My Little Witch Academia manga is a Japanese manga series written by Yoh Yoshinari and drawn by Keisuke Sato. It was first serialized in the monthly manga magazine Shōnen Ace in January 2017. The manga is based on the original anime series of the same name, which was created by Studio Trigger. The story follows the adventures of Atsuko Kagari, a young girl who dreams of becoming a witch. She enrolls in Luna Nova Magical Academy, a prestigious school for witches, and befriends two other aspiring witches, Lotte Jansson and Sucy Manbavaran. Together, they navigate the challenges and mysteries of the magical world.

Manga / Little Witch Academia (Keisuke Sato)

Based on the 2017 TV series, unlike the previous manga adaptations, which primarily told their own original stories, the manga is more of a traditional adaptation, largely following the same story as the TV series, with several episodes from the TV series getting directly adapted into manga form. However, several original stories are sprinkled into the mix in order to flesh out the world and characters a bit more.

The manga would begin serialization on Monthly Shōnen Ace on December 26, 2016, and would run until August 26th, 2018, making it the longest-running of the manga adaptations, with 17 chapters (plus two bonus chapters) in total.

Shortly after its completion, all 17 main chapters (though not the bonus chapters) would be compiled into three volumes, which would be released worldwide in 2018 and 2019 respectively in several countries in North America and Europe, making it the first and only Little Witch Academia manga to be officially released outside of Japan.

Not to be confused with the earlier manga by Teri Terio, which has its own page here.

Together, they navigate the challenges and mysteries of the magical world. The manga stays true to the spirit of the original anime series, featuring a lighthearted and charming storyline with elements of magic, friendship, and self-discovery. The art style is vibrant and reminiscent of the anime, capturing the whimsical and fantastical atmosphere of the magical settings.

Keisuke Sato's Little Witch Academia features the following tropes:

• Adaptation-Induced Plot Hole: Despite being an Alternate Continuity, watching the TV series (at least, the first half, as the manga doesn't adapt the events of the second half) is pretty much required if you want to properly understand several stories and how characters act in them since the manga frequently acknowledges events from and even has several sequel stories to past episodes that were not adapted in the manga.
• Adaptational Jerkass: Downplayed with Diana. While she still largely retains her TV series personality and background, some of her less pleasant and immature traits are more prominent here compared to the TV series (which toned them down from the films), with her antagonizing and belittling Akko more frequently compared to the TV series. It's still largely toned down from how she was in the films, however.
• Affectionate Nickname: Constanze is referred to as "Consey" by Amanda and later the other girls.
• Alternate Continuity: While it's based on the TV series continuity and follows the main beats of it for the most part (and even has a few chapters that serve as direct sequels to certain episodes in the series), the manga is primarily in its own continuity with several events heavily differing from how they occurred in the TV series.
• Big Creepy-Crawlies: The cockroach that chases Akko (and is in turn chased by two fairy workers) in Chapter 11 is technically a normal-sized cockroach, but it appears this way due to Akko being shrunken at the moment.
• The Big Race: The last three chapters revolve around one of these with the aforementioned race being a large relay race between two different schools, or more accurately, between Luna Nova and Woodward .
• Birthday Hater: Sucy. Given how many members of her family there are, she grew sick and tired of birthdays. That only makes Akko more determined to get her the perfect birthday present.
• Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Mirage initially comes off as friendly and she and Akko hit it off immediately over their shared fondness for Shiny Chariot, however, her true colors begin to show once she demands the Shiny Rod in exchange for showing Akko how to fly, culminating in her pushing Akko off the ledge and stealing the rod. Luckily Diana was there to save her in time. Her behavior is later implied to be a Jerkass Façade, as Mirage was later revealed to be a Dryad who was testing Akko under Woodward .
• "Blind Idiot" Translation: The official English translation of the manga refers to Mirage as "Miraj", the literal translation of the Japanese word for Mirage, instead of just simply using Mirage. Beyond it being clunky, this causes what was originally a Meaningful Name to become lost in translation.
• Broad Strokes: While the events of the TV series are shown to be canon to the manga, with a few episodes even getting adapted into the manga, a few events are shown to transpire pretty differently from how they went in the TV series.
• Canon Foreigner: Mirage and the witches who raced against Luna Nova in the last couple of chapters are characters made exclusively for the manga and don't appear anywhere else in the franchise.
• Cheaters Never Prosper: Discussed in Chapter 11 and is the reason why Akko doesn't use the answer sheet Amanda gave her, as thanks to her experiences in "The Fountain" and especially in "Orange Submariner", she knows that cheating will get her nowhere and that she won't become a great witch by doing so.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: Diana’s team quickly and utterly annihilated Akko’s team in the volleyball match as soon as magic got thrown into the mix, with the former scoring 25 points and the latter only scoring a measly 2. This was lampshaded by Sucy when Akko complains about this.

