god it's so cool that so many members of the knights moralis are genuinely kind and well-intentioned people. i've seen people say that making them sympathetic hurts the anti-cop narrative, but i really have to disagree. i think that the fact they're good people actually makes it hit even harder, because it shows that the fault is in the very system. if they were all faceless bad guys, it implies that the problems would be fixed if they were replaced by good guys. but it's shown that galga deeply cares about helping people, luluci wants justice for victims of assault, and utowin just wants to be helpful, and even STILL they end up hurting innocent people! if olruggio was trained as a knight, he would probably be just as bad as the rest! the fault is in the system, not the individuals!
ALSO THE MANGA AS A WHOLE HOLY SHIT??? QIFREY AND OLRUGGIO???? I COULD CRY A RIVER FOR THEM BRO WHAT AND COUSTAS JUSTICE FOR THE POOR BOY, remind me to draw him lmao
Just watched Adam Conover (of Adam Ruins Everything) make such a solid point that I think we should spread far and wide. Yes, having AI write your emails is lazy, sure, but people love being lazy. We need to really emphasize that sending AI emails (or using AI responses on social media, or publishing AI flyers, or or or) is rude.
It's rude. You're making someone take their time to read something you couldn't bother to write. You're telling them they were so unimportant you couldn't be bothered to actually take the time to say something yourself. And frankly, you're lying about it while you're at it.
It's not just rude to make me read something you didn't want to write. It is that you expect me to respond to your email written by Claude. You don't even want me to talk to you. You want me to talk to Claude so that you can make Claude respond for you. It is rude to expect me to talk to a chatbot when I wanted to talk to you.
"But it's not FOR them!!!" The biggest military power in the world belongs to a christofascist nation overseen by a felon found guilty of 34 federal crimes and has greenlit a gestapo with more direct funding than the entire military of Canada for the purpose of ethnic cleansing. Let Hetero Jessica throw some biodegradable glitter at a municipal parade
At this point if anyone is trying to exclude anyone benignly pro-queer from a pro-queer space I'm just going to assume you're a fed or something idk like something something destabilize the movement from within or whatever
hey witches, shirahama sometimes writes little bits of trivia in her commentary threads during airings of the wha anime, so i figured i'd collect the ones i thought were interesting here
this compiles everything up to episode 2, and i will also refer to events in later manga chapters or other things like the repro select so beware of spoilers
just to note again, these are not all the things shirahama tweets (a lot of it is just plain reactions to the events in the episode). i focus on things that seem to provide extra info about the wha setting or characters, though i might also include things about shirahama in a more general sense
episode 1
- shirahama really enjoys watching all the little gestures get animated, and refers to herself as a having a "gesture fetish" (this is obviously meant as a joke)
- the deer that appears at the well is called a "trihorn deer", though being a doe it doesn't seem to have any horns. the butterfly is called a "bride butterfly" which has also been mentioned in kitchen of witch hat
- coco's village (and possibly including the area where qifrey's atelier is) has very little flat ground
- aside from being a tailor, coco's family shop also functions as a thrift store. they buy unwanted cloth stock from traveling merchants, and also sell clean clothes that travelers can buy before entering town
- the kid with black hair is called "Tanaru" (or maybe Tanar/Tanal) and is the son of the village chief. the blond is called "Kamura" (or maybe Kamra/Camra/etc). both of them are troublemakers as well as coco's classmates/friends from school
- the kids in coco's village (including herself) learn to read and write and do simple maths from tanaru's mom at the village chief's house. coco's village is probably too small to merit a proper schoolhouse, though other areas are noted to have actual learning institutions
- papermaking in the wha universe is prosperous, due to the existence of the witches who use a lot of it
episode 2
- this was also mentioned in qifrey and orugio's background arc in the manga, but qifrey's atelier is built upon the remains of an old sheperd's hut
- rumors like the news of qifrey taking on coco (an unknowing) as an apprentice spread quickly in the witches' world due to the existence of certain magic [items]s, though shirahama didn't go into the actual details. i suppose she just means that they have the tech to make info travel more quickly and widely
- also mentioned in the repro select, but the chimney-like structure in the atelier is used as a space to test out magic
- the tower of tomes's lake is not marked on any map, and the only way to get there is through a windowway. shirahama notes that even if you tried to look for it by searching similar looking lakes you probably can't find it, implying that there may also be magic involved to hide its location
- the item qifrey uses to talk to beldaruit is actually a mini version of a windowway. it basically connects two spaces together, which is how it allows for conversation to happen (so it's different than, say, how a telephone would work as a communications device)
