Takahashi's Inuyasha with Kagome, and director Tsutomu Mizushima with Girls und Panzer). Regardless of the decision made, I'm not watching this series to experience "fanservice" quality, and absolutely understand why Shiraishi-san made this "infuriating" request. Because this show is meant to be an open wonder for a broad audience, and even with some "fanservice" shot (a.k.a Episode 1 when Elaina was battling against her teacher Fran) that wasn't meant to be the extra appeal in the first place, the damage was (kinda) done. In the light of all these however, I'd commend Jougi Shiraishi for making this decision that no matter how questionable this gamble was, it's a good call regardless. Not that I'm complaining, just here to give my 2 cents, and more power to y'all if you think otherwise.

Going back to the diversity of the "in-between stories of light-heartedness and deep, plunging darkness", yes, this series functions like it does. Elaina starting out her journey as the youngest "most genius and hardworking" 14-year-old apprentice witch, only to be found that her discipleship was marred by the other witches in retaliation, and leaving her to the only witch that could: the "Stardust Witch" Fran. For three years this weirdo woman's decision to take Elaina under her discipleship was anything but ordinary, and teaching her life lessons that "shooketh" Elaina's smugness of overwhelming pride and ego into one of failure and setback before the 18-year-old Ashen Witch sets out in motion (because we can't all have nice things in life, but I do dig Elaina's smugness).

The main meat of interest in Wandering Witch, is of course, all the inhabitants of strange towns and cultures, plus the other characters that come into contact with our lovely smug-looking silver-haired apprentice witch:
Saya (or what I could call her the supporting character if in an RPG) is a laid-back girl, often needing others' reliability for support and generally a negatively-filled character...that is until Elaina comes along and gives her a pep talk of self-confidence and having "a couple's" item in exchange for the bonding and exchange, so much so that her reliant personality shifts exponentially and creating that "Yuri, but not so Yuri" vibe, therefore training to be a witch like Elaina and earning her the title of "Charcoal Witch" to match. Should I really talk about Mina (because she only appears in Episode 11), because as stern of a younger sister with a siscon complex and taking tutelage under the same teacher as Saya, is she that important to the (anime) storyline? Nah.

In any case, moving onto the sisters' mentor tutelage from the "Night Witch" Sheila. A member of the United Magic Association with the task to investigate the abuse of magic, she's a pretty calm and collected character...that is until the reveal of which like the "Stardust Witch" Fran, are former disciples under Nikéh (really heavily implying that she is Elaina's mother, because of similarities). Both having distastes for one another due to the way of their work-arounds, they're yin and yang to compliment each other nicely in spite of the accumulated love-hate relationship over the years. Really a fun duo to take out snuffs (a.k.a the recurring "antagonist" Curio Company band of thieves).

The highlights of this show, from happy-as-dope to dark-as-hallucinating lands, and truth-telling to abusive environments, to the comical and depressing moments, this series has it all. The eccentric personalities of the towns are there to provide an objective as to what the characters want to do (much less achieve, if ever possible) and get their jobs done as swift and quickly. Most of the time though, the unrealistic fantasy feels nonsensical (a.k.a Episode 7's old art of grape-stomping and wall graffiti) to the point of being very disheartening (a.k.a Episode 3's flower symbolism and Episode 9's deep sorrow), but like I mentioned, all is taken from a neutralist's POV. I know, I know, this series is a wave of roller-coasters of mish-mashed expressions and feelings that make you either want to sympathize or rip your heart out, because it was made that way. Lots of opinions that'd either drive you crazy or be mad about it, but don't take it into heart, because it's the beauty of small-screen anime.

A new fresh and renewed logo for a long-standing studio (of close to 15 years), that's why you call yourselves C2C. The production for Wandering Witch brings about all sorts of admiration, really pushing the studio's tagline of "Challenge To Challenge" even further with promising words into giving the anime industry with a new and refreshing image each and every time to move people with animation. Regardless though, I'd have to say that C2C did a great job of adapting the LN in both style and direction, partly thanks to director Toshiyuki Kubooka in honouring Jougi Shiraishi's words and doing the rest with the production staff. Very clean and bright animation (as C2C productions tend to be) with a fair use of 2DCG (not 3D) and keeping it consistent throughout. Even with all the gory visuals, I wasn't put off by all that imagery, and what an accomplishment.

