REVIEW: ‘Witch Hat Atelier’ Episode 5 — “The Dragon’s Labyrinth”

Through explosive ingenuity and stunning action sequences that emphasize the skills and intuition of Qifrey’s (Natsuki Hanae) four apprentices, Witch Hat Atelier Episode 5 earns its spot as the series’ best. So far, at least. Given the breadth of the story told in the breathtaking “The Dragon’s Labyrinth,” there’s no guessing the impossible feats the adaptation may scale next. 

One of the most striking elements of the series thus far (both in the anime and the manga) is how magic is depicted. Because in the world of Witch Hat Atelier, it’s not that someone is born with magic but that someone is privileged enough to get the chance to learn it. There’s a scientific element to how it operates that gives it a tactile quality as we watch witches and those in training refine the spells they draw to create unimaginable outcomes. 

In Witch Hat Atelier Episode 5, we’re positioned directly in front of the literal drawing board. Coco (Rena Motomura), along with Agott (Hibiku Yamamura), Tetia (Kurumi Haruki), and Richeh (Hika Tsukishiro), is facing down the immediate threat of the massive dragon while sequestered away in an alternate realm. Not only that, but they’re still dealing with the fallout of the friction cast in Episode 4. And yet, despite it all, these girls continue to surprise both with their cleverness and their realistic compassion. 

Witch Hat Atelier Episode 5 resolves tension between the apprentices. 

One of the more defining parts of Episode 4 was Tetia’s clear, if unspoken, distress, and how, unable to withhold her fear, her eyes, however briefly, blamed Coco for their predicament. Witch Hat Atelier Episode 5 quickly addresses it with care and consideration for the characters, their ages, and their demeanors. Coco, a fix-it type, is trying to reassure Tetia, who seems frightened. And Tetia, able to see what Coco is doing, turns the tables. Because while Coco feels guilt over dragging her new friends into this mess, Tetia also feels guilt over having let Coco down. 

She shows off a creation of hers, conjuring clouds that can bear weight and offer warmth in a cold, isolated experience. Tetia, like Coco, wants to use magic to spread joy. She wants to help others, rather than inflict stress or pain. She apologizes to Coco for her moment of doubt, and her act of understanding launches the main drive of the rest of the episode as the four girls utilize their wits and brainstorming abilities to defeat the dragon. 

It’s what rallies all the girls together, with Agott suggesting ways to stabilize the spell while Richeh luxuriates in the warmth the cloud bubble creates. And it’s here that Witch Hat Atelier Episode 5 best understands the series’ nature and how magic operates as a tool rather than an all-powerful force. To produce effective, good magic is to be dedicated and diligent. And the laborious efforts of operating under repetition produce the most efficient power.

Yuka Kitamura’s work is crucial to the series’ effectiveness. 

Witch Hat Atelier Episode 5 demonstrates the tireless work the girls employ to defeat the dragon. Coco comes up with an idea—one that won’t harm the dragon but will disarm it (so to speak). It’s a moment that draws on Qifrey’s crucial lesson: that magic should bring joy to all people and creatures. Coco wants to alleviate the dragon’s pain while ensuring her and her fellow apprentices’ safe retreat. It’s how Tetia’s cloud spell comes into play, allowing her, Agott, and Richeh to showcase their immense strategic power despite their young age. 

For an episode that takes pains to give focus to some of the more breathtaking moments of sweeping action, Witch Hat Atelier Episode 5 also doesn’t falter in the quieter sequences. If anything, they’re made all the more potent by the necessary contrast they offer. The rousing launch into action is sweeping in its larger-than-life effect, pushing the direction forward to follow the ground-level path the girls start on before they take flight (literally and figuratively) in pursuit of drawing their spells.

Spells that are drawn with artistic flair, just as much time is put on how Richeh pushes her hair behind her ear to focus as the lines that connect the circles, the last marking of a finished spell.  The studious nature of the four girls drawing countless glyphs in their effort to escape is punctuated by the gorgeous, fantastical, epic-inspired score by Yuka Kitamura. 

