Ever since it was first released, people have been unable to decide what to call Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou in English.
Some argue the best translation is “Yokohama Shopping Trip” others say it’s “Yokohama Shopping log” or maybe “Shopping in Yokohama” and for the most part, people have just been calling it “YKK”. Personally, I would’ve gone with “Café Alpha” but that’s neither here nor there.
Anyway, when they announced an officially licensed English release, I thought we would finally, after almost 30 years, get an official English name for this manga that would finally settle this debate.
So, what did they call it in English? What’s the official ‘English’ name of this manga?
The official English name… is the Japanese name… and we still don’t have a definitive translation.
to be honest i feel like comparing witch hat atelier directly to anything is kind of a disservice because it’s so unique. personally i tend to point out certain aspects of it, like:
if you like stories about weird little girls, you’ll like witch hat atelier. if you like in depth world building, you’ll like witch hat atelier. if you want to see disability addressed in fantasy settings, you’ll like witch hat atelier. if you like magical systems, you’ll like witch hat atelier. etc etc. witch hat atelier IS about a magic school, but it’s SO much more than that. it’s about allowing children to walk their own path without letting go of their hand. it’s about accessibility. it’s about the responsibility we take on when we create. it’s about, and I cannot stress this enough, the phantom flame ball
Witch hat Atelier is hands down the best manga since freaking Fullmetal Alchemist. And that’s high praise coming from me…
