This Week in Anime
A Magical Season
by Christopher Farris & Steve Jones,
Chris and Steve explore this season's magical girl offerings while threatening to recategorize the whole genre. It's a magical free-for-all, from Minky Momo to Acro Trip!
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.
Spoiler Warning for discussion of the series ahead.
Acro Trip, The Stories of Girls Who Couldn't Be Magicians, Wonderful Precure!, Train to the End of the World, and Minky Momo are currently available on Crunchyroll. Gushing Over Magical Girls is available on HIDIVE. Little Witch Academia is streaming on Netflix, and Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc. is available on Amazon.
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Chris
Steve, I love getting paid to snark about anime online as much as the next guy, but the way things are going, it might be time to start thinking about a career change into what the more stuffy in society would consider a "real job."
The good news is, apparently being a magical girl is a real job now.
Steve, I love getting paid to snark about anime online as much as the next guy, but the way things are going, it might be time to start thinking about a career change into what the more stuffy in society would consider a "real job."
The good news is, apparently being a magical girl is a real job now.
Steve
And a job simply does not get more real than an employee complaining about a software update ruining their whole workflow.
Hi, I'm the employee. Please stop doing this to us.
And a job simply does not get more real than an employee complaining about a software update ruining their whole workflow.
Hi, I'm the employee. Please stop doing this to us.
We've always said we want more adult anime characters we can relate to, and it seems that mainly encompasses workers grappling with productivity software.
Forget any dark, Madoka-esque subversions. It turns out the cruelest thing you can do to magical girls is contract them to figure out how to use Microsoft Teams.
Forget any dark, Madoka-esque subversions. It turns out the cruelest thing you can do to magical girls is contract them to figure out how to use Microsoft Teams.
There's a nice smattering of magical girl options to enjoy this season, but Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc. feels the most refreshing to me specifically, mostly due to the same point you just made. The "magical girls for adults" genre has long been dominated by anime aimed at teenagers. Meanwhile, Magilumiere is written for people who have bills to pay.
Bills to pay and anime figures to spend the rest of the paycheck on. I've never felt so seen.
Magilumiere was one of this serendipitous seasonal selections of anime about magical girls that was most visible on my radar. Mostly on account of several mutuals I have who'd talked up the manga, but also because "magical girls as grown-up nine-to-fivers" is such a winning concept.
Magilumiere was one of this serendipitous seasonal selections of anime about magical girls that was most visible on my radar. Mostly on account of several mutuals I have who'd talked up the manga, but also because "magical girls as grown-up nine-to-fivers" is such a winning concept.
It is! And I especially like how the writing finds humor in turning the sparkly dreams of young girls everywhere into the mundane realities of the working world. Heck, some of my favorite moments in the premiere have nothing to do with magic. The pain of the job application process is the true Monster of the Week (and it's rarely just one monster).
Magilumiere is realistic but isn't dedicated to being a downer. Thus far, I've appreciated it finding a balance between indicating that the magical girl business can be a monotonous slog for some of those in the bigger companies while the girls of the titular startup company are finding things a bit more rewarding and meaningful.
Not that you should trust startups to be your cool friends when you work for them, but here in Fictionland, it works well.
Not that you should trust startups to be your cool friends when you work for them, but here in Fictionland, it works well.
And to be fair, their startup isn't of the Silicon Valley ilk with a ping pong table in the rec room and "unlimited" vacation days you can't actually use. This is more like those small Japanese businesses where you push some desks together in the middle of a singular room and file for an LLC.
It's very scrappily earnest, and if the company President's dedication to the dress is any indication, he's truly in this business for the love of the game.
A good manager always puts themselves in their employees' shoes.
Turning magical girls into a compensated profession really lets the series roll with the idea that "anyone can be a magical girl" so long as they've got the chops to qualify for the job. I'm grateful for that as a theme, and also for letting us enjoy the antics of the company's delinquent-style magical girl Koshigaya who, not to put too fine a point on it, rules.
One glimpse of her red tracksuit and prominent undyed roots was all I needed to fall in love with her character. I think the youth are calling this "aura" nowadays? She's giving aura.
I like, too, that her magical girl outfit is very uniform-coded. Like, you can still identify that she's a magical girl, but she also looks like she has a job. It's fitting.
I like, too, that her magical girl outfit is very uniform-coded. Like, you can still identify that she's a magical girl, but she also looks like she has a job. It's fitting.
It's all very carefully considered within the series' uniquely afforded worldbuilding, alongside other aspects: the mechanical BROOM with the little custom stickers all over it, the employee-badge-lanyard transformation items; it's smart.
I like it all because Magilumiere seems to be going for an aspect that Nicky and I touched on when we discussed "grown-up" magical girls earlier this year: the idea that these series can mature their casts and take on the material without immediately catapulting into the crass or cynical.
I like it all because Magilumiere seems to be going for an aspect that Nicky and I touched on when we discussed "grown-up" magical girls earlier this year: the idea that these series can mature their casts and take on the material without immediately catapulting into the crass or cynical.
