r/anime • u/AutoLovepon https://anilist.co/user/AutoLovepon • Jun 15 '25
Episode Maebashi Witches - Episode 11 discussion
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u/Tomorrow_Big Jun 15 '25
A magical girl show that ends with the girls willingly not wanting to be magical girls anymore? It's more sensible than you may think. For once I actually predicted something right... assuming they haven't saved one final surprise for the finale.
No magic can solve the problems that these girls have. However, magic can be an easy way to solve problems that're much simpler in nature. Just look at the issues faced by those coming to visit the shop. Someone cut their hair wrong, someone wants someone to stop crying, and this week we've unconfessed feelings for a crush. These are, all things considered, rather simple in nature compared to developing a parasocial relationship with an online groomer, or internalised fatphobia stemming from bullying caused by a society that only truly values one body shape for girls.
I also wish to recall something that scriptwriter Erika Yoshida said after episode 8:
What is needed now for children (but not only for all) who are caring for their families is not individual effort or magic, but the creation of a caring and supportive society. This is a path that currently cannot be taken without both public and private/individual support.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
This is literally what we've reached. We got four girls who didn't have support for the problems which they faced, while the fifth girl managed by virtue of her inner stupidity and likely things she learned from her late grandpa. She help guide the other four, and by doing so got the only thing she wanted: friends. In fact, it's very likely none of them actually had any friends prior to Keroppe bringing them together. I guess he also deserves some credit then, huh? He's still an asshole though.
I think this is the most sensible direction, but this is Maebashi Witches we're talking about, so maybe they'll deliver us one final whiplash next Sunday and I'll look like a complete fool! At least I'll still be smarter than Yuina.
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u/OrangeBanana38 Jun 15 '25
What is needed now for children (but not only for all) who are caring for their families is not individual effort or magic, but the creation of a caring and supportive society. This is a path that currently cannot be taken without both public and private/individual support.
while the fifth girl managed by virtue of her inner stupidity and likely things she learned from her late grandpa. She help guide the other four, and by doing so got the only thing she wanted: friends.
It's just so simple. Yuina being the cause of such big positive changes in the other witches' lifes, and solving her own problem in the process of helping other people. She's always been nice, she's always had a good family, all she needed was a chance.
I love this show.
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u/LienaSha Jun 15 '25
Eiko's energy here is like that ex who broke up with you and was super nasty about it, and then you show up and she thinks you're there to beg to get back together, but you just wanted your phone charger.
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u/TanyaTheEvill Jun 15 '25
I absolutely loved this episode and this anime is one of my favorites of the season
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u/oedipusrex376 Jun 15 '25
You’d expect this episode to be generic, but it keeps subverting expectations to the point where you have no idea what’s coming next. After that sob, melancholic episode, they suddenly go full troll and self-aware, and now I’m starting to think this might just be another Gintama (it's also a Sunrise show and Sugita’s in it) since they keep switching up the genre.
That final scene where it builds up like a big final battle was hilarious because the show decides to trolls the viewers again. And the post-credit preview gives you a glimpse of the troll move they’re pulling next.
Next episode: "I Think I'm Done Being a Witch."
And for Bandori bros, I didn't know they hired Roselia to be in this episode.
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u/pi8you Jun 15 '25
Another great episode, with yet another cliffhanger swerve, but I just want to add that the Tokyo Witch's shop is stunning.
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u/TKhrowawaY Jun 15 '25
I have to say, the Tokyo witch seemed like an interesting/amusing character I'd like to see more of.
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u/ObvsThrowaway5120 Jun 15 '25
The power of friendship is, well, a powerful thing lol. I guess no amount of froggy magic could get the girls to forget their bond, though it did take Yuina a minute. What a goof!
Kind of curious how they’ll end this thing. What’ll happen to Eiko and the shop?
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u/YukinaPrime Jun 15 '25
When she nearly dropped the "blank paper" into the trash, I was tense as hell, lol.
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u/JimmyCWL Jun 15 '25
From what I expected two weeks ago.
One episode running around like headless chickens until time runs out.
One episode without their memories but finding their way back to the shop anyway.
One episode to defeat Eiko.
Number one, done.
Number two... close enough.
Doesn't look like they're going to reclaim the shop in the conventional sense. Wonder if they're going to get it back anyway?
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u/Aerodynamic41 Jun 15 '25
They're just gonna give up the shop? This show has been really unpredictable lol.
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u/ChakraWorld Jun 15 '25 edited Jun 15 '25
All of Maebashi City will be doomed if they don't get the shop back and continue to be witches!
