WITCHRIV - Ch. 2

[MangaDex]

 

[faaresemo]

oh hell yea Nona! that was fire!

 

[Tsunjigiri]

often oneshots are quite similar to first chapters, so it's interesting to see the changes (and the similarities) of this serialization setup

only unknown beyond this point I think - looking forward to seeing where things go

 

[Knighto]

often oneshots are quite similar to first chapters, so it's interesting to see the changes (and the similarities) of this serialization setup

only unknown beyond this point I think - looking forward to seeing where things go

the witch power for now looks like a power system (like unique for each witch), while the oneshot was more general, in both cases the husband dies because of the same humans, although adding the bureau makes it better as we get a clear objective/enemy for the future. Also in both cases we get a naive yet strong mentally MC, which I'm liking very much so far.

 

[Vmpslushie]

With this, Shiba Inu Rooms and Kami Kill, we're eating good every Wednesday on Mangaplus!

 

[Lightbrand]

Still can't get over the police just took her friends word when she pointed at Nona as a witch and they arrest her and execute the friend.

The friend could have pointed at some random stranger then right?

 

[scrangos]

I wasnt too convinced by the first chapter 'cause there's a lot of authors that try to make a cheap imitation of depth by just killing off characters but this chapter is a lot better. Hopefully it goes for the long run.

 

[Tsunjigiri]

Still can't get over the police just took her friends word when she pointed at Nona as a witch and they arrest her and execute the friend.

The friend could have pointed at some random stranger then right?

she told her name though, so her actually being there too is just a matter of plot convenience

and ultimately, this is a reign of terror - they wouldn't really care whether she lies or not, the results would likely be roughly the same. This kind of environment where it is more beneficial to rat on others (false or not) before they do the same is not uncommon in fiction and not without examples in real history either

the fact that people tend to crack and tell the truth under extreme pressure (in hopes of survival) plays into the hands of the oppression

 

[GG334]

ok that was cool i thought she actually an hero'd.

 

[HansumNapolean]

Metal as hell chapter. A fake suicide was a banger.

Mira tries to be one of the "good ones," for understandable reasons, but giving your entire agency for protection is inherently contradictory. Mira feels like fighting was useless; after the death of her brother, she refuses to fight. She chooses the opposite approach: she tries to convince Nona that complacency was the best choice. When she finds Nona hanging, she instantly thinks, again, that her actions were the direct cause of Nona's death. She's a tragic hero whose good intentions lead to the worst result. Amazing that you can pack so much character insight in one chapter.

I really hope the author doesn't shy away from showing the brutality of Nona's abilities. It's important - humans should fear mages, especially when her mother rambo rampaged a whole crowd (rightfully or wrongfully). There's going to be an invetible chapter where Nona sews shut someone's mouth as punishment or silence.

 

[reutermo]

Not as strong as the first chapter, the guards sure do love monologuing about how evil they are and explain their plans in details, but still really like it. The magic system is the most interesting part by far, and the art is great. I wonder if it will be monthly with these long chapters!

 

[Shitty]

Her brother's gonna be that mage guy that took down Nona's mother calling it now

 

[UnvalidUserName]

This chapters are long! I hope they don't get released weekly because we will have a dead mangaka by chapter 12, I'm calling it

 

[Lightbrand]

she told her name though, so her actually being there too is just a matter of plot convenience

and ultimately, this is a reign of terror - they wouldn't really care whether she lies or not, the results would likely be roughly the same. This kind of environment where it is more beneficial to rat on others (false or not) before they do the same is not uncommon in fiction and not without examples in real history either

the fact that people tend to crack and tell the truth under extreme pressure (in hopes of survival) plays into the hands of the oppression

It's not that she told the truth, is that the police immediately executes her and arrest the person she pointed to and call it a day.

It'd be another layer of plot convenience if we are to accept:
1. The police knows everybody in the town by name, so girl friend can't make up a random name, and Nona cannot feign ignorance like "who me?"
2. If the girl friend were to name another person who exists in the town, the police would've gone to their house and arrest them.
3. If the police executes her THEN find out she lied, now there's still a witch out there and you just ended your only lead. Reign of terror sure, but utterly ineffectual in smoking out witches if killing your lead without confirming is their approach.

If girl friend simply lied and got executed and Nona stayed home that day. The police will likely hang their corpses in town square to make sure the witch sees it so they can force the witches to try to leave town in the coming days and ambush them that way. If Nona and mom stays put and don't do anything (cast a spell to forget they ever know girl friend), then it could be years before the police get wind of their next slip up. How serious a threat are the witches if you can afford to be this laissez-faire with catching them and just letting them live amongst you.

All that is to say, the way they portrayed how they hunt witches in this town, it seemed girl friend was inexplicably given a silver bullet to take down anybody she accuse of to the grave with her. Townfolks at the scene ought to take note and react accordingly for when their time comes.

 

[fight2live]

good 'ol faking death/sickness to escape prison. works every time

 

[detarameMangadex]

This was a nice second chapter. I'm really surprised by how popular this series is from the get-go: 600 upvotes on r/manga for the second chapter is a huge deal. It makes sense, though; I was interested in it, so its appeal is probably very wide. This series has already captured a sizeable audience; I hope it brings out its potential.

Nona was awesome this chapter. Her powers are really flexible, if slightly weak as of now, and I can't wait to see how Hakuri will extend her magic. Next chapter will probably show Miramira's magic, which I'm excited about. I like Miramira: she just looks really friendly!

I hope the villains will get more specific motivations in the future; the bureau is clearly irredeemably evil, but why is it like this? What inspires the general population to hate mages so much? I feel like these questions should have interesting answers.

 

[Sollertia_]

Townfolks at the scene ought to take note and react accordingly for when their time comes.

How does the poem about the new hangman in town go again?

What I like about these 2 chapters so far after forgetting most of the details of the oneshot last year is the indirect exposition via the Bureau personnel.

Holding a public interrogation instead of in a controlled environment, as well as executing the family and arresting whoever was called out shows terror tactics and narrative control over information seeking and literal mage hunting. The general population is already indoctrinated, unverifiable legends are household tales, and children from a decade ago can "rediscover the similarities" between witches and themselves.

Being relatively calm even when a somewhat strong mage escapes, the development of magic tools, the casual private use of mages as slaves and scapegoats, show that the conflict has gone on for quite a while. The strongest confrontational mages (probably much stronger than Nona's mom based on the reaction to the broken buildings) have probably already been eliminated or controlled otherwise, many years of experimentation have been conducted (imagine Unit 731 reaching the stage of deep sea diving suit production or something), there is an abundance of "research material" in the HQ that there isn't much incentive for the faraway staff to give up menial labourers for better rewards, etc.