TV-Series
Description
Kazane Kagari is the commander of the Workshop Witches in Tougetsu City and the chairwoman of the high school where the protagonist Honoka Takamiya studies. She is the mother of the main heroine, Ayaka Kagari, and the mother of Honoka's classmate. Her own background is shrouded in some mystery, but she is known to have attended high school with Honoka's mother, Komachi Takamiya. However, contradictory to that normal-seeming youth, the witch Chronoire Schwarz VI states she has known Kazane for more than one hundred and fifty years. This implies a significantly extended lifespan, and other sources suggest she has participated in historical events such as the Crusades and the French Revolution. This is further supported by her appearance when using her full witch powers, during which a green horn grows from her head, indicating she may no longer be entirely human. Her last name was originally revealed to be Hozuki, not Kagari, and she has been tracking a specific group of witches for eight hundred years after losing her right eye in a past conflict.
In sharp contrast to her stoic and largely silent daughter Ayaka, Kazane is very vocal and possesses a domineering, intimidating personality. She has a hair-trigger temper and does not tolerate incompetence or annoyance, and when angered she is a terrifying presence. She is a chain smoker, rarely seen without a cigarette or pipe, and has a notable sweet tooth, loading her tea with an excessive amount of sugar cubes. Despite her harsh exterior, she can be polite and considerate, and she shows a softer side to very few people, including Honoka. Her strict and critical nature extends to her daughter, whom she regularly scolds for what she perceives as reckless fighting, even though she has great faith in Ayaka's strength and considers her her greatest masterpiece and student. When she was younger, she was much the same, once beating up an entire class for bullying the quiet Komachi Takamiya, an event that began their close friendship.
Kazane's primary role in the story is as a powerful authority figure and the protector of Tougetsu City. As the commander of the Workshop Witches, she is responsible for maintaining a powerful magical barrier over the entire city that prevents it from suffering permanent damage during the frequent witch battles. She is noted to be potentially more powerful than the invincible Ayaka, as she is said to be the only one capable of re-sealing the powerful entity Evermillion inside Honoka. When she does engage in combat herself, she has a surprising preference for physical means, using a set of iron knuckles for melee combat. Her reputation is such that she is known by nicknames like Dragon Tooth and Torture Technician, and she is said to enjoy the act of torturing her enemies. Her strength is recognized by major antagonists like Medusa, who admits she cannot guarantee victory even with immense power.
Her key relationships define much of her character. Her friendship with Komachi Takamiya runs very deep, having grown romantic during their school years. Although they eventually broke up, they remain best friends, and they made a pact to unite their families by arranging the marriage of their children, Ayaka and Honoka, which is a long-term motivation for Kazane. Despite being from opposing factions, she shares a long and complex history with Chronoire Schwarz VI, having known her for centuries and fought alongside her as a mercenary. Her relationship with her daughter is formal and distant, defined by Kazane's high expectations and frequent criticism, though Ayaka does not hesitate to defy her mother's orders when it concerns Honoka's safety.
Kazane undergoes a notable development during the Weekend arc. When the End Witch Weekend threatens to detonate bombs across the city, Kazane is forced to use her power to protect every citizen simultaneously, which exhausts her magic and renders her powerless and unconscious. This temporary incapacitation is a significant blow to the city's defenses and raises the stakes of the conflict, showing that even the city's ultimate protector has a critical vulnerability. Later in the manga, her past is delved into further, specifically regarding the loss of her right eye and her centuries-long mission, which adds layers to her role as a guardian.
Her notable abilities are extensive. She is an immensely powerful witch capable of single-handedly maintaining a city-wide defensive barrier. Her combat skills are formidable, and she has demonstrated the physical prowess to run from Antarctica back to Japan after being transported there by an enemy's magic. In battle, she grows a horn, which is a sign of her non-human or evolved witch nature, and favors her magical iron knuckles for hand-to-hand combat. She also possesses a familiar, a doll-like being named Ofuku, which assists her with various tasks and can summon other Workshop Witches on her behalf. Her power is considered to be on par with the pinnacle of witches, and even a weakened version of herself is a force to be reckoned with.
In sharp contrast to her stoic and largely silent daughter Ayaka, Kazane is very vocal and possesses a domineering, intimidating personality. She has a hair-trigger temper and does not tolerate incompetence or annoyance, and when angered she is a terrifying presence. She is a chain smoker, rarely seen without a cigarette or pipe, and has a notable sweet tooth, loading her tea with an excessive amount of sugar cubes. Despite her harsh exterior, she can be polite and considerate, and she shows a softer side to very few people, including Honoka. Her strict and critical nature extends to her daughter, whom she regularly scolds for what she perceives as reckless fighting, even though she has great faith in Ayaka's strength and considers her her greatest masterpiece and student. When she was younger, she was much the same, once beating up an entire class for bullying the quiet Komachi Takamiya, an event that began their close friendship.
Kazane's primary role in the story is as a powerful authority figure and the protector of Tougetsu City. As the commander of the Workshop Witches, she is responsible for maintaining a powerful magical barrier over the entire city that prevents it from suffering permanent damage during the frequent witch battles. She is noted to be potentially more powerful than the invincible Ayaka, as she is said to be the only one capable of re-sealing the powerful entity Evermillion inside Honoka. When she does engage in combat herself, she has a surprising preference for physical means, using a set of iron knuckles for melee combat. Her reputation is such that she is known by nicknames like Dragon Tooth and Torture Technician, and she is said to enjoy the act of torturing her enemies. Her strength is recognized by major antagonists like Medusa, who admits she cannot guarantee victory even with immense power.
Her key relationships define much of her character. Her friendship with Komachi Takamiya runs very deep, having grown romantic during their school years. Although they eventually broke up, they remain best friends, and they made a pact to unite their families by arranging the marriage of their children, Ayaka and Honoka, which is a long-term motivation for Kazane. Despite being from opposing factions, she shares a long and complex history with Chronoire Schwarz VI, having known her for centuries and fought alongside her as a mercenary. Her relationship with her daughter is formal and distant, defined by Kazane's high expectations and frequent criticism, though Ayaka does not hesitate to defy her mother's orders when it concerns Honoka's safety.
Kazane undergoes a notable development during the Weekend arc. When the End Witch Weekend threatens to detonate bombs across the city, Kazane is forced to use her power to protect every citizen simultaneously, which exhausts her magic and renders her powerless and unconscious. This temporary incapacitation is a significant blow to the city's defenses and raises the stakes of the conflict, showing that even the city's ultimate protector has a critical vulnerability. Later in the manga, her past is delved into further, specifically regarding the loss of her right eye and her centuries-long mission, which adds layers to her role as a guardian.
Her notable abilities are extensive. She is an immensely powerful witch capable of single-handedly maintaining a city-wide defensive barrier. Her combat skills are formidable, and she has demonstrated the physical prowess to run from Antarctica back to Japan after being transported there by an enemy's magic. In battle, she grows a horn, which is a sign of her non-human or evolved witch nature, and favors her magical iron knuckles for hand-to-hand combat. She also possesses a familiar, a doll-like being named Ofuku, which assists her with various tasks and can summon other Workshop Witches on her behalf. Her power is considered to be on par with the pinnacle of witches, and even a weakened version of herself is a force to be reckoned with.