The music department is also another aspect to selling this show, because it does the "pulling ass" treatment of showcasing everything on a light-hearted note, only to then pull a fast one on us of a trick plot to subdue us into a streamline of horror. That said though, Reina Ueda's "Literature" for the OP, I really cannot commend this calm and lovely song enough, not just for its light-heartedness, but also for a sensation of fluffiness. That's not to say that ChouCho's "Haiiro no Saga" for the ED isn't bad, but you can tell the tonal shift between both songs (if you're not a music nut, the color change should be significant: bright to dark colours). Overall, great songs in a season of some impressive OSTs.

In a nutshell, I would agree-to-disagree if this series is a 50-50 competent/incompetent way of saying that it's a poor man's version of Kino's Journey (but with magic), but also, I'd give the same reasoning of why this series is so compelling that it leaves you hanging and wanting for so much more (although the story choices here are somewhat limited to being only 12 episodes). This show, whether it took your breath away or not, to quote @SSGSlayer: "It is the work of our lifetime. Don't miss it (even for the world)." A must-watch in 100% confidence, and a heavy contender for Fall 2020's best (to end the year on a good note).

Fiction is all about perspective, and what can be taken from a piece of art will depend on the person viewing it. This is an incredibly generic opening statement that can be plastered onto any review for anything in existence, but such a primal notion is paramount to The Journey of Elaina. It’s a series that lives and dies by your appreciation of the main character, or lack thereof. It’s a collection of vignettes that can either move you, or have you mumbling “What the hell was the point of that?” at the end of twenty-two minutes.

“Who’s that hot witch who’s also a bad bitch? ... That’s right, it’s me.” --Elaina (probably)

Welcome to the wonderful witch waifu show! Elaina has a big hat that looks really cool and she has long silver hair, 10/10 flawless character design. Also she’s smug as shit and that’s funny and also based. Good show.

Elaina is a terrible person who willingly enables bad things to happen to other people; she has the power to make positive changes but chooses not to out of her own convenience. She’s incredibly stuck-up, self-centered and rude whose only likable trait is being cute.

This is all well and good and all but it’s basically Kino’s Journey again, just with more magic and less talking motorcycles, and also less set rules for the main character.

I’m not trying to throw you off with conflicting opinions, these are just various things I’ve heard others say about the series. And they’re all valid statements. Elaina’s journey is not a clear, focused narrative, largely guided by the actions and personality of the titular character. As simple as that is, it’s plenty of cause for division.

Elaina is not a hero and it’s made clear rather quickly. More often than not, she chooses to stay out of conflicts, even if she seems to have the power to take action and solve them. Her main interest is her main interest, and all she wants to do is see the world around her. On top of this, she thinks highly of herself, not just by keeping herself out of harm’s way, but also by never sparing a moment to compliment herself.

As said, your opinion of Elaina the character will completely influence your opinion of Elaina the show. So what do I think of Elaina?

Oh, ho ho ho………

You want to know what I think?!

Ha ha ha ha!!

She’s a great character.

You might be wondering if my infatuation with witches and their stupid ass hats is the reason why. Well, anon, let me tell you, I’m not so shallow as to completely set aside all personal beliefs for cute girls in big hats. But yes, that’s correct.

Joking aside and alongside, Elaina is funny. She’s witty, she’s relatable, and I think she’s interesting. It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed a character in an adventure series like this, and many of her moments had me smiling. With a series of short stories about different pieces of the world, the two options are to make the world good or to make the character experiencing the world good. Ideally, you’d like to have both, but unfortunately that doesn’t happen in this series, and we’ll get to that. Not all stories are created equal, both in regards to the entire medium of fiction and the collection of Elaina’s travels. Some episodes were quite interesting and memorable and others felt rather pointless and silly. Despite an unbalance of quality, one element was consistently amusing: Elaina herself.

With a large world offering many different concepts, a more plain character is typical, as it allows the world to shape and develop them while also letting us project onto them more easily. Elaina isn’t an example of this--although I do relate to her much more than a generic adventure protag. Her laid-back attitude was what related me to the character, and her bold self-appreciation, often stepping into pure entitlement, was endearing and made her stand out a lot. She’ll often ask the audience directly who’s “that beautiful girl with ashen hair flutters in the wind, etc.” but her own self-entitlement will bleed into her everyday actions, like in episode two. After a clumsy apprentice mage crashes into her, sending them both falling onto a roof and destroying it, Elaina shows more concern for the lack of an apology from this girl rather than the blood trickling out of her head.

It’s a quiet, subtle savagery that just makes her so enjoyable. Her reactions to things around her are often sarcastic and witty, and despite a general lack of initiation she’ll take to conflict, anything bad that happens to her will immediately enrage her to the point of threatening to kill. Said bad things include cutting her hair, swapping bodies with her, or making fun of her chest (or lack thereof lmoa).

