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
    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
    Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2 But Why Tho 10

    Spider-Man Is Coming To Magic And It’s Just Like The Comics

    08/29/2025
    Star Wars Visions Volume 3 Black

    ‘Black’ Sets The Tone For A Bold New Mixtape In ‘Star Wars Visions: Volume 3’

    08/28/2025
    Olivia Colman in The Roses

    ‘The Roses’ Is A Reimagining, Not A Remake, And That’s Why It Works So Well

    08/27/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » Anime » REVIEW: ‘The Witch And The Beast’ Episode 4 — “Beauty And Death: Opening Act”

REVIEW: ‘The Witch And The Beast’ Episode 4 — “Beauty And Death: Opening Act”

Kate SánchezBy Kate Sánchez02/02/20244 Mins ReadUpdated:03/15/2024
The Witch And The Beast Episode 4
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Probably the darkest fantasy series airing during the Winter 2024 anime season, The Witch And The Beast has been surprising. Morphing into a case of the week structure, the past episodes have focused on Guideau (You Taichi) and Ashaf (Toshiyuki Morikawa). Guideau is set on finding the witch who cursed her, and Ashaf is her caring guardian, or maybe partner is the better word. That said, The Witch And The Beast Episode 4, “Beauty And Death: Opening Act,” isn’t about our odd-couple duo.

The Witch And The Beast Episode 4 opens with Guideau and Ashaf meeting local police in a city that the undead has plagued. Ashaf is out of his depth in solving the unprecedented amount of feral undead. So, he trusts the Order to bring someone in who can. They send in the necromancer Phanora Kristoffel and her hapless assistant Johan.

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

Like Episode 2, this “Opening Act” episode sets the stage for the narrative. In this case, The Witch And The Beast Episode 4 uses this to establish the ground rules for necromancy, showing the audience the rules as much as using its intro to tell them. The crazed undead attacks aren’t the only state for those that necromancers bring back.

The Witch And The Beast Episode 4

In this world, raising the dead requires two conditions to be met: 1. The dead must agree to be resurrected before their passing. 2. They can not be directly related to the Necromancer. Once you clear that, a necromancer can take up the responsibility of maintaining the undead and grant them full autonomy. Here, the undead are nearly indistinguishable from the living. Those who are not maintained regularly and imprinted to a task in the world become strays, and strays cause violence and primal problems.

The Witch And The Beast is a phenomenal series for two reasons. The first is because of the beauty that the Yokohama Animation Laboratory has captured in their animation. As an adaptation, the animators rely on gorgeous faces and people to balance the story’s darkness. The second thing that the series does phenomenally well is build out its world into something cohesive without ever feeling overstuffed. The series has found the perfect balance of showing and telling by utilizing small vignettes to bring the audience into each episode’s concept.

In The Witch And The Beast Episode 4, both strengths are on full display. The animated effects for Phanora’s cold breath make her beauty all the more haunting and add to the episode’s lore. The cold moves with her, which works perfectly when shown against greenery and the warmness of Johan’s skin tone.

The Witch And The Beast Episode 4

While it doesn’t feature our duo for much of it, The Witch And The Beast Episode 4 never feels empty. It isn’t because their presence isn’t missed so much. It’s apparent that Yokohama Animation Laboratory is building out an entire world in their episodes, not just one for two characters. To make a series that continues full-speed without its leads is a huge accomplishment and one that this episode hits.

Additionally, the tension and execution of the crime’s reveal are handled extremely well again. The twist doesn’t feel contrived, and ultimately, it fits perfectly in line with everything we’ve seen established so far. The cases that Ashaf and Guideau are called into are affronts to the magical order of things. They’re aberrations, making them all the more intriguing as we see them unfold.

The Witch And The Beast Episode 4 is another stunning episode of the best dark fantasy out right now. It’s beautiful to watch, thorny to explore, and its darkness continues to push the envelope on expectations. Ashaf and Guideau are fantastic, but Phanora and Johan are equally as compelling. But with another cliffhanger ending, there is a lot to explore in how the undead problem is handled with everyone pushed into a corner.

The Witch And The Beast Episode 4 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

The Witch And The Beast Episode 4 — "Beauty And Death: Opening Act"
  • 9/10
    Rating - 9/10
9/10

TL;DR

The Witch And The Beast Episode 4 is another stunning episode of the best dark fantasy out right now. It’s beautiful to watch, thorny to explore, and its darkness continues to push the envelope on expectations.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘Like Flowers In Sand’ Takes Its Time
Next Article REVIEW: ‘Bye Bye Tiberias’ Beautifully Shows The Real Pain Of Hiam Abbass
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

Marin in My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Episode 9
8.5

REVIEW: ‘My Dress-Up Darling’ Season 2 Episode 9 — “Because I Don’t Intend to Sleep Tonight”

08/30/2025
Shiki in Tougen Anki Episode 8
5.0

REVIEW: ‘Tougen Anki’ Episode 8 — “The Unreliable Hero”

08/30/2025
DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 9
8.0

REVIEW: ‘DanDaDan’ Season 2 Episode 9 – “I Want to Rebuild the House”

08/28/2025
Sakamoto Days Episode 18
7.0

REVIEW: ‘Sakamoto Days’ Episode 18 – “Kanaguri”

08/27/2025
Captivated By You Episode 1
6.0

REVIEW: ‘Captivated By You’ Episode 1 — “Someone Adorable”

08/25/2025
Marin in My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Episode 8
7.0

REVIEW: ‘My Dress-Up Darling’ Season 2 Episode 8 — “The Only Way I Can Think to Express That Gratitude Is With Money”

08/23/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Cosmic Spider-Man card details Features

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

By Kate Sánchez09/02/2025Updated:09/02/2025

An exclusive look at a new 5-Color Spider entering Magic: The Gathering’s Spider-Man set, and Cosmic Spider-Man is going to be a tough one to take on.

Hololive EN at Radio City Music Hall Events

Hololive EN At Radio City Music Hall Was A Pure Expression Of Fandom

By Adrian Ruiz08/31/2025Updated:09/03/2025

Hololive EN turned Radio City in New York City into the pure expression of fandom: chants, penlights, and community in perfect sync.

Foundation Season 3 Episode 8 promotional still from APple TV+
9.0
TV

RECAP: ‘The Foundation’ Season 3 Episode 8 — “Skin In The Game”

By Will Borger08/29/2025Updated:08/29/2025

Still barreling toward a knock-down, drag-out fight between Gaal and the Mule in Foundation Season 3 Episode 8 ups the stakes.

Karl Anthony Towns in NBA 2k26 But Why Tho
8.5
PS5

REVIEW: ‘NBA 2K26’ Brings Basketball To Life

By Kyle Foley09/03/2025

NBA 2K26 combines improved visuals with some important tweaks to keep the series feeling fresh in the latest yearly release.

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