Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia Review – Summer’s Dark Horse Anime?

Science SARU hits again! Discover why Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia is the dark horse anime of the season. Read our full review to know more details.

Besides the comeback of the legendary IP, The Ghost in the Shell, Science SARU actually released another great anime this season: Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia. It's a long and tricky title, and I think most people didn't even realize it was out because of how unique it is. But it's actually an amazing anime, and over on X, people are already calling it the dark horse anime of Summer 2026.

Source: TVアニメ「天幕のジャードゥーガル」公式Official X account

A Witch in Mongolia: The One Amazing Anime You Don't Want to Miss in Summer 2026

In this post, I will be referring to this anime simply as A Witch in Mongolia. You might think I'm exaggerating when I call it the dark horse of the Summer 2026 season, but it's completely true. If you look at X's weekly anime ratings over the past few weeks, A Witch in Mongolia has consistently stayed in the top three, even taking the number one spot for a few weeks straight!

On AnimeOshi, the anime rating platform I use often, A Witch in Mongolia also has great ratings. While the score sat around 7.6 for the first few episodes, episodes 5 and 6 pushed it well over 8.0, and judging by the user reviews, people are incredibly satisfied with them. This aligns with what's happening on other platforms. During the first few episodes, even I couldn't quite tell where the story was going, but after episode 5, we can finally understand exactly where the main character, Sitara (also known as Fatima), is heading.

You might think this anime takes too long to get to the real story, but it's actually quite the opposite. For anime that involve a certain degree of historical fact, like A Witch in Mongolia, The Elusive Samurai, and Kingdom, they need some time to set up the plot, the characters, and the world. This ensures that everyone can fully enjoy the story without needing to read actual history books.

For those who haven't picked up this title yet, let me share a bit of context. Although I haven't read the original source material, from what I understand, A Witch in Mongolia is quite similar to Kingdom. While neither is a 100% accurate representation of real history, they are both heavily based on real historical events, unlike Nippon Sangoku, which is completely fictitious.

Source: TVアニメ「天幕のジャードゥーガル」公式Official X account

The Story of A Witch in Mongolia: A Revenge Tale of a Girl Without Superpowers

Just judging by the title, you might be confused. Is this story about superpowers, or does Sitara know magic? While there is always a possibility that Sitara might get the chance to learn magic later on, in the current story, there are actually no superpowers or magic at all, despite the unique title. Every character in A Witch in Mongolia is an ordinary human just like you and me, they don't have superpowers or any special abilities.

After sharing that bit of context, there is another piece of information I want to share with everyone. You might be wondering, which era does A Witch in Mongolia actually represent? As the name suggests, it is set during the era of Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire. It explores a time when the Mongols were living a prosperous life, while the rest of the world suffered because of their conquests.

For those who aren't familiar with that era, to put it simply: after Genghis Khan became the new leader of the Mongols, he led everyone, including his own sons, to start conquering the known world. You might think a nomadic people couldn't achieve something that massive, but in fact, Genghis Khan was truly a god of war. He invaded massive empires, including China, and marched all the way to famous Western cities.

Sitara was originally a slave, but luckily she met a kind master who gave her a much better life compared to other slaves. Sitara loved her master, but unfortunately, because of the Mongols, she lost everything and became their slave instead. To be honest, the Mongols didn't treat her that badly, but Sitara just can't let go of the pain of losing everything. She simply can't accept the Mongols living such a prosperous life while everyone around her is suffering.

Source: TVアニメ「天幕のジャードゥーガル」公式Official X account

AnimeOshi — Meet Your Anime Alter Ego

One thing I've genuinely been enjoying on AnimeOshi lately, their Avatar System. You get to build your own custom chibi-style anime avatar, and it shows up across your profile and every review you drop. It's such a fun way to express yourself as a fan, and honestly, it makes the whole reviewing experience feel way more personal. If you're into anime and haven't tried it yet, what are you waiting for? Go make your avatar.

The Turning Point of A Witch in Mongolia: How a Slave Takes Revenge Against an Empire

After digesting the context I've shared, you might start to wonder: how is it even possible for a slave to take revenge against an empire that is still at its peak? This was actually the exact question I had during the first few episodes, and episodes 5 and 6 finally gave us the answer. These two episodes serve as the ultimate turning point, and it's where everyone is starting to realize just how incredible this anime really is.

As I mentioned before, Genghis Khan and the Mongols had invaded almost the entire known world. While this conquest gave them the best life they had ever experienced, it also caused an immense amount of suffering for countless people. There are those who have accepted this harsh reality and their fate, choosing to obey. On the other hand, there are people just like Sitara who simply cannot let go of the past, and are waiting for the perfect chance to strike back.

Since episodes 5 and 6 are such an incredible turning point for the series, I don't want to spoil too much, as that would ruin your watching experience. But personally, I think the way the story is unfolding feels incredibly realistic. Most people look at a massive, powerful empire and assume it's unbreakable, but it's actually quite the opposite. The bigger an empire grows, the easier it is to break it from the inside.

While Genghis Khan was alive, he was able to control and maintain his massive empire, but everything changed once he passed away. Even though Genghis Khan achieved something that no one else has ever been able to replicate, he was only human after all. He was bound to die eventually, and his death is exactly when people started to think, plan, and move differently.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

Conclusion:

Thank you so much for reading this post! Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia is definitely a must-watch anime for Summer 2026. Even though Sitara started out as just an ordinary slave, she has the potential to achieve something monumental—and she is truly moving toward it step by step. You might think I'm exaggerating now, but once you give Sitara's journey a try, I promise you will be thoroughly impressed by her.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.