"Little Witch Academia" is an anime series that follows the story of Akko Kagari, a young girl with a big dream of becoming a witch. The show takes place in a world where magic exists, and witches are trained at a prestigious school called Luna Nova Magical Academy. Akko is filled with enthusiasm and determination, despite not coming from a magical family. Throughout the series, we see Akko's journey as she enters Luna Nova and faces various challenges. She quickly befriends two other main characters, Lotte and Sucy, who become her close companions. While Akko's initial attempts at magic are often met with failure, her determination propels her forward, and she's constantly striving to become better.
While Akko's initial attempts at magic are often met with failure, her determination propels her forward, and she's constantly striving to become better. Diana, a talented and accomplished witch, initially has a strained relationship with Akko. She comes from a prestigious witching family and is seen as a rival to Akko.
“Are you an Akko or a Diana?” Sorting out the magic of Little Witch Academia.
Sometime last year, I hired a young man who was fresh out of university and had just been married. After working with him for a week, I discovered that he is a rare type of anime fan: one who watches currently-airing series without being plugged in to any sort of anime commentary, be it Anime News Network, anime blogs, MAL forums, social media outlets; you name it, he probably hasn’t read it. Additionally his wife, who is not as much of an anime fan as he is, relies on him to scout out series that she will like, namely shoujo romances. He watches the majority of things in a new season and cherry-picks a select one or two series to watch with her. If he can’t find anything from the current season, he’ll suggest that they watch an older, more established series together.
I recommended Little Witch Academia to them as something that they could watch together that was fun, didn’t require a large time investment – unlike his most recent suggestion that they watch Kare Kano – and most importantly, legally free. The result was somewhat surprising. He, the established anime fan, liked it well enough, but she loved it. Loved it so much, in fact, that the next time she visited him at work, she made it a point to seek me out to talk about it. In that conversation, where she excitedly spoke of why it resonated with her, she asked me this question:
“So…are you an Akko or a Diana?”
I’ve spoken previously about how easy it is to classify ourselves by hobbies and subsequently seek out others who have similar interests. Furthering this idea, there are always certain properties that will play to this tendency, and the conversation that I had with my coworker’s wife on Little Witch Academia reminded me of excited sorting arguments that I had with my high school friends as we made our way through the Harry Potter universe together. Before we were to discuss Harry Potter in earnest, it was far more important to discern which Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry house each of us would belong to. Thinking about it now, it fascinates me that we spent far more time on this than speculating what was to happen within the series itself.
This tendency to classify one’s self within set guidelines or boxes that a property has set up highlights the self-centered nature with which we sometimes approach reading fiction, or viewing anime. Participating in watching something often becomes primarily about how it relates to us, or how we may organize ourselves, rather than production values, overall content, and story. Above all, it’s about who we resonate with, and where we can sort ourselves into the story, especially when it comes to the intriguing, magical worlds of both Harry Potter and Little Witch Academia. Not only do we want to relate to the characters, we want to be witches and wizards too. We want these series to inform us about our own characters and where we would fit in.
Little Witch Academia is fortunate enough to have no small amount of things going for it – an interesting setting, emotional resonance, tight writing, visual bookending, fluid animation – which could go a long way in explaining how it thoroughly decimated its recent Kickstarter goal for a second episode in a matter of hours. Everyone I’ve spoken with who has watched it has made it a point to mention their favorite character when discussing the series, be it Akko, Diana, Lotte, or Sucy. Their assertions, and mine when I mention whom I believe myself to be the most similar to in the Little Witch Academia universe, either reinforce certain things I already knew about their personality, or offer new avenues through which to explore in growing closer to them. I honestly felt that I learned a lot more about my co-worker’s wife through the fact that she identified herself as “a Diana.” Regardless of whether she embodies what I know of Diana’s character, her assertion informs me of certain traits that she appreciates within herself.
As for me, I am neither an Akko nor a Diana. I see myself as more of a Lotte. Take that as you will.
Akko doesn't like Diana at all for her somewhat arrogant personality, and sees her as a rival, while Diana sees her as a simple lowly witch who doesn't understand the true meaning of magic. Akko is always trying to prove herself better than Diana. The fact that Diana is a much more competent witch is very frustrating to her. Another reason why Akko dislikes Diana is because she does not like Shiny Chariot, though unaware that Diana herself used to idolize Shiny Chariot. Despite their rivalry, Diana isn't derogatory towards Akko unlike Hannah and Barbara; instead of outright insulting her she criticizes Akko's dreams. Even so, their relationship seemed to improve upon Diana gaining some respect for Akko's passion and great determination.
However, as the story progresses, they start to develop a mutual respect and even become friends. The dynamic between Akko and Diana is one of the highlights of the show. It showcases the growth and development of both characters as they learn from each other. Akko's unyielding spirit inspires Diana to question her own beliefs and find a sense of purpose beyond her family's expectations. In addition to the main characters, "Little Witch Academia" features a colorful cast of side characters, each with their own unique abilities and personalities. The show explores various themes such as friendship, perseverance, and the importance of staying true to oneself. Overall, "Little Witch Academia" is a heartwarming and enchanting anime series that appeals to both children and adults. It combines humor, magic, and an engaging storyline to create an enjoyable experience for viewers. Akko's journey reminds us of the power of following our dreams, no matter how challenging the path may be..
Reviews for "The legacy of Akko and Diana: their impact on the anime industry"
1. John - 2/5 - "Kittle witch academia akko and dianq" was a disappointment for me. The animation quality was quite poor and the character designs felt generic and uninspired. The plot was also quite predictable and didn't offer anything new or interesting. I found the humor to be forced and the overall pacing to be too fast. Overall, I was not impressed with this anime and wouldn't recommend it.
2. Sarah - 3/5 - While "Kittle witch academia akko and dianq" had its moments, I felt that the character development was lacking. The main characters, Akko and Dianq, were one-dimensional and their interactions felt shallow. The storyline had potential but it was not explored to its fullest. Additionally, I found the animation style to be subpar and the music to be forgettable. Overall, it had its entertaining moments, but it didn't leave a lasting impression.
3. Michael - 2/5 - "Kittle witch academia akko and dianq" failed to engage me from the start. The plot felt disjointed and lacked a coherent direction. The world-building was lacking and I couldn't fully invest in the story or the characters. The dialogue was often cliche and the humor was hit or miss. I also found the pacing to be uneven, with some episodes dragging on while others felt rushed. Overall, it fell short of my expectations and I wouldn't recommend it to others.