Thus, in one sentence, a character in volume twelve of Kamome Shirahama 's superb Witch Hat Atelier sums up the major themes of the story. From the moment the Brimmed Cap gave Coco the spellbook and wand, Witch Hat Atelier has been about who is allowed to learn and what they're allowed to do with that knowledge. Characters like Richeh have always blamed others for their situations; in Richeh's case, she feels that adults have failed children. She wasn't good enough to apprentice in her family; Coco was wrong to use magic, making it her own fault her mother was petrified. Qifrey comes the closest, but despite his amazing fight scenes across these volumes, he's still got his own chips on his shoulder, holding him down.