Little Witch Academia (2017 series): Difference between revisions
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{{tropelist|Noctu Orfei... ''Aude Tropae''!}}
* [[Absurdly Sharp Blade]]: In episode 9, the resurrected skeleton grabs his sword, leaps, and cuts a ''stone tombstone'' cleanly in half. Based on how the sword is in "default sword gray" and doesn't have a [[Battle Aura]], you expect it to be quite weak, but no. It's far sharper than it looks.
* [[Accentuate the Negative]]: In universe. In episode 4, Annabel Crème--the author of the ''Night Fall'' series--quits writing due to the hate messages criticising her latest work. She passes her job to Lotte. {{spoiler|Lotte persuades her that she is a good author, and that she is a huge fan of her works, convincing her to keep writing.}}
** {{spoiler|This plays a role in Shiny Chariot's backstory. Chariot keeps receiving requests to make magic more spectacular, and to step up her shows. This, along with pressure from showrunners, led her to seek extreme methods to make her performance better. The fallout from these methods is why she disguises herself}}.
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** In episode 5, the trope is played straight. Diana single-handedly solved the conflict, despite many teachers trying (and failing) to resolve it.
* [[An Aesop]]: Episode 11 tells Akko (and the audience) there is no shortcut for hard work. It requires effort and determination to learn any skill, including magical ones.
* [[Alliterative Name]]: What is the systemic solution to sorcery slowly shrinking? The "Sorcerery Solution System"! Granted, Professor Croix's system is not a person, but the alliteration is still in a name.
* [[Animate Dead]]: This is one of the things a witch must ''never'' do, otherwise they face dire consequences. A witch who do so would wish for death than suffer the punishment; it is the greatest crime a witch can commit. Anyway, Akko resurrects the dead in episode 9 "Undead Travelogue".
* [[Animation Bump]]: Any time magic is used for a fight scene, the animation becomes ''much'' better and fluid, showcasing greater movement and agility in the characters. If an episode starts off with characters frozen or contains large amounts of pans over backgrounds, you know the animators are saving for a big fight scene.
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* [[Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever]]: In episode 10, the "whatever" is a squirrel, who Akko enlarges in order to sneak into a party.
* [[Back from the Dead]]: In episode 9, Akko accidentally casts a resurrection spell. She was meant to mend a grave, but her mending potion was mixed with Sucy's mushrooms, resurrecting a corpse who desperately began looking for revenge on a man. {{spoiler|That man was himself. Why did it take you the entire episode to remember, skeleton-man?}}
* [[Bait and Switch Credits]]: The first opening sequence (the one backed by "Shiny Ray") shows Akko flying on a broom through the sky. In reality, she spent the majority of the series begging her broom to fly and yelling into the void while nothing close to flight happens. She did fly on the uncontrollable Shooting Star a couple of times, but the opening depicts her on a regular broom. Plus, the sequence shows a level of control which cannot be applied to the shooting star. {{spoiler|The final sequence of season 1 depicts her flying, but she only makes ten centimeters off the ground at most}}, unlike the hundreds of metres the opening suggests. However, the opening does feature Akko running down a hillside, holding her broom, while Sucy and Lotte flew effortlessly on their broomsticks--a perfect representation of Akko's relationship with a broomstick in the series.
* [[Barehanded Blade Block]]: Blocking a blade with your bare hands is impressive. Blocking a guillotine blade, and stopping all its kinetic energy, like Akko in "Akko's Adventures in Sucyworld" with only your bare hands is more impressive. Unfortunately, her achievements are invalidated because [[Toon Physics]] are at play.
* [[Basilitrice]]: The first episode has a cockatrice as the main antagonist.
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* [[Contrived Coincidence]]: In episode 16. The Greenman Disease needs such a specific condition to spread it is said to only do so every thousand years. Conditions which must be fulfilled include having planets be in the correct alignment, having the correct amount of carbon dioxide emissions, having the correct amount of herring be born, and having a pie baked at the perfect temperature. It somehow shows up the exact day Akko and her trio visits Lotte's town.
