# Ichi the Witch

Ichi the Witch (Japanese: 魔男のイチ, Hepburn: Madan no Ichi) is a Japanese manga series written by Osamu Nishi [ja] and illustrated by Shiro Usazaki [ja]. It began serialization in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine in September 2024.

## Plot

The series takes place in a world where monsters composed of magic called Majiks exist. Specialized hunters called Witches can obtain magic from them after performing a trial, but it is thought only women can become witches. A young boy called Ichi, who lives in Druid Mountain and hunts for a living, defeats a Majik, and ends up being the first male witch.

## Characters
### Witches
#### Ichi (イチ)

    Ichi is the main protagonist of the series. He is a feral hunter who came from Druid Mountain. He was abandoned by his parents when he was six years old, forcing him to learn to hunt to survive. Initially, he was self-taught, but later also learned from a traveler named Minakata. He interrupted the battle between Uroro and Desscaras, saving the latter by passing the former's trial due to him being exempt from Uroro's restriction that no women could damage his heart. As the result, Ichi acquired Uroro's power and became the first male witch in history. He was recruited by Desscaras to become her assistant in acquiring other majiks, forming an anti human-hating majik group together with her and Kumugi. He is prophesized to be the messiah that will save the world from the World-Hater Majik, but he'll die once he acquired the majik. Following this revelation, Ichi is tricked into making master-pupil blood oath with Desscaras, forcing Ichi to follow Desscaras' every command, but not knowing that should he die then Desscaras will die along with him. Growing up most of his life in the mountain, Ichi developed a passion for hunting, getting excited when hunting a strong prey. As a hunter, Ichi strictly follows the tenet of "death-for-death", only hunt animals meant to be eaten or endangering humans, which he also applies when hunting majik. His upbringing also resulted in Ichi developing a sense of combat, able to sense bloodlust or murderous intent and instinctively react to it.

#### Desscaras (デスカラス, Desukarasu)

    The Abyssal Witch and widely known as the most powerful witch. Ichi saved her when she got cornered by Uroro due to the restriction of his trial that won't allow a woman to scratch his heart. She recruited Ichi to become her assistant to watch over Uroro whom Ichi had acquired as his Magic while also helping her hunt other Majiks. Once Ichi was recognized as a witch, she and Ichi, along with Kumugi, formed a team of anti human-hater Majik called Team Desscaras, dedicated to hunt Majiks that harm humans. Confident, assertive, and somewhat narcissist prodigy witch, Desscaras initially preferred to work alone, dismissing any help as she believed it would only slow her down. Her tendencies to do things her way caused other witches from the association to view her as handful. Beneath her tough exterior, Desscaras is kind-hearted and always look after her peers. She gradually grew attached to Ichi as he reminded her of her deceased younger brother, Libro, who was killed by World-Hater Majik 15 years prior. As the result, Desscaras developed a grudge against the majik and determined to stop him. She tricked Ichi into making mentor-pupil blood oath that ties her life to Ichi: in exchange for Ichi following her every command, she'll die if Ichi dies. True to her name as the most powerful witch, Desscaras has acquired countless majiks at her disposal, being one of the few capable of fighting on an even ground against the World-Hater Majik.

#### Kumugi (クムギ)

    Kumugi is a Witch Cadet and a member of the Witches' Research Club. She is appointed to be a watcher who observes and records Ichi's actions and report it to her master, Shirabedonna, making her a member of Team Desscaras. She lacked self-confidence due to being looked down upon by her peers since she was little despite her efforts and having low aptitude for offensive magic with her specialty being a workaday magic. As the result, she joined the club so she could spend her days researching and not having to go out and fight. She was initially afraid of Ichi for his boldness, but soon warmed up to him after he appreciated her kind gestures.

#### Monegold (マネーゴールド, Manēgōrudo)

    The Aureate Witch and one of the highest-ranking witches in the Mantinel Witches Association, making her Desscaras and Togeice's superior.

#### Shirabedonna (シラベドンナ)

    The Analytic Witch and the club supervisor of the Witches' Research Club as well as Kumugi's master. She is one of the most intelligent witches in the association, to the point that the whole witches of the association agreed with the result of her analysis without question. She's the one who vouched for Ichi after his demonstration test, allowing him to be approved into the association as a witch.

#### Chikutoge Togeice (チクトゲ トゲアイス)

    The Silver Snow Witch who is specialized in ice magic. She is one of the most naturally talented witches, having acquired 17 majiks in total and alongside Desscaras became the youngest witch in Mantinel history to earn the title of Full Witch at just 11 years old. Her dedication to the Mantinel Witches Association also made her a candidate to become Monegold's successor. A workaholic perfectionist, Togeice is very strict in upholding and promoting the good image of the association by enforcing discipline to her fellow witches, particularly her students. This caused her to often be at odds with Desscaras who often disregard the rules. Despite her strictness, Togeice cares for her fellow witches. Her insistence on maintaining dignified appearance is her way to look after the people around her, earning her admiration from her students. She has a poor sense of direction, she often going in the opposite direction of her intended destination even when they're at a close distance, which became a running gag in the series.

