is a Japanese
manga
are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...
series written and illustrated by Chihiro Ishizuka. It has been serialized in
Kodansha
is a Japanese privately held publishing company headquartered in Bunkyō, Tokyo. Kodansha publishes manga magazines which include ''Nakayoshi'', ''Morning (magazine), Morning'', ''Afternoon (magazine), Afternoon'', ''Evening (magazine), Eveni ...
's ''
Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine
is a Japanese monthly manga magazine published by Kōdansha. The magazine was started in September 2009 as a spin-off of another Kōdansha magazine, '' Weekly Shōnen Magazine''.
Currently running manga series
Past series
* '' ×××Hol ...
'' since August 2012, with its chapters collected in 14 volumes as of June 2025. An
anime
is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...
television series adaptation produced by
J.C.Staff
is a Japanese animation studio founded in January 1986 by Tomoyuki Miyata, who previously worked at Tatsunoko Production. The studio's first release was '' Yōtōden'' in 1987. They have produced several well-known anime series, such as '' Aria ...
aired between April and June 2016.
Plot
The story is about Makoto, a young
witch
Witchcraft is the use of magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meaning. According to ''Enc ...
from
Yokohama
is the List of cities in Japan, second-largest city in Japan by population as well as by area, and the country's most populous Municipalities of Japan, municipality. It is the capital and most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a popu ...
, who moves to
Hirosaki
is a Cities of Japan, city located in western Aomori Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 163,639 in 71,044 households, and a population density of . The total area of the city is .
Hirosaki developed as a jōkamachi, ca ...
,
Aomori
, officially Aomori City (, ), is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 264,945 in 136,781 households, and a population density of 321 people per squa ...
to live with relatives as part of her training. What follows is Makoto's daily life as she gets used to her new environment. Her relatives and the new friends she makes there are introduced to the customs and peculiarities of witchcraft.
Characters
;
:
:A witch in training who moves to live with her relatives in Aomori. She is a polite and kind girl who gets lost easily, and is more focused on preparing potions than casting spells. She has a black cat
familiar
In European folklore of the medieval and early modern periods, familiars (strictly familiar spirits, as "familiar" also meant just "close friend" or companion, and may be seen in the scientific name for dog, ''Canis familiaris'') were believed ...
named Chito.
;
:
: A 17-year-old black cat who is Makoto's familiar.
;
:
:Kei's little sister and Makoto's cousin. Initially wary of Makoto, whom she found strange when they first met, she quickly comes to like her after Makoto takes her flying on a broom. She is fascinated with magic and eagerly watches Makoto when she does something that involves witchcraft or something supernatural. She also enjoys sweets. She becomes Akane's apprentice to learn more about magic and to later become a witch herself. After wishing to be able to use magic, Makoto and Inukai manage to inadvertently create a ring filled with mana from a tooth from Hamabe (a sea spirit who befriended Chinatsu). The ring then bonded with Chinatsu and enabled her to use water magic.
;
:
:Chinatsu's older brother and Makoto's cousin.
;
:
: Kei and Chinatsu's father and Nana's husband. He speaks in a
Tsugaru dialect
The is a Japanese dialect spoken in western Aomori Prefecture.
The Tsugaru dialect is reputed to be so divergent from standard Japanese for those who are not native speakers, that even people living in the same prefecture may have trouble unde ...
. In the English dub, Keiji speaks with a
country accent.
;
:
:Kei and Chinatsu's mother. She is familiar with the world of witchcraft and does not find some of the odd things that happen because of Makoto strange at all. She illustrates and writes children books professionally as her job.
;
:
:Makoto's older sister and a full-fledged witch. She contrasts with Makoto in both personality and appearance. While Makoto is polite and softly spoken, Akane is more brash and loud-mouthed, though still just as kind. She also has brown skin and white hair, which contrasts with Makoto's pale skin and black hair. Makoto mentions that many people say that they do not have much in common. Akane cares deeply for Makoto and takes time off from her travels all around the world to visit and check on her sister regularly. She also has a
Siamese cat
The Siamese cat (; แมวสยาม, Maeo Sayam; แมววิเชียรมาศ, Maeo Wichien Maat) is one of the first distinctly recognised breeds of Asian cat. It derives from the Wichianmat landrace. The Siamese cat is one ...
familiar named Kenny.
