Little Witch Academia is a brilliant anime series that captivates viewers with its imaginative storytelling, endearing characters, and stunning animation. Set in a magical world where young witches-in-training attend Luna Nova Magical Academy, the show follows the adventures of the optimistic and determined Akko Kagari. Despite not having a drop of magical blood in her veins, Akko dreams of becoming a witch like her idol, Shiny Chariot. The main idea here is that Little Witch Academia is a brilliant anime series due to its imaginative storytelling, endearing characters, and stunning animation. Whether it's Akko's relentless pursuit of her dreams or the heartfelt friendships she forms along the way, the show effectively captures the essence of coming-of-age and the power of determination. The animation is particularly noteworthy, with vibrant colors, fluid movements, and detailed backgrounds that bring the magical world to life.
The series has now entered its second half and a presumed “big bad” — at the very least, a true antagonist — has appeared: Professor Croix.
She s the type of teacher who would turn away a student that genuinely wanted to learn if they didn t look the part and has shown that she will blatantly favor students who meet her specific qualifications. With that in mind, the main difference between the two is that BNHA follows a standard and formulaic method of presenting its story while LWA is considerably more spontaneous and random.
The animation is particularly noteworthy, with vibrant colors, fluid movements, and detailed backgrounds that bring the magical world to life. Every episode is a visual feast, showcasing the talented animators' attention to detail and artistic vision. Additionally, the show's humor and lighthearted tone make it a joy to watch, providing moments of levity amidst the challenges the characters face.
Little Witch Academia and “a big bad” (or lack thereof)
Naturally, this is paraphrased. Yet a common complaint of the first half of Little Witch Academia‘s television run was that there was no true antagonist. Akko Kagari wasn’t improving fast enough in her magic. Watching her fail episode after episode was becoming tedious. Diana Cavendish wasn’t Akko’s adversary as much as she was her rival. Even then it was a one-sided rivalry. Akko failed most of the time while Diana continued to garner acclaim from her peers and teachers alike.
Episode 13 marked the end of the series’ first half and the end of Akko’s complete failure. With her magic at the Samhain Festival, Akko stepped up and became the witch who impressed her peers and teachers alike. Even the visiting alumni were dazzled.
The series has now entered its second half and a presumed “big bad” — at the very least, a true antagonist — has appeared: Professor Croix.
Yet, I maintain that she too is not a true antagonist. And that Little Witch Academia doesn’t need a big bad to be compelling.
The stakes of Little Witch Academia are high, but difficult to easily define.
Magic — which can stand for anime, animation, or art, among other things — is dying.
What once was a glorious and respected art has neutered itself over the years, becoming obsolete. It’s an object of ridicule to those outside the walls of Luna Nova, drudgery to most inside it. The backdrop of every Little Witch Academia episode is one of an archaic world well in its twilight era.
Like most large-scale problems, different people within the world of Little Witch Academia have varying ideas of how to best carry on the tradition of magic. The most toxic of these is the attitude of Professor Finnelan.
Professor Finnelan is necessary to the narrative but thoroughly unlikeable and unsympathetic due to her role. At every turn she values discipline, order, and appearance over actively nurturing talent. She’s the type of teacher who would turn away a student that genuinely wanted to learn if they didn’t look the part and has shown that she will blatantly favor students who meet her specific qualifications. Witches like Finnelan are feverishly grasping to the old ways of magic, unable to bend the rules one iota even if the passage of time or a specific situation renders those rules obsolete. Little Witch Academia has had no qualms about figuratively pointing at Finnelan and saying, “This is the problem. People like her are the problem.”
Alongside Finnelan there is the staff of Luna Nova, most of whom adhere to the same traditions or are generally incompetent. Headmistress Miranda Holbrooke goes with the flow. For most of the Little Witch Academia this means that she generally follows tradition because that’s what has always been done. Over the course of the series her shortsightedness has cost the school money and resources. In Episode 14, she is immediately enchanted by Professor Croix’s modern magic and brandishes her new magic tablet in Professor Ursula’s face by the end of the episode. Headmistress Holbrooke is kind-hearted — and voices support for Akko despite the troubles she causes — but incompetent. The rest of Holbrooke’s staff aren’t much better.
Episode 14 also introduces would-be villain Croix. We don’t know her precise goals yet — they could be as abstract as advancing magic by any means possible to destroying Luna Nova entirely — but she represents modern magic, or the fusion of magic and modern technology.
Croix is also presented in opposition Chariot. The two know each other, presumably from their own time at Luna Nova, and are pitting against each other visually in the opening, like Diana and Akko. This points to the two being foils not necessarily enemies.
