Burn the Witch (manga)

Burn the Witch is a manga by Noriaki "Tite" Kubo, set in the same universe as Bleach. It started as a one-shot released in the July 16th, 2018 edition of Shonen Jump, then in 2020 got an official 4-part short run (and is slated for a later one), and last but not least it had a 3-episode OAV anime (by Studio Colorido) in October 2020.

The action takes place in London aka the capital of England, rather than in Japan. This is because it houses the Western Branch of Soul Society, Wing Bind, which is based in Reverse London aka a part of London itself where people who can see Dragons live and handle their appearances. These Dragons are supernatural beings that have always existed in London itself, to the point that the London Coat of Arms has them in it; but since only a few people can see them, they're rendered as legends by the populace even when they wreak havoc, and it's up to the Western Branch to keep them at bay - without killing them, like the Shinigami do to the Hollows in the original Bleach. While many Dragons (known as Light Dragons) are actually friendly and even help out the humans from Reverse London, the Dark Dragons feed off negative emotions and can be VERY dangerous, so the Wing Bind agents are tasked with fighting them. . .

The protagonist is Noel Niihashi, an English girl who seems to be a normal high school student... Except that she's not - she's actually a Cute Witch of sorts, and lives a double life as a student and a agent of Wing Bind. She's not alone in her mission, of course: her partner is Ninny Spangcole, the harsh and beautiful lead singer of a very popular music band who is secretly a witch like her. And there's also the Lovable Sex Maniac Balgo Parks, an originally 100% human friend of Noel who in the original one-shot managed to survive a dangerous encounter with a Dragon and sorta tamed another that now masquerades as his pet dog Osushi. So now Noel and Ninny have to keep an eye on Balgo and Osushi, while dealing with the craziness around them. . .

And no, no witches have been burned in the manga itself. That one's aware of, that is.

Tropes used in Burn the Witch (manga) include:

• Affectionate Nickname: Macy Baljure refers to Ninny as "Nina". May go into Terms of Endangerment, considering the kind of girl she can be when angry or under pressure.
• All-Loving Hero: Balgo is this when push comes to shove. ie., even when the Dragon that took Shelby's form attacked him and the girls, he kept trying to reason with it and considered him as a person rather than a monster.
• Aloof Dark-Haired Girl: Noel, to boot.
• Barrier Maiden: Balgo is a Rare Male Example, since he apparently has uncommon traits even for Dragonclads in general. i.e., it seems he can transform humans into Dragonclads by touch, as seen in Macy's case since she became one when Balgo bumped into her in the streets.
• Broken Bird: Macy has... issues.
• Butt Monkey: BALGO. Though he often brings it on himself.
• Childhood Friends: Balgo and his best friend Shelby. In reality, Shelby died in an Heroic Sacrifice as a child to save Balgo, and then his corpse was taken over by a Disguiser Dragon who then masqueraded as the real Shelby for at least 10 years.
• Chivalrous Pervert: On one hand, Balgo is obsessed with the idea of taking peeks at Noel's panties and not even her beating him up dissuades him. On the other, he's a loyal and loving friend who won't back down when those he cares for are in distress: he kept trying to reason with Shelby even after The Reveal regarding him, does what he can to help Ninny and Noel (even if he can't do lots), and when Noel hugs him in chapter 4 because he won't be executed for his powers, he's sincerely happy and does not use the chance to cop a feel.
• Cool Pet: Osushi. C'mon, who wouldn't like to have a fluffy and cute Pommie who can grow wings and carry peeps around? (Though he tends to "tell" people things he shouldn't. . . )
• Cute Witch: Both Ninny and Noel
• Hair of Gold: Balgo and Ninny are blondes and on the side of good.
• Hot-Blooded: Ninny, holy shit.
• Good Is Not Nice: Ninny is a grumpy young lady and a Glory Hound, but not a cruel person.
• Lovely Angels: Noel and Ninny almost fill the trope (and they did in the past), since they have to keep an eye on Balgo and Osushi. But Balgo isn't exactly a fighter, so in practice the girls tend to fight together most of the time.
• Mundane Utility: Several Dragon species (known collectively as Light Dragons) are domesticated with this purpose by the people of Reverse London. There are some that even are not unlike the Kitten/Cat Bus from My Neighbor Totoro!
• Omniscient Council of Vagueness: The Top of Horns, aka the leaders of the Eight Division of the Wing Bind group.
• Only in It For the Money: Noel wants to be rich and cares more about earning good cash in her missions than being famous. This irritates Ninny, who goes for the fame rather than the money.
• Otaku: Noel turns out to be this, having a bit of an obsession with Japanese culture despite being English. She refers to Ninny as "Ninny-chan", i.e., which infuriates Ninny since she's supposed to be her "senior".
• Precious Puppy: Who is the cutest and fluffiest little Dragon, Osushi? Who is it? YES, YES YOU ARE!!!
• Rose-Haired Sweetie: Macy Baljure seems to be a rather sweet and shy girl, and has pink hair. She turns out to be more of a Broken Bird with traces of Yandere, however.
• Savvy Guy, Energetic Girl: Noel is the Savvy Girl to Bargo's Energetic Dude AND Ninny's Energetic Other Girl.
• Secret Identity: Noel and Ninny masquerade as a student and a singer.
• Ship Tease: Noel and Balgo, especially when she hugs him in chapter 4.
• Sleep Mode Size: Osushi is mostly seen as an absolutely adorable Pomeranian doggo. One that can grow wings and then turn into a gigantic Dragon.
• Sugar and Ice Girl: Noel is poker-faced and snarky, but she's very gentle to the tame Light Dragons and does appreciate Balgo when he's not in Chivalrous Pervert mode.
• Tomboy and Girly Girl: The Hot-Blooded, rough Ninny and the polite, aloof Noel.
  • Also Ninny and her fellow Cecile Die Twice singer, Macy.
• Weirdness Magnet: The Dragonclad people, like Balgo and later Macy, tend to attract Dragons merely by existing. Balgo's own Dragonclad powers seem to be much stronger than the standard, however, and that keeps the Top Horns from executing him.
• Yandere: Macy Baljure gives serious vibes of this. She's all but shouted to be in love with Ninny, who doesn't really reciprocate, and gets very clingy and aggressive when she sees her with other girls; in her introduction, she gets furious at Noel and tosses a chair at her, yelling that she'll kill her for being too close to "Nina". It's later downplayed, though: Macy calms down considerably when her Dragon (Cinderella) is more or less dealt with and she becomes a Dragonclad, meaning she can be in Reverse London and interact more with Ninny and Co.