Little Witch Academia (TV)

user106549

~~~Inúmeros criadores quando estão idealizando suas obras aderem ao entretenimento do público como sua finalidade. Dentre esses, um erro é frequentemente evidenciado, o qual vai de frente contra as bases inventivas do artista, consequentemente, também, contra ao experiencial do espectador, a abdicação do refinamento. Little Witch Academia sabe disso, busca conjuntamente de sua objetivação lúdica construir uma identidade. Revitaliza a essência de uma animação há muito tempo perdida nessa indústria. Sustenta-se em bases criativas orientais e ocidentais, com ênfase a estrutura cômica, que possui grande afinidade com o outro lado do globo. Fazendo belo uso de humor físico e absurdista característico de animações ocidentais, com diversas referências a títulos consagrados no meio. No entanto, sem abandonar suas raízes nipônicas. Grande parte do mérito de sua comédia vai para o excelente trabalho de dublagem, as personagens são muito bem representadas, guiam o roteiro habilmente e com a flexibilidade de suas vozes impulsionam as _punch lines_. Com destaque a icônica Akko. Não menos importante, o trabalho sonoro exerce função crucial não só nesse aspecto, como também para as demais abordagens do anime. Ao longo da série um vasto repertório de OSTs é apresentado, muito bem utilizadas e arquitetadas. Em cada cena participando afincadamente para constituir a atmosfera e servir seu papel como um veículo intensificador. Outro diferencial é dado pela composição visual, salienta variedade e requinte nas técnicas utilizadas, desde o clássico uso de células pintadas a mão, ao marcante _Gainax Style_. Demonstrando sincronia com o trabalho de cores e o design de arte. Tratando-se da animação, não foi diferente, seu dinamismo proporcionou alta funcionalidade nas cenas de ação e comédia, concedendo mais uma nuance ao anime. Já a direção-geral, além dos pontos citados anteriormente, destaca-se por uma ótima síntese de ação, algo raro no âmbito, porém, característico de sua escola fundamental (Gainax). Empregando até mesmo um diretor de ação específico para determinados episódios. Ainda que, tal e qual sua produção visual, decaia em desempenho (obviamente, pois, já não é mais um filme ou um curta) diminuindo a extensão das complexas cenas de ação e fazendo maior uso de ângulos fechados nessas, deixando um gosto de “poderia ser superior”. Todavia, mantém a suma qualidade. Dentre seus tropeços, as maiores ressalvas vão à roteirização e caracterização das personagens. A narrativa é previsível, utiliza vários recursos clichês, contudo, o tropeço principal ocorre no desfecho da série, onde é dado muito foque a um posicionamento antiquado, repleto de reflexões genéricas. Inclusive, justamente no ato final, é que a caracterização maniqueísta excede os limites e torna-se um enorme problema. Mesmo que, no decorrer dos episódios tenham sido ofuscados pela autêntica objetivação da obra, tais defeitos sempre estiveram lá. Em conclusão, LWA é o segundo grande passo de um estúdio com longos horizontes para serem explorados. Após elevar o _Gainax Style_ ao seu auge em [Kill la Kill](https://anilist.co/review/4119), a Trigger funda sua própria identidade em Little Witch Academia. Algo autêntico e de muita essência. Um feito ambicioso para uma _staff_ promissora.~~~

Protogeist

__Spoiler alert!__ _“You don’t get the things you dream of, you get the things that you work for”_ – Ursula Callistis I have always been a fan of animation. Ok, maybe not always, but for a long time at least. Even before I found out about anime, I watched a lot of cartoons such as Gravity Falls, Futurama and Bojack Horseman (All great shows, Bojack being my favorite show of all time). But when I couldn’t find any more cartoons on Netflix, and I didn’t want to stream any illegally, I remembered ProZD’s video on the anime awards of 2017. I hadn’t heard of any of the shows, but I was still interested in his opinions for some reason. And when I saw Little Witch Academia in his video, it stuck out in the midst of the very Japanese designs and styles, since this looked more cartoony. So when I looked for shows on Netflix and found the show, I immediately started watching it. And boy was it a good gateway into that part of the animation medium. Little Witch Academia follows Akko, a normal girl who after seeing an inspiring magic show decides that she’s going to become a witch herself. She has trouble keeping up with everyone else in the school, but with her friends Lotte and Sucy, she just barely makes it. Goofs and gaffs ensue Like I said before, the thing that made me watch the show was the visuals. And it is honestly one of the best I have ever seen. I put it on the same level as Your Name and Spiderverse. While it doesn’t have the same production and detail as those two movies, they all feel like they really take advantage of the medium that they are a part of. Cause while the show has many “sakuga” moments (is that what you call it?), that isn’t what makes the show feel so alive. There are a lot of shows those sakuga moments, like My Hero Academia and other battle shounen shows. And while those scenes are incredible at times, I can’t say that other scenes are as exciting or creative. I still very much enjoy My Hero Academia and its visuals. But as a whole, it isn’t super exciting. And that’s generally how I feel about animation in anime. There could be some great moments where you really see the work the artist has done. But then the rest just feels stiff. So seeing a show like Little Witch Academia that really takes advantage its animation feels great. And it’s the unnecessary parts that make it so good. Like when Lotte turns into stone in episode 4 just to show how sad she is or when Akko continues to climb a latter even when she’s in the air in episode 7 (very specific examples, I know). It makes the characters feel alive, like we are actually seeing people live their crazy lives. The composition in many scenes also helps this. There’s a sequence in episode 7 where Ursula tells one of the teachers how Akko shouldn’t be judged for how well of a witch she is compared to other, but to herself when she first started. Even just this conveys her emotions well enough about how she feels about Akko, but she also kind of walks in front of one of the teachers, showing her dominance. Again, it makes the show feel alive. The animation in a show or movie could be amazing. But unless what the characters are actually doing is exciting, then the animation won’t do shit. And it’s those moments that make the show. Fluid animation with exciting composition. And that’s why Studio Trigger is my favorite anime studio. Cause, like I said before, it’s THE studio that I feel really take advantage of its animation. And speaking of composition, the music was great. When you have a fantasy high school with a fancy feel you can do a lot with the music. Like Harry Potter, the music consists of a lot of violins, flute, and harp. It never feels like a rip-off of the Harry Potter soundtrack, but it shares the feeling of the fantastic world. It may not be a soundtrack that you are going to listen to over and over again and won’t be able to keep out of your mind. But it perfectly conveys the tone of the show. Whether it is a wonderful, comedic or serious tone. But the show isn’t just pretty colors and music. It has an interesting story with an actual message. I would say that the main theme of the story is the conflict between traditions and the new. It’s something I just noticed after rewatching the show after the third time, but there are a lot of examples of this. Like the big conflict between technology and magic. How a lot of the show focuses on showing how people have started to rely on technology rather than magic. Or keeping school traditions against improving the school and having an old mindset against a new one. But it doesn’t feel like propaganda. It doesn’t just say that either traditions or modernization is better. But it comes to different conclusions. it explores the subject and doesn’t give an answer but lets you make one yourself. How Akko feels that magic should be preserved, but also thinks that the school follows traditions to closely. So the message is that you should have a healthy amount of tradition and modernization in your life. And that’s what Akko symbolizes. How you can have a world with both ends of the spectrum. That none of them are more important than the other. Since the show doesn’t rely as much on a story in the first half, the characters need to be interesting enough to make that enjoyable. And I think that is the case. My favorite character is probably Sucy Manbavaran. She isn’t very complicated, but I don’t think that matters. Cause she is still the funniest character in all of anime. I’m not a huge fan of comedy in anime. I have seen quite a lot of funny anime. But in general, I think a large part of it is very obnoxious and too loud. But what made Sucy so funny was because she was an asshole all the time. She shows that she cares for Akko at multiple points, so she actually feels like a human. But for the most part, she’s an asshole. And I loved that! There was a scene where Sucy made a potion that would make her super powerful. But she also didn’t know if it would work, so she thought of testing it on Akko. But she eventually tests it on herself cause she would rather die than make Akko super powerful. It’s a small joke but it serves her character and is just super funny. At least to me. It’s the only anime character I have bought a Nendoroid of, so that must mean something. But if I had to choose another character that I really love, then it would easily be Ursula. And it is probably the twenty-second episode of the show that makes her character. It is revealed pretty early that Ursula is Chariot. This is already pretty interesting since that reveal could’ve easily been unveiled later in the show. But I don’t think that would’ve been an interesting reveal since Ursula really being Chariot doesn’t really say anything. So instead we are told that Chariot is the reason for Akko’s problems with magic. I haven’t seen a single show where they reveal that the main characters hero has literally made its life worse, so this was really interesting and surprising. And it explains why Ursula cares so much about Akko and about helping her. It makes her feel human. She has made mistakes that have worsened someone’s life, but she tries to fix it as much as she can. She tries to tell Akko about it at many points, but she’s never able to do it. And that makes her feel so realistic. She believes that she’ll be able to tell her in the future until it is revealed without her consent at the worst possible moment. The other characters are of course great as well. They all feel unique and realistic. But if I had to choose two characters, it would be those two. The show isn’t perfect, no show is. The antagonist wasn’t that interesting until they give her a lot of development and Sucy and Lotte’s role in the story was far too small in the second half of the show. But ultimately that doesn’t really matter to me (kind of). It’s a show that I respect a lot, both visually and how it is written. It’s the show that got me into anime. What can I say, I still think that it’s amazing! __Weak 10/10__

ABPAEAE

To merely call Little Witch Academia a "Japanese Harry Potter", I believe, is a great disservice. While true, the settings are similar; a school teaching magic arts - that is where the similarities end. The Little Witch Academia TV series is a result of incredible dedication and talent from everyone involved. I love everything about the short film, movie, and series all together, but for this review, I must retain it only to the TV series. Little Witch Academia (now on referred as LWA) has the charms of an absolutely banger original story, despite anything the creators may or may not have taken inspiration from, purposefully or otherwise. From the beginning of the first episode, I was entranced by a wondrous fantastical world, brimming with lore and everything beyond imagination. Every episode feels like its own unique chapter in a greater overall story, and they absolutely are. Now, granted, I've came across a patch of free time to allow me to do this, but LWA is the only anime I've felt compelled to binge-watch over the course of two days, despite me knowing it'd be much better to separate my watching into more sessions. The story and the characters were all just too gripping. Artistically, the LWA TV series is above par, but for understandable budget and time restraints, the original LWA short film is still far superior. But this really isn't to trash the TV series' art. From the unique design of every individual character, to the very talented animation of complex scenery (not to forget all things silly as well), the LWA TV series is a modern, moving Mona Lisa. The music should almost be included in the art category because of its quality. I believe in anime, quality of music cannot always be judged by the raw, upfront quality of the music, but also by how well it suits any given scene, and how often that music is recycled. LWA's music feels like a suit custom-made by some fancy yuppie tailor in 1980 Paris who charges more than you make in a year for one suit. There are some cases of recycled tracks, but not nearly as many as most anime, and it's only briefly used, so the overall charm of the music is never lost. On the category of characters; this is a tricky one. The topic of character writing in regards to LWA is something I feel is deserving of an in-depth analysis many pages long written by someone far more talented than I. Though I'll try to put my emotion and beliefs into words the best I can here. Overall, I must say, the character writing is LWA's strongest feature. As mentioned previously, every character feels unique in their own ways, from their appearance, down to their emotions, actions, and motivations. Kagari Atsuko, the main character, is written in such a way to be relatable to many viewers, specifically younger adults and teenagers who might find themselves lost in the modern society that constantly tells them what to do, resulting in an individual unable to pursue their true passion for a fear of failure or embarrassment. The role of Atsuko is to assure those viewers that anything they desire is possible as long as you truly want something. Sometimes you fall down, sometimes you fall down a hundred times, perhaps you even feel like you ONLY fall down, but as long as you keep picking yourself up, you still have a chance to make your dreams a reality. With the gushy gushy aside, the character writing in LWA does have its downfalls (mostly due to time/budget restraints, which are understandable for such an expansive story, even a well-funded one). Particularly with introduced characters who don't get much of a spotlight, even though they clearly had effort into their development at one point. Specifically with Frank and Jasminka. I do not wish to spoil anything for anyone who hasn't watched the show yet, but for those who have, I urge you to consider how much screentime they got and what that screentime was for. Overall, Little Witch Academia was an emotional roller coaster that never slowed down at any one point, and genuinely touched me passionately. From the lessons we can learn from some of the characters, to the immense amount of dedication put behind the creation of this story - short film, movie, and all - there are a lot of good lessons even older adults can still learn from Little Witch Academia. I give a heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to the inception of such a gem.

tom99

