The exciting Summer 2026 anime season is finally here, and the one unexpected anime that’s making waves on social media is Crunchyroll’s Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia. The anime is produced by Science SARU, the same animation studio behind the acclaimed Shonen Jump+ hit Dandadan. Apart from this globally renowned Shonen series, the studio is known for releasing several unique anime films and series ever since its establishment in 2013. While Dandadan is clearly the most successful series of the studio, it also continues to surprise anime enthusiasts with some of the best animation styles of all time. Every anime from the studio offers unique animation along with a captivating story, and the latest anime doesn’t disappoint at all.
Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia premiered with a one-hour special, which was broken into two episodes on the streaming service as viewers learn about Sitara, the protagonist of the story. The anime has only been released in Japanese audio with subtitles for now, but it might take a couple of weeks for the English dub to begin streaming. While the premiere sets up the premise of the story, the new trailer highlights that the story will take an even darker turn as new characters will be introduced.
The anime premiere was already intense enough, and it’s evident that the story will take a drastic turn from here on out. The trailer shares a brief glimpse at what to expect from the series in the future. As Sitara finds herself in the middle of a major conflict, she will meet new enemies and allies along the way. The new trailer reveals three additional cast members, and the official website of Crunchyroll also shared messages from them.
Beneath the striking and adorable animation, the story is much more complex and nuanced as it tackles some dark themes of war and slavery. This historical anime is based on an acclaimed manga series written and illustrated by Tomato Soup. Set in the 13th-century Mongol Empire, the story follows a young girl named Sitara who was driven away from her homeland after the death of her mother and ended up in a slave market.
After her fruitless attempts to return to her homeland, she was eventually taken in by a family of scholars who encouraged her to learn everything she could. While initially struggling to adjust to the new family, Sitara begins to understand the importance of learning. Eight years passed in the blink of an eye, and she is now used to her life with her new family.
However, her peaceful life comes crashing down when the Tus Militia falls at the hands of the Nomads, forcing Sitara away from the place she now calls her home. As the defeat affects everything around her, her destiny begins to change. The story continies her journey, where she later becomes known as the Witch of Mongolia for her advanced intellectual mastery of medicine and geometry.
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