What if your occupation was decided at birth by nothing more than your gender?

Well, that is actually the central twist in Ichi the Witch, a recent manga series written by Osamu Nishi and illustrated by Shiro Usazaki. The series first debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump in September 2024, exploring a journey where an unsuspecting boy suddenly acquires magical powers in a world where only women can be witches. 

“In a world filled with magic witches and powerful creatures, one human hunter eagerly waits for the right moment to strike!”
– Shonen Jump on Facebook

A World Where Witches Are Women

In this magical universe, witches earn power by defeating monsters known as Majiks where the rule clearly outlines that only women can become witches. However, when a boy raised in the mountains named Ichi slays a powerful Majik, he makes the impossible happen by becoming the first male witch. 

For the Mantinel Witches Association, Ichi’s very existence is a headache, especially for the veteran witch Desscaras who failed to slay the same Majik that Ichi defeated. It’s personal for them, and for readers it is an immediate hook. 

Breaking Gender And Finding Identity

The allure of Ichi the Witch is how it subverts a very common trope. Usually we cheer when a girl breaks into a male-dominated world but here it is now the opposite. A boy has now crashed into an all-female domain but the story (thankfully) doesn’t turn into an untasteful “battle of the sexes.” Instead, it just quietly asks the universe, “Who gets to decide the rules of belonging?”

Ichi himself isn’t hung up on gender as we see throughout the series. Raised outside of society, he doesn’t even initially realise that he is a peculiar case. His outsider perspective reveals how arbitrary the rules are. In one trial, Ichi succeeds simply because the challenge was designed to exclude women and exposes that tradition, not ability, was the real barrier.

The message in the manga is not shouted but always remains clear; roles that are defined by gender are often assumptions disguised under the falsehood of destiny. Yet, the series stays accessible for all audiences with fast fights, humorous banter, and a swish of magic that all ensures that commentary is never dragged. It’s aspects like this that make the manga hyped while having cultural weight. 

Representation Matters

Another standout element to Ichi the Witch’s success is Desscaras’ intentional character design as a dark-skinned female lead witch who isn’t reduced to a stereotype but written as a layered and respected lead. Too often in the manga/anime world, darker-skinned women are either sidelined or stereotyped. Here, Desscaras is framed as a powerful mentor and is explored further as a person with her own flaws and ambitions. It is refreshing to see such representation in a Shonen manga, not just about genders but also with how women of colour are portrayed. 

The anime has challenged gender norms and skin colours. Desscaras’ design reflects a more international approach to diversity in the manga.

The Spell Creators 

Ichi the Witch is also notable for its creators. Nishi, the writer of Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun, is known for successfully mashing comedy with ethical undertones in their works. Collaboratively, Usazaki then fills the series with dynamic battle spreads and very detailed designs. 

Both creators being women adds an extra layer as two female artists in Weekly Shonen Jump dissect a fantasy series that reverses expectations. This collaboration balances humour, action, and cultural commentary very tastefully. 

Reception and Why It Matters. 

The series’ debut received strong praises with fans going as far as saying that it could be the biggest competitor after Jujutsu Kaisen. Additionally, Horikoshi (My Hero Academia) even praised the series and called it “the ideal of Shonen manga.” Within its first year of release, the series has already been nominated for the Next Manga Awards (2025), as Volume 1 sold nearly 30,000 copies in just under 10 days. 

This reception matters as it shows how audiences are open to Shonen manga that can deliver both a visual spectacle while simultaneously interrogating tradition. The story’s appeal means that readers can enjoy eye-catching magic battles while also reflecting on themes that explore identity and inclusion. 

Beyond the Spell 

Ichi the Witch proves that Shonen can be more than just a one-size-fits-all formula. By giving us a boy who becomes a witch in a world where he isn’t allowed to be, it critiques the assumptions around gender and belonging without ever really feeling heavy-handed. The inclusion of Desscaras as a dark-skinned female lead in a positive and significant position further shows a signal in how representation can be handled in mainstream manga. 

In short, this is both a fun adventure and a thought provoker around cultural significance. If magic doesn’t care who you are, why should society? Have a read today!