~~~__Bonjour à tous__~~~ On se retrouve aujourd'hui pour faire le point sur cette anime : __Little Witch Academia__. ~~~img(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d5/14/5c/d5145c0647d9bd6a8d79251416716a38.jpg)~~~ Pour commencer, __Little Witch Academia__ est bon anime de magic et un bon school life dans lequel on suit principalement les aventures d'Akko, une apprentie sorcière qui vient d'une famille de non magicien. Tout d'abbord, je voulais souligner les graphismes que j'ai vraiment bien aimé tout du long de l'anime et les scènes de combats sont pas mal et bien rythmé. Le seul défaut que je pourrais dire au sujet des graphismes c'est le fait que je trouve dommage que les personnages n'est pas tous un peu plus de vie dans le regard car pour moi, je pense que les regards assez vide d'Amanda et de d'Ursula sont un peu dommage même si sans cela l'anime est bien. Ensuite, il y a aussi le fait que les graphismes sont un peu enfantin mais ça je m'y attendais et ça ne m'a pas choqué. Sinon, je trouve que l'anime est pas mal comique, ce qui donne un air drôle et une bonne ambiance pendant qu'on le regarde, ce que je trouve très bien. Cependant, pour moi, le comportement d'Akko est un peu chiant sur les bords. ~!Quand elle apprends la patience et juste après, elle nous fait un caprice et monte sur l'arbre à spore donc bon la je trouve qu'elle va trop loin.!~ En fait, elle apprends des choses mais ne les mets pas en pratique par la suite donc bon dès fois j'ai eu l'impression que ça rentrait par une oreille et que ça ressortait immédiatement par l'autre. J'ai aussi un petit problème sur l'univers, car on nous dis que la pierre magique fournis de la magie mais j'aurais bien apprécié que l'on en sache un peu plus, d'où vient la magie et comment elle fonctionne vraiment. Il y a aussi, le fait que le personnage perturbateur arrive, fout la merde et puis super on oublie tout et tout redeviens comme avant, je trouve ça un peu trop simple. ~~~img(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/10/cc/5d/10cc5d0463cc395a01c6ccfc32afadc7.jpg)~~~ ___Conclusion :___ __Little Witch Academia__ est un bon anime de magie à voir mais je pense que pour moi, il est un peu trop enfantin. Après quand je l'ai regardé, j'étais au courant que le publique visé était plus jeune que moi, donc est-ce vraiment un reproche ? Non. Je trouve quand même que les aventures d'Akko sont très intéressante et le fait qu'elle apprenne la magie et que ça soit dur, nous permet très facilement de nous identifier au personnage et nous accroche à l'histoire. Donc pour moi, à voir si vous aimez bien la magie, le school life, les quêtes et les aventures. ~~~img(https://cutewallpaper.org/21/little-witch-academia-wallpaper/Little-Witch-Academia-wallpaper-littlewitchAcademia-.jpg)~~~ PS : ceci n'est que mon avis personnel. Je ne vous empêche pas d'avoir un point de vue différent du mien. Je pense que tous les points de vue sont à prendre en compte tant qu'ils sont argumenté.

