The Screen Scribe

Late last year I jumped on the Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End band wagon and didn’t look back. Quietly stated, philosophically intense, thematically rich, gorgeously animated, it scratched an itch I didn’t even know was there. Quiet, cozy anime (with flashes of superb, kinetic action scenes) that focused on pure, deep character work over bombastic narratives was exactly the speed I was looking for, and I didn’t even know it. I had previously watched Ancient Magus Bride and enjoyed it as well. So, naturally, I have been on the hunt for more anime of a similar ilk, and recently I came across this little gem. The Secrets of the Silent Witch.

The premise is fairly simple and straight forward: a shy, socially anxious (to the point of crippling debilitation in public) mage is tasked with going undercover at an aristocratic academy to act as a bodyguard for a prince. The twist is, Monica Everett is also the Silent Witch, a ridiculously overpowered mage that is a member of the Seven Sages. They are the elite, most powerful magic users in the kingdom and she is the youngest at 16 and considered a genius. Featuring strong character development, gorgeous animation, a contemplative but richly thematic narrative, and surprisingly darker elements to the backstory, the Secrets of the Silent Witch is a worthy addition to the growing quiet, cozy fantasy vibe.

The caveats to the Silent Witch are small, but significant and dependent on your expectations going into it. The slow, thoughtful, reflective nature of the narrative may put some people off, especially Frieren fans. I went into this expecting yes, the slow pacing, but some action scenes to break it up periodically. But while the Silent Witch has a couple of outstanding action scenes, they are so spaced out that it is not to be considered a regular feature of the show, and more of a reward for sticking with the slow pace. Monica, as the central character, of course gets the lions share of the character development, but to the detriment of the side characters. Some of them are loveable, even interesting, but ultimately left wanting in terms of growth and development. By the shows end we are left with an expanded cast but most of them feel static, no different than they were when they were first introduced. But with a 13 episode first season, this is but a small gripe. I fully expect this to be rectified in season 2.

Now, onto the good stuff, and trust me, there is plenty of it. Front and centre is the superb handling of Monica’s character. It’s very rarely I have seen crippling social anxiety handled so seriously and carefully in anime I personally have watched. Yes, there are moments where it is played for comedic effect, but these are not in disrespect to the character or her condition. Throughout the 13 episodes, you see Monica grow from chronically shy, awkward and paralyzed little girl, into a more confident, outspoken and assertive young woman. She makes friends, she attends student council meetings, she faces her bullies with dignity and poise, where before she would have frozen, cowered, or simply run away. It is a testament to the wonderful writing and Silent Witch should be watched for this alone. That is not to say it is not without other outstanding merits. Oh no. The animation is beautiful, switching from the cutesy class and comedy scenes to the tense and dramatic character moments without a hiccup, absolute quality through and through. There was one scene in particular in the early episodes that, while I was watching it, I realised I was smiling and thinking yeah, this is for me. The score is superb as well, often reminiscent of Yuki Kajiura, the famous Japanese composer renowned for her work on the Fate series, Sword Art Online, and Garden of Sinners. Trust me when I say that is high praise coming from me, given I often consider Yuki the Hans Zimmer of the anime world.

While it did not reach the heady heights of Frieren; Beyond Journey’s End, and honestly I don’t think anything in this cosy fantasy genre can, Secrets of the Silent Witch is an excellent entry into this growing vibe that is becoming a quiet little juggernaut in not only the anime world, but fantasy literature, gaming, and tv as well. If you want a short watch at 13 episodes, I can whole heartedly recommend the Silent Witch for a weekend binge.

4 / 5 ✨ from the Screen Scribe.

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