The Witch and the Beast

The Witch and the Beast (魔女と野獣) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kousuke Satake. It started serialization in Young Magazine the 3rd in November 2016, before moving to Monthly Young Magazine following Young Magazine the 3rd publishing its final issue.

The series went on an initial two-month hiatus after January 2023, which was later extended upon due to Satake's health. As of August 2022, its individual chapters have been collected in 10 tankōbon volumes.

An anime television series adaptation produced by Yokohama Animation Laboratory aired from January to April 2024.

Setting
The story is set in a fictitious magical world of eight continents where magic, fantastical creatures, and modern society exist side-by-side. Magic is deeply intrinsic in the world and can be found even in the air, with natural disasters having traces of magic due to this. A catch-all term for events or disasters caused by powerful magic forces, natural or otherwise, is "Paranomena". Spells are commonly performed by writing runes, or "Lettering", in midair or by imbuing pre-written runes with magic power.

The world's most influential organization, the Global Holy Church, oversees the development and regulation of magic. The church is located on the First Continent in the west and the further away the continents are, the less advanced the societies and its magic. However, the eighth continent is able to develop its own unique brand of magic technology, allowing it and the seventh continent to have prosperous societies. On an isolated island between the seventh and eighth continents, there is a bottomless pit called "The Fall" with seventeen levels, each with its own independent world, created by the "Origin Witches". Only the rich and powerful know about "The Fall", as the relationships between levels and the surface are minimal.

The Global Holy Church's magic-military force are the Paladin Corps, who deal with large-scale magical cases and are the only army in the world that can deal with witches. Another branch are the Executioners, a clandestine group dedicated to killing witches, regardless of their innocence, and resorting to violent means to achieve their goals. The church has three holy women that make up the core of the church and are hailed as saints: the Healer, the Defender, and the Seer. The Seer awakens every few decades, and only for a short time, to foretell the "Great Flow", or important events in the future.

At the pinnacle of sorcery, witches are the most powerful and dangerous beings in the world. The first witches in history are "The Origins", a group of 17 women, and all witches come from one of these 17 bloodlines. Blessed with an unfathomable amount of innate magic and several unique abilities, they pass down all their power, knowledge, and skill onto their descendants, though not all of them will inherit witch power. Despite looking completely human, witches are considered a separate species and have a lifespan of 200 years, keeping their youthful beauty upon reaching adulthood. When using their power, their "Ultoma" (a type of marking) appears somewhere on the witch's body and serves as an identification of their lineage.

Through study and training to utilize their innate magic force, humans who practice magic are called "mages". The strongest mages hold the title of "Archmage", with only five currently existing in the world. Despite the reality-defying nature of magic, there are limitations and ways to subdue magic practitioners. Magic is incompatible with machines and electronics, though "purifying" certain objects will enable spellcasting with them. Since witches and mages draw upon magic that exists in their bodies, targeting the pressure points with acupuncture will prevent them from using magic. For mages, the amount of magic force they have varies and depleting their reserves or damaging their fingers is one way to combat them. Other supernatural beings, such as the magicless yet nearly immortal vampires are capable of fighting against mages.

A powerful and independent organization, the Order of Magical Resonance, is made up of mages, witches, and other supernatural beings that deals with magic-related issues. The Order has a tentative relationship with the church, as the two factions tend to clash against each other in their respective agendas, though both groups have an unofficial agreement to never go to war with each other.

Plot
The story follows Ashaf, a tall, soft-spoken agent of the Order of Magical Resonance, and his unruly partner, Guideau, whose soul resides in a female body, yet her true form is that of a powerful, masked "beast", contained within a coffin strapped to Ashaf's back. They are tasked by the Order of Magical Resonance to solve cases involving magic, especially those concerning witches. As they go about their missions, they travel the country seeking a particular infamous witch, Angela Anne Huell, who casts a curse on Guideau and is the only Origin witch still alive.

Due to unknown reasons, Forbidden Instruments, dark magical tools that grant the wielders immense power at the cost of blood, are being spread around the world. At the core of it, Angela and a coven of witches and mages are prophesized to become a "great enemy" to society, causing the Order and the church to scramble to stop them.