#### Jikishirone (ジキシローネ)

    The Oracle Witch who is capable of seeing the future in the form of a prophecy. She is originally a girl who had been comatose for a decade until she was forced to clear the trial of the Prophecy Majik, causing her to be possessed by the majik and her consciousness remained hidden, with the Prophecy Majik completely taking over her body and her identity. She is one of the majiks who willingly cooperate with witches by sharing her prophecies. She was the one who prophesized's World-Hater Majik's demise at Ichi's hand at the cost of Ichi's life.

### Individual
#### Gokuraku (ゴクラク)

    Infamously known as Gokuraku the Brutalizer, he is a young man who is on the list of the witches' association's official dangerous persons list. He wishes to become a witch, and so he challenges and beats up any majik he encounters. True to his title, he brutally beat up the majik he encountered repeatedly to clear their trial, but due to not having any magic power, he's unable to acquire them even though he fulfilled the conditions to clear the trials. Despite his repeated failure, he strongly believes that he can become a witch himself, especially after learning that Ichi is a male witch.

### Majiks
#### King Uroro (王の魔法, Kingu Uroro)

    King Uroro or simply called Uroro, he is infamously known as the King Majik, the worst type of majik who hates humanity. Ichi found him asleep in Druid Mountain before he fought against Desscaras. The trial to acquire him was to stop his heart, but no witch was able to acquire him for a thousand year because of the restriction that no woman could scratch his heart. During his battle against Desscaras, he got caught by Ichi's trap and got his heart pierced by Ichi, resulting with Ichi acquiring him and became the first male witch. Though majik generally became a magic stone after a witch passed the trial, Uroro instead became a small blob that occasionally popped out from Ichi's body and many times tried to entice him to go against other witches in the hope Ichi will die fighting and he'll be freed. His scientific name is Ultra-Amplification Majik, which allows Ichi to amplify a spell to the maximum degree, but it comes at the cost of the witch falling asleep for three days every time he activated Uroro's power.

#### Inazuri (雷狐)

    Classified as Raiko Majik (雷狐の魔法, Raiko no Mahō), he is a lightning majik and the second majik acquired by Ichi. He has the appearance of a large fox with five tails constantly surrounded by sparks of lightning around his body. His acquisition trial requires someone to steal his heart jewel that is on his neck, without being struck by any of his lightning. Ichi easily acquired him after using a trap that he usually used to neutralize a fox.

#### Uruwashi (氷鮫)

    Classified as Hisame Majik (氷鮫の魔法, Hisame no Mahō), she is an ice majik and the third majik acquired by Ichi. She has the appearance of a shark wearing a diadem. She terrorized a village in Thazanwood, freezing the villagers into her personal ice sculpture. Her acquisition trial requires someone to make her look fabulous, which Ichi succeeded by cutting up her body and then decorated it like a sashimi.

#### Macilvaine (マシルヴェイン, Mashiruvein)

    Classified as Kindake Majik (菌茸の魔法, Kindake no Mahō), it is a mushroom majik that caused havoc in the forest close to town of Hoitaka. Though it doesn't resent humans, it was classified as human-hater for making giant mushrooms appeared and spread spores that'll overwhelm the town if it's left alone. As the result, it became the target for Team Desscaras and Team Togeice in their showdown. Its acquisition trial requires someone to cut its stem and harvest it while it's running away. Togeice acquired it after Ichi got distracted by the appearance of World-Hater majik.

#### World-Hater (反世界の魔法, Hansekai no Mahō)

    Also known as God Majik, he is an S-tier majik with the ability to carve out and wrap chunks of the world, including even majik. He is the Mantinel Witch's Association's greatest enemy. 15 years before the story, he appeared and warped out two towns he covered in his barrier, killing every living beings inside, including Desscaras' younger brother, Libro. He reappeared in the town of Hoitaka to warp it, but this is thwarted by Ichi, Desscaras, and Togeice. He took an immediate interest in Ichi after he fearlessly expressed his desire to hunt and injured the majik. He has a history with Uroro, the latter is so wary of him that he spent years laying low to avoid getting detected by him. Jikishirone prophesized that World-Hater Majik will eventually destroyed the world, but this can be prevented by Ichi, who'll acquire him at the cost of his life.

## Publication

Written by Osamu Nishi [ja] and illustrated by Shiro Usazaki [ja], the series began serialization in Weekly Shōnen Jump on September 9, 2024. It is Usazaki's first major work since her previous work, Act-Age, was canceled due to its writer getting arrested. The first tankōbon volume was released on January 4, 2025.
Viz Media and Manga Plus are publishing the series in English simultaneously with its Japanese release.

