English Dub Review: Witch Hat Atelier “The Shadow Of Romonon”

Overview:

Witch Hat Atelier is setting up its first finale, dropping the season’s penultimate episode, “The Shadow of Romonon.” In the meantime, a few characters will find themselves tested.

Our Take:

Last episode, viewers saw a number of developments. Notably, Agott was approved to take the Second Test on her journey to become a true witch. At the last second, Richeh, who gained quite the development over the episode, was also given the chance to take the test.

This will involve a run through Serpentback Cave while keeping their identity a secret. Things start out with Qifrey explaining its backstory of a group of witches working together. However, cutting themselves off from the rest of the world spurred on fighting between themselves. The haunting sequence segues into Coco’s concern that magic, which she wants to use to bring forth happiness, could bring great discord. However, the underlying theme is that magic’s biggest issue is that humans don’t know how to handle it.

The pathway brings to mind M.C. Escher, which, between that and the witches, makes one wonder if someone involved with this series was a Suspiria fan.

Agott and Richeh joined Euinui, who has already failed the Test twice before, as well as Alaira serving as proctor. A study in contrast plays out, as we see the characters’ personalities play out during the test. Euinui wants to avoid making other mistakes and is filled with self-doubt. Meanwhile, Agott believes that there is a right way to learn, while Richeh believes that a student needs to find the right method for them.

This means that Richeh might be just what Euninui needs to move on. And sometimes, the best answer is the simplest. Ultimately, viewers will see a light that not only shines in the darkness but also embraces it.

Of course, this is the penultimate episode, meaning that it’s not going to be a self-contained story. Viewers will also see threats looming in the background, setting up for the big finale.