Osamu Nishi and Shiro Usazaki’s Ichi the Witch just ventured into new territories with Chapter 44, “Presents”, even if the lighthearted chapter doesn’t give that fact away. In the aftermath of Ichi’s acquisition of Bakugami and Gokuraku’s official integration into Team Desscaras, it’s decided there will finally be a debut party celebrating Ichi’s witch status. The party is set to involve all the movers and shakers of Ichi’s world, and the chapter ends on a bitter note as Kugumi clearly becomes stressed seeing her sister’s name on the guest list.
Kugumi is a fan-favorite, with an adorable design and a personality that stands out for being sweet and aloof while still being quick on her toes. With Ichi still being a fairly young manga, it hasn’t yet made the time for intimate one-on-ones with many of its characters (with the notable exception of Gokuraku). However, Chapter 44 signals that we’re likely going to see that change in the near future, while also giving some valuable insight into Ichi’s world-building and the daily life of witches writ large.
Kugumi Is Sent With Ichi on a “Social Studies” Lesson
As responsibilities and new lessons from Togeice start to grate on Ichi, who becomes ever more impatient to go back out into the world, Togeice reveals that Desscaras had been pocketing Ichi’s pay. Desscaras justified her actions, saying Ichi wouldn’t know how to use it, so Togeice gives Ichi some introductory lessons on using money, then sends him into the city alongside Kugumi to spend his money and prove he can handle it. Fans are treated to Kugumi’s greatest helping of on-page focus yet as she tries to help Ichi negotiate the world outside.
Ichi becomes flustered and overwhelmed with choice (not to mention some exorbitant price tags), and ends up asking Kugumi what he should get. Kugumi tells him he should get a present, saying it’s easier to tell someone that you care by giving presents than being direct. Ichi grabs a tiny jar of candy for Desscaras, whom he thanks for inviting him into her family. The sweet ending is tampered with by the appearance of Kugumi’s sister, Spica Harvest, who immediately starts hunting down a distressed Kugumi.
Ichi Is Taking Pains to Make Its Story Grander
Chapter 44, while somewhat uneventful, was a heartwarming break. Many lesser stories than Ichi have used party and festival scenarios just to set up another battle, a few more gags, and cheap drama if you’re lucky. While Chapter 44 did have its share of gags, it by no means felt cheap. In fact, seeing Ichi instead take a short break from the intensity of the Bakugami arc was welcome, and the comic didn’t squander it at all.
Not only did Chapter 44 mark the first real explanation of how witches actually get paid and live out daily life, but it also marked the first casual exploration of a character and their personality. The fact that Kugumi suggested getting a gift doesn’t just show her kindness—against the backdrop of the drama with her sister, it could also hint at her underlying feelings of loneliness, sibling rivalry, parental or institutional favoritism, and so many other things. Her later wondering whether Ichi got a present for Desscaras after all signifies that she was attached to the gesture, and could maybe even be understood as her giving a token of her appreciation for Desscaras vicariously through Ichi.
Psychologically and in terms of world-building, Chapter 44 was dense and rewarding, and it had a lot more to say than it might have seemed on the surface. So far, Ichi the Witch has been constantly surprising with its ability to make so much out of minor interactions. Specifically, this chapter with Kugumi shows that, even if not every character gets the amount of direct backstory dump as Gokuraku has, the Nishi-Usazaki tag-team behind Ichi are adept enough storytellers to make something from almost nothing.
Fans should be looking forward to further expansion of Kugumi, for sure. But we’re also really excited to see how Ichi the Witch will expand characters like Nishi-Usazaki’s shared favorite, Desscaras. Let us know what characters you can’t wait to see more of in the comments! Finally, if you’re interested in seeing more manga like Ishi that desperately need anime adaptations, click through to the link below.
