3.5/5

The Witch and the Beast by Kousuke Satake is a story about a curse. A witch’s curse.

I read this book kind of on a whim. The artwork looked fantastic and I really like anti-hero type stuff. I really like the 2 main characters. Their dynamic is so fun. The art style really is amazing. I love how Kousuke draws eyes. The premise and plot line is very interesting too. I’m excited to see more of the world. I can tell the plot is very episodic which works really well with the story format. I also loved the whole “secret society” thing that they introduced later. I found these types of stories really fun and exciting and have great potential.

Just a couple problem areas. Though the artwork is amazing, it was a little difficult to understand what was happening. I found myself a bit confused, especially during the high action scenes. I hope this is made into an anime because I feel they could really flesh out what the mangaka had intended. Also I had trouble deciphering who was speaking at times. The speech bubbles weren’t as well laid out as I’d hoped.

Overall this is a very promising series. The English translation was really well done. No dialogue felt too awkward. I’m looking forward to continue reading this story. Guideau is easily my favourite character, and I would go through hellfire just to read more about them.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC

What a wonderful and dark manga, it's been a while since I've read something like this.
As most mangas you only get to know the characters a little, watching them in action while leaving out just the right amount of plot so that you want more.
I could definitely recommend this manga to fans of Claymore or Tokyo Ghoul.

I'm excited to see how it continues.

I liked the idea of this manga, but for me it was simply too much happening, and I couldn't get into it!
Lovely drawings and characters too! Just not my cup of tea.

3/5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this e-arc

Adored the art style and the idea of the aura of our main characters.

Cons: first of all, that ugly cover. Then every else is basically gonna be me listing shounen style tropes. The amount of action and dynamics that feel like too much for me. Then that awkward resting stage where nothing happens. Either go full force every time or don't do it at all. Which is a bad idea so maybe don't listen to me

Wow. Ive just got to start this review with Wow. I loved this manga. From the storyline, to the illustration, to the fact I could see this as an anime adaptation. I felt that the author brought alot of descriptive words and enough background knowledge into this manga that although you dont know the characters back grounds, you feel like youve been with them on the journey for a long while. I also found that by the adjectives shown on the backgrounds that this would be great on tv.

By the end of the manga I found that I wanted to know what was going to happen really badly and that I was invested in the characters. Will purchase this when it comes out.

The Witch and the Beast by Kousuke Satake was a decent read. It read super fast, and I was super interested in the witch’s storyline. I loved the good versus evil that went back and forth throughout the book.

This was not my typical type of read, but I did enjoy it. I might continue with the series.

I received an eARC from Kodansha Comics through NetGalley. All opinions are 100% my own.

The Witch and the Beast, Volume 1 by Kousuke Satake is a paranormal mystery and adventure about powerful women and good and evil. Guideau is a feral girl with long fangs and the eyes of a beast. Ashaf is a soft-spoken man with delicate features and a coffin strapped to his back. This ominous pair appears one day in a town that's in thrall to a witch, who has convinced the townsfolk she's their hero. But Ashaf and Guideau know better. They have scores to settle, and they won't hesitate to remove anyone in their way.

The Witch and the Beast is a manga style graphic novel with action, some gore, and a mystery around exactly who and what the main characters are. Ashaf seems nice and almost weak, until he needs to step up and take care of business, where as Guideau acts tough and uncontrollable but I have a suspicion that she has so much more to her story. I think the story does a good job of setting up the questions about the major players and getting readers invested in the world that was created here. I know that when I finished the story I wanted to know more about what would happen next, and just how the characters came to be who they are. The artwork is very well done. I think the black and white pages were perfect for the story and style. I did find some of the details hard to pick out on occasion, and found myself squinting at the pages more than once trying to figure out something on a page, but that could be my aging eyes as much as the otherwise impeccable artwork.

The Witch and the Beast is a a graphic novel that will inspire further reading. I think fans of antihero's and complicated boundaries between good and evil will particularly enjoy the read.

Did I go in expecting a Beauty and The Beast retelling? Yes.
Am I pretty certain I missed the mark? Yes.

