The Graphic Library
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Review List by Author
  • Terminology
  • Info Postings
  • About Me
  • Other Resources
    • Research

Witch Hat Atelier vol 9 by Kamome Shirahama

8/24/2022

0 Comments

 
Cover of Witch Hat Atelier volume 9. Easthies, a member of the Knights Moralis, poses with his pennant weapon. He is in a black suit with the signature red cape of the Knights, as well as their pointed hat with wings on the side.
It's nearly Silver Eve, and the Atelier travels to Ezrest, the royal capital, to take part in the biggest festival of the year. Several of the girls have created a spell item that will be sold at the festival, but Agott has prepared a performance she intends to stage in front of the royal family. Custas catches up with Coco and Tartah again, but he's been corrupted by the Brimmed Hats and now knows the truth about magic. He's angry that Coco and Tartah didn't do more and didn't show him more when they were helping him gain more mobility. Luluci and Easthies, along with several other Knights Moralis, also attend Silver Eve to monitor the secret of magic. The two respond to an incident where one witch is selling contraptions that see through people's clothing, and it triggers Luluci's childhood trauma where she and her fellow apprentice were sexually assaulted by a person they were trying to help.

This series continues to blow me away with its depth and complexity. What started out as a beautiful magical adventure has really expanded into something nuanced and layered. This volume really delves into the question of magic being used for societal good, and we get some insight into how the witch society came to be the only spell casters in the world. I love that there are unintended consequences now coming up with Coco and Tartah trying to help Custas, and I think this is going to get tied in with Coco's mysterious connection to the Brimmed Hats. Shirahama is also doing more exploring of the world outside of the Atelier, and the scenes we get with the politics of the world only further the richness of this story.

There is a trigger warning before Chapter 49 where we are warned about sexual assault and victim blaming, and the reader is able to skip the chapter entirely without it affecting their understanding of the overall storyline. No abuse is seen on the page, but it is hinted and Luluci vaguely describes what happened to her and her fellow apprentice. I appreciated the warning, as this is the darkest chapter in the entire series so far, and could be jarring for some readers.

Sara’s Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

​
Reviews of previous volumes in this series: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7, vol 8
​
Publisher: Kodansha
Publication Date: September 28, 2021​
ISBN: 9781646512690 (Paperback)

Tags: Rating: 9/10, Suitability: Middle School, Suitability: High School, Manga, Fantasy, Magical Girl, ​Kodansha
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    About Me

    I've been reading manga and comicbooks for years. Now, I write reviews and other helpful things for School Librarians, teachers, parents, and students.

    Read More

    Search this site


    Picture
    Ko-fi icon

    Never miss a review! Subscribe and get the best delivered to your inbox.

    * indicates required

    Ratings, Audience, and Subject Tags

    All
    Abrams ComicsArts
    Action Adventure
    Adaptations
    Animals
    Autobiography
    Biography
    BOOM! Studios
    Comicbooks
    CSLA 2021
    Culinary
    Dark Horse
    DC Comics
    Dead Reckoning
    Del Rey
    Demons
    Disabilities
    Dungeon
    Dystopian
    Ecchi
    Family
    Fantasy
    Farming
    First Second
    Folklore
    Friendship
    Graphic Fiction
    Graphic Nonfiction
    Graphic Universe
    Greenwillow Books
    Grief
    HarperAlley
    Hill And Wang
    Historical Fiction
    History
    Horror
    Humanoids
    Humor
    IDW
    Image Comics
    Isekai
    Iyashikei
    J Novel Club
    J-Novel Club
    Kodansha
    LGBTQ+
    Mad Cave
    Magic
    Magical Girl
    Manga
    Manhwa
    Marvel
    Mecha
    Megascope
    Memoir
    Mental Health
    Music
    Mystery
    Mythology
    Native American
    OEL Manga
    One Peace Books
    Oni Press
    Paranormal
    Penguin
    Race Relations
    Rating: 10/10
    Rating: 3/10
    Rating: 4/10
    Rating: 5/10
    Rating: 6/10
    Rating: 7/10
    Rating: 8/10
    Rating: 9/10
    Realistic Fiction
    RH Graphic
    Romance
    Saturday AM
    School Life
    Science
    Science Fiction
    SelfMadeHero
    Seven Seas
    Skybound Comet
    Slice Of Life
    Sports
    Square Enix
    Steampunk
    Suitability: Adult
    Suitability: Elementary School
    Suitability: High School
    Suitability: Middle School
    Superheroes
    Supernatural
    Surrealism
    Survival
    Suspense
    Ten Speed Press
    Theater
    TokyoPop
    Top Shelf
    Udon Entertainment
    Video Games
    VIZ Media
    War
    Western
    Yen Press

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018

Picture

​© 2022 Sara Smith

Picture
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Review List by Author
  • Terminology
  • Info Postings
  • About Me
  • Other Resources
    • Research