• Chapter 8 shifts the focus from Luna Nova entirely to the students of Appleton Academy, with the only appearance of the main trio being at the very end.
• Chapter 14 focuses primarily on Lotte, Annabel and Barbara.
• Chapter 12.5 focuses entirely on Finnelan and the Luna Nova staff, with Akko and co being absent entirely.

• Even the normally unexpressive Professor Finneran suffers an Oh, Crap!-induced Jaw Drop when hearing that Diana cannot take part in the inter-school Broom Relay Race due to having fallen ill.
• Chapter 11.5 ends with the usually prim and proper Diana getting in trouble alongside Akko and friends by Finnelan after she partook in a race with them for a special dessert.

• Chapter 4 has Lotte read from a newspaper article that the owner of the Shooting Star will have her "Ultra Express Witch's Delivery Service" recorded in the Guinness World Records. Also, while the date is not exact, the newspaper article in question dates back to 1985, the same year that Eiko Kadano's original Kiki's Delivery Service book was published on.
• The mouses in chapter 7 look identical to the mouse characters in Gamba no Bōken, with Akko's main mouse companion wanting to see the ocean, referencing Gamba's love of sailing in that show. Diana’s weasel form is also a reference to the Big Bad from that show, Noroi, even briefly looking like him when she first appears.

• After Diana comes in to rescue Akko from the Mouse World in Chapter 7 after realizing what she had done, Akko promptly calls her out for being the one that kickstarted the events in the first place due to transforming her into a mouse and not changing her back.
• Lotte calls out Sucy for being mean and refusing to help a desperate Hannah and Barbara cure Diana unless she's being charged for it, this ends up making Sucy relent, albeit reluctantly.

Little Witch Academia, Vol. 1 (manga)

Ever since Atsuko "Akko" Kagari saw her first Shiny Chariot magic show, she's wanted to become a real witch. Now, she's been accepted to Luna Nova Academy, a premier magic school. While Akko doesn't come from a magical family, she's stubborn, and she won't let anything stop her from fulfilling her dream.

Throughout the series, Atsuko and her friends encounter various trials and face off against unexpected adversaries. They learn valuable lessons about teamwork, perseverance, and the true meaning of being a witch. Along the way, Atsuko also seeks to unravel the mystery surrounding the disappearance of her idol, Shiny Chariot, who was a famous witch. Fans of the anime will appreciate the manga adaptation for its faithful portrayal of the beloved characters and the expansion of the Little Witch Academia universe. The series captures the essence of the original while offering new storylines and character dynamics to keep readers engaged. Overall, My Little Witch Academia manga is a delightful addition to the franchise. It brings the magical world of Luna Nova to life and offers fans a captivating and engaging story. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to the series, the manga is sure to enchant and entertain readers of all ages..

Reviews for "My Little Witch Academia Manga: A Tale of Friendship and Adventure"

1. Emily - 2 stars - I love the animation style and story of "My Little Witch Academia" anime, but this manga adaptation was a big letdown for me. The art felt rushed and inconsistent, and the story lacked the charm and depth that made the original so magical. It felt like a cheap cash-in on the popularity of the anime, rather than a genuine effort to expand on the world and characters. I was really looking forward to diving deeper into the characters' backstories, but instead, I was left feeling disappointed and unsatisfied.

2. Jacob - 1 star - As a fan of the "My Little Witch Academia" anime, I was excited to read the manga. However, I found it to be a pale imitation of its animated counterpart. The art was lackluster and didn't capture the charm and energy of the original, and the story felt rushed and unoriginal. It seemed like the manga was trying to cram too much content from the anime into a limited number of pages, resulting in a disjointed and unsatisfying reading experience. Overall, I was highly disappointed and would not recommend the manga to fans of the anime.

3. Sarah - 2 stars - While I enjoyed the "My Little Witch Academia" anime for its whimsical story and lovable characters, the manga adaptation left me feeling underwhelmed. The artwork lacked the vibrancy and attention to detail that made the anime so visually appealing, and the dialogue felt flat and unengaging. It felt like a missed opportunity to explore the world of Luna Nova Academy in more depth and introduce new elements. As a fan, I was hoping for a fresh and exciting take on the story, but unfortunately, the manga fell short of my expectations.

Unveiling the Secrets of My Little Witch Academia Manga