Back to PaperCutAssassin's Profile PaperCutAssassin's Profile

Kenta Shinohara is at the height of his powers.

Following his previous works SKET Dance and Kanata no Astra, Witch Watch is a burst of pop and comedic genius that delivers with every single chapter. The series is about a novice witch learning to master her magic while being protected from the threat of an ominous prophecy by her close friends, each of whom is a mythical familiar.

This premise allows for the series to take whatever direction it wants at any time, and Shinohara is able to balance and pace the series beautifully. Sometimes it's hilarious single-chapter anecdotes resulting from the chaotic misuse of magic. Other ... times it's a sweet romance story about two childhood friends who deeply care for one another. Mixed inbetween is a surprisingly engaging fantasy action tale about the descendants of folktale beasts trying to outmatch one another and survive in the modern world.

Whatever Witch Watch chooses to be, it executes it phenomenally. The characters are all extremely likable and the core cast stands out as having uniquely unmatched chemistry. Each shines when it's their turn to tell the story and together they effortlessly produce hilarious banter and the type of eccentric shenanigans Shinohara is known for.

Witch Watch does not have any glaring flaws. Its biggest strength is in its creativity and gag sense, but long time followers of Kenta Shinohara will notice his art has improved greatly over the course of his career, with Witch Watch being the most polished it has ever been. As mentioned at the beginning, this truly feels like he is at the height of his powers, which is to say that Shinohara is demonstrating the true extent of his potential and the result is wonderful.