Little Witch Academia is a popular anime series that tells the story of a young girl named Akko Kagari who enrolls in Luna Nova Magical Academy to fulfill her dream of becoming a witch. One of the central figures in the series is Shiny Chariot, Akko's idol and inspiration. Shiny Chariot, also known as Ursula Callistis, was a famous witch performer renowned for her captivating magical shows. She became Akko's role model after seeing one of her shows as a child. Shiny Chariot's performances were full of energy, creativity, and a sense of wonder, which resonated with Akko and sparked her desire to become a witch. Although Shiny Chariot faced criticism and skepticism from the magical community for her unconventional style of magic, she remained true to herself and continued to inspire others, including Akko.

Shiny Chariot the Guidepost

“There is the story about Hayao Miyazaki entering the anime industry because he was moved by Panda and the Magic Serpent. Then he watched the movie again afterwards and was disappointed by how bad it was. Yet, even if it’s actually not enjoyable at all, it can be irreplaceable for that person. What’s important is the feelings you got from watching it, and the fact that you had admiration for it. That’s the theme we were looking for.”

-Yoh Yoshinari, interview with AnimeStyle (2013)

It’s time to talk about Akko Kagari’s Panda and the Magic Serpent: Shiny Chariot.

Since Akko was a child, Shiny Chariot, a witch who made her name through spectacle and traveling magic show, has been her inspiration. Akko was not born into magic, but decided to become a witch after seeing Chariot perform. To Akko, Chariot is magic — fun, inventive, dazzling, and captivating. When faced with the task of learning magic, Akko is dumbfounded to discover that magic, like any other art, requires hard work and dedication.

Unwittingly, her teacher, Ursula, is Shiny Chariot. Discarding the spectacle and taking on a drab and anxious demeanor, Ursula is nothing like the high-energy Chariot, which is the primary reason, in addition to her general appearance, that Akko doesn’t recognize Ursula as her idol.

As a stand-in for the art of animation — and perhaps commentary on the waning of interest or resources in animation as a practice — Little Witch Academia has been fairly transparent about its narrative themes. Criticism levied at the television series through the weeks includes the complaint that it lacks a true antagonist, and that Akko herself is an unfitting lead due to the fact that she never learns. To address the latter criticism, I’d like to call upon on the words of Shiny Chariot/Ursula herself.

“You may see Miss Kagari as just a poor student unable to use magic if you compare her to her classmates . . . You should not be comparing her to other students, but how she was on the day of her enrollment! Nobody can deny she’s continuing to grow through her failures!”

-Professor Ursula, Little Witch Academia, Episode 7

Although Akko is unaware of who Ursula actually is, she respects Ursula and looks up to her as an authority figure. Tasked with bringing Akko up to speed, Ursula experiences Akko’s struggles firsthand — struggles eerily reminiscent to her own when she was a student but before she became the Shiny Chariot.

A common thing in any traditional art medium — any craft, really — is that an audience or a student will only see the finished product, not the years of dedication and failure that were refined before said product steps into the figurative spotlight. Akko is impetuous, impatient, and, in Yoh Yoshinari’s words, “has an ego centric confidence” that she’ll be able to do impressive, advanced magic before she even learns the basics. Her passion, the very thing that drives her, is also a weakness at times. Thanks to a glimpse into the Fountain of Polaris we, and Akko, learn that this was also Chariot’s weakness.

“That which is dreamed cannot be grasped, but work towards it day after day, and you will find it in your hands.”

-Professor Ursula, Little Witch Academia, Episode 11

When she sees Shiny Chariot, she sees a finished, or at least somewhat polished, product. Akko doesn’t bother to think of Chariot’s weaknesses, or any setbacks Chariot would have had en route to becoming the witch that inspired a young Akko, until the Fountain of Polaris shows her in Episode 6. Doubts resurface in the series’ eleventh episode, and Akko admits her fear of never succeeding to Ursula despite having grown her magical prowess significantly since she arrived as a commoner to Luna Nova.

In this same episode, Akko also fiercely holds on to her own memories and failings. When given the choice between accelerating to become Shiny Chariot immediately, she refuses, quoting Professor Ursula while choosing to take the slow path. When Akko goes to the Fountain of Polaris in Episode 6, it’s to find out her future instantly. Although her Blue Moon excursion that leads her to Professor Woodward is in service of inquiring about her future, it’s given less urgency and framed as more of a reassuring quest rather than an immediate search for a definitive answer. This alone proves that Akko has grown, not only as a witch, but as a person.

Much of Ursula’s past as Shiny Chariot is purposefully obfuscated by the series itself. We’re not meant to know much more than Akko as we accompany this little witch apprentice through her school years at Luna Nova. Little Witch Academia: the Enchanted Parade had a more capricious Ursula, who winked at the viewing audience while framing Akko’s antics as another one of her shows. In Little Witch Academia the television series, Ursula is more worried, and quiet. Her one outburst was in defense of Akko when Professor Finneran wanted Akko expelled — most of the time she is meek, with any questioning of Shiny Chariot’s whereabouts making her nervous rather than cheeky. More intriguing than the Grand Triskelion or any phenomenal cosmic magical power that could potentially save Luna Nova is what exactly happened to Chariot to turn her into Ursula.

As Shiny Chariot, Ursula has been unknowingly teaching Akko for years. Akko is, above all else, driven by passion, and this passion is what ultimately encourages her to buckle down and study magic. It’s also what inspires her to memorize Shiny Chariot’s trading cards as a child. Since Little Witch Academia‘s second episode and the papilliodya chrysalises, the trading cards have proven to each be a guidepost for a specific item, location, or occurrence. Ursula may have only been introduced to Akko recently, but she’s been guiding Akko for years through the words of Shiny Chariot.