Most of the series is whimsical and largely undramatic, but Elaina doesn’t go entirely unchallenged. Occasionally, she WILL face an unpleasant situation and find herself unable to do anything about it--not actually from a lack of desire, but due to the laws of a region or her own lack of experience and power. Whether it causes a grimace on her face or a full blown meltdown, the dark realities of the world don’t leave her completely unfazed, and her weakness comes out.

If there’s any big problem with the journey, it’s that these moments don’t occur enough. Most of Elaina’s stories hold little to no consequence to them, which is why the character becomes so centralizing to its enjoyment. Some of these stories just happen and they could be mildly amusing for what they are, but a lot of them can feel largely unimportant and forgettable. For that reason, episode 9 truly stands out as the one episode with consequence and impact, where it feels like Elaina is truly tested and affected by this story. Even its music and cinematography are elevated much more seriously to the point where it almost feels like an entirely different show, and it’s a shame that it didn’t bleed into the episodes after it, because it was a genuinely terrific episode.

The other exception is the final episode, and without spoiling anything, it actually does connect the pieces together and ties Elaina's journey up into a nice, satisfactory ending. It highlights the consequences of Elaina's actions by showing different outcomes that might've happened had she done something differently, reinforcing the story's themes and giving weight to the past stories. It's also delivered in the most Elaina way possible, and I mean that in the most literal way possible. The finale is definitely worth the eleven episodes that build up to it.

Occasionally, Elaina is joined by some other characters--I’m sorry if this statement caused you to leap out of your seat. Her mentor satisfies the trope of stupidly powerful characters with lovable, lackadaisical personalities, especially with the voice of Kana Hanazamallamasama. Saya is the main subject of consequence from Elaina’s journey, as she enters the series as a fledgling mage who Elaina coddles somewhat, to quickly becoming a witch herself who then spends her screentime simping for Elaina as hard as she can. It’s good to have a character I can relate to so well. Her mentor, Shiela, is somewhat unremarkable outside of her tomboyish personality and the fact that she smokes out of a pipe and rides a motorized broom, so actually she’s really fucking cool. They’re alright.

The art is often quite good; never bordering on the territory of fantastic, but characters are well-designed, detailed, and animated with care. Background art is often given a great amount of attention-to-detail, but can easily go unnoticed for the settings themselves being fairly normal and uninteresting. Nothing in this series would win any sort of awards for presentation, except maybe the directing of episode 9 which was actually fire, but it’s all cleanly above-average and contributes enough.

Elaina deserves its divisive reputation, and maybe that was the point all along. Good stories aren’t necessarily made to be agreed with, it’s the way they’re told and what happens that defines them. Having clear, set attributes will only appeal to those who can appreciate them, and for me Elaina’s personality is what helps me get through the day. But it’s true that the series could have done more, and one can only hope that future installments can elevate it to the heights that it’s teased us with.

In other words, Elaina is my waifu and she can do whatever she wants because I said so and if you don’t like it then fight me irl punk

Story: 7/10
Art: 8/10
Sound: 6/10
Character: 9/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Witch hats: 10/10
Overall: 7.75/10 (Range: 6.5 - 8.5)

Much like Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica this show doesn't pull any punches. You haven't seen Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica? ok well add that to your list too. Majo no Tabitabi is lighter and more upbeat in general but still gets very dark in parts. You may expect a slice of life with generic characters but instead get something far more nuanced then we expect from typical anime these days.

Sometimes bad things happen. Sometimes you can help, and sometimes you can't. Sometimes you make things worse. Sometimes you can say "That problem is not my problem" (a logical stance never ... before taken by anime protagonists)

I suppose I was delighted by the show's willingness to break most rules of anime and have real characters make real choices. Sane choices by real world standards. Also when characters help others there is no guarantee they will make the situation better, things could go poorly, you just don't know. This keeps you guessing about choices, about outcomes, about everything.

Delightful surprising anime. Would recommend.

Many people are thinking this anime is going to be something it never said it was gonna be. People thought this anime was gonna be about a witch traveling around the world and solving people's problems. This is not the story, the story is about a witch who travels and sees different parts of the world not because she wants to help people but because she wants to see what life and travel has to offer. She is not a miracle worker and tries to separate herself from the issues happening their because it is not her place to. This anime is an episodic show ... which it is supposed to go through many different stories. The fact that not everyone is gonna end well maybe sad but it is realistic it is what makes the show interesting. I like the show so far and would recommend it to people who enjoy episodic shows where things don't always have happy endings but sometimes do.

