Witch Hat Atelier, who is already looking to be a strong contender for “Anime of the Year,” has dropped two gorgeous opening and ending theme songs.
Eve, featuring Suis of Yorushika, performed the opening theme song “Kaze no Anthem” which translates to “Anthem of the Wind.” Beginning with a fiddle melody, a rock guitar joins in, adding a modern flair. The opening theme song brings in the picture book motif with the characters dancing across the pages. Coco and her friends, fascinated by the world of magic, regard their surroundings with wonderment.
In comparison to the opening theme song, which is bright and upbeat, the ending theme song, performed by Nakamura Hak, “Tada Utsukushii Noroi” which translates to “Just a Beautiful Curse,” is a somber affair. The illustrations are rougher and simpler and showcases Coco walking haltingly down the stairs, aided by the faint light of a single candle.
The jar she’s clutching holds all of the memories from the past, including her mother’s incident. She drops the jar and she starts crying. Magic can be a curse; while she can now achieve her dream of becoming a witch, she had to lose her mother to do that. But magic can be warm and beautiful.
Created by Kamome Shirahama, Witch Hat Atelier was adapted into an anime by Bug Films (Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead). Ayumu Watanabe is directing the series with Jun Shinohara assisting. Hiroshi Seko wrote the script with Yuka Kitamura composing.
Shirahama’s manga began serialization in Kodansha’s Morning Two magazine in July 2016 and moved to a digital release in August 2022. The manga has won numerous awards including the Manga award at the 2020 Babelio Awards, “Best U.S. Edition of International Material–Asia” at the 2020 Eisner Awards, “Best Manga” at the Harvey Awards in 2025, and “Best Translation” and “Best Lettering” at the 1st American Manga Awards.
The story follows a young girl named Coco who dreams of becoming a witch but because only those who possesses magical powers can learn, she reluctantly gives up her dream. When she accidentally casts a spell that petrifies her mother, Coco is desperate to save her and begs Qifrey, a witch she met recently, to teach her. Little does she know, she is an important part in a sinister plot that she has no knowledge of. For now.
Witch Hat Atelier is currently airing and can be watched on Crunchyroll. The manga is available on Kodansha.
Source: YouTube
