"Do you know how to break a witch's curse?
Method 1: A loving kiss from a prince on a white horse."
----- "Never met one." -----
"Method 2: Hope the wrathful witch has a change of heart."
----- "I'm in this mess 'cause I can't find that bitch!" -----
In the interest of function over form, here’s a quick yardstick to judge if you’ll enjoy reading The Witch and the Beast, for those in a hurry:
- Are you looking for a seinen manga replete with explosive action, intriguing characters and a mature tone?
- Do you want something that will keep you thinking after you put it down?
- Can you enjoy
...
exquisite paneling and detailed line art for its own sake?
- Do you prefer world-building spread out in layers like an onion rather than exposited through info-dump-trucks?
- Are you a fan of neoclassical/old world European architecture and characters with a sense of fashion?
- Are you ok with starting in-media-res & episodic storytelling?
- Did you admire the conceptual vibe of Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them, but wanted something better?
- Are you curious what Men in Black would be like if it was about witches instead?
- Have you ever asked yourself what it would be like if Sean Connery was a pretty-boy archmage? Or what if Wolverine was a petite blond girl?
- Are you tired of save-the-world stories about defeating a demon king or some-such?
- Is Power from Chainsaw Man your waifu?
If the answer to most of the above is no, then this manga isn’t for you. If everything was a yes, then why are you still here? Go look up chapter 1 already! Though, if you want a little bit more convincing, then keep reading.
THE REVIEW:
Now then, what follows is as much a review of and speculation on W&B as it is an effort to get my thoughts in order and vent my frustration at how overlooked this manga seems to be, at least in the English-speaking community. Up to the time of writing, W&B has successfully pieced together the skeleton of what could become a gripping story with compelling narrative stakes, well realized main characters (given more time), an intriguing antagonist that thus far eschews genre tropes and an impressively memorable art style that elevates it above most of its peers. The only lingering question in my mind is if Satake will continue the measured pacing of both the stated narrative and the meta narrative (Guideau's slow character development) that has allowed its aforesaid strengths to grow and come to the fore organically over about the first 5 volumes.
PRESENTATION (art & storytelling conventions):
Satake understands ‘show, don’t tell’. Time and again I’ve seen manga put the cart before the horse and fail at this most basic principle, typically in the form of exposition dumps; W&B for the most part avoids this pitfall by simply giving just enough info upfront to contextualize what will happen, and leaving the rest to be explained afterwards by characters reflecting on events or presenting narrative/artistic clues for readers to interpret.
The storytelling is directed in a cinematic style - both visually and verbally. The detailed European style cityscapes provide an atmospheric visual metaphor that informs the overall style and tone of the manga. Contrast this with the fluid yet intense character art in the action scenes and you have a captivating combination that makes for eye candy on every page.
And in line with the cinematic presentation, as a rule we are usually not privy to any of the characters inner voices. The importance of this paradigm to maintaining the necessary mystery and suspense for W&B to succeed as a thriller cannot be understated. This is a manga that will reward you for pausing and admiring the slight changes in facial expressions from one panel to the next, as well as contemplating what the characters say versus what they don't say. Indeed given that we cannot know with certainty the true motivations of even the main characters, much of your takeaway in terms of whether you find them intriguing or too lacking in definition for your taste will come down to how much you are willing to read into body language and facial expressions - as well as how much you are willing to speculate on what unstated motivations the main cast may have. At least, that's how things stand at present.
NARRATIVE (minimal spoilage):
The basic setup of W&B is fairly straightforward: witches are more or less universally powerful, and as a result, universally feared. Our protagonists work for a secret society of mages that sends them out to ‘deal’ with problems involving magic in general, and witches in particular. The narrative hook here lies with who and what exactly our main characters are; the ‘first class mage’ Ashaf and his partner Guideau - an ill-mannered girl burdened with a witch's curse. As the opening words posit, this is a story of Guideau's quest for a cure (and revenge).
As Ashaf and Guideau's episodic adventures progress, the narrative sticks to its original personal-level goal rather than doubling down the cliched rabbit hole of saving the world - and in fact it pulls off a somewhat tongue-in-cheek parody/sidestep of the trope in the vol 4 that's more apparent looking back afterward than at the time of reading. The first few volumes may leave the story feeling rudderless, but from vol 5 onwards, things begin coming together defining a clear direction.
ANTAGONIST (minor spoiler):
One final spoiler, but it really illustrates how W&B's approach to the mystery/thriller angle works. We are 6 volumes in and the main antagonist (the titular Witch) cannot be conclusively deemed a villain, insofar as the one-sided understanding of events presented via following Ashaf & Guideau's POV, combined with our lack of knowledge of events preceding chapter 1, allows for conflicting interpretations of the Witch's true motives and character. Indeed, given what Guideau may be/have been, one can speculate quite compellingly that her curse may have been justified.
The reader can imagine, for instance, the antagonist as a spiteful witch who seeks to torment an innocent Guideau, like the villain of a children's fable - as Guideau's character claims her to be. Or one can imagine a sane witch who perhaps sought to protect people by (spoiler) sealing Guideau's power via a curse. Or again the story is open to a third interpretation: the Witch as a completely amoral actor who has (not too surprisingly) grown egotistical and self-absorbed from possessing the power and lifespan of a witch, in which case, Guideau's curse is nothing more than a temporary relief from boredom in her eyes with no malice behind it. In fact, the story so far allows for all three interpretations to be true to a degree - and I certainly hope that's the direction it moves in.
CONCLUSION:
I could go on further, but at this point if your curiosity hasn't been piqued I'm not sure what else I could say to sway you. If for nothing else, W&B is at least worth checking out for the artwork alone.
 Alternative TitlesSynonyms: Majo no Kimagure, Witch and Whim Japanese: 魔女と野獣 More titlesInformationType: Manga
Volumes: 10
Chapters: 58
Status: On Hiatus
Published: Nov 5, 2016 to Jan 22, 2023
Demographic:
Seinen
Serialization:
Young Magazine (Monthly) Authors:
Satake, Kousuke (Story & Art) Statistics Ranked: #4192 2 based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded. Popularity: #1012
Members: 19,566
Favorites: 449 Available AtResources | Reviews
Filtered Results: 9 / 9
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Jun 24, 2021
"Do you know how to break a witch's curse?
Method 1: A loving kiss from a prince on a white horse." ----- "Never met one." ----- "Method 2: Hope the wrathful witch has a change of heart." ----- "I'm in this mess 'cause I can't find that bitch!" ----- In the interest of function over form, here’s a quick yardstick to judge if you’ll enjoy reading The Witch and the Beast, for those in a hurry: - Are you looking for a seinen manga replete with explosive action, intriguing characters and a mature tone? - Do you want something that will keep you thinking after you put it down? - Can you enjoy ... 
May 20, 2024
Sad example when the author has no idea where he wants to go with a story. Or does not communicate this to the reader at all. It is sad because the arcs themselves are pretty good. But the lack of any logical connection between them and negligible interaction between main antagonist and protagonist leave you with a meaningless aftertaste after reading the story.
First we had an actual witch hunt with flashy battles (the anime adapted it pretty well). Then, out of nowhere, the story teleports to vampire lands with loredump justifications as to how this is possible. The protagonist's powers are effectively sealed from that ... 
Dec 23, 2023
THIS MANGA HAS RUINED OTHER MANGAS FOR ME!
I will no longer be ablé to read subpar stories. The art, the story, the characters, the world, all 10/10. One of the best stories I have ever read. Truly a masterpiece. It would be a mistake not to read this, but if you do just know you will never be able to enjoy mid manga ever again as your expectations will rise for quality with this work. Once your eyes have gazed on this beautiful art, they will bleed at the average drawings in most mangas. You will thirst for epic action scenes so crazy to ... 
Aug 20, 2023
If the animation done right, 90% animes out there don't even hold a candle to this master piece.
An elegant, fantasy-action work. Majo to Yajuu or The Witches and the Beast is the Epitome of witch story which one can indulge in. To be exact, I read a variety of manga genres; but narrowing down to fantasy/magic/witch theme which the current time has to offer, such as: "Witch Hat Atelier" and "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End" This one is S-tier list in term of fantasy. I admit each has its own unique way to serve the dish which what makes Frieren and Atelier altogether good read, but ... 
Aug 3, 2021
I've currently read up to volume five and am waiting for the next two volumes to come in. This story's strongest point is the art, which is beyond stunning. I always love when characters are drawn with feline/animalistic characteristics and the artist does it so beautifully in this manga. I'm also a huge sucker for fantasy stories involving magic, particularly witches, so this was right up my alley. I admit, there is some predictable parts but they were enjoyable to read nonetheless. The pacing is on the slower side, but the characters are just so intriguing I can't even consider the possibility of dropping this.
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Dec 28, 2022
Is this manga perfect? No. Does it somehow cater perfectly to my interests? Yes. Dark fantasy with witches, necromancers, mages, vampires... plenty of violence, mystery surrounding our main characters, ambiguous relationships that I genuinely have no idea how they will develop, lovely art and a dark aesthetic/atmosphere... yeah, I binge read the whole thing and I love it.
Our main characters are Ashaf, a softly spoken mage who's motives we have yet to fully unravel, and Guideau, a beast/monster of world destructive power that has been trapped in the body of a girl due to a witch's curse. She (and I use 'she' loosely since Guideau's ...
Sep 24, 2023
Up to 10 volumes, I've re-read the first few volumes multiple times just because of how interesting the world-building is, both literally and figuratively. For anyone looking for an interesting concept rooted in dark and ambiguous themes with equally impressive art, this is a definite story to not miss.
Overall (9/10) As someone who has been looking for new worlds to ponder and read about, this was one of the most unique settings in a while. The pacing, some may consider slow, is perfectly reasonable and creates a sense of intrigue and wanting to get to the next page to see how everything turns out. Art is ... 
Jun 1, 2024
For the past two months, I found myself in a reading slump regarding manga, but "The Witch and The Beast" helped me overcome it.
Plot: 7/10. Objectively, this manga does not introduce anything novel: it presents a fantasy world populated by witches, vampires, mages, and humans, who are predictably at odds with each other. At the center is the ultimate evil, somehow linked to our fierce female lead, Guideau, who's got quite the attitude. Alongside Ashad, they tackle various gruesome murder cases to find clues about the witch who cursed Guideau. The full story of the curse remains a mystery, but I'm crossing my fingers that ... 
Nov 2, 2020
So far I’ve only read the first volume and the series looks like it as potential so I’m going to keep reading and see if the score improves but so far it’s somewhat underwhelming. It’s not boring in any sense (at least not to me) and the art and premise are fantastic but so far I feel like it hasn’t quite lived up to that potential. One main issue is it seems to be leaning heavy into secrets and mystery but almost in the wrong sense. So far both mages and witches have been confirmed to exist at least and yet so far nothing about
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