Lots of neat callbacks in this volume - including some great stories featuring ghosts, the mandrakes, and #1 hero Beachy - as well as a new witch! This series is such a comfy read, knowing that nothing terrible ever really happens so every new adventure can focus on the fun and whimsy. Makoto gets to work exploring new spells, Chinatsu gets to see bigger parts of the world, Kei... looks at pretty girls and likes movies, hell yeah brother!
I love how little bits of stories keep recurring and referencing each other, it makes the world feel so much larger and despite how episodic every chapter is there's a great sense of progress as each character slowly grows more mature. Makoto with her newly recognized affinity for creation magic taking to mending things and getting more in touch with lifeforms, Kei turning his love of movies into a desire to film and document things, Chinatsu going from a goofy kid to... well, still a goofy kid, but now a goofy kid who feels at home in magic underwater realms and different dimensions!
My only complaint about this volume is the lack of Chito chapters.
The mandrakes are so dang cute and it was amazing seeing a parallel world. Another great instalment in the series. The short story nature of the series really adds fun and an ease to the reading.
Makoto Kowata is a witch. Or rather, she's a witch in training. As such, she has packed up all her belongings (and cat) to live with distant relatives. It's a bit of a family tradition – a way of sending young witches out into the world - but in a gentler way.
Summer brings with it many delights. For Makoto and hew newfound friends, those delights often come in the form of celebrations. Currently, they're planning on attending the Lantern Festival – an otherworldly procession dedicated to magical beasts.
Review:
Another great addition to the series! Flying Witch Vol. 9 was perfect, at least for me. I've loved the magical critters in this series, even from the beginning, so getting to see more of them is an absolute delight.
And a delight it was. As I've mentioned before, Flying Witch is a chill and endearing series. It's perfect to read when I just need to shut my brain down and relax for a bit. In particular, I loved the magical critters (duh) and how Chinatsu got to see more of the magical world.
As always, I'm really enjoying this series binge. It isn't quite like everything else I'm reading, so it makes for a nice change of pace (in a more literal sense than usual since the pace of Flying Witch is so dang chill).
Highlights: Slice-of-life Witchy Tale Cat Familiar
Volume 9 is another relaxing visit with Makoto and the other denizens of Hirosaki. The weather is warming up, so they are breaking out the summer yukata and the bikinis. There is even a chapter about ghosts at work. It is so great to escape from the real world into the one created by Ishizuka sensei where things seem to move at a chillaxed pace and he weaves a story where no one is trying to take over or destroy the world, and no one is having to compete in some over-powered martial arts tournament. The only complaints I could ever have is that the series is bimonthly with the chapters, we only get one collected volume per year and the English version comes out so much later than the Japanese version (which I also collect).
Once again, I enjoyed the new installment of this series. It's very peaceful and settled, and I love the juxtaposition of everyday life and the oddities of living in the magical world, alternate dimensions, ghosts, and religious imagery.
I didn't deduct a star for this, but the s l o w n e s s with which they're bringing over the translated manga is...awful. I have trouble remembering who some of the minor characters are from volume to volume, and the next volume won't release for another ten months. Over time, that won't be a problem (my grandchildren will be able to read it all at once) but right now, it's frustrating.
I thought this one was really fun! Way less wordy than the previous one, which I liked, but lots going on.
My one qualm is that there are so many characters to keep track of and with side stories that we’re kind of straying away from Mako & her family - the core group. I do like the story with Anzu, Hina & the new samurai ghost though. (I actually think the one with them feeding the temple statues might’ve been my favourite. 😂)
I also thought Beachy was more entertaining this time around now that they had a tie with Chinatsu already.
Overall, very enjoyable with a lot of diverse stories in the bunch!
I suppose my standing issue with this manga, that there's nothing particularly compelling about it, still stands. But I found that I enjoyed it more than I think I did the previous volume. Perhaps no particular reason for that, just a different mood. Though I do enjoy the depiction of Japanese festivals and cute/strange otherworldly creatures which are prominent in this volume in particular. And of course, it is a laid-back, slice of life story, so one shouldn't expect much major to happen. I do sort of wish the cover art better reflected the content, since I think a story around that apparently animate komainu statue would have been cute.
Mandrakes evolve, Beachy cleans up, and a festival is attended.
I'm sad to say that I haven't loved the last couple of volumes of this nearly as much as the beginning of the story. The slice-of-life feel is too diluted with this many characters and the slow release schedule. I don't feel like I learned anything new about Makoto and I want more of her (and her cat). I'll still be reading along with the next one when it comes out though.
It’s a Vertical Publishing manga release, so that seems to guarantee the lettering will be awful. Fortunately, everything else about Flying Witch is great fun! I think, in the festival chapters especially, Chihiro Ishizuka does an amazing job of blending photo referenced backgrounds into the style and atmosphere of each panel—so nice.
Comme souvent, les récits sont un peu (trop) courts, surtout la découverte de la zone des plans d’outre-monde. Mais à part ça, les illustrations sont toujours aussi belles, les décors également et ils renforcent l’atmosphère paisible qui se dégage de cette lecture. J’ai passé un bon moment et j’ai beaucoup aimé ce neuvième tome. https://psylook.kimengumi.fr/2021/10/...
Oh this one is another fav for me. Another read full of witchy stuff and here we got to see the other world and it's amazing. Another read full of friends and family, full of fun and laughters. Chinatsu still my fav character, I adore Makoto and eferyone else, but Chinatsu is the best and Beachy just adorable. Well everything is adorable here.
Summer is here, which means more time to learn more about the witch world. The readers join the characters as they journey into other realms and meet more people. I'm enjoying all the new friends being introduced and all of the stories woven together.
I always find myself completely taken with the illustrations and laughing over the story and characters. This series is really a comfort series, a magical slice of life with great characters.
Cute, slow, slice of life, episodic, a little witchy. I especially liked the festival in the parallel world and the mandrakes. This series is a good palette cleanser
4.5⭐️ The sweet baby mandrakes worshipping Makoto, a ghost samurai with a crush, and Chinatsu being besties with the beach bunny! Such an adorable manga!!! 😍