Smile of the Arsnotoria the Animation presents a brief but sweet CGDCT-fantasy anime dressed in intriguing mythology and worldbuilding. The show's unforgiving "show just a little and tell almost nothing"-approach is sure to drop impatient viewers quickly, but I personally found its unhurried subtlety a definite strong point instead of a flaw. Arsnotoria doesn't overexplain itself, or expect you to care about its inner mechanics, but there are a great many things below the surface an observant viewer can deduce from the presentation.
The magical academy of Ashram is something of a midway point between Heaven and earth, evoking strong aesthetic vibes from Ghibli movies like 'Howl's Moving Castle' or 'Spirited Away'. Shinichirou Ootsuka's beautifully designed characters pull you easily along to explore the setting in their company, or to enjoy a soothing tea time with high-class English snacks. Chivalrous Abramelin, ladylike Picatrix, peppy Mell, sleepy Little Alberta, and the so-cute-I'm-gonna-die title character, Arsnotoria—the cast members are all charming and their casual exchanges amusing. I made it a habit to watch an episode or two before going to bed at night and slept like a baby with a huge smile on my face.
Every now and then the show cuts in scenes of the often violent exploits of the enigmatic Monastic Knighthood of Canterbury in their hunt for heretics. The stark contrast between the fluffy slice of life moments and the random flashes of Dark Souls-esque carnage is eerie as hell and keeps you on the edge of your seat even while marmalade is put on scones.
What does it all mean? What is going to happen?
I'll spoil you now: not much. Smile of the Arsnotoria the Animation was made to promote a mobile game of the same name. As such, it does its job better than most other game adaptations: it actually inspires interest in the source material. Unfortunately, the game has by now ended service. The events of the anime will be forever left without full context. But that's fine. If anything, it only increases the value of the show. Not all questions need to have answers. It's often better to leave it up to imagination.
Looking at the abysmal rating this show has on MAL, you'd expect an absolute garbage fire. Do not be daunted! You're looking at a small but bright gem hidden under a lot of misguided opinions, definitely worth experiencing at least once.