Without fail this anime has surprised me at the end of every episode. Not only has the main protagonist completely thrown the stereotypical protagonist persona of "I'm gonna fix everything and make everyone happy" out the window, but she has shown how to look at a bad situation and look at it logically and with rational thought.

I'm not gonna sit here and say that shounen anime is inferior to this anime because I absolutely love when mc's kick-ass and shove righteous justice up the big bad evil dudes ass. This anime takes that trope and says, Nah, I think if the mc was a real ... person they'd say, "Screw this, if I interfere I will only make things worse." Elaina shows that things happen in life and that it can't be as simple as fighting to solve it.

This is the first piece of media that I have ever seen do this, and for that, I believe that it deserves the highest praise among anyone who has the fortune of watching/reading it.

edit: I also wanted to mention how stunning the animation and art is for this anime. The first episode and frankly, the whole series so far has reminded me of Ghibli level production.

Let's go on wonderful journeys with Elaina!

Travel around the world, get to know new cities and cultures, experience exciting adventures and meet new people. These are certainly things that many of us would also like to do.
The beautiful witch Elaina takes us on her journey, together with her we witness the stories from her world and experience the thrilling stories behind the cities and their residents. Hop on this “broom”, make yourself comfy and get ready for many exciting adventures with her!

STORY:
Once upon a time there was a sheltered child who was greatly proficient in magic, innocent and didn’t know what “failure” means. She was ... young and pure but always had the dream of becoming a witch one day. Because of her young age, no experienced witch wanted to accept her as an apprentice although she successfully passed the Magic Exams, which are required to be recognized as an apprentice. Her parents recommended the "Stardust Witch" Fran to her in the end, who has also a very interesting and unique background story. It can be assumed that Fran’s master was Elaina's mother. With the help of her master Fran, Elaina mastered the stony path as a witch and became "The Ashen Witch". She made her dream come true! From now on she can finally fly through the whole world and discover all the things unknown to her before!
Each episode of "Majo no Tabitabi" is about a different story: how she visits a different city, meets other people and discovers new things. Every story is unique and really fascinating, sometimes beautiful and enchanting, but we also have sad and violent times.

CHARACTER:
When talking about the characters of "Majo no Tabitabi", the very first thing to mention is the beautiful main character Elaina. She is a wonderful witch who charms everyone. By becoming a witch at the young age of fifteen only, three years before the main story begins, she is not that experienced yet. Nevertheless, she knows exactly what she wants to do in her life. With each of her unique adventures, she gathers valuable experiences and lessons which makes her stronger. Elaina is a loving and considerate person. Although she doesn't like looking for trouble, she is always willing to help other people with their problems. She “protecc” the poor and vulnerable people.
Besides the main character, I would also like to say a few words about Saya. She is an apprentice witch who Elaina meets in the Land of Mages as a novice. Elaina changed Saya’s life through her influence. Meeting Elaina was destiny. Elaina helped her practicing for the magic exams and because of that she was able to pass the exams and become an apprentice witch. We see her a lot in the anime and you can really feel how much she adores and loves Elaina.
Of course, we have to thank Elaina's master Fran, for making Elaina the person she is now and we all love.
The world is so big and yet so small, all of our characters have a special relationship that unites them.

ART:
The world of Elaina is beautifully designed, all colors are chosen and put together perfectly. Every little detail is highlighted to the audience. The portrayal of the characters, especially Elaina’s, surprised me extremely positively. Elaina is definitely one of the most charming characters I have ever seen. It was animated with great effort and a lot of work. But also, by the other characters, you can already notice what kind of personalities they have through the animation.

SOUND:
Are you ready and prepared for a journey with Elaina? The OP “Literature” from Reina Ueda gives you directly the feeling that it will be YOUR journey. It will be THE journey and adventure of YOUR life. Make your own dream come true and write your own story! Not only the music appropriate to the anime, but so is every little sound in the background.
The ED on the other hand was performed by the artist ChouCho, she is also known for the mysterious but beautiful OPs of "Hyouka". Even this ED sounds very mysterious because of the music and the lyrics. You really want to learn more about the world and the hidden secrets.

ENJOYMENT:
„The Journey of Elaina“ – I really loved accompanying her on her journeys. Even as someone who doesn’t like actions and horror in general (which we will see here as well), I enjoyed those adventures. Every single story gave me a new feeling. So many different characters with their unique backgrounds. I was fascinated by their stories, what they tell, how they feel and think. I am sure that we are all unique and in some way we different us from the others. This feeling is brought out strongly here. Be proud of yourself because you also have a unique story to tell!

