The Dawn of the Witch - Reviews

Satisfying Conclusion?✔️
Emotional?❌
Actual Romance?❌
Actual Comedy?❌
Fanservice/Nudity?❓ (bath scene with fog-censorship)
Recommend?✔️ (if u want a somewhat light-hearted, yet mature/dark magic-training show)

What is this anime?
A non-direct sequel to "Grimoire of Zero". Some characters reappear, but the main cast is new, and with a much more lighthearted story. 3 Students are sent to a special village to study magic for a few years. This is about them struggling together to get to the end-goal of graduating.

Did I enjoy it?
First off, highly recommend watching "Grimoire of Zero" first. You don't need to but it made the experience much better. If you find it boring though, still give this show a try, as they have very different vibes. I enjoyed this show more than the prequel, as it was more lighthearted and with a less predictable cast of characters. The MC has had forced the "amnesia" trope onto him. However, it plays it out well and differently than the usual. The OP MC trope is there as well, but it is somewhat hidden. The MC is absolutely OP, but can't use his powers. And that fact doesn't change instantly, like many other shows depict. Throughout the series the MC is slowly learning to accept them and to facilitate their use. Due to the MC living a non-standard life and not knowing the norms, sometimes the things that come out of his mouth gave me a giggle or two, especially when he talked about romance. The Conclusion ends nicely, but I would like to see the rest of the story of our MC and his buds. Give it a try.

I'll be honest, I didn't realize this was a sequel. In hindsight it makes sense despite my lack of impression of the prequel which i watched some time ago. This show was an interesting and sometimes confusing mix of dark theme and light scenes. it honestly felt  rushed and compacted. they had at least 24 episdodes of plot that was condesned into 12. I liked the mc, he was an interesting take on the naive about the world yet earnest archetype that I found very compelling. althought he often felt more like a side character compared to the dawn witch or even his two companions at times. I would attribute this again to the show being rushed. The actions scens were quite detailed and intesnse yet we never really saw a true bosss battle play out but then again there were few circumstances for one. overall I'd say its worth a watch if you are into fantasy action anime in general. those looking for the school life aspect might find themselves disapoiinted and those looking for an intense drama might themselves a little let down. Yet those looking for something thats somewhere between an iyasiki and something espesically dark like blood + will find themselves satisfied.

Story (4/10): "The Dawn of the Witch," also known as "Mahoutsukai Reimeiki," presented a narrative that had potential but ultimately failed to deliver a satisfying experience. The story introduced a world of witches and magic, which initially intrigued me. However, as the series progressed, it became evident that the execution of this narrative fell short. Pacing issues plagued the plot, resulting in uneven development and a lack of depth in critical story elements. This inconsistency made it challenging to stay fully engaged with the storyline, and many crucial plot points were resolved in a manner that left me dissatisfied.

Animation (6/10): In terms of animation quality, "The Dawn of the Witch" offered a mixed experience. There were moments of visual brilliance, particularly during magical battles and spellcasting sequences. These scenes showcased the potential of the animation team. However, the series suffered from noticeable drops in animation quality in certain episodes, which detracted from the overall viewing experience. These inconsistencies were disappointing and prevented the animation from reaching its full potential.

Sound (5/10): The soundtrack and sound effects in the anime were serviceable but failed to leave a lasting impression. While they managed to complement the magical theme of the series, they did not stand out as particularly memorable. The voice acting performances were average, lacking any standout moments or exceptional character portrayals.

Characters (4/10): The characters in "The Dawn of the Witch" were a mixed bag. While some showed promise early on, they often fell victim to underdevelopment and lacked significant depth. Character motivations and growth were not explored to their fullest potential, leaving many cast members feeling one-dimensional. This limited my ability to connect with or become emotionally invested in their journeys.

Overall (4/10): In summary, "The Dawn of the Witch" had potential with its magical world and premise, but it struggled to realize this potential due to pacing issues, inconsistent animation quality, forgettable sound design, and underdeveloped characters. While it may appeal to fans of the fantasy genre, it ultimately left me wanting more from its narrative and characters. My overall score for this anime is 4/10, reflecting my disappointment with its execution.

Great anime, just the characters irritate me a bit, the main character is a dude that is afraid of everything, forgot everything, unnormal stupid and is as dense as any main character can be, and Holt keeps hating the dude beside her all the time but after 12 episodes the problem is not even mentioned between them.

This show is super dark, but also super light. An interesting and fresh mix. It's also way better than I thought it would be. It starts out so serious, but then you learn the characters and it gets really good. Definitely worth watching