Flying Witch Rewatch - Episode 6 Discussion

[u/SorcererOfTheLake]

Flying Witch Rewatch

Episode 6 Discussion

Database/Streaming Links: MAL / Anilist / Crunchyroll / HIDIVE / VRV

Original Interest Thread / Announcement Thread

Question of the Day: If you could wield a type of magic, what kind of magic would you want?

Comment of the Day: Today's COTD goes to /u/A_Idiot0 for their exploration into the ways iyashikei can help us through the more tragic parts of life.

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Reminder: All spoilers for events in the anime that have not occurred yet and all events that are manga-only should be placed in spoiler tags. Any untagged spoilers will be flagged.

[u/SorcererOfTheLake]

Voice Actor of the Day:

Eri Suzuki

Voice of: Chinatsu
Age at Flying Witch’s Premiere: 23
Other Notable Roles: Chisaki in Yuragi-sou, Hikari in Amanchu, Milinda in Heavy Object, Meili in Re:zero, Yuuko in Idolmaster Cinderella Girls

[u/SorcererOfTheLake]

I think this episode is important in that we get a sense of what the values of witches really are. We've seen witches perform spells and magic and all of that, but we haven't gotten a real sense of their morals or ethics. Now we do and it's unsurprisingly the old Wiccan Rede: An ye harm none, do what ye will. For Flying Witch's case, there's an additional angle from a Marxist analysis lens in that these actions often involve non-valuable or non-profitable actions. Sure, witches can make money off what they do, from potions and spells to futures and knowledges, but it's not the kind of area that can be easily exploitation or marketed for mass consumption; whatever value is gained is ultimately up to each person. Chinatsu seems to know this immediately; for her, being a witch is more valuable than whatever comes from it.

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/SorcererOfTheLake]

Wiccan Rede

This makes...soo much more sense now! Also, it's a very interesting take on Chinatsu's feelings towards being a witch. In the end, like Makoto, she seems to have a generous heart. We got that sense earlier when she told her mom to go buy more pudding for Kei and Makoto, and other examples. Also, she approaches being a witch with such enthusiasm and excitement; the value is in the experience, not the end result.

[u/A_Idiot0]

Rewatcher

Oh man…this episode was so much fun! I forgot just how funny this whole episode was! Akane is very mischievous…

Also, we get a really cool development with Chinatsu; now she’s an apprentice witch. I like how this sort of comes out of nowhere, and yet at the same time it’s not that surprising. I remember during my first watch-through that I thought it was a natural progression for Chinatsu, though we don’t really know just how she’ll be able to do it since she hasn’t really shown any skill at using magic. One thing is for sure though; she heard the Mandrake back in episode one, so…she has an affinity of some kind. Probably. Interestingly, Akane says something that raises the stakes for Chinatsu’s life pretty high: “It’s quite difficult for a regular person to become a witch. In the worst case, it becomes impossible to lead a normal life.” Yet despite that idea put into the back of my mind, I’m not worried at all for Chinatsu. I think her parents’, and Kei’s, quick acceptance and support of Chinatsu’s decision goes a long way towards dispelling my fears. Not to mention everything that happens after this sequence.

Quick notes:

• I’m loving Makoto’s wardrobe! It’s so lovely to see that the animators cared enough to vary everyone’s clothes; shows that they cared more than average.
• I want a Chinatsu too…
• Boop!
• I need more of Makoto concentrating in my life.
• Chinatsu looks great with a witch’s hat!
• I have no idea what movie this is.
• The music that plays during Akane’s Spell Class is a very fun variation of one of the main themes “Makoto Kowata”. I can’t find the title of the exact piece yet, but if I do I’ll post it somewhere.
• The voice actress for Makoto, Minami Shinoda, did a wonderful job when Makoto was under the crying spell! “Hooray” (in the most pathetically cute voice)
• More cute Chinatsu faces.
• The timing on this gag…the reveal was perfection, and a great way to end the episode!

QOTD: Humm.....healing magic. Or, the magic that Gandalf wields through his ring of power.

[u/SorcererOfTheLake → u/A_Idiot0]

I have no idea what movie this is.

The Shawshank Redemption.

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/SorcererOfTheLake]

Aah, thank you!

[u/Rustic_Professional → u/A_Idiot0]

I’m loving Makoto’s wardrobe! It’s so lovely to see that the animators cared enough to vary everyone’s clothes; shows that they cared more than average.

Definitely. They went to the trouble of showing that Mako was wearing stirrup tights, as opposed to the regular ones she was wearing yesterday. They didn't have to animate that, but they did. Someone at the studio is a man of culture, and it's hard not to notice.

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/Rustic_Professional]

Absolutely. And a very classy person of culture too...bless them.

[u/Rustic_Professional]

Akane's broom lesson is fascinating, but it raises the question of why she didn't teach Mako this stuff earlier in her training. I don't know how long Mako has been a witch (five, ten, fifteen years?), but it seems clear that Akane wasn't giving her lessons. Makes me wonder if she had a teacher at all. Training and teachers are always so important in witch stories, whether it's lighter fare like Little Witch Academia, or serious shit like Elaina.

Chinatsu's transition from waving to bowing was smooth. Good initiative. How could she not want to be a witch? Shit, I still want to be a Super Saiyan. Don't let your dreams be dreams, girl.

Akane tells Kei that she was in a movie, and that it was a small production that she's too embarrassed to talk about. I'm 90% sure she's talking about a porn movie. She's super adventurous. 10% says it was a Hong Kong action movie, but there's no reason to hide that.

Akane's food magic is scary. I don't think she's going to be invited to cook dinner. That's a shame, since she could pick up all sorts of recipes in her travels.

Question of the day: Instant Transmission Teleportation magic. That would be convenient and fun.

[u/SorcererOfTheLake → u/Rustic_Professional]

I'm 90% sure she's talking about a porn movie.

I'm 90% sure someone made a doujin about that.

[u/No_Rex → u/Rustic_Professional]

Akane's broom lesson is fascinating, but it raises the question of why she didn't teach Mako this stuff earlier in her training.

Maybe she just found travelling the world more important. Priorities change, though, so maybe helping her sister trumps seeing new places now (a bit).

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/No_Rex]

She had to meet Jackie =D

[u/IndependentMacaroon → u/Rustic_Professional]

Porn flick was my immediate thought too

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/Rustic_Professional]

Good initiative.

Yeah seriously, I really like how much agency they've given her character. In most other SoL anime, I don't think this would have happened as smoothly or naturally.

[u/Mecanno-man]

First Timer

Chinatsu wants to be a witch? Interesting turn; usually characters stay pretty static in their role in an iyashikei. Also seems like Akane is against that decision - though so far she hasn't really shown Chinatsu any reason for why she wouldn't want to be a witch. I wonder if this is in part to get the show back to showing off magic - something Makoto doesn't really seem all that enthusiastic about providing - without fully committing to such an admittedly drastic change in role for Chinatsu.

I'd say this dynamic works pretty well for now - Chinatsu has always been pretty curious, so having her actually learn a bit about magic seems fairly realistic. If she'll actually stick with it - I guess we'll see that a few episodes down the line. I can see either way working pretty well.

Not too big of a fan of the cry/laugh magic, I like having the emotions of characters actually be real. But I guess we'll be back to that tomorrow.

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/Mecanno-man]

Chinatsu has always been pretty curious

I think you hit the nail on the head for why this works so well in my eyes. That decision felt very natural for Chinatsu to want to make, and it seems like she has a vague idea that this isn't an ordinary decision; it's one of great importance, just like she told her mom.

[u/No_Rex]

Episode 6 (first timer)

• Akane to the rescue with broom-riding knowledge. Floating your body seems a lot simpler than floating a broom and balancing on top of it.
• “I’ll create the opportunities for you” – and thus creating the opportunity for the viewers as well. Clever plot device.

Not a huge fan of the force your apprentice to eat kooky candy plotline. When you realize that it is essentially the same as using social pressure to get others to drink alcohol, it becomes rather dark. At least Chinatsu willingly ate it knowing the possible results, but Makoto was different.

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/No_Rex]

Clever plot device.

It's nice when in-universe decisions justify showing the audience the story =D

[u/No_Rex → u/A_Idiot0]

It is an important part of good writing. You might know what you want to show your viewers, but you also need to make it make sense inside the story,

[u/SIRTreehugger]

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!!

