The tenth episode of Witch Hat Atelier focuses on Tartah and delivers one of the series’ most emotionally rewarding and heartfelt chapters to date. The episode takes a brief step away from the larger questions of forbidden magic, but it’s a character study, inventive problem-solving, and a sweet reminder of why Coco’s journey still holds so much promise.# Coco Falls Sick From Exhaustion
Qifrey waits to hear a question Tartah has been holding onto to open the episode. He has learned enough to share his knowledge expecting a discussion about magic. But before Tartah can say anything, a doctor interrupts their conversation with some urgent news.
Pushing too hard and Coco runs a fever. The doctor scolds the grown-ups in charge of her care, reminding Qifrey that taking care of young apprentices is more than teaching them magic. Qifrey accepts the criticism, but can’t think of a practical solution, so he can only cast a spell to cool down the room and make Coco more comfortable.
He knows it’s not the right time, so he puts off Tartah’s question and tells him to concentrate on other things for now.## Tartah faces another hurdle
Tartah is preparing to return home, but he notices that he has forgotten his pointed hat. Without it he cannot prove his identity as a witch, and cannot board the ferry.
His unexpected delay eventually draws him back to the hospital where Coco is still bedridden. She hopes to help. Tartah figures she can find a way of lowering her fever. His first idea is to use tranquileaf, a common remedy. But a big problem soon arises.
There is no label on the medicine container.
With Silverwash eyes, it is almost impossible to tell the difference between the bottles. The challenge feeds the self-doubt that has haunted him much of his life. He had heard people say that his condition would prevent him from becoming a successful witch and that his future would be limited.# Set on Finding
Tartah doesn’t give up, he gets creative with the problem.
He uses his magic to separate liquids from powders, and the possibilities are narrowed down to just a few other medicines. There’s another dead end here, too, because all of the powders look pretty much the same.
Coco has a clever idea at that moment.
She recalls a spell that turns solid things to powder. If the symbols are reversed, the spell should, in theory, have the opposite effect and turn powder back into whatever it was before. That would tell them which box contains the medicine they want.
The first attempt fails due to an error in the spell design. Tartah does not lose heart, but instead dissects the problem, finds a solution. Together they perfect the spell and finally find the right medicine.
The achievement is more than just helping Coco recover. For Tartah, it’s proof of the fact that he’s not limited by his limitations. He succeeds where others would have given up because he is intelligent, persistent and creative.# Recognition From a Surprising Source
Tartah finds the medicine, and goes to a storage room to gather more supplies. There he encounters the doctor again.
First she jumps him for monkeying with medical supplies unsupervised. But when she learns what he did, her attitude softens quite a bit. She acknowledges that his reasoning was sound and commends his wish to aid a person in need.
It’s a major confidence booster for a character who’s spent much of the series doubting his own abilities.The Light Mystery is Still Unsolved
After a fire is doused nearby, Qifrey returns to the hospital and catches up with Coco and Tartah. By the next morning Coco is fit enough to go on.
Tartah now heads back to the mysterious light he saw earlier. Everything is sorted. He asks both Qifrey and his grandpa about it, hoping to get answers.
Instead he gets no-where.
Nolnoa seems taken aback by the question, and Qifrey purposely shares no useful information. Tartah gets no new clues, but clearly plans to continue investigating the mystery on his own.
Before he goes, he promises Coco that he will carve a special pen for her and send it by his own magic. One of the episode’s sweetest moments is Coco’s delighted acceptance of the promise.
Meanwhile Coco reflects on what she learned from their experiment. Reversing magical symbols can have the opposite effect of a spell. #This discovery could be extremely helpful as she continues her search for a way to save her mother.### The Dark Threat Revealed
As the episode is about to wrap up on a positive optimistic note, the story introduces a new threat.
A mysterious Brimmed Cap is ready to act. This one , unlike the other antagonists , seems to have little more than a cloak and hat , which suggests even more of a connection to forbidden magic .
The unsettling revelation hints at a major conflict to come. ## Criticize
Episode 10 is largely successful because it focuses on Tartah. With viewers having learned more about his Silverwash eyes, they finally get to see the world through his eyes. The visuals do a great job of capturing both the beauty and the frustration of his condition, and his eventual success feels very deserved.
The episode also highlights the partnership between Coco and Tartah. The two children resolve problems with curiosity, teamwork and determination, rather than with exceptional talent or powerful magic. Their friendship provides the episode with a warm emotional core that keeps it interesting all the way through.
The main problem is the way they handled the cliffhanger from the previous episode. The mystery of the strange light is given very little attention, and quickly put aside again. It can be disappointing for viewers who want to see things move quickly and they’re not moving quickly.
But the good parts of the episode outweigh the bad. It offers some decent character development, it expands the magical system in an interesting way and it lays the groundwork for future events. The final tease with the new Brimmed Cap actually induces a sense of unease that is a great counterpoint to the hopeful tone of the rest of the episode.## Rated 4 out of 5
A beautiful, emotionally powerful chapter that makes Tartah one of the more interesting characters in the series while hinting at darker things to come.