The magical girl genre has been around for at least four decades (or longer, depending on how you define it), so there's a lot out there. Far more than I've been able to watch and digest. But a good chunk of the genre has been suffering, for lack of a better phrase, a Madoka hangover for the past ten years or so. And I think we're only just now getting over it.
I don't even dislike all of the Madoka-likes out there (regular reminder: watch Granbelm), but it definitely got tiresome to see that well returned to so often for so long. Thankfully, as you said, it feels like there's been more branching out in the last few years. Precure went and did an aged-up spin-off with a hopeful tone, while this season's Magilumiere, as well as Acro Trip, show how subverting the genre can be done in a way that's more cheeky and fun, rather than cruel and tragic.
Oh yeah, I don't even mean any shade towards Madoka itself, whose upcoming film I will absolutely be seated for. (#HomuraDidNothingWrong.) But those coattails have been well and truly chased to death. And to that end, I like how much Acro Trip feels like a goofy story aimed at little girls. I mean, the manga is published in Ribon, so that isn't surprising, but it's still a welcome wafting of earnestness.
Acro Trip is very dedicatedly to the fandom for magical girls by that young girl audience—which can make it ring just a little oddly given its plot's structural similarity to another show we might end up discussing. But as what is ostensibly a magical girl sitcom, I respect this one for knowing precisely what it's about.
And what it's about is plumbing the darkest depths of supervillainy.
Seriously, I so appreciate that Acro Trip remembers that the majority of magical girl villains are huge weirdos. Just look back at the Sailor Moon anime. Half the time, the bad guys are there to facilitate slapstick. That's how it should be.
Seriously, I so appreciate that Acro Trip remembers that the majority of magical girl villains are huge weirdos. Just look back at the Sailor Moon anime. Half the time, the bad guys are there to facilitate slapstick. That's how it should be.
It's a wonder Chrome didn't start with jaywalking before he so evilly escalated. At least he's honest with himself, unlike Date, who's still taking a while. You can tell Acro Trip's steeped in love for the genre because it understands those real roles for the villains, which also includes facilitating the magical girls being able to do all that appreciable ass-kicking in the first place. Probably out of love.
True, it does the heart good to see a protagonist who loves magical girls so wholly.
Ah, there it is. Who would've guessed we'd get at least two magical girl spoofs this same year about villains who discovered new sides of themselves?
Chrome and Utena ended up going in opposite directions, though.
Chrome and Utena ended up going in opposite directions, though.
Yeah, one is called TV-PG and the other is TV-MA.
It may not be from this season, but I think Gushing Over Magical Girls is definitely relevant to this discussion. As alluded to, its premise is effectively the same as Acro Trip's about a purple-haired magical girl fangirl getting drafted into villainy out of her love for the heroines.
Also, not for nothing, but after I was kinda dismissive of Gushing based on its first episode in that earlier column, a season of episode reviews later made me aware that the series does, in fact, go places.
Also, not for nothing, but after I was kinda dismissive of Gushing based on its first episode in that earlier column, a season of episode reviews later made me aware that the series does, in fact, go places.
The first description of Acro Trip I ever saw was "it's Gushing Over Magical Girls but wholesome." So naturally, to get the complete picture, I started watching Gushing in preparation for this column. I'm currently halfway through it, and, at the risk of discrediting everything I've written about magical girls up to this point, I have to say it's shaping up to be one of my favorite shows of the year.
It honestly sneaks up on you! The early pure porn 'n' fetish stuff starring middle schoolers can be, uh, a lot. But somewhere along the line it really figures out how to roll with the portrayal of its lead discovering her sadistic side and reconciling it with the rest of her life and relationships. To say nothing of clearly "getting" magical girls better than so many of those subversive Madoka imitators from over the years.
Seriously, it's excellently written. It engages with the genre conventions earnestly. It explores Utena's growing awareness of her sexuality and kinks with a composed frankness. Every character has a unique voice and personality that informs how the narrative progresses. There's consistent forward momentum. It's filled with great jokes. Even the smut is often hilarious. Like, as objectionable as it appears from the outside, Gushing's core is a good-natured romp through the many possible permutations of BDSM roleplay.
It's also got Kiwi, and wish only the best for this horrible little gremlin.
Also, the appropriately christened Magia Sulfur, has a lot more than brimstone flying out of her mouth.
As I recall observing in my reviews, crass, violent, blondes are clearly just one of this author's types. Fair play.
Now after all that, I don't know what it says about me that I found Gushing more engaging than Acro Trip has been so far, but the latter's only a few episodes in. And I am glad that there's a solid engagement with this spin on the magical girl concept that's accessible for kids and those who don't care for extreme BDSM content.
Now after all that, I don't know what it says about me that I found Gushing more engaging than Acro Trip has been so far, but the latter's only a few episodes in. And I am glad that there's a solid engagement with this spin on the magical girl concept that's accessible for kids and those who don't care for extreme BDSM content.