In the end, all I can say is that I'm looking forward to more stories and journeys with our beautiful witch. I want to see what more she has to tell us, what kind of people she meets ... all of these things. I really can recommend this anime to everyone, no matter what genre you usually prefer. "Majo no Tabitabi" combines all the elements that you like from your genre type here.
I am sure that the producers will not let us down and will delight us with a second season!

Majo no Tabitabi follows a tale of a young, aspiring witch named Elaina who travels to various kingdoms and lands. Majo no Tabitabi seemed like one of those animes where the protagonist goes from here to there and solves everyone's problems. Judging from my synposis, this should have been the case - the most generic fantasy anime with predictable outcomes, yet filled with those wholesome moments that make the audience appreciate it.

Well, I'm glad that wasn't the case. Majo no Tabitabi has a "story per episode" kind of deal, but each one of them are filled with unique themes and ideas that are explored in ... Elaina's POV that contribute towards the quirkiness of this anime. The audience experiences it at the same time Elaina does. Now, let me explain why I find Majo no Tabitabi's storytelling so enjoyable and unique. This goes along with Elaina's well-written character. Elaina is someone who is different from most MCs. I compared her character to someone like Subaru from Re:Zero. Unlike Subaru, she does not feel obliged to help someone even though she has a kind personality and is morally fair. As shown in the entirety of the anime, she either gets herself directly involved in the problem because she is affected by it, or she doesn't do anything about the problem at all, as shown in episode three. That's not to say I dislike Subaru, but it's just a comparison between two polar opposite characters. Elaina's character is explored more and more in each episode, regardless of what type of story it is, happy or sad. For example, in episode nine, Elaina breaks down as she was helpless to help someone who she thought she knew, but in the end, this person was betrayed by her own ideals. This shows she is actually a very kind and compassionate person.

This story is about Elaina and her adventure. Her own choices she made through these adventures. I feel that this was the true intention shown by the storytelling in Majo no Tabitabi. The storytelling is not perfect, and there are definitely some parts where a story could have gotten better. The pacing is also not the greatest; a fine example would be episode one. This is not a rant though. This review is meant to point out the good things that this show offers. This is my first time I've watched one of C2C's works, and I am thoroughly impressed what the animation has to offer. It captures every moment needed for the best experience.

Let me conclude my review. Majo no Tabitabi is definitely one of the more refreshing animes I've ever watched because of Elaina, herself and the storytelling. I am hoping for a season two since I'm not big on reading light novels or reading in general, but until then, enjoy this anime if you haven't seen it already.

At the start of this season, I was skeptical about Majo no Tabitabi at first because I thought it was gonna be some generic and bland fantasy romp that was skippable at best. But finally giving this series a watch proved me wrong and I was taken aback to what this series had to offer. The series does a great job exemplifying the slice of life aspects with the adventure-fantasy settings as Elaina learns more about the world she travels and writes in her diary. This is also prevalent in the episodes which covered the darker side of Elaina’s world, and helpdsubvert expectations and add ... to the series world building. The series isn’t perfect as there were instances where some episodes felt predictable and did take away the suspense of the story, given that it is a light novel adaptation. And the episodic tone can be a turnoff for most viewers as well.

Given how polarizing she was to some viewers, I’d come to appreciate what a great MC Elaina was. I really admired how she didn’t feel like a trope character that most viewers were used to in most modern anime. She didn’t have to be some justice-seeking action hero nor some stock isekai character, but her main gist was being an ordinary traveling witch who followed her code of staying away from others affairs (except for some cases). She’s funny, sassy, dorky, and can be narcissistic but to a point where she isn’t too stuck up about it. The biggest moment of Elaina’s character being in episode 9 where she does come to grips with her own weakness of being just a traveler and an observer. The rest of the cast was nice too like like Elaina’s wise and lovable teacher Fran, the childlike and yuri-induced gag-character Saya, and the hardassed witch Sheila.

The visuals and animation were really spot on, especially when it had it’s action scenes. There were instances where some shots were reused, but it wasn’t too prevalent. The voice acting was spot on as well with my favorite portrayals being Kaede Hondo as Elaina, Kana Hanazawa as Fran and Tomoyo Kurosawa as Saya. In the end, I personally enjoyed Majo no Tabitabi for what it was worth. While it isn’t perfect, it did blow my skepticism and expectations away with its narrative, setting, characters and production value. Given how much the series polarized a majority of viewers, I can respect that because people’s opinions differ. Overall, I give this a 8.5 out of 10, and I would definitely come back for rewatches.