- shirahama requested that agatto's voice be "standoffish, strict, and sound attractive/cool"
- coco doesn't have much experience being surrounded by books and learning for long periods of time at a school before coming to qifrey's atelier
- shirahama thought agatto's desk being depicted as neat and tidy on top, but crammed with her personal junk underneath was cute. like a straight-a student who comes off as prim and proper, but is surprisingly messy and has bad manners
- shirahama jokes that qifrey's has low exp in building up human relationships LOL. she mentions that he tends to leave his students to their own devices because he personally prefers to be left alone and doesn't like following the crowd. she basically calls him out on leaving coco on her [metaphorical] own right after she came to the atelier
episode 3
- alaira doesn't currently have an apprentice so she typically works like a jack-of-all-trades; she takes on requests, proctors tests, acts as the guard to the entrance, and so on. the fact that her not having an apprentice is pointed out implies that she did pass the 5th exam and has the certification to do so
- the dada range test isn't considered terribly difficult by witch standards, and is kinda seen as more of a charming presentation event for little kids after learning some basic magic. i suppose it's equivalent to watching a play by elementary school kids. because of that, there's very little kids who've taken the test more than once (you'll recall though that coco went during a time period where it's dangerous and so most people wouldn't hold their first tests then)
- shirahama notes that there are a higher number of animals with multiple limbs in the wha universe compared to ours
- agatto didn't think coco would actually attempt the test. she figured coco would return after not being able to do anything
- in the scene where coco imagines her younger self with the other 3 girls appearing, the young tetia design was created specifically by shirahama for the anime as tetia hasn't had her younger self drawn in the manga yet
- tetia and the others (riche, qifrey, and probs orugio since he wasn't aware of these events at all) didn't know that agatto made coco go to the dada range. they thought she went there of her own accord after being told about it, which is why agatto didn't get any flack for her actions here
episode 4
- the figures shown in the book at the beginning are considered the same sort of "fantasy existence" as fairies and other kinds of mystical spirits in our world. elves and dwarves also don't exist in wha, they're only there because shirahama loves fantasy lol
- you can't really fly for long distances in sylph shoes because your legs will end up getting really tired from keeping them together enough to activate the magic seal.
- shirahama notes that qifrey is actually pretty muscular despite his slender appearance since he's able to carry two kids while flying all the way to kalhn
- only witches can live on the island off the city of kalhn, and since there's no bridge to it they can talk openly about magic and sell things related to it without issue
- while we can clearly see that coco and agatto don't have the smoothest relationship so far, shirahama notes that's the kind of thing that adults fail to notice (which is probably why qifrey hasn't really intervened). though she also throws some shade at him by mentioning that qifrey has quite a few memories about relationships where you end up fighting on sight
- magic stationer's like the starry sword tend to build their shops around or near silver leaf trees
- magic stationers also tend to favor shorter robes that are easier to move in or take their arms out of. they'd probably need to draw magic or appear before normal people less often so there's maybe less focus on hiding their hands
- shirahama based the fake city coco and the others get trapped in after surrealist art and works by Escher
- shirahama can't spin pens with their fingers (like tartah is shown doing)
episode 5
- magic is apparently copyrightable in the wha universe. some magic is unique to certain witches who hold authority to draw that specific magic (like a patent perhaps?) while the rest is under public domain that anyone can draw. public magic goes through a process where it's examined and, if approved, then added to textbooks used to teach foundational magic
- shirahama intentionally draws agatto as being "bad mannered" compared to her more refined style of speaking (as she comes from a high ranking family). bad manners in this case is more about the fact that agatto can carry herself in a rough manner, such as not caring about sitting criss-cross while wearing a skirt
- it seems that the reason the carriage broke in the first episode was probably due to the kids accidentally erasing part of the magic seal, which prevents it from working
episode 6
- qifery's atelier lets the students study wherever they want, since when they become working witches they'll rarely need to sit in front of a desk to draw their magic
- thanks to magic allowing for long-term preservation of food, the cuisine in the wha universe is quite diverse and developed. shirahama doesn't forget to drop in a mention about the kitchen of witch hat spinoff manga
- carapace yams are like a mix between potatoes, japanese taro (sato'imo), and pumpkins. they're viscous, fluffy, and have a slight sweetness. eaten widely across the wha universe.