I think it's to both series' credit that there's no question what their target audiences are and that there's no overlap between them. Sickos like us can enjoy Gushing, and those with a functioning moral compass can laugh along with Acro Trip. Variety is good.
Though as far as the question of who the real villains are, there's the point that Acro Trip is funded by the Saudi government-owned MBC Group and the manga fandom's old nemesis, DJ Milky himself, Stu Levy.
Ah, well, nevertheless! I mean, I'm usually not one to put too much stock into who is funding what anime—no ethical consumption under capitalism and all that. But considering that you could use this information to argue for Gushing as the ethically superior magical girl series, I'll selfishly allow it in this case. Utena stays winning.
Of course, if you wish to protect your purity, there are other options you could go for as well. This season also delivers The Stories of Girls Who Couldn't Be Magicians, although, if you want to quibble, it's more of a "girls who are magical" anime than a magical girl one.
Of course, if you wish to protect your purity, there are other options you could go for as well. This season also delivers The Stories of Girls Who Couldn't Be Magicians, although, if you want to quibble, it's more of a "girls who are magical" anime than a magical girl one.
Yeah, I know this is a hair-splitting hill to die on for some fans, but this series at least fits in with the same spirits as the others airing this season. It's got a lead driven by her admiration for a magical heroine like Acro Trip, and a world where magic is a utilized, regulated technological system like in Magilumiere.
Hell, it's even got magical transforming people-dogs, like the currently airing Wonderful Precure!.
Hell, it's even got magical transforming people-dogs, like the currently airing Wonderful Precure!.
As an aside, the enduring presence/popularity of Precure is probably all the proof necessary to conclude that the magical girl genre doesn't need to be fixed, deconstructed, adulted, or what have you. Even Toei has finally started to relent and stream the series stateside. The Cures are all right.
I've been living for it, especially as they've continued to add more from the back catalog. Hoping that the dropping of Glitter Force from Netflix means there's a chance of my fave Doki Doki Precure leaping, but for now, I'm happy to have the weekly adventures of this dopey magical dog girl and her pals.
Back to Girls Who Couldn't Be Magicians though, this series is only slightly less action-packed than the pointedly non-violent Wonderful Precure!, but I have to say I'm pretty here for its vibes. It's not much for animation so far, but its style and colors are a consistent delight to look at.
Back to Girls Who Couldn't Be Magicians though, this series is only slightly less action-packed than the pointedly non-violent Wonderful Precure!, but I have to say I'm pretty here for its vibes. It's not much for animation so far, but its style and colors are a consistent delight to look at.
It succeeds big time at the storybook look. Beautiful watercolor backgrounds, distinctive character/creature designs, the pastel palette—it stands out from the crowd.
Also, can't forget the importance of a big floppy witch hat.
Also, can't forget the importance of a big floppy witch hat.
It's essential! And that frog familiar (frogmiliar) really ties the whole outfit together.
It's all why I think Stories of Girls is fairly assessed as playing in the same pools of appeal as "proper" magical girl anime, even as the plot is thus far a more low-key version of Little Witch Academia rather than anything to do with girls transforming and fighting monsters.
It's all why I think Stories of Girls is fairly assessed as playing in the same pools of appeal as "proper" magical girl anime, even as the plot is thus far a more low-key version of Little Witch Academia rather than anything to do with girls transforming and fighting monsters.
And like Little Witch Academia, it probably more accurately belongs to the magical boarding school phenomenon popularized by Harry Potter. But I'm in your camp. Vibes are important, and I'd even include LWA as a series with a similar appeal to the magical girl crowd. But I'm biased, because I think any anime with Sucy deserves to be seen by as many people as possible.
LWA at least has a couple of girls magically transforming into different outfits over its run. Also hey, more transforming animal people. Plus there is a whole Precure series that features a magic school that's getting an upcoming sequel if we want to keep tying these all together under current criteria.
What I'm saying is that if this means I can categorize The Owl House as a magical girl series, I'm all for opening up definitions.
What I'm saying is that if this means I can categorize The Owl House as a magical girl series, I'm all for opening up definitions.
We can do it. We can shake off the shackles of genre. You know what also features animal transformations, wardrobe changes, and strange monsters of the week? Train to the End of the World. That's a magical girl series now. We're remaking the rules.
The genre's been evolving and changing since its earliest proto-inceptions including Sally the Witch, and there were plenty of shifts even back in the day to argue that these girls work best when they're thoroughly freed from expectations.
It's been over four decades since Minky Momo died for our sins, after all.
It's been over four decades since Minky Momo died for our sins, after all.
Momo was hit by a truck and immediately reincarnated as a baby, which means, logically, we can trace isekai's roots back to magical girls as well.
You know what, perhaps we've gone too far.
You know what, perhaps we've gone too far.
The cycle of magical girl influences, like the work week, is eternal.
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