* [[Corporal Punishment]]: Episode 7 states that if a witch engages in fraud, their tongues will be branded with iron, although this never happens in the series.
* [[Cosplay]]: In episode 4, during a [[
* [[Creative Closing Credits]]: Two original sequences are created for the first and second halves of season 1. The first sequence shows sketches of characters throughout the series. The second sequence shows an abstract sequence involving Akko and the sun transforming into various objects. Akko, in a basic, undetailed style with no outlines, grows wings and flies away. The last episode in season 1 involves a fully animated sequence.
* [[A Day In The Limelight]]: Almost every [[Recurring Character]] and supporting character gets them. Most episodes focus on Akko, but "Akko's Adventures in Sucyworld" focuses on Sucy, "Pohjola's Ordeal" focuses on Lotte, "Stanship Take Off!" focuses on Constanze, "Cavendish" focuses on Diana, and you can probably figure out who "[[Character Title|Amanda O'Neill]] and the Holy Grail" focuses on.
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In 420 AD at the site dedication for the prestigious witchcraft academy of Luna Nova, our founding mentor, Woodward of the Nine Olde Witches greeted our first 100 students with these words "Let this academy be the first milestone in restoring the art of witchcraft and all of its lost glory."}}
* [[Getting Crap Past the Radar]]: In episode 21, the animators used the fact that Japanese audiences probably don't know what English swear words are to sneak a very naughty word into a scene. This is when anonymous users online are complaining about the latest soccer game. {{quote|''piece of shit game''
''piece of shit referee''}}.
* [[Ghibli Hills]]: The Forest of Arcturus, filled to the brim with dangerous magical creatures. In fact, it's forbidden for witches to enter it (this never stopped Akko). This is one of the few times when the "everything trying to kill you" aspect of the trope is emphasized, and the trope is not romanticised.
* [[Good Angel, Bad Angel]]: In episode 8, the inner Sucys manifest themselves as angels to guide Akko through, well, Sucyworld. Played with, in that what the good angel is doing--forcing Akko to sign a contract to enlist the angel's help--cannot be considered "good".
* [[Gratuitous English]]: Used in the second opening, "Mind Conductor", which is mostly in Japanese except for a couple of English words inserted here and there. {{quote|''Take action!''
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* [[Love Potion]]: A love ''bee'' in this case, appearing in episode 10. When it stings anyone, they instantly fall in love.
* [[The Magic Comes Back]]: {{spoiler|In the ridiculously over the top, [[Studio Trigger]] style finale, the people around the world give their support for the witches stopping the missile. This increases the Diana and Akko's magical power, and even brings back the [[World Tree]]}}!
* [[The Magic Goes Away]]: As the world of ''Little Witch Academia'' enters the modern age, magic has been getting weaker and weaker. Magical resources become scarcer, and there's fewer users of magic. Many aspects of magic was replaced by [[Muggle]] technology. This concept isn't explored in other franchise instalments, and is only touched on in the series.
* [[Magic Kiss]]: [[Parodied]]. In episode 8, Sucy is asleep. Akko performs a [[Journey to the Center of the Mind]] and locates the sleeping Sucy within the sleeping Sucy. She drinks all the antidotes Lotte gave her, and is about to feed them to Sucy via a magical kiss. That ''was'' the plan until Sucy wakes up at the last minute and pushes Akko aside.
* [[Memento MacGuffin]]: Akko's rare card of Shiny Chariot. {{spoiler|Diana has an even rarer card!}}
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* [[Mood Whiplash]]: Episode seven begins with the dangers of magic. To use magic to commit murder, they will be eaten life slowly by mice. Use magic to resurrect the dead? Enjoy your [[Fate Worse Than Death]]. Then... {{quote|'''Akko''': Are all of these going to be on our next exam?
