Magikano

Magikano
Magikano logo
マジカノ
Genre	Magical girl, Romantic comedy, Harem
Manga
Written by	Takeaki Momose
Published by	Kodansha
Demographic	Seinen
Magazine	Magazine Z
Original run	April 2003 – April 2008
Volumes	10
TV anime
Directed by	Seiji Kishi
Written by	Hideki Mitsui
Studio	Tokyo Kids
Licensed by	Funimation
Network	Chiba TV, TV Saitama, tvk, AT-X, Animax
English network	Anime Network
Original run	January 3, 2006 – March 28, 2006
Episodes	13
Anime and Manga Portal

Magikano (マジカノ, Majikano^?) is a manga series by Takeaki Momose, which was later adapted into an anime series, directed by Seiji Kishi and written by Hideki Mitsui.

The anime series was also broadcast by Animax, who adapted and dubbed the series into English for broadcast across its English language networks in Southeast Asia and South Asia from February 2007, where the series received its English language premiere.

ADV Films has licensed the rights for the North American release of Magikano on DVD, and released the first volume on December 4, 2007.^[1] ADV Films' Anime Network began airing the anime on January 3, 2008 on their Subscription On Demand platform.^[2] On March 6, 2008 the anime began airing on their Free On Demand platform. In July 2008, the series became one of over 30 ADV titles to be transferred to Funimation.^[3]

Plot

Ayumi Mamiya is a witch cursed to lose her powers but there is one boy who can break the spell and save her. Haruo Yoshikawa thinks he is a normal boy but unknown to him his three sisters are witches who use their magical powers to keep him protected and ignorant about the existence of magic. Now Ayumi must wake up Haruo's latent powers to save herself but his sisters will have none of that.

Characters

Haruo Yoshikawa (吉川春生, Yoshikawa Haruo^?)

Voiced by: Mitsuhiro Ichiki (Japanese), Clint Bickham (English)

Haruo is the leading male of the series, an average junior high school boy who has a perfect attendance record at school and doesn't have any long-term prospects, aside from living a long life. He lives with his three sisters, and has no idea any of them are mahoutsukai (magic users). Haruo, himself, supposedly has latent magic powers, but he is not aware of this, believing he and his family are perfectly ordinary. Maika and his other sisters make sure Haruo is kept in the dark about the fact that they can use magic through liberal application of magic memory erasing hammers (no less than three hammers simultaneously at times). He seems somewhat naive, and always in the dark about the feelings of people (mainly women who like him) around him. However, he cares about the well being of others. Haruo is in his third year of junior high school (grade 9), in classroom B. In the last episode, Haruo is revealed to be an avatar, or incarnation of the Demon Lord/Maoh. "Haru" means "spring" in Japanese, as he is the oldest in his family.

Ayumi Mamiya (魔宮あゆみ, Mamiya Ayumi^?)

Voiced by: Sakura Nogawa (Japanese), Jessica Boone (English)

Ayumi Mamiya is a young witch who was cursed during her childhood. The only one who could lift this curse is Haruo Yoshikawa, which forces her to study at the same school and move into the Yoshikawa residence as the maid. For most of the series, Ayumi tries to seduce Haruo and "make him a man", by flirting and casting spells. Because of this, she and Maika constantly get into arguments and fights - which Ayumi inevitably loses. She claims that her curse is the reason for her seduction attempts, although it is revealed that she truly loves him in the last episode. Ayumi Mamiya is a very determined, humorous, and strange-hearted girl, but can be heart-warming as well.

Maika Yoshikawa (吉川舞夏, Yoshikawa Maika^?)

Voiced by: Mai Nakahara (Japanese), Kira Vincent-Davis (English)

Maika is the oldest sister of the Yoshikawa family. She can use magic, and loves cooking for her brother and sisters. She has long lilac-coloured hair, often tied back with green ribbons. She is very protective of her brother Haruo, and was immediately suspicious of Ayumi's intentions (which were justified). The others often accuse her of having a brother complex, Hints of this occurs as she tries to get closer to him and even comments on how "Hot" he is. As a toddler she subliminally brainwashed Haruo in his sleep by chanting "Big Brother and Maika together forever" repeatedly, and her usually caring and ladylike-personality is replaced by a possessive jealousy whenever any female tries to seduce her brother. She is even able to transform into a green-skinned demon when she becomes especially jealous. "Ka" means "summer" in Japanese, as she is the second oldest in the Yoshikawa family.

Chiaki Yoshikawa (吉川千秋, Yoshikawa Chiaki^?)

