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—Shiny Chariot, Little Witch Academia | ||
Ursula Callistis (アーシュラ・カリスティス Āshura Karisutisu), originally Chariot du Nord (シャリオ・デュノール Shario Dyunōru)[1] and also known by the stage name Shiny Chariot (シャイニィシャリオ Shainī Shario) is a character in Little Witch Academia. She is the Magic Astronomy teacher at Luna Nova Academy and the mentor (and unbeknownst to Akko, idol) of the young witch Atsuko Kagari.
Appearance
Ursula | Shiny Chariot
Ursula is an adult woman with back-length dark blue hair tied with what appears to be bandages just before the end, forming a small ponytail over her right shoulder. She has red eyes with white pupils and fair skin complexion. She wears the default uniform of Luna Nova's staff: a dark purple hooded dress reaching to her knees with long wide sleeves, a red flame-like design in the bottom, and a single brown strap on the chest area, and the dress' inside has a red color; a simple black choker; a dark purple witch hat with a dark blue band decorated with a red feather and a golden crescent-shaped object; knee boots with a deep dip and red tips; and black-framed oval glasses which usually obscure her eyes due to reflecting light, making their resemblance to Chariot's less obvious. It is possible that she does not need glasses given that she could see without them in Blue Moon, in that case they would just be for disguise. (This is confirmed in Chariot of Fire) She is notably younger than the other teachers and this shows in her appearance. This is not lost on them, as in New Age Magic they relegate to her the exhausting task of acquiring extra magical energy for the school. (prompting Ursula to remark that "being young is suffering".)
As Chariot, her hair was shorter and had a red tone similar to her eyes. Her hair was parted to the middle so as not to fall over her eyes, but part of it fell between her eyes. She also had bangs framing the sides of her face and curving in, and neck-length hair curving out on the back of her head. Her hair still naturally falls this way, as seen in Chariot of Fire. In her costume as Shiny Chariot, she wore a white jacket with sleeves similar to her current uniform's which doesn't cover her armpits, clavicles, cleavage, navel and part of her back, giving it a similar appearance to a corset or vest, coattails on the sides of her hips; and two blue buttons keeping everything together; a blue skirt; a brown belt with a golden ring-shaped buckle; blue thigh-highs (which appear to be folded over themselves); white boots with a diamond-like shape in the tip, two parallel button right under it, and a red tip and heels; a white witch hat with a blue band and a red-and-blue diamond or spade-like symbol with a golden four-pointed star in the middle; and also a red cape with a brown strap and golden buttons.
Personality
During her early years, Chariot was similar to Akko in that she also had a happy-go-lucky demeanor and is very passionate about magic, shown in the picture when she was enthusiastically holding up the trophy after winning the broom race. Also similar to Akko, she tended to be clumsy and inattentive as shown when she mucked up a concoction during Fundamentals of Magic Pharmaceuticals.
After the Fountain of Polaris rejects her, she started to work harder and began taking magic more seriously, eventually earning the power of the stars for her determination and dedication. Chariot also finds a true pleasure in entertaining people such as forming flying paper birds for children, which led to her becoming a magic performer under the name "Shiny Chariot". Her reasons for leaving her entertainment career are currently unknown, Akko surmised that it was because she was looking for the Words of Arcturus.
As a professor she takes the pseudonym "Ursula Callistis". She is calm and patient and quick to act in situations of danger. She is a very caring person, especially towards her students, helping them in anyway she can, particularly with regard to Akko.
As a former entertainer, Ursula knows how to excite and control the public, as shown in The Enchanted Parade when the golem went berserk and she calmed down the crowd by making them believe it was all part of the show. Even after her school days, she still tends to be clumsy and somewhat "uncouth", which bothers the other teachers, especially Finnelan, who believes that Ursula is "too kind" to her students. Ursula has brief lapses of self-reflection whenever she is reminded of her life before becoming a teacher.
