Being a witch is definitely not all its cracked up to be in Shizuka's world. In Maka Mochida's Daily Report About My Witch Senpai, magic is just another talent that some people have, like perfect pitch or an eidetic memory, with probably about the same rate of occurrence as those two examples. Therefore being a witch or wizard, while unusual, isn't, strictly speaking, weird – it's just something that some people are. But as with any other talent, those with the ability to use magic can find themselves pressured to use their skill for the “good” of those around them, and the subject of unwarranted prejudice just because they're a little different.

While those issues absolutely do arise in this volume, they're not harped on, or even the main point of the story. Instead, those details form the background for Shizuka's own personality and worries. Since at least middle school, she's been the subject of people's jealousies and misconceptions, and she came to believe that she needs to use her magic for other people because it's unfair that she has the talent and they don't. Over years of having people around her drum this into her head, she's developed an intensely low self-esteem and a nature that's more than self-deprecating; she seems to truly believe that she's not worthwhile as a person. This gets her into the sort of situations you might expect: no more than a few of the book's short chapters have passed before we see that she's taken advantage of by coworkers and ended up dating Hiwatari because he was the first person to tell her that she wasn't bad for her magical gifts.

But lest you think this is a dark and depressing story, don't worry – most of this background information is kept in the background of the volume to help us understand both Shizuka and Misono, the coworker who has a raging crush on her. The thrust of the plot is more that Shizuka, with Misono's help, is learning not to be ashamed of who she is and to stand up for herself – that she, too, has the right to say what she thinks and to ultimately be happy. It's equal parts slice-of-life, gentle romance, and triumphant personal narrative, and it's important to note that while Misono helps to plant ideas, all of Shizuka's actions and words come from no one but herself.

Hands-down the most impressive moment in the book is when she finally stands up to Hiwatari. The two had dated until just before his transfer to another branch of the company, and while things started off fine, we can see that by the end their relationship was verging on, if not actually, emotionally abusive. But Shizuka herself wasn't willing to call things off, because a piece of her was afraid that she'd never find another boyfriend. When Hiwatari comes back to the main branch, he assumes that she'll just get together with him again, and Shizuka has to realize that she does not actually have to. This all builds up to her confronting him, and if you're the sort of person who doesn't know how loud you can be until you actually open your mouth, the scene will be very familiar. That goes equally for its aftermath, where Shizuka is wracked with regret, fear, and total shock that she actually said those things to him. It's a painful and fairly dark story arc in the book, but the honesty of it is powerful.

Other highlights of the volume are certainly Misono's quiet support and that of her iguana familiar, Komachi. Shizuka can understand the iguana's speech, although no one else can, and Komachi is relentlessly supportive, even if he does also tease her. Shizuka's interactions with Komachi also give us some insight into the ways in which she uses her magic at home, which is mostly to make chores or getting dressed up for work easier. It's also easy to see that there's nothing useless or pathetic about Shizuka's usual application of her magical skills – if you could magic your iron to press your clothes without having to stand there, why wouldn't you? And how helpful would that be? This reinforces the idea that Shizuka's inferiority is all in her head, and that what she needs most in her life is someone who can help her to see that there's nothing wrong with her as either a witch or a person.

While Daily Report About My Witch Senpai isn't action-packed or even particularly overt about its romance plot, it is a gently charming story. The Hiwatari storyline makes it clear that it could be more intense if it wanted to, but the easy pace and short chapters (as well as Shizuka's requisite romantic obliviousness where Misono is concerned) make it much more digestible than a heavier-handed approach would. It is simply a nice book with soft, almost starry art, and the darker elements can't take away from that. If you like having a little reality in your fluff, this is a good book to pick up.