Pros:
I am very interested in this world, and especially The Order. The Idea of a "group that works by magic, for magic, and of magic" really intrigues me, and I want to know more about it. As well as magic in general.

The two separate storylines depicted in these books were both fascinating. I found them enjoyable overall.

The depictions of this world are gorgeous. It makes for an exciting backdrop.

Cons:
The characters, specifically Guideau:, all feel very flat, like nothing exists deeper than the surface level for them.

I also worry that Guideau's story will end up being something along the lines of oh the witch trapped them in a girl's body to cause them to be weak or something like that which is far from appealing.

The storylines feel rushed, not at all fleshed out, leaving you wanting more but not in a good way.

Conclusions:
I could very well not be the demographic for this manga. When giving opinions on anime and manga, I always try to make that clear since it is a place where things are very much written for a specific demographic.

If you are looking for some awesome fight scenes and some beautiful art, I would definitely recommend this manga. I do think it has room to be an amazing manga series. But at least the first volume feels a bit flat.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

I've never really reviewed a manga or graphic novel before so this is literally my first time.

So anyway this manga is dark and violent. I really liked this story just jumps right into the action. I was pretty eager to see what was gonna happen next. The first few pages introduce you so a couple of characters and then they are shoved into the conflict. As you keep going it provides you with more details on the characters and the world around. The characters kinda balance each other I think. Ashaf is soft spoken and logical while Guideau is revenge filled and short tempered and for good reason. I loved the artwork. The artwork was sharp, nice and detailed. I loved the characters actually look different from the normal manga artwork. This manga was so dark and pleasant which I truly love. I really want to read the next one now.

All the characters come across as mediocre and one dimensional.. Each jump from one storyline onto the next is abrupt without contributing to any kind of wider development or worldbuilding. The art style is well done, especially in the kinetic scenes.

Ashaf is a mage in the employ of a magical organization tasked with dealing with magical problems. Guideau has been inflicted with a witch's curse and joined the organization in order to find the witch cursed her and make her undo it. The pair defeat one witch who had an entire town in her thrall, but it wasn't the witch Guideau was looking for. They are now hunting another witch who is murdering indiscriminately.

Violence, magic, and gorgeous characters are three things that are beyond certain to get me excited about picking up a manga and three things The Witch and the Beast has plenty of. Produced by mangaka Kousuke Satake and localized in English by Kodansha Comics, The Witch and the Beast is marketed as one part Full Metal Alchemist and one part Cowboy Bebop. With that combination, it would be an understatement to say that my expectations were high. The manga focuses on powerful women, a battle of good and evil, vengeance, and of course a world of magic that doesn’t shy away from darkness.

In The Witch and the Beast we follow Guideau and Ashaf. The former is a feral girl with long fangs, the eyes of a beast, and a penchant for rushing in with her fists regardless of her opponent’s strength. And the latter is a soft-spoken man with delicate features and a coffin strapped to his back. This ominous pair appears one day in a town that’s in thrall to a witch who has convinced the townsfolk she’s their hero. But Ashaf and Guideau know better. Members of The Order, an organization that keeps magic users in line. What’s more, Guideau has a score to settle as she tries to find the witch who cursed her.

The Witch and the Beast Volume 1 is magically dark and violent. From the opening, the irreverence and aggression we see from Guideau is exciting. She cusses, she fights, and her anger is palpable. On the other hand, Ashaf is a calming and logical force that cares deeply for his partner’s wellbeing. Their dynamic is one we’ve seen before, yet the twist of what’s in the coffin makes it unique.

While Satake’s story is phenomenal, it’s their artwork that is breathtaking. Balancing pulpy noir and fantastical aesthetics, Satake’s debut manga is a masterclass in showcasing dynamic movement and adding layers of magic to single panels. From breathtaking splash pages to dark sequences of powers awakening, every single inch of the page is utilized. Additionally, Satake illustrates gruesome moments in such a way that the grotesque looks gorgeous. Showcasing dismemberment and blood splatters pushed against grand displays of power with rose petals and birds, it all sings.

