Magical Play

Magical Play
魔法遊戯 (Mahō Yûgi)
Genre	Comedy, Magical girl
Original net animation
Directed by	Hiroki Hayashi
Studio	Magicaland Magic Union AIC
Licensed by	ADV Films
Released	November 16, 2001 – May 3, 2002
Episodes	24
Original video animation
Magical Play 3D
Directed by	Hiroki Hayashi
Studio	AIC
Released	December 29, 2001
Anime and Manga Portal

Magical Play (魔法遊戯 飛び出す!! ハナマル大冒険, Mahō Yūgi Tobidasu!! Hanamaru Daihōken^?) is an original net animation featuring character designs by Kiyohiko Azuma. It was webcast from November 16, 2001 to May 3, 2002, totaling twenty-two episodes. The magical girl satire was later compiled into four half hour episodes and released on four DVDs. A 3D OVA episode was released on December 29, 2001.

There are two manga adopting this series. One is drawn by Yoshitaka Yoshino, and the other is by Yukimaru Katsura.

ADV Films announced the licensing of the show on April 7, 2003 and has released a two disc DVD "complete" set.

Plot

Padudu is a young girl who travels to Sweetland, from her own land, Sea Heaven. Once there, she competes with many others, in ranging from winning simple contests to fights. These earn them 'Hanamaru', which are simple designs from a stamp, and when enough are collected, the girl will get the right to become a Magical Girl on earth.

Story

The story begins with Padudu, a young girl from the aquatic land Sea Heaven, who has been traveling trying to collect Hanamaru. She unwillingly interrupts a fight between two other girls, one being dressed in the likeness of a rabbit. Padudu ends up falling on the rabbit girl's opponent, thus making the audience believe Padudu has won the match. This angers the rabbit girl, and when Padudu is awarded the Hanamaru, she, named Pipin, declares Padudu her 'life-long rival'. Although at first she seems to hate Padudu for 'stealing' her Hanamaru, over time, they develop a good relationship.

As Padudu and Pipin travel together, they meet an older girl, who is also trying to become a Magical Girl, and has already collected many Hanamaru. Her name is MyuMyu, and she eventually joins the duo.

Every once in a while, they meet Nonononn, a criminal who is on the run, and it is revealed she is also from Sea Heaven. They are usually intrigued by her presence, but Padudu wants to be friends with her. Unlike the others, she does not join the group, and continues on her own. It's also revealed she also used to travel with Queen Purilun, and they both tried together to become Magical Girls, but at one point, they took separate paths. A running gag is that it is usually Nononnon's fault for getting Padudu arrested by Ketchup and Mustard.

Over time, as they go on getting Hanamaru, Padudu is captured and taken to jail by Ketchup and Mustard, and coincidently, Nonononn is her cell mate. The keeper of the jail, Cofy, beckons them to fight her, and her 'sister' panther, Panpan. Nononnon and Padudu end up killing Panpan, and Cofy is stunned. Afterwards, Purilun is shown looking over her city, and the show is left hanging.

Major characters

Padudu, Pipin and Myumyu

Padudu

Padudu (パドドゥ^?) is a 12 year old girl from Sea Heaven who is slightly dimwitted. She is on a quest to become a magical girl on Earth. Her companion, Uokichi, is a fish she wears as a cloak and uses as a food supply. Voiced by: Ai Tokunaga (Japanese), Larissa Wolcott (English)

MyuMyu

MyuMyu (ミュミュ^?) is a manipulative girl who wants to use the status of magical girl as a stepping stone to becoming queen of Sweetland. She fools Padudu into believing she is sweet and innocent. Her companions are two flat cats - Lyka and Akyl - who she wears as a bathing suit. Voiced by: Kazusa Murai (Japanese), Leigh Anderson Fisher (English)

Pipin

Pipin (ピピン^?) is Padudu's "lifelong rival". Pipin is an obsessive girl who is also trying to become Earth's next magical girl. She wears a bunny girl costume and her companion is a rabbit she wears as a backpack. Voiced by: Ryōka Shima (Japanese), Samantha Inoue-Harte (English)

Nonononn

Nonononn (ノノノン^?) is Sweetland's most wanted criminal. She was betrayed by Queen Purilun while the two traveled together to become magical girls. Originally from Sea Heaven, her companion is a hammerhead shark who is rarely seen in the anime. She spent some time living in Japan with a middle class family during the 1960s, yet only appears to be about ten or fifteen years older than she appeared then. For this reason one can assume that either time passes more slowly in Sweetland than on Earth, or that the people of Sweetland age more slowly.

Voiced by: Tomo Saeki (Japanese), Katherine Catmull (English)

Queen Purilun

Purilun (プリルン^?) is the Queen of Sweetland. Much like Myumyu, she acts nice and caring in the public eye but behind the scenes, she is manipulative and cruel. Like Nonononn, she also spent time living in Japan during the 1960s, but in her case with a rich family. Voiced by: Yūko Minaguchi (Japanese), Cristina Kimlicko-Jones (English)

Zucchini

Zucchini (ズッキーニ^?) is Queen Purilun's lackey. He is sent to spy on and dispose of Myumyu and Nonononn. However, whenever he tries anything, he is invariably foiled by Myumyu's breasts and his own incompetence. Voiced by: Yumiko Kobayashi (Japanese), John Minnich (English)

Ketchup & Mustard

Ketchup (ケチャップ^?) and Mustard (マスタード^?) are part of the Dance Valley Police Station, Sweetland's police force. They spend most of their time chasing Nonononn and falsely arresting Padudu. Ketchup is one rank higher than Mustard.

Mustard is Voiced by: Nanae Katou (Japanese), Lana Lesley (English)

Ketchup is Voiced by: Ryoko Nagata (Japanese), Shawn Sides (English)

External links

• AIC English site
• AnimeonDVD Review
• Magical Play (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia