On the holy night, when the moon shone brightest and the stars sparkled with divine radiance, a witch emerged from the shadows. The mystic aura that surrounded her was captivating, as if a veil of enchantment had been cast upon her. With her flowing dark cloak and a pointed hat, she looked like a character from a fairy tale. The witch had always been an outsider in the village, feared and misunderstood by the locals. But on this special night, she embraced her magical powers and decided to share her secret wisdom with those who had shunned her before. As she walked through the deserted streets, the witch encountered several couples in love, strolling hand in hand, and whispering sweet words to one another.

Witch on the holy night length

Consumer, sometimes creator.
Inattentive. Kinda sick of this shit.

Asks are on. Go wild.

Review: Witch on the Holy Night / Mahoutsukai no Yoru / Mahoyo (Nintendo Switch)

Witch on the Holy Night (more colloquially known as Mahoyo , a shortening of its Japanese title Maho utsukai no Yo ru ["Magician's Night"], and not to be confused with those Genshin folks) is a visual novel by the Japanese game company Notes, better known as Type-Moon . It originally released on PC in 2012 exclusively in Japan (as Type-Moon's first all-ages VN), and released worldwide for PS4 and Switch in late 2022 with new voice-over and an English translation, marking the first time a mainline Type-Moon visual novel has been officially translated.

Taking place in the rapidly modernizing Japanese suburb of Misaki in the late 1980s, Mahoyo centers around Aoko Aozaki , a high school girl in training to be a mage. She lives in the mysterious mansion on the hill with Alice Kuonji , her magic teacher and frenemy. While tracking a rival mage who seeks to claim their territory, the girls are accidentally discovered by Soujuuro Shizuki , the most country of bumpkins.

Mage law mandates mystic matters must maintain mystery, meaning it's Aoko's responsibility to take Soujuuro's life, but she is won over by his straightforward earnestness. Against Alice's wishes, Aoko permits him to live with them at the mansion until the invading mage is dealt with, at which point they can erase his memories at their leisure. Anime antics and action ensue.

The plot is somewhere in between "passable" and "good". The original, unpublished blueprint of Mahoyo was written in 1996, inspired by the airing of Neon Genesis Evangelion , and it really shows. Soft-spoken boy cohabitates with feisty girl and chilly girl? It's well-trodden territory for any anime watcher, but thankfully never quite dives into the worse indulgences one might expect, only dipping its toes.

Type-Moon works are primarily known for their action scenes - mostly due to their more accessible animated adaptations - but the bulk of Mahoyo simply explores the daily lives of these characters over a few weeks' time as they learn more about each other. Some of my favorite scenes were side chapters unrelated to the "main" plot, such as the closed circle murder mystery involving the entire cast that's only unlocked after the main story.

The battles can be counted on one hand, and they're comparatively hefty and "produced" as major narrative moments. Mahoyo pulls out all the stops with elaborate, anime-like setpieces impressively cobbled together from static assets. There's no character animation on the scale of what something like Live2D allows, but I don't think I'd want that kind of look, either. The limited character sprites and smattering of bespoke event images are what I think of as the original form of visual novels.

The game doesn't overstay its welcome, but it left me with a bit of that "well, that's it, huh?" feeling. I clocked in at around 15 hours (though I read quickly and often didn't let voice clips finish), and VN databases estimate its word count to be somewhere in the 200k-250k range; a respectable, hefty length for a non -visual novel.

Witch on the Holy Night is a solid, if somewhat slight anime-style visual novel with some cool worldbuilding and polished production values. But, frankly, most people who play it - including myself - aren't doing so because of its own merits. We're playing it because it's a Type-Moon product.

I think that Witch on the Holy Night is potentially the best starting place for the hypothetical someone who's interested in experiencing the works of Type-Moon's Kinoko Nasu. It has a reasonable scope, lays out some basics of the setting's magic, and isn't bogged down by assuming familiarity with previous works. It stands alone as a self-contained story.

Except that last one isn't quite true, is it? When I look at Mahoyo , I can't see it as simply an anime visual novel. I see it as a story starring the important franchise character Aoko Aozaki, detailing how she came to accept her birthright as the wielder of the 5th True Magic, one of the great mysteries around the margins of the setting. I see the locales of Misaki Town and know that one day, Tohno Shiki will meet a particular magician who teaches him the value of life, allowing him to meet, kill, and love a vampire in that very same city.

