Little Witch Academia – 22

As Andrew sees a worsening situation with the soccer-fueled civil unrest, Chariot decides, at last, that she’s really, truly, definitely going to tell Akko her true identity…only for her only chance in this episode to be interrupted. And by Andrew, no less, via Diana, whom he’s able to contact because of their families. All for a lost hat!

Just as Diana is asking “Ursula” if she knows anything about the greatly increased stores of energy that correspond to the installation of Croix’s SSS system, Chariot spots her rival in the window to give chase.

This is an episode that doesn’t waste a lot of time, and its most leisurely scene is also its best because of the wonderful chemistry that has developed between Akko and Andrew.

As someone being told day in day out that his path has already been set for him, and defiance will not be tolerated, an idealistic free spirit like Akko is just the kind of girl he’d fall for, almost envious of her worldview.

He’s become far less dismissive of her flowerly hopeful little speeches, especially in light (or darkness) of the soccer protests. But he makes sure to check Akko’s boundless idealism with the caveat that she herself should be the one to take action, rather than wait for Chariot to swoop in and save the world.

Akko’s in full agreement: she’ll make the world happier and preserve magic with her own hands and heart. In his criticism, Andrew is aware that it applies to him as well.

While it’s nice to see Akko and Andrew laughing together and enjoying each other’s company, when duty calls (in the form of one of Croix’s little cube drones), Akko springs into action immediately, leaving her hat behind once more.

That cube leads her to a rooftop where Croix stands, and is all to happy to explain that the cubes are her handiwork, that she’s using “Noir Fuel Spirit” to absorb negative emotions from the people and converting it to magical energy. In effect, she’s saving the magical world, her way.

That way happens to be pretty much the opposite of how Akko would want to save it; by creating positive energy—happiness—and she tells Croix this is flat-out wrong. Croix responds by fusing her drones into a giant monster and attacking Akko with it.

Chariot arrives just in time to save Akko, and destroys the drone-‘dragon’, but in the process lets the cat out of the bag, a cat Croix is all too happy to pounce on. Here Akko finally learns her idol was beside her all along, in Croix’s words, holding her back. And while that might sound like emotional manipulation, it turns out Croix means it literally.

Chariot, it seems, is responsible for sapping Akko of her magic, back when she attended her show. Chariot absorbed dreams, rather than negative energy, to gain magical power. This is why Akko can’t fly; not any lack of effort or perseverance.

Right on the heels of Akko learning Ursula is Chariot, that revelation is a gut punch for poor Akko, who merely shouts about it being all lies before running away. Croix tells Chariot she doubts Akko will be pursuing the words anymore, all but claiming victory in a rivalry in which she deemed Akko Chariot’s proxy.

With the completion of this outing we’re down to three episodes of LWA, at least that we know of, and there’s a lot that needs to happen in some order: Akko regaining her composure and rising to the occasion and gaining sufficient power (be it through the words or through her friends) to foil Croix’s plans for world “reconstruction,” and hell, maybe receive a kiss from our boy ‘Drew.

That’s a lot, but now that LWA has kicked into a higher gear, I’m confident it can deliver on the denouement.

Little Witch Academia – 21

While Akko is singularly invested in finding the remaining two words to release the Triskelion, she also learns that what she’d have regarded as a “selfish”, if successful, mission to bring Diana back has altered her relationship with her and her toadies, for the better.

Barbara and Hanna earnestly thank Akko for acting when they could not, while Diana expresses genuine concern for Akko in suggesting she heed Ursula’s warning. The power of that warning—to not go near the Wagandea tree to attempt to unlock a word, lest one get hit by toxic pollen that robs a witch of the ability to use magic or fly—is gradually whittled away by Arch-Meddler Croix.

Croix expertly manipulates the more-naive-than-most Akko, reinforcing Akko’s own assertion that Ursula’s an overprotective worrywart, while also planting a seed of doubt and suspicion regarding Ursula’s identity and intentions with Akko.

Croix also gives Akko a lift to Wagandea, hoping the pollen will take care of her latest rival to magical primacy. Years ago, she and Chariot went to the tree, with both expecting the Shiny Rod to choose her.

When it chose Chariot instead, it was a major hit to Croix, and her technologically-advanced career since has been one big attempt to overcome that rejection, as well as to stick it to Chariot.

When Ursula arrives to rescue Akko, Akko has fully gone to Croix’s side, and lets Croix “deal with” Ursula. Interestingly, Croix isn’t so evil that she wants Chariot to die in a fall, so she wakes Chariot up just in time so she can cushion her fall.

When Chariot shakes off her injuries (and Croix’s insistence she’s out of time) and goes after Akko once more, Croix doesn’t stop her; clearly she’d hoped for a cleaner operation, but since Chariot’s involved, she cuts her losses and withdraws.

Ursula catches Akko, who falls just as a cloud of magic-sapping pollen surrounds her menacingly. Overcome by shame for the things she said to Ursula, Akko takes it all back, apologizes, and says “thank you”, which she should have said a long time ago, but resonates more here, as it’s essentially the meaning of the sixth word, Lyonne, which Akko unlocks, leaving her at the same place Chariot was: with one word remaining.

Croix is unconcerned with her loss this week: she has been gathering all of the negative energy that all of the soccer fans of the world have been pouring into the popular, healing “Emotion Refresh” app she developed, and all that energy is going into a Gurren Lagann-style, giant mecha version of the Shiny Rod, presumably with the goal of releasing the Triskelion before Akko.

The social unrest being caused by football competition has been in the background for some time now, and it’s neat to see something that has a clear analog in the real world not only making an appearance in LWA, but serving as a key source of Croix’s power.

For all her megalomaniacal scheming, we definitely saw the affection for Chariot that still lingers in Croix’s heart. If Akko and Chariot are going to have a chance against her, part of their plan may involve tapping into that vestigial affection. But first thing’s first: Akko must get that seventh word.