'''Professor''': Probably.}}
* [[Muggles Do It Better]]: This is one of the reasons why magic is disappearing in the world of ''Little Witch Academia''. While witches use magic, muggles<ref>Muggles possesses the ability to use magic, just less efficiently. Akko demonstrates this by being from a non-magical family, but still being able to cast spells.</ref> have technology. Modern technology can do many things magic can: magic has flying broomsticks, technology gives us airplanes. Magic require rigorous study to use, modern technology doesn't. Cars are just a viable method of transportation than broomsticks. In fact, ''any'' muggle who can drive are better at transportation than Akko, who ''cannot'' ride a broomstick. The series explores this in depth the most, while other instalments tend to gloss over this aspect in favour of goofy episodic magical adventures.
* [[My Hovercraft Is Full of Eels]]: Akko calls a cockatrice a "stupid bird" in the Forest of Arcturus, and now it wants to eat her. She meant to just cast a spell that Sucy gave her. Sucy uses Akko as bait to distract the cockarice while she harvests its poison.
* [[Nice Job Breaking It, Hero]]: Diana casts a family-secret revitalization spell in the second episode, to bring more life to the Memorial Tree which is special to Luna Nova. It led to the tree spreading its roots all over the campus. Then the trope occurs ''again'' as she tries to destroy what appear to be parasites on the tree's roots, but turns out to be Papiliodia--rare butterflies who only hatch once in a hundred years.
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* [[Only the Chosen May Wield]]: Only the chosen may wield the Shiny Rod. Shiny Chariot was once chosen to be the wielder. Later, Akko is chosen to be the wielder. From this, we can conclude that the Shiny Rod does not do a very good job at choosing its wielder, given how Chariot did {{spoiler|not want to wield the rod, instead believing Croix}} is better qualified, and how Akko blows up in the face of any magic. Don't worry, Akko eventually becomes more qualified to wield it, {{spoiler|and somehow manages to do a better job than ''the'' Shiny Chariot at reviving the Lost Words}}.
* [[Or Was It a Dream?]]: "Akko's Adventures in Sucyworld" ends with Akko waking up, with the world seemingly back to normal, and the events of the episode apparently a dream. That is, until Sucy brought up the deal Akko made inside Sucy's mind: Akko needs to carry her stuff for a month in return for the Sucys' help.
* [[Out-of-Genre Experience]]: Episode 18 starts off with fantasy themes and elements, and doesn't deviate from the [[Wizarding School]] formula too much. Then it introduces some science fiction elements with Constanze's inventions, but still remains with the theme. Then the science
* [[Overly Long Name]]: In episode seven, we have "Constanze Braunschbank Albrechtsberger", who takes an exam right before Akko. Constanze is part of Amanda's trio.
* [[Public Domain Soundtrack]]: In episode 10, while Akko is hunting down a flying bumblebee, we have Andrew playing ''Flight of the Bumblebee''. Very clever, [[Studio Trigger]]. Very clever.
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* [[The Reveal]]: {{spoiler|Did you know that Professor Ursula is Shiny Chariot all along?}} It's true! Go watch episode 15 yourself! Akko doesn't find out until the episode number hit their twenties. Other instalments of ''Little Witch Academia'' don't advance the story far enough for this reveal to happen, although the [[Little Witch Academia (2013 film)|original film]] subtly hints at this reveal.
* [[Rewatch Bonus]]: {{spoiler|Shiny Chariot's performance that opens the series becomes vastly different once you know what ''really'' happened on that day. The fairy flying out of child Akko? That's not a fairy}}. Also, guess which [[Little Witch Academia (2017 series)/Characters#Diana Cavendish|green-haired blue-eyed]] [[Defrosting Ice Queen]] is in the crowd alongside Akko?