COMICS & MANGA
REVIEW: ‘The Witch and the Beast,’ Volume 1
11/08/2020 - by Kate Sánchez
SHARETWEETPIN ITSHARE
Reading Time: 2 minutes
The Witch and the Beast



Violence, magic, and gorgeous characters are three things that are beyond certain to get me excited about picking up a manga and three things The Witch and the Beast has plenty of. Produced by mangaka Kousuke Satake and localized in English by Kodansha Comics, The Witch and the Beast is marketed as one part Full Metal Alchemist and one part Cowboy Bebop. With that combination, it would be an understatement to say that my expectations were high. The manga focuses on powerful women, a battle of good and evil, vengeance, and of course a world of magic that doesn’t shy away from darkness.

In The Witch and the Beast we follow Guideau and Ashaf. The former is a feral girl with long fangs, the eyes of a beast, and a penchant for rushing in with her fists regardless of her opponent’s strength. And the latter is a soft-spoken man with delicate features and a coffin strapped to his back. This ominous pair appears one day in a town that’s in thrall to a witch who has convinced the townsfolk she’s their hero. But Ashaf and Guideau know better. Members of The Order, an organization that keeps magic users in line. What’s more, Guideau has a score to settle as she tries to find the witch who cursed her.

The Witch and the Beast Volume 1 is magically dark and violent. From the opening, the irreverence and aggression we see from Guideau is exciting. She cusses, she fights, and her anger is palpable. On the other hand, Ashaf is a calming and logical force that cares deeply for his partner’s wellbeing. Their dynamic is one we’ve seen before, yet the twist of what’s in the coffin makes it unique.

While Satake’s story is phenomenal, it’s their artwork that is breathtaking. Balancing pulpy noir and fantastical aesthetics, Satake’s debut manga is a masterclass in showcasing dynamic movement and adding layers of magic to single panels. From breathtaking splash pages to dark sequences of powers awakening, every single inch of the page is utilized. Additionally, Satake illustrates gruesome moments in such a way that the grotesque looks gorgeous. Showcasing dismemberment and blood splatters pushed against grand displays of power with rose petals and birds, it all sings.



That being said, the twists offered in just one volume work to keep the reader engaged by subverting most fantasy tropes and building out the world. Truthfully, every time I had questions about how magic or The Order worked, Satake offered up explanations that focused on world-building without feeling like pure exposition.

Overall, I can’t recommend The Witch and the Beast Volume 1 enough. Kousuke Satake’s work with both story and art is phenomenal. As a debut, it’s dark, violent, and so very gorgeous and ultimately lives up to the promise of Full Metal Alchemist mixed with Cowboy Bebop.

The title and cover had me hoping for an adorable/fucked-up dynamic a la the wonderful Ancient Magus' Bride, but alas no. I did like that - early doors spoilers - the witch-hunters we initially take for the antagonists turn out to be the leads, but the monster-fighting witch they took down was far more interesting company, even/especially once she turned out secretly to be evil after all, and the subsequent story without her felt pretty flat in comparison. The art is pleasingly ornate on architecture and shit blowing up or going magically weird, less so on people. I doubt I'll persevere.

(Netgalley ARC)

For people looking for a manga that has action and fantasy, this is for you.
At first the title attracted me, also reading the synopsis I thought it would be a kind of relationship between some kind of beast and a witch ... and no, here we have two companions who hunt monsters, one of them with a curse that only a witch can break, because in this story the witches are the bad guys.
Maybe it's because I expected another story and that's why I didn't love it, but it is entertaining.

The Witch and the Beast: review for Netgalley (to post on Sunday 11/8)
I love a story that just jumps right in to the action! There's an intriguing opening where we meet a few characters and get drawn into their predicament, followed immediately by conflict and tension. I was hooked from almost the first page, eager to see what happened next and get more details about what was going on in this world.

The art style was beautiful, detailed without being overdone or distracting from the story. The characters were all distinctly drawn and easy to differentiate from each other, something I appreciate since in many manga stories the female characters all look alike and the male characters all look alike.