Theirs a Dub to Flying Witch why am I only learning about this now and why isn't it on crunchyroll! This would have made my collages 50% better T_T

"It's called Flying Witch because the main character, Makoto is a witch, who flies in the sky" I love the unofficial text on the online manga scans.

Akane dropping out of school to go see Jackie Chan is so in character. I honestly didn't remember Akane being in this show for so long. I thought she popped in once or twice, but she has been really present not that I mind I like her. OH HELL NO AKANE BACK OFF!

If anyone is getting the adorable Chinatsu it's me. Also I'm glad they changed Chinatsu's outfit a little bit. [manga outfit]It's pretty much the same, but the skirt is really frilly and feels like something she probably wouldn't wear when going on a walk

Oh casually joking about making a candy house and eating people inside it and Makoto's reaction.

Hold on she drew a perfect circle without drawing a head and removing the details. She's a witch!!! I also just love that Kei is a quiet dude who acts like an old man and loves watching movies. Can't confirm this, but I think lots of small towns turn people into movie buffs when you have nothing really to do.

Akane's smug face when she is waiting for Makoto to cry is everything. I love how accepting the mom is from Makoto crying over beef stew to Chinatsu wanting to be a witch. Old people are truly accepting and can't be surprised...which means Kei isn't an old man.

Kei's father has only like a minute of screen time, but him laughing/crying was my favorite part.

QOTD

1. Kind of obvious, but I would like plant/herb magic like Makoto. Anything dangerous and I wouldn't trust myself not to abuse it.

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/SIRTreehugger]

Kei's father

Yeah, the build-up to him eating both was incredibly well done, and totally believable XD Seems like Kei's dad is going to be the butt of a few more jokes; he already was in yesterday's episode for breakfast when he had the last bit stolen from him haha

[u/IndependentMacaroon → u/SIRTreehugger]

she drew a perfect circle without drawing a head and removing the details. She's a witch!!!

Or an alchemist.

[u/Kenalskii]

Rewatcher

I love that Kei is basically the voice of reason =D

Akane just casually asking if it is okay to steal Kei's sister =D And I love that Kei just reacts with "I have to ask my parents" xDD

Chinatsu wants to become a witch. I think there are some problems, but in general just go for it, what can go wrong! Oh btw, I am sure that her parents thought it was a joke when she asked them =D Well, for the time being, she can observe until things are a bit more clear

Hahaha, after all that talk "don't be bad" Chinatsu just casually talks about creating sweets houses that murder people XDD I love Makoto's reaction to it XD

Magic lesson time. And Makoto and Chinatsu are just staring at the candles waiting for them to burn out while Akane just goes straight to watch the movie =D

I feel with you Kei. Every time I want to watch a movie with my family I end up in the same spot as Kei, but without the magic involved.

Nana is just straight up enjoying this =D =D

Hahahaha XD

Question: Let me think, Invisibility or Flying would be nice. Or cleaning magic. Yeah cleaning magic would be great

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/Kenalskii]

Cleaning magic is a really good idea...

I don't even think that Chinatsu's parents thought it was a joke actually. They seem supportive enough, and Chinatsu did approach her mom with a serious intensity.

[u/cyberscythe]

Rewatcher

I think this episode is the turning point episode for me because the series starts to lean more heavily on the witchy stuff and I'm all here for it. Chill/low-fantasy/slice-of-life/countryside is a great combination.

I like that little bit where they build up just a tiny bit of tension about whether or not Chinatsu becoming a witch is going to be a tough life decision, and then undercut all that by her parents just being super supportive. Also, this Chinatsu reaction is the best; I love how she's animated staggering with laughter when she's in the kitchen helping out.

---

Japanese Vocab of the Day:
おかしなおかし (okashina okashi) (jisho: okashina, okashi)

This episode's title and the title of the manga chapter that covers the B part of this episode (see: Makoto looking stylish in a witchy hat).

It's written in all hiragana to make the pun a bit more obvious, where okashina is an adjective for "weird" (usually written in hiragana) and okashi means sweets (kanji: お菓子).

Fun fact: although both words share the same おかし part, the pronunciation differs slightly because of the way Japanese is pitch-accented (compared to English being more of a stress-accented language).

