L'Atelier des Sorciers, tome 1

とんがり帽子のアトリエ [Tongari Bōshi no Atelier] #1-2

by Kamome Shirahama, Fédoua Lamodière (Translator)

Il primo numero di Atelier of Witch Hat – Grimoire Edition, la serie manga che ha ispirato l’anime ora in uscita, arriva con una Instant Variant esclusiva dedicata all’anime, in collaborazione con Crunchyroll!

Il fascino irresistibile dell’avventura di Coco alla scoperta di meraviglie e misteri legati alla magia rivive in una nuova prestigiosa edizione, in occasione del debutto dell’anime. Uno dei più raffinati manga fantasy degli ultimi anni, acclamato da pubblico e critica a livello internazionale, arriva in maxi volumi cartonati con copertine effetto similpelle e inserti, che includono una gallery di illustrazioni a colori e un’intervista inedita all’autrice.

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Comics, Young Adult, Seinen, Comics Manga

432 pages, Hardcover

Published January 22, 2025

About the author

Kamome Shirahama (白浜鴎) is a Japanese manga artist.

Reviews

[DianaRose · Rating 5 out of 5]

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

ok, i SWORE that i had read vol 1 of this series years ago, but after reading this omnibus edition, i can safely say i have never read this series because i would have absolutely remembered such stunning illustration, vibrant characters, and intriguing world; however, that means i can binge the entire series now, to much excitement! and especially with the anime airing, i'm excited to continue reading this series~

the beauty in reading is seeing the same concepts recreated in unique and original ways - it never ceases to amaze me how creative and whimsical some people are.

witch hat atelier is so beautiful in its storytelling, artwork, character development, and especially worldbuilding. i love how the magic system is explained through coco's lessons and experiences.

i cannot wait to continue reading this series!

[ishraq ★ (ia)]

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ౿ 🪄 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ preread .ᐟ

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ i'm SCREAMING what do you mean i got the arc for this masterpiece?? AND THE GRIMORE EDITION!? anyway im planning to finish this and hopefully start the anime eee im so excited

೯ . . .thank you to author and netgalley for an eARC

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you asked me to make a list of everything I want in a manga, I'd be describing Witch Hat Atelier 💜✨

The artwork is stunningly beautiful, very reminiscent of Art Nouveau and with an astonishing attention to detail. I could lose myself for hours just looking at the art.

The story is really cute. I'll always be drawn to stories about magical schools, and this one is on the cozy cottagecore side, since it’s about a small group of apprentices to a very kind magician in the countryside.
I love the resilience and resourcefulness of the main character, Coco, although she's also too curious and impulsive for her own sake 😅 but there wouldn’t be a story otherwise!
Even if it’s a cute story on the surface, I also love that there’s a dark and mysterious side plot that is really slowly revealed to us.

I had already read part of this manga but I really enjoyed this new edition that compiles the first three volumes. The edition itself is stunning and I really appreciated that it contains pages in color too. I highly recommend it for readers of all ages who love cozy and magical stories!

Thanks to Kodansha Comics via NetGalley for providing an eARC

[KC · Rating 4 out of 5]

So adorable!! I can see why this is a popular manga and this grimoire edition sounds like it’ll be stunning!

All Coco has wanted is to become a witch and use magic. When her first attempt at it goes awry and endangers a loved one, Coco swiftly becomes an apprentice to learn how to undo the magic. But she discovers that learning it is more difficult and holds more responsibility than she thought.

I absolutely loved reading about Coco and her foray into the magical world. Her positivity and vibrancy remind me of Kiki, who I also adore. The world and magic system are well explained with a deeper underlying mystery threaded throughout the story.

The art is gorgeous and kept me mesmerized from the moment I started reading. I’ve heard that there is an anime and I can only imagine what this art would look like in color!

I received a sample of this grimoire edition which only consisted of volume I. I’d love to read the rest of the volumes since it seems that Coco’s story is just getting started.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for the advanced copy!

