Kazu Kibuishi is a Japanese-American author, illustrator, and comics artist known for his graphic novel series, "Amulet." He was born on April 8, 1978, in Tokyo, Japan, and grew up in the United States. Kibuishi discovered his passion for drawing at a young age and pursued a career in art. After attending community college, he transferred to the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he studied film and made short animated films. In 2008, Kazu Kibuishi released the first book in the "Amulet" series, titled "The Stonekeeper." The story revolves around a young girl named Emily Hayes, who discovers a magical amulet that can open doors to other worlds.
The Witch of Light is a master of information, shaping it for a wide array of purposes. Knowledge is power and to them, this can be quite literal, ranging from manipulation, to communications, to information brokering. Information is the web that they pluck like a spider.
People themselves are a bit too organic and messy to fully net into, unable to fully grasp true information on their own like a computer or other formats could. While useful for combat, their capabilities can range anywhere from lashes to waves to pinprick beams, able to change size, shape, intensity, and flow with extreme speed.
" The story revolves around a young girl named Emily Hayes, who discovers a magical amulet that can open doors to other worlds. Alongside her brother Navin, Emily embarks on a journey filled with adventure, danger, and mysterious creatures. The series combines elements of fantasy, action, and exploration, appealing to readers of all ages.
Of Kaiju and Men
I would like an analysis for the Witch of Light, please.
-historyhipster
“One who changes Light and changes through Light”
Witch
In the tales of olden yore, witches were powerhouses, ranking up in the “fantasy villain” scale above trolls but only slightly below dragons. Each witch, from Baba Yaga to Sabrina to the Wicked Witch of the West, no matter how different, always had one factor in common; they all had the ability to change the world with the snap of their fingers.
Witches are an insanely active class, simply because causing great impacts is in the very nature of their role. While the Heir is a passive manipulator, inspiring others to create change, Witches have the power to cause that change themselves through insane demonstrations of their aspect. Because of this, Witches are usually rather rebellious, not wanting to keep with the current system or follow society’s rules, man!
YES i am going out with this gun. no i will not go get a bigger one. no i will not take yours! I can’t even lift it. oh that is so preposterous. do you even hear what youre saying? i will be fine! this is a perfectly deadly gun and it shoots lots of incredibly deadly bullets! oh will you just stop it. i am going now. Goodbye.
You would redefine what it means to be CULLED in troll society. Under your rule it would mean caring for the unfit and infirm rather than exterminating them, and you have put this idea into practice by CULLING THE FAUNA OF THE DEEP.
(Yeah, I’m not translating this. Take her smoking a joint as enough of a sign of her rebellion.)
The path of development for a Witch is rather straightforward. First, a Witch must not only realize something needs to be changed, but also realize that she has the power to change and then act on it. This is something Feferi never really learns, as she realizes troll society is wrong, but never gets around to actually doing anything about it. If a Witch doesn’t have the power to act, then how can she truly have the power to change?
Once she learns to harness her latent ability and use it to astounding effect, a Witch must then learn when and when not to use her “powers”. As we all know, with great power comes great responsibility. If a Witch tries to change too much, she begins unfairly enforcing her will on others.
For example, Damara went to critical moments in the A1 trolls’ session in order to destroy (Time) their chances of success, and grimbark!Jade held Roxy captive and forced her to create (Space) a matriorb for the Condesce. In this way, Witches become the very essence of control and stagnation they once rebelled against.
But when Witches not only learn how to use their power, but also when to use it?
They can accomplish MiRaClEs.
Light
Light is an aspect that can mean a variety of different things, depending on the viewpoint of the Light player themselves. In its most literal sense, Light is illumination, the spotlight that reveals for all to see. It is the information that opens one’s eyes to the truth, and the facts that reveal the false.
As a Seer of Light, Rose learned to find information and use her understanding of it to help her team. As a Sylph of Light, Aranea healed others’ understanding by constantly filling them in on important backstories and future key details.
But information and understanding is only one half of the spectrum of Light. The other half, the more philosophical half, is relevance.