To my knowledge, Mahoyo takes place the earliest in the shared universe/timeline of Type-Moon works, which has two major metaseries:

• Tsukihime ("Moon Princess"), a 2000 adult visual novel about vampires hunting each other in a modern setting, which received a JP-only reboot/remake in 2021. It spawned a 2003 anime as well as a series of fighting games titled Melty Blood , the latest of which - Melty Blood: Type Lumina - released worldwide in 2021.
• Fate/stay night, a 2004 adult visual novel about hidden mages in the modern day fighting a proxy war utilizing the spirits of ancient heroes. It spawned an anime media empire which I have previously written about at lengthelsewhere , including the immensely popular mobile game Fate/Grand Order .

Much has already been said about the rise of shared universes in modern media and ever-rising RPM of the content mill, and I need not repeat capitalism's crimes here, but I can't separate myself from this information. I don't know what someone would think about the game without it, because it's why I was interested in the first place. I wanted that sweet, sweet lore.

Type-Moon stuff never gets quite as bad as say, Marvel movies in the ways in which it references past works: it's usually stuff around the edges, one or two shared characters. You get the dopamine hit of saying "oh shit, it's them!" without the shackles of having to read everything , except chasing those aha!-moments means you end up reading everything anyway. It probably has a stupid name on TVTropes that I refuse to look up, but you know that phenomenon where you get really into a thing and consume every morsel that's available, then suddenly there's nothing left? Man, was I feeling that. I was practically frothing at the mouth for more lore crumbs.

When Mahoyo originally released in 2012 in Japan, I was probably around the peak of my investment in the Type-Moon sphere. There was fandom drama over who should or shouldn't fan translate it, whether people were using the right or wrong codified English terms for the various Proper Nouns, et cetera. The fan translation never quite materialized, and so Mahoyo became a persistent meme in my brain for the past decade, always drifting only just out of reach.

I'd read summaries, paraphrasing. I had a pretty good idea of the plot and characters and how they fit into everything. But as time passed and Fate/Grand Order ritually sacrificed my attachment to the franchise on the sacred altar known as a roulette table, I made my peace with the fact that it was a niche product, simply something I'd never personally experience. There's tons of untranslated material out there for any number of franchises, after all. I don't need to know everything.

And then. hey, it's here. It's basically just what I'd heard it was. No grand revelations, no deep catharsis. The end.

What a weird feeling.

In 2012, it was an important new installment in a series that I loved, rich with possibility. In the context of 2023's media landscape, Witch on the Holy Night feels. vestigial? It isn't a spinoff about a fan-favorite character like The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II and the plot isn't relevant to the franchise's gacha cash cow. Even with Tsukihime enjoying renewed interest due to the remake, Aoko herself was only ever a minor character there. There don't appear to be any new works on the horizon deeply informed by this story. It seems an odd choice to finally localize it ten years later.

But, having finally played it for myself, I can tell these are the reasons why it's good. Mahoyo 's original form predates all that shit. It's just a novel Kinoko Nasu hammered out because he was inspired to create something. It doesn't need to justify its existence by being connected to other things. Even if it did , Type-Moon wouldn't exist in the same way without it, with all the wild ripple effects on the anime industry that implies. It invisibly supports all the rest, the bottom tip of the iceberg.

It doesn't always feel like it, but Witch on the Holy Night is an important work. I'm glad it's out there.

Witch On The Holy Night Review – A Great Introduction To Type Moon

As she walked through the deserted streets, the witch encountered several couples in love, strolling hand in hand, and whispering sweet words to one another. She knew the tender emotions that coursed through their hearts and wished them everlasting happiness. The church bells chimed, announcing the arrival of midnight - the moment when the holy night reached its pinnacle.

The origins of one of Type Moon's most powerful magi. It's one enchanting night.

Never would I think that any Type-Moon visual novel (VN) would make it overseas or that I would be giving it a review, but alas, Kinoko Nasu’s Witch on The Holy Night HD Remaster has now been localized.