[Aisvarya [back ig] · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨What an absolute delight!!✨

I've already read the manga up to Volume 11, and it's safe to say that it's one of my all-time favorites. So when I saw this Grimoire Edition, I was absolutely intrigued to see what new features it would include, and it definitely didn't disappoint.

Even though the ARC contains only the first volume, the full color artworks at the front were such a wonderful sight to behold, and I can already tell it's going to look absolutely stunning in person. You bet I'll be getting this edition before the year ends because it's definitely one for the shelves😍🤌🏻✨

Coming to the story, we follow a young girl named Coco, who adores magic and has been fascinated by it ever since she witnessed a magical performance at a fair as a child. Her life changes when she accidentally witnesses a witch performing spells and then causes a terrible mistake while attempting to recreate them herself. From there, we follow her journey to become a witch while also trying to find a way to undo the problem she created.

I absolutely loveeeee Coco!! Her curiosity and love for magic are so adorable to witness, and her bubbly nature is completely infectious.🥹💗 You can't help but smile every time she encounters a new spell or discovers something magical.

But don't let all the cuteness of this volume fool you because there's a lot of trauma and heartbreak hidden beneath the surface of this series. And I just wish our precious Coco didn't have to endure so much of it😭🥺

Also, as someone who's already read further into the series, I know these girls grow into such wonderful friends, and I cannot wait to reread it and watch those relationships develop all over again, especially Agott's relationship with Coco. Seeing her slowly warm up to Coco is one of my favorite parts of the story.

And I have to mention the magic system because it's one of my favorite aspects of the series. It actually reminds me a lot of the magic systems found in books by Brandon Sanderson. What I mean by that is that it follows a clear set of rules and limitations, and success depends largely on creativity and how those rules are applied.

So if you're a fantasy reader looking to dip your toes into manga or anime, I'd absolutely recommend starting with this one.

Huge thanks to Kodansha Comics for the eARC through NetGalley.

[lost in epilogue | ཐི༏ཋྀ​​݁ ₊ ݁ . · Rating 5 out of 5]

i had already read the series but wanted to see what the grimoire edition would hold!

same story that i loved before, but a few additional pages of sketches and full color (although not as many as i had hoped).

i only had a digital edition tho, i'm sure the physical hardcover must be gorgeous!

an honest arc review ✎ (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈) ༉‧ ♡*.✧

[⚡eli⚡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the e-arc copy, in exchange for an honest review.


WHA follows Coco, a young girl who accidentally petrifies her mom while drawing (not casting) a forbidden dark spell (after spying on a witch Qifrey who was drawing it in secret). To reverse this, Qifrey takes her in as an apprentice. And so, the journey of learning magic and navigating trough the society of witches begins.



A while back, when I read vol. 1 of Witch Hat Atelier in Norwegian, I already fell in love with the story and artwork. The world-building is exciting, the pace and plot is solid, and the characters are charming. I also enjoy how we learn of magic, creatures and tools alongside Coco (there are even fans who have created their own spells, like the air fryer, washing machine and other ones :D)



Coco is a girl who longs for magic and sees the beauty in little things. She's always starry-eyed when people talk or do magic. And when a situation demands a solution, she will put on her thinking cap and think on it in a creative way, surprising everyone around her. I think she and other witches would have loved digital art option - perfect circles and undo/delete button haha.

Other characters - Qifrey is a talented Master witch who teaches Tetia, Richeh, and Agott (fellow witches in training alongside Coco) at his atelier. He's very sweet and kind towards the kids. I want to learn more of his background and see his dynamic with adults, because I've heard some funny things about the interactions.



Overall, this is one of the most beautiful manga I have ever read. The artwork is stunning and clever. There are some divided panels, not by a straight line as we typically see, but it sometimes sort of bleeds into each other, connecting panels with the use of speech bubbles, scenery, magical elements etc. Btw, this edition has bonus content like full color illustrations, early sketches, behind the scenes information and interview with the author.



