As a franchise, Burn The Witch exists in a strange limbo. It began as a standalone one-shot by Tite Kubo in 2018, which at the time was his first major work since the end of Bleach. Then, in 2020, it was announced that the one-shot would be expanded into a limited series and said the series was being simultaneously adapted into a film by Studio Colorido. Both versions of that story ended with the promise of more, but since then, there have been no new additions, perhaps because Kubo was busy consulting on the Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War anime is currently taking place. So instead of offering anything new to tweak, we went back in time to cover the original one-shot, and the results are what you’d expect from that somewhat dystopian trajectory.
In Western television, it is not uncommon to have a pilot episode to pitch to potential producers, which will eventually be reworked and heavily changed before moving onto the entire series. Watching #0.8 is like watching one of the movies in that it feels like it’s treading on the same ground as the movie it serves as a prequel to. There’s very little story to speak of, because this is more about introducing us to the world and characters than anything. The only real “new” information for those who have seen the movie is to find out how Balgo and Osushi became the guardians of Noel and Ninny. On the other hand, if you’ve seen the movie, you already know how Reverse London and all of its supernatural elements work and are familiar with the cast’s personalities and motivations. So this second (technically, first) introduction becomes awkwardly redundant.
That said, some changes actually benefit this adaptation from its source. Since we already know the mythology behind dragons and witches, all of that exposition has been cut out and replaced with more interesting, quieter moments. There’s a lengthy new sequence of the girls traveling through Reverse London, allowing audiences to admire warm and eerie images of the city and all the strange little creatures that inhabit its nooks and crannies. its. Similarly, the reveal that Wing Bind is a “western branch” of Soul Society, tying the series to the larger Bleach universe, was included in the film. That’s ultimately about addition and subtraction, allowing these characters and their daily lives to feel stronger, away from competing with its sibling series or introducing an expanded cast.
That said, while this is a better introduction to the cast, it’s not exactly a great introduction. Ninny and Noel function well enough, bantering with each other as Ninny’s aggression falls off Noel’s stoic demeanor like water off a duck’s back. At their best, the pair have a casual humor and charm reminiscent of Bleach’s pre-Soul Society era, and that’s a complete compliment. The real weak point is Balgo, who spends the first half of the episode specifically screaming about wanting to see Noel’s underwear and generally being loud and annoying by default. There’s an attempt to give him more depth in this special’s big reveal, but it comes too quickly and does too little to counter his obnoxious personality. It would be a good introduction if this were just the Noel and Ninny show, following their adventures as they make their way up the steps at Wing Bind. With this loud-mouthed hanger literally strapped to their side, the question is how much discomfort you’re willing to endure to get to the good stuff.
The good stuff is pretty good. This special preserves the film’s lively direction and vivid visuals. Either way, the artists at Studio Colorido have only become more adept at translating Tite Kubo’s style and energy into color and movement. Of course, the big action sequences are done vividly, with impressive impact and effects. The flight sequences do a great job integrating 2D and 3D animation to emphasize their range and speed. Even the smaller and funnier character moments are animated with exactly the kind of fluid animation you’d expect. Burn The Witch has a lot of simple charm in its world, with all the quirky and diverse dragons running around, and each of them is perfectly represented here. Even if you don’t click with the story or the characters, the atmosphere and spectacle – combined with the special’s half-hour running time – make it worth a watch nonetheless.
However, if you end up clicking with everything, there’s nothing beyond it on the horizon. Nearly every page and image of Burn The Witch has now been animated, and it may be years before there’s anything new about it. So even if you want to continue despite (or, god forbid, because of) Balgo, you still have to wait. For now, I recommend everyone start fresh with #0.8. It’s a more engaging introduction to the central cast and conceit, something the film expands on. Combined, both projects are aiming for a feature-length film. Just be prepared for a long wait after those 90 minutes are up.
