The dawn of the witch hunt is a dark and chilling chapter in human history. It refers to a period of time, particularly in Europe between the 15th and 18th centuries, when countless individuals, predominantly women, were accused of witchcraft and subsequently persecuted, tortured, and executed. The origins of this troubling phenomenon can be traced back to a combination of factors. Superstitions, widespread beliefs in the supernatural, and religious fervor played a significant role in fueling the witch craze. The Church's teachings, specifically the idea of the Devil's pact and the ability of witches to communicate with him, contributed to the growing fear of witchcraft. During this era, it was believed that witches possessed various supernatural powers, through which they could harm others.
Almost immediately, Saybil, Loux, and Hort get word of Church agents conducting witch hunts in the area. To all their horror, they find evidence that Kudo has become a target.
Title The Dawn of the Witch Mahoutsukai no Reimeiki Genre Fantasy Publisher Kodansha JP , Kodansha Comics US Creators Kakeru Kobashiri Story , Tatsuwo Artist , Takashi Iwasaki Character Designer Serialized in Shounen Sirius Localization Staff Jacqueline Fung Translator , Jan Lan Ivan Concepcion Letterer , Jordan Reynolds Editor Original Release Date March 23, 2021 A review copy was provided by Kodansha Comics. If you re a manga reader who likes fantasy, you re certainly not lacking for titles right now and I can t really say I d recommend this title even if you ve exhausted all of the current publications.
During this era, it was believed that witches possessed various supernatural powers, through which they could harm others. They were thought to have the ability to curse crops, cause illness, or bring about harm to livestock. These perceived threats led to widespread paranoia and the need to eliminate witches from society.
The Dawn of the Witch Volume 1 Review
Saybil has no memories from before he was found in an alley and admitted to the Academy of Magic but if he doesn’t pass the special course he’ll be kicked out of the school and all of his memories related to magic will be wiped, aka all of his life’s memories. This special course isn’t the safest thing to do, as it involves traveling to areas where the anti-witch faction is still flourishing, and to basically spend several years acting as ambassadors of magic, but it’s better than failing completely.
Of course, Saybil and his classmates are going to have to make it to the witch’s village first without getting caught up in a witch hunt or worse…
The Dawn of the Witch is a semi-sequel to Grimoire of Zero, although you don’t need to be familiar with Grimoire of Zero to follow Dawn of the Witch. In fact, I watched some but not all of Grimoire of Zero and as a result I was fairly confused for this first volume with how much is different, like wondering why witches weren’t being persecuted by non-magical people and why beastfallen weren’t being hunted by witches. I ended up having to read up on the end of Grimoire of Zero to find out what happened after I dropped it. There is a brief explanation in-story but since I didn’t remember the names of any of the characters or countries it wasn’t terribly helpful. So, having some but not all knowledge of the previous series might be the most awkward mindset to start reading Dawn of the Witch in, since otherwise it’s a generic enough fantasy that it’s easy to jump into and figure out the rules of this world.
Not that it’s a particularly interesting series so far mind you. Generic is both an accurate and polite way to describe a vaguely medieval European fantasy setting with plenty of common trappings to decorate it (like, an inquisition aimed at killing witches, the half-human beastfallen who seem to have sexual dimorphism, etc). Saybil has been at the Academy of Magic for sometime now, long enough to redevelop a personality, but he’s as interesting as a wet piece of paper yet with the magical abilities of a Gary Stu, since it’s revealed here that it’s not a case of him not having a lot of magic, but rather it’s so much magic that he’s been unconsciously limiting himself while using it! (So, a power fantasy for people who also want to have a victim’s complex I suppose) There’s just nothing new about either the story or the presentation, making even a single, regular-length volume a slog to get through.
There’s nothing noteworthy about the art either, except in how badly it seems to execute its fanservice. People commonly talk about “butts and boobs” for fanservice but I would like to propose a third category, crotches, since someone on this creative team (possibly the original author, Kakeru Kobashiri, or possibly the manga artist, Tatsuwo) really seems to like them! But the fanservice just feels so odd, it’s not as if the images are drawn to titillate but as if the female (and it’s only the female) characters decide to sit down in such an awkward fashion so as to show off their butts/boobs/crotches, but the framing makes everything decidedly unsexy.
