REVIEW: ‘Witch Hat Atelier’ Episode 4 – “Meetings in Kalhn”

In many ways, Witch Hat Atelier Episode 4 could have rested on its laurels before a pivotal turning point midway through. Instead, “Meetings in Kalhn” lavishes attention on every scene, further enriching the world with gorgeous backdrops and unusual direction to highlight its expansiveness. The Bug Films production continues to prove that it is up to the task of adapting the phenomenal work of Kamome Shirahama and the scale and scope in which she operates. 

Witch Hat Atelier Episode 4 has fun in both splitting up the narrative and blending tonal sensibilities. Because, in many regards, the first half of “Meetings in Kalhn” commits to a standard story. With Coco haven’t recently passed the Dadah Range Test, Qifrey (Natsuki Hanae) takes her – along with the rest of his apprentices, Agott (Hibiku Yamamura), Tetia (Kurumi Haruki), and Richeh (Hika Tsukishiro) – to the witch town, Kalhn. It’s there that Coco will be able to find a pen she can draw with and cast spells with. 

But expectations are immediately exceeded by the immense detail poured into the gorgeous, spellbinding backgrounds. There are no empty spaces or rushed work. The world is absolutely immaculate. The bustling streets, where Coco first witnesses the normalcy of everyday witch life, brim with meticulous detail.

Witch Hat Atelier Episode 4 shows how we feel the loss of detail when the story pivots.

From the food stalls that burst with color, to the haunting, cool-toned aesthetics of their destination, the stationary store owned by Nolnoa and his grandson, Tartah, a riveting sense of wonder builds out from the artistry. We can’t turn away when there’s so much to look at. 

Again, this entire part of the storyline might’ve been by the numbers had it fallen into the hands of lesser, less curious artists. Directed and storyboarded by Masamitsu Abe, Witch Hat Atelier Episode 4 instead chooses to luxuriate in these hyper-cluttered details so that, in the back half, when the story transforms, becoming stark and gray, the effect is more striking. 

Because the wholesome energy doesn’t last long, it introduces us to some important new characters and adds some lore with the Silverwood Tree. But everything shifts when Coco catches sight of the masked witch who has been stalking her, lurking by one of the windows. She gives chase, and soon, the rest of the girls follow. 

Forbidden magic is the conduit of stress in “Meetings in Kalhn.”

The series has done well to balance the darker elements with whimsy. This is a story about the joy magic can bring, only because our protagonist witnesses the destruction it’s capable of. The tapestry of the series is a patchwork of losses, desires, joys of friendship, small delights and wonders, and the distrust of those who don’t abide by a structured magical law. Yes, it has a merch-ready magical creature with the Brushbuddy. But the series doesn’t shy away from heavier topics. 

It’s what gives Witch Hat Atelier Episode 4 tension as Coco, Agott, Tetia, and Rischeh are teleported to an unknown realm. A realm that’s devoid of any other beings, stripped bare of life or light or color, their only company the enormous, lurking dragon that enters as the main threat. The realm they’ve entered is built on the forbidden magic of the masked witches’ making. 

Instead of simply introducing a sense of adventure, the series forces the characters to look inwards. Agott and, to a degree (however unconsciously), Tetia blame Coco for their current predicament. And they’re not wrong, but they handle it the way young girls would in such a stressful situation. When Coco accidentally interrupts one of Agott’s spells, one that takes time and attention to draw, she lashes out. Yamamura is phenomenal, lacing her performance with the right amount of righteous anger and frustration while still highlighting how much of it stems from the mounting pressure of the situation. 

The action hasn’t even begun, and still, Witch Hat Atelier Episode 4 is spectacular. 

The character designs also pay close attention to minute facial expressions, such as when Tetia accidentally lets slip that she, too, blames Coco. She doesn’t say anything, but her face gives it away. And it gives it away in a manner where both Coco can tell and so too can Tetia, the latter quickly shifting from accusatory panic to guilt. Despite only knowing these characters for four episodes in the anime, they’re already alive with vibrant and distinctive personalities. 

Witch Hat Atelier Episode 4 finds ways to highlight the expansive void of space through the clever direction from Abe. Again, it’s a way where the series transforms smaller beats into ones that stand tall and purposeful. From the chase into the realm to overhead shots that accentuate how small the four are against the endless, spiraling maze to the frame of Coco standing alone, clutching Tetia’s hat, the direction is inventive in how it depicts the escalating stress and the four’s places within it. 

Bursting with life and kinetic energy, Witch Hat Atelier Episode 4 is rich in texture and tone. Gorgeously animated, with thoughtful direction and presentation, it finds ways to emphasize everything from the dragon’s scale to the red of a pomegranate. The care and consideration are evident, making it hard not to pause every few moments to catch any new magic we might be missing while we take the time to blink.

Witch Hat Atelier Episode 4 is available now on Crunchyroll. 

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