TheAnimeBingeWatcher

When I was a kid, there was little I loved more than a good YA magic school story. What’s not to love about the fantasy of being whisked away to a place where learning is actually fun, and exciting, and unique, and tailored to the things that actually interest you instead of forcing you through a rigid, inflexible curriculum designed to turn you into a mindless drone with no actual practical real-world knowledge? And with the primary setting serving double duty as a central hub for the entire cast to interact within and a unique location that could be explored and fleshed out in its own right, there are no shortage of interesting and mind-blowing avenues to explore without even having to step outside the walls. Magic school stories are kind of the perfect YA setting in that regard: they allow for countless unique storytelling opportunities all in the same proximity. And the stories that took full advantage of those opportunities- Harry Potter, Percy Jackson- regularly ranked among my favorite fictional properties thanks to the sheer bevy of imagination on display. I have a deep and abiding love for this genre… which only makes it more disappointing how few good examples of the kind I’ve been able to find in recent years. Sure, Blue Exorcist was a breath of fresh air, but one show can only tide me over so long. Even RWBY didn’t really get good until it finally left the school behind. With so much potential baked into every facet of this genre, I’ll always be chomping at the bit to get at any story that promises to do it right. Thank god, then, for Little Witch Academia. Watching this show for the first time was like getting hit with a nostalgia bomb so intense it time-warped me back to 2010. How long has it been since I got this excited about the clumsy protagonist getting into trouble on their very first day of school and immediately ending up in a life-or-death scenario? Or watching our heroes stumble through a Forbidden Forest full of killer plants and all manner of dangerous critters? Or watching the central power trio share a dorm room where they can shoot the shit together? Or the mysterious vanished paragon figure whom our hero seeks to emulate with all her heart, carrying on her teachings in a world that seems to have forgotten them? And magic classes, and rivalries, and overcoming bullies and lack of natural talents to soar higher than everyone else? And as if that wasn’t enough, they even have their own freaking Lee Jordan to narrate the broomstick sporting events. Yeah, I have _missed_ this. I have missed this kind of magic, if you’ll pardon the pun. I have missed falling in love with this kind of story, reveling in the joy of a world of wonder just outside my fingertips. This is the kind of story that reminds you why you fell in love with these kinds of stories in the first place, re-using and remixing all the tried-and-true cliches to recapture the spark that made them so entrancing back when you first discovered them. The show centers on Atsuko Kagari, Akko for short, a young witch who enrolls in the prestigious Luna Nova academy to follow her dream of following in her idol's footsteps. As a child, she was inspired by the witch Shiny Chariot, who dazzled countless people with her showy performances and magic tricks. Chariot has since vanished, and we soon discover that few people in the world of magic take her seriously. Much like Akko herself, she was a screw-up, a slob, someone who got in trouble and made mistakes and played outside the rules to often disastrous effect. But no matter how many times she messed up, she kept trying until she found her own way to glory. Because as she always said, "A believing heart is your magic," and there's nothing that can hold you down as long as you hold fast to that truth. Inspired by these words, Akko does her best to be a great witch despite her seeming lack of magic talent, and as one might expect, all sorts of shenanigans ensue. So no, this is not the most complex story in the world. Its themes are mostly broad, its characters mostly simple and approachable, its conflicts mostly predictable. You can always count on Akko’s lack of talent screwing her over, getting her in trouble in a way that conflicts with the things she and her friends actually want to do, leading to a scenario where she bucks against the school’s authority and tries to sort things out on her own, with incredibly mixed results. She gets in petty squabbles with her more antagonistic classmates that drive home how immature these teens still are, rising to the bait time and time again. Her fiery temper and scattershot passion leads to a lot of chaos and consequences, and a good chunk of the episodic plots follow her attempts to escape those consequences or make up for them. It's a mostly straightforward story tackling mostly straightforward tropes without much in the way of innovation. But it tells this straightforward story so goddamn well that its relative lack of depth doesn’t matter at all. It’s slavishly devoted to the traditions of its genre, but not out of cowardice or laziness; it seeks these charms so intensely because it clearly loves them just as much as I do. I live for the contrast of fantastical learning environments and the inescapable drudgery of heavy schoolwork no matter what subject that work is about. I adore the forbidden forests, the hidden chambers, the secret magical artifacts with wild and wondrous abilities. I’m a slut for the friendships and rivalries, the sporting events and dark invasions, the trials and tribulations, the wonder of discovering things that dazzle the imagination. I love these stories because they fundamentally understand why diving into fiction can be so, well, magical. And Little Witch Academia is magical from the tips of its toes to the top of its pointed hat. It’s bursting with whimsy and imagination, aided by possibly Trigger’s best-looking production yet. Their usual manic energy and sharp edge is toned down just enough to bring this fantasy to life without sacrificing the eclectic, stylized passion that makes their aesthetic so instantly striking. The character designs, in particular, are bloody fucking fantastic, with enough range and personality in motion to put even Gurren Lagann to shame. The animation is rough and stretchy enough for the characters to flail in disarray like Loony Tunes when the slapstick kicks up, but still solid and specific enough to allow for more subtle motions. Akko can whiplash between caffeinated joy to morose pouting in the space of a second, and it all feels completely natural. And sweet buttery muffins, the expressions are legendary. I can’t tell you how many times I was reduced to cackling by nothing more than a perfectly timed flex of a character’s facial muscles. Akko’s droopy eyes of confusion, Sucy gleefully sucking up poisonous gas through her nostrils, Diana’s primly poised gestures and posture… so much of everyone’s personalities comes through perfectly in how they’re animated. And that’s all before the action kicks up, when the camerawork and kinetic motion place you right up there on the rushing brooms, watching rapid-fire displays of enchanted wonder soar right above your heads. I could freeze-frame any moment of this show and find countless giddily exciting details to talk about, then unpause it and find even more to gush over while it’s in motion. It’s frenetic without being exhausting, restrained without being subdued, spirited without being obnoxious. It's a cavalcade of imaginative, heartfelt setpieces that seek to inspire and delight in equal measure. And thanks to the story’s overwhelming sincerity, it achieves them all with aplomb. And yet, LWA is even better than that. Because despite its purposeful childlike simplicity, it _does_ actually have a surprisingly nuanced subtext that becomes more and more blatant as it goes: the confluence of past and future. See, unlike most Magical School stories that cordon off magic from the ordinary world because it's easier to write worldbuilding that way, magic in LWA is _part_ of the ordinary world. It takes place in a society where magic and technology regularly overlap and intertwine, and it stakes its unique thematic identity in exploring the conflicts raised by that overlap. Magic has often been cast as a fairly traditional, old-school art in whatever fiction it shows up in, but so few stories have actually examined the mechanics of how society’s advances would naturally evolve this art. How would magic affect fan culture and the development of stories in the public eye? Would stories written this way take on a life of their own thanks to the freedom magic allows, with each generation of fans adding to an ever-expanding mythos just as they do today on the internet? Would some people (and dragons) try to adapt with the times and invest in science and logic over the whimsy and enchantment of this stuffy old art? And like all vintage arts, what would the future of magic look like in a world that seems to be rapidly outgrowing it? It's common knowledge by now that Trigger intended magic to be a stand-in for the art of animation in this show, but really, it's a metaphor broad enough to apply to _any_ kind of artistry that's struggling to understand its identity in a changing world. And as bizarre as it might be to see mechanized tools and stand-ins for Skype and Twitter (sorry, Owler) be of regular use alongside broomstick flying and pixie