The anime "Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia" made its highly anticipated debut on July 4, 2026. Based on the acclaimed manga by Tomato Soup, this historical drama features a powerhouse creative team: Chief Director Naoko Yamada, Director Abel Gongora, and the boundary-pushing studio Science SARU. It’s a production that has captured the attention of fans worldwide, blending meticulous historical detail with a unique artistic flair.
In the latest developments, Sitara, acting under the secret orders of Sorghaghtani, has ventured into the territory of Chagatai as a spy. Her journey took a pivotal turn through her encounter with Töregene, the sixth wife of Ögedei. One haunting smile from Sitara moved Töregene’s heart and laid the foundation for a transformative new relationship.
Let’s dive into the highlights of Episode 5, "A Snake Shows Its Colors, Man Hides His Colors."
Under Orders from Sorghaghtani: The Mission Begins
Acting on a secret mission from Sorghaghtani, Sitara begins her reconnaissance to track the movements of the second prince, Chagatai. Along the way, she encounters other slaves brought from Persia. Unlike Sitara, many of these women have established families within the Mongol Empire and are beginning to carve out new lives for themselves.
Seeing these people, who were once stripped of their homelands, continuing to live and adapt in a new land seems to strike a chord with Sitara for a moment. However, her admiration is fleeting; her deep-seated hatred for the Mongol Empire remains an unyielding flame that refuses to be extinguished.
While Episode 4 highlighted how Sitara was gradually "adjusting" to life in Mongolia, this episode deepens that theme. By showing other slaves who have fully accepted their new environment, the story highlights the universal human trait of adaptation—and the terrifying conflict it creates for someone like Sitara, who refuses to forget her past.
Misfortune strikes when Sitara is found in possession of the "Jada Stone" she picked up in the previous episode. Mistaken for a thief, she is hauled off to the Ulus (territory) of the Ögedei family. There, she meets a furious Töregene, who believes the stone was stolen, setting the gears of fate in motion.
Sitara’s Smile in the Face of Chagatai
Eventually, the suspicion of theft is cleared, and Sitara is released by Töregene. However, just as she is about to leave, she has the misfortune of running into the returning party of Chagatai and Ögedei.
Suspicious of a stranger roaming the Ulus, the guards surround Sitara once again. Thinking on her feet, she attempts to bluff her way out by claiming, "I am Lady Töregene’s slave." Unfortunately, Töregene herself is standing nearby and hears the lie. To make matters worse, Chagatai begins to hurl insults at Sitara’s Persian heritage, looking down on her people with blatant arrogance.
But Sitara doesn’t react with rage. Instead, she offers a quiet, serene smile and tells him, "You wouldn't understand," in a tone almost like a teacher lecturing a student. Having survived immense loss and lived through the weight of a foreign culture, Sitara feels the sharp edges of her hatred for Mongolia starting to blur. Yet, that smile is anything but a sign of surrender.
It is a "quiet smile" that carries both the heat of boiling rage and the chill of absolute frost. This complex expression didn’t just captivate the audience; it resonated deeply within Töregene as well.
Resonance with Töregene
Witnessing Sitara’s smile, Töregene steps forward in front of the others. She takes a massive risk by backing up Sitara’s lie, claiming, "I ordered this slave to kill Ögedei," effectively saving Sitara from her predicament by weaving a new web of deception.
Once they are alone in the tent, Töregene confesses, "I liked your smile." It turns out that Töregene, too, harbors a secret hatred for the Mongol Empire. Like Sitara, she has felt her once-violent emotions fade over time, dulled by the passage of years. This shared internal struggle is exactly why Sitara’s defiant smile moved her so profoundly.
A slave and an imperial consort—two women whose paths should never have crossed. What secrets lie in Töregene’s past that mirror Sitara’s own? The bond formed in vengeance has only just begun to unravel the empire.
[Article by Taira]
About The Anime
Synopsis
A young girl and an empress.
Bound by a shared desire for revenge, the two will shake the mightiest empire the world has ever known.
Having lost her mother and been torn from her homeland, young Sitara is taken in by Fatima, a kind-hearted lady from a family of scholars. "If you study and become wise, no matter what trouble befalls you, you’ll know the best way forward."
Deeply moved by the words of Fatima’s son, Muhammad, Sitara comes to understand the possibilities and importance of knowledge and begins to deepen her education.
She dreams that one day, she might catch up with Muhammad, who has set off on a journey in pursuit of wisdom...
Meanwhile, under the reign of Emperor Genghis Khan, the mighty Mongol Empire continues its unstoppable march, conquering nation after nation and expanding its influence across the world. Before long, the tides of history reach the city where Sitara lives.
After losing everything to Tolui, the empire’s Fourth Prince, and being taken captive, Sitara resolves to use the only thing she has left, her intellect, to infiltrate the royal court and bring down the empire from within.
Though a flame of revenge burns within her heart, Sitara outwardly devotes herself to serving the empire. One day, she has a fateful encounter with Töregene, the sixth wife of the Third Prince, Ögedei. Haunted by a tragic past of her own, Töregene too carries a deep hatred for the empire within her heart.
Sitara and Töregene, two women who were never meant to meet. The moment they join hands, the wheels of fate begin to turn.
Cast
Sitara: Akira Sekine
Töregene: Ami Koshimizu
Fatima: Houko Kuwashima
Muhammad: Jun Saito
Ögedei: Hiro Shimono
Tolui: Ryota Suzuki
Shira: Miyu Irino
Chagatai: Daisuke Namikawa
Jochi: Kenji Nojima
Sorghaghtani: Misaki Kuno
Möge: Ayaka Asai
Kirgistani: Mayumi Shintani
Boraqchin: ????
Genghis Khan: Tamawashi (Active Sumo Wrestler)
Mongol Soldiers: Tamashoho (Active Sumo Wrestler)
(C)Tomatosoup (Akita Shoten) / Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia Production Committee
© Animate Times
*Some parts of this text have been translated using machine translation