- it's often recommended witches learn cooking because it has many similarities with the process of magic (both having workflows that focus on preparation and creativity)
- the bridge everyone eats lunch under is used by nearby shepherds as a rest area. travelers occasionally also camp there
- watchful eyes are meant to act as a third party where teaching is done behind closed doors or in more secluded areas to prevent abuse. it's also practical to have more than one adult during times of sickness or emergency. however, it's a relatively new system
- the struggle of the poor recent grad exists even in fantasy witch universe. many newly graduated witches will share an atelier space to save money, but many also do so to collaborate on their magic or watch over apprentices together. it's similar to our real life apprenticeship systems under various craftsmen
- i wrote about this already in a previous post, but the glowstone path was a very early work that was instantly popular of orugio's that debuted when he was still an apprentice. it caused quite the stir at the great hall at the time
episode 7
- the stairway river is in the forest west of qifrey's atelier. it seems among travelers in the wha universe the topic of witches who help people comes up often, which is why dagda went there on a desperate hope after getting out of the forest on the way to kalhn.
- this probably means that before, dagda was going to head into kalhn to ask for help but saw the atelier in the distance first
- witches typically don't learn swordsmanship, but qifrey did to protect himself during his younger years while traveling alone (trying to get distance himself from orugio)
- there used to be a lot of magic swords in ancient times, but as they're used in warfare their numbers gradually dwindled. however, since they're so cool a lot of nobles like to commission them from witches. it's probably ok if the magic is purely decorational
- coco knows some basic first aid since she wasn't raised as a witch. this implies that maybe agatto and the others might not have much experience or knowledge about it
- some people may say that custas going back for the belongings (which turned out to be mainly dagda's instrument) was stupid, but shirahama notes that for nomadic folks like them who don't have a permanent home, their belongings are both the entirety of their wealth as well as the means of making a living.
- since witches need to ensure normal people don't see them drawing magic, there are many that do exaggerated performances and gestures to distract the eye. some even chant fake incantations
- normal people don't know much about witches in general, so they end up asking for things they can't do (like healing) because they have the impression witches and magic can do anything.
episode 8
- the knights moralis are essentially the judge, jury, and executioner of witch society all in one. there's no trial system, instead arrests are made at the scene of action
- the knights have a tendency to think that erasing a person's memories and letting them go is "kinder", because they're not taking their life or imprisoning them.
- this was another post i previously made, but qifrey and easthies' relationship was originally meant to be a lot worse; supposedly they would've gotten into an argument/fight that had qifrey using foul enough language that shirahama's editor pointed it out as being out of character lol (let qifrey swear!)