Main characters

 * Guideau (ギド)
 * A mysterious "beast", Guideau is trapped in a female form due to a witch's curse, but her real form is that a powerful masked man with a pitch-black right arm and is the "natural enemy" of witches. She reluctantly works with the Order of Magical Resonance to find the witch who hexed her and break the curse. Guideau can temporarily release the curse by kissing a witch, but it only works once per witch. Although she inhabits a witch's body, Guideau cannot use magic, but has superhuman abilities, such as enhanced strength and heightened senses.
 * A mysterious "beast", Guideau is trapped in a female form due to a witch's curse, but her real form is that a powerful masked man with a pitch-black right arm and is the "natural enemy" of witches. She reluctantly works with the Order of Magical Resonance to find the witch who hexed her and break the curse. Guideau can temporarily release the curse by kissing a witch, but it only works once per witch. Although she inhabits a witch's body, Guideau cannot use magic, but has superhuman abilities, such as enhanced strength and heightened senses.


 * Guideau is foul-mouthed, aggressive, egocentric, and ignorant about many aspects of the world. Her tendency towards violence and her burning hatred for witches tends to cloud her judgement, but she can be rational and is learning more self-control. While single-minded in her goal and apathetic to everything else, Guideau has slowly developed a trusting and somewhat abrasive partnership with Ashaf.


 * Ashaf (アシャフ)
 * A proud and confident first-class mage of the Order of Magical Resonance, Ashaf is a tall, gentlemanly, chain-smoking man. He is partnered with Guideau, whom he first met three years earlier, and carries the coffin with her real body strapped to his back. Knowledgeable and skilled in many fields of magic, Ashaf primarily fights using magical barriers and summoning animal familiars, particularly crows. Mature and intelligent, Ashaf is perceptive of others and handles the numerous dangers of his job with a cautious, cool-headed approach.
 * A proud and confident first-class mage of the Order of Magical Resonance, Ashaf is a tall, gentlemanly, chain-smoking man. He is partnered with Guideau, whom he first met three years earlier, and carries the coffin with her real body strapped to his back. Knowledgeable and skilled in many fields of magic, Ashaf primarily fights using magical barriers and summoning animal familiars, particularly crows. Mature and intelligent, Ashaf is perceptive of others and handles the numerous dangers of his job with a cautious, cool-headed approach.


 * Ashaf is generally caring, sociable, and has a playful sense of humor, but can be pragmatic, dubious, and rather enigmatic in his actions. Despite playfully antagonizing her at times, Ashaf keeps Guideau in line and takes responsibility for her in various ways, including teaching her about the world. While Guideau views Ashaf neutrally as a partner, Ashaf has more ambiguous feelings for Guideau, admitting to caring deeply about her, but hints at a more complex reason to his relationship with her.

The Order of Magical Resonance

 * Phanora Kristoffel (ファノーラ・クリストフル)
 * Known as the "Profound Witch", Phanora specializes in necromancy and is one of the most powerful members of the Order. While typically cold and detached, Phanora has good morals and is caring to those she is close to. Phanora seems to be well-connected to her fellow witches, displaying familiarity with both the Velvette clan and Angela.
 * Known as the "Profound Witch", Phanora specializes in necromancy and is one of the most powerful members of the Order. While typically cold and detached, Phanora has good morals and is caring to those she is close to. Phanora seems to be well-connected to her fellow witches, displaying familiarity with both the Velvette clan and Angela.


 * Johan (ヨハン)
 * Tall, dark-haired man with a patch over his left eye, Johan is Phanora's personal assistant and her partner in the Order. As a "special" Undead, Johan possesses an immortal body capable of regenerating even without Phanora's magic, as well as superhuman strength and a skilled knife-wielding combatant. Laid-back and good-humored, Johan faithfully serves Phanora and handles the "physical labor" aspect of their job.
 * Tall, dark-haired man with a patch over his left eye, Johan is Phanora's personal assistant and her partner in the Order. As a "special" Undead, Johan possesses an immortal body capable of regenerating even without Phanora's magic, as well as superhuman strength and a skilled knife-wielding combatant. Laid-back and good-humored, Johan faithfully serves Phanora and handles the "physical labor" aspect of their job.


 * Helga Velvette (へルガ・ベルベット)
 * A young, compassionate witch and a descendant of "Dauntless Witch" Quena Velvette, one of the Origins who sealed the Demon Sword Ashgan. Helga is the sole survivor after the Executioners attacked her clan. She later joins the Order after being saved by Ashaf and Guideau. While understanding how dangerous Ashgan is, Helga has some affection for him, being the first since Quena to have pity for him.
 * A young, compassionate witch and a descendant of "Dauntless Witch" Quena Velvette, one of the Origins who sealed the Demon Sword Ashgan. Helga is the sole survivor after the Executioners attacked her clan. She later joins the Order after being saved by Ashaf and Guideau. While understanding how dangerous Ashgan is, Helga has some affection for him, being the first since Quena to have pity for him.


