Little Witch Academia

Synopsis

In the world of witches, Shiny Chariot is a legendary figure and a source of inspiration for young witches everywhere. As the girls grow older, however, admiration for Chariot is often seen as a sign of immaturity. Despite this, Atsuko Kagari, an ordinary girl, remains devoted to her idol and enrolls in Luna Nova Magical Academy with the goal of emulating Chariot's charm and magic. Upon arriving, Atsuko finds the academy far from the exciting place she had imagined, with tedious classes, strict teachers, and peers who mock her devotion to Chariot. Lacking natural magical abilities, she is seen only as a nuisance. But when an opportunity to prove her worth arises, she takes action, stepping up to stop a rampaging dragon that threatens to destroy the academy.

Background

Little Witch Academia is one of the four anime works that each received 38 million yen (about US$480,000) from the "2012 Young Animator Training Project." Just like in 2010 and 2011, the animation labor group received 214.5 million yen (US$2.65 million) from the Japanese government's Agency for Cultural Affairs, and it distributed most of those funds to studios who train young animators on-the-job. Positive response to the movie led Studio Trigger to run a Kickstarter funding a sequel, which surpassed its funding goal.