dust, that clash gives this show a brain just as brilliant as its heart. Luna Nova’s stuffy traditionalism is emblematic of being too wedded to the past. They’re like an underfunded college trying to do whatever they can to scrape by while refusing to address the heart of the issue: that they’re working an outdated model that few people actually want to follow. Their view of magic as this rigid, inflexible antique is bleeding them dry and waning the public’s interest in keeping the art around at all, to the point where the poor students have to subside on nothing but potatoes all day. To the world at large, magic has lived past its expiration date and is no longer needed. It’s as useless a novelty now as vinyl and corded telephones, something to be evolved beyond and left behind for the few obsessives to remain obsessed over. And considering how deeply in the shitter Luna Nova is, you can’t blame them for thinking that way. This school is probably the worst cheerleader magic could have, seeking to keep it exclusive and unwelcoming out of some misguided concept of tradition for tradition’s sake. They can’t evolve with the times, so the times are evolving without them. Meanwhile, the show's eventual main villain- who shows up in the second half, so no spoilers- serves as a case study on the opposite front, showing how being too reliant on modernity can be just as destructive as being too reliant on traditionalism. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a magic school story tackle the realities of its magic’s existence in modern times to this extent. It's this underlying tension, and the way it explores that tension, that makes Little Witch Academia such an incredible piece of fiction. As devoted as it is to the past, it’s equally devoted to the future. Its story is all about the balance between the old and the new, finding a way to keep the spirit of the things we love alive when pulled in two directions. It understands how both the limitations of the past and the uncertainty of the future can be equally destructive, and it pushes its story to synthesize those two extremes into something far more powerful than either of them could be on their own. And in doing so, it allows itself to break from the limitations of its genre in the second half, even as it still embraces them, and become something far more daring, far more inspiring, far more shocking, and far more beautiful. It’s a story of moving forward while keeping an eye behind you that melds the warm nostalgia of the past with the blistering excitement of the future, supercharging the traditions of the magic school genre with the dynamic, eccentric determination of Trigger’s forward-thinking philosophy. And the result finds the perfect sweet spot between comfort and chaos, between recapturing the love of the past and finding new, brighter love right around the corner. For as much as I’ve struggled with Trigger’s sensibilities in the past, never before have they felt so earnest and worthwhile as they have here. And at the heart of it all is Akko herself, stubborn, hot-headed, reckless, determined, and beautiful. If this is a tale about the tension between magic's past and its future, then Akko represents the spirit of everything that magic _should_ be. Through the inspiration Shiny Chariot instilled in her, she’s more prescient than anyone else about the power magic still holds in this day and age. Her personal journey to self-actualization is simultaneously the journey of the world to recognize and accept magic's place in a changing world, and her triumphs are the triumphs that prove the worth of magic to touch people hearts, inspire them to greatness, and dazzle them with ideas never seen before. As she grows throughout this show, she faces hardship and failure time and time again, shocking secrets that change her perspective on the path she's following, moments of weakness that reveal to her how far she still has to go. But no matter how many times she gets knocked down, either by the outside world or her own flaws, she always finds the believing heart to stand right back up and keep searching for her own magic. There are moments in this show that make me bawl my eyes out, moments so heartwarming and heartbreaking you'd scarcely believe this is the same show that devoted an entire episode to a wacky Gurren Lagann homage, complete with fantastic 2D mecha animation the likes of which you barely ever see nowadays. But that's just how LWA rolls; for all its surface-level charm, its true, inner beauty is what sticks with you long after the credits roll. I also want to give a special shout-out to Diana Cavendish, who may well be my favorite rival character in all of fiction. And that was not a guarantee. I normally have huge problems with the snobby rival archetype; it’s too easy to turn them into a cheap, meaningless roadblock en route to our protagonist’s goal, with no other purpose than to annoy and distract. Weiss from Volume 1 of RWBY is the perfect example of how insufferable these kinds of characters can get. And the version of Diana we get in the initial OVAs this show is based on was that character to a T, serving the Draco Malfoy roll of antagonizing Akko at every turn and lording her superiority over her less talented rival. But Show Diana avoids all those pitfalls due to one incredibly welcome reason: she’s allowed to be _right._ Sure, she might be a little full of herself and have some absolutely insufferable cronies, but Diana herself is rarely unjustified in her frustration with Akko. She’s able to accurately call out Akko’s character flaws, pointing out how easily she crumbles before pressure. And her frustration comes from a very real place of not wanting to see this art she’s dedicated herself to be treated so brazenly by someone who seems to take it for granted. Thus, Diana is able to challenge the hero in ways that _actually make sense._ She’s able to push Akko in directions we _want_ her to be pushed in, serving as a genuine source of growth for her, even if inspiring change in Akko isn’t her primary goal. She’s the rare rival character who we can fully get behind whenever they stand up to the protagonist, and I cannot begin to describe how refreshing that is to me. But what makes Diana especially great is that because her antagonism of Akko is based on understandable, even sympathetic reasons, she’s still able to be a genuinely positive force in Akko’s life. Sure, Diana doesn’t let Akko ignore her own failings, but when she’s being unfairly picked on by classmates for a duty she didn’t choose herself? She’s the _first_ person to call them to settle down and take their attention off her. Because her rivalry is based on justifiable reasons, it only makes sense for her to still be able to approach Akko as a fellow classmate on the occasions where she isn’t making a mess of things. They squabble and but heads, but when all is said and done, they’re still able to come to mutual understandings when the circumstances demand it. And as a result, not only can Diana call Akko out on her flaws, _they can still work together as equals._ They’re not mutually opposed forces, they’re two halves of the same coin, both with hang-ups to get over but also not inherently unable to connect on the same level. It’s this level of human nuance that makes Diana such a powerful force for good in this show; she’s able to provide a meaningful obstacle for our own hero while still have us rooting for her to succeed. And when Akko starts to push Diana our of her own comfort zone in turn, that well-established camaraderie proves the perfect jumping-off point for the two of them to finally start seeing eye to eye as friends (and perhaps even more; Yoh Yoshinari _himself_ once drew a piece of NSFW Diakko fanart, so take that however you will). This is damn good writing, folks. This is what separates a good show from a great one. And LWA is pretty damn great. If I had any criticism to make, it’s that being so beholden to the tropes of the Magical School genre means it inevitably runs into a handful of said tropes- the make-or-break test, the love potion, the villain who somehow nobody can figure out is the villain despite obviously being a villain- that it could’ve tinkered with more. This show walks such a precarious balance of past and future, and perhaps it could’ve done more to compensate for the sins of the past upon occasion. But that complaint is dust in the wind against everything else this show has to offer. Little Witch Academia is a triumph. From the dazzling action scenes to the stunning character animation, from Akko’s powerful maturation to Diana’s fantastic position as the rare sensible rival, through a powerful narrative that managed to genuinely shock me out of my comfort zone on more than one occasion, this show is truly special, a never-ending spectacle of delights old and new that reminds me of the deepest loves of my past while pointing me towards the loves of my future. This is everything I want anime to be and more, and I know I’ll be thinking fondly back upon this show well into the future, just as I now look back upon the likes of Harry Potter. A forward-thinking love letter to nostalgia, a comfortably familiar beacon of progress, and perhaps the first time Trigger has _actually_ saved anime, Little Witch Academia is entrancing, soul-enriching, and nothing more or less than magical. So give it a watch, and see what it inspires in your believing heart.