If you’re a manga reader who likes fantasy, you’re certainly not lacking for titles right now and I can’t really say I’d recommend this title even if you’ve exhausted all of the current publications! I also don’t expect the upcoming anime adaptation to be any more interesting, Grimoire of Zero at least had a slightly more interesting hook in the form of its main characters but that isn’t the case here. It’s just a dull read through and through!
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| SUMMARY | |
Title: The Dawn of the Witch (Mahoutsukai no Reimeiki)
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Kodansha (JP), Kodansha Comics (US)
Creators: Kakeru Kobashiri (Story), Tatsuwo (Artist), Takashi Iwasaki (Character Designer)
Serialized in: Shounen Sirius
Localization Staff: Jacqueline Fung (Translator), Jan Lan Ivan Concepcion (Letterer), Jordan Reynolds (Editor)
Original Release Date: March 23, 2021
A review copy was provided by Kodansha Comics.
- TAGS
- fantasy
- Kakeru Kobashiri
- Kodansha Comics
- Takashi Iwasaki
- Tatsuwo
- The Dawn of the Witch
If you’re a manga reader who likes fantasy, you’re certainly not lacking for titles right now and I can’t really say I’d recommend this title even if you’ve exhausted all of the current publications! I also don’t expect the upcoming anime adaptation to be any more interesting, Grimoire of Zero at least had a slightly more interesting hook in the form of its main characters but that isn’t the case here. It’s just a dull read through and through!
The witch trials were characterized by a range of horrific practices. Accused individuals were subjected to cruel and unusual methods of interrogation and torture, often in an attempt to extract a confession. Methods such as waterboarding, sleep deprivation, and the infamous practice of "witch pricking" were used to elicit information and evidence of witchcraft. Once accused, the accused faced a grim fate. The trials were often biased and lacking in due process, leading to a high rate of conviction and subsequent execution. The most common method of execution was burning at the stake, a gruesome spectacle intended to cleanse society of witchcraft. It is estimated that thousands of innocent women, and some men, fell victim to the witch hunts. Many of these individuals were social outcasts or poor, vulnerable members of society. In some cases, personal vendettas and rivalries played a role in accusations of witchcraft, further highlighting the injustice and cruelty of the witch hunts. In recent years, the witch hunts have become a subject of deep reflection and study. The events of this dark period have served as a stark reminder of the danger of mass hysteria, the destructive power of fear, and the tragic consequences of prejudice and intolerance. The dawn of the witch hunt stands as a stark reminder of the darkest potentials of human society. Although we live in more enlightened times, it is essential to remember the lessons of history and ensure that such atrocities can never be repeated..
Reviews for "The Witch Lout: Curses and Spells Associated with Its Presence"
1. Sarah - 2 stars - I didn't enjoy "The Sawn of the Witch Lout" at all. The plot was confusing and hard to follow, and the characters were poorly developed. The pacing was also all over the place, with slow and boring moments followed by rushed and chaotic scenes. I found myself not caring about what happened to any of the characters, and by the end, I was just relieved it was over. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone.
2. Mark - 1 star - "The Sawn of the Witch Lout" was one of the worst books I've read in a long time. The writing was full of cliches and the dialogue was painfully cheesy. The plot felt disjointed and lacked any logical progression. I was constantly questioning the choices the characters made, as they seemed to have no clear motivation. The book had the potential to be interesting, but it fell flat in execution. I was left disappointed and frustrated by the time I reached the end.
3. Emily - 1 star - I couldn't even finish "The Sawn of the Witch Lout". The writing style was incredibly dull and lacked any sort of creativity. The characters were one-dimensional and unrelatable. I found myself skimming through pages just to try and find something interesting, but it never came. The book felt like a chore to read, and I eventually decided to put it down and move on to something better. I wouldn't recommend wasting your time on this one.
4. John - 2 stars - "The Sawn of the Witch Lout" was a disappointment for me. The story had potential, but it was poorly executed. The pacing was uneven, making it hard to stay engaged with the narrative. The writing style was also lacking, with repetitive phrases and awkward descriptions. I wanted to like this book, but unfortunately, it didn't deliver. I would suggest looking for other fantasy books that handle similar themes with more skill and depth.
5. Megan - 2 stars - I found "The Sawn of the Witch Lout" to be underwhelming. The characters were flat and lacked complexity, making it difficult to invest in their journey. The world-building also felt incomplete, leaving me with a lot of unanswered questions. The story itself had potential, but it felt rushed and lacked depth. I was left wanting more substance and development. Overall, I was left unsatisfied with this book and wouldn't recommend it to others.