Journal with Witch: Makio and the Uncomfortable Parenting Philosophy at the Heart of This Anime

Anime have always been known to portray important messages and life lessons in the best possible way. However, for the Winter 2026 season, it seems like Studio Shuka wants to take that one step further with their latest drama, Journal with Witch.

The anime centers on novelist Makio Koudai, who finds herself becoming the legal guardian to her niece Asa Takumi, daughter of her recently deceased, estranged elder sister. The twist is that, while Makio steps into the parental role for the child she barely knows, she is still struggling with the emotions she felt toward her sister.

Now, as Makio pushes through her new gargantuan responsibility, the anime does not take the usual “found family” trope, but something much more uncomfortable. In fact, from the looks of it, this uneasiness might just be the heart of this anime.

Journal with Witch Portrays How Makio and Asa Deal with Grief

While Journal with Witch anime has been meddling with difficult topics since its first episode, its latest installment was quite special. The episode not only dealt with how Asa and Makio dealt with grief, but also gave fans an uncomfortable parenting philosophy.

For a major portion of the episode, Asa can be seen feeling lonely and wanting to stand out. She kept remembering her mother and how her life had drastically changed recently. In contrast, Makio, who was used to being alone, felt tired being with Asa. While she could speak openly with her friends, she struggled with having Asa around all the time at her place. Not to mention, her friend Emiri.

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Journal with Witch Gives Viewers the Most Uncomfortable Yet Real Parenting Philosophy

In addition to the very contrasting ways of dealing with emotions, Journal With Witch Episode 4 follows Makio and Asa, two very different people trying to get used to their new arrangement. As Makio barely has any idea about raising a child, she can be seen asking others for advice.

However, as Kasamachi says in the episode, “raising a kid and loving them are two separate concepts.” Just because one is looking after a kid does not mean they love them.

While this may seem cold, and might have represented Makio and Asa’s current relationship in the anime, the episode’s conclusion brought everything together. When Asa was crying after feeling lonely during dinner, Makio reaches out to her. Despite being an introvert and struggling to open up and and understand Asa’s loneliness, she accepts it and conveys her willingness to communicate better.

While it may not be the perfect parent-child dynamic, Makio demonstrates how one can become a parent and raise a child even without offering a traditional familial love. For now, only time will tell what their relationship will look like in the future.

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Also Read: 15 Best Slice of Life Anime for Chill Vibes

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Journal with Witch anime series is available to watch on Crunchyroll.