放开那个女巫
Release That Witch
An engineer, a medieval kingdom and a band of witches to kick-start the industrial revolution
Synopsis
Cheng Yan, an engineer from the modern world, wakes up as Roland Wimbledon, a prince in a medieval kingdom where witches are hunted by the Church. His first act is to stop one of them from being hanged.
Exiled to the frontier settlement of Border Town, he realises that the witches' powers, combined with his scientific knowledge, can turn this backwater into an industrial power, just in time to face demons and his siblings' schemes.
Based on Er Mu's novel, the donghua directed by Sun Meng at studio Thundray aired from 2 March to 20 April 2026 on Bilibili and Crunchyroll, in eight episodes.
World
The Kingdom of Graycastle evokes medieval Europe: castles, lords, an all-powerful Church and threats from hostile lands. Every year the "Months of the Demons" unleash beasts on the frontier, which Border Town has to learn to repel.
Power system
Magic belongs to the witches, each with a unique gift. What makes the work original is how Roland combines those gifts with modern science: fire, healing, perception or transformation become engineering tools.
Reception & popularity
Hailed by English-language outlets as one of the best isekai of the year, the donghua suffered from limited promotion and a reduced budget: planned for 24 episodes, it has only eight, and no second season has been announced.
My take
Release That Witch has a brilliant idea: replacing cultivation battles with the joy of building. Watching Roland turn a muddy village into an industrial town with the witches' help is surprisingly gripping.
Eight episodes is frustrating: the series stops just as it takes flight. But what is there is polished, and it makes you want to read on.
Who is it for?Watch it if you enjoy clever isekai, engineer heroes and stories where building matters more than fighting.
Main characters
More character profiles are coming.
Adaptations
This franchise also exists in other formats — each with its own pacing and audience.
Trivia
- Er Mu's novel, completed in 2019, is one of the most popular Chinese isekai in English translation.
- Director Sun Meng explained that a sequel would depend on the rights holders recouping their investment.
- The manhua has been published on Bilibili Comics since 2017, long before the donghua arrived.
If you liked…
More donghua to discover after Release That Witch: same author or same genres.