Thus far, Croix is painted in a harsh light. She is manipulative and uses her skill to effectively trick the Luna Nova staff into implementing her system of magical robots. Yet, it’s difficult to imagine Little Witch Academia using the character of Croix to denigrate techonology. Finnelan is still a far worse adversary for magic than Croix — clinging to tradition while ignoring possibility.
Little Witch Academia‘s most celebrated character is that of Shiny Chariot. Chariot was not naturally talented but remarkably passionate. All she needed was hard work and dedication to get her to where she wanted to be. Although Chariot has been discarded by the magical world, she affected multitudes of people with her showmanship. She brought the figurative magic to literal witches’ magic.
Now Akko looks to follow a similar path.
Akko was always a stand-in for a young animator who underestimated how much hard work, practice, and yes, dull repetition, transforms a person with raw passion into the best in their field. In the words of Yoh Yoshinari, “Akko’s like someone who joined the industry out of passion but without actual technique, so she can’t draw clean lines for in-betweens. Yet she has that egocentric confidence about being able to draw good key frames despite that.”
Solving the problem of magic dying isn’t something that can be accomplished by one person alone. Magic cannot be saved with an attitude like Finnelan’s, nor the wishy-washy agreeable nature of Holbrooke, nor solely relying on technology like Croix. Like any art, learning tradition is important but not everything. Using new techniques or technology isn’t everything.
Even passion isn’t everything.
No one thing will save magic. Both tradition and innovation are important. They shouldn’t oppose each other. Rather, they should support each other with passion driving a person forward. Little Witch Academia isn’t finally getting to the plot, that same plot has always been the backdrop. With Croix, the series gives us not a big bad, but another viewpoint to add to the larger picture.
Not-so-strangely enough, this show is strikingly similar to Boku no Hero Academia. While I may digress; both have protagonists who wish to become their role model, with mentors who are down and out but care greatly for their successor, along with rivals who are superior in almost every way yet feel inferior to these MCs. Both have supernatural aspects blended into a modern day setting as well. And if you haven’t noticed, both are, quite literally, about attending academies. With that in mind, the main difference between the two is that BNHA follows a standard and formulaic method of presenting its story while LWA is considerably more spontaneous and random. And the latter’s method greatly works to the series’ advantage. With no real sense of direction that the show is heading towards in sight until the end where it all slowly comes together, Little Witch Academia’s episodic format combines the right amount of gradual exposition, world-building and character development in bite-sized pieces; presented through episodes dedicated to certain characters or events. It’s easy to digest and isn’t thrown onto the viewer by a third person narrator that vaguely explains how the world works or what’s happened to a character in 30 seconds or less.
Overall, Little Witch Academia stands out as a brilliant anime series that seamlessly blends magic, adventure, and heartfelt storytelling..
Reviews for "The Brilliant World-Building of Little Witch Academia"
1. John - 2/5 - I found "Is Little Witch Academia brilliant" to be quite underwhelming. The storyline seemed generic and predictable, offering nothing new or innovative. The characters lacked depth and development, making it difficult to connect with them on any level. Additionally, the animation style felt outdated and uninspiring. Overall, I was disappointed with this anime and would not recommend it.
2. Sarah - 3/5 - While "Is Little Witch Academia brilliant" had its moments, I can't say that I was entirely impressed. The plot had potential, but it felt scattered and rushed, leaving many loose ends and unanswered questions. The animation was visually appealing at times, but other scenes seemed poorly executed and lacked attention to detail. The humor also fell flat for me, as it relied heavily on clichés and slapstick comedy. Although the series had its charms, it ultimately failed to captivate me.
3. Mark - 2/5 - I'm sorry, but "Is Little Witch Academia brilliant" just didn't do it for me. The characters were shallow and one-dimensional, making it hard for me to become emotionally invested in their journey. The predictable storyline felt like a rehashed version of countless other magical school tales. The animation was decent, but it didn't compensate for the lack of depth in the plot. Overall, I found the series to be forgettable and wouldn't recommend it to others seeking an engaging anime experience.
4. Emily - 2/5 - I had high expectations for "Is Little Witch Academia brilliant," but unfortunately, it fell short for me. The pacing of the episodes was uneven, with some moments dragging on while others felt rushed and unresolved. The magic system, which should have been a fascinating aspect of the story, was poorly explained and felt arbitrary. The characters lacked unique personalities and struggled to stand out amidst the generic archetypes. Ultimately, the series failed to deliver a cohesive and compelling narrative, leaving me disappointed.
5. David - 2/5 - I couldn't get into "Is Little Witch Academia brilliant" no matter how hard I tried. The protagonist, Akko, was an annoying and unlikeable character who seemed to stumble her way through every situation. The world-building felt half-hearted, with little explanation or exploration of the magical universe. The humor fell flat, relying on slapstick and overused tropes that I found tiresome. Overall, I found the series to be uninspiring and lacking the depth and charm that I was hoping for.