A visual novel about a young witch growing up in 1980s Japan, it may not have the notoriety of Fate or Tsukihime, but Witch shows everything that makes Nasu’s writing so enduring. Nuanced, well-developed characters, detailed lore that ties into its shared multiverse, and a good mixture of comedy alongside intense action. If you’ve ever been interested in Type-Moon but can’t be bothered to get a translation patch up and running, this is a good game to start with.

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The Haunted House on The Hill

Witch on The Holy Night centers around Aoko Aozaki, a young mage in training learning to become the head of the Aozaki mage clan alongside her housemate and magic prodigy Alice Kunoji. The two live together in Alice’s old mansion on top of a hill looking over Misaki Town.

Soon, they’re joined by a third housemate. An odd young man from the country named Soujuurou Shizuki accidentally discovers their occult activities and after trying to kill him, they then force him to live with them until they can wipe his memory. Meanwhile, a rogue entity is attacking Alice’s magic barriers leading the trio to investigate and stop the mysterious assailant.

The Life of a Modern Mage

The visual novel is split up into 13 chapters totaling roughly 20-25 hours total. Unlike previous Type Moon VNs, Witch on The Holy Night is completely linear, meaning it has no multiple routes or branching choices. That may be turned off for those that want a bit more interactivity in their VN but it works for the story that is being told.

Witch is primarily a slice-of-life, coming-of-age story. The vast majority of the novel explores the three main leads, living their lives, going to school, and arguing, a lot, all while occasionally diving into the world of magecraft. I will say the first four chapters of the VN (around 5-6 hours of playtime) might be a little on the slow slide as it takes a lot of time to set up the plot but once you get to further through, it really starts to pick up.

Once the three leads are together, the story moves a steadier flow. It always feels like you’re learning something new. Soujuurou befriending Alice, learning more about Aoko’s past, the lore of mage society, and so forth. That’s not to say there’s no action either. The VN has some draw-dropping fight scenes that make for creative and downright badass action that push the characters to their limit.

The Witch and Her Roommates

A review of Witch on The Holy Night wouldn’t be complete without talking about its three central characters: Aoko, Alice, and Soujuurou. These three are the heart of the novel and Nasu is able to draw a lot of character out of each of them as individuals and as a team.

Aoko Aozaki

I first knew of Aoko through Tsukihime but her younger self here is a very different character. She’s a delightfully flawed protagonist, hot-headed and impulsive yet kind and even mischievous at times. I really like her conflict over being a mage. She can be prideful and remorseless as you’d expect from a Nasuverse magician, yet also rebellious and willing to bend the rules, especially if it involves protecting someone she cares about (not that she’d there admit it of course).

Alice Kuonji

Alice Kuonji was a real surprise. She’s an icy-cold traditional mage at the start of the novel, anti-social, and has no issue killing to protect her magic lineage. As you can imagine, she defrosts as the story goes on but I like that this defrosting isn’t just making her cute (although she does have her moments). The story shows that she can often be quite vindictive, especially when Aoko tries to one-up her. She shows a lot of personality for someone who talks so little and I really liked her subtle mannerism that depict her shifts in mood.

Soujuurou Shizuki

Finally, there’s Soujuurou, the goodest boy. Being born in the mountains without electricity or running water, his lack of modern knowledge makes him naive yet very earnest, being open to both new technology and magic and wanting the believe the best in people even when it’s difficult.

Despite all this though, the guy is not an idiot. As he’s further exposed to the modern world he quickly picks up on new concepts and even if he doesn’t completely understand, he learns better how to maneuver around them. The two girls often take advantage of him but he’s quick to get used to it and even comes with a few snappy comebacks of his own. Overall, with how morally grey Aoko and Alice can be, Soujuurou’s straightforward and down-to-earth earnestness, makes him very sweet and someone you want to see get a happy ending.

It would have been very easy to make these three just the tsundere, the kuudere, and the bland self-insert but like Nasu’s best work, they’re more than that. Each character has nuance in how they speak, their different moods, and how they reflect on each other. Aoko and Alice’s competitive magic talk, Aoko getting embarrassed by Soujuurou not having a clue, and Soujuurou and Alice setting down for tea, realizing they may have more in common than they first thought. It’s enchanting to be around these three and see them go from unlikely allies to true friends.

