Episode 8

**"The Ripper"** (切り裂き魔, *Kirisaki Ma*) is the eighth episode of the *Wandering Witch* anime.

## Synopsis

Elaina arrives in a town full of dolls and overhears a witch named Sheila investigating a series of attacks by a criminal known as the Ripper.

## Summary

Elaina is walking around and notices the country has dolls scattered everywhere on the streets and shops. She notices another witch revealed to be from the United Magic Association is trying to gather information from citizens on if they know anything about the crimes relating to the Ripper.

It is revealed that over the last few years the Ripper has been taking the “lives” of many women. After the talk with the citizens, Sheila the Night Witch reveals herself to Elaina and asks if she knows anything about the crimes. Due to Elaina not knowing who The Ripper is, Sheila asks for her help if she finds any clues, to which Elaina agrees.

Elaina stumbles upon a store that gives away free dolls and takes a look. The shopkeeper reveals that all the dolls in the store are made by herself and that she is giving them for free because she likes to see the happy faces of customers. Trying to convince Elaina to take a doll, Elaina refuses in the end due to the creepy nature of the dolls.

Elaina settles the night at a hotel and immediately notices a doll placed in the room. She decides to send the doll into the closet using her magic. Elaina then relaxes by taking a bath, writing in her diary, and reading a book until she falls asleep.

In the morning Elaina wakes up and notices the window is open but doesn't think much of it. After washing her face she notices her hair was cut short, which sparks a flashback from the day before when a citizen says, "I know the lives of four women were taken." which refers to a woman's hair. Elaina then calls Sheila to investigate. After searching the whole room, they then find out that the closet contained the hair of the doll from the day before. Sheila notices Elaina's necklace and her witch name but brushes it off when Elaina asks what's wrong. The two witches are about to leave the hotel when Elaina notices the concierge's doll's hair was exactly like a human's hair, so Sheila decides to forcefully interrogate and ask where he got it from. It is revealed that the doll was from the secret auction which sells special dolls. In the evening the two witches head to the auction in their special clothes and masks.

The first few products are revealed to the ecstatic audience but the two witches don't find anything useful to the case of The Ripper. It is not until the last auction where it is revealed that these dolls features real human hair and Elaina notices one of the dolls was exactly the one from her room, having Elaina's ashen hair. Preparing to make a move, Sheila calms Elaina down saying that the bidders don't have anything to do with the crimes, but then the audience cheer as it is revealed the dolls are from the Ripper.

As the auction starts, Elaina quickly knocks out the auctioneer and expresses her frustration at the audience that they are enemies of women. She calls out the Ripper to reveal themselves but to no avail. Elaina decides to lure out the Ripper by torturing the doll; ripping the head off, pulling off the hair, and stepping on the doll which causes a shock in the audience. The Ripper then reveals herself to be the shopkeeper from the day before who gave away free dolls. Elaina tries to expose The Ripper by claiming that she is trying to earn money despite claiming that she doesn't "care about money". The Ripper then tells Elaina that she ends up donating the profits from the auction to the poor, to which the audience claps, which irks Elaina. She then asks why the Ripper would make women sad despite wanting to see happy faces. The Ripper replies that she wants to not only see happy faces but also any expression of human emotion, rather it be sad, angry, or laughing. The Ripper then tries to scare Elaina by saying she can't win against her as she is a witch. Nevertheless, Elaina reveals herself to be a witch too and summons a cage to trap the Ripper. Sheila then also engages and handcuffs the Ripper. Sheila thanks Elaina for the help as the case is finally closed. Elaina then uses her magic to transfer the hair from the doll back to herself.

In the last scene Saya calls out to Sheila and asks what the woman did to be caught. Sheila reveals that the woman is the Ripper, who went around cutting women's hair, including the hair of a travelling witch who had ashen hair with the same hat and necklace as Saya. Realising who it is, Saya fumes and walks towards the Ripper, much to the woman's delight.

## Differences in Adaptation

* In the original source material from the light novel, Elaina was not wearing her witch's brooch when she visited the doll shop. In this episode, she was wearing her normal outfit, but she was covering her brooch with her hat, which still obscured her status as a witch from the shopkeeper.

## Characters

* Elaina
* Sheila
* Ripper
* Saya

## Trivia

* In the English dub, Saya slips into Southern accent due to her rage at hearing Elaina's hair had been damaged.
* The first doll which was on the auction bare a small resemblance to Ran from Texhnolyze.