Magic is a common theme in anime. Unsurprisingly, these fantasy-based titles are home to a slew of magical beings, including witches. Witch characters have been around since anime’s beginnings, and some of the earliest examples of these characters are decades old. They can be found in just about any genre as well, from classic fantasy to horror and even slice-of-life.
Anime witches come in a variety of forms. Some are good, some are bad, and some are downright terrifying. But no matter where they fall on the moral scale, a surprising number of anime spellcasters are very cute. From young witches-in-training to princesses from a magical land, many of anime’s most popular witch characters have stolen fans’ hearts with their charm and endearing qualities.
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10 Sally Yumeno Is The Mischievous Princess of The Land of Magic
Sally the Witch Is Considered Anime’s Very First Magical Girl Series
Cited as the godmother of the magical girl genre, Sally the Witch has inspired many magical girls and anime witches throughout the decades. As such, its titular heroine, Sally Yumeno, is one of anime’s very first witch characters. Sally’s story is very simple, yet nothing short of wholesome. She’s introduced as a kindhearted yet mischievous princess from the Land of Magic. Longing to learn about humans, she leaves her home to live on Earth and uses her magic to help her new friends and make them happy.
Sally has been around for many years now, and she’s probably the oldest anime witch out there. But despite her age, she remains one of the cutest magic users in the medium. She could even possibly be the first example of a cute witch in anime, making her a trailblazer for the archetype. Though many anime fans have forgotten Sally the Witch over the years, this adorable heroine will always be the one who started it all.
9 Mary Smith Becomes a Witch Through The Help of a Powerful Flower
Mary and The Witch’s Flower Is a Magical Anime Film With a Classic Ghibli Feel
Studio Ponoc’s Mary and The Witch’s Flower takes its titular heroine on a magical adventure where she enters the mysterious world of witches. At the start of the film, young Mary Smith is no more magical than any other little girl. She’s clumsy and awkward, and can’t seem to do anything right. However, all that changes when she encounters a mysterious flower that grants her magical powers. She’s then whisked away to Endor College, a magic school for young witches-in-training.
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Mary may not be a natural-born witch, but she’s got all the charm of one. Like many other adorable witches in anime, she’s a young girl still trying to find her way in the world. Her starry-eyed personality and strong will fit right in with some of the most beloved Studio Ghibli heroines. Fans adore her fiesty spirit and relatability, as well as her fiery red hair that she usually keeps up in cute little pigtails.
Mary And The Witch’s Flower
Based on “The Little Broomstick” by Mary Stewart, a strange flower grants a girl magic powers.
- Director
- Hiromasa Yonebayashi
- Release Date
- July 8, 2017
- Studio
- Studio Ponoc
- Cast
- Hana Sugisaki , Ryûnosuke Kamiki , Yûki Amami , Fumiyo Kohinata , Hikari Mitsushima , Jirô Satô , Kenichi Endo
- Writers
- Riko Sakaguchi , Hiromasa Yonebayashi
- Runtime
- 103 minutes
8 Angela Leone Is One of The Youngest Anime Witches
Soul Eater Centers Around a Conflict Between The DWMA and The Witches of The World
Witches play a major role in the Soul Eater universe. The series establishes early on that a witch’s soul is required for a weapon to become an official Death Scythe. As a result, the main cast is often at odds with various witches, and even two of the story’s main villains are witches themselves. But while witches in Soul Eater are mostly depicted as evil, not all of them are. Angela Leone is a young child who just so happens to be a witch herself. But despite this, she’s far from villainous.
Angela is introduced pretty early on in the series, accompanied by a powerful man named Mifune, who acts as her guardian and bodyguard. Though Angela is a witch, she’s still just a child and has no real power to speak of. As a result, she’s treated more like a regular little girl than anything, and despite the ongoing conflict between witches and the DWMA, she’s protected by both sides. While she isn’t much of a witch, there’s no denying that she’s incredibly cute, and few can resist her charms.
Set in the Shinigami technical school, the series revolves around a partnership between a weapon meisters and a human weapon. Trying to reach a ranking of “Death Scythe” they must collect the souls of 99 evil humans and 1 witch.
- Release Date
- April 7, 2008
- Creator(s)
- Atsushi Ohkubo
- Cast
- Laura Bailey , Micah Solusod , Brittney Karbowski , Monica Rial , Todd Haberkorn , Jamie Marchi , Cherami Leigh
- Main Genre
- Action
- Seasons
- 1
- Writers
- Akatsuki Yamatoya
- Franchise(s)
- Soul Eater
- Directors
- Takuya Igarashi
7 Doremi Harukaze Is an Apprentice Witch Studying Magic With Her Friends
Magical Doremi Follows a Group of Young Witches as They Practice Their Craft
One of the most wholesome magical girl anime series of all time, Magical Doremi follows a young girl on her journey to become a powerful witch. At the start of the series, Doremi Harukaze is just an average girl who appears to have the worst luck in the world. Nothing ever seems to go right in her life, and she has no talents to speak of. However, she gets a chance to change all that after becoming an apprentice witch. Unfortunately, Doremi discovers pretty quickly that she’s no good at magic either.