;
:
: A
Siamese cat
The Siamese cat (; แมวสยาม, Maeo Sayam; แมววิเชียรมาศ, Maeo Wichien Maat) is one of the first distinctly recognised breeds of Asian cat. It derives from the Wichianmat landrace. The Siamese cat is one ...
who is Akane's familiar.
;
:
:Kei's friend, whose family runs a liquor store.
;
:
: A witch from
Akita who specializes in fortune-telling, and is also Akane's friend. After a night of heavy drinking, she ate some chocolates which turn people into animals, made by Akane, and became an anthropomorphic dog. As the chocolates did not work correctly she simply has the face, ears, and tail of a dog, as well as furry skin, and returns to her human form at night. She has been looking for a way to contact Akane for a year to find a cure which will return her to human form permanently. Due to her half-animal appearance, she wears a cloak that covers her face and body so that she does not draw attention. Kei admits that she is his type of girl after seeing her as a human. She has a hamster familiar named Al.
;
:
: A white hamster who is Inukai's familiar. It wears a small bow tie.
;
:
: A witch who lives nearby Kei and Chinatsu's house. While soft-spoken and somewhat reserved, she's an amateur archaeologist and has a love for history. She has a brown owl familiar named Aurore.
;
: A brown owl who is Anzu Shiina's familiar.
;
:
: Anzu's mother and the owner of Cafe Concrucio, She is also a witch.
;
:
: A female ghost who was born in 1906 Japan (Meiji Era) and now works at the Cafe run by Anzu's mother. She is very shy towards others as shown when Makoto, Kei and Chinatsu visit the cafe.
;
:
;
;Harbinger of Fall
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Chihiro Ishizuka, ''Flying Witch'' began in
Kodansha
is a Japanese privately held publishing company headquartered in Bunkyō, Tokyo. Kodansha publishes manga magazines which include ''Nakayoshi'', ''Morning (magazine), Morning'', ''Afternoon (magazine), Afternoon'', ''Evening (magazine), Eveni ...
's
''shōnen'' manga magazine ''
Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine
is a Japanese monthly manga magazine published by Kōdansha. The magazine was started in September 2009 as a spin-off of another Kōdansha magazine, '' Weekly Shōnen Magazine''.
Currently running manga series
Past series
* '' ×××Hol ...
'' on August 9, 2012. Kodansha has collected its chapters into individual volumes. The first volume was released on December 9, 2013.
In 2019, Partial sales from the eighth volume were donated to
Kyoto Animation
, often abbreviated , is a Japanese animation studio and light novel publisher located in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture. It was founded in 1985 by husband and wife Hideaki and Yoko Hatta, who remain its president and vice-president respectively.
Kyoto ...
after the
Kyoto Animation arson attack
The occurred at Kyoto Animation's Studio 1 building in the Fushimi ward of Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, on the morning of 18 July, 2019. The arson killed 36 people, injured an additional 34 (including the suspect), and destroyed most ...
. As of June 9, 2025, fourteen volumes have been released.
North American publisher
Vertical announced their license to the series during their panel at
Anime Central
Anime Central (ACen) is an annual three-day anime convention held during May at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare & Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. The convention is organized by the Midwest Animation Promotion Society (MAPS) ...
on May 22, 2016. The first volume was released in March 2017.
Volumes
Anime
An anime television series adaptation aired from April 10 to June 26, 2016.
The opening theme of the anime is by
miwa featuring , while the ending theme is by Minami Shinoda and Eri Suzuki.
Sentai Filmworks
Sentai Filmworks, LLC (or simply Sentai) is an American entertainment company. Located in Houston, the company specializes in the dubbing and distribution of Japanese animation and Asian cinema. Its post-production arm is Sentai Studios.
The ...
has licensed the series in North America and produced an English dub.
Animatsu Entertainment has licensed the series in the UK.
Episodes
Notes
References
External links
*
*
*
*
{{J.C.Staff
Anime and manga about witchcraft
Anime series based on manga
Comedy anime and manga
Iyashikei anime and manga
J.C.Staff
Kodansha manga
Nippon Television original programming
Sentai Filmworks
Shōnen manga
Vertical (publisher) titles