#i pushed myself too hard at the expo and my knees are KILLING me

[lill-th]

idk the last time i posted my face on here but i wanted to share these cool earrings i got today and also i have a (faded) green/yellow mullet now

[vuroro]

Please Watch Little Witch Academia

Last week, Studio Trigger’s Little Witch Academia aired its final episode in Japan and I’m devastated this delightful ride, at least for now, has come to an end. Thankfully, just last Friday, the series became available for streaming on Netflix, with both the English dub and subtitles available depending on your preference! If you’re unsure whether or not this is a series for you (and you don’t mind some light spoilers), please let me explain why this is a series well worth your time!

After I was treated to the first two short films at Anime Expo a couple years ago, I knew the anime was going to be spectacular, but I had no idea I was in for one of the most positive, inclusive, relatable shows I’d seen since Steven Universe. As a fan on a never ending quest for dynamic female representation in media, it was extremely refreshing seeing Akko, the Little Witch in question, and her friends embarking on adventures more characteristic of seinen anime, from confronting dragons to saving the country from a demon-possessed nuclear missile. About a third of the way through the series, however, we are introduced to the first prominent male character, Andrew. When the narrative begins to steer towards Andrew becoming something of a love interest, I was concerned he would become Akko’s knight in shining armor and undermine her role as the protagonist. After all, Akko’s constantly throwing herself into harrowing, potentially life-threatening situations, and it would be all-too easy for the calm and capable male lead to rescue her as a means to quickly develop their relationship. Thankfully, Trigger knows no one is watching the show for some muggle boy steal the spotlight. Although Andrew frequently provides invaluable assistance, ultimately, it’s always Akko’s responsibility to get herself and her friends out of trouble. He is permanently relegated to a supporting role and the girls remain the stars of the cast.

Since LWA is essentially a schoolgirl anime, I was admittedly a little nervous, as even the most innocent shows of this nature are not spared from bawdy humor or the occasional panty shot. Sexualizing underage girls is such a staple of this genre, it was hard to picture that the same studio responsible for the ridiculously sexy Kill la Kill could manage without it. And yet, that’s exactly what they did. In spite of the school uniform featuring a skirt that ends above the knee, Trigger is very careful to keep everything covered and PG – an impressive feat, considering the girls spend a great deal of screen time flying on broomsticks.

Each of LWA’s characters, from major to supporting, is bursting with personality, and I think the key reason for this is that Trigger bestows upon them glaring flaws that aren’t meant to be overcome, but make them unique, relatable individuals. For starters, Constanze, the smallest member of the series’ secondary trio of friends, is reserved, grumpy, and prefers to be left alone. At one point, Akko tries to force Constanze to accept her help on a project, but she vehemently refuses, preferring to do things on her own. Akko dismisses her boundaries and pushes harder, only to receive more fervent resistance on Constanze’s end. After many rejections, Akko finally realizes that Constanze’s reserved nature is simply a part of what makes her her and isn’t something that needs to be quashed. She openly acknowledges this and Constanze, validated, is more willing to accept Akko’s aid. Constanze is also mute, but her peers never remark upon her inability to talk. Instead, she’s seamlessly accommodated, and this aspect of her is as natural a character trait as anything else. If it hadn’t been revealed at this year’s Anime Expo that her lack of speech was the result of a terrible illness, I never would have given it a second thought because the rest of the cast didn’t find it was worth making a fuss over.

Our protagonist is, of course, the most imperfect character of the lot: selfish, hasty, oblivious to the feelings of those around her, greatly lacking in respect for her elders, and possessing zero natural talent whatsoever. At the same time, she’s also compassionate, optimistic, and most significant of all, lives to spread happiness around the world. She feels more like a unique individual and an actual human, which sets her apart from similar protagonists in the genre. Ss her friends routinely observe throughout the story, somehow her flaws make her love and kindness shine even brighter than they would otherwise. This isn’t to say she averts bouts of self-betterment, but the trajectory of her growth isn’t to correct her faults, but to help her learn when to rein them in.

As much as I adore the characters, what truly hit home with me was the show’s recurring theme of making the most out of failure. At school, Akko continuously falls just short of success time and time again – her best is never enough, even when her triumph seems inevitable. In the end, though, Akko’s labor always manifests a positive result thanks to the earnestness and well-meaning of her efforts, although it’s typically far from the result she’d originally intended. Growing up, I was constantly promised that I was bound for success so long as I did my absolute best, a philosophy I really took to heart. Since graduating from college, I’ve been struggling to pull myself out of a rough patch and I figured I must not be trying my very hardest because…why else am I still stuck in this position? I was so absorbed with missing my year-end goals that I missed the smaller achievements I’d made along the way. I wish I’d had someone to tell me, “Sometimes your best will not be enough and that’s all right – It’s not your fault, it’s just how things are every now and then!” which is one of the show’s major takeaways each time we watch Akko stumble. It’s a realistic, healthier expectation that I feel is very important for any young go-getters to hear.

Oof, this went on longer than planned! I could gush about how wholesome LWA is for the rest of the night, but I wanted to get this out while the show’s still fresh in my mind. I’m going to be bold enough to say Little Witch Academia is setting a new bar for all-girl adventures in media, so please give it a shot, especially if you’re feeling down and need a pick-me-up!