Despite her shortcoming, Doremi is undeniable cute and has a special appeal to magical girl fans. Though she’s clumsy, awkward, and struggles to do anything right, something about her character is very endearing. Doremi is a classic underdog hero, which makes her very easy to relate to and root for. With her colorful appearance and childlike innocence, she’s one of the sweetest witches in all of anime.
- Release Date
- February 7, 1999
- Creator(s)
- Izumi Tôdô
- Cast
- Nami Miyahara , Rumi Shishido , Sawa Ishige , Chiemi Chiba , Tomoko Akiya , Yuki Matsuoka , Megumi Takamura , Naomi Nagasawa , Ai Nagano , Chigusa Ikeda , Mari Adachi , Kyoko Donowaki , Tomoko Hiratsuji , Yuka Imai , Nanaho Katsuragi , Yuuko Kawasaki , Reiko Kiuchi , Hiroko Konishi , Yokote Kumiko , Mari Maeda , Ginzo Matsuo , Tomo Saeki , Yuko Saito , Yuka Shino , Yuka Tokumitsu , Kyousei Tsukui , Jun Mizuki , Oma Ichimura , Kenji Nomura , Kikuko Inoue
- Seasons
- 5
- Character(s)
- Nini , Roro , Pop Harukaze , Doremi Harukaze , Hazuki Fujiwara , Aiko Senō , Lala , Majorika , Reika Tamaki , Shino Hanada , Onpu’s Mom , Nobuko Yokokawa , Atsuko Okamura , Joou-sama , Seki-sensei , Mota , Toyokazu Sugiyama , Hehe , Tetsuya Kotake , Reiko Fujiwara , Alexander T. Oyajiide , Igarashi-sempai , Mimi , Haruka Harukaze , Dodo , Kōji Senō , Rere , Marina Koizumi , Akira Fujiwara
6 Makoto Kowata Sets Out on a Journey To Study Magic
Flying Witch Follows Makoto as She Comes of Age and Learns To Become an Independent Witch
Much like beloved Ghibli classic Kiki’s Delivery Service, Flying Witch centers around a young witch-in-training as she sets out on her own. After turning 15, Makoto Kowata comes of age and leaves home to study magic. Like any classic witch would, she grabs her broom and takes to the skies, in search of a new place she can call her own.
Despite her unassuming appearance, Makoto actually stands out among anime witches. While most witches are flashy and colorful, donning pointed hats and long, flowing cloaks, Makoto keeps things simple. In a lot of ways, she blends right in with the crowd, but that’s all part of her appeal. Makoto is friendly and approachable, and her methods of magic are all very easygoing. Her unembellished, honest style is both endearing and relatable, giving her a realistic charm.
Young witch Makoto moves to the beautiful countryside to live with her distant relatives and study witchcraft.
- Release Date
- April 9, 2016
- Cast
- Ai Kayano , Kikuko Inoue , Eri Suzuki , Minami Shinoda , Shinsuke Sugawara
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- J.C. Staff
- Creator
- Chihiro Ishizuka
- Number of Episodes
- 12
- Directors
- Katsushi Sakurabi
5 Azusa Aizawa Is an Immortal Witch With Amazing Power
I’ve Been Killing Slimes Stars an OP Heroine Who Just Wants To Live a Simple Life
I’ve Been Killing Slimes is a wholesome isekai series with a slice-of-life twist. The series stars Azusa Aizawa, who overworked herself to death in her previous life. She’s then reborn in a magical world as an immortal witch. Determined to make the most of her new life, Azusa lives a peaceful and relaxing life in the countryside, free of corporate overlords and exhaustion.
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There’s no denying that Azusa is one of the cutest witches out there. With her bright blue eyes, cheerful smile, and comically oversized witch hat, she’s one of the most adorable isekai protagonists as well. However, her sunny disposition and friendly outlook shouldn’t be mistaken as weakness. Despite how she looks, Azusa is one of the most powerful witches of all time, with strength that dwarfs even the most muscular of heroes. But even with all her OP abilities, Azusa would rather live quietly than go on epic adventures.
Azusa Aizawa, a 27 years old woman, died on work site due to overworking. She has the possibility to reincarnate, and so she plans to live a chilling and calm life. But will she be able to be relaxed?
