Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Marvel's Spider-Man Secret Lair promotional image

    Get a Look At the Secret Lair x Marvel’s Spider-Man Superdrop

    09/08/2025
    Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions gameplay still

    Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions Is All About Adventure (with Friends)

    09/08/2025
    Chord in Persona 5 The Phantom X

    Now Is The Perfect Time To Jump Back In ‘Persona 5: The Phantom X’

    09/05/2025
    Cosmic Spider-Man card details

    [EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

    09/02/2025
    Lee Corso from College Football GameDay in EA Sports games

    EA Sports Always Understood Lee Corso’s Legacy

    09/01/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » Manga » REVIEW: ‘The Witch and the Beast,’ Volume 1

REVIEW: ‘The Witch and the Beast,’ Volume 1

Kate SánchezBy Kate Sánchez11/08/20203 Mins ReadUpdated:11/20/2021
The Witch and the Beast
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

The Witch and the Beast

Violence, magic, and gorgeous characters are three things that are beyond certain to get me excited about picking up a manga and three things The Witch and the Beast has plenty of. Produced by mangaka Kousuke Satake and localized in English by Kodansha Comics, The Witch and the Beast is marketed as one part Full Metal Alchemist and one part Cowboy Bebop. With that combination, it would be an understatement to say that my expectations were high. The manga focuses on powerful women, a battle of good and evil, vengeance, and of course a world of magic that doesn’t shy away from darkness.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

In The Witch and the Beast we follow Guideau and Ashaf. The former is a feral girl with long fangs, the eyes of a beast, and a penchant for rushing in with her fists regardless of her opponent’s strength. And the latter is a soft-spoken man with delicate features and a coffin strapped to his back. This ominous pair appears one day in a town that’s in thrall to a witch who has convinced the townsfolk she’s their hero. But Ashaf and Guideau know better. Members of The Order, an organization that keeps magic users in line. What’s more, Guideau has a score to settle as she tries to find the witch who cursed her.

The Witch and the Beast Volume 1 is magically dark and violent. From the opening, the irreverence and aggression we see from Guideau is exciting. She cusses, she fights, and her anger is palpable. On the other hand, Ashaf is a calming and logical force that cares deeply for his partner’s wellbeing. Their dynamic is one we’ve seen before, yet the twist of what’s in the coffin makes it unique.

While Satake’s story is phenomenal, it’s their artwork that is breathtaking. Balancing pulpy noir and fantastical aesthetics, Satake’s debut manga is a masterclass in showcasing dynamic movement and adding layers of magic to single panels. From breathtaking splash pages to dark sequences of powers awakening, every single inch of the page is utilized. Additionally, Satake illustrates gruesome moments in such a way that the grotesque looks gorgeous. Showcasing dismemberment and blood splatters pushed against grand displays of power with rose petals and birds, it all sings.

That being said, the twists offered in just one volume work to keep the reader engaged by subverting most fantasy tropes and building out the world. Truthfully, every time I had questions about how magic or The Order worked, Satake offered up explanations that focused on world-building without feeling like pure exposition.

Overall, I can’t recommend The Witch and the Beast Volume 1 enough. Kousuke Satake’s work with both story and art is phenomenal. As a debut, it’s dark, violent, and so very gorgeous and ultimately lives up to the promise of Full Metal Alchemist mixed with Cowboy Bebop. 

The Witch and the Beast Volume 1 is available now wherever books are sold.

The Witch and the Beast Volume 1
5

TL;DR

I can’t recommend The Witch and the Beast Volume 1 enough. Kousuke Satake’s work with both story and art is phenomenal. As a debut, it’s dark, violent, and so very gorgeous and ultimately lives up to the promise of Full Metal Alchemist mixed with Cowboy Bebop. 

  • Buy via Our ComiXology Affiliate Link

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘Revolutionary Girl Utena: After the Revolution’
Next Article REVIEW: ‘Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon’ Episode 6 – “The Cat Juan at the Old Temple”
Kate Sánchez
  • Website
  • X (Twitter)
  • Instagram

Kate Sánchez is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of But Why Tho? A Geek Community. There, she coordinates film, television, anime, and manga coverage. Kate is also a freelance journalist writing features on video games, anime, and film. Her focus as a critic is championing animation and international films and television series for inclusion in awards cycles. Find her on Bluesky @ohmymithrandir.bsky.social

Related Posts

Wolf Girl and Black Prince — But Why Tho

REVIEW: Wolf Girl and Black Prince Volume 1

05/16/2023
hirano and kagura volume 2

REVIEW: ‘Hirano and Kagiura,’ Volume 2

04/25/2023
K-On Shuffle — But Why Tho

REVIEW: ‘K-On! Shuffle’ Volume 1

04/24/2023
Skybeams in the Sky — But Why Tho

REVIEW: ‘Sunbeams in the Sky’ Volume 1

04/24/2023
The Boxer Volume 2 — But Why Tho

REVIEW: ‘The Boxer,’ Volume 2

04/24/2023
Run On Your New Legs Volume 4 — But Why Tho

REVIEW: ‘Run On Your New Legs’ Volume 4

04/24/2023

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
The Long Walk (2025) film review promotional image
9.5
Film

REVIEW: ‘The Long Walk’ Is The Most Heartfelt And Heartbreaking Stephen King Adaptation

By Kate Sánchez09/11/2025Updated:09/11/2025

The Long Walk is a brutal watch. Equally heartfelt and heartbreaking, it’s one of the best adaptations of Stephen King’s work.

EA Sports FC Icons Match promotional image from Nexon News

2025 Icons Match Returns With Football Legends Bridging The Pitch And Video Games

By Kate Sánchez09/03/2025Updated:09/03/2025

NEXON has announced the return of the ‘2025 Icons Match,’ a live event that brings a full roster of legendary players to the pitch.

Black Women Anime — But Why Tho (9) BWT Recommends

10 Black Women in Anime That Made Me Feel Seen

By LaNeysha Campbell11/11/2023Updated:12/03/2024

Black women are some of anime’s most iconic characters, and that has a big impact on Black anime fans. Here are some of our favorites.

DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 11
8.5
Anime

REVIEW: ‘DanDaDan’ Season 2 Episode 11 – “Hey, It’s a Kaiju”

By Allyson Johnson09/11/2025

The ragtag group faces down the mysterious kaiju in the thrilling and beautifully animated DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 11.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here