Little Witch Academia Shiny Chariot Star

Shiny Chariot's Star on her hat from Little Witch Academia. Sew onto your hat or weave fabric into the clasp on the back. Sleek and relatively durable but please remember it is made of plastic and is not unbreakable.

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Although Shiny Chariot faced criticism and skepticism from the magical community for her unconventional style of magic, she remained true to herself and continued to inspire others, including Akko. Akko's determination to follow in her idol's footsteps drives much of the plot in Little Witch Academia. Shiny Chariot's impact on Akko goes beyond her magical performances.

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Little Witch Academia – 15[Chariot of Fire]

Shiny Chariot rides once again and I think that’s where most of the animation went besides the showcase at the end of the episode. Wise choice though as it shows that Ursula hasn’t dulled much in her later years. She still seems intent on keeping her identity secret from Akko though this may be because finding Chariot is her main driving force at the moment. We at least are getting some idea of Chariots past as it seems she and Akko are a lot more similar than first thought. Akko and Diana seem to mirror the relationship of Ursula and Croix in their youth. However it would be a strange twist of fate if Akko ended up under Croix’s wing while Diana and Ursula teamed up. Diana has started to look into Ursula so she could very well figure out her true identity.

I feel that Akko’s nativity is getting to be a bit much as her trust of Croix is so much that even when walking up to her lair she doesn’t seem to register how ominous it is. Though Ursula is at fault as well seeing as she doesn’t seem to be making an effort to warn Akko of Croix’s intentions. I don’t really understand why she covered for her when Akko woke up as letting Akko know of the danger Croix possesses would be a very good idea. Though what is Croix after exactly? Others besides Ursula to harbor doubts over her changes to magic and with good reason. Amanda makes a point that with her innovations magic has essentially been supplanted with Science, making it indistinguishable. It does feel like with the technological upgrades it’s getting that something more personal has been lost. However another reason to be concerned is that this direction for magic is heavily dependant on Croix. In fact she pretty much holds full control of magic power distribution with this system and she seems like just the kind of person to take full advantage of that. Those routers may allow magic to be used off grounds but who’s to say she didn’t place a backdoor in them to allow her to shut them down whenever it’s convenient for her. It’s getting to the point that when she makes her move, nobody would be able to do anything about it. For everyone would depend on her inventions at that point and she would have them by the balls.

Kudo’s to the commenter on the last post who correctly guessed the involvement of Yggdrasil as Ursula points out the tree as being the source of magic power. I originally wrote it off as I thought it was strange to involve Norse mythology when so far it’s been mostly Celtic(Though we did have a dragon named Fafnir so it’s not the first time it’s popped up.) but if Wikipedia is trustworthy then mentions of a world tree are in Celtic folklore as well though that tree was unnamed. The final bit of exposition that Ursula gave at the end of the episode was impressive animation wise but admittedly only really served to inform us of what we already know. It clued in Akko to what she needs to do and the main new information to be gleaned from it is that the seven words unlock some sort of reality warping magic and the bit about Yggdrasil. In that regard I feel like unsealing the words can only really lead to trouble as Croix could swoop in to take the magic once Akko has done her job.

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She also left behind the Seven Words of Arcturus, a set of magical words that hold immense power but are challenging to master. In her journey to become a witch, Akko discovers the importance of these words and tries to unlock their secrets. Throughout the series, Akko's admiration for Shiny Chariot serves as a driving force behind her growth as a witch. She learns valuable lessons about friendship, perseverance, and believing in oneself, all of which are embodied by her idol. Shiny Chariot's influence is not restricted to Akko alone, as many students at Luna Nova Academy also idolize her for her talent and charisma. Little Witch Academia showcases the power of dreams, passion, and the impact of role models like Shiny Chariot. The series emphasizes the importance of staying true to oneself, even in the face of adversity. Akko's journey to become a witch, inspired by her idol Shiny Chariot, serves as an uplifting and entertaining tale for audiences of all ages..

Reviews for "Shiny Chariot's Magical Performances: The Intersection of Art and Magic in Little Witch Academia"

1. Jane - 2 stars - I was really disappointed by "Little Witch Academia: Shiny Chariot". The storyline felt flat and predictable, and the characters lacked depth. I was hoping for a magical and enchanting experience, but instead, it felt like a generic and forgettable anime. The animation was decent, but it wasn't enough to redeem the overall mediocrity of the show. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating magical adventure.

2. Mark - 2.5 stars - "Little Witch Academia: Shiny Chariot" failed to meet my expectations. The plot was cliché and the character development was lackluster. It felt like a watered-down version of other magical girl anime series. The animation was visually appealing, but it couldn't make up for the lack of originality. Overall, it was an underwhelming experience that didn't leave a lasting impression.

3. Sarah - 3 stars - While "Little Witch Academia: Shiny Chariot" had its moments, it fell short of being truly captivating. The story felt disjointed and some of the characters were one-dimensional. I was hoping for a more compelling narrative and deeper exploration of the magical world. The animation was beautiful, but it wasn't enough to make up for the overall shortcomings of the show. It's an average anime that might appeal to younger viewers, but not to those seeking a more immersive and engaging storyline.

Analyzing Shiny Chariot's Magical Spells: The Art and Science Behind Little Witch Academia's Magic System