Voiced by: Kanako Sakai (Japanese), Luci Christian (English)

Chiaki is the middle sister of the Yoshikawa family. She can also use magic, and loves working out and eating food. She has long, violet hair, often tied back with a red ribbon. Clueless, honest, sincere, and completely without guile and malice. "Aki" means "Autumn" in Japanese, as she is the third born in her family.

Fuyuno Yoshikawa (吉川冬乃, Yoshikawa Fuyuno^?)

Voiced by: Tomoko Kaneda (Japanese), Hilary Haag (English)

Fuyuno is the youngest sister of the Yoshikawa family. She can also use magic, and she loves just about anything that involves making money(Her fantasy having her swim in oodles of cash.).This is a subject that makes her adopt the demeanor (and voice) of a Scrooge-like miser. Many times she comes up with excuses for the strange events which occur to non-magic people, and is fantastic at problem solving. She has short periwinkle hair with a yellow and black ribbon. "Fuyu" means "winter" in Japanese, as she is the youngest in her family.

Hajime Hario (針生ハジメ, Hario Hajime^?)

Voiced by: Katsuhiro Harasawa (Japanese), Greg Ayres (English)

A friend of Haruo's from his class. Hajime Hario is generally loud and outspoken, and is always on the lookout for girls. The sound of a rooster call typically follows him due to his red hair and mohawk giving him a rooster-like appearance, but only in the anime. Hajime is one of the two members of the "Supernatural Science Club", and thus is constantly showing up when incidents mainly caused by the witches occur. Because of this, he and Sora are frequent victims of the memory loss hammers.

Sora Fujiwara (藤原宇宙, Fujiwara Sora^?)

Voiced by: Sachie Abe

Another friend of Haruo's from his class at school, Sora is a boy with glasses who has no dialogue and speaks by taking pictures. But, somehow others (especially Hajime) knows what hes saying. He is always seen with his camera. In the original manga, Sora did not wear glasses and talked. Sora is one of the two members of the "Supernatural Science Club".

Yuri Kurosu (黒須ゆり, Kurosu Yuri^?)

Voiced by: Noriko Namiki (Japanese), Carli Mosier (English)

Yuri is the school's #1 idol as the student council president, but she gets some unwelcome competition when Ayumi transfers in. She met Haruo when she was a little girl, and instantly fell in love. She even made a bento for Haruo, only to be thwarted by Maika. Her hair changes colour (black to blue/silver) when she uses her battle magic, and instead of a broom/wand she has a large sword she rides like a surfboard. Yuri is still in love with Haruo, and is constantly having indecent dreams about him, and gets irrationally angry when Ayumi is with him. As an excuse to see him she often says that Ayumi's behaviour is "Against School Policy" and as the Student President she must see that all rules are followed.Her name yuri is actually a pun on the genre as many of the females girls have the hots for her including the vice president. Hajime even came up with a fantasy fetish that involved her and Ayumi about to kiss. She as also subdued when Ayumi flashed her "Cursed panties." Which turned her unbridled rage toward her to become lust temporarily. In one episode she quotes Wayne brady's famous phrase from the Chapelle's show saying "That Yuri was gonna have to choke a bitch."

Marin Nijihara (虹原真鈴, Nijihara Marin^?)

Voiced by: Haruko Momoi (Japanese), Hannah Alcorn (English)

A Catholic witch hunter who thinks that Haruo was sent from heaven and needs protection from witches (especially Ayumi). She works with Ayumi, Yuri, and/or Maika when she feels that they have a common cause. Marin is an incompetent and clumsy fool who injures herself more in her attacks than any of the "evil-witches" that she so adamantly hunts. It's unclear whether Marin has deeper feelings for Haruo, or if she just admires him for what she calls "keeping away evil witches". A hint is this was when she fantasized about her and Haruo beating the Yoshikawa sisters together. Marin has never purified any other witches (if you don't count the witch she purified in Michiru's world). In one episode just like Yuri her hatred for Ayumi was turned into lust when Ayumi flashed her cursed panties as well.

Rika Anju (杏樹リカ, Anju Rika^?)

Voiced by: Nana Inoue (Japanese), Tiffany Grant (English)

An enigmatic maid sent by Ayumi's father into the service of the Yoshikawa household, apparently to collect data. An effective maid, she is taciturn and quite able to cause trouble and thwart Ayumi's attempts to seduce Haruo. Her seeming obliviousness to the present conceals a calculating cunning that rivals even Fuyuno's. It is later revealed that she is an artificially-created human. The sound of a cymbal solo - A short musical quotation from The Terminator - follows her as she goes into action.

