Brave Witches

About Brave Witches

If you are hunting for a new action series, Brave Witches (ブレイブウィッチーズ) deserves a look (2016). The setup goes like this. At its core: As humanity's war with the Neuroi—an enigmatic, hostile alien race possessing weapons of unparalleled ability—continues being fought across Europe and Africa, a new fighter squadron is formed. The 502nd Joint Fighter Wing, also known as the Brave Witches, operates on the eastern front, scouring the icy vastness of Orussia in search of alien invaders.

Also worth knowing: However, one of the Brave Witches' members suffers severe injuries on her way to the squadron's headquarters, rendering her unable to participate in any operations. As a result, her sister, Hikari Karibuchi, volunteers to take her place. Though not possessing any special abilities or significant magical powers, she is determined to live up to the expectations of her new comrades and prove herself worthy of the name of a Witch.

In an action series like this, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Yoshika Miyafuji (Misato Fukuen) and Eila Ilmatar Juutilainen (Ayuru Oohashi) are two of the characters you will meet early. If you count yourself among viewers who like fast, high-impact fights, put it on your list. With 12 episodes in total, there is enough room for the story to develop.

Production & Appeal

SILVER LINK. is the studio behind Brave Witches, and its direction shapes everything from character design to motion. The action focus matters here: fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. With a 6.5/10 score, it is more of a niche pick than a universal crowd-pleaser. On the casting side, Misato Fukuen voicing Yoshika Miyafuji gives the lead role a recognizable voice. Released in 2016, it competed with that season's other new series for attention.