It’s not that much of a reach to suggest that LAIKA’s many vibrant characters could find themselves at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the world of Harry Potter. From zombies to legends, witchcraft to strange creatures, there’s plenty of magic in Coraline, Paranorman and Kubo and the Two Strings to go around, and many of the adventures LAIKA protagonists find themselves on aren’t far removed from the exploits of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
Villains like the Beldam and sidekicks like Neil would also have their place among the Hogwarts Houses, remaining some of the most interesting characters in the Hogwarts/LAIKA mashup world.
Coraline: Gryffindor
Having braved everything from a grubby other father to an other mother with buttons for eyes, is it any wonder that Coraline, who learned to be brave, tricky and wise in order to save her parents and the ghost children, would find herself in Gryffindor House?
Resourceful and sharp, Coraline would be able to slip into any adventure the Hogwarts trio might find themselves in with ease, proving to be an asset to the team. She even has the trademark pet peeve of a Gryffindor: she hates to be bored, which can often lead to trouble. She’s even sort of got her own familiar to take to Hogwarts in the nameless cat.
Norman: Hufflepuff
Like Coraline, Norman of Paranorman fame is a brave kid, but that’s not his defining feature. His ability to care for someone who isn’t like anyone else and desire to save his town despite the danger it puts him in makes him a Hufflepuff. Norman can put himself in another’s shoes and empathizes with Agatha, not only because he knows what it’s like to be ostracized but because he’s got such a good heart.
Norman knows he’ll be yelled at, for example, but the comfort of his grandmother means so much to him that he still mentions her need to change the thermostat to his parents.
The Other Mother: Slytherin
Just as obvious as Coraline’s inclusion into the Gryffindor House is, so is the Other Mother’s presence in the Slytherin common room. She would fit right in, slinking around, making webs and stealing souls and offering buttons as eyes.
Also known as the beldam, the other mother isn’t even human, but that certainly wouldn’t stop her from attempting to enroll at Hogwarts as a student, or even creating her own flatter version of Hogwarts, complete with a Forbidden Forest that fades into nothing as you attempt to travel more deeply into it. Forget delivering Umbridge to the centaurs, though; they won’t be there.
Kubo: Ravenclaw
Using your origami and storytelling skills to support your family while your mother is impaired and unable to provide for you takes incredible skill and intelligence, as does embarking upon a quest to not only save yourself but your entire family.
During Kubo’s journey the young man continuously demonstrates the wit and creativity of a Ravenclaw as he quickly finds new solutions to problems as they arise. Although he’s got plenty of bravery, determination and loyalty within him to land himself in just about any other house, not to mention the occasional mischievousness of a Weasley twin, Kubo’s cleverness and creativity are his strongest traits.
Courtney: Slytherin
Norman’s sister Courtney is a Slytherin, but that’s a very good thing. She knows just how to manipulate the crowd to get them on her brother’s side when all the mob wants to do is take the poor kid out along with the zombies.
She’s always looking out for number one, from the moment she loses Norman to the second she sees Mitch’s abs, but she also cares deeply about her family, which is a common Slytherin trait, even in a stop-motion movie. She’s not even so much a bully as a typical annoyed teen sister who happens to have the strangest little brother in town, and in the end she stands by him no matter what.
Sariatu: Gryffindor
Kubo’s mother is an incredibly brave character, not only as a single mother or a former supernatural being who chose love and Earth over her abusive family but as an injured woman with a disability who relies on her son to support her.
Sariatu knows that she will be giving her life when she uses her magic one final time to protect Kubo and transfer what’s left of herself into a monkey figurine and does it anyway, knowing she has to give her kid his best chance at life. Sariatu is bold, decisive and a born leader, both inspiring and heartbreaking at once, much like any other Gryffindor.
Winnie Portley-Rind: Slytherin
Like every other LAIKA animated film, Boxtrolls offered surprising twists and complex characters, including one Winnie Portley-Rind. Bossy and self-assured, Winnie embodied many a male protagonist we’ve seen over the years but in a little girl, which was refreshing even as it was occasionally annoying. If you want her help, you have to do EXACTLY as she says.
Winnie ultimately just wants attention from her neglectful parents, as well as some adventure in her privileged life, and she’s not afraid to break the rules to get it. She tosses her father’s beloved hat into the mud out of spite and slyly talks her way out of trouble, very much like a Slytherin.
Fish: Hufflepuff
The adoptive father of Eggs, Fish is a loving Hufflepuff who, like the other boxtrolls, is fearful of the surface world, or at least its inhabitants. He is willing to push past that fear for his son, but it’s his loyalty and love, and not bravery, to blame.
Fish, an inventor, definitely has some Ravenclaw tendencies, and he might seem like a Gryffindor at the end when he changes his policy from hiding to confronting the dangers that threaten his family in order to ensure their safety, but both stem from his staunch dedication to the rest of the trolls and, of course, Eggs.
Beetle: Gryffindor
When Kubo’s mother fell hard for Hanzo, the samurai chieftain she’d been sent to battle, it was partly due to his match for her in his courage and battle abilities. Even when reduced to nothing more than Beetle, Hanzo remains a classic Gryffindor, charging in first without pausing to ask questions or consider the consequences and constantly ready to prove himself worthy of his “master,” who was actually himself.
That’s symbolic in its own right, as a Gryffindor like Hermione sees her best competition as herself. To his demise, Hanzo is all about protecting Kubo with complete disregard for his own personal safety.
Neil: Hufflepuff
Norman’s trusty new best friend, Neil is adorably imperfect yet able to remain positive and hopeful in his realism. He knows his lot in life, between his IBS and his stature, but he certainly doesn’t let that keep him down, and his enthusiasm is catching. He’s the heart and soul of Norman’s little Halloween night group, and the only one unwilling to abandon Norman when he needs support the most.
Neil is tenacious in his desire to be Norman’s friend, and his friendliness and loyalty are his strongest qualities by far. Even when being bullied, Neil looks on the bright side and ventures that he might be a bully had he been born differently.