Plot
Background
Little Witch Academia
The Enchanted Parade
TV Series
Relationships
Akko Kagari
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—Ursula, Orange Submariner | ||
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—Chariot, Chariot of Fire | ||
In A New Beginning, Ursula discovered that the lost Claiomh Solais had returned for Akko. With Ursula's guidance Akko revived the first word of Arcturus. Understanding the significance of this, Ursula took it upon herself to become the young witch's mentor. While kind and patient from the start, as Ursula got to know Akko her affection for her grew, seeing in her a kindred spirit. Ursula soon became a sisterly, almost maternal figure to Akko, giving her the respect of a peer while looking out for her as a guardian. She fiercely defends Akko when other teachers disparage her as a magically inept troublemaker, knowing Akko's good heart and potential as an amazing witch. While she is somewhat uncomfortable when Akko talks about her hero Shiny Chariot, she is also moved by it. As she continues her mission to teach Akko the Seven Words of Arcturus, she promised to reveal her identity one day. In Chariot of Fire Ursula's maternal instincts towards Akko are clearly evident, she takes immediate action to rescue Akko when she realizes she is in danger. Even after rescuing her from Croix she does not tell Akko about the professor's plot against her, preferring to protect her from it. Ursula tells Akko about her destiny.
Croix Meridies
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—Chariot and Croix, Chariot of Fire | ||
Croix and Chariot have a complex past which is still largely unknown. They attended Luna Nova around the same time. Originally they were friends, despite their differences. Croix was shy and reserved, a studious child who worked hard to improve her magic and attain academic excellence. Chariot was outgoing and charming, a child with an innate sense for magic who neglected her studies and got poor marks. Croix admired Chariot's natural talent and was "blinded by her brilliance". Chariot had respect for Croix's hard work and achievements in turn. At some point they had a falling out because of Croix's desire to use the world-changing power of Chariot's Shiny Rod for her own ends, and they became bitter enemies.
A decade later Ursula was horrified to find that Croix had become a professor at Luna Nova. Croix knew Ursula's true identity and had surreptitiously watched her and Akko for months. Knowing Croix was at Luna Nova because the Shiny Rod had reawakened, Ursula was concerned about Akko's safety, and when she learned Croix had asked Akko to bring the Shiny Rod to her lab she was validated. Her fear and rage at Croix's exploitation of Akko reveals a strikingly different character from the meek professor. Croix is surprised at the ease Chariot surpasses the New Moon Tower's defenses, hoping her power would have weakened considerably in her decade incognito. Despite this, after observing her pathetic life as a "shadow of her former self", Croix is coolly confident that Chariot can do nothing to stop her plans. Ursula catches Croix in the act in Sky War Stanship, and figures out that she was causing mass chaos in order to study the effect on human emotional energy.
Diana Cavendish
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—Ursula, Chariot of Fire | ||
Ursula recognizes Diana's immense knowledge of magic and is impressed by her dedication to study, while Diana respects Ursula as a teacher. Although Diana adored Chariot as a child, she later regards her with little respect, although it is possible (per the original movies) that she is still a fan. Diana is unaware of Ursula and Chariot being the same witch, however in the events of Chariot of Fire Diana grows suspicious of Ursula after the professor becomes overly defensive when asked if she knew Croix personally, claiming her fairly intimate description of her was just something she heard secondhand and quickly leaving with the excuse of having little time as a "regular run-of-the-mill teacher". Curious, Diana looks for Ursula in the graduation book, and obviously wont find her in it under her claimed name. In Episode 19 it is affirmed that she does still idolize Shiny Chariot, keeping the super-rare "A believing heart is your magic" Shiny Chariot Card in a case beside her childhood teddy-bear. Since going to Luna Nova was her own dream, it is possible that she, like Akko, wanted to go because it was where Chariot went.
Lotte Yanson
Ursula and Lotte are on positive terms as seen when they were walking down the hallway together along with Sucy. Lotte doesn't know Ursula is Shiny Chariot that Akko admires.
Sucy Manbavaran
Ursula and Sucy are on positive terms as seen when they were walking down the hallway together along with Lotte. Sucy doesn't know that Ursula is Shiny Chariot that Akko admires.
Anne Finnelan
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—Ursula to Finnelan, Orange Submariner | ||
Ursula has a negative relationship with Finnelan. Finnelan is Ursula's senior and often chastises her for her lack of decorum and "excessive" kindness to her students. Ursula is timid when she is criticized, not wanting to have a confrontation with her seniors. However when Finnelan's close-mindedness causes gross injustice Ursula will not hesitate to oppose her. In particular Finnelan triggered her righteous indignation in Orange Submariner by insisting that Akko be expelled due to "disgracing the academy" and "having no value as a witch", despite Akko's clear progress and her kindness in choosing to save an endangered species of fish over getting herself back to class on time. Ursula expresses her approval with a passionate conviction surprising Finellan, who is not used to being on the receiving end of castigation.
