Shonen Jump is definitely in the midst of seeking out their next big hit, now that My Hero Academia has ended its manga run, and its anime run will soon be drawing to a close as well. That new hit series may well be Osamu Nishi and Shiro Usazaki’s Ichi the Witch, a gender-defying fantasy series that is full of action, fantastical sights, and some excellent art.
Ichi the Witch began in Shonen Jump on September 9, 2024, and has (at the time of writing) published 37 chapters. Ichi the Witch tells the story of Ichi, a young boy who lives alone on a mountain, but possesses incredible hunting skills. Ichi lives in a world full of magic, but that magic is only usable by women, leading to the establishment of Witch Associations around the world. These Witch Associations hold themselves responsible for hunting Majiks, mysterious beasts of pure magical energy who, when defeated, bestow magical spells to their conqueror.
Ichi the Witch’s Magical World is Unlike Any Other
The Series Has Built Up a Unique Take on a High-Magic World
Majiks have their own personalities, and some of them strongly hate humans; such is the case for Uroro, a Majik which Ichi stumbles upon in the forest. Each Magik has its own unique trial, and for Uroro, his trial demands that he be defeated by a man. Since men can’t use magic, Uroro was confident in his invincibility, but Ichi uses his hunting prowess to get the drop on Uroro and defeat him, becoming the first man to ever gain the power of a Majik. He’s immediately picked up by the powerful and experienced witch Desscaras and swept away to the Witch Association headquarters.
Ichi’s appearance happens to have been prophesied, and Ichi soon finds out he has a far greater role to play in upcoming events than anyone could’ve anticipated. Joined by Desscaras and a Witch Cadet named Kumugi, the trio set out to handle their first difficult situation as a team, with the intention of acquiring another powerful, human-hating Majik. Along the way, they meet a wild and dangerous man named Gokuraku, who has his own agenda and who is desperate to gain the power of a Majik no matter the cost.
Ichi the Witch‘s fantasy world is well-developed and interesting, despite having run for less than a year at this point. While Ichi doesn’t seem terribly concerned about his gender, it’s a major point of contention among some of the general populace, who have never seen a male magic user. As a result, unlike most shonen series, all the most powerful characters in Ichi the Witch are female, making this manga really stand out among its Shonen Jump contemporaries. Desscaras also makes no secret of her power, flaunting her strength and referring to herself as a “badass.”
Ichi the Witch Plays With Gender in a Way Shonen Rarely Does
Ichi the Witch’s World is Like an Inverted Reality
The fact that Ichi the Witch‘s world is one where women wield unique and extraordinary power flips a lot of gendered assumptions that one encounters in the real world. Women with any magical potential are sent to be witches, studying magic and learning how to utilize and defeat the Majiks, which can be incredibly dangerous creatures. Since they’re the only ones capable of dealing with these creatures (it’s not even possible for the average man to even hurt them), women easily take on the protector role in this society, defying stereotypes of gender often seen in shonen.
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While in many other manga series, a man gaining an ability that only women have might lead them to a crisis of masculinity, that simply hasn’t been the case for Ichi. As someone who lived alone in the woods, Ichi doesn’t have any toxic masculinity traits pushed upon him by society (if such attitudes even exist in a world like this). Ichi continues to rely on his hunting skills to gain the upper hand against Majiks, sneaking around and outmaneuvering them to complete their trials and claim their magic for himself. He’s also learning from Desscaras, and has the potential to be a great witch.
Ichi the Witch Seems to Have Its Eyes Set on an Anime Adaptation
Despite Being Early On, the Manga Has an Anime in Mind
While Ichi the Witch is likely still a good year or more away from an anime adaptation, it seems likely that the creators are gunning for an anime adaptation. Every few chapters, there’s a color spread that provides information on character appearance, like hair color, skin color, and outfit details, making it perfect for fans looking to cosplay. The story has a strong arc structure like conventional manga do, with clear character growth occurring throughout each arc, on the parts of almost every character.
The attention is there, the hype is there, and the quality of art, story, and characterization are all present–Ichi the Witch is perfectly ready for adaptation.
The series has been positively recommended by several big names in manga, including My Hero Academia‘s Kohei Horikoshi, who said, “A high fantasy that feels thick while being light and stylish. How many people can draw this balance? It is the ideal of boys’ manga, where the reader naturally expands the world.” The first volume of the manga sold over 50,000 copies in just over a month, marking a very strong start to the series. The attention is there, the hype is there, and the quality of art, story, and characterization are all present–Ichi the Witch is perfectly ready for adaptation.
All told, Ichi the Witch is a manga series with big potential to be the next big hit that Shonen Jump so desperately needs right now. It’s doing well already, and as word-of-mouth about the series continues to spread, that success should only increase. Its bold approach to gender for a shonen series is already paying off extensively, and has led to some exciting arcs that are both underway and already completed. With any luck, Ichi the Witch will find the perfect audience and continue to propel Shonen Jump into a future where shonen is a little less contractually male-focused.
- Created by
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Takashi Isono, Kazuhiko Torishima
- Upcoming TV Shows
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Dragon Ball DAIMA, Sakamoto Days