- qifrey, orugio, alaira, and eas are all acquainted with each other from the great hall since childhood
- because of their behavior and attitude, the knights are feared and hated by pretty much everybody in witch society LOL. but at the same time, it'd be pretty easy for things to get out of hand without them
- technically, coco (and probs agatto as well) isn't allowed to draw magic in front of others yet, but desperate times called for desperate measures. if there wasn't any accident, first aid and drying off the people would've been all they would've done
- orugio's sand bridge magic isn't permanent. afterwards they would've contacted a town close to kalhn (so probably normal people) and have them build a new one
- the silvernectar wine that orugio asks for is a sweetish alcohol similar to maple liquor. he likes to put it in his tea or dilute it with milk and whiskey and enjoy it after a day's work
- the tranquileaf that tartah uses to treat coco's leg is grown by him. he injures his hands a lot due to working with a knife (carving wands)
- glassmaking technology is also advanced thanks to witches and their magic, so windows having glass is normal and thick, sturdy glass jars are readily available
this may not make much sense to readers who only ready the official english translation, but brushbuddy is called "brushbug" (technically, the kanji for bug or insect isn't used but the kana is the same) in japanese. shirahama clarifies that our lil guy is a type of rodent
the atelier gang's personal clothes come from different sources: agatto brought her clothes from her home, coco and tetia's were bought from kalhn, riche's top and qifrey's clothes were given to them by shepherds in the nearby village
clothes in this region (Naakiwan) can be given as gifts to witches as thanks for their work
while the twin bottles were used by chemists and healers, they were also very widely used as tools for assassination and poisoning
hydro hater qifrey can't swim at all it seems (rather than him not being able to swim as a kid only)
qifrey likes to grown medicinal herbs used in magic and cooking behind the atelier as a hobby
shirahama jokingly said in a twitter space a few years ago that brushbuddy's nickname was official, but in reality it probably didn't stick bc brushbuddy themself doesn't like it
qifrey's magic surfboard (shirahama did in fact liken it to a surfboard, which is a funny comparison to use for hydro hating qifrey) is generally only used when qifrey needs to carry a lot of veggies or luggage. i guess he's a "one trip" kind of guy
although tartah helps out at the store, he's not actually undergoing any magic training (i.e. learning to draw seals and stuff). instead he commutes by boat to the school in the human part of kalhn to learn his letters and maths. obviously, all his school friends aren't witches
witches typically will go to the healing tower at the great hall for injuries or sickness, but qifrey went to kalhn instead due to the recent incident with the knights. qifrey himself doesn't often go to the hospital in kalhn
just saw a tiktok (sorry) saying its gonna be pirate romance summer over clips of will/elizabeth and some other straight couple and then. eleanor/vane. with the caption "watch black sails". and like whatever gets ppl watching but i cant help and imagine whatever straight girlies turning on black sails expecting to see vane be some hopeless romantic to eleanors self insert and instead seeing them immediately punch each other followed by max/eleanor extended lesbian sex scene. pirate romance summer indeed
I love easthies and the way hes written so bad as someone with OCD. potential top 5 characters for me depending on how his story is handled in future chapters
because he gives me like.
he's sunk so much of his life into his worldview, that accepting that he's wrong would bring a genuinely catastrophic ego death event for him, and the weight of all the horrific shit he's done in the name of justice will come crashing down on him. so he doubles down and gets more frantic in his efforts to cling to his perceived morality, so that he doesn't have to be wrong
but eventually he's going to be confronted with the results of the system he upholds. not just accidental oversight, the intended purpose of the laws, the knights moralis, and the state sanctioned violence they enact in the name of 'peace', that serves more of a purpose to keep witches in fear.
I wanna be cynical and say shirahama will go the cheap way out and have him redeemed through death and sacrificing himself, but this manga hasnt disappointed me yet. I will allow myself a little bit of hope as a treat
I want him to live, I want him to be forced to stare his mistakes in the eye, and decide to try his best to be better. I want him to realize the only thing that matters is trying.
I know i've said it before, but if you are concerned it could be real and not a scam, the best way to avoid getting scammed is to return contact separately.
Here's how that works:
say you get a text from your internet provider, let's say it's Comcast (whom i hate). So you have this text that says it's from Comcast about your bill with a contact number and a clickable link -- could be real, could be a scam.
Don't touch anything about this text. Open a web browser and look up the customer service number for Comcast. Or get the number from the bill they send you. However you do it, get the contact info for Comcast from a trusted source, like an official phone directory or the Comcast website itself.
Get in touch with them using that information.
So. Let's run the example both ways it could go.
If it IS a scam: you reach out to Comcast and tell them you were contacted about a problem with your bill, they look you up in their customer database, and they tell you there is no problem with your bill.