 * Demon Sword Ashgan (魔剣アシュガン)
 * Once a demon capable of destroying to the world, Ashgan is sealed in the form of a one-eye talking sword. Currently in possession of Helga Velvette and the Order, who helps Helga maintain the seal on it. While he refuses admit it, Ashgan hold some affection for Helga, who reminds him of Quena.
 * Once a demon capable of destroying to the world, Ashgan is sealed in the form of a one-eye talking sword. Currently in possession of Helga Velvette and the Order, who helps Helga maintain the seal on it. While he refuses admit it, Ashgan hold some affection for Helga, who reminds him of Quena.


 * Falvell Farmington (ハルベル・ハーミントン)
 * A descendant of Luna Farmington, the Origins witch known as the "Mystic Witch". Falvell is mute due to an unknown witch's cursing her family line and making them unable to use their vocative magic, which involves casting magic via speech. Despite growing up ostracized, Falvell is a sweet and gentle girl who simply wants a peaceful life.
 * A descendant of Luna Farmington, the Origins witch known as the "Mystic Witch". Falvell is mute due to an unknown witch's cursing her family line and making them unable to use their vocative magic, which involves casting magic via speech. Despite growing up ostracized, Falvell is a sweet and gentle girl who simply wants a peaceful life.


 * Owent Farmington (オーエント・ハーミントン)
 * Falvell's kind, strong-willed, and mature younger brother, who speaks on her behalf. While a descendant of a witch, Owent has no magical power and prefers live quietly with his sister. While not members of the Order, Owent and Falvell are under the Order's protection.
 * Falvell's kind, strong-willed, and mature younger brother, who speaks on her behalf. While a descendant of a witch, Owent has no magical power and prefers live quietly with his sister. While not members of the Order, Owent and Falvell are under the Order's protection.


 * Oscar Orlencia (オスカー・オルエンシア)
 * A descendant of Lionelle Orlencia, the Origins witch known as the "Great Witch" and a user of sun magic. Despite having a feminine appearance, Oscar is a male, making him an oddity since most witches are female. He is Dunward's partner and oversees Level 4 of "The Fall", which is the domain his ancestor created long ago.


 * Dunward Colvect (ダンウォード・コルヴェクト)
 * Former king of Orlencia Sett's Gnir faction, Dunward is a vampire and Oscar's partner. An immensely arrogant and prideful man, Dunward seeks to reclaim his throne from Dorenz and save his only surviving daughter from Angela, who is using his child as her current vessel. Due to his potent Gnir blood, Dunward has the ability to transform into a werewolf-like creature during a full moon.


 * Ganzig (ガンジーク)
 * A high-ranking member, Ganzig has been part of the Order since he was a young teenager and is a powerful mage.


 * Oddman (オッドマン)
 * A middle-aged man who seems to be tasked in guarding the area around Guideau's home, mainly at night.


 * Lucy O'Brien (ルーシー・オブライエン)
 * A mage secretly tasked to watch over the Farmington siblings, Lucy befriends the children and becomes a regular customer at their store.

The Global Holy Church

 * Matt Cugat (マット・クーガ)
 * A high-ranking commander of the Paladin Corps and a member of the Cugat family, who are famed for being elemental mages. Matt is contracted with a primoradial Ice Elemental, allowing him to manifest and control ice, and is thus one of few people with power to rival witches. Known as the "Man of Ice", Matt has an aloof and serious demeanor, but has integrity, a strong sense of justice, and a noble heart. After losing his battalion to the Executioners, Matt becomes increasingly intertwined with the growing battle between church and Angela's coven.
 * A high-ranking commander of the Paladin Corps and a member of the Cugat family, who are famed for being elemental mages. Matt is contracted with a primoradial Ice Elemental, allowing him to manifest and control ice, and is thus one of few people with power to rival witches. Known as the "Man of Ice", Matt has an aloof and serious demeanor, but has integrity, a strong sense of justice, and a noble heart. After losing his battalion to the Executioners, Matt becomes increasingly intertwined with the growing battle between church and Angela's coven.


 * The Executioner (処刑人)
 * An unnamed member of the Executioners and the one behind the attack on Helga's family to seek the Demon Sword Ashgan. He has the power of mind control through his Demon Hand Ishlingen, a dark magical tool made from the skins of seventeen ancient kings sewn onto it and an enchanted royal ring to increase its power. His partner is his older brother, who is killed by Angela after attempting to look for him after the Demon Sword incident.
 * An unnamed member of the Executioners and the one behind the attack on Helga's family to seek the Demon Sword Ashgan. He has the power of mind control through his Demon Hand Ishlingen, a dark magical tool made from the skins of seventeen ancient kings sewn onto it and an enchanted royal ring to increase its power. His partner is his older brother, who is killed by Angela after attempting to look for him after the Demon Sword incident.


