Maybe it’s because I watch a lot of action Anime and review them for this blog, but Little Witch Academia has been a breath of fresh air for my favorite entertainment genre. It’s brimming with hope, imagination and a sense of pure fun. So far, the show has been a success that stands on the shoulders if its two successful preceding short films. Today though, the show wraps up a fun first half with some hints of some important conflicts to come. So it’s time to enjoy the fun while it lasts.
Akko is a character I’ve gone back and forth on in this series. She’s the overachiever who has one singular goal in mind: become Shiny Chariot 2.0. Akko wants to be everything Chariot was almost to a T because of one of the shows she saw as a kid. It’s so ingrained in her memory it’s practically part of her DNA at this point and almost every other sentence out of her mouth somehow fits in a mention of Chariot. I wont lie…it can become grating at times and has made me ask more than once: when is Akko going to stop trying to do what Chariot did and do what she herself can do? Thankfully, this set of episodes kind of addressed that as Akko was forced to confront a spirit (who turned out to be a teacher?) who offered her a simple, shortcut to attaining success similar to Chariots. Akko can be hardheaded and selfish sometimes but she isn’t cruel and has a good heart. Her decision to work her way to her dream reminded me why her Chariot obsession hasn’t driven me away from her: she wants to inspire people and never gives up no matter how long it takes. I know Akko will find her true calling by series end, even if it means she wont take the same exact steps as the idol who is secretly her mentor, yes that was confirmed this week too.
Right, about that larger matter: Magic is fading. I wouldn’t say it’s dying but it’s been stated multiple times that it isn’t as powerful as it once was. Enrollment at Luna Nova is down and even veteran witches are growing bored with centuries old traditions. Apparently there might be a way to strengthen magic once again and I think we’ve found part of our series grand planned endgame: the awakening of the Grand Triskelion in the Arcturus Forest. And the Shiny Rod that Akko has been clinging is the key to opening it, so long as she can continue to luck her way into activating all of the seven gems ingrained upon it. Akko is a firm believer in magic making the world a better place so I know she’ll end up at the forefront of this quest. But she wont be alone. Diana, her rival throughout the series, really stepped up and has proven she isn’t just the snobbish pretty faced rival. Diana clearly has a sort of soft spot for Akko. Maybe its because Akko still believes in a way Diana used to but cant anymore because its socially frowned upon? Whatever the case, Diana isn’t the stone cold brat many believe her to be, such as when she is selected for a prestigious award and she believes Akko should have gotten it instead.
Well like I said, we’re heading into more serious territory in future episodes. So this week found new ways to up the magical fun. I was kind of kidding when I said Akko and Andrews meeting last week was very Disney. Apparently my thoughts were heard as their second encounter involved magical pumpkins and dresses with a time limit and magical bugs that make people fall in love with the first person they see. Andrew got to shine a bit more, showing he isn’t a pompus ass but instead is a kid who’s being forced into a role he’d rather not have. He shows more acceptance of Akko, Diana and their friends compared to his father, who’d rather see Witches exiled from society altogether. So it was fitting that Akko and Andrew teamed up to take down that love spreading but and Akko got to kill it with a swatter while slapping Andrew’s dad in the process. This episode also made me wonder just how much Andrew was actually affected by that bee sting. At one point he was fawning over Akko and the next he sounded less bewitched but still nicer…could he really be falling for our Little Witch that Could?
The first half of the show ended with a two part tale that kind of reminded me of “The Enchanted Parade”. Akko finally got a pure win that she achieved with her two roommates and her indomitable will: purifying a rampant spirit that had been used as a kind of twisted school festival tradition for a long time. Yeah, it goes back to my argument that Akko is channeling more Chariot than herself but the results speak for themselves this time. It’s a shame that, except for the Headmistress and Ursula, the rest of Luna Nova’s staff is so freaking spiteful to Akko and her unorthodox way of doing things. Akko, Lotte and Sucy’s show was incredible and a real boon to the school festival. Heck it even impressed Diana, who as I said before thought Akko should’ve gotten the top honor for this feat alone instead of herself. It’s all in all not a bad way to close out the first half of a remarkable show.
One minor downside: the episode featuring Headmistress Holbrooke reuniting with her father, a wiley skeleton who dressed like a pirate was probably the first episode of the series I felt could be skipped. It’s good we get to shine a light on one of the more likeable members of the Luna Nova staff who doesn’t hate Akko. But her fathers wacky schtick got a bit too annoying too quickly. Maybe my expectations were raised a bit too high as this came after the best episode of the series: the journey through Sucy’s crazy headspace. I don’t know though, the show can do better and has done better.
We end the first half with a big win for Akko and the promise of a mysterious new arrival who might be a bad guy…don’t know why, maybe the digitized spell work in their hands might be a giveaway. Perhaps the quest to save magic will begin on Friday. Little Witch Academia is on a roll. I hope it can keep up the great work.
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