Aetherys117

Little Witch Academia, créé par le studio Trigger et à l'origine présenté en un épisode de 25min en festival, puis devenu un film de 50min, pour enfin amener à la série de 25 épisodes qu'on retrouve désormais sur Netflix. La série narre l'histoire de Akko, jeune fille qui, depuis son enfance et après avoir vu son idole Shiny Chariot, en spectacle, désire plus que tout intégrer l'école de magie Luna Nova. Son objectif ? Devenir comme Chariot et apporter de la joie dans le cœur des gens par le biais de la magie. Problème ? Akko n'a pas de pouvoir magique. Elle devra donc étudier, accompagnée de ses amis, Sucy et Lotte (et Garonne), et se dépasser pour réaliser son rêve. Ne vous laissez pas démoraliser par le côté "classique et convenu" de ce scénario, car ce n'est clairement pas de côté ci qu'il faudra lorgner. Car on parle ici de Trigger, et autant dire que quand il s'agit de produire des backgrounds de toute beauté et des animations fluides et qui te font jouir de la rétine, les gars s'y connaissent. On prends donc très vite plaisir à observer le quotidien et la quête de Akko dans cet univers coloré et lumineux, on en prends tout autant à apprécier les personnages secondaires qui orbitent autour d'elle ! Les chara designs sont vraiment un des nombreux points forts, à mon avis, je n'ai pas ressenti ce côté "déjà vu" dans les faciès et ça m'a énormément fait plaisir. Après, je précise que ma connaissance en terme d'anime est encore très perfectible, je n'ai donc pas un grand spectre de comparaison. Pour autant, j'avais déjà été charmé par Kill la Kill, du même studio, pour exactement les mêmes raisons : Très bons chara design, animation riche et fluide, humour 2nd degrés et références à de nombreux anime et pop culture, lore agréable à découvrir. Alors certes, l'humour y est beaucoup moins loufoque que Kill la Kill, pourtant certaines scènes vous feront peut être lâcher, comme moi, quelques rires. Si je vous dis qu'il y a des mechas avec des sorcières, ça vous va ? Non ? Tant pis. Bien évidemment tout n'est pas parfait, le gros point faible étant clairement le scénario: histoire très prévisible, aucun réel ennemi et donc aucune épée de Damoclès durant les derniers épisodes, quelques épisodes qui, si on n'est pas fan du lore, risque d'ennuyer plutôt que de captiver, conviction et but de l'héroïne vu et revu... Mais si vous êtes prêt à passer outre, alors vous y découvrirez une œuvre dense, qui traite de pléthore de thématiques, allant d'écologie au problème grandissant des réseaux sociaux, en passant par la complexité de transition entre modernité et tradition... Vous passerez un moment, sans mauvais jeu de mot, tout simplement magique. N'hésitez pas à me me faire des retours sur mes critiques, ça fait toujours plaisir ! Ceci est ma toute première critique que j'avais faite en septembre 2020, à ce moment là j'avais encore beaucoup de choses à apprendre en terme de prose !

