‘Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia’ series review: A wickedly well-read corrective to Orientalist caricature
The anime 'Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia' is praised for its historical accuracy and humanistic portrayal of the Mongol Empire's expansion. It follows a young scholar named Sitara who maintains her intellectual agency after being enslaved during the Mongol conquest of Tus.
Why it matters
The series is noted for challenging Orientalist tropes in historical fiction and providing a nuanced perspective on medieval geopolitical shifts.
I’ve been looking forward to writing about this one all year. With its first season having come to a close, Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia has made a considerably strong case for itself as one of the most meticulous and humane historical anime to grace the screen in recent memory. But it still tickles me that a work this serious, this painstakingly researched and this culturally attentive comes from somebody called Tomato Soup.
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