Wandering Witch may not be the best anime of 2020 as I do find it to be flawed but what comes in solid theming and a multi-dimensional protagonist makes this series good enough personally. When I first started watching it, I thought that it might not age well all because of its fantasy setting as well as Elaina being arrogant. But after giving it a better look and having a better understanding of it, I got hooked on the show’s theming and how Elaina explores the places she gets into.

Before I get myself into talking about the show, I want to mention first how this ... was often compared to a classic anime that took inspiration. Of course! What I’m referring to is Kino’s Journey… the 2003 adaptation. Kino’s Journey and Wandering Witch have female leads who are largely apathetic towards others around them and are travelers who aim to experience as many different cultures and societies as possible. Now you might think if both are similar then Wandering Witch is clearly a rip-off, right? To which I’d add, they’re quite distinct from each other regardless of their similar elements. Kino is mostly stationary with people and settings she encounters while Elaina would pretty much react to certain things one by one whether there’s chaos involved or not. In other words, both are a slice of life but Kino is more likely stoicism while Wandering Witch involves in narcissistic acts.

Alright, now onto the actual review!

The story starts with Elaina starting her journey after reading her favorite book. She travels around a medieval-like setting as a witch while viewing humanity as a mixture of a blessing and a curse. On paper, this is good. In the actual show, it’s still good. While I do find some episodes like 6 and 10 to be rather weak in my opinion, the story doesn’t feel janky or forced. It does take time for Elaina to react to stuff she is intrigued or worried about without rushing anything. It also explores the themes of the show quite well. The message of this show is that Elaina is a flawed traveler who has done mischief to people and places she encounters whether it’s on her hands or someone else. This is rather unique because it shows that humanity is not normal at all and would have bizarre scenarios involved.

The characters are quite interesting, although one carries the show and the others are motivated by the former in terms of depth. Elaina is a witch who, again, travels around and sees humanity as a mixed opportunity after reading her favorite book. She’s titled as the ‘Ashen Witch’ because of her hair. Why do I think she’s great? Her character. Yes, she has done asshat moves but her narcissistic behavior tends to play in the show quite well. What I’m saying is don’t always assume that being an ignorant prick necessarily makes you a bad character. Elaina doesn’t really give a shit when something bad happens. Elaina is NOT designed to be a white knight like most fantasy protagonists are nowadays. She just focuses on what she sees as important to her eyes. She does develop some heroic traits which I also appreciate but her arrogant acts top the show’s overall characterization for me.

While Elaina is a top-tier character and is one of my favorites, the side cast is decent. You got Saya, Elaina’s dubious friend, and Fran, Elaina’s master. The side cast tends to make a good yin and yang that Elaina is surrounded by. But there are characters who are either just there or irredeemable dicks. I did mention in my Elaina talk that being an ass isn’t really bad writing. But I’ll also admit, some asshats tend to take their negative behaviors seriously and thus, ruin their character. You got this Emil’s father guy who has done dick moves to Elaina and… that’s it. If I were to be in the show then I would kick his balls. Overall, the side cast isn’t bad but we could see better.

I’ll be short on the miscellaneous parts because, while they’re nice additions, are usually infeasible for the vast majority of the show’s writing properties. The animation is smooth, the art seems generic at first glance but it’s rather clean, the music is alright but mediocre in my humble opinion, and the voice acting is good, both in sub and dub (although, Amber Lee Connors as Elaina carried the English voice-acting for me. The others, I personally barely have anything against).

And that does it. Wandering Witch is a good series with a distinct message to it. Though, I will say that it would be boring without Elaina’s colorful presence because while the rest of the characters are fine, they aren’t really noticeable enough. And also, back to the Wandering Witch vs Kino comparison, if one person asks me which of the two is better when it comes to overall writing then I’d say Kino reigns supreme. But it shouldn’t be that way. While again, Kino does better with certain elements Wandering Witch has, Wandering Witch still holds up quite well. Anyways, if you disagree with what I said and/or if I missed something, let me know. Criticism is always welcomed. Thanks for reading!

Story-9

The anime feels like a slice of life, every episode has it's own story. Each story ended really well, the anime isn't really heavy except 1 or 2 episodes. The story is about the main character Elaina travelling to different countries and see different kinds of new people. She might found a beautiful country, and she might found a bad and depressing country. This anime is really good for you who appreciates light and funny anime.

Art-9

At first glance, even though the writing and animation isn't as good as violet evergarden, it was really great, it have a way more brighter colors into them. The character ... design in the anime is beautiful.

Sound-10

Voice
The voice actor for this anime is so good. In my opinion, Elaina has the best voice in the
anime, she talks softly and sometimes funny. Maybe everybody in the anime talks
really soft.

