Ichi the Witch Author Reveals Card Captor Sakura, Pokémon As Influences For The Series

Osamu Nishi, the author of Ichi the Witch manga, recently disclosed her inspirations for representing magic as living creatures, known as Majiks, in the series.

In an interview, which was published as a part of MangaPlus’s sixth anniversary celebration, Nishii cited Card Captor Sakura and Pokémon as key influences in shaping the way her series handles both “hunting” magic and partnering with it.

Nishi explained that Cardcaptor Sakura involves the protagonist collecting scattered magic, which appealed to her interest in collecting things.

Similarly, the concept in Pokémon of collecting creatures that become partners and growing stronger together resonated with her.

These influences led her to portray magic in Ichi the Witch as living beings called Majiks, which serve both as adversaries for the main character, Ichi, to hunt and as reliable partners after being hunted.

The series is a collaborative work between Nishi and artist Shiro Usazaki. In the same interview, both creators identified the Abyssal Witch Desscaras as their favorite character.

Nishi noted that no other character feels as “alive” as Desscaras, who always acts unpredictably and freely, making her enjoyable to write.

Usazaki added that Desscaras brightens up any scene she’s in and was the first character whose design was finalized.

Ichi the Witch began serialization in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump in 2024. The first volume was released in January 2025 and sold out in most stores shortly after its release, leading to a reprint by Shueisha.

Source: MangaPlus