screaming

we (a)gott more agott scenes in the beginning here, a really interesting change for an episode that's otherwise a pretty straightforward adaptation of the manga. overall I can see that they're trying to soften agott's edges in the anime a bit early since her really obvious changes are probably going to be for season 2+. (wonder if this means the arc about coco getting sick is going to get moved around at all?) the bird and light is some cute extra foreshadowing though.

they removed the carapace yam scene getting reversed by the magic cookpot- a pretty straightforward retcon, since counterclock spells are better defined and have a strict time-limit.

(side note: I've got to wonder if the limit for counter-clock spells being a full day has anything to do with positions of stars in the sky, stars being connected to magic repeatedly and all)

here, agott in the dub at least, comes across a bit softer in general, thanking coco for the offer.

the anime adds in a line from qifrey about the storm coming in- connective tissue for the rest of the staircase stuff.

anime olly is also more visibly & obviously caught off guard by coco being an apprentice, in my favorite bit of the episode. not a huge change but its funny so thumbsup

they cut out the stable of apprentices line here for another line thats similar in meaning, not something super noteworthy by itself, BUT! it was present in the dub trailer which is interesting. after some more digging it looks like the line in the jp trailer and episode are the same- so it looks like a dub-only change? i'd imagine its a translation/timing thing but I dont know any Japanese so I'm just speculating here.

Not the first to notice this, but RIP to this cunty manipulator pose Qifrey hits before just brushing off Olruggio for Coco exposition. Makes up for though by putting some extra sauce on the guilt-trip itself though.

This line got cut which, overall not a huge deal but I do kind of miss it since I've seen people be confused + it ties into the next change

The change I have the most mixed feelings, why I wrote this long rant to begin with, is from this line from Olruggio. Saying the glowstone path is the invention he's most known for VS. the anime where in both sub and dub where he says its his best work feels like a pretty significant change.

I think he probably does believe it on some level, considering its the one invention of his that has seen mass adoption and has materially helped a lot of common people. Compared to the rest of his commissions we see him doing generally being luxury items for rich patrons, it makes sense.

But, I just find it hard to believe he would just outright say that it's his best work to Coco without having a complex about it lol. Olruggio in general is such an interesting character of a working artist and former child prodigy. He's always pushing himself to help more people- to admit his best work is past him seems like he's resting on his laurels in some way.

(also for silly reasons I think its funny if they establish it early that Olruggio is a celebrity. here's your kind and patient teacherparent and his dog mandated reporter, Steve Jobs*)

The darkest reveal in the flashback arc is that Qifrey has been memory wiped over and over in the brimhat experiments.

It's the reason that Qifrey floats around like a ghost in ch89 before meeting Olly. Forbidden magic that can manipulate someone's memories and feelings at will. Olly's solution, ironically, uses magic of the same caliber. Even Coco in earlier chapters argues that the memory wiping magic the pointed hats use is no different from any other forbidden magic; it's a necessary evil to uphold the Pact. He'd rather they both plunge into the darkness instead of letting Qifrey die.

Olly's greatest sin is making Qifrey a sinner. Ch93 explicitly shows that over time, this pact between them fundamentally alters Qifrey as a person.

At first, Qifrey did the same thing he did in ch92. He actually told Olly the truth, allowing his roots to grow. It was Olly that decided to restart the loop instead of freeing himself from it.

Over time, Qifrey had to get better and better at lying.

Over time, he got better at repeating their sin.

And at some point, he got a little too comfortable with altering memories for his goals.

Nolnoa caught a stray in the sin between them. Thus begins Tartah's suspicions of Qifrey. When questioning him, he's thrown off by Qifrey's lying smile—another thing he only learned from Olly.

Over time, Tartah's mistrust with the pointed hats grew. What is more, he felt the burden of lies himself when he had to lie to Custas about the truth of magic. He started believing that the lies are nothing but an obstacle leading to harm, that they aren't able to protect anyone. He reached a boiling point when he learned that there's a secret behind silverwoods—he couldn't handle the fact that Coco might be the one hiding from him urgent information for both Custas and his own grandfather.

Thus, in an impulsive move, he shatters all trust between them.

In the end, he was technically right about Qifrey hiding information. However, this cruel act was not a solution. Despite the row of falling dominoes leading up to this, it was unjust and something Tartah likely wishes he could undo if he could.

It's only human to leap at the opportunity to throw of the chains of lies. Qifrey does the same thing in the next chapter. He wishes to break the promise to Olly now that he feels he has the opportunity to end the lies.

When learning that the cycle of despair is happening to others, he desperately wants to give his promise up to give other hosts a better chance. However, Coco tells him that this won't work. She needs him if she is going to become a great witch—all of his doting apprentices do. Coco has seen that rashly forcing out the truth will only lead to more despair, so she chooses to cling on the lie of witches. She knows that she's repeating the same mistakes, but if they just stick together, they can one day find a better way.

So, let's take a recap of the events from Qifrey's past to Tartah's betrayal. A horrible act of magic leaves a person in a terrible state. To put a band-aid over the problem, witches formed a pact with each other to preserve a lie. A pact that will protect them from forbidden magic, but doom them to an existence filled with lies and lacking in true comfort. The lies and mistrust escalate until the truth is forced out, an act against the Pact but causing even more harm. Following this, the decision is made to hold onto the lie, ever so fragile.