Woodward
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—Ursula and Woodward, Blue Moon | ||
Woodward was one of the Nine Old Witches who founded Luna Nova Academy as well as Ursula's mentor. Herself a wielder of the Shiny Rod, she guided Chariot through learning the Words of Arcturus, among them teaching her Phaidoari Afairynghor, "that which is dreamed cannot be grasped, but work towards it, day after day, and you will find it in your hands", a teaching that Ursula would later pass to Akko. Woodward entrusted to Ursula to make sure that Akko will fully wake up the rest of the Seven Words of the Arcturus in order to break the seal of Grand Triskellion.
Abilities and Equipment
Born with a natural talent for magic, Chariot still faced difficulties in her youth, but became great enough to acquire the magic power of the stars. Currently, she is an exceptional magic user, as Shiny Chariot she performed the greatest magical feats seen in the LWA series. However, she actively chooses to limit how much she uses her magic to keep her identity a secret. (Notably, her hair reverts to its natural red when she uses powerful spells.)
She is a user of the Magic of Stars, a unique magic which has unknown yet powerful abilities. Although it is unknown if it is related to the former skill, Ursula is well-versed in Astrology, which is used to see the future. By using her wand, Ursula can project destructive energy beams, create powerful energy barriers and large orbs of energy suspended in the air, in addition to shape energy into the form of fairies or birds during her shows as Shiny Chariot. She usually changed the form of her own body during her shows such as obtaining great wings on her back or the half of a horse's body, apart of being able to reverse the effects of this magic as seen with Andrew Hanbridge. She is also able to repair a broken object in conjunction with a magic powder to improve its effectiveness, levitate objects or people and move them as she wishes, and knows several magic languages. In the past she demonstrated great broom flying abilities. She is one of the few witches in the series shown to cast magic without a verbal spell.
In addition to magic, Ursula possesses an astonishing physical and acrobatic ability that is augmented by her magic. She can execute kicks that can break stone and can also walk on walls.
Shiny Rod
A powerful magical artifact that has amazing unknown abilities and responds to the heart of its owner. She can transform it into a broom, as well as into a bow and create an arrow from thin air. Also, can increase the power of spells when used.
Broom
She has a straw broom with a crescent moon-like design in one end.
Voice actors
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Quotes
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—Shiny Chariot, Little Witch Academia | ||
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—Shiny Chariot, Little Witch Academia | ||
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—Ursula, Little Witch Academia (movie) | ||
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—Ursula to Akko, Don't Stop Me Now | ||
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—Ursula, Orange Submariner | ||
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—Ursula, Orange Submariner | ||
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—Ursula, Blue Moon | ||
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—Ursula, What You Will | ||
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—Ursula, Chariot of Fire | ||
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—Chariot, Chariot of Fire | ||
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—Chariot, Chariot of Fire | ||
Etymology
- "Ursula" means "little bear", derived from a diminutive form of the Latin word "ursa" (she-bear).[2]
- As the show has so many connections with the Ursa minor/major (differs in the series and the movie) constellation, it is possible that this is where her name comes from. The Ursa minor/major is also called the Chariot in a lot of cultures which makes a connection between her names, the shiny rod, and the words of Arcturus.
- "Callistis" might come from the Greek "Kaliste", meaning "For the fairest,"[3] or from the brand name "Callisti", originating from the same word.
- "Chariot du Nord" literally means "Northern Chariot" in French, possibly referring to the constellation Ursa Major.
Trivia
- In the Brazilian and Latin American dubs of the first OVA, Ursula and Shiny Chariot have different voice actresses. This could be due to the producers of the dub not realizing that they are indeed the same person. As Shiny Chariot has no speaking lines in The Enchanted Parade, it's currently unknown if the mistake was noticed and fixed.
- Shiny Chariot shares some visual resemblance with Tabasa/Tessa, a Master level witch from Capcom's fighting game "Warzard/Red Earth".
- Ursula represses her magical abilities significantly to stay undercover. When she casts powerful magic her hair reverts to its natural red.
Gallery
- For more images related to Ursula Callistis, see the file category: Category:Images of Ursula Callistis.
Official art
Screen captures
Adult
Shiny Chariot
Young
Animated gifs