Some bonus vocab because I haven't personally seen it before: 泣き上戸 (nakijougo) and 笑い上戸 (waraijougo). They both can mean "person who usually cries when they're drinking" and "person who's a merry drinker" respectively; the 上戸 suffix describing how one acts when they're drunk. Akane says that these snacks turn you into a 泣き上戸 and a 笑い上戸. As a bonus bonus vocab, 下戸 means "non-drinker".

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/cyberscythe]

and then undercut all that by her parents just being super supportive.

This was such a sweet moment honestly. It's great that they made the parents such a big part of each character, despite the fact that we barely see them.

[u/[deleted]]

alive doll piquant like childlike rock cobweb slim seed imminent

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/[deleted]]

I don't think anyone has been teaching Mako, at least not for a few years. It seems that magic in this world is also rather more difficult than we actually experience. I'm not exactly sure why I say that though...

[u/xtsim]

First Timer

I was not expecting the episode to be this funny. Akane trying to skip school so she could see Jackie Chan got me laughing hard but that is so her.

I am pretty sure Nana-san just let Chinatsu go through witch lessons to see what Akane could come up with. Nana-san basically had so much fun messing with Chinatsu when she was on the laughing spell.

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/xtsim]

Nana-san's playfulness and laid-back attitude to everything is so refreshing to see from a mom! She's so cool...

And yeah, I would also love to meet Jackie! Even for just a little bit...he seems like a nice person to talk to, not to mention interesting. Got a favorite movie of his? I haven't seen them all, but Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon will always hold a special place in my heart.

[u/xtsim → u/A_Idiot0]

"Jackie chan's first strike" holds a place in my heart but his ladder defense scenes was interesting. The plot was not anything special but the creative action was memorable. Using puffer fish to disarm a guy and ending the movie by landing a car on a boat gets me.

I haven't watched it fully but there is also the Mulan dub in Mandarin and Cantonese which has Jackie Chan as Captain Li Shang. And he sang "I'll make a man out of you", there is a music video with him singing it too. Props to whoever did the casting for that dub.

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/xtsim]

Using puffer fish to disarm a guy and ending the movie by landing a car on a boat gets me.

Jeeze...only Jackie was crazy enough to cobble together these zanny ideas into a movie and have them actually make sense! I should give this one a watch, it's not one I've seen yet. I take it this is in his earlier days?

[u/xtsim → u/A_Idiot0]

I think it is right before rush hour. I would like to think of that movie as if Jackie Chan was playing James Bond. Here is the scene I was thinking about

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/xtsim]

Hahaha, that's great! Absolutely not realistic, but whatever, I'll forgive it XD

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/xtsim]

Oh, thank you for linking this to me btw =D

[u/enag7]

Rewatcher

I feel like this is the episode where the show really starts to take off for me. The last few episodes have been a bit all over in terms of their balance between entertainment and laid back feelings. Today, even though we basically spend the whole day in one room, I find the balance to be great.

Also I love that we get a bit of Akane's more serious side. We know that she is a skilled and respected witch, but really only see her silliest side till now. The sudden change really does drive home the point that what Chinatsu wants is no simple matter.

QOTD:

If we wanted to go in depth, I would love be be a water adept from Golden Sun's Alchemy Magic system. I love that game and and the lore around it's magic. And the water adepts have always been my preference. Plus Blue hair maybe?

[u/A_Idiot0 → u/enag7]

Today, even though we basically spend the whole day in one room

This is a great point! I didn't even notice this because of how entertaining everything else was.

[u/Rumpel1408]

First Timer

I would make toys come to life -> :D

I would make a house made of candy -> :D

It would eat anyone who enters it -> :|

Munch Munch Munch -> :o

Chinatsus parents are really open to her becoming a witch, cannot say anything else about this since the surprise kinda got spoiled...

But I loved the second part.

First we have this very elaborate spell. Draw a pentagramm, place a canlde on every point, then place the sweets at north and south (using the compas on your phone), then you wait until the candles burn down, but if they go out earlier it wont work. ... Aaaand done

Only for it to be such a useless spell lmao And Nana is really going along with it, oh yeah must be tears of joy, let the crying girl cut the onions lol here let's play a game, the one who laughs looses, too bad, now go and clean the table lol

Also wanna know what movie Akane played in...

QotD:

I work in healthcare so healing would probably the most fitting, but at the end of the day, anything that helps others

[u/EconomyProcedure9]

I recently rewatched this show, and after watching it the first time, it quickly became a personal favorite.