Burn the Witch always offered an interesting take on another aspect of the Bleach universe, with Witches Ninny Spangcole and Noel Niihashi as they deal with Dragons in Reverse London. However, while it is fantastic to see them again in Burn the Witch #0.8, it really feels like this anime OVA isn’t enough.
If you already read the manga Viz Media localized, all of this will look familiar to you. Instead of continuing from the original film, this is a half-hour look at Ninny and Noel in action on Crunchyroll. Namely, it focuses on their encounter and mission involving Osushi the dog and Balgo, a young man Noel knows. Due to the involvement of a Dragon, it is up to the two to deal with the new threat to Front and Reverse London.
Given someone might not have seen the original film, which is split into three episodes on Crunchyroll, it honestly isn’t the worst that this Burn the Witch #0.8 anime OVA retreads old ground. The first five minutes is a fantastic introduction to Ninny, Noel, and Balgo, showcasing each of their personalities in brief encounters. Ninny showcases her fantastic gremlin energy, while Noel is both relaxed and serious in her own ways. Meanwhile, Balgo comes across as a rather immature, mostly ordinary young man and Osushi is adorable. There are these formative, establishing moments.
At the same time, Studio Colorido also made sure it looks great. The Reverse London scenes are fantastic and help define it as a very different space and place. The encounter with the Dragons are also quite active and add incredible drama and tension.
However, I want to see Ninny work toward becoming a Sabre. I’d like to see more encounters with these two, who already proved how capable they are despite being first and second Umbrellas in the two anime adaptations so far. The camaraderie between the two is great, and instead of seeing retreadings it feels time for something new. The quality of what we’ve seen here and in the past is great. Yes, there’s value in retelling this particular tale that wasn’t animated properly before. But now it should be more of a springboard and offer additional lore and future adventures.
It honestly feels like each Burn the Witch adaptation keeps teasing us with what could be if Tite Kubo, Studio Colorido, and another company really committed to telling Ninny, Noel, and Reverse London’s story. I appreciate that this is here and offers more insight. But at the same time, one or two animated adaptations just doesn’t feel substantial enough, and I feel like it is time for the story to properly be told. I can only hope this latest release is a means of testing the waters before making it happen.
Burn the Witch #0.8 is available via Crunchyroll, as are the original three episodes from before. Viz Media handled the single volume of the manga.
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