This one for giggles. Author unknown. Qifrey and Brushbuddy x 2 hehe

[Noemí Ares · Rating 5 out of 5]

Increíble!!
Necesito saber ya cómo sigue.
Estoy encantada de estar leyendo esto y deseando ver el anime pronto🤭🤭

[Arianna Fiacco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meraviglioso, dalla storia ai disegni, sicuramente una delle migliori (se non la migliore??) scoperte di quest'anno

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, Kamome Shirahama and Kodansha comics for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is absolutely stunning, sooo gorgeous! My mind is spinning right now thinking if I should buy a copy for myself 😃👀

Coco is a girl with a simple dream, to be a witch. But everyone knows you can’t just became a witch, you have to born one. About to give up on her dream, she learns she doesn’t have to, because what she knows to be the truth maybe isn’t quite has she thought.

I love Coco, she’s so fun and quite adorable 😙🥰I got talk about the art again because I mean it’s phenomenal, there were panels that showed Coco that were just ahhhh soo good!

Anyway I also really like Agott, she’s one of the strongest of the 4, I think. Mister Qifrey is also quite a curious character. The other roommates of Coco are also so much fun. Richeh our resident introvert for sure. And Tetia who’s happy when someone thanks her?! Like isn’t that just cute 🤭

It reminded me of a anime I saw when was a kid called Little witch academy but maybe a bit better. I most definitely recommend this incredible story to everyone really.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Thanks to Kodansha and NetGalley for an ARC of this manga in exchange for an unbiased review.]

Well, this isn’t an easy review because it’s for the digital version of something that is best experienced as a physical product and two thirds of the content isn’t actually here in the ARC. Please keep that in mind while reading.

In fact, I have it on good authority that I trust implicitly in these matters that the physical version is rather stunning and I’m nearly inclined to give it the nod based on that alone.

What I have to work with is some bonus material and the first volume. Of the two, I’ll be focusing on the initial volume and I will say first off that it is expertly done and made me want to restart and catch up on the whole series (I had to drop it for cost reasons ages ago and just never came back).

This first volume is packed with set-up, yet never feels rushed or laborious. It balances its teaching by having it come via Coco, our lead and audience surrogate, who is enamoured of magic.

So enamoured, in fact, that she ends up discovering the rather complex trick behind it and experimenting on her own, which leads to grave consequences and her adoption into an atelier by the probably-too-nice witch, Qifrey.

Coco is a winning lead for something like this - determined and hard-working, yet slightly impulsive, but not too annoying about it. Throw in her quest to save her mother, plus the unfortunate secret of magic, and it all works.

It helps that Coco has her own skills that she employs when placed in a very dangerous situation by a fellow apprentice, Agott, who functions as a mini-antagonist for this volume. Agott’s haughty nature and comeuppances add a lot to the volume.

And amidst all this, there’s the quiet addition of background forces moving around while Coco is starting her journey. The tantalizing breadcrumbs of another witch faction, mystic libraries, and special destinies are all slowly seeded for the future.

Plus, the art is drop dead gorgeous and I had, again, forgotten just how intricate it is. Some of the magic effects and the beastie that ends the first volume in particular are spectacular highlights.

Basically, book good. I wish I was able to give an appraisal of the entirety of this edition’s contents and presentation, but I can’t. I do think this is a very good read and doubt you’ll be disappointed by it, but I wanted to be able to make that claim wholeheartedly.

4.5 stars - I would genuinely love to round this up, that first volume is a belter, but I don’t feel comfortable vouching for what I haven’t seen. Absolutely recommended, but not a total endorsement of this version.

[Fátima Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's something magically sweet about this story

I didn't imagine I'd like "Witch Hat Atelier" so much, nor that I'd be so eager to read more. First of all, thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I need to start by saying that, despite the manga being in black and white, it was very easy to visualize everything in color, which made the world feel vivid and magical for me.

