Getting critics to agree is notoriously difficult. Getting them to hand you a trophy for depicting two people who fundamentally cannot understand each other? That requires a different kind of alchemy.
This Monday, April 20, the Japan Broadcasting Critics Association did exactly that, awarding the March Galaxy Award to the anime adaptation of Tomoko Yamashita’s Journal with Witch (Ikoku Nikki). The series now advances as a candidate for the annual awards ceremony in June 2026.
Conveying two people who don’t understand each other but try to coexist requires impeccable acting. The jury highlighted how the anime captures living in different lands
within the same room.
- Miyuki Sawashiro as Makio Kodai — known for Kurapika in Hunter x Hunter and Fujiko Mine in Lupin III
- Fuko Mori as Asa Takumi — a rising talent taking the reins of this complex co-starring role
From Manga Pages to Critical Acclaim
The anime’s victory is no coincidence. Published in Feel Young magazine from 2017 to 2023, the manga arrived with credentials:
- Nominated for the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Award
- Swept the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2024 rankings
- Crowned Da Vinci magazine’s list
The series joins an exclusive club of past winners including Ranking of Kings and Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!
Surviving Under the Same Roof
The story steps away from romance to deliver pure human drama. After losing her parents in an accident, teenager Asa Takumi is taken in by her aunt Makio Kodai — an eccentric, misanthropic novelist.
The clash is inevitable: opposite poles, incompatible life perspectives, and daily misunderstandings.
Yet the jury applauded how animation and sound design portray a silent affirmation of mutual respect. It’s about healing and learning to coexist with someone who doesn’t understand you, but is willing to try.
Will this monthly victory give the series enough momentum to claim the annual prize in June?
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