Michiru Mamiya (魔宮みちる, Mamiya Michiru^?)

Voiced by: Natsuko Kuwatani (Japanese), Monica Rial (English)

Ayumi's younger sister, who is determined to stop Ayumi from breaking her curse and one day becoming head of the Mamiya family. She knows that Haruo's powers extend far beyond the ability to break Ayumi's curse and she intends to use that power to take over the world. Michiru is unbelievably powerful and extremely malevolent. Her powers are able to surpass all of the girls magic when they chased her the first time when she took Haruo during the play. Haruo woke up thinking they were dead. Outraged, the demon lords power took over Haruo and easily overwhelmed Michiru.

Tetsuko Hongō (本郷哲子, Hongō Tetsuko^?)

Voiced by: Noriko Rikimaru (Japanese), Christine Auten (English)

Haruo's class teacher, who seems to always be nearby whenever something strange happens. She also always seems to know whats happening. It is later revealed that she is an artificially-created human immune to certain kinds of magic.

Media

Anime

Episodes list

#	Title	Original air date
1	"Is She Really a Magical Girl?" "Kanojo ga majotte, maji desuka?" (彼女が魔女って、マジですか?)	January 3, 2006
Haruo sees Ayumi on the street and believes her to be a ghost when she mysteriously disappears. The next day at school, Ayumi is revealed to be a new transfer student to Haruo's homeroom. Ayumi gets picked on by two high school boys but eventually deals with them using her magic revealing herself to be a witch to Haruo's sisters. Believing himself to be the one who dealt with them, Haruo goes home to find Ayumi asleep on his couch. Ayumi is now a maid to Haruo and his sisters but uses her position to attempt to seduce Haruo through potions. The truth about her curse is discovered and she is allowed to stay with Yoshikawa family for the time being.
2	"Is The Student Council Head Really a Magical Girl?" "Seitokaichou mo majotte, maji desuka?" (生徒会長も魔女ってマジですか?)	January 10, 2006
Student council president Yuri Kurosu is displeased by the growing demoralization of the actions of the boys in the school due to the "cuteness" and idolization of Ayumi. Attempting to improve the situation, Yuri decides to become an even more outgoing role model to the students in hopes of giving Ayumi competition and eventually deflating the idolization of her. The competition between the two eventually leads to a fashion competition that's turned the school into a festival-like event. With neither wanting to lose, they both start using their magic and turn the whole event into one big chaotic mess.
3	"Are They Really a Pair of Dangerous Siblings?" "Kiken na kyodaitte maji desuka?" (危険な兄妹ってマジですか?)	January 17, 2006
4	"Was it Really Stolen?" "Musumaretatte maji desuka?" (盗まれたってマジですか?)	January 24, 2006
5	"Is She Really a Witch Hunter?" "Uicchi Hantaa tte maji desuka?" (ウィッチハンターってマジですか?)	January 31, 2006
6	"Did a Ghost Really Show Up?" "Yuurei ga detatte maji desuka?" (幽霊が出たってマジですか?)	February 7, 2006
7	"Did a Maid Really Come?" "Maid ga kitatte maji desuka?" (メイドが来たってマジですか?)	February 15, 2006
8	"Was it Really a Winner's Kiss?" "Shouri no kisutte maji desuka?" (勝利のキスってマジですか?)	February 21, 2006
9	"Is He Really a Sleeping Prince?" "Nemureru oujitte maji desuka?" (眠れる王子ってマジですか?)	February 28, 2006
10	"Are They Really Cursed Cat Panties?" "Noroi no neko pantsutte maji desuka?" (呪いの猫パンツってマジですか?)	March 7, 2006
11	"Was it Really a Holy Night?" "Seinaru yorutte maji desuka?" (聖なる夜ってマジですか?)	March 14, 2006
12	"Is it Really the Time of Awakening?" "Mezame no tokitte maji desuka?" (目覚めの刻ってマジですか?)	March 21, 2006
13	"Is it Really the Last Episode?" "Saishuukaitte maji desuka?" (最終回ってマジですか?)	March 28, 2006

Manga

Reception

"For a romantic comedy, Magikano has precious little romance. Or comedy for that matter. Indeed, with a third of the series already over by the close of this volume, it seems devoid of any ambition at all beyond testing how far sheer hyperactivity can be taken before viewers begin using their DVDs as doggy