It’s a kind of magic – review of the comic book “Atelier of pointy hats” vol. 1

The first volume of the Atelier of pointy hats encourages you to read the beautiful illustration on the dust jacket. However, it is known what they say about books and covers. So is the manga content just as good?

The action of the comic takes place in a fantastic world where magic is omnipresent, and at the same time directly available only to the chosen few. The main character, a girl named Koko, is not a sorceress, although she would like it very much. One day, as a result of a series of events, he goes to the title Atelier, where he is to study witchcraft under the supervision of a magician named Quiffrey. In addition to mastering spells, Koko also needs to learn the rules of the wizarding community. In addition, mysterious witches with unclear intentions lurk in the background.

Mangowy Harry Potter?

The comparison of Kamome Shirahama’s comic to the series by JK Rowling is too obvious not to refer to it. At first glance, there are some significant similarities. In both cases, the protagonist is a child brought up in a non-magical family, who leaves home after the wizard’s visit, buys a wand and goes to a school of magic. Both Harry and Koko will immediately meet characters as friendly as they are not very sympathetic, and they must both quickly make up for the shortcomings of wizarding education. In both series, malevolent forces await the heroes. In the world of Harry Potter they are Voldemort and the Death Eaters, in Atelier … – mages in masks.

Despite these general similarities, Shirahama’s manga differs significantly from Rowling’s novels. First of all, Harry lives in modern Britain, while Koko lives in a completely fictional reality. In addition, the book Muggles are unaware of the existence of magic, and the heroes of Atelier … not only are aware of its presence, but also use the services of mages and items created by them, as well as magic sources. So the presented world is closer to Earthsea than to the reality of Harry Potter. At the same time, at least in the first volume, everything is more intimate. Quiffrey’s Atelier is not Hogwarts or the Big House, but a small studio with only a few female students (although there is also a much larger Academy that we don’t know much about yet). On the other hand, Koko is not a famous chosen one, but a child who accidentally (or maybe not?) Fell into a magic book. And by the way, the magic users and users at Atelier … handle themselves in a much more hygienic and cultured way than what Rowling wrote on Twitter.

Nevertheless, the plot of the first volume of Atelier of pointy hats is not overly original. The same applies to characters who seem to have a maximum of two character traits. Koko is fascinated with magic and bathed in hot water, her mother – (over) protective and pragmatic, Quiffrey – sympathetic and trusting, Agatha – ambitious, Tetia – friendly, and Richeh – calm. So if you are tired of fictional cliches and archetypal heroes and you are looking for a title that breaks the mold in this regard, Atelier … may not be the right choice.

Draw charms and cute drawings

However, if you turn a blind eye to some clichéd solutions, following Koko’s adventures will be quite pleasant. The characters evoke sympathy, and the plot is full of charm, thanks to which it glides smoothly through the pages of the book. In addition, the author skillfully spreads the pace of the action, interweaving more dynamic events with a gradual exposure of the presented world to the readers.

One of its most interesting elements is the way of using magic developed by Kamome Shirahama. It will not be a big spoiler if I reveal that although the author used a fairly classic division of spells by elements, instead of traditional gestures and words, she focused on drawings. Wizards in comics use special ink to draw magic symbols that produce specific effects. The idea is reminiscent of the transmutation circles from Fullmetal Alchemist , but in the Hiromu Arakawa manga their appearance was never justified in any way, while Shirahama at the end of the book quite accurately explains how magic symbols work.

What is most delightful about the Atelier of pointed hats are the wonderful illustrations conjured up by the author. Both the title pages and the individual boards were made very elaborately. The artist makes great use of the possibilities of black and white – she uses chiaroscuro and uses not only popular rasters in Japanese comics, but also intricate polishing. As a result, the characters created by her, wrapped in draped, flowing robes, the background full of details and dynamic compositions please the eye. For the sake of the graphic layer, it is worth reading this item.

There is nothing to be charmed about

Kamome Shirahama’s manga is neither outstanding nor groundbreaking in any way. Its magic comes mainly from beautiful drawings and to a lesser extent from the script. Nevertheless, it is worth succumbing to the charm of Atelier of pointy hats and reaching for the first volume. If you don’t demand too much, you will be mesmerized.