Qifrey is Witch Hat Atelier''s most beloved character (2,400+ AniList favorites) and the story''s most layered figure. Surface: a graceful, soft-spoken witch teacher guiding four apprentices. Underneath: a researcher who has spent his life on the trail of the Brimmed Caps — forbidden witches — and who carries trauma in his own eye from his earliest encounter with them.
What sets him apart
Qifrey''s visual identity is iconic: long silver hair, eyepatch over one eye, purple robes. The eye underneath the patch is the mark of a childhood encounter with forbidden witches. That scene is the founding memory of his character.
His teaching philosophy is built on apprentices finding their own way. He doesn''t answer questions; he poses them. When they fail, he says "think again" instead of correcting. That pedagogy distinguishes Witch Hat Atelier from most other fantasy anime.
But Qifrey has a hidden agenda. Years devoted to finding where the Brimmed Caps come from, why they break the rules of magic. That research sometimes forces him to weigh his apprentices'' safety against his obsession — the show''s tensest scenes are born there.
His place in the story
Qifrey embodies the question "how far can a well-meaning mentor go before his hidden passion crosses a line". As the adult lead, he carries the story''s entire moral weight.
His friendship with Olruggio — academy classmates for many years — is the most beloved side thread. Their dialogue is among the manga''s sharpest writing.
Tracking on Episodo
Qifrey''s arc distributes across long story arcs; small details accumulate. With the Episodo extension installed, long breaks don''t lose his line; the detail page''s episode notes help you re-enter where he was.
