The War of Greedy Witches, known initially as Majo Taisen, has been running chapters monthly since 2020 in Coamix's Monthly Comic Zenon. It follows a superpowered tournament structure where its fighters gain abilities based on their past lives and ambitions as they pounce on an opportunity for a new life.

However, the tournament, Walpurgisnacht, can only have one winner, with each match being a brutal fight to the death, and one participant, Jeanne D'Arc, is its greatest enigma.

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The War of Greedy Witches Shares Common Ground With Record of Ragnarok

Coamix's Monthly Comic Zenon Brings Another Hit Overseas

Aside from both The War of Greedy Witches and Record of Ragnarok being seinen tournament manga, they are both printed in Monthly Comic Zenon in their original Japanese release. However, with Yen Press' latest announced slate of acquisitions, the fighting witches manga s the New York-based publisher's lineup. At the same time, Record of Ragnarok remains on VIZ Media's mature VIZ Signature label. However, flipping through the pages of either manga, it's easy to see the styles heavily reflected in one another.

Much like Record of Ragnarok, The War of Greedy Witches features a deadly clash where human fighters gain godly abilities based on their personalities or feats. Some, like Jeanne D'Arc, have yet to have fully defined abilities, seemingly drawing on the wishes and desires of their opponents to enhance their own. In contrast, others, like Marie Antoinette, have singular desires like control, manifesting in terrifying ways in combat. However, unlike Record of Ragnarok, The War of Greedy Witches is a 32-fighter bracket featuring only human fighters in a one-on-one elimination tournament, with no teams and only one possible winner.

The War of Greedy Witches Raises the Stakes in More Ways Than One

Backstories and Character Designs Are Likely Popular Topics

Given that it's a seinen series and not shonen, The War of Greedy Witches is no stranger to fanservice in its designs for the fighters featured. Still, they're also captivating in their own right with compelling, dramatized versions of their backstories. Jeanne D'Arc receives the most focus, being the closest to a protagonist while sharing a common element with each character. Much as the title suggests, many are revealed to be transported to another world in The War of Greedy Witches, saved moments from dying, often from public execution, such as Jeanne D'Arc who was about to be burned as a witch.

Each character fights in Walpurgisnacht to win the tournament, earn a new life, and fulfill their greatest wishes. In the case of Amelia Earheart, this premise is fascinating because it means that her disappearance could be reversed in this scenario, and perhaps more entertainingly, it's explained as her falling into an isekai plotline. However, the stakes are raised in more ways than one, as only one winner can be declared in The War of Greedy Witches.

An Isekai Witch Tournament Is a Tantalizing Anime Prospect

Unlikely for Several Years, but an Enticing Premise

If Record of Ragnarok's surprising anime dominance on Netflix is any indicator, viewers crave intent action spectacles with similar premises, so The War of Greedy Witches is a perfect fit. However, with chapter #43 being the latest release in May 2024 and new monthly installments, some extra years would be needed so the anime doesn't encounter significant gaps in adapting the series. Still, the concept lends itself to an entertaining anime full of bombastic character costumes, over-the-top weapons, and glorious fatalities.

This is incredibly enticing because isekai anime is on the rise, so one that fits into numerous other popular niches seems like a naturally appealing prospect. Combining that with witches, a death battle tournament setting and historical figures ranging from Mona Lisa to Lakhshmibai to Agatha Christie is the perfect combination of absurd yet endlessly compelling. But readers might notice an uncanny familiarity with The War of Greedy Witches, thanks to its impressive creator team.

The War of Greedy Witches Creators Include Popular Kakegurui Author

An Impressive Creative Team Backs This Coamix Tournament Saga

The War of Greedy Witches features the creative talents of Kakegurui (Compulsive Gambler's author), Homura Kawamoto, and artist Makoto Shiozuka, who worked previously on Meminisse, Ningen Card, and Shinba Ra Da. The artistic aesthetic is similar yet arguably more refined than Record of Ragnarok's, and the premise feels suitable with Kakegurui's author behind it, as the characters of varying likeability are playing at the highest stakes possible in this tournament. It feels sufficiently unique yet perfectly fits the tournament manga niche and any other contemporary series.

In addition to each fight allowing readers to see the witches explore their motivations and backstory, they're treated to numerous changing character designs, including specialized armor for their battles. Shiozuka's weapon and armor design is on point, creating memorable weapons like Jeanne D'Arc's cross-shaped bladed shields, Tomoe Gozen's Blade of a Thousand Wills, and Marie Curie's Dual Bayonet Pistols. But with thirty-two fighters and only a fraction of the planned fights having happened, plenty of action lies ahead in The War of Greedy Witches.

The Massive Fighter Ensemble Means Fan Favorites Will Die

Never Get Attached in a Tournament Arc

Due to the nature of Walpurgisnacht, every fight means a brutal death for the loser, as every combatant is urged to fight to their last breath. While it may seem surprising to especially entitled characters like Marie Antoinette, they will each exercise their strengths in battle, including such cases as Cleopatra, where they can cause grievous harm with mere words. It creates a thrilling premise where certain characters like Jeanne D'Arc will likely survive longer, but it doesn't guarantee every enjoyable character will survive.

Such is the case in Record of Ragnarok and many other tournament series, but with The War of Greedy Witches, there are no sides, only victory or death for all the fighters and one possible winner. As the manga comes West courtesy of Yen Press in the coming months, readers can pick up the series and enjoy everything it offers. However, it's best to keep an open mind about which characters to root for, as several rounds have already concluded, ending the short runs of several Walpurgisnacht fighters in The War of Greedy Witches.