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「キャベンディッシュ」 (Kyabendisshu)
“Cavendish”
If the last episode made you think “Wow, finally a Constanze episode”, then this episode might just have you think “Wow, finally a Diana episode”. The wait was agonizing because of the little breadcrumbs the show left along the way of the vulnerabilities and insecurities Diana has that conflicts with the rose-tinted goggles that the professors and students of the academy have around her. I’m happy to say that this episode met my expectations in giving Diana more legroom to express herself. Instead of seeing her make a passing mention of being disappointed in Akko, we see Diana dealing with many of the conflicting feelings that surface throughout the show. Breezing through the academy’s lessons like they’re a whole lotta nothing, yet still being torn up about having to leave behind the friends and moments she’s had at the academy. Shredding Akko for not abiding by tradition and forcefully placing herself in her life, yet getting defensive when her family criticizes Akko and generally has no ill-will towards her as the witch chosen by the Shiny Rod. On top of all this, we see a passionate Diana, who is very sentimental towards her past and her family to the point that she still kept her old trading cards as a deeply important treasure to her and is repulsed by her aunt’s desire to make money off of selling their family heirlooms like they’re nothing. It made me sympathize with Diana being forced out of the academy to become the leader of the Cavendish family that wouldn’t burn everything to the ground if given 2 minutes alone with a set of matches.
Speaking of the Cavendish family, what a handful these upstanding members of society are. Diana’s aunt, Deryl, had an even quicker move towards looking like a complete bastard than Croix did, complete with snake charming and glowing eyes. She even has clones that act as her snarky Hanna/Barbara duo. In addition to trying to become the head of the family by selling everything the Cavendish family owns, she does her best to try and shut down all of Diana’s concerns. Whereas most of the characters who look down on magic and ask people to get with the times are often clinging to technology as their go-to method of sticking it to magic, Deryl has a complete disregard to anything her family worked towards. Instead of replacing anything with technology, it’s all about torching everything their ancestors worked towards for status. The tragic thing for Deryl is that not even the Hanbridge’s want to parlay with her scheme selling magical items they couldn’t possibly see any significance in. Part of me was wondering how the Hanbridge’s would play a role in whatever Croix is planning, but I can imagine Deryl becoming secretly one of the main antagonists out of nowhere.
I also appreciate the progression that many of the characters are shown. Although Akko is still very headstrong, she really cares about Diana, and is able to catch on that Diana isn’t allowing herself to be honest about how much of a dream it was for her to attend the academy. Even though Akko saw Diana more as a rival than Diana did, she really feels for Diana and wants to help her out. The characters that surround her also show a nice level of growth where Hanna and Barbara are willing to talk to Akko about Diana leaving without mocking her endlessly. What gave me a wide grin was Andrew and his father letting Akko be their guest at the Cavendish dinner. Andrew’s father is still grumpy and doesn’t care about what Deryl is giving them, but Andrew is more than happy to get Akko in the car and is gleeful to introduce Akko as his dinner guest. It’s a nice change-of-pace after seeing him acknowledge Akko with a smile when they went to Appleton. Little moments like that get my attention, and get me excited about the payoff the show is starting to have for everything they’ve introduced up until now.
I’m not too interested to see yet more ignorant, snooty British people express their disdain for innovation, nor and I curious as to what this Cavendish ritual consists of, but apparently the writers thought it was worth spending a two-parter on Diana’s backstory and family situation with a lot of talking heads. I expect the next episode pay this off with a grand spectacle of sorts. It’s not unimportant though. It explains that her mother was one of the 9 Old Witches, and could be key to finding the fifth Word.
Does every major Cavendish character have two lackies of their own?? 😀
One wonders if fate wants Akko and Andrew to get together, what with how often they coincidentally just run into each other.
Her mother wasn’t one of the 9 old witches. Her ancestor was.
My bad. I also seem to miss any time a character states what the “theme” of the Words are when reading subtitles.
I hope this expositions will open Akko’s eyes and ears and her perspective about the difference between she and Diana. I empathize with Diana and how she envies Akko for her freedom and careless life. Sometimes you just cannot set things right, or do as you please. Oh Diana, my love goes deeper for you even more <3
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Its not easy for everyone. And it still irritates me how blockhead Akko is again and again…ahh, dont get me wrong but i still find it hard to like Akko.
