| Maebashi Witches | |
|---|---|
 Key visual | |
| 前橋ウィッチーズ | |
| Genre | Coming-of-age,[1]Magical girl |
| Created by | Sunrise |
| Written by | Erika Yoshida |
| Directed by | Junichi Yamamoto |
| Music by | Yuri Habuka |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Original language | Japanese |
| No. of episodes | 12 |
| Production | |
| Animator | Sunrise |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | Tokyo MX,BS11,GTV,SUN,KBS Kyoto,TVA,HTB,SBS,RKB,EBC,YTS,UX,HAB,AAB,NCC,AT-X |
| Release | April 6 (2025-04-06) – June 22, 2025 (2025-06-22) |
Maebashi Witches (前橋ウィッチーズ,Maebashi Witchīzu) is an original Japaneseanime television series produced bySunrise. It is directed by Junichi Yamamoto and written by Erika Yoshida, features original character designs by Yu Inami, animation character designs by Nozomi Tachibana, and music by Yuri Habuka. The series aired from April 6 to June 22, 2025, onTokyo MX and other networks.[2] The opening theme song is "Sugosugi Maebashi Witches!" (スゴすぎ前橋ウィッチーズ！; Super Amazing Maebashi Witches!), while the ending theme song is "Sorezore no Door" (それぞれのドア; Each Door), both performed by the five main characters collectively known as the Maebashi Witches.[1][3][4]Crunchyroll streamed the series.[5]
The series follows Yuina Akagi, a cheerful girl fromMaebashi,Gunma Prefecture who likes to take pictures. One day, a mysterious frog-like creature named Keroppe appears before her, inviting her to be a witch. Despite her initial hesitation, she reluctantly accepts when she is told that becoming a witch means she could be granted a witch. She then meets four other girls: Azu Niisato, Kyōka Kitahara, Choco Mitsumata, and Mai Kamiizumi, who were also recruited by Keroppe. Together, they run a mysterious flower shop where they help out people with their problems. However, as their activities continue, they realize that all is not it seems with being a witch.
| No. | Title [7][8] | Directed by [7] | Storyboarded by [7] | Original release date [9] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "What's Wrong with the Status Quo?!" Transliteration: "Genjōiji de Nani ga Warui!!" (Japanese:現状維持で何が悪いっ！！) | Kohei Kuratomi | Junichi Yamamoto | April 6, 2025 (2025-04-06) |
| 2 | "You're As Cheap and Flimsy As Your Clothes" Transliteration: "Fuku mo Anta mo Perappera" (Japanese:服もアンタもペラッペラ) | Takahiro Hirata | Junichi Yamamoto | April 13, 2025 (2025-04-13) |
| 3 | "The Word "Lazy", Pronounced as "Being Yourself"" Transliteration: "Taiman to Kaite, Arinomama to Yomu" (Japanese:怠慢と書いて、ありのままと読む) | Ayaka Tsujihashi | Mitsuko Kase | April 20, 2025 (2025-04-20) |
| 4 | "Go for a 70 Over a 100" Transliteration: "100-Ten Yori mo 70-Ten" (Japanese:100点よりも70点) | Harume Kosaka | Romanov Higa | April 27, 2025 (2025-04-27) |
| 5 | "Is That 70% of 100%?" Transliteration: "Sore 100-Pāsento no 70-Pāsento?" (Japanese:それ100%の70%?) | Kohei Kuratomi | Kohei Kuratomi | May 4, 2025 (2025-05-04) |
| 6 | "Choco's Big Round Chocolate Cake" Transliteration: "Choko no Manmaru Chokokēki" (Japanese:チョコのまんまるチョコケーキ) | Wakiko Kume | Takeshi Furuta | May 11, 2025 (2025-05-11) |
| 7 | "When Things Suck, It Sucks to Admit That They Suck" Transliteration: "Shindoi Toki Shindo Itte Iu no Shindoi" (Japanese:しんどい時しんどいって言うのしんどい) | Takahiro Hirata | Romanov Higa | May 18, 2025 (2025-05-18) |
| 8 | "Kyoka-chan, You Sure Are Dumb" Transliteration: "Kyōka-chan tte Baka Nanda ne" (Japanese:キョウカちゃんって馬鹿なんだね) | Harume Kosaka | Mitsuko Kase | May 25, 2025 (2025-05-25) |
| 9 | "The Maebashi Witches Are Far Evermore" Transliteration: "Maebashi Uitchīzu wa Eien Fumetsu" (Japanese:前橋ウィッチーズは永遠不滅) | Ayaka Tsujihashi | Romanov Higa | June 1, 2025 (2025-06-01) |
| 10 | "I'll Never Forget Today, Even If I Forget" Transliteration: "Kyō no Koto, Wasurete mo Wasurenai yo" (Japanese:今日のこと、忘れても忘れないよ) | Wakiko Kume | Tetsuo Hirakawa | June 8, 2025 (2025-06-08) |
| 11 | "Have We Met Before?" Transliteration: "……Dochira Samadesuka?" (Japanese:……どちら様ですか？) | Mitsuko Kase | Romanov Higa | June 15, 2025 (2025-06-15) |
| 12 | "I Think I'm Done Being a Witch" Transliteration: "Majo wa Mō ī Kanatte" (Japanese:魔女はもういいかなって) | Junichi Yamamoto | Junichi Yamamoto | June 22, 2025 (2025-06-22) |
The anime adaptation was received positively. Cy Catwell ofAnime Feminist reviewed the first episode, noted they had always been a fan ofmagical girls and were drawn to the series because it centers on "magical girl singers", adding that the series has a "path to witchdom...lined with trials," and said it charmed her "pretty instantly," along with its "tasty feminist tidbits," with magic shown as a "vehicle to personal freedom" rather than something which harms young women, but said that the manifestation of their magic in them singing the weakest part of the episode. She also compared the series toPuella Magi Madoka Magica andWonder Egg Priority and called it acoming of age story which is grounded within reality, with teen girls given an opportunity to "be themselves."[10]
