“Orphan Aya is adopted by witch Bella Yaga as an assistant, tasked with winning over cold Mandrake.”
Earwig and the Witch
アーヤと魔女
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AI-powered analysis tailored to your taste
Based on your preference for character-driven stories with layered emotional arcs, this title's exploration of identity and belonging would deeply resonate. The pacing mirrors series you've rated highly, and its thematic depth aligns with your appreciation for nuanced storytelling...
However, the slow initial episodes might test your patience given your history of dropping shows that don't hook you early. The art style shift in the middle arc could also be a concern...
Synopsis
Orphan Aya is adopted by witch Bella Yaga as an assistant, tasked with winning over cold Mandrake.
With large windows adorning its spick-and-span halls, St. Morwald's Home for Children serves as a warm refuge for displaced orphans. For 10-year-old Aya, she is perfectly content living without a normal family, especially since she has everyone at the orphanage wrapped around her finger. However, to her dismay, she is one day selected by a peculiar couple, Bella Yaga and the Mandrake. Aya soon learns that she has, in fact, been adopted by a real witch who wanted her solely as an assistant and had not even considered being her foster mother. As if that was not enough, Aya is told the one rule she must obey at all times—never disturb the Mandrake. To win the hearts of this seemingly heartless witch and the grumpy Mandrake is no easy task; but unlike other children, Aya accepts this challenge without hesitation.
What people say
Community consensus
Derived from 43 sampled reviews
What 43 viewers settled on.
Polarized
σ 2.27 · split reception
5.1 pts
Recommenders 8.3 · others 3.2
↑ 2.26
Running avg · Jan 2021 → Jan 2026
- 7 “I really want to like this. I think the moive is super cute and the story is really great. the problem is the moive makes me want more and not in the good way. If I found out a series was coming...”
- 10 “This is the best Ghibli movie ever created. Nough said. Cry about it ; p This is the most Iv been glued to my seat when I watched a Ghibli movie. Earwig was a very very endearing character, and I...”
- 8 “Let just put it this way. People called: "This movie have ok animation" is just dumb, GKIDS and Ghibli did a fantastic job transfer the magical felling from 2D form to 3D, also keeping what make...”
Watch Order & Related
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- Format 1 × 82′ eps × min
- Total runtime 1h 22m all episodes
- Aired Dec 2020 – ongoing
- Source Tv special media type
- Rated PG Children
- Ref. BS-16495 catalog
Produced by
- NHK Producer
- NHK Enterprises Producer
Licensed by
- GKIDS Licensor