 * Farmus (ファーマス)
 * A middle-aged man who works as vice-commander of Matt's battalion in the Paladin Corps. He is killed by the Executioners to serve as a blood sacrifice to Demon Sword Ashgan.
 * A middle-aged man who works as vice-commander of Matt's battalion in the Paladin Corps. He is killed by the Executioners to serve as a blood sacrifice to Demon Sword Ashgan.


 * Lowell (ローエル)
 * A ginger-haired woman who works as Matt's assistant in the Paladin Corps. However, she proves to be a traitor, siding with the Executioners against Matt, and is punished for her deeds after the Demon Sword incident.
 * A ginger-haired woman who works as Matt's assistant in the Paladin Corps. However, she proves to be a traitor, siding with the Executioners against Matt, and is punished for her deeds after the Demon Sword incident.


 * Karl Oakleave (カール・オクリーヴ)
 * A member of the Executioners, Karl uses the alias "Craig" to spy and hunt the Farmington siblings. Despite looking like a child, Oakleave implies that he is much older. He uses a Forbidden Instrument made from demon remains to summon a monstrous bone-wielding familiar.
 * A member of the Executioners, Karl uses the alias "Craig" to spy and hunt the Farmington siblings. Despite looking like a child, Oakleave implies that he is much older. He uses a Forbidden Instrument made from demon remains to summon a monstrous bone-wielding familiar.


 * Sven (スヴェン)
 * A member of the Executioners and the partner of Karl Oakleave, spending six months undercover together to hunt the Farmington siblings. He is killed by Falvell's vocative magic.
 * A member of the Executioners and the partner of Karl Oakleave, spending six months undercover together to hunt the Farmington siblings. He is killed by Falvell's vocative magic.


 * Thurlander (サーランダー)
 * Director of the Executioners and an invisible man, having lost his physical image due to a spell mishap.


 * Keith (キース)
 * A high-ranking commander of the Paladin Corps and friendly colleague of Matt. He leads the defense of the fort that stored Forbidden Instruments and is killed by members of Angela's coven.


 * Gil Dellinger (ギル・デリンジャー)
 * A high-commander of the Paladin Corps that participates in defense the fort that stored Forbidden Instruments. He is a highly suspicious individual with a notable scar on his cheek.

Angela's Coven

 * Angela Anne Huell (アンジェラ＝アン・フュール)
 * One of the Origins witches and the one responsible for Guideau's curse. Known as the "Eternal Witch", she is able to live past 200 years due to her body stealing ability. Cruel and sadistic, Angela views the chase between her and Guideau like a game and uses many different pawns to fulfill her mysterious plans. According to Angela, Guideau's female body is actually Angela's real body.
 * One of the Origins witches and the one responsible for Guideau's curse. Known as the "Eternal Witch", she is able to live past 200 years due to her body stealing ability. Cruel and sadistic, Angela views the chase between her and Guideau like a game and uses many different pawns to fulfill her mysterious plans. According to Angela, Guideau's female body is actually Angela's real body.


 * Stayler Allman
 * An infamous mage and a witch's disciple that specializes in compression magic. She is the former pupil of two witches and is apparently bestowed with a witch's youthful longevity, allowing her to outlive her mentors.


 * Lucia Spendrow (ドルネイズ・ギィワース)
 * A descendant of the "Giant Witch" Viola Spendrow, the Origin witch who controls natural disasters.

Supporting characters

 * Misha (ミシャ)
 * A friendly and cheerful girl, Misha is Guideau's housekeeper and takes care of her daily needs. Although she is the daughter of an Order-affiliated manager, she is not a member herself and isn't privy to hear about the Order's cases.


 * Ione (イオーネ)
 * A scheming witch who is mistakenly considered a hero and city protector by the townspeople. Ione is currently imprisoned by the Order.
 * A scheming witch who is mistakenly considered a hero and city protector by the townspeople. Ione is currently imprisoned by the Order.


 * Mary (マリー)
 * A devoted and kind girl who works as Ione's apprentice.
 * A devoted and kind girl who works as Ione's apprentice.


 * Kiera Haines (キーラ・ヘインス)
 * A mage who works as police officer in Hayden, the capital of Pheres, and the only mage on the force, after the death of Reuben. She works with Ashaf and Guideau to catch the witch responsible for a number of serial killings.
 * A mage who works as police officer in Hayden, the capital of Pheres, and the only mage on the force, after the death of Reuben. She works with Ashaf and Guideau to catch the witch responsible for a number of serial killings.


