#and AGHHHHHHDIJFOWAJIEJARIWOJERIWERJERE I AM IN DEEP PAIN

[always-a-joyful-note]

After finishing all available 79 chapters of Witch Hat Atelier and being trapped into the spiderweb of the story that it is, I NEED to organise my thoughts about its themes and what it's trying to portray, so here goes that attempt. Spoilers for all available chapters so far under the cut

We obviously see that there is a HUGE fight against what they're calling "principles" and "freedom." We all might have different words to assign to those things like the characters themselves do (restrictions, fundamentalism, arrogance for principles vs chaos, power hunger, blindness to consequence for freedom), but I want to focus on the perspectives that both sides are using and call it what those who are on their side call it. In short, we can SEE that neither of those sides are wrong but they are far from right as well, and all the characters are struggling against that

I think so far the way we see principles and freedom drawn to an extreme is between Easthies and that masked Brimmed Hat Iguin (the one with the giant eye covering his face(?)). I'm not sure about the latter but it's been pretty clear what happens, especially after ch. 79, when both ideals are taken to their extremes

Maybe - and i only say maybe - they might be leading towards a theme that neither can exist without the other. Principles and absolutes cannot exist without freedom, and freedom and the passion to do all it takes cannot exist without principles. How they will come to that conclusion, I don't know...especially when I don't know how they will find another outside medium (if that's where it's leading) to help balance the two

There's also obviously themes about disabilities, which I think also show that difference between principles and freedom taken to the extreme. Principles taken to the extreme say that there is no way to help those who view/see/live in the world in a different way. The theme keeps on being brought up that even though this tool they have can help, they don't because upholding the rules has become more important than protecting those they love. BUT...freedom taken to the extreme tells us that those people have to be fixed to fit the world because, well, with what they have they can, right? Or, in another sense, they don't think about the consequences and price that casting that kind of stuff can take and thus turn a blind eye to the way it COULD be properly used because of all the thinking that's needed to be led to that point

Theme of growing up is another thing that's on here. I'm not actually sure how old the kids here are (they look to be between the ages of...maybe 12 and 15?), but either way, they are growing up. And Richeh and Agott are pretty good expressions of someone who wants to keep their childhood and someone who wants to grow up. It shows us how that battle between the individual and the community is handled by each child in their own unique way. Again, it's the balance of two extremes, to learn how to see others and have compassion but also learn how to live their own life as their own person - especially when one might cause you to sacrifice the other

Honestly, so far it's doing such a good job of having this precarious balance of not showing one side as completely evil (a moment of silence for Custas who found out about that the hard and agonizing way). Yes, the kids still lean on the side of principle, but that's not a bad thing either (honestly, the new Brimmed Hat Ininia and Custas against our protagonists and Tartah, it's sure showing a fun balance between kids raised in one thing learning to see the value of the other).

And speaking of balance, I think this is what this manga is trying to question. Balance between two extremes...if it's even possible

Anyway, there's also the obvious theme of censorship. That's obviously very bad and it's not really questioned that such censorship is a bad thing - BUT...the reasons behind it are complex. Fear, goodness, evil, and courage are all mixed up in fun and different ways...so you have that as well

Something something the road to hell is paved with good intentions or however that quote goes. Something something adults vs children but also children need to trust adults and adults need to trust children and hear them out. Something something how most of the adults we see contribute in some way towards whatever negative extreme they're facing (I'm REALLY hoping we get to see some more genuinely good adults in the Brimmed Hats side, though I also think if it shows them all as evil, it will do so in a way that shows how secrecy and hiding have corrupted their ideals more than acceptance has corrupted the Pointed Hats' ideals). And something something the children - and now some of the adults - are finding themselves conflicted between two sides that are neither wholly wrong or wholly right