Importance is a major part of the Light aspect. Only with Light can you sort through what is unnecessary and reveal what is relevant. Think of it like a spotlight during a play, focusing on the main actors as they read their lines while the ones in the shadows head backstage.
Vriska utilized this part of her aspect perfectly as a Thief of Light, even if she didn’t truly understand it. By “stealing importance”, Vriska made sure all eyes were on her as she stole the final kill on the Black King.
So basically, Light ==> Information, Understanding, and Importance.
Witch of Light
Taking all of this into account, a Witch of Light is a hero who changes the truth, knowledge, and relevance around her, manipulating it in inspiring and dramatic ways. Light is their plaything; and the world, their playground.
On the information side of the aspect, a Witch of Light would change set-in-stone policies of fact, challenging their validity and offering new insights. What was once held as truth would be revealed as a sham, as a Witch of Light would present shocking new evidence to the contrary, thus changing Light through Light.
With importance, however, a Witch of Light would instead question why certain things need to be addressed at all. Whether it’s a person obtaining too much credit for an accomplishment they didn’t achieve or a trivial factor given too much importance by a lackluster system, a healthy Witch of Light would reveal the truth and point the way toward who really deserves the credit and what truly needs to be focused on.
Essentially, a Witch of Light changes how others “see the Light”.
(Witch of Light art courtesy of this person.)
(Jade God Tier art courtesy of this person.)
(Also, I realize I used “she” pronouns when talking about the Witch, but that was because I didn’t want to keep typing he/she or him/her. I still don’t fully agree with gender-exclusive classes, even if it is canon. It just…limits the system, you know?)
(One last thing: Do you guys like the uber-detailed analyses, where I talk about the class and aspect before I get to the actual classpect, or would you rather I have them shortened down to just detailing the actual combination? Send me a message or comment and let me know.)
Kazu Kibuishi's artwork is visually stunning, with vibrant colors and detailed illustrations. He is known for his distinctive style, which combines traditional hand-drawn techniques with digital painting methods. Kibuishi's attention to detail brings the fantastical world of "Amulet" to life, capturing the imagination of readers and drawing them into the story. Throughout the "Amulet" series, Kibuishi explores themes of family, friendship, and the struggle between good and evil. The characters face personal growth and challenges as they navigate the magical world and uncover the secrets behind the amulet's power. Kibuishi weaves an engaging narrative, creating a captivating story that keeps readers eagerly turning the pages. "Amulet" has gained widespread acclaim and popularity since its release. It has been praised for its engaging storytelling, beautiful artwork, and relatable characters. The series has also received numerous awards and nominations, further cementing Kibuishi's status as a talented author and illustrator. In addition to "Amulet," Kazu Kibuishi has worked on various other projects, including illustrating covers for the popular "Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling and creating the comic anthology series "Flight." He continues to inspire and entertain readers with his unique storytelling and captivating artwork..
Reviews for "Breaking the Boundaries: How Kazu Kibuishi Redefined the Fantasy Genre with 'Amulet"
- John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Kazu Kibuishi's Amulet". The storyline was confusing and hard to follow, and I found it difficult to connect with the characters. The artwork was decent, but it didn't make up for the lackluster plot. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this graphic novel.
- Sarah - 1 star - I couldn't finish reading "Kazu Kibuishi's Amulet". The story seemed unoriginal and cliché, and the dialogue was poorly written. The artwork was the only redeeming quality, but it wasn't enough to keep me interested. I wish I hadn't wasted my money on this book.
- Michael - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Kazu Kibuishi's Amulet", but it didn't live up to my expectations. The pacing was off, and I felt like the characters weren't fully developed. The artwork was beautiful, but that alone wasn't enough to save the book. I found myself losing interest halfway through and couldn't bring myself to finish it.
- Emily - 2 stars - "Kazu Kibuishi's Amulet" was a letdown for me. The storyline felt formulaic and predictable, and I didn't feel invested in the characters at all. The artwork was impressive, but the lackluster plot and shallow characters overshadowed it. I don't think I'll be continuing with this series.