To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of Weekly Shonen Jump, Bleach's new work, "BURN THE WITCH," by Tite Kubo, the well-known author of Bleach, has been published. The short-running serialized version was previously adapted into an animated film, and from the end of 2023, the anime "BURN THE WITCH #0.8," based on the one-shot version, will be broadcast and streamed. It's highly intriguing, with connections to the world of Bleach, including the use of the term "Soul Society." This time, we'd like to rank the best scenes from the one-shot version that will be adapted into an anime! Be warned, there are spoilers.
Introduction: Story Summary
The story is set in London. 72% of deaths in London are related to beings known as dragons. Only residents of the reverse side of London, known as "Reverse London," can see these dragons. Even among them, only a select few can directly interact with them. The rest of the population cannot even recognize their existence. The protagonists, Ninny Spangcole and Noel Niibashi, are chosen "witches" to protect and care for the dragons.
No. 3: Do pets resemble their owners?
Balco Barks had a pet puppy named "Osushi-chan" that he doted on. One day, while he was talking to his best friend about Noeru Shinbashi, a giant dragon burst out of Osushi-chan's body, which he was carrying on his head. The dragon's true identity was a "dark dragon." When a dragon comes into contact with a human and absorbs their negative emotions, it transforms into a dark dragon that harms people. Overhearing the incident, Ninny Spangcole and Noeru rush to the scene. An unusual incident then occurs. The dark dragon is highly intelligent and can speak human language, but it repeats the same lines that Balco normally says to Noeru. Noeru, who is usually calm and collected, seems embarrassed at this particular moment. Perhaps because she emerged from Osushi-chan, she resembles her owner. What should have been a serious scene suddenly became comical with Dark Dragon's words.
No. 2: Reasons for liking uniforms
This is the very first scene. Noeru is walking in Front London wearing her uniform and says, "I like uniforms." She continues, "Because I don't have to prove who I am to anyone." Just walking around in her uniform means she doesn't need to identify herself, but it's interesting how Noeru's personality is revealed in this short sentence. This scene alone shows that she's not the type of person who likes to assert herself. However, that doesn't mean she doesn't assert herself at all, and she will clearly express her opinions when necessary. The fact that she has her own values and standards is what makes Noeru Niibashi so appealing as a character.
No. 1: Feelings toward her best friend
It turns out that Virgo's best friend, Selby, is actually a dark dragon. Selby is a very easy-going person who is willing to listen to Virgo's complaints and delusions. However, when Selby was seven years old, he and Vargo were almost hit by a train. Selby protected Vargo and was seriously injured. After that, a dragon came into contact with Selby and absorbed his negative emotions, transforming him into the Dark Dragon. For the ten years since the accident, the dragon has been lurking in the city. Selby attacks Ninny and corners her, but Vargo quickly blocks the attack. Selby wonders why he is protecting an unrelated woman when he loves Noeru. Vargo replies, "I can't leave you behind." Selby wasn't the real Selby when he was seven years old, but Vargo thought he was the real Selby. It's been ten years since he stopped being the real Selby, so Vargo's relationship with Selby lasted longer. Even if Selby wasn't the real Selby, Vargo still considers Selby his best friend. He tells Selby that he can't just leave his best friend alone, even though he's said he wants to eat people. I think this scene encapsulates Vargo's good nature. Although he's usually a joker, his compassion for others at times like this is perhaps what makes Virgo so appealing. After this scene, Noeru remarks, "That was pretty cool," raising his reputation.
Extra Story: Connection to BLEACH
This is more about the direction than the actual scene, so I'm introducing it as an extra story. The image is from the end of the one-shot version, but if you look closely, you can see the BLEACH logo incorporated into it. I imagine readers were very surprised and shocked when they first saw it. While the title somewhat resembles BLEACH in both sound and atmosphere, this scene makes the connection clear. The page before this scene features the word "Soul Society," which may have raised some expectations, making some think, "Could it be...?" Then, on the next page, the word BLEACH appears, turning those expectations into certainty—a clever twist. This scene truly showcases Tite Kubo's masterful use of wordplay.
Ranking of Famous Scenes
As a one-shot, the story is relatively short, but it's packed with memorable scenes. Did your predictions make it onto the list? The one-shot version is currently available for free, so why not give it another read before the broadcast? It's also fun to revisit the famous scenes while reading! That's all for today. Thank you for reading.