The story is sweet, magical, and mysterious, all in equal measure. I was enchanted and in love from the beginning, feeling a connection with Coco in just a few pages that I know will only increase as the story progresses. This year, I'm starting to venture into comics and manga for real, and I can already say "Witch Hat Atelier" has become my favorite manga.

The pages quickly grab you, both because of the story and the beautiful art, and you can't stop reading. I recommend it to absolutely everyone, even those who don't usually read manga, as was my case. I'm eagerly awaiting the next volume, and I'm sure I'll rush to read it the day it comes out.

[nihaarika · Rating 5 out of 5]

okay, i totally see why witch hat atelier is so beloved. the art style is delightfully gorgeous, and so intricate. the way the sigils and the magic circles are drawn is so freaking beautiful. and the character designs? i’m obsessed!!! the world-building was super interesting and i loooved the way the magic system was explained; it was sooo easy to understand. the plot feels quite riveting too! the mystery wizard, that book of forbidden spells he sold to coco…i have a feeling things only get more exciting from here. and don’t even get me started on qifrey…a kind, caring (attractive) man with a mysterious side who basically takes coco under his wing…yeah…i was gone from the start. can’t wait to continue with the rest of the series!!!

thank you kodansha comics for the e-arc!

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es mi nueva obsesión. Magia, misterio y personajes monísimos, ¿qué más puedo pedir? 😭✨

[Elenanovelera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me declaro super fan de este manga tan cozy.

Se te pega el entusiasmo que tiene Coco, la protagonista, por la magia, siendo ella una persona sin poderes.
Todo un mundo súper bien construido, con una estructura súper clara que te va mostrando a lo largo del tomo.
Deseando comenzar la segunda parte

[Xaendr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantasía cozy sobre una niña que nace sin el poder de la magia, pero por giros del destino acaba estudiando en una academia/taller mágico.

QUE SALGA YA EL ANIME

[Louane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relecture en edition grimoire car je me suis fait un auto-cadeau pour mon anniversaire. Cest trop beau cest trop chou

[♫ Irene ♫ · Rating 5 out of 5]

«Agete tiene tendencia a dejarse llevar por la angustia de lo que no puede hacer más que por alegrarse por lo que ha conseguido».

Dibujo de diez. Una construcción del uso de la magia súper original. Sin duda es una historia entrañable, pero con un secreto que subyace a toda la historia y cosas que aún no sabemos.

[mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

son mis hijas todas yo las voy a proteger

[Anna ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is perfect what can I say

[Madelin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It had a great, quite impactful start. I liked that the magic was as beautiful as it was dangerous, depending on who uses it, and how they also explained things about the world without it being boring or tedious.

All the characters were interesting, especially Qifrey. I'm really eager to learn more about him and his intentions.

I think it's a world with a lot of potential. This was just the foundation for what could be a great story full of adventures, secrets, evil beings, and above all, magic. I'm really looking forward to seeing what direction this story will take and why Coco is so important.

And of course, what stands out the most is the beautiful art. Every drawing is full of lovely details.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the arc of this manga in exchange for an honest review.

[Priscilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

J'ai craqué pour l'anime et j'ai tellement aimé que je ne pouvais qu'acheter le manga en version Grimoire !

Coco est une jeune fille passionnée de magie dans un monde où celle-ci ne peut être pratiquée que par les sorciers, ce n'est pas pour le commun des mortels. Lorsqu'elle découvre que la magie est beaucoup plus accessible qu'elle ne le croyait, elle va mettre sa mère en danger et seul le sorcier Kieffrey va pouvoir l'aider en la prenant comme apprentie.

Ce qui pourrait être au départ une intrigue classique avec des personnages plutôt jeunes se trouve être beaucoup plus complexe et profond qu'il n'y parait. Un monde dans lequel des élus décident ce qui est bon ou non ? Red flaaag. Surtout qu'on va vite voir que Kieffrey (et d'autres) cache quelques secrets... J'ai donc été agréablement surprise par l'univers et l'histoire, tout en étant sous le charme du dessin, absolument magnifique. J'ai hâte de poursuivre et découvrir tous les autres personnages, cet univers va réserver de belles surprises, je pense !