MasterHavik

Sigh....here we go. It has been a long time since I watched a show this good. Studio Trigger does it again with another Little Witch Academia! This time it's different compared to a show like Kill la Kill. Instead of an emotional impactful ending like Kill la Kill. We were given a more heartwarming feel good ending. Now, let's breakdown how this show was able to differ itself from Kill la Kill. Story: Our story tells the tale of one human Atsuko "Akko" Kagari with the drive and passion to become a great witch like her hero Shiny Chariot. Along the way she makes friends with two other young witches in Lotte and Sucy. The story first party takes an episodic approach as a way to introduce to the world of LWA, specifically Luna Nova Academy and the city it is not far from. I felt this was a good idea and not a bad approach. I know some would argue they wanted it to be more story driven from the start, but I would argue it is better to set the scene and give life to your setting first. The first half of LWA avoided two HUGE pitfalls from a narrative perspective because of this approach.(See episode 5 and episode 10for example). The first half does a good job showing off all the goals and passions of Akko making this her story. Everything is about her journey. That's important to remember. Now the second half is more story driven as Akko finds these things known as words. They become very central part of the plot as Akko is collecting them. The show uses this chance to pair her off with other side characters like Amanda and Constanze. This works very well for the narrative because those characters get their moments to shine and you show how they bounce off Akko too. I will say early on I felt Akko was just being used as the punching bag for comedy, but then I realized around episode 8 and 10 where the story was. At the end of the day, Little Witch Academia is about Akko. It is written in the same vein kind of like Kill la Kill, but Kill la Kill flush out more than just Ryuko. This one is more focus on its main character and does a good job building the story around her. The ending of this story shows us that. That is why many were so happy for Akko in the end. Art: Studio Trigger joins the short list of animation studio that give you high quality and top notch artwork and set design. It is a huge treat that we an original production that is 2D hand drawn from start to finish. The character design of each and every character in Little Witch academia pretty realistic for the most part outside of some monsters, but they do a good job with making a mostly female cast look different. All of them have a look and quirk to them. For example, when everyone is dress up in their witch attire has their legs showing. Sucy doesn't show her legs. Another can found in the teachers as they are all varying heights and sizes. Ursula has bigger hips compared to the other teachers. The principal is very short and you don't see her legs. See what I mean? That is just a taste of the amazing art in the show. Having varying designs will makes your cast of characters stand out. The animation, especially the action scenes, are top notch and very exciting and intense. I really like the camera work and perspective shot they used in big magically moments. Little Witch Academia is easily one of the best animated shows of the decade along side Kill la Kill and Panty and Stocking. Sound: I have yet to watch the English dub of this show. So, I won't be able to talk about the dub sadly. Though, I will say it has a cast that I like a lot. I look forward to hear Erica Mendez as Akko.(She was also Ryuko in the last Studio Trigger show that was dubbed.). Now with that said, Little Witch Academia has some of the best Japanese voice acting I have heard in a while. It is usually not as sharp you get in other shows. Megumi Han does a great job making Akko cute and likable. She really shrinks her teeth into this role and makes the most of it. She is a joy to listen to and really bounces well off others. A couple of other performances I'll like to also take note is Noriko Hidaka as Ursula, Junko Takeuchi also plays one of my favorite characters but it's a huge spoiler, and lastly Yoko Hikasa as Diana. Studio Trigger did an amazing job casting for this show. For music and sound design, they are also pretty topnotch and very good with music always fitting the scene and going along with the flow of the story. They really do a good job of placing the right sounds to fit every scene. They really do a good job of placing the right sounds to fit every scene. They really make sure the music doesn't overpower the scenes. Character: A good show is nothing without characters. Little Witch Academia has lots of that. But keep in mind majority of the character development is only happening to a handful of characters. Most of the cast in Little Witch Academia are playing supporting roles that help the main character out. So yes this even goes for fans of Sucy and Lotte. They have roles to play. So this show really is gonna be up to if you like Akko or not. I love her, but I don't know everyone would like her. She is brash, loud, but has such a huge drive and passion that makes me want to root for her. So, I believe she is an affective main character. This is boosted by how good the supporting cast is around her. In closing this show is amazing and desperately needs a season 2. I won't spoil, but I will say it didn't end like Kill la Kill. that isn't to say Kill la kill's ending was bad or anything. I am just telling you this show has more to tell and I know me and others want to see more.

Rew

#~~~_How TRIGGER Made Magic_~~~ --- _This is a Spoiler Free review_ At first glance, Little Witch Academia appears to be yet another series cashing in on the hype that surrounded (and continues to surround) the Harry Potter franchise. A series about a magic school for young witches, full of adventure, mystery, and friendship, all wrapped in a classic coming of age story against a villain who plans to use the ultimate form of magic to change the world? This is nothing new. ~~~img350(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Q4sAAOSws8NZ4weM/s-l1600.jpg)~~~ And, to be fair, there is very little on the surface that LWA does to separate itself from this notion. Continuing the Harry Potter comparison, like Harry, Akko is someone completely new to the world of magic, and her two best friends are either smart or mischievous. Her rival is someone from a powerful magic family, who are all blond, and along the way, she's assisted by a professor who is strangely interested in getting her to be her best self. The basic elements are all there. What makes LWA so special, though, is that it has one of the strongest casts I have ever seen. Almost every single character in this show feels like a breath of fresh air. Each one of them may appear to fit into a trope, but that's quickly dissuaded by just how fully realized each of these characters actually turns out to be. As long as your hair isn't lavendar, you're probably an extremely strong character with clear motivations and deep development. The one that really steals the show, though, is our lead, Akko. ~~~img350(http://pa1.narvii.com/6682/6dac250bbe75da7d5b233831916f4e4315d79e45_00.gif)~~~ I could talk for hours about how great of a character Akko is, but I'll hold off on that for a moment to address the other parts of the show. The animation is stellar, as always from Studio TRIGGER. Yoh Yoshinari's character design prowess is on full display here, with each character having a memorable and unique yet simple and elegant appearance. The soundtrack is passable, with great Openings and Endings and some strong motif tracks. There's some amazing moments, and there's a twist towards the end of the series that made me fall in love with the lead all over again. Where LWA is weakest, surprisingly, is in the things that made Harry Potter so strong to begin with. LWA's world is kind of boring. While Luna Nova is cool, everything else is super underdeveloped; which wouldn't have been a problem if the series didn't spend so much time outside of the school. The series also has a very weird format: The first half is entirely episodic, with a very, _very_ loose overarching plot, whereas the second has a clear overarching story. This change is signified by LWA's weakest character, Croix. I don't want to get too much into Croix, since I'm avoiding spoilers, but just be prepared for a very strange turn halfway through the series. To put it simply, this series isn't revolutionary and it only really has one "Wow" moment that happens towards the end of the series. I genuinely think that if you think you'll like LWA, you'll probably like it, and if you don't think you will, then there's nothing here for you. It's a very straightforward show, which I actually think is a good thing with how many anime are trying to subversive or "the new big thing" these days. Little Witch is content being what it is, which is something greatly missing from a LOT of other contemporary anime. ~~~img350(https://pa1.narvii.com/6450/94c168d680de077da2736446df5061777385798b_hq.gif)~~~ Okay, now that that's out of the way, we can move on to Akko. **Akko is one of the most unique characters I have ever seen.** Just, straight up. A lot of anime, even good ones, don't have main characters half as strong as Akko. Think about this for a moment: most main characters will have a mixed bag of strengths and flaws. When somebody sits down to design a character like Akko, you might try making a list of sorts, to see what these traits are. A character who makes up for their clumsiness and incompetence with their compassion and determination is a very classic, and very functional, template many, many main characters fall into. But these are all just surface-level observations. At this level, Akko is almost entirely flaws. She's clumsy, she's stubborn, she's a little stupid, she's arrogant, rude, selfish, lazy, doesn't know when to take things seriously, can't read a room, is constantly butting into other people's problems, and is overall just a terrible person. ~~~img350(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3f/9f/b6/3f9fb6ae035cdb06eddc8a66ee91f13d.jpg)~~~ So why... why do I love her so much? Well, because I'm Akko. These are things I'm constantly feeling about myself, and if I'm being honest, it makes me hate myself a little bit. I can't help but think about every single mistake I've made in the last 10 years, every terrible thing I've said, every selfish action I've made, every person I've let down. And while I'm sad and sulking, Akko is happy and hopeful. I constantly feel useless, and like Akko, I jump at the first chance to help somebody just so that I can feel useful. Akko represents what I could be, despite my shortcomings. Every time I think about Akko, I find another reason to love her, and that helps me find another reason to love myself. Akko, despite all her flaws, is doing everything she can to be a good person, to be useful. She wants to inspire people, to bring fun to their lives, and she, against all odds, succeeds in a lot of ways by the end of the series! She has legitimately made the lives of all she's come across better, and that's something I want to do as well. Akko is legitimately my favorite fictional character of all time, so despite all of LWA's flaws, like Akko, I still love it. ~~~img350(https://pa1.narvii.com/6558/00587801a85f0d346d307826764ade15a16adbcd_hq.gif)~~~