Song
The opening of this song is one of my favourite song ever. In the opening, they show
many beautiful scenery. The ending was above average and pretty done well, i need to
listen to it more to maybe get use to it. The Ost are really suited for each kind of
situation, when something funny or bad happens, the theme song doesn't change and
it was really cute

Character-10

The story is focused more to the main character , Elaina is a little cute witch with really beautiful hair. Her outfit is normal but it makes her really cute. Her voice is really soft and beautiful. She is really knowledgeable and really smart, she reads a lots of tales and stories. Elaina is a really big fan of travelling and she likes discovering new things

Enjoyment-10/Overall-10

I enjoyed this anime and i think it's the best anime of this season. As i said, if you like Slice Of Life and Comedy, you should watch this. Not only this anime is light but some episode may be dark, and they are fantastic

Before i continue, this show is absolutely worth the watch and for best results I *highly* recommend you go at it blind.

With that out of the way, this show allures the viewer with a cutesy premise and main character "going on a journey" but as soon as episode 3 you bare witness to the true nature of this story. Elain is a passive observer and in most cases will refuse to intervene in other people's lives, mostly just there to witness the events unfolding and move onto the next. This show doesn't tell you what is right or wrong, nor does it tell you how ... to feel. In this sense, i think this show is masterful in creating stories and leaving just enough out of the picture to let the viewer decide the "true outcome". Dark most certainly, but a very entertaining and intruiging watch. 9/10

Wandering Witch is a story about finding purpose through experiences and trying to move above and beyond them in order to approach them in the best way possible, only to struggle and keep failing, only to keep doing them over and over again. Its clear source of inspiration - as well as the most apt series to compare it to - is Kino's Journey, but whereas Kino is mostly stationary in her approach towards the various people and locations she encounters, Elaina attempts to react on a case by case basis. In many ways, this makes Elaina reactionary, and this sets the tone for the ... series' main focus; on whether the cycle of fate can be overturned through her own hands, or whether she can't, with the answer the series provides being mixed, but leaning towards the former - albeit with a particular nuance.

It's impossible to separate Wandering Witch from Elaina as a character, with her adventures being front and center for all but one episode of this series. Elaina is a haughty, arrogant, exceptionally talented witch and yet this betrays an otherwise lonely, pessimistic young woman who due to her many failures constantly fails in rescuing people she otherwise could have had a chance to save. As a result, her arrogance over her beauty or talents come off as less of her being genuinely narcissistic but rather as a coping mechanism towards herself. Her reactions to the various stories covered in the series as a result vary, as despite her best intentions she bares witness to many a tragedy that she feels she couldn't have done anything about - one tragedy in particular sticks out with the aforementioned nuance, as a man essentially tries to cheer up a slave who's being abused by her master by showing her images of people living happy, free lives. However, this ultimately proves to be her undoing instead, as by showing her the lives of people being happy, he's essentially doomed her to an unhappy end where she will ultimately languish in despair then kill herself. Episode 9 is another case where things fall to hell, as Elaina desperately tries to assist someone in overcoming her destiny but ultimately fails and watches a tragedy unfold before her eyes.

The core message across many of the series' darker episodes being that Elaina can't stop these tragedies from happening, because the seeds to these tragedies happening have already been buried, waiting to grow by the time she's stumbled across them, so it is only natural she'd fail. The moral this series proposes - and this is especially evident once one contrasts the darker, more infamous episodes this series has gained a reputation for against the otherwise often lighthearted tone in the series - is that the intent behind solving problems does nothing if the underlying cause behind said problems still exist. Elaina's character arc, as a result, is her trying different approaches to different problems and slowly but surely progressing as a character and changing her approaches due to her experiences. This comes to head in an amazing finale, where she comes across what she could have been had she chosen to do things differently, and accepting that ultimately, she is painfully flawed, but will not stop romantically exploring the world - beyond that ugliness, there's too much beauty for her not to find something to explore. In a strange way, instead of being a more direct coming of age story, the series promotes continuing to romanticize and explore the world, but if and only if your approach changes alongside it, which various characters over the course of the series failed to do.

