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The Witch and the Beast by Kousuke Satake - Review

A saga of powerful magic and powerful characters

By Warren JohnsonPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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The Witch and the Beast: Vol. 1 Cover Art, Kodansha Comics

I’ve heard many people discredit comics, graphic novels, and manga, saying that they are not a true literary medium; that they are subpar and childish, undeserving of recognition.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Just like with traditional writing, there are some bad, and there are some good, and The Witch and the Beast: Volume 1 is, in my opinion, most definitely a quality work of fiction.

In the manga, Kousuke Satake has created an intriguing world where magic exists side by side with more modern amenities, at one point showcasing a standoff between the main characters, both of whom possess supernatural abilities, and police officers armed with guns. This merging feels very natural, not at all clunky or overcrowded despite the appearance of a monster several stories tall rampaging through city streets within the first twenty-five pages. Everything feels as though it belongs together, and nothing seems as though it’s out of place.

The composition of the panels are very well done, evoking all the proper emotions in their individual windows of action, from sorrow to rage to helplessness. This visual medium also manages to convey the grandiose nature of many scenes that may have simply fallen flat if described in the written.

In terms of story, it is truly an amazing narrative, filled with well crafted dialogue, that naturally changes tone from humorous to severe to simply laid back. This is most evident in the delightful rapport between the two main characters.

Ashaf and Guideau are partners in the Order of Magical Resonance, working “by magic, for magic, and of magic”, and they are hilariously diametrically opposed. Ashaf is calm and collected, a true gentleman mage with an ever present cigarette clenched in his lips, whereas Guideau is brash and violent, with a temper that seems impossibly endless for her petite form. Together, they are a formidable team, dispatched to deal with witches and other disturbances of a magical nature.

That is, when they’re not busy arguing and Guideau isn't threatening to kill Ashaf or giving into her apocalyptic temper.

We also meet some intriguing secondary characters, such as Haines, a police force mage forced to deal with a witch serial killer without any real backup. She soon finds herself roped into a high stakes race against time alongside Ashaf and Guideau, with their lives and the lives of many others on the line.

A very pleasing aspect of the manga is the presence of strong, well rounded women, particularly Guideau and Haines. They are strong in their own rights; Guideau is a physical powerhouse with zero tolerance for other people’s trivial issues, while Haines shoulders the responsibility of her entire department in the hunt for the killer witch. Yet in their strength, there are the subtle flaws that make them human; Guideau has given in to her burning desire for revenge and her desperate need to lift the witch’s curse that plagues her, and Haines must deal with the emotional burden of so many people dead on her watch, including some who were close to her.

Ashaf provides a very good foil to both Guideau and Haines. He acts as a balance to Guideau’s violent nature, keeping her power in check when needed, while also supporting her when it is called for. He is also a pillar of support for Haines, genuinely showing concern for her wellbeing, but he isn’t afraid to press her for information when necessary.

For fans of magic, monsters, and powerful female characters, The Witch and the Beast: Volume 1 is an adventure that has definite appeal as well as promising a high stakes, pulse pounding, immaculately constructed story and delivering on that promise.

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About the Creator

Warren Johnson

Chronic geek and hopeful writer. Part-time gamer. Pathologically introverted. I love fantasy, sci-fi, and mystery, with a sprinkle of fan service in there. Whether through writing or drawing, I hope to bring my characters to life.

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