* [[Road Trip Episode]]: "Akko's Adventure in Sucyworld" sees Akko taking a road trip through Sucy's mind. Highlights of this trip include watching a movie, meeting different personalities that Sucy has, and getting sentenced to death.<ref>Don't worry. She's fine.</ref>
* [[Screen Shake]]: Used in conjunction with action and fight sequences, as well in sequences where someone is hit. An example would be in "Akko's Adventures in Sucyworld", where Lotte hits Akko with a wand to put her to sleep, and the screen shakes to reflect this action.
* [[Ship Tease]]: The end of episode 10 gives us one between Lotte and Frank, although Lotte immediately crushes any shipper's hope by stating that they're [[Better as Friends]]. The episode gives a more subtle one hinting at Akko and Andrew. Later on, there's plenty between Akko and Diana, especially in the episodes after "Cavendish".
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* [[Talking Is a Free Action]]: When Akko accidentally insults the cockatrice in episode 1, there is just enough time for Sucy to explain what she's really done before the bird starts attacking them.
* [[Taken for Granite]]: The cockatrice in the Forest of Arcturus, in episode 1, has the power to turn things into stone with its breath.
* [[The Teaser]]: With the exception of episodes 5 and 24, the show gives you a one or two minute glimpse of what the episode will be about before dropping its anime opening.
* [[Technician Versus Performer]]:
** Professor Croix is the technician, who wants to revitalise magic and be the best she can. Chariot only wishes to entertain the crowd and show people the wonder of magic.
** Diana wishes to be the best she can be, and holds herself to high standards. She spends way too much time studying, leading to her being the best student in Luna Nova. Akko (the performer) only wishes to entertain and be like Chariot, even though Akko successfully casting a basic spell is a rare occasion.
* [[That Was Objectionable]]: In the courtroom scene in episode 8, Akko loudly objects to the different Sucys being executed, even going as far to physically stop the judge's hammer with her hands. She ''does'' have a reason, thinking it's ridiculous that people should be put to death because of what they like.
* [[This Is a Drill]]: In episode 18, the "metamor-formation" [[Humongous Mecha]] uses a drill for the Wild Hunt.
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** In "Stanship Take Off!", the ship built for the Wild Hunt is able to transform into a [[Humongous Mecha]], accompanied with flashy backgrounds and music.
* [[Unwanted Harem]]: In episode 10, Lotte has to deal with one of those, from people stung by a love bee.
* [[Vacation Episode]]: The series usually takes place in Luna Nova and the locations close by. Episode 16, however, sees the {{color|red|red}} trio travelling to Lotte's home village and meeting her parents. It's not a relaxing vacation, though. Akko still manages to get herself into an adventure, because life around Akko is ''never'' quiet.
* [[Valley Girl]]: In episode 8, one of the Sucys in Sucyworld is like this, complete with way too much makeup and trendy clothes. {{quote|'''Valley Girl Sucy''': I really want to be a Hollywood celebrity.}}
* [[Vanity Plate]]: In episode 8, the film that's shown inside Sucyworld has one. The film is apparently "A Sucy Picture", with the black and white vanity plate featuring a witch riding a broomstick around a mushroom planet.
* [[When the Planets Align]]: Planets aligning in ''exactly'' the right way is a prerequisite for the Greenman disease to spread in episode 16.
* [[The Wild Hunt]]: The show has its own version in episode 18. It's quite unlike your average wild hunt. It's done for sports, the target is ghosts instead of people, and you can show up to the hunt in a mecha.
* [[World Tree]]: Episode 15 reveals that, long ago, the world tree Yggdrasil thrived and spread magic everywhere. Over time, though, the tree grew weaker, and the power of magic diminished along with it. {{spoiler|The tree returns in the season 1 finale}}.
* [[You Can See the Explosion from Orbit]]: In episode 25, {{spoiler|the Shiny Arc attack can be seen from orbit, probably because it was conducted ''from'' orbit. Bonus points for the camera shot showing the attack}} from orbit.
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