Burn the Witch, which follows witches Ninny Spangcole and Noel Niihashi as they battle dragons in Reverse London, has always provided an intriguing perspective on a different facet of the Bleach universe. Even if it’s great to see them again in Burn the Witch #0.8, there seems to be too little in this anime OVA.
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You’ll recognize all of this if you’ve read the localized manga from Viz Media. Rather than carrying over from the first movie, this is a thirty-minute look at Ninny and Noel on Crunchyroll. More specifically, it centers on their meeting and quest with Osushi the dog and Balgo, a young man Noel knows. It is up to the two to handle the new threat to Front and Reverse London because of the involvement of a dragon.
It’s hardly the worst thing in the world that this Burn the Witch #0.8 anime OVA is a rehash of the original film, considering that some people may not have seen the three episodes available on Crunchyroll. Ninny, Noel, and Balgo are brilliantly introduced in the first five minutes, with brief interactions highlighting their individual characters. Noel is laid back and serious in her own unique way, while Ninny displays her amazing gremlin energy. Osushi is cute, but Balgo comes across as a very immature, otherwise typical young man. These forming, establishing moments occur.
Studio Colorido also ensured that it looked fantastic at the same time. The amazing vistas of London in reverse serve to distinguish it as a completely other area. Additionally active and adding a great deal of drama and intensity are the confrontations with the dragons.
Still, I’d like to see Ninny pursue his Sabre status. Despite being the first and second Umbrellas in the two anime adaptations that have been released thus far, these two have already shown their abilities, therefore I’d like to see more interactions with them. They have a tremendous sense of togetherness, and rather than seeing repetitions, it seems like a fresh start is needed. What we’ve seen thus far, both here and elsewhere, is of excellent quality. Yes, it makes sense to tell this same story again because it wasn’t correctly animated the first time around. Now, though, it ought to serve more as a launching pad, providing more lore and chances for future exploration.
Honestly, it seems like every Burn the Witch rendition leaves us wondering what may have happened if Studio Colorido, Tite Kubo, and other involved parties had made a sincere effort to convey the story of Ninny, Noel, and Reverse London. I’m grateful that this exists and provides additional context. But, I believe it is time for the story to be portrayed correctly because a couple of the animated adaptations don’t feel substantial enough. All I can hope is that this current release is an attempt to see how things work before committing to it.
Crunchyroll offers both Burn the Witch #0.8 and the first three episodes of the series. The manga’s only volume was published by Viz Media.
