Warning: Spoilers for Witches and Monsters episode 4
Summary
Episode 4 of Witches and Monsters shows how effective execution of promising formulas could benefit the series going forward. The series’ initial focus on witch hunting is overshadowed by the narration in the first three episodes. Not relying solely on mystery in episode 4 helped make the storytelling more impactful.
Witches and monsters ABOVE Crunchyroll there are a lot of promising formulas, but sadly the first three episodes of this dark fantasy thriller don’t execute them effectively enough in one way: delivery. This is the fourth and latest episode of the anime that finally demonstrates how to make these recipes. Ironically, volume 4 features a new group of characters that do not fully reflect the series’ title as one of the original main characters is the eponymous beast, and the other is the titular monster that she and her partner his hunt.
Adapted from the original manga by Kousuke Satake, the initial focus of this anime adaptation is witch hunting as depicted in the first three episodes, which is unfortunately driven by a compelling narrative that makes overshadow the events of the actual story, then drag on without any meaningful developments until they end. corresponding final scene.
Starting a story with narration is sometimes a necessary form of storytelling, but when it serves as the main plot point it becomes problematic, especially if there is no immediate payoff.
The fourth episode of Witches and Monsters shows narrative construction at its best
Produced by Yokohama Animation Laboratory and directed by Takayuki Hamana
The exposition in question is the extremely intriguing introduction in episode 1, in which the narrator mentions two of three ways to kill a witch. Ironically, the fourth volume follows a similar pattern with the necromancy rules as the story shifts its focus to mage hunting, but the story builds on these rules more effectively. Ironically, episode 1 gets some traction when the events of the story reveal what the third way to kill a witch is. However, the end result is a small one-time payment that probably won’t happen very often.
Furthermore, episodes 2 and 3, a two-part series titled “The Witches Pastime,” don’t introduce anything new in terms of lore, and a third way to kill witches isn’t rediscovered in the way viewers expected. want. By comparison, the necromancy rules in volume 4 are followed by an in-depth look at how people brought back to life by necromancers typically act in certain situations and other methods of necromancy lead to different outcomes to help explain the characters’ current circumstances. .
Witches and monsters prove that relying on mystery isn’t always a good thing
“The Witches Pastime” is considered a worse offender than episode 1 because its length naturally exacerbates the problems of the first episode. Like volume 1, the delivery of “The Witches Pastime” is slow and without additional lore, so the true emotional impact isn’t realized until much later. All that’s clear is that people are being killed at random, with the main plot depending on the witch’s hidden identity.
Although the rogue mage is also a mystery in volume 4, the implications of their crimes are accelerated and spread more frequently, with the promise that the necromancer’s revelation may bring more more informative, just like the first two stories in episodes 1 and 3. Fortunately, the anime still has many strengths to hold viewers through the first three episodes, including an attractive main cast, because the Their relationship is affected by something supernatural similar to zombie-killing antics. However, their interactions aren’t enough to really propel the first three episodes of this Crunchyroll winter series – that is, until the next episode of Witches and monsters.
Witches and monsters is airing on Crunchyroll