Witch and Mercenary
Japanese light novel series
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Witch and Mercenary (Japanese: 魔女と傭兵, Hepburn: Majo to Yōhei) is a Japanese light novel series written by Kaeru Chōhōkiteki and illustrated by Bench Kanase. It began serialization on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō in June 2021. It was later acquired by Micro Magazine, which began publishing it under their GCN Bunko imprint in May 2023. A manga adaptation illustrated by Makoto Miyagi began serialization on Kodansha's Magazine Pocket manga website in January 2024. An anime television series adaptation produced by Eight Bit is set to premiere in 2027.
| Witch and Mercenary | |
First light novel volume cover | |
| 魔女と傭兵 (Majo to Yōhei) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Novel series | |
| Written by | Kaeru Chōhōkiteki |
| Published by | Shōsetsuka ni Narō |
| Original run | June 9, 2021 – present |
| Light novel | |
| Written by | Kaeru Chōhōkiteki |
| Illustrated by | Bench Kanase |
| Published by | Micro Magazine |
| English publisher | |
| Imprint | GCN Bunko |
| Original run | May 19, 2023 – present |
| Volumes | 7[a] |
| Manga | |
| The Witch and the Mercenary | |
| Written by | Kaeru Chōhōkiteki |
| Illustrated by | Makoto Miyagi |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| English publisher | Kodansha (digital) |
| Imprint | Shōnen Magazine Comics |
| Magazine | Magazine Pocket |
| Original run | January 28, 2024 – present |
| Volumes | 8 |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Shinpei Ezaki |
| Written by | Taishirou Tanimura |
| Music by | Rei Ishizuka |
| Studio | Eight Bit |
| Original network | NNS (Nippon TV) |
| Original run | 2027 – scheduled |
Synopsis
On the Old Continent, witches are regarded as magic-wielding symbols of fear and hunted. Mercenary Zig Crane agrees to join one of these witch hunts. However, after fighting said witch, Saoirse, to a stalemate, they end up bonding upon realizing that they are the same: people forced to become killers by their environment. Agreeing that they have no future in this land, Saoirse hires Zig to escort her to the New Continent, where magic is common. Unfortunately, upon arriving, they learn that this peaceful country ostracizes mercenaries rather than witches, as it does not need them. Will Zig and Saoirse be able to adapt to this new home where their dynamics are reversed?
Characters
- Zig Crane (ジグ＝クレイン, Jigu Kurein)
- Voiced by: Taito Ban[3]
- Saoirse (シアーシャ, Siāsha)
- Voiced by: Saori Hayami[3]
Media
Light novel
Written by Kaeru Chōhōkiteki, Witch and Mercenary began serialization on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō on June 9, 2021.[4] It was later acquired by Micro Magazine who began publishing it with illustrations by Bench Kanase under their GCN Bunko light novel imprint on May 19, 2023. Seven volumes have been released as of January 2026.[5][a] The series is licensed in English by Seven Seas Entertainment.[6]
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | North American release date | North American ISBN | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 19, 2023[7] | 978-4-86716-424-2 | September 12, 2024 (digital) October 8, 2024 (print)[8] | 979-8-89160-302-8 | ||
| ||||||
| 2 | September 20, 2023[9] | 978-4-86716-471-6 | February 6, 2025 (digital) March 4, 2025 (print)[10] | 979-8-89160-897-9 | ||
| ||||||
| 3 | March 19, 2024[11] | 978-4-86716-547-8 | May 22, 2025 (digital) July 29, 2025 (print)[12] | 979-8-89373-185-9 | ||
| ||||||
| 4 | July 20, 2024[13] | 978-4-86716-608-6 | August 28, 2025 (digital) October 28, 2025 (print)[14] | 979-8-89373-797-4 | ||
| ||||||
| 5 | November 20, 2024[15] | 978-4-86716-663-5 | January 29, 2026 (digital) February 17, 2026 (print)[16] | 979-8-89561-231-6 | ||
| ||||||
| 6.1 | June 20, 2025[17][18] | 978-4-86716-776-2 978-4-86716-777-9 (SE) | March 26, 2026 (digital) April 28, 2026 (print)[19] | 979-8-89765-402-4 | ||
| ||||||
| 6.2 | July 22, 2025[20][21] | 978-4-86716-793-9 978-4-86716-794-6 (SE) | June 11, 2026 (digital) July 7, 2026 (print)[22] | 979-8-89765-672-1 | ||
| ||||||
| 7 | January 20, 2026[5] | 978-4-86716-901-8 | November 24, 2026 (print)[23] | 979-8-89863-271-7 | ||
Manga
A manga adaptation illustrated by Makoto Miyagi began serialization on Kodansha's Magazine Pocket manga website on January 28, 2024.[24] The manga's chapters have been compiled into eight tankōbon volumes as of March 2026.[25] The manga's chapters are simultaneously published in English on Kodansha's K Manga app under the title The Witch and the Mercenary.[6]
| No. | Release date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 9, 2024[26] | 978-4-06-535542-8 |
| 2 | July 9, 2024[27] | 978-4-06-536134-4 |
| 3 | October 8, 2024[28] | 978-4-06-536765-0 |
| 4 | January 8, 2025[29] | 978-4-06-537761-1 |
| 5 | May 9, 2025[30] | 978-4-06-539453-3 |
| 6 | August 7, 2025[31] | 978-4-06-540354-9 |
| 7 | November 7, 2025[32] | 978-4-06-541547-4 |
| 8 | March 9, 2026[25] | 978-4-06-542970-9 |
Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced on April 15, 2026. The series will be produced by Eight Bit and directed by Shinpei Ezaki, with Taishirou Tanimura handling series composition, Keita Matsumoto designing the characters, and Rei Ishizuka composing the music. It is set to premiere in 2027 on Nippon TV and its affiliates.[3]
Reception
The series was ranked fifth in the bunkobon category at the 2023 Next Light Novel Awards.[33] The series was ranked second in the same category in the 2024 edition.[34]
The manga adaptation was nominated for the 11th Next Manga Awards in the print category in 2025, and was ranked thirteenth and won the U-Next Award.[35][36]
Notes
- Eight volumes in total, including the second part of the sixth volume.