The Witch and the Beast

Episode 10

The Witch and the Beast is by no means a perfect adaptation but this is a perfect episode of The Witch and the Beast. Despite the blatant shortcomings of the production, they deliver a well-put-together episode that looks fine, doesn't take itself too seriously, throws in a surprising twist, and ends on a shockingly intimate moment between its two leads. It starts as a breather following the conclusion of Helga's arc, and it unfolds into a much more salacious and intriguing display of Guideau's relationships with their archnemesis, with Ashaf, and with themself. It's probably my favorite part of the anime thus far.

I like the unassuming introduction. Picking up where we left off last week, Helga is still in tow, and I hope she sticks around as a regular. Her personality provides a middle ground between Guideau's ferocity and Ashaf's coolness, and it's fun to watch her bounce off both of them. Guideau also remains the funniest part of the show. Anger is the emotion most ripe for comedy, and I still haven't tired of seeing Ashaf treat his partner like a misbehaving dog, literally telling them to “be good” when he goes to see the Order. And like an animal trained to respond to certain syllables, Guideau's ears perk up at the first mention of a witch.

The ensuing pursuit of the rumored crone is great. Guideau threatens to kill children. They very nearly merc an innocent old pie-baking woman. And they're defeated by a pet cat and dog. The dissonance is even louder considering the events of last week, during which Guideau's true form was described in apocalyptic terms. Now, they're having their boo-boos treated by the kindly neighborhood grandma. It may be humiliating for Guideau, but it's funny to me.

Of course, the water cooler moment is the surprise appearance of Origin Witch Angela, who arrives on the heels of the second Executioner in as many arcs. It's clever misdirection on the narrative's part, and it provides a stage on which we can witness the extent of her strength. An Executioner is the guy who caused so much trouble in the previous arc, yet Angela treats this one like a bug to be soon squashed. Angela's true aim, however, is goading Guideau. Ashaf describes the bond between the curser and the cursed—a well-trodden concept—but their dialogue (both verbal and nonverbal) hints at a relationship and/or rivalry that goes beyond this connection.

Angela isn't a particularly novel villain archetype, and her design doesn't stand out, yet she commands a presence all the same. I think we can ascribe a lot of that to her surprise appearance and to the brazenness with which she taunts Guideau. There's an overtly psychosexual charge to their scenes, which is consistent with the mouth-to-mouth mechanism that undoes Guideau's curse. That's a potentially trashy angle I'd like to see the story pursue further. On the adaptational level, however, I effusively praise the hiring of HanaKana to voice Angela. She's a highly talented actress and she nails the sickly sweet demeanor essential to this role. Strong casting can do a lot for otherwise middling adaptations of beloved manga and novels.

It's difficult, however, to call TWatB middling when it retains pockets of genuine artistry. This episode is a salient example, thanks in no small part to the return of Shinji Itadaki on storyboards (go back to the episode four review to read my thoughts on his involvement then). His artistic voice is so prevalent that I perceived his presence long before his name graced the end credits. The scene compositions have more three-dimensionality. There are more extreme camera angles and distortion. The shading on the close-ups is nicer. It's not a matter of this episode having “more” animation than prior ones. It's subtler than that. It's the power of having a strong vision that's able to intelligently direct the available resources to their most effective potential.

In the final scene, Itadaki's thoughtful storyboards become an appropriate accompaniment for the scuffle between Ashaf and Guideau. Ashaf had previously explained to Helga that, despite appearances, Guideau was fundamentally rational and able to compromise to get what they wanted (i.e. revenge). That fact does not, however, preclude Guideau from being an emotional creature. No matter what their true identity is, they're still a person. They have feelings that can be hurt, and Ashaf hurt them when he went behind Guideau's back and only partially healed their injuries. Some absence of trust still divides them. Ashaf, however, accepts his punishment, and Guideau lets him off the hook with a few broken ribs. It's not a clean resolution, yet it's a resolution all the same. They're still partners. I love that. It feels raw, nuanced, and real. It makes me want to see what's in store for them next. In my book, that's a fitting capstone to a perfect episode.

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The Witch and the Beast is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Steve is on Twitter while it lasts. He can be your witch or your beast. Or none of the above if that's cool. You can also catch him chatting about trash and treasure alike on This Week in Anime.