Im glad they decided to extend Diana's story instead of the one episode thinggy.
I know they want me to care about Diana. I know they REALLY want me to care about her.
But she hasn’t earned it. She could have had a scene where she was secretly supporting Akko, or something, ANYTHING, to make me like her character.
I give zero shits about her, and I’m depressed that we have to waste two episodes on her and her clone family. Even her fucking aunt has Diana-esque minions.
The show seemed to want to say something to help make Diana more relatable, but it is coming very late, enough so that I understand if people are saying they can’t find it in themselves to care at this point. I enjoyed the episode and the attempts to make Diana palatable, but I can see how delaying a reflective Diana episode until near the end of the show wouldn’t do as much to change the bad impression she’s left on people so far.
It didn’t help that the episodes before hammered the resentment everyone had for how perfect and snooty Diana came off as, so if you weren’t open to feeling something for her, there’s definitely not much incentive after that.
Here’s my thoughts –
Cavendish Family
https://randomc.net/image/Little%20Witch%20Academia/Little%20Witch%20Academia%20-%2019%20-%20Large%2012.jpg
I’m not sure if any of you would agree with me but in the Cavendish family, we see Cinderella’s story. Cindie/Diana is taken cate by her evil stepmother (aunt in this case) and we have her wicked stepsisters thrown into the mix. The ceremony to be the next family head is the ball while Andrew and/or Akko will be the prince charming character. I do strongly believe that the ceremony itself will be botched and it will be Akko’s or Andrew’s or both that will help Diana to complete the ceremony though I’m more inclined to say that Akko will be the actual prince charming. Once Akko places the glass slipper onto Diana, all will be fine and Akko will bring Cinderella back to his castle and they live happily ever after.
The 9 Old Witches
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Again I might be thinking too much about it but 9 old witches brought magic into its golden days and now it’s waning. Fast forward to current time line and magic is waning, Diana is seeking to revive the forgotten words and she has 2 lackeys. Akko is the Chosen One
to bring balance to the Forcetogether with Sucy and Lotte. Finally we have Amanda, the German and the Babushka. Putting 3 and 3 a d 3 together, we have the 9 Young Witches to revive magic and bring it to today’s worls. What say you guys?Nine heirs to link the flame [of magic] in Little Witch Academia’s world, beginning the cycle anew. Dark Souls, basically- without the grimdark…XP
Rioting football fans for the second time? Coincidence? I don’t think so.
Yeah, I remember them showing up in Ep 17 as well with the Appleton Academy. They have to be foreshadowing something unless it’s just to express what the regular human world is concerned with.
I can’t believe you didn’t screencap the last scene in the car when Akko gave a “watch me do it” look at Andrew, that was the best moment of this episode imho.
I really love how the friendship between Akko and Andrew is developing. Come on Andrew. Relax a bit! 🙂
My apologies, I’ll try to keep my eyes peeled for more. I got too caught up in her expressions during the hitchhiking scene. Her trying to eat dinner with Western utensils is also something I either forgot to cap or didn’t take as much of as I would’ve liked.
I’m liking Diana. The sob story background was a bit weak, but Diana as a character pushes that aside.
What really felt out of place, though, was Akko. The sudden panic about how she couldn’t let Diana leave, and going to such lengths to bring her back, really did not feel true. There’s just been absolutely nothing in the show to justify that behavior from Akko. I’d be more likely to believe Diana going to excessive lengths to bring Akko back, should Akko have been expelled.
Essentially, the writers seemed to feel like they had to get Akko into the Cavendish manor in order to maintain Akko as the main character, and only show events from her perspective. But this entire scenario feels like something that Diana is strong enough as a character to face and deal with herself.
I don’t mind if there’s an additional character to help carry the story, and I don’t even mind that it’s Akko. I just don’t like the ham-handed way they forced Akko to be the connecting character, for the entire bit up until the hitchhiking. Everything from the hitchhiking forward worked fine.
I thought that Deryl’s “clones” were Diana’s cousins?