- Release Date
- April 10, 2021
- Creator(s)
- Morita Kisetsu
- Cast
- Sakura Nakamura , Aoi Yuki , Kaede Hondo , Sayaka Senbongi , Minami Tanaka , Sayaka Harada , Manami Numakura , Riho Sugiyama , Azumi Waki , Yukari Tamura , Shinya Takahashi , Ari Ozawa , Sayaka Kikuchi , Miku Itō , Akihiro Mine , Kouhei Yanagi , Hikaru Tono , Ryô Sugisaki , Aya Kawakami , Jun Fukazawa
- Seasons
- 2
- Character(s)
- Announcer , Azusa , Laika , Falfa , Shalsha , Halkara , Beelzebub , Rosary , Fratorte , Pecora , Blue Dragon B , Vania , Natalie Jr. , Fatla , Saeta Taka Master , Swordfighter , Eno , Village Mayor , Saeta Taka Landlady , Villager B
4 Elaina Dreams of Traveling The World as a Witch
Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina Takes Place In a World Full of Witches and Magical Beings
Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina is a fantasy adventure story set in a world where witches are common and magic is used in everyday life. Titular protagonist Elaina has always dreamed of becoming a witch herself and using her magic to travel the world. After years of training, she finally makes her dream a reality and since out on the journey of a lifetime, experience both the good and bad of her magical world.
Out of the many witch characters in anime, Elaina is one of the lesser known. As a result, she doesn’t get near as much attention as popular cute witches, like Kiki or Azusa. Still, she’s definitely one of the cutest out there, with a whimsical design that fits her character perfectly. She’s a bit of a polarizing protagonist, however, and many anime fans dislike her hands-off approach to adventuring. But even if she isn’t the most popular anime witch around, she’s got a charm that makes her hard to resist all the same.
3 Atsuko Kagari Wants To Become a Witch Despite Her Non-Magical Background
Most anime witches are born with magic or train from a very young age. Little Witch Academia‘s Atsuko Kagari stands out among the rest, as she comes from a non-magical home and struggles with the magic she does learn. Still, that doesn’t stop her from doing her best at Luna Nova Magical Academy, nor does it dash her dreams of becoming like her idol, Shiny Chariot.
Atsuko may not be magically inclined, but she still shines brightly as one of the most lovable anime witches of all time. Her bright smile and unwavering optimism are infectious, making it near impossible not to fall in love with her. She isn’t a powerful witch, or even top of her class, but her determination is nothing if it isn’t admirable. As such, Atsuko is an inspirational character and her drive to succeed encourages fans to go after their dreams too.
Little Witch Academia
Akko enrolls at the Luna Nova Witchcraft Academy. She’s not the best student, but her bright attitude is the key to her and her friends’ success.
- Release Date
- June 30, 2017
- Cast
- Megumi Han , Fumiko Orikasa , Stephanie Sheh , Noriko Hidaka
- Seasons
- 1
- Production Company
- Trigger, TOHO animation, Good Smile Company
- Number of Episodes
- 25
2 Megumin Is an Arch Wizard With Only One Skill
Konosuba’s Megumin Has The Potenital To Become All-Powerful, Yet She Refuses To Learn Any New Spells
Though technically an arch wizard and not a witch, Konosuba‘s Megumin is counted among some of the most popular anime witches of all time. She joins protagonist Kazuma Satou on his quest to defeat the Demon King, accompanied by a bratty goddess named Aqua and a masochistic crusader named Darkness. Together, this rag-tag group travels the land, getting into all sorts of quirky antics.
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Megumin is adored by fans due to her cute appearance and chuunibyou characteristics. However, what really makes Megumin such a lovable witch character is that, despite her potential as an arch wizard, she’s hilariously weak. So far, she’s only learned an explosion spell, and for some reason, outright refuses to learn anything else. Needless to say, this makes for some pretty comical situations on the battlefield. But not only is Megumin’s lack of magic skills funny, it’s also one of her most endearing traits, making her a positively adorable anime witch.
KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!
It was a happy day for Kazuma – right up to the moment he died. A goddess intervenes and offers him a second chance in a magical land.
- Release Date
- January 14, 2016
- Cast
- Jun Fukushima , Sora Amamiya
- Seasons
- 3
- Studio
- Studio Deen, Drive
- Number of Episodes
- 20 + 2 OVAs
1 Kiki Travels To a Distant Town To Begin Her Witch Training
Kiki’s Delivery Service Is One of Anime’s Most Iconic Witch Stories
A beloved Studio Ghibli classic, Kiki’s Delivery Service is probably one of the most famous witch stories in anime history. This wholesome coming-of-age film stars Kiki, a young witch-in-training who sets out on her broom at the age of 13 to begin her training in a distant town. Here, she meets new faces and tries her best to adapt to her temporary home. With the help of friends, Kiki decides to open a delivery service and transports baked goods to the townsfolk by way of broomstick.
Though she’s young, Kiki is strong and fiercely independent. She takes her witch training very seriously and works incredibly hard. But even as she begins to grow up, Kiki maintains a pure heart and childlike innocence that carries her through the story. With her sweet personality, kindheartedness, and iconic big red bow, she’s the very image of an optimistic young witch apprentice.
A young witch, on her mandatory year of independent life, finds fitting into a new community difficult while she supports herself by running an air courier service.
- Release Date
- December 20, 1990
- Studio
- Studio Ghibli
- Cast
- Kirsten Dunst , Phil Hartman , Janeane Garofalo , Matthew Lawrence
- Runtime
- 1 Hour 43 Minutes
- Production Company
- Kiki’s Delivery Service Production Committee, Nibariki, Nippon Television Network (NTV)