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐
Premièrement, des dessins magnifiques, c'est élaboré mais assez simple pour être dans un manga.
Deuxièmement, l'histoire. C'est un schéma assez classique, la jeune fille qui est l'élu de quelque chose, surtout qu'à la base elle n'est rien (un peu comme dans Black Clover), mais l'auteur à réussi à faire en sorte que le développement de Coco ne soit pas une simple évidence. Il créer un personnage qui est déterminé mais qui accepte l'échec, ce qui est une bonne morale pour les lecteurs. Les autres personnages sont aussi attachants et ont des personnalités différentes. On retrouve certains archétypes, forcément, mais il y a une touche de nouveauté qui fait plaisir à lire quand même.
Dès le premier tome, on peut déceler des enjeux autour de Coco, sans forcément que ce soit hyper développé. L'auteur à trouvé le juste milieu pour nous faire accroché à l'histoire, sans trop développer, et c'est rafraîchissant dans le milieu du manga.

Je recommande !

[Valarie - WoodsyBookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witch Hat Atelier is undeniably gorgeous with stunning artwork and equally incredible storytelling. This series has such a unique take on the magic system and while the characters are young there are incredibly dark themes. 

I love Coco's character - she's genuinely interested in learning magic but she's also not afraid to dip into forbidden spells if it means protecting the people she cares about. For a series that's so far only around 16 volumes the lore and the vast amount of characters it introduces pacts such a punch.

The grimoire edition has the first few volumes which set up the magic system and the world of this story for some of the darker volumes to come. It's truly a beautiful series.

[Miky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am utterly in love! Kamome Shirahama, what have you done to me, now I'll have to buy all the volumes, watch all the anime episodes, and obsess over WHA for the rest of my life.

The story is the most whimsical story I have ever laid my eyes upon, the characters are lovely, Coco is the cutest ever and I just couldn't get enough of her. The art is superb, and the story is magnificent, I couldn't put it down for one second.

The Grimoire edition is especially special, by having all the extra material included. I can't wait for all of the volumes to get released in my country so I can have them in my library.

Thank you, NetGalley, Kodansha Comics, and Kamome Shirahama, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Skirmantė · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I really missed out by never reading or watching Witch Hat Atelier before, because WOW, this was amazing.

The art is suuuper beautiful. Every single panel feels magical, and the character designs are gorgeous too. I honestly kept stopping just to admire the artwork.

The story hooked me right away, and the magic system seems really cool and interesting so far. I loved discovering everything alongside Coco and her love for magic in the beginning of the volume felt so endearing. I’m already super excited to read more about her adventures and see where the story goes next.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Ace Queen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not counting this towards my yearly reading goal because I tracked/reviewed the 3 volumes included in this grimoire individually.
I am enjoying this series so far and feel grateful that I got to experience it for the first time in the grimoire edition. Experiencing it in oversized format with extra content in the end was great and I higly recommend it. The art is beautiful, the paper quality is great, I love the extra content in the back, and I love reading manga in this form (oversized hardcover omnibus). Can't wait for the next grimoire release so I can experience volumes 4-6

[witchy_book_babe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was absolutely stunning! The style of art is enchanting, magical, whimsical, and glorious! I was swept away with the gothic, mythical imagery. I loved the imaginative spin on 'Magic' and 'Wizardry'. I absolutely want to get this in a physical format to refer back to time and time again.

I loved this quote: "For when man has the power to do anything, then anything he will do."

Thank you endlessly to Kodansha Comics, NetGalley, and Kamome Shiraham for the advanced reading copy!

[Mela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got the preview of the grimoire edition, so I’ve only read volume one and I absolutely have to continue this series.
It was so cozy and cute. The magic system is quite complex and I’m sensing there will be some beautiful friendships growing in the future. That ending was an amazing!
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Raine · Rating 5 out of 5]

OBSESSED MORE PLEASE