juzek

The main message of this show is really simple - believing can get you everywhere. If you think “hey, that’s so childish and naive” than, yes, you’re right, it is. Even if unrealistic, it’s still beautiful and somewhat motivating. This show doesn’t try to be believable or even “make sense” all of the time, and it isn’t about that. It’s about that indomitable positivity of the young heart, the one that most of us forgot about, but still have deep within. I definitely felt like a little kid when watching this series, I cherished my favorite characters, kept my fingers crossed when they were put to the test and felt down when they experienced hardships. But, one emotion was more significant than others - pure and uncontrollable happiness. I literally jumped on my chair when I watched final battle and couldn’t stop myself from smiling in both agitation and satisfaction. Although emotionally the show had mainly positive impact on me, I can’t say it was perfect or even near it…. Story: The story goes around Akko, our main character - a witch as hopeless in magic as good in staying positive despite it. Her actions are usually reckless and because of that she constantly gets into trouble. She may seem quite selfish and ego-centered at first, but as show goes we see through that first impression and are able to see that most of her “mistakes” are caused by her cute and harmless stupidity, not by egoism. Main plot line is about collecting the “Words”, 7 spells which when collected have a power to break the seal of Grand Triskellion. Every word has its own meaning and represents not only plot progress, but also Akko’s development as a character. The message of each word is quite simple. They are casual teachings, like “be yourself” or “friendship is… nice” which can be found in most tales like this. When we don’t see much innovations in that matter, execution of it is pretty nice. We really feel that acquiring and fully understanding them is associated with hardships and can only be achieved by oneself. Story had some plot problems. I know it is mostly directed to children, but even though, some things made absolutely 0 sens, like: - Croix receiving none punishment after what she did - Noone realizing that Croix is responsible for all this, when her robots fly in front of everyone's eyes all the time -Ursula Sensei not telling anyone about Croix’s laboratory, or even none teachers visiting it -Characters completely changing personalities after one event (Croix, Daryl, etc.) -and probably much more… I think the last arc is the weakest one in the mean of plot tightness, which weakens the most emotional moments that take place in it. Overall, it is a entertaining story meant to make you more feel than think. Characters: The main cast is well written, their development looks believable and their characters are interesting. We have a wide range of personalities, from Akko - imaginative and extroverted type to Lotte - soft and introverted. I think I can say, that everyone can “pick” something for themselves, no matter if you prefer more spontaneous and adventurous character, or the reserved and hard-working. Characters are able to surprise, even when they are present from the very beginning, we still can anticipate some major changes or at least explanations for their behaviour. When front line characters are well developed and interesting, the further plan ones are… well made too. Really, their personalities aren’t as complex, they can even be as flat as “the one who eats all the time”, but they still serve a purpose in the story and aren’t there just to fill the void. When you don’t like every one of them, you can at least understand their actions. Art: The art is very bright and colorful, like, really colorful. The lines are strong, but animation can get way out-shape, which results in goofy, lighthearted experience. I particularly liked the face expressions of Akko, which were able to go grotesque in a second and return to normal right away. Hair movement was pretty too, many girl had different hairstyles, so watching them fly all around when they were riding brooms was really satisfying. As to magic… I wasn’t that impressed, most spells contained some green floating balls, and caused its effects in a poof of smoke... The best moment of animation and fight choreography was in the final battle against the missle. The way that Akko uses her shape-changing abilities to dodge all the attacks and counters them... It was absolutely amazing! Music: It was great. It was mainly orchestra produced, so we are able to hear a lot of instruments. The similar motives are present throughout all the series, but many rearrangements made them sound fresh and entertaining. I said that motives repeat, but that doesn’t mean, that there are a few of them, the opposite is true. I never experienced a feeling, that music repeats itself, not when it wasn’t intended. When it was, like when Akko and Diana were fighting and people were cheering them it felt amazing and unique. Openings and endings were really nice, they had that light-hearted vibe and were good expositions of what we can see in the actual show. Overall I consider this show a good entertainer. It won’t force us to deep reflections or to ask ourselves philosophical questions. Even though, it isn’t mindless, and shouldn’t be considered as such. The message it’s trying to deliver is childish and simple, yes, I agree, but that doesn’t debunk it’s validity. The real world isn’t a place as simple and idealistic as the one portrayed in the anime, but that doesn’t mean the believing heart can’t spark some magic in it...

Calxylian

Little Witch Academia tells of Atsuko Kagari, who is called Akko, a person who has no witch blood and intends to learn magic to make people smile because of the influence of her childhood idol, Chariot. Watching the series might remind the audience of when they first watched Harry Potter as a child. At first glance, the concept is similar. The main character goes to a magic school to study witchcraft. The difference is that the main character in Little Witch Academia, Akko, has no magic talent and is the object of ridicule by several schoolmates. In addition, the world in the series also has advanced so that magic has become an old thing. Of course, talking about magic is closely related to spells. There will be a lot of magic spells that the audience might use and make the audience resonate until it feels like shouting the magic of riding a broom and hoping the broom will fly.