Starting to sound familiar, isn't it? History is destined to be repeated, whether considering all of society or an act between two witches.

And this circle of hope plummeting into despair will continue over, and over, and over again—like a forbidden spell's outer circle being closed by Olruggio, then Qifrey, then the next generation of people who will bear the weight of sin.

It will be nothing short of a miracle to break the loop. But after all, a miracle is exactly the feat of a great witch.

Olruggio's more cold personality in his very introduction is quite the deception. It is still not long before we see the core of his whole personality when he uses his magic to warm up Coco.

Then, we learn Olruggio's cobblestone spell is the first instance of magic that Coco has ever encountered.

This is one of the sweetest moments in the manga, and Olruggio's embarrassed reaction is just gold. However, Coco's lines in the two bottom panels hint at something more somber. The next time she mentions the magic she felt from the cobblestone path is in her monologue in ch62.

Growing up without her father left Coco feeling lost and directionless. Encountering magic gave her hope to latch on. She imagined all the fantastical things she could do with magic; but above all, it gave her the tiniest hope that she could meet her father. Even though this goal was unattainable, Olruggio's magic lit something foundational in her soul. A light that Agott could see so clearly, which is why Agott asks Coco to reflect on her love of magic in ch62.

The Torch for the Cursed

Ch24, where Coco and Tetia encounter the cursed people of Romonon, is the groundwork for the most important theme in Witch Hat Atelier.

After a failed attempt to beat them with physical force, Coco and Tetia reach out to understand the people of Romonon. What they find is that their cruelty is the result of so, so many years without the feeling of comfort.

Coco's solution is to bring out the most comforting magic she knows: Olly's. The people of Romonon immediately see a path with the snugstone. A path that leads them to finally rest.

It's a choice that Coco protests and despairs over, but in the end, it's the path that they found through Olruggio's magic. Once again, it does not only have a physical warmth to it, but it acts as a guide that helps others make choices.

The foreshadowing of Qifrey's character in this chapter is also important to note: he knows the answer to the riddle is 'comfort' immediately, and he also stops Coco from trying to interfere with the end they chose. All of these details are so much heavier now that we know that Qifrey is someone who is Cursed as well. A snugstone was given to Qifrey; but with what we know now, is he able to even use it?

The Torch for Himself

In the bonus chapter for volume 11, Olruggio is almost entirely by himself. Struggling with an artblock for his work, he produces a purely decorative spell in order to "clear his mind."

These animals he composes are torchstags, which we know because Agott shows Coco her own decorative animal spells in ch58. Perhaps it was Olruggio that partly inspired her to do so after seeing how all the girls enjoyed this display of magic.

Even without others, it's in Olruggio's nature to produce magic with a guiding light. He naturally dazzles others even when it's magic for himself, but he still notes the effect of his magic on Coco.

This page directly connects to the theme of Olly igniting Coco's light; though, reminds the audience that the hope comes from the witch's deception. The magic itself may be a lie, but the strength it gives to others is true.

Indeed, Olly has always had a torch for himself. Ch76 has the youngest sighting we have of Olly. He proudly stands in front of his warming contraption.

However, it's the incident in Noz that leaves him feeling more lost than ever. He doesn't believe in the warmth of his light anymore. That is, until he encountered...

The Torch for The Silverwood Maiden

ch89's flashback opens with a despondent Olly following what he deemed as his greatest failure. The chief assures him that he won't have to worry about saving people down here; ironically, he immediately finds someone that needs saving.

Unsurprisingly, it's a drying spell to keep Qifrey warm that Olly uses. Yet somehow, saving his life will be far from the only gift that Olly brings him. It's with Qifrey that we first see him wave the torch of knowledge. He teaches him to use magic to solve his problems instead of charging in unprepared.

Olly teaches him how to lie. How to put on a friendly smile.

He even teaches Qifrey how to cook, another very important part of Qifrey's future personality. He kept showing Qifrey more and more. Even when Qifrey pushed him away, he is always there.

He was above Qifrey with a helping hand even when he shut himself away in the darkness.

Olruggio isn't just a torch for Qifrey.

When sailors are surrounded by the discomfort of endless seas and in the darkest of nights, they look to the unwavering stars to navigate. And Olruggio is...

This brings us back to the Silverwood maiden Tale in ch47.

There are endless things to pour over in this tale. For this post's sake, I will focus on the aspect mentioned in ch92: that boats sail on the night sky. This reinforces the idea that the sea and sky mirror each other. The star messenger was lost before meeting the silvermaiden, just as Olly was lost before meeting Qifrey. They have too many distinctions to mirror each other exactly, but there's a sort of balance to them. Olly leaves Qifrey a guiding torch to give him hope, but it's because of Qifrey that Olly has a direction to confidently 'sail' in.

I've gone through the many things that Olly has done for Qifrey, but it would be have to be another post to talk more about what exactly Qifrey has done that has made Olly so attached to him--how much of it is because of olly's savior complex, qifrey's nature, etc. All of that is true, and yet there is also a simpler answer to his ceaseless attachment to Qifrey.