Witch Hat Atelier Anime Drops New Trailer, Announces Main Staff and 2025 Premiere Date
During its panel at Anime Expo on Thursday, the team behind the upcoming anime adaptation of Kamome Shirahama's manga "Witch Hat Atelier" revealed exciting updates, including a promotional video, the main staff, and a 2025 premiere date. The staff also shared a new visual for the anime.
Key Staff Announcements
Director: Ayumu Watanabe, known for his work on "Ace Attorney" and the "Doraemon" films, is directing the anime at BUG FILMS.
Producer: Hiroaki Kojima, who was an animation producer for "Komi Can't Communicate," is producing the series.
Character Designer: Kairi Unabara, recognized for their work on "Pokémon Evolutions," is responsible for designing the characters.
Music Composer: Yuka Kitamura, who composed music for the popular game "Elden Ring," is in charge of the anime's music.
Promotional Video Director: Kazuki Kawagoe, who directed "Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead," directed the promotional video.
Apart from Yuka Kitamura and Kairi Unabara, the three main staff members and Kamome Shirahama, the manga's creator, attended the panel to share these updates.
Background on the Anime and Manga
The anime adaptation was first announced by Kodansha's Morning Two magazine in April 2022. Crunchyroll will stream the anime as it airs, allowing fans outside Japan to enjoy it simultaneously.
Kamome Shirahama launched the "Witch Hat Atelier" manga in Morning Two magazine in July 2016. Kodansha published the manga's 13th compiled book volume on February 22, 2023. Kodansha USA Publishing began releasing the series in English in April 2019, and the 12th English volume was published on May 21, 2023.
Story Overview
The story of Witch Hat Atelier centers around a girl named Koko who lives in a small village. She has always dreamed of becoming a wizard, but because she was not born with magical abilities, she believed her dream was impossible. She gave up on her aspirations until one day, a traveling wizard named Kiefley visited her village. Koko accidentally saw him performing magic, which reignited her hopes and dreams.
Recognition
This manga has received several prestigious nominations and awards:
It was nominated for the Best Comic award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival in January 2019.
It was nominated for the 11th Manga Taisho awards in 2018.
It ranked in the top 10 for male readers in the 2018 edition of Takarajimasha's "Kono Manga ga Sugoi!" (This Manga Is Amazing!) guidebook.
The manga also appeared on the American Library Association's (ALA) Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens list in 2020.
It won the Best Manga award at the Harvey Awards in October 2020.
"Witch Hat Atelier" has captivated readers worldwide with its enchanting story and beautiful artwork, and the upcoming anime adaptation is eagerly anticipated by fans.ain in