LNAF Aviation Magic Band Luminous Witches: A Fresh Breathe from Project World Witches
For the people who are exhausted from battles, we need to bring them some peace of mind too …
Music has the power to save people! Everyone knows that!
League of Nations Air Force Aviation Magic Band Luminous Witches (from now on I’m gonna shorten it as Luminous Witches) is a kind of spin-off to Strike Witches and Brave Witches since it’s coming from the same project called Projekt World Witches. For you who don’t know about them, World Witches series take a place in a world that is being invaded by some alien-like creature called Neuroi. The only way to put fight against them is to utilize some magical power that happens to appear only in young girls (read: witches). Even so, you can watch Luminous Witches without any prior knowledge about World Witches series.
What The Show is about
In the middle of an ongoing fierce war between humankind and Neuroi, at the same time as Miyafuji Yoshika and her companions in the 501st Joint Fighter Wing (Strike Witches) fighting Neuroi in Gallia (France), Luminous Witches deliver music and dance as an idol group to bring cheerful songs, dance, and aerial performance world has never seen before to civilians whose their home was destroyed and affected by Neuroi invasions around the world, perhaps their songs would lighten up the world and bring those smiles back, even a bit.
Dropout Witches
Some witches, who are expected to put a fight against Neuroi by utilizing their magical power, failed to meet those expectations or had some injury forbidding them to stand up on the front lines and lost their purpose in the army gathered in Britannia (UK), formed a group of musical witches.
Ginny, A Godsend Night Witch
Hoping to find her familiar, Mofy, friends to return it back to them, as she feels that Mofy was lonely, Virginia “Ginny” Robertson stepped her feet in London from her hometown in Britannia rural countryside. That’s when fate decides to arrange a fateful meeting between her, Lyudmila “Milasha” Andreyevna Ruslanova, and Inori Shibuya, other witches from Orussia (Russia) and Fuso (Japan) respectively, who happened to be “Ponkotsu” Witches in their respective team. and eventually led them to be in the same group of Luminous Witches.
What I Find it Interesting
Solid Writing and Characterization
Having a musical theme with a light relaxing atmosphere, Luminous Witches met all that I expect from this kind of show. Nice pacing, well-planned dialogue, solid and diverse characterization, and lovable chemistry between characters.
You know that time when the characters said random meaningless lines in early episodes, just to say it again with meaningful context behind it in late episodes, yes, I’m a sucker of that kind of writing. Luminous Witches did those lines exceptionally well.
Not to mention to have a classic pairing yuri bait.
Visually Nice-looking
It’s already sold me visually in the first episodes with the marvelous architecture of London, it’s normal I guess since it’s coming from me knowing nothing about World Witches, as it happened that marvelous architectural background was a common thing in the previous Strike Witches and Brave Witches.
Alongside its realistic architecture, the lighting technique that SHAFT did in Luminous Witches is appreciable. It comes in a significant role in helping the storytelling with the mood. Noticeably in #04 in Luminous Witches live, Sylvie’s explanation of trompe l’oeil in #05, and many more.
All that being said, while I can comprehend the usage of 3DCGI in dances and choreography since it looks not so bad, still, I prefer it done in 2D. It’s a big NO if you can’t handle 3DCGI in idol dance, but it’s not as bad as another summer idol show this year. After all, for me, this is just an insignificant thorn and doesn’t affect my overall experience.
Music
It’s not an idol show without proper idol music. Having a set in military theme, Luminous Witches perfectly blends European folks 19’s music and your regular Japanese idol anime kind of music.
My favorite was “Let’s Sing a Song” which appeared in #04, #11, and #12. The thing with this song is its usage is always attached to some deep feelings and intentions.
Also, Amazing Grace has its own Japanese version of it, sung solo by Ginny in #01, a bit of Inori in #02, and Grace in #12. and they sound amazing!
In World Witches Veteran Eyeglasses
I said earlier that you can watch Luminous Witches without any prior knowledge of World Witches series. But what if you’ve experienced it?
Well, it depends. Jumping to idol-themed witches from front-line witches is like gonna have some jet lag. From not having an intense battle to having witches actually wear a skirt!
Luminous Witches also make the appearance of familiar (animal spirits) witches, that’s logical-explanatory since witches always had kemonomimi and tails. Not shown in previous Strike Witches and Brave Witches anime, a familiar concept that happened to be related to witches’ magical power won’t be easily accepted.
Why did I know about these when I started Luminous Witches without any prior World Witches experience, you ask? Well, Luminous Witches made me watch the entire World Witches series from Strike Witches, Brave Witches, to their chibi parodies before Luminous Witches finished airing.
Afterword
That’s all that I can say about Luminous Witches.
Luminous Witches is one of numerous seasonal idol anime shows that you probably won’t watch, hence why I have to talk about this show and put my affections towards it into words. It’s a fun ride every Sunday evening, personally, I’ll give it 8/10.
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Your slice of life guy,
Llenn Amaru.