Little Witch Academia has a lot of characters, ranging from the tomboy to the typical intelligent student council president who always acts cold. Personally, almost all of the characters are likeable. They have a good development, especially the story with Akko, so that the last episodes will give rise to more feelings for such characters. The most noticeable, of course, is the development of Akko. Akko initially looks very annoying, likes to impose her will, and is obsessed with Chariot, a strong-spirited character but a little annoying. The series is also an original anime made by studio Trigger, famous for Kill la Kill, and some of the studio's leads are Gainax, famous for Gurren Lagann. The anime will be obvious Trigger's typical animation which seems lame but elegant, especially in the last episode where there is a peak fight scene.

It could be that the lack of the anime is the lack of main story content. In the first cour of the anime, the audience will be treated to many filler episodes unrelated to the main story. The core of the new story begins to feel when entering the second cour when the appearance of a new character, Croix. In the extreme, the properties are filler and very worth skipping. Thankfully, the filler episodes themselves are pretty interesting, although some are boring. However, there is also a very close relationship with character development. Little Witch Academia is an original anime that managed to steal the hearts of several people, especially Trigger studio fans. The anime is very light to watch and doesn't require a lot of thought to understand; perfect for watching when people are tired of going through the day. If people like fantasy anime, then the series is a must-watch.

Little Witch Academia is the second two-cour Trigger series after Kill la Kill. The comparison can be a debate, but both have their uniqueness on the inside. Akko is a lousy wizard who strives to become a less awful wizard to inspire more people from start to finish. Personally, a fantasy story where the fantasy world begins to die, either because of the loss of technology or magic that has caught up, even past the utility of magic, is a worth time watchlist. Thanks to such world-building efforts, the series still has a lot of potential for stories such as Chariot, who is paralyzed until he starts looking for an heir, and Akko, who begins to fly, deepening the background of other secondary characters, visiting other schools, and many more. If there is one sad thing, it is a plotline arc from Chariot that was rushed so that the build-up was not enough. At least until the end, the series can present the typical animation quality of Gainax veterans, becoming a series that people can happily watch more than twice.

FormerlyExisting

I wanted to witness something that's magic-related and good again, after witnessing that horrible travesty that is the Star vs Forces of Evil grand finale (4 years ago), I didn't expect much when going into the show, but to my surprise, there are actually A LOT of depth in this. (slight spoilers ahead) Let's start with the animation:img20(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/590864642000027666/1088068232302313482/image.png) Now i'm very new to studio Trigger, and this is the first anime I've watched from them. Nevertheless, the animation here is VERY vibrant, even when the characters are just talking in general, the scenery, buildings, and magic that's been used in this show all look amazing and colorful, really loved episode 8 because of it There are some slips in the animation here and there, but never "flawed" enough to disrupt the experience in anyway. The characters are also great:img20(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/590864642000027666/1088068232302313482/image.png) the main cast (Lotte, Akko, and Sucy) all are pretty silly, and in a good way too, they have a lot of chemistry with each other, and they don't feel boring when they're independent with each other, especially Akko, she has dreams of becoming Chariot, as the shows goes on, she learns more and more that she cannot be somebody else BUT herself. The side characters in the show are also well-written, Chariot in particular shines in this front, as she has a different identity that keeps her actual identity a secret, she DID bad things to Akko (literally stealing her magic that is) but as the show goes on, she's more justified of her actions, mainly because of her being manipulated by Croix into using Dream Fuel Spirit. My only slight complaint is Diana, BEFORE episode 19-onwards, she's quite boring, and very straightforward on every single thing she does, kind of like a Mary Sue of some sort, not HORRIBLE, just sort of mediocre, although i do like her much more after episode 19. Almost every episode in the series has to do with one or more side characters, each of them are charming in their own ways, especially Constanze in episode 18, her initial personality in that episode is shown very clear (is a mechanical engineer, and only likes working alone), and as that episode progresses, the more and more Constanze wants Akko to work WITH her. All of the members in the Appleton Academy are also good, Andrew in particular has a pretty good "change of pace" after he met Akko. For the story:img20(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/590864642000027666/1088066555260182558/image.png) Surprisingly deep, with a lot of cool and unique stories and events relating to magic that fit the tone of the show in general. the Words of Arcturus and everything related to the Shiny Rod are deeply-written while also creating a very great journey for Akko and everyone around her. Overall, this is very good anime, if you want good comedy, you will find it, and same goes if you want a good story and/or action.

MaLNa0510

__Witches with dreams that make me happy__ Even though at times I would love to call myself a person with so to say "good taste" in anime, I often find myself in the difficult position of havin to ask myself what that even means. While my absolute favourite stories are those that are rich in theme and character with a message that you are able do find if you are willing to look for it, that shouldnt mean that only a complexe show is deserving of a high score. To me complexity doesnt automatically create a good story, the same way cinnamon doesnt automatically create a better cake. Adding it might make it taste better, but it can also create a way too cinnamonly experience that just doesnt feel good. And Little Witch Academia is one of the best cinnamonless experiences I have had in a while. img4400(https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/images/cms/anime-spotlight/111287/lwa_cut01.jpg) I just loved this show. Every episode, every scene, every frame just constantly oozes this warm yet vibrant energy. The animation never fails to either just look absolutely stunning or to just match itself to any given tone. Be it incredibly smooth and eciting action scenes or fun and snappy comedic moments. The anime never fails like it just half-asses any moment, that it wants to show you. It looks and feels like a childhood, that I have long forgotten and has now been resurrected with Studio TRIGGERS love for animation. img440(https://static.bandainamcoent.eu/high/little-witch-academia/little-witch-academia/03-news/lwa_release-date-announcement.jpeg) But its the characters in this show that actually create the magic. (This is the only pun, that I will make for this review.) Every major characters design is just so vibrant with personality and instantly reconizable, yet also manages to stay fairly simply with an incredibly soulful artstyle. And kind of the same way could I describe their actual personalities as well. No one in the cast comes of as unlikeable or overstays his welcome. A statement that suprises me the most, when talking about Akko. By all metrics, this little Gremlin with her energetic and honstly sometimes somewhat egoisitc nature, should feel annoying or overbearing at times, but that never happens. The purity behind her motivations fueled with raw determination, paired with the worldview of a childish that still needs to learn a lot of the world she is living in, that makes it just so hard to not both root for and love this girl in a way that reminded me of how I am rooting for a Monkey D. Luffy as well. img440(https://wegotthiscovered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Akko-Kagari-from-Little-Witch-Academia.jpg) And its in these simple ideals of childlike wonder and determination that the shows message manages to shine through. Your passion and growth behind the pursuit of any interest or activity means more than your actual skill. As someone that is still very much trying to get a hang of things like drawing or "writing-anime-reviews" a message like that means a lot to me and I am glad I allowed this show to tell it. I think hardly anyone will do wrong by watching this show and anyone that gives it a fair chance will get something out of it. img440(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNGNlMThiMzUtZTU1Yy00MzhhLWJkMWMtMTc3MjJhNzQxNGI3L2ltYWdlL2ltYWdlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjI5MjU5OTI@._V1_.jpg)