Review by Frank Plowright
Each Eden of Witches begins with a brief colour section, this time again surprising by reminding us that lead character Pili actually has red hair. With the remainder of the story in black and white, it generally seems blonde. These scenes are also used by Yumeji to supply danger, either through foreshadowing or an action sequence, but this at least seems a little more cheerful. It’s not.
It does, though, lead to Pili’s realisation as to how lucky she’s been over previous volumes, but without explaining how she survived a massive drop into the unknown that ended Volume 4. However, Yumeji does disclose how it is that Pili’s abilities sometimes activate with amurds and sometimes not. Anyone who’d presumed it was just moments of great stress is only halfway there.
Pili has heard of the city, but never previously visited. Now she must, despite knowing the danger it holds for her. It’s another change of scenery for Yumeji, and mindful of the limitations imposed by society having no animals and extremely few plants, it’s drawn as an attractive place, although the central castle is far more forbidding.
The cover illustration ties in with Pili’s need to access the castle. Her scheme, or Yumeji’s to give credit where it’s due, is smart, and even better is initial success being dependent on skills learned in the previous volume. Yumenji is extremely good at emphasising how Pili’s constant motivation to learn pays off in unexpected ways. How better, for instance, to learn the nooks and crannies of a city than in the company of the soldiers patrolling it? One quick lesson is the city having access to wood.
For the first time in the series there’s an extended section where Pili isn’t the focus. Zakum was introduced in the opening volume as her natural enemy, someone who hunts witches down, He previously killed them, but now wants their knowledge about plants. As gloating and pitiless as he is, Yumeji reveals his ultimate purpose, which is perhaps the right aim by the wrong means.
Much changes over the course of this volume, and while rapid pace is a series characteristic, the feeling this time is Pili will spend a while in the city. We’ll see in Volume 6.
