2026 kicks off the first anime season of the year with several major titles and exciting shows for fans to get hooked on. The winter lineup brings back some of the most beloved shows with sequel seasons, including Frieren: Beyond Journeyโs End, Jujutsu Kaisen, Hellโs Paradise, Fire Force, and My Hero Academia: Vigilantes. But that’s not all, since new anime series such as Sentenced to Be a Hero and You and I Are Polar Opposites are also gaining quite a lot of attention from fans. Amid the plethora of mainstream Shลnen anime, Crunchyroll quietly released a calm and captivating Josei drama titled Journal the Witch.
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The anime is based on the acclaimed manga by Tomoko Yamashita, who is also known for creating The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window. Journal the Witch is the perfect heartwarming anime if you want to take a break from the intense and thrilling action series. The manga was serialized from 2017 to 2023, gaining recognition in Japan as it focuses on personal growth and the unexpected bond between an aunt and her niece. Unlike what the title suggests, it’s not a supernatural fantasy; the witch is a metaphor for the main characters’ perceived differences from social norms, instead of an actual magical power.
What Is The Plot of Journal the Witch?
The story follows a 35-year-old novelist, Makio Kodai, who was estranged from her older sister, Minori, due to the difference in their personalities. Minori disliked how Makio was different from others and often berated her for it. This is why she wasn’t overwhelmed by grief when Minori and her husband died in a car crash. She runs into her 15-year-old niece, whom she hasn’t seen in years, and feels sorry for her having to deal with such a tragic loss. Makio notices that Asa is struggling to process her parents’ death and suggests that she write a diary to express her feelings.
She also learns that none of the relatives want to take care of Asa, who is now left without a guardian. Despite living a life of social isolation, buried in nothing but her work, Makio decides to take the girl home as the two begin to form an unexpected bond. Both of them learn to live with each other while figuring out what they must do in their lives. The story portrays real-life struggles through the characters, making it all the more relatable. Crunchyroll is streaming two episodes of the anime currently and will drop new episodes every Sunday at 7:30 a.m. PT.
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