![Journal With Witch Ep. 11 “Set Free”: Personal Revelation [Review]](https://www.thathashtagshow.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Journal-With-Witch-Review-9-1280x640.png)
Journal with Witch has Asa set herself free with a very personal revelation about her future in Ep. 11 “Set Free”. After seeing all the love and chaos in her Valentine’s Day surroundings, it finally looks like she has a grip on her life at long last. Not only that, it’s a rather musical grip to boot.
Journal with Witch Ep. 11 “Set Free”: Details in Brief
Journal with Witch Ep. 11 “Set Free” is the eleventh episode (you can read my reviews of Ep. 1, Ep. 2, Ep. 3, Ep. 4, Ep. 5, Ep. 6, Ep. 7, Ep. 8, Ep. 9, and Ep. 10 here) of this slice of life comedy-drama anime series. Said anime is the anime adaptation of the manga of the same name by Tomoko Yamashita.
Shuka (Durarara!!x2 Shō, 91 Days, Natsume’s Book of Friends: Fifth Season) is the animation studio behind this anime. Miyuki Oshiro is the director of this anime, with Kōhei Kiyasu as the writer, and Kensuke Ushio as the composer for the music.
Speaking of the music: the opening theme song for Journal with Witch is “Sonare” (ソナーレ) by Tomoo. Meanwhile, “Kotozute” (言伝; lit. ’Hearsay’) by Bialystocks is the ending theme song.
Synopsis
Alas, Journal with Witch is still an ongoing anime series. In fact, Ep. 11 “Set Free” only just made its debut on March 15, 2026 exclusively on Crunchyroll. Thus, for those of you wishing to avoid spoilers, here’s the synopsis for this week’s episode from Crunchyroll below:
“With Valentine’s Day approaching and no Valentine, Asa asks others about their plans in hopes of chocolate.”
Journal with Witch Ep. 11 “Set Free”: The Good
The biggest thing about Ep. 11 “Set Free” is a series of self-revelations by Asa (voiced by Fuko Mori (JP)). All surrounding what she ultimately wants to do with her life, and not without a significant amount of help (some of it unintentional) by her aunt Makio (voiced by Miyuki Sawashiro (JP)). It’s not even surprising that Asa decides on music being her life’s goal. We’ve seen throughout the anime that she loves singing, and is quite good at it. Her voice actress has even wonderfully demonstrated that with her voice acting. Asa’s singing sounds amateurish but it’s the work of a very noticeably skilled amateur, which is the perfect combination of qualities for young Asa to possess.
Not only that, but kudos to the writers for having Asa sing the lyrics for the ending theme song for Journal with Witch. The lyrics fit Asa’s life quite perfectly, and her singing them is even more appropriate since she’s the focus character in the ending animation sequence.
Beyond that, this episode also goes deep into the topic of romance, and the desire (or lack thereof) for it. It’s quite the appropriate topic for it, since it’s Valentine’s Day in-universe. It’s an opportunity to explore that topic for all the characters, not least of which including Asa herself (who ends up being jealous of everyone for having a romantic partner aside from her), and her best friend Emiri (voiced by Sumire Morohoshi (JP)). Makio brings up the topic of asexuality directly in the episode, and Emiri brings up the topic of homosexuality just purely by virtue of her dating another girl. It’s these explorations of the different ways romance or lack of it takes shape that makes this whole episode very queer in a great way.
Oh, but that doesn’t mean that the anime has forgotten about feminism. On the contrary, this episode aptly demonstrates the toxicity of patriarchy via a pair of male students who crash right into Asa and her friend, and then promptly refuse to apologize. They act like apologizing to girls is extracting a concession out of them, and the apology they fling back in the end barely sounds apologetic. It’s a rather graphic demonstration of patriarchy, while also criticizing it at the same time, which gets a big kudos to Tomoko Yamashita from me.
Journal with Witch Ep. 11 “Set Free”: The Bad
Alas, the amazing story of Ep. 11 “Set Free” is not complemented by amazing animation quality. Said animation quality is still at the adequate level, with Shuka’s animation team compensating once more by using highly stylized and artistic animation choices combined with bits of very high detail animations in certain objects like reflections, as well as smooth animation overall. However, it still doesn’t hide the fact that the animation detail is about the level you’d expect from a niche anime series, and is nowhere near the high budget of the typical isekai anime.
Aside from that, there is no action to be had here. Journal with Witch as a whole, including Ep. 11 “Set Free”, is a slice of life comedy-drama about grief and self-discovery. It’s not your typical shonen action-packed adventure. If you want that, then you will have to look elsewhere.
Anime Recommendations
Fortunately, there are other options if you’re looking for action, blood, violence; or some combination of all of the above. You might want to check out Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Kaiju No. 8, DDDD, DAN DA DAN, Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II, Zenshu, Blue Box, Solo Leveling, Black Butler, Nyaight of the Living Cat, May I Ask for One Final Thing?, and/or TRIGUN STARGAZE. However, if you want more quiet anime, then you might also like Spy x Family, Senpai is an Otokonoko, Apocalypse Hotel, Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf, The Ancient Magus’ Bride, My Dress-Up Darling, This Monster Wants to Eat Me, and/or Hana-Kimi.
What did you think of this week’s episode of Journal with Witch? Tell us your curiousity and discovery-filled thoughts in the comment section below.
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