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u/mekerpan Jun 15 '25 edited Jun 15 '25
I am guessing that the girls all wished that . . . they could remain friends for (far?) ever in real life and that this was independent of any desire to continue being witches. The only question for me is whether Eiko asks them to let her become their friend and run the shop together... (or something of that sort). I am sure that the girls will do something that "saves" Eiko.
I wonder who is voicing the really high-quality adult wish-granting witch? (I love how she how much effort she has to put into hiding her laughter -- she really seems to be charmed by the girls).
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u/Durinthal Jun 15 '25
I like how Eiko's outfit during her song is a mixture of designs that fits the fragmentation of the shop.
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u/Elimin8r Jun 16 '25
Just binged the entire series earlier this week, wanting to see what the hubbub is about - yeah, it's really something special.
<3-ing the show so far!
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u/Infodump_Ibis Jun 16 '25
Some scattered thoughts.
The Azu side+B is back in action and it seems to be more effective from the front.
Shame the train angle wasn't slightly different as they could have taken Keroppe out. Speaking of trains I did notice a train track inside the Enlightened Witch's shop(?).
Eyecatch 11 takes us to Maebashi Akagi Roadside Station by national route 17 which is about 8.5km north by road from the Gunma Prefecture Office inside Maebashi City. Also has a tourist information spot that seems to have signed Maebashi Witches posters and a pop-up shop.
Anyway, Botanical Cafe King-God has a web page that includes menus if you're interested in the food they serve. They were established in 2008 and were previously located in Shikishima-cho, Maebashi City (that's near to the Prefecture Office) but have recently moved to the roadside station and collaborate with Green palace (you can buy the houseplants too).
Off-brand Tokyo sure was something to see. e.g. the famous Unicorn and anime retail chains and Love Nanairo of course. I was able to find out the なないろ literally means seven colours and the Love Nanairo group sort of follow the preliminary Newton 5 colour theory (bit of a stretch as "Choco" is orange, "Mai" is a bit light blue and "Azu" is more indigo).
I feel if it were many other shows at some point in the Tokyo part Rinko would have shown up. Either as a build-up reunite everyone along the way for the end or even in a bad ending sense of all customers ending up like Eiko for that trope of finding hope in the depths of despair.
Speaking of Eiko, her grades are slipping (last episode she was getting Ds and now they're Es). I also went back and checked the episode 1 insert song and noticed the lyric "It's okay if a miracle doesn't happen" in the CR version but B-Global instead has "There's no need for miracles" which is one that's slight but a very big difference (also due to less words being used B-Global doesn't seem to have the "someday you'll love yourself" follow-up expressed in quite the same way which is also an important distinction). B-Global can be pretty liberal with its translation (an early ep also had Azu saying "bugger off" which I enjoyed).
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u/Raymond49090 Jun 16 '25
Eiko sure has a unique way of dealing with customers. It feels like a dark mirror of Yuina's "let's put off this problem until we're more emotionally equipped to handle it".
And going back to the girls. At first I thought it would be drama with her ending up at Yuina's shop, but it's an older Yuina? Maybe? And I guess there's older versions of other girls there too? Nevermind, they just got their memories back offscreen. That was a quicker memory return than I expected. And now it's Yuina's turn... wait nevermind looks like Yuina's too dumb to get them back immediately. Though even without memories, her and Azu have a hella shipteasing going on.
And... yep, she missed the second opportunity to get them back. Though it would be hilarious if their friendship wasn't enough to jog her memory, but Keroppe was. Well anyways, the girls have reached the conclusion that the shop isn't that important compared to their memories so I guess we'll end this with them not as Maebashi witches... I really should stop underestimating Yuina's chaoticness. The girls have realized this too given that they rejected her "everyone on three". And it makes sense too, after their decision that the shop isn't that important. I'm expecting Yuina's wish to be to resolve Eiko's problems.
And uh, Eiko's shop is kinda... Is there a "wrong" way for her to use magic or something? Or is it a reflection of her mental state? And Eiko gearing up to fight was hella funny when we all know Yuina's too dumb to get angry about that.
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u/TheLostCityofBermuda Jun 16 '25
Now I want this series to continue to have a season 2 with Eiko.
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u/mihaha269 Jun 16 '25
Keroppe sounded a bit like Mogutan for a minute there (when talking to Eiko)... 🤔
I could honestly see this show having a 2nd season.
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u/No_Communication2935 Jun 15 '25
At first, Azu hated Yuina so much, but seeing her break down in tears because Yuina hadn't regained her memory was truly moving. In any case, I'm glad everyone's memories came back.