The Dawn of the Witch

The Dawn of the Witch (魔法使い黎明期) is a Japanese fantasy light novel series written by Kakeru Kobashiri and illustrated by Takashi Iwasaki, with partial character designs by Yoshinori Shizuma, and a spinoff sequel of Kobashiri's earlier series Grimoire of Zero. Kodansha have published six volumes since August 2018 under their Kodansha Ranobe Bunko imprint. A manga adaptation with art by Tatsuwo was serialized in Kodansha's manga magazine Monthly Shōnen Sirius from July 2019 to May 2023. It was collected in seven volumes. The light novel and manga are licensed in North America by Kodansha USA. An anime television series adaptation by Tezuka Productions aired from April to July 2022.

Premise

Following the global chaos caused by the Grimoire of Zero and a subsequent great calamity, a fragile peace exists in the realm of Wenias, where Headmaster Albus strives for human-witch coexistence. As part of these efforts, the amnesiac and failing student Saybil is sent on a special training program to a remote witches' village, escorted by the witch Loux Krystas and other students, including the honor student Holt.

Their journey is immediately imperiled by an attack from fiends, during which Holt is revealed to be a collaborator. In the ensuing confrontation, Holt ultimately turns on the fiends, and Saybil unlocks a latent power within Loux's staff to save them. The group survives this betrayal and attack, and continues its fraught journey toward the village.

Characters

Main

Saybil the Abyss Sorcerer (セービル)
Saybil is a struggling student at the Royal Academy of Magic in the realm of Wenias, with no memories of his boyhood past other than a silver-haired witch with eyes the same as his. He claims that he can wield powerful magic but chooses not to use it, as he is afraid of his infinite magical powers going out of control, all of which is inherited from his long-lost father the infamous high sorcerer Thirteen who had "stolen" the Grimoire of Zero and was supposedly executed for instigating war between witches and humans more than a decade ago. He earns his title as "Abyss Sorcerer" from his aunt Zero as a reference to his boundless magic being like a bottomless pit, which is one of the meanings of "abyss". He ends up leaving with Kudo and Holt upon finally graduating and has accepted a job on gathering more information on Remnants of Disaster at the Forbidden Library.
Professor Loux Krystas Laos the Dawn Witch (ロー・クリスタス)
A three hundred-year-old witch girl with a semi-sentient mystical staff of Luden that can take on different forms and supposedly eats other witches who touch it by absorbing all of their uniquely powerful magic into itself, thus killing them in the process. Professor Loux agrees to escort Saybil on his mission, in hopes of getting to read the renowned yet dangerous Grimoire of Zero, or meet Zero herself. How she was given longevity and perpetual youth remains a mystery. She was great friends with Sorena the most high Mooncaller Witch until her wrongful demise by pyre. After exposing Bishop Edmeanor's plot in inciting further war against witches, sorcerers and humans by using his own miniature Remnant of Disaster against him, she goes to be rewarded by finally reading the legendary Grimoire of Zero at the Forbidden Library.
Holt the Deer Beastfallen Witch (ホルト)
A sixteen-year-old fourth-year student at the Academy, making her somewhat more experienced in magic than Saybil. In contrast to him, Holt is a top student in her class. She was born a beastfallen deer, but is capable of maintaining her humanoid looks, much unlike Mercenary, Holdem or Kudo. According to Zero's extensive expertise, she will be strong enough to lay waste to dozens of armies in mere seconds with her magic alone in the next decade. She ends up leaving with Kudo and Saybil upon finally graduating and has accepted a job on gathering more information on Remnants of Disaster at the Forbidden Library.
Kudo the Lizard Beastfallen Sorcerer (クドー)
A lizard beastfallen student at the Academy with a brusque demeanor, but deep down, cares for his friends and tries to protect them in his own way. He is adept at protection magic, being able to become a long-lived sorcerer and most powerful physician if he continues developing and perfecting his magical talents in healing spells from the chapter of Protection from the legendary Grimoire of Zero. He ends up leaving with Saybil and Holt upon finally graduating and has accepted a job on gathering more information on Remnants of Disaster at the Forbidden Library.

Recurring

Zero the Mud-Black Witch (泥闇の魔女)
Zero was the main female protagonist/titular character of the prequel series, Grimoire of Zero. She originally traveled with a half man/half beast called Mercenary in search of a book called the Grimoire of Zero that hides a mighty magical power that can destroy the world in its entirety. Over the next decade, she has grown into a tall, beautiful and captivating woman with even greater magical ability than ever before, though not as powerful as Saybil's. She reveals herself to be the paternal aunt of Saybil. For quite some time, she has been suffering a severe case of magical reduction due to sacrificing a vast amount of her mana to revive her lover, Mercenary, from death in the previous series, leaving her quite vulnerable to her adversaries and from dying, which was the very reason why her elder brother, Thirteen, had sired Saybil for the boy's limitless powerful magic to be transferred to her. This is indeed done as a last resort for his famous aunt to become strong to defend everyone from the imminent massacre approaching the village.
Mercenary the Tiger Beastfallen (傭兵)
The white tiger beastfallen who was the main protagonist of the prequel series, Grimoire of Zero. In the next decade his face has grown rounder, and he has managed to fulfill his dream of owning a tavern for beastfallen, witches and humans alike. He continues to be fiercely loyal to the teenage Zero, now his wife, and will do whatever is necessary to ensure the severely magically depleted Mud-Black Witch's safety those she cherishes such as Saybil, for being her nephew.
Shinpu the Blind Priest (神父)

Supporting

Laios
Laios is a young human boy who befriends the amnesic Saybil once he has lived in his home village for two months as a way to replenish the strong magic of those who have used it for too long. He knows the forest well, but ends up getting hurt badly by encountering a Remnant of Disaster, and is saved by the renowned Mud-Black Witch and Dawn Witch.
Uls
Uls is the father of Laois who helped with the test by staying home with his wife and young son. He then joined at the Mercenary's bar for a drink in celebration for Saybil Kudo and Holt for passing with flying colors as students in the field program.
Kady
Kady was a penniless boy whom the Anti-Witch Church had recruited as an assassin to eradicate "evil" witches. He was found by the immortal Dawn Witch, Professor Loux Krystas, with his face swollen by bees. He is then interrogated by Shinpu, who utilized his unique ability of lie detection, to ascertain whether more Remnants of Disaster had come with him. While enjoying himself with Mrs. Hearthful and her young students, which had included Laois, he became possessed by another rouge Remnant of Disaster and was ultimately killed from its malevolent influence and Holt's stronger Flagis spell. He was buried outside the village church.
Ms. Heartful (ハルスフル)
A redheaded bespectacled woman who teaches at the village school for human children, such as Laios, who debuted in Episode Nine. She was from the north and came to live in a village for both witches and humans, even though her home and family was attacked by a witch. The Tyrant himself seems to develop a crush on her, despite his strong feeling bloodlust.

type	TV series
director	Satoshi Kuwabara
producer	Atsushi Aitani Maya Fujino Makoto Furukawa Shinji Kawaguchi Nobuhiko Kurosu Takaaki Nakaome Tomoyuki Oowada Junichirou Tanaka
writer	Satoshi Kuwabara
music	Tatsuhiko Saiki
studio	Tezuka Productions
licensee	Crunchyroll (streaming)
network	TBS, BS11
first	April 8, 2022
last	July 1, 2022
episodes	12

The Dawn of the Witch

Premise

Characters

Main

Recurring

Supporting

Production

Media

Light novels

Manga

Anime

External links

References