Magical Office Romance
- Mangaka : Mochida, Maka
- Publisher : Seven Seas Entertainment
- Genre : Fantasy, Shoujo, Romance, Slice of Life
- Published : January 2022 — present
Love and Life are Magical!
Office romance is a growing sub-genre of the romance genre in manga, showcasing more ‘adult’ situations for older readers while reminding us that teens and adults alike go through the same ups and downs of a relationship. Majo Senpai Nippou (Daily Report About My Witch Senpai) flies onto this scene in its first volume, offering a hearty mix of slice-of-life comedy, new-romance-feels, and a poignant subplot about the dangers of manipulative friends and partners. Oh, and did we mention there’s a clumsy witch, a talking iguana, and magical flights over the city at night?!
Grab your broomstick, find your animal familiar, and settle in for our review of Majo Senpai Nippou (Daily Report About My Witch Senpai) Volume 1!
Contains Spoilers
Discussion Time
Shizuka Hoshino is the titular witch senpai — adorable, clumsy, naive, and gifted with magical powers that range from repairing broken glass to manipulating objects to help her get ready for work! She’s kind-hearted and hard-working, but easily manipulated by some of her colleagues due to her docile nature. Her kouhai — her junior — is Naoto Misono, a serious but caring young salaryman who hates seeing people take advantage of his senpai — and is harbouring a huge crush on his witchy senior!
Majo Senpai Nippou (Daily Report About My Witch Senpai) takes the form of short slice-of-life episodes, forming an overall story arc while offering little peeks into Shizuka and Naoto’s lives. The artwork is gorgeous, and the overall tone feels like a Studio Ghibli film mixed with the old Bewitched television series, wrapped into a wholesome little package.
The character designs are pleasing, and Shizuka is amazingly expressive, especially when she’s flustered. These comedic panels are then offset with some amazing nighttime backdrops thanks to Shizuka’s love of taking a broomstick flight in the evening.
There are some darker moments too, with the middle of the volume dedicated to Shizuka’s abusive ex-boyfriend pressuring her to start dating again. Thankfully the situation doesn’t get too harrowing, but the dramatic twist offers some extra depth to the characters beyond the standard fare for a slice-of-life.
Why You Should Read Majo Senpai Nippou (Daily Report About My Witch Senpai)
1. Witchy Whimsy!
Daily Report About My Witch Senpai is simply enjoyable to read; it’s the type of gentle and wholesome manga that brings a bright spark to your eye. There are plenty of excellent gags all throughout, and a recurring motif of stars to represent Shizuka as a bright, starry-eyed girl. Despite the darker subplot, the manga overall retains a lighthearted, whimsical tone that’s sure to bring a smile to your face!
2. Office Culture
With new office romance stories hitting the shelves, older readers have opportunities to see storylines more relatable to their daily lives than, say, high school focused stories. Daily Report About My Witch Senpai centres a lot around workplace culture, including the tendency for Japanese staff to work late into the night; but even if you’re not Japanese, the general office setting — including annoying bosses, after-work drinks, and early-morning trains — feels realistic and grounded.
Final Thoughts
Majo Senpai Nippou (Daily Report About My Witch Senpai) Volume 1 offers a whimsical slice-of-life office romance with more than a touch of magic. The overall lighthearted tone is complemented by a darker subplot that reminds us to stick up for ourselves and our own beliefs. The blossoming romance between a clumsy witch and a serious salaryman is a magical mix of wholesome comedy and genuine passion. If nothing else, it’ll make you wish you could avoid the morning commute by just flying to work!
What do you think about Daily Report About My Witch Senpai? If you’re thinking about picking it up, or if you’ve already read it, let us know down in the comments below. And as always, thank you so much for reading!