I can't wait to see what happens next! Eagerly anticipating the next volume...

The Witch and the Beast is surely chilling and creepy! I really enjoyed this and I cannot wait for the continuation, nice. The story takes place in a world where witches are nasty, make curses that are almost impossible to get rid off and kill people one way or the other. Magic users try to prevent this as well as the mystical organization to which Guideau and Ashaf belong to. Ashaf is soft-spoken and logical as Guideaus is a nasty girl loving revenge. Well, Guideau isn't a girl at all really and there's a reason why Ashaf carries a coffin and it all has something to do with a witch's curse. The whole setting is really interesting especially since the story moves slowly and adds something to the plot all the time. The manga is violent and dark, but at the same time there's black humor and awesome relationships in it.

The art looks nice, sharp and detailed with cruel beauty in it. Satake creates a dark and unpleasant world that fits the story amazingly. The whole thing is a great package and nasty! I do like stories like this and especially when they feel like crawling on your skin. Although there's the "monster of the week" vibe in it, it's still done well. This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I like my tea dark and oddly cozy at the same time!

This isn't the art style I usually gravitate towards when reading manga, but I enjoyed the story. It's got a lot of promise and the fight scenes are well done. I'm not sure I'd pick up the next volume, but if you're into monsters, witches, and brawls between the two then I recommend it.

The Witch and the Beast volume 1 is fascinating enough to get any reader interested in this series. It jumps in right in the middle of the action, dropping us and it's two main characters in the middle of an adventure, and then proceeds to provide more and more details as we explore both the story and world with them. The characters themselves are very interesting, and engaging and as I read I found myself wanting to know more and more about them and their history. The art looks wonderful, and is both often cute and excellent at portraying the action and horror elements of this story.

Overall this is an exciting start to the series that had me invested quickly, fascinated by the characters and lore, and ready to see what happens next!

This is a whole new level of demon slayer, or we should say, witch slayer. I was really taken in with the graphic, so brutal when the murders took place. Even though the arts in black and white format but the illustrator delivered the story very well through sequential arts. You won't get lost in the middle of the story because of how neat the sequential arts are. The dialogues are adequately assorted, minimalistic, which is good as it doesn't interrupt the visuality of the arts. I'm looking forward to reading the second volume of this manga since the ending in book one has a cliffhanger.

I received this review copy via NetGalley.

The Witch and the Beast is a fantasy manga featuring one very angry, and another very composed witch hunter. This is a fairy-tale inspired work and as I am a total fan of fairy-tale reinterpretation I was impatient to dig in.

As we crack the manga, we are welcomed by a few coloured pictures that sets the mood up nicely for the rest of the volume. The illustrations are rich with immense detail, particularly in the foods, I found. They are also extremely gruesome in some parts, so sensitive people be warned. The character design for the two main characters was oddly nondescript, I thought, their eyes are great, but the rest of them stays very mundane until they start performing magic. Maybe that was the whole point? I don’t know, but I thought the secondary characters had more personality and details in their features, which seemed strange to me. The action often erases the details so as to let readers focus on the movement, and maybe that is why the illustrator chose to have simpler designs for his main protagonists.

As for the story, this is really an introduction to our heroes. There is in fact very little characters involved and we concentrate on getting to know Guideau and Ashaf. We get a quick glimpse into why they hate witches when they are sent to retrieve, perhaps kill or at the very least interrogate the beloved saviour of a town, yes a witch who amazingly looks after the wellbeing of people. But the real story starts with serial ritualistic murders piling up quickly, and we are left on a cliff-hanger as all the questions start rising in our head.

With mangas it’s very hard to have an opinion on the first volume. They usually take time building their world before getting into the real story. I have been very surprised by the depth of some, despite their lightness in the beginning. I do not know if the answers are going to satisfy me and the buddying characters are going to develop fully yet, but I do know I want to continue this series to find out! I like the world and the mystery is promising to be nicely convoluted, I’m in.