Ichi the Witch is definitely Shonen Jump’s next big hit series as the manga’s first volume sold out in less than a week after its release. Written by Osamu Nishi and illustrated by Shiro Usazaki, the story follows a male witch in a world where only women have shown aptitude for using magic. The story is set in a fantasy world, where magical creatures known as Majiks threaten the people. Majiks can also provide power to witches if they manage to pass the trials. After acquiring power from a Majik that no woman can kill, Ichi becomes the first man to become a witch.
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The story continues as we follow him encounters various challenges and adversaries all the while dealing with prejudice from those around him. Each year, the official website of Manga Plus shares the top rankings and reveals the successful English serialized mangas of the year. Among the 56 new entries in 2024. Ichi the Witch ranked second in terms of total views, falling behind the controversial manga Drama Queen. The first volume, consisting of seven chapters, was released on January 4th, 2025. However, the manga exceeded the publisher’s expectations as they have announced more copies will be available on January 30th.
[RELATED: Shonen Jumpโs Ichi the Witch Is Getting an Animated Manga in the New Year]
Ichi the Witch Volume 1 Is Getting Emergency Reprint In Less Than a Week After its Release
The official X account of the Ichi the Witch manga shares, “Urgent reprint decided. An emergency reprint of volume 1 of JC’s “Mao no Ichi” has been decided! Reprinted on Thursday, January 30th. Please refrain from contacting bookstores to inquire about availability. We apologize for the inconvenience caused by the product being out of stock. Please wait a moment.”
Thanks to the manga’s popularity, the first volume started getting outsold within three days after the official release. According to @WSJ_manga, “Ichi the Witch Volume 1 by Osamu Nishi and Shiro Usazaki now appears to be unavailable at Amazon Japan, as well as some other store chains and retailers. Local stores and third-party sellers are starting to offer deliveries and restockings starting next week and beyond.”
The series even earned praise from the mangaka of Mairimashita! Iruma-kun: If Episode of Mafia, “Wow! Congratulations on the big reprint. We look forward to seeing Ichi-kun’s bright red cover lined up in bookstores everywhere. What a nice smile, Ichi-kun!!”
The cover of Volume 1 included a special recommendation from My Hero Academia creator, Kohei Hirokoshi. The author said, “A high fantasy that is at once witty and stylish, and at the same time rich and deep. How many people can draw this balance? This is an ideal shonen manga that allows the reader to expand the world naturally.”
Ichi the Witch has only released its first volume in the Japanese language. English and other versions will be released in a few months. Additionally, although there is no release date for Volume 2, new chapters are being published weekly on the official app of Manga Plus. The manga currently has 17 chapters and releases new chapters in the Weekly Shonen Jump issue of Shueisha.
H/T: @Ichi_the_Witch, @WSJ_manga, @hiromono, Official Website of Manga Plus
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