I can’t talk much about the villains due to spoilers but they’re also a lot of fun in their own right, and lead to some fantastic fight scenes later in the VN.

Unlimited Budget Works

Graphics may not be the first thing most people think of with a visual novel, yet Witch really takes things up a whole new level, it looks stunning. Like the Tsukihime Remake, the sprites are highly expressive with each character giving a good range of emotions and reactions that range from funny, to cute, to heartfelt.

More impressive however are the graphics and effects which are incredibly kinetic. The story goes beyond just one or two sprites on a screen, peppered with the occasional key visual. Instead, Witch implements various effects, animations, panning shots, and dynamic camera movement to add a real sense of motion to the story. You don’t just see an image of a character fighting, you see a quick animation of them swinging their arm, or shooting an all-encompassing laser across the screen. I don’t think I’ve seen a visual novel that popped off the screen the way this one does.

It really shows how important the visual side of the visual novel genre is. The pristine flair of the art and animation enhances the experience and makes it feel even more immersive.

Witch on The Holy Night

To end this review, Witch on The Holy Night is not only a great visual novel but serves as a great introduction to the Type-Moon universe. Not only does it connect to the various themes and factions of the world but gives an overall great impression of Nasu’s writing and characters.

While some may be turned off by the slow pacing and wordy dialogue, the story has a good balance of slice of life with the deeper mysteries of magecraft. The action is well-choreographed with great artwork and overall it’s just fun to be around these characters. Aoko, Soujuuro, and Alice may be among three of my favorite Type-Moon characters, each getting a great amount of personality and development.

Overall if you’re interested in reading more about the Type-Moon Universe, there are few better places to start than with Witch on The Holy Night.

Witch on The Holy Night is available for Switch and PS4.

This review of Witch on The Holy Night was conducted on the Nintendo Switch version.

The witch paused and closed her eyes, summoning the forces of the universe to surround her. She could feel the energy coursing through her veins, igniting a spark of wonder and awe. With a wave of her hand, the witch cast a spell upon the night. Stars began to fall from the sky, gracefully descending towards the earth. Each star transformed into a small light, illuminating the path of those who wandered in darkness. The village was bathed in a soft glow, a celestial embrace that brought solace and harmony to all who beheld it. The people emerged from their homes, their hearts filled with curiosity and wonder. They were drawn to the witch, drawn to the beauty and magic she had brought upon their village tonight. With a gentle smile, the witch raised her arms and spoke words of wisdom and guidance. She spoke of love, unity, and the power of forgiveness. She taught the villagers to embrace their differences and to celebrate the uniqueness that resided within each of them. The night seemed to stretch on indefinitely, as if time itself had come to a standstill. The village was transformed, not just for this holy night, but for eternity. The people learned the value of compassion and empathy, and the witch became a symbol of hope and acceptance. As dawn approached, the witch bid farewell to the village, her work there complete. The streets were empty once more, but the memories of the holy night would forever remain etched in the hearts of the villagers. The witch had shown them the power of love, the beauty of the night, and the magic that resides within each of us. And so, on every holy night that followed, the villagers would look up at the sky, remembering the enchanting witch who had brought them together on that fateful night..

Reviews for "Exploring the Solitary Path of Holy Night Witches"

- John - 2 stars - I was really excited to play "Witch on the Holy Night Length", but I was deeply disappointed. The story was convoluted and hard to follow, and the characters were boring and one-dimensional. The gameplay mechanics were clunky and unintuitive, making it difficult to progress. Overall, I found the game to be a frustrating and unsatisfying experience.

- Sarah - 1 star - "Witch on the Holy Night Length" was a complete letdown. The graphics were lackluster and outdated, and the dialogue was poorly written with cheesy and predictable lines. The game lacked any real depth or challenges, making it a boring and unengaging experience. I wouldn't recommend wasting time or money on this disappointing game.

- Michael - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Witch on the Holy Night Length", but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The story was cliché and unoriginal, and the gameplay was monotonous and repetitive. The character development was lacking, and I found it hard to connect with any of the characters. Overall, the game was mediocre at best and didn't offer anything new or exciting.

Embracing the Darkness: Witchcraft on Holy Nights