 * Reuben Cole (ルーベン・コール)
 * Hayden's police detective and Kiera's late boyfriend, as well as her magic teacher. One of the victim of the serial killings in The Witch's Pastime arc.
 * Hayden's police detective and Kiera's late boyfriend, as well as her magic teacher. One of the victim of the serial killings in The Witch's Pastime arc.


 * Shulk (シュルク) and Loran (ロラン)
 * Kiera's adopted twin sons and the culprits of the serial killings in Hayden. Having been corrupted by Forbidden Instruments, they are killed by Kiera.
 * Kiera's adopted twin sons and the culprits of the serial killings in Hayden. Having been corrupted by Forbidden Instruments, they are killed by Kiera.


 * Jeff Enker (ジェフ・エンカー)
 * A sergeant in the police force in a certain city with ambivalent feelings towards necromancy. He contacts the Order of Magical Resonance when Undead problems occur in the city.
 * A sergeant in the police force in a certain city with ambivalent feelings towards necromancy. He contacts the Order of Magical Resonance when Undead problems occur in the city.


 * Necromancer (死霊魔術師)
 * An unauthorized necromancer who resurrects people to find a way to bring back his dead lover. As punishment for his crimes, Phanora turns him into an Undead and is forced to maintain the Undeads he is responsible for.
 * An unauthorized necromancer who resurrects people to find a way to bring back his dead lover. As punishment for his crimes, Phanora turns him into an Undead and is forced to maintain the Undeads he is responsible for.


 * Dornez Guywasse (ドルネイズ・ギィワース)
 * Vampire Queen of the Gnir, she is Dunward's former concubine who overthrew him after Angela bestows her witch power 100 years ago. As part of a deal with Angela, Dorenz provides Angela with bodies to house her soul whenever her current vessel starts breaking down. She is killed by Dunward and Oscar, allowing them to reclaim the Gnir's throne.


 * The "Bridge" (橋)
 * Called only by his title, the "Bridge" is Dunward's younger brother and neutral arbiter between the feuding Conglade and the Gnir. While scheming and tricky, he is on relatively good terms with Dunward and juggles different agendas while preserving his neutrality.


 * The Doll
 * A human woman cursed by an unknown witch and had her soul trapped in a life-like, human-sized doll. Despite her predicament, the Doll is cheerful and talkative, though her voice is very faint. The Doll's body is imbued with a strong recluse spell, cloaking the area around her from strangers. After Guideau found her at a magical antique shop, she brings the Doll to her home.


 * The Nameless Seed
 * A unique Forbidden Instrument that can absorb, mimic, and use the type of magic it consumes. Its current form is of a young human boy and has the potential to be more powerful than a witch. Initially stored by the Paladin Corps, the Order gains custody of the Nameless Seed following the raid at the fort and tries to protect it from Angela's coven.


 * Joz
 * A lieutenant of the Vagner Police Force and a mage that specializes in spells that weaponize his environment and uses books with runes to help cast.


 * Marda
 * A member of the Vagner Police Force and a mage that uses a baseball bat and body modification spells to enhanced her physical abilities.

Manga
The series is written and illustrated by Kousuke Satake, and started serialization in Young Magazine the 3rd on November 6, 2016. Following Young Magazine the 3rd publishing its final issue in April 2021, the series was moved to the new Monthly Young Magazine, starting on May 20. The first tankōbon volume was released on September 20, 2017. As of August 2022, the individual chapters have been collected in 10 tankōbon volumes.

At New York Comic Con 2019, Kodansha USA announced they licensed the series for English publication.

Anime
In August 2022, it was announced that the series would be receiving an anime adaptation. It was later confirmed to be a television series produced by Yokohama Animation Laboratory and directed by Takayuki Hamana. Yūichirō Momose is writing the scripts, Hiroya Iijima handling the character designs, and Hanae Nakamura and Natsumi Tabuchi composing the music. The series aired from January 12 to April 5, 2024, on TBS, BS11 and other networks. The opening theme song is "Soumonka", performed by Sokoninaru, while the ending theme song is "Hikari no Trill", performed by Yoshino Nanjo. Crunchyroll licensed the series outside of Asia. Plus Media Networks Asia licensed the series in Southeast Asia.

Reception
As part of Anime News Network's Fall 2021 manga guide, Rebecca Silverman and Caitlin Moore reviewed the first volume for the website. They both praised the art and concept, whilst also being critical of how the concept of the series is executed. Sarah from Anime UK News also praised the artwork, while criticizing the characters. Contrary to other critics, Che Gilson from Otaku USA praised the plot and setting in addition to the artwork.

The series has over 500,000 copies in circulation.