[FIRST IMPRESSION] Izetta the Last Witch 終末のイゼッタ

Plot:

During a tense war between Germania and Britannia, the small nation of Eylstadt looks set to become the latest country to fall victim to a Germanian invasion. In need of foreign aid, Eylstadt’s princess Ortfiné travels to neutral territory to negotiate with a Britannian ally, and on the way there she comes across a young girl imprisoned in a containment unit, who looks awfully familiar. A while later, the Germanian soldiers catch up with her and she is captured and forced on a flight away from safety. The containment unit Finé saw earlier is also onboard. With some magical intervention, she is able to take advantage of the turbulence and fight back, which leaves her injured. The girl inside the unit wakes up and sees the princess bleeding in front of her, which triggers a memory from her past. She breaks free and reveals herself as Izetta: an old friend from Finé’s childhood… and a witch.

 

Impression:

This series isn’t trying to be subtle about being another World War 2 anime.  Although, Izetta is shown through the eyes of a vulnerable country who are opposing Germania and that shows a vastly different viewpoint than any other wartime series I’ve watched. Most anime set in this time period are from Japan’s perspective, which is understandable given where they’re made, but it doesn’t always show what was happening in mainland Europe. I’m actually a big fan of both political and historical series, so this ties the two together with a generous helping of fantasy and magic. It’s very reminiscent of Code Geass, just set in a different time period (I mean, they even have the same nation of Britannia). It could very easily work as a prequel to the series and I doubt it’d feel out of place if you ignore the different art styles. Princess Finé seems like a good protagonist as she’s given character, rather than reducing her to a damsel-in-distress stereotype. Izetta slightly reminds me of Ghibli’s Kiki, as they’re both kind-hearted witches who value friendship.  So far it’s very enjoyable, with a female relationship at the forefront of the story, and the whole atmosphere feels a lot more hopeful than most other political dramas.

 

Similar to:

Code Geass – The kingdom of Britannia is engaged in international conflict. While fighting back against tyranny, the protagonists find themselves allied with young women with magical powers.

Joker Game – Wartime dramas with plenty of political intrigue.