The side cast in this respect exist to act as a form of connection that Elaina has to the world around her, and a constant reminder - over and over again - that she has a place to belong, irrespective of where she goes or what she experiences. Saya's love for Elaina (that's heavily implied to be mutual in a later episode) is comically over the top, and yet there's a scene where Saya gives Elaina a necklace, reminding her of her connection to her. Elaina tries to leave a city after stumbling across an acquaintance, only to then be reminded on the way out that said acquaintance knows she'd do this kind of thing, has waited for her in advance and proceeds to see her off on her journey. The side cast are a fun bunch whose dynamics with Elaina and each other are reasonably fleshed out, with a particular should needing to go to Saya as well as Nike's trio, whose book about their travels is an inspiration for Elaina to travel herself, is another subconscious connection between her and another character. It's these connections that give Elaina the power to continue on, and much of the criticism involving lighthearted episodes being in-between the darker, more cruel episodes in the series often tend to miss the point the series is aiming for about emphasizing the connection that Elaina has, that no matter how hard she tries to fight things alone it's her connection to others that acts as a source of salvation, culminating in a fantastic climax at the end of the show.

Production values are excellent all around - everything from animation quality to voicework to sound design and direction is superbly done, with my only gripe being that comedic scenes sometimes feel stretched out longer than they should've been and, if watched from the perspective of someone who'd prefer a show with a more singular tone, can cause mood whiplash. However, these are minor gripes for what is otherwise easily one of the best anime to come out this year, and for anyone willing to accept this series for what it is, I cannot recommend this highly enough.

Thank you very much for reading my review, any and all feedback would be appreciated.

very so often, we get graced with a work of art that’s truly magical. Something that teaches us life lessons and changes us for the better. In terms of anime, these are becoming less and less common. Luckily, while uncommon, they still do exist.

MajoTabi is a beautiful journey of self-discovery in anime form. It’s truly unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, and I mean that in the most sincere way possible. From its gorgeous art and character designs, to its realistic portrayal of a teenaged girl MC, the show breaks traditional anime moulds and lays the foundation for a great series.

In terms of plot ... organisation, the closest thing I could compare Majotabi to would be Violet Evergarden. In that they are both character driven stories that see the MC move from one scenario to the next, learning life lessons along the way. While in Violet’s case, the message was about love, Elaina’s journey shows her the brutal and often disappointing nature of the world. Coming from a sheltered background, every episode she’s exposed to more elements of reality.

You’re able to go on this journey of enlightenment with Elaina and these are not just lessons she learns, but that we as viewers can learn as well.

Artistically, the show is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen, which is truly impressive considering the studio doesn’t seem to have done much else in the past. The animation, character designs and background art are all consistently top notch throughout. The OST is one of the most underrated parts of this show. I really felt it added a lot to several poignant scenes and enhanced my immersion.

Overall, Majotabi was my 2nd favourite show of the season, is a wonderful experience for veteran anime viewers and newcomers alike. It offers life lessons, a beautiful story and tremendous entertainment value. Majotabi gets 10 broomsticks out of 10.

I don’t know what I was expecting going into The Journey of Elaina. I hadn’t heard of it before, but it seemed like it was going to be the gem of the season. And what do you know? It is definitely an underrated gem, along with the almighty god Kodaka’s Akudama Drive.

First of all, the show looks pretty nice. The world has a nice fantasy feel, character designs are all cute. Elaina looks unique enough. The magic is animated very nicely. The art and animation in this show is definitely a plus.

The story is episodic, and has been been compared to shows like Kino’s Journey. ... If that kind of thing is your kind of thing, you’ll probably enjoy this show. Each episode involves Elaina meeting a new character with their own story and circumstances. We see their struggles, and see how their story ends. Despite the cutesy atmosphere of this show, the episodic stories.... aren’t all sunshine and rainbows. They’re sad, sometimes even a little disturbing. Of course, there are only 4 episodes, but this show seems to be a bit on the darker side despite the first two episodes bring fairly light hearted and relaxing. It’s definitely a plus in my opinion. Also, witches! How often do we get an anime about witches? I honestly don’t know the answer to that question, but I don’t watch many animes about witches at least.

Our main character Elaina is a breath of fresh air in the anime protagonist world. Unlike many protagonists, she is not always morally just, and makes a lot of selfish decisions. She’s a bit on the narcissistic side (episodes begin with her talking about how lovely she is, it’s pretty clear she’s not the humblest), although I suppose high self esteem is admirable in its own way. It’s not all flaws though. Elaina is an intelligent prodigious student of magic. She may not be the humblest, but at least she’s not entirely selfish. She’ll help someone out if she feels a connection to them, and she’s pretty adorable in her own right. The side characters all have distinct personalities and likable enough, impressive considering how little screen time they get.

The sound in this show doesn’t really stand out to me. Elaina has a voice that fits her, and the rest of the cast does fine. All good here

This show has been a very pleasant surprise, and it’s one of the best of the season. I’d definitely recommend it as long as you don’t mind an episodic story.