The Japanese manga series Witch Hat Atelier features an extensive cast of characters created by Kamome Shirahama. The series takes place in a fictional, fantasy world where magic was commonplace until its misuse led to incountable crisis, wars and catastrophes, leading to the knowledge of how to perform it become restricted to only a few individuals who keep it a secret from the rest of the population. Certain magical practices are forbidden even amongst them due to the possible dangers it can cause.

Qifrey's Atelier Qifrey's atelier is located on a remote area where he teaches child witches who are considered outcasts because they did not—or refused to—fit into the rigid structures of the old established schools, assisted by his childhood friend Olruggio. They are later joined by main character Coco after she learned the witches' secret and was also taken in as his apprentice.

Coco

is a bright, blondish-green haired, optimistic young girl and dressmaker's daughter who dreams of becoming a witch, and sees her wish fulfilled at the horrid cost of her mother getting turned to stone. Subsequently, she is taken in by Qifrey and instead of having her memory erased, she is allowed to learn the ways of rune magic because of her connection to the Brimmed Caps, which gains her a dubious reputation in the magic community. While initially clumsy and naive, she is very enthusiastic about learning all she can about magic, and with her background as an outsider she is able to conceive highly creative ways of using her new-found knowledge.

Qifrey

is a patient and caring witch mentor with white hair who specializes in water magic. While it is partly out of kindness that he takes Coco in, he has also taken note of the Brimmed Caps' attention on her. He is searching for the Brimmed Caps as he holds a personal grudge against them ever since his childhood, where they used him in a ritual that made him the host of a Silverwood Tree, which took away his right eye (which he now keeps covered by his hair) and the memory of his former life. As a result of their attempts to prevent him from tracking his tormentors, he distanced himself from the Great Hall, returning only for necessities. In his pursuit for vengeance, Qifrey is ruthless enough to employ memory erasing magic to prevent anyone from finding out his intentions, but still cares for his students and tries his best to teach and guide them.

Agott Arklaum

is a black-haired girl from the renowned Arklaum family, one of the houses who established the vow to keep the magic arts a secret to the general populace. Agott was cast out during her test for apprenticeship when malicious rumors surfaced that the magic she was to present at her trial was plagiarized. Upon becoming Qifrey's student, she became a bitter loner, obsessed with perfecting her magic skills under her own power, and distanced herself from the other apprentices. Upon first meeting Coco, Agott initially hates her with a passion, and out of desperation to make her leave the atelier, she spurns and treats her harshly because Coco was not born a witch. Agott eventually sends her off to a dangerous test to prove Coco's worth, despite knowing Coco had no practical experience with magic. However, as the story progresses, Agott eventually becomes Coco's precious friend and begins to treat her as an equal thanks to the latter's sincerity and magical imagination.

Tetia

is a bright, bubbly and upbeat girl with pink curly hair in pigtails. She loves thanking other people and spreading happiness. She wants her magic to also make others happy, desperately wanting to create useful spells so she can be remembered in history. So far it is unknown why she became Qifrey's apprentice, as his other students also had special circumstances that led them to study outside the Great Hall.

Richeh

, more commonly known as for short, is an aloof, distant-looking young girl with long sky blue hair and a stubborn personality. She specializes in drawing very small rune circles and likes drawing original magic. She became withdrawn when her beloved older brother, Riliphin (the only person who appreciated her creative use of magic), became distant from her, refusing to learn new magic or submit to authority. However, during a placement test where she and her friends were ambushed by the Brimmed Caps who turned Euini into a wolf due to Richeh's lack of knowledge in magic, she realized the importance of learning new magic.

Olruggio

is a black haired witch living as a Watchful Eye (a supervisor) for the Great Hall at Qifrey's atelier. He and Qifrey are close childhood friends, although this does not stop Qifrey from erasing his memory when Olruggio gets suspicious of Qifrey's returning obsession with the Brimmed Caps. Olruggio is often seen with eyebags and a tired expression. Despite his gruff demeanor, he is actually a caring soul, and the magical items he creates are commonly meant to increase the comfort of their users. He specializes in magic creating fire, light and heat. He is from Ghodrey, City of Magic in the north where he was well accomplished and regarded as a talented witch.

Brushbuddy

is a white fluffy caterpillar-like creature who attaches itself to Coco during her test for apprenticeship (mainly due to his species' love for the smell of magical inks) and henceforth resides at Qifrey's atelier as a pet. It is frequently hinted that he has an intelligence and persona as complex as a human's.

