Champignon no Majo
Short Synopsis: A day in the life of a forest-dwelling young witch who is known for her poisonous mushrooms.
Mario: Woah, this show came out of nowhere and charmed my socks off. While witches are a common topic within anime, this one just breathes and feels different from these other shows. Heck, I don’t even know where Champignon no Majo is headed after this episode. For now it’s about Luna the Black Witch, who lives alone but not by herself, as she has a bunch of familiars and spirits whom she can talk to. Every time she heads to the nearby village though, everyone would be scared of her because poisonous mushrooms appear after every step she takes. The art style itself is soft and pleasant – the show doesn’t go big on animation but I feel the static shots work well in this context. The script is really big on narration, which isn’t a bad thing in this case as it communicates a lot about things we wouldn’t know otherwise (like how the apothecary and the librarian clean up everything she touches). While I don’t really know about the big picture, what we’ve seen of Luna’s life so far has already convinced me to continue watching it. At least I know I have a protagonist worth rooting for.
Potential: 60%
You and I Are Polar Opposites
Short Synopsis: A neurotic yet cheerful high school girl and her reserved seatmate kick off their new relationship after holding hands one afternoon.
Wooper: As far as romcom premieres go, this one was impressive – maybe my favorite since Komi-san’s first episode in late 2021. Polar Opposites (Seihantai na Kimi to Boku) has a narrower gap between its quiet and loud moments than that show, since its soft-spoken character actually speaks, and the personalities of its supporting cast aren’t as exaggerated (so far). But both have strong visuals, attention-grabbing character designs, and noteworthy OPs. That last point is especially true for Polar Opposites, as although it dabbles in the same smartphone theme as a lot of recent high school anime, its opening also throws in a handful of other styles for good measure, from manipulatives to chalk to Lego (both 3DCG and physical). The episode itself wasn’t as experimental, but its willingness to cartoon-ify its heroine made her relatable rather than merely quirky, and the wordless boldness of her crush pushed us into reciprocal romantic territory with a speed befitting a modern entry in the subgenre. There’s already a sense that Suzuki and Tani-kun are compatible despite their differing personalities, as she sometimes craves the sort of calmness he provides, and he appreciates her energy despite his own quietness. Theirs ought to be an amusing relationship, so I’ll be following it this season.
Potential: 70%
Yuusha no Kuzu
Short Synopsis: A bounty hunter (known as a Brave) is approached by two junior Braves to help them rescue their kidnapped friend.
Mario: I’m not sure if I can get behind this show’s main concept: there are people known as Braves who use their special powers (by injecting ether into their cheek) to fight monsters and save the world? Somehow we just get thrown in the middle of the story so it’s hard to navigate at times. What is clear is that our main character, a washed-up Brave, thinks differently than his peers about the so-called noble profession they share. Yuusha no Kuzu doesn’t skimp on the brutality, and the MC’s slippery personality contrasts well with the earnestness of the younger characters. This wasn’t that bad of a premiere, but I’m not that excited to watch more of it either.
Potential: 30%
The post Winter 2026 Impressions: Champignon no Majo, You and I Are Polar Opposites, Yuusha no Kuzu appeared first on Star Crossed Anime.
