Crunchyroll’s Witch Hat Atelier Episode #11 Sets Up Major Risks In Second Exam Arc (Review)

Crunchyroll’s finest new fantasy anime has only continued to knock its competition out of the park in terms of heartfelt storylines and lovable characters. While Witch Hat Atelier doesn’t channel the hype of other contemporary anime like Solo Leveling or Jujutsu Kaisen, this is by design, opting for a surprisingly grounded portrayal both of its sophisticated magic system, and those who practice it. In Witch Hat Atelier episode #11, courtesy of a screener provided by Crunchyroll ahead of its June 8, 2026 release, ScreenRant got to see the setup for the long-awaited second test, a surprising additional participant, and another mentor’s neglectful abuse.

Right away, viewers who haven’t read the manga should be mindful that, while this episode may not match the excitement of episode #5, it sets up something big ahead of season 1’s finale. Additionally, while Agott was certainly set up early on to take the second test to allow herself to cast spells in public, another member of Qifrey’s apprentices is thrown into the mix, alongside Euini, student of Kukrow. But for those who know the visual magic of Witch Hat Atelier, prepare for yet another breathtaking showcase of natural wonders juxtaposed with fantastical creatures and some standout animation in its opening moments, as “The Test in Serpentback Cave” begins.

Witch Hat Atelier Puts An Underexposed Character In The Spotlight

Warning: Minor Spoilers Ahead For Witch Hat Atelier Episode #11!

The beginning moments of the episode feature a confident, beautiful flight sequence from Agott interlaced with shots of her surroundings and the scalewolves running in the background. Despite seemingly setting her up as the focal point of the story, instead, Witch Hat Atelier episode #11 allows Agott to reflect on Coco, the Outsider she once resented, realizing the girl’s eagerness and proven aptitude for magic makes her just as qualified as anyone in the atelier to be an apprentice. It’s a good moment for Agott, but also a rather brief one, as the story soon shifts to other apprentices and their respective hang-ups in honing their skills.

Instead of then focusing the episode on Agott, the story hovers over several of Qifrey’s other students, painting an interesting image of how they individually respond to his teaching. Unsurprisingly, this includes heartwarming moments of Coco branching out from her discovered specialty to become a more well-rounded young mage, but more interesting is that Richeh becomes the clear focal point for much of the episode. It’s a welcome development, as Richeh is easily one of the lesser-explored members of Qifrey’s apprentices in this part of the story, bucking at the notion of learning from others’ magic, as she’d prefer to draw her own and do what she wants.

Again, as Witch Hat Atelier episode #11 is more of a setup for its new anime arc, it’s hardly the true watershed for the intricacies of Richeh’s character. Despite her stubborn desire to do only what she wants, it may come as a shock that Richeh joins for the second major test. After letting the mask slip only slightly in a quiet moment with Coco, it’s revealed that she apprenticed to another witch before Qifrey, and, even without reading the manga, viewers will quickly catch on that her “shield” of stubbornness was clearly a defense mechanism honed after nondescript abuse. This is what makes the next development so eye-opening.

The Test In Serpentback Cave Foreshadows Major Risks Ahead In Witch Hat Atelier

While it’s perhaps too much of a spoiler to spill the exact details of this second test, “The Sincerity of the Shield”, there will be key disruptions this time around compared to Coco’s experiences at the Dadah Range. Viewers who are particular fans of the exquisite creature designs from Studio Ghibli films will certainly appreciate the featured beasts of this arc, the scalewolves and myrphons, the latter of which being essentially adorable, scene-stealing penguin gryphons. But so close to the season finale, there’s plenty of foreshadowing for this arc to have lasting consequences, especially given Euini’s treatment by his teacher.

Kukrow, Euini’s teacher, is easily the most punchable new character of Witch Hat Atelier, blithely stating his lack of faith in his own student, leaving the boy with supervising witch masters Alaira and Qifrey, content waiting at home rather than watching his student fail. It gives viewers somebody to root for in Euini, with a pretty clear preview of the struggles ahead, and a clear shared trauma between him and Richeh. Agott can certainly be assumed to handle herself, but given Euini’s morale-crushing absentee teacher, and Richeh’s self-centeredness born out of bad experiences with previous mentors, it sets up a unique opportunity for them to cooperate.

However, for those who know, more challenges await than even Qifrey and Alaira could anticipate. While key moments hinting at Richeh’s troubled past had already occurred, like in her moment with Agott in episode #9, Witch Hat Atelier is clearly setting up a major challenge to her worldview, especially as she will need to exercise greater agency in completing this test. While it begins in earnest, The Sincerity of the Shield questions whether each of the characters will come out the same witches they were upon entering, for better or for worse.

Release Date

April 6, 2026

Network

Tokyo MX

Directors

Ayumu Watanabe

Cast

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  Natsuki Hanae

  Qifrey (voice)

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  Rena Motomura

  Coco (voice)

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Pros & Cons

• The episode benefits from putting Richeh’s character arc into greater focus.
• New creature designs, particularly the myrphons, will be a hit with the viewers.

• Beyond opening scene, there’s nothing terribly ambitious about the episode’s animation compared to the rest of the season.