If it's NOT a scam, you do the same thing, they look you up, and they explain the problem. In this case, neither Comcast nor the employees involved give a single shit whether or not you clicked the link in the text vs. going through their official website.
This works the same for the your bank, the IRS, Amazon, political causes, charities, everything.
By handling any questionable incoming calls to action this way, you significantly protect yourself from scams and malware and shit
You can do this with phone calls too!!! If a company calls you asking for some info or about a problem with you card/account/whatever you can ask them for a reference number for your case and call back later. You don't have to give a reason but if you feel awkward you can just say you have a meeting in 2 minutes but can call back another time to deal with it.
If it's not scam they'll be like sure, here's the reference number. Then you follow the instructions above, call the separate number you find yourself on a reputable website and give that person the reference number. And they'll help you resolve the issue.
Don't let scammers scare you over the phone into giving them sensitive information!!!!
**I am not an artist or graphic designer, obviously
***I wanted to put all the tram stops but didn't have room for all the text :( so I only put the Dachen Ostro.
Blue = water, dark gray = tram lines, dark green = the city walls, red = significant buildings.
The pinkish area in the Airmen's Quarter = Celehar's apartment and Ulvanensee are somewhere around here.
"Unnamed bougie neighborhood" = where the Duhalada live.
More inferences and notes are under the cut.
The Amal'ostro might be the only tram stop inside the Veren'malo?
Amalo is hilly. The Veren'malo is the highest point of the city.
The Dachen ostro is the main transit hub of the city, and the Amal'ostro is only one stop north of it.
The Amal'ostro's construction was politically controversial — popular with commuters and the general population (who are like thank fuck we don't have to climb that hill anymore) and unpopular with wealthy conservatives (expensive, pointless).
Celehar's idea of a reasonable walking distance is a little skewed... but in the Veren'malo, others will walk with him. Example, to attend executions they walk about an hour from Prince Zhaicava to the Ulistheileian and no one suggests an alternative.
When taking a tram away from the Veren'malo, he usually mentions going back to the Dachen ostro or going through a gate.
I couldn't find any specific mentions of other tram stops in the Veren'malo.
Cemchelarna and the Coribano line
Cemchelarna is located between the canal and the Veren'malo.
You have to go through a gate to get from the Veren'malo to the Coribano line to Cemchelarna.
The Coribano line also goes to the Zheimela district, which is far from Cemchelarna.
Cemchelarna is in the west-northwest part of the city. The Coribano line goes around the city walls and through the Dachen ostro, continuing to the Zheimela district.
The Cemchelarna River has been built over and is now underground, possibly used for the city's water and/or sewage. The East Water Works (and Merrem Nadaran's boarding house) is near the Abandoned Bridge.
Mich'maika canal is curvy
The Sanctuary of Csaivo is south of the Mich'maika, which curves around it.
The Mich'maika also goes past Cemchelarna, which is further north.
Possibly a hint towards more hills, because why would you make a canal curvy just for the hell of it.
Zulnicho line
The only tram line that crosses the Mich'maika.
Celehar uses two different tram stops to get to the Sanctuary — usually Bridge Street Ostro, but the Ulzhavadeise Ostro is also noted to be close. But he uses Bridge Street a lot and rarely the Ulzhavadeise, so I think Bridge Street is closer to his apartment. So I made the Zulnicho line turn a little.
Taravar vs Tavarar
Witness for the Dead mentions a "Taravar" ostro. The short story Min Zemerin's Plan mentions a "Tavarar" ostro. Assuming this is not a typo...
"Taravar" is near the A3 Works.
"Tavarar" is the transfer to the Habaro line.
Tenemora, the neighborhood where Min Zemerin's employer lives, is along the Habaro line.
The Vigilant Brotherhood Chapterhouse is also near the Habaro line, but in the Airmen's Quarter.
The Zhomaikora River
The only reference I could find to its location is that Osreian's Spur/the Amalomeire is nearby.
The Amalomeire is at the far south end of Amalo.
Paravi
The northern part of Lake Zheimela's shore isn't actually named, but it is a wealthy area with new construction.
Paravi is not given an exact location, but it is a wealthy area with new(ish) construction.
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