'Witch Hat Atelier' uses English dub to expand on world through accents

ADR Director Emily Fajardo says accents in 'Witch Hat Atelier' English dub reinforce class divide and world-building

Witch Hat Atelier has been noted for its detailed world-building and visual style, and its English dub has drawn attention for its approach to localisation.

The English adaptation uses accents as a deliberate storytelling tool. According to ADR Director Emily Fajardo, the decision was influenced by the manga’s European inspiration and the desire to reflect social divisions within the world.

“There is a clear class divide. There are a lot of social differences between these groups of people, and I wanted that to be immediately audible, and accents are a very good quick way to do that,” Fajardo told IGN.

She added, “In English, we automatically associate different history and class structures with these sounds, and so Coco and all the outsiders that she lives with all have the standard American accent.”

Within the story, witches form an elite social class that excludes outsiders, and Coco is immediately treated as an outsider after learning magic.

The contrast in speech patterns reinforces this divide, with witches portrayed through European accents while Coco remains distinct.

Voice actor Anjali Kunapeneni, who voices Coco, said, “This world is so completely new to Coco, and especially as we're starting the show. She's reacting in many ways to the wonder and curiosity of being dropped into this incredible new experience. I personally have never felt so immersed in a show’s world before.”

The use of accents has been highlighted as part of Coco’s coming-of-age journey, emphasising her isolation as she learns magic and adapts to a new environment.

The localisation approach has been described as extending beyond translation into adaptation, reinforcing narrative themes through sound design.

Witch Hat Atelier is streaming on Crunchyroll.