Brimmed Caps The are a coven of rogue witches who reject the rules of the Day of the Pact and use Forbidden Magic like offensive magic and body changing magic, along with the forbidden act of making spell tattoos on their own bodies, or the bodies of others. Their name comes from their hats which have long brims or other ornaments to cover their faces, as opposed to the Pointed Caps, whose cap-brims are pinned up. Some members like Iguin and Sasaran express an interest in having Coco become a practitioner of forbidden magic, claiming her to be a "child of hope". Their exact structure and motivations are mostly unknown, but it seems that they organize into big groups and then divide into smaller groups to conduct their plans. There are some Brimmed Caps with the likes of Ininia, Restys and Custas are not shown to have an alliance with Iguin and their faction until much later.

Iguin

is a high-ranking member—and possibly the leader—of the Brimmed Caps, who characteristically wears a cone hat with a face mask shaped like an eye. Iguin is the one who gave Coco the spellbook which ultimately became responsible for turning her mother into stone. Since then, they accompany her growth as a witch, claiming she has a yet undisclosed role in the organization's plans.

Custas

is a young minstrel who had his legs permanently disabled in an accident that Coco and Agott rescued him from. He has come to befriend Tartah, and wished to learn all he can about apothecary from him in order to restore his legs. However, Ininia tells him a partial truth about the true nature of witches' magic, making him join the Brimmed Caps, become one of Restys' apprentices, and turning on Coco and Tartah. However, he is later betrayed when his leg prosthetics are revealed to be sprouts of a parasitic Silverwood Tree which threatens to consume him until Dagda sacrifices himself by letting himself die from his injuries, the stress of which causing Custas' infection to recede.

Sasaran

is a Brimmed Cap who experimented with transformation magic which failed, giving him a feline appearance. In order to hide this, and to intimidate his victims, he has taken to remote-control an empty cloak and hat to impersonate his presence, leading to his nickname "Empty Cloak Witch".

Ininia is an adolescent Brimmed Cap disguised as a regular witch, and Restys' apprentice. Just like Custas and Qifrey, she also has Silverwood Tree sprouts implanted into her body. She is deeply loyal to her master and believes that the Pointed Hat Witches are wrong to restrict access to forbidden magic, including healing spells.

Restys is a Brimmed Cap witch who converses with their apprentice Ininia through her staff. They later appear in person before Coco and invite her to be their apprentice, but are rejected.

Patchwork hat Brimmed Cap A cheerful and seemingly aloof Brimmed Cap with a patchwork hat, who infiltrated the citizens at the festival. His name is unknown.

The Great Hall of Witches The is the institution in Coco's world which governs the use of magic, its spreading (by regulating the enlistment and advancement of apprentices) and the maintenance of its secrecy. The Great Hall is located in an underwater city, which can only be reached by a certain stairwell descending into the depths of the earth, as well as special magic. This community is financed by the Five Kingdoms of the Zozah Peninsula, in exchange for freely offering their services to the people, while keeping a neutral standing in their politics.

Alaira

is a dark-skinned senior witch and one of Qifrey's best friends, even after he left the Great Hall to strike out on his own. Her magic item is a Stretcher Skiff, a levitating cloth that she uses to carry injured people, made from the repurposed underside of her cloak.

Beldaruit , known by the title "Wise in Teachings", is a high mage and member of the Three Wise Ones, the Great Hall's ruling council. Suffering from brittle bones, he utilizes a walking chair for locomotion, and likes to cloak his presence with illusions. His playful and seemingly scatter-brained personality hide a sharp intellect. He was once Qifrey's teacher and thus knows about his faults, and has offered to teach Coco to keep her out of her tutor's plotting against the Brimmed Caps.

Lagrah is the new Wise in Friendships, the High Council's diplomat and successor of the previous sage Engendale after the latter's disgrace.

Sinocia is a friendly and caring outsider working as a physician residing in the Great Hall.

Ermile is one of the outsiders working as a doctor within the Healing Spire together with Sinocia and the other doctors employed there. She is tall and strong, with short blonde hair and light green earrings.

Kukrow

is a disparaging, irresponsible sorcerer and Euini's former mentor.

Riliphin

is Richeh's older brother and Beldaruit's current assistant. Kept apart from his sister by his abusive former teacher, he eventually reunites with her during the curtain leech crisis.

Adina Arklaum

is Agott's mother and Chief Librarian in the Tower of Tomes, the Great Hall's main magical library.

Atwert is Galga's lover, who later takes him in as his apprentice after Galga has had his memories erased.

Hiehart is a dark-skinned male witch who idolizes Olruggio. He is loud, expressive, and has a strong personality. He is Jujy's master.

Jujy is a dark-skinned apprentice witch training under Hiehart. She has light grey eyes and curly black hair.

Loroga Roenton is a young witch apprentice and a former peer of Agott who is deeply jealous of her talents.

The Knights Moralis Also known as the Order of Moral Spellcasting, the is a subsidiary agency to the Great Hall—specifically, its law enforcement branch. Its members are assigned to track any abuse of magic and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Vinanna is the current Wise in Principles. Founder and captain of the Knights Moralis.

Luluci