### Volumes

| No. | Japanese release date | Japanese ISBN |
| 1 | January 4, 2025 | 978-4-08-884402-2 |
| "Ichi" (イチ)"Uroro Majik" (ウロロの魔法, Uroro no Mahō)"Raiko Majik" (雷狐の魔法, Raiko no Mahō)"Natali, The Capital" (首都ナタリー, Shuto Natalī) "Sherabedonna, The Analytic Witch" (分析の魔女シラベドンナ, Bunseki no Majo Shirabedonna)"Team Desscaras" (デスカラス班, Desukarasu Han)"The Hisame Majik, Part 1" (氷鮫の魔法①, Hisame no Mahō①) |||
| Ichi is a feral boy and self-taught survivalist who has lived on Druid Mountain since he was six and abides by a "death for death" code, hunting only animals that kill humans. When Desscaras, the Abyssal Witch, comes to capture the powerful Majik Uroro, Ichi instead passes Uroro's trial, capturing its power for himself and becoming the first male witch. Uroro's ultra-amplification power comes at a price: each time Ichi casts a spell, he sleeps for three days to recover. On the way back to the Mantinel Witches Association in the capital city of Natali, Ichi and Desscaras capture Raiko (Inazuri), a lightning Majik, and help Witch Cadet Kumugi with her deliveries. After passing a test administered by Shirabedonna, the Analytic Witch, Kumugi is assigned to watch Ichi and record his actions; the trio form an anti-human-hater Majik squad and head to Jauz Village in Thazanwood to capture the Hisame Majik. |||
| 2 | March 4, 2025 | 978-4-08-884417-6 |
| "The Hisame Majik, Part 2" (氷鮫の魔法②, Hisame no Mahō②)"The Hisame Majik, Part 3" (氷鮫の魔法③, Hisame no Mahō③)"The Hisame Majik, Part 4" (氷鮫の魔法④, Hisame no Mahō④)"Witches' Conference" (魔女会議, Majo Kaigi) "The Kindake Majik" ((菌茸の魔法, Kindake no Mahō)"The Silver Snow Witch" (銀雪の魔女, Ginsetsu no Majo)"???""S-Tier Majik Warning" (最大級魔法警報, Saidaikyō Mahō Keihō)"The World-Hater Majik" (反世界の魔法, Han Sekai no Mahō) |||
| Ichi calls out the vain Hisame Majik, who issues an unusual challenge to give her a fabulous fashion. After Desscaras and Kumugi fail, Ichi leaps inside Hisame and starts filleting, using techniques he learned from Minakata to display the shark-like Hisame as exquisite sashimi. He succeeds and frees the villagers. Monigold, the Aureate Witch, convenes a conference to discuss Ichi; Shirabedonna proposes to announce him to the world, but Chikutoge Togeice, the Silver Snow Witch, opposes, saying he needs years of more education. To resolve the dispute, Togeice proposes a competition with Ichi in Hoitaka to see who can acquire the Kindake Majik first; its trial requires the contestants to cut its stem and harvest it. Togeice goes first, using her signature dignified, disciplined, beautiful style to freeze all the mushrooms; Ichi tracks the Kindake Majik relentlessly. As Kumugi lures the Kindake Majik, Ichi is about to complete the trial, but switches targets abruptly to the World-Hater Majik, giving Togeice the win. The Witches Council declares an emergency over the S-tier World-Hater; instead of being intimidated, Ichi is exhilarated. |||

### Chapters not yet in tankōbon format

These chapters have yet to be published in a tankōbon volume. They were originally serialized in Japanese in issues of Weekly Shōnen Jump.
* "Out of Your Depth" (身の程知らず, Mi no Hodo Shirazu)
* "Desscaras, the Abyssal Witch" (深淵の魔女 デスカラス, Shin'en no Majo Desukarasu)
* "Magic Circle" (魔法心円, Mahō Kokoro en)
* "The Oracle" (予言の魔女, Yogen no Majo)
* "How We Live" (生き方, Ikikata)
* "Mentor-Pupil Blood Contract" (師弟血判状, Shitei Keppan-jō)
* "Gokuraku the Brutalizer" (苛虐のゴクラク, Kagyaku no Gokuraku)
* "Gokuraku and Male Witches" (魔男とゴクラク, Ma Otoko to Gokuraku)
* "The Joyous Country" (幸福の国, Kōfuku no Kuni)
* "Lord Bakugami" (バクガミ様, Bakugami-sama)

## Reception

Nick Valdez of ComicBook.com described the first chapter of Ichi the Witch as the "strongest the magazine has seen since the likes of Kagurabachi", and said "it could be the next big thing". Joshua Fox of Screen Rant praised the worldbuilding, artwork, and protagonist of the story.
The series has been recommended by manga creator Kōhei Horikoshi, with Horikoshi describing it as "the ideal shōnen manga".