Chapter 49 of Witch Hat Atelier shows an ugly reality that most women face

Witch Hat Atelier is a manga reminiscent of childhood fantasy stories, such as Harry Potter, How to Train Your Dragon, and Percy Jackson. This can be seen in the attitude of the main character and the art style of the manga.

Magic is wonder, and Witch Hat Atelier never ceases to remind its viewers about that. While most fantasy manga try to focus their stories on combat, Witch Hat Atelier takes an entirely different route. In the manga, everything is about discovery. Viewers discover the beauty of magic, and at the same time, witness its ills. While magic can heal, it can also take.

The ability of magic to take unabashedly is shown systematically in Witch Hat Atelier. The witch society is one where the gifted are praised and the not-so-gifted are shunned.

It is also prone to the abuses that happen in human society, and no episode shows this like Chapter 49 of Witch Hat Atelier. An ugly reality, sexual assault, that women face is shown in that chapter, as the law and order of witch society try to catch a pervert.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s views and may contain spoilers. This article will cover sensitive topics, viewer's discretion is advised.

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How Chapter 49 of Witch Hat Atelier shows an ugly reality women face

Lady Luluci hearing about the illegal contraption (Image via Kodansha)

The beginning of Witch Hat Atelier chapter 49 features members of the Knights Moralis conversing with one another. The Knight Moralis are responsible for maintaining law and order in the magical world. Up until that point, the Knight Moralis has been depicted as an oppressive body, whose only function is to keep the wonder of magic restricted to a select few people.

However, in this chapter, they appear human. None of the airs they put on is present; readers see them for who they are: people. The chapter opens with the Knight Moralis discussing, before its interrupted by a report of illicit magical contraptions being sold.

One of the members of the Knight Moralis asks what the illicit contraption does, and it is discovered that it can be used to view women unclad without their consent.

The Knight Moralis catch the perpetrator (Image via Kodansha)

The Knight Moralis immediately swings into action, and at this point, viewers really understand the benefits of the group. The culprit runs away from the group and acts like he did nothing wrong. A move that mimics real life, where the guilty party, who is typically a man, acts like they have done nothing wrong.

The guilty party’s actions in this chapter come from a place of superiority; he believes he is entitled to the bodies and the women, and that is the root of abuse, even in real life.

In that same chapter, a peek into the life of a female member of the Knight Moralis is explored. This past chapter shows her as a child facing sexual assault from a noble, but once she complains, her guardian tries to silence her. This is an attempt by the creator of Witch Hat Atelier to draw parallels to what women face in real life.

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Final thoughts

Chapter 49 is among the many Witch Hat Atelier chapters that parallel or reflect real life. At the chapter’s end, Luluci stops the sexual assaulter. The flashback also shows her finding a safe place for herself. This chapter is the mangaka trying to show the effects of sexual assault.

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