Kitamura’s work has been one of the many strengths of the series from the premiere onward, particularly in the moment of childlike wonder when Coco first arrives on screen. And it became even more heavenly, even more complicated, when Qifrey took flight with a struggling Coco in his arms.

From the music to the direction, “The Dragon’s Labyrinth” is brilliant. 

But “The Dragon’s Labyrinth” truly gives the composer a moment to stretch her muscles, demonstrating the full breadth of her work. The result is evocative, painting a whimsical picture with devastating minor notes that undercut the wondrous element of the series, reminding us of the undercurrent of grief – of urgency. She’s a master, and the series is all the better because of her efforts. 

But the framing, the voice acting, and the direction also do a lot of the heavy lifting. Not to mention the movements and the specificity of physicality that help define these characters through major moments and small, interactive beats. The series is a culmination of small wonders and a generous heaping of artistry that understands the staggering strength of the source material. Each element, each moment, has a very high bar to reach. 

And “The Dragon’s Labyrinth” achieves it. From the moments when the four girls work together to outsmart the dragon to their unflappable resolve as they race through the endless maze, the direction highlights their tireless effort and the unimpeachable fortitude of the structure they traverse. They’re so small in the face of the dangers they face, and yet they still reach ahead. 

The episode only gets better as it goes along. 

What’s amazing about Witch Hat Atelier Episode 5 is that even when you think you’ve reached its best moments, it outdoes itself. With rippling animation and a great depth to the world around them, we watch as Agott is thrown off the tower they climb, plummeting towards the ground before Qifrey arrives and delivers a shocking display of power. And it’s here where Bug Films shows off. 

Between the heightened music of Kitamura’s score and the dexterous details of Qifrey’s drawing hand and pen flourish, the climactic moment goes all in on showing the gulf in skill between the girls and their teacher. His skill is towering, oppressive, even, rendering the dragon unconscious while they’d sought a more peaceful solution. It’s an incredible display of creation by both the character and the studio, as his spells come to life to protect his students. The moment when the sky shatters open, and his fire dragon unfurls to its full might, is a delectable, chill-inducing sequence, a reminder of how limitless magic is. 

It’s not just sparkles and explosions of light. It’s evidence of curious artists who interpret staggering source material with expert flourishes. Because, again, it’s about the details. It’s not just vibrancy and colors, but how the fabric of Qifrey’s robes moves and how he maneuvers while holding Agott and drawing his spell. It’s how the dragon lolls in the pool of water below, and how the wind from the impact sweeps them all back. All of these seemingly innocuous ripples crescendo into an enormously engaging sequence. 

And it’s that detail that the episode ends on with quiet, contemplative guilt and a steely resolve to move forward. Coco awakens, seemingly having succumbed to the Brimmed Hat’s will, to find herself back in the real world with Qifrey, Agott, Richeh, and Tetia. In that same instance, she takes in the dirt caked on their cloaks and the general wear and tear that’s befallen them. And, for the first time since the premiere (albeit in a depressingly controlled fashion), she breaks down. She apologizes for the mess she’s brought them all into. 

Witch Hat Atelier Episode 5 is the most stunning episode of the series to date. 

Instead of just being a character-driven moment, Witch Hat Atelier Episode 5 also uses this instance to highlight the artists’ skills from how the direction captures Coco’s wavering gaze, taking in the notes of hardships they’ve faced, to Motomura’s superb work as Coco, so believable in both being guilt-ridden and relieved at Qifrey’s quick reassurance.

It’s a strong pivoting point for the series. Coco has endured trial by fire and is now ready for the next leg of her journey. However, as it happens, it’s also the moment when Qifrey, in a brief, intense exchange with Nolnoa, reveals that his calm, caring veneer isn’t all he is in a chilling beat where he locks eyes with Nolnoa and the music completely cuts out. 

From breathless action to emotional and evocative character work, Witch Hat Atelier Episode 5 is the best of the series so far. Vibrant and electrifying in its final effect, “The Dragon’s Labyrinth” is a defining episode that understands both the nuance that makes the series worthwhile and its broad appeal. 

Witch Hat Atelier Episode 5 is available now on Crunchyroll. 

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