There have been many anime airing on Crunchyroll, the leading anime streaming platform; however, only a few have emerged as truly Anime of the Year material, and one anime airing this season has also emerged as one of the darkest, with its twists and premise. The anime in question is Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia, Science SARU’s new anime adaptation of the manga of the same name, and since the start of the anime, it has intrigued fans with its premise. The choice of art design for depicting such a politically woven narrative is interesting as well.
The anime started with cute, Disney-like animation, emerging as a fantasy story you would expect from Aladdin, complete with Persian culture. However, the second episode turns things around with the emergence of the Mongol Empire, which destroys one of the Persian regions, Tus, leaving many traumatized, including Sitara, a slave who grew up in a family of scholars and vows to take revenge against the empire by hoping to break it from within. Now, the narrative is intertwined on such a vast level that it presents an epic fantasy story of royals involving political disputes, jealousy, and protecting one’s position within the empire, which has surely emerged as a mature anime series that Game of Thrones fans will appreciate, especially with House of the Dragon Season 3 recently concluding.
One of the most compelling elements of series like Game of Thrones is the internal disputes within royal families, which House of the Dragon has undoubtedly portrayed with even greater nuance. This is what Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia, which started with the revenge of a slave girl hoping to bring down the Mongol Empire, has now turned into: a political game within the Mongol Empire that Sitara did not even have to ignite. The current Great Khan, essentially the king of the Mongols, Ogedei Khan, is seen as the sweet leader, while his brother, Tolui, possesses the intelligence and military might to be a great leader and loves his brother dearly. The two are now being positioned against each other without either of them realizing it.
Ogedei’s first wife, Boraqchin, the Empress whom he inherited from his father as part of the ritual, was afraid of losing her position as Empress, as Tolui constantly proved that he was a great leader and should be chosen as one. To prevent this, Boraqchin successfully poisons Ogedei and blames it on Ogedei’s other wife, Toregene, who has openly displayed her hatred toward Ogedei because of her past, leading her to ally with Fatima in the hope of bringing down the empire. However, the tables have turned, as Boraqchin, who has been hoping to become immortal, is now plotting to kill Tolui.
She might have succeeded by positioning Tolui as Ogedei’s blood relative who drank the mysterious liquid to prove his loyalty to his brother and his love for him. The entire conspiracy and plot of the past few episodes echo the power struggles, particularly the role of women as the main triggers of great disputes, that Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon have constantly embodied. Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia is only getting more interesting with its political drama surrounding the Mongols, as royals fight for what they believe is rightfully theirs. It genuinely positions Crunchyroll’s new dark anime as one of the best mature anime series in recent years that can match critically acclaimed TV series like Game of Thrones, highlighting how the anime industry is broadening.
