Every now and then, an anime comes along exactly when you need it to. For many creatives, myself included, one of those anime is Witch Hat Atelier . Based on the manga created by Kamome Shirahama, Coco’s story (along with Agott, Tetia and Richeh) not only feels like a relatable journey of self-discovery and learning from your mistakes, but it also shows a deep love toward creativity as a whole... even when it can be a frustrating process. As we watch Coco learn about magic, it feels a lot like watching someone learn how to draw, or write, or do anything where the secret to getting good at it is “keep doing it.” Just because it's magic doesn’t mean there’s a quick spell you can create to improve. Everything Coco and the others do takes a familiar combination of hard work, determination, and a love of the craft. During our interview at Anime Expo 2026, Coco’s Japanese voice actress, Rena Motomura, and the manga’s creator, Kamome Shirahama, spoke about Witch Hat Atelier’s lessons, what they themselves have taken from the series and one agonizing truth: if you wanna be good at drawing circles, you have to keep drawing circles. NOTE: This interview was interpreted by Yoshiko Matsuda and Mimmy Shen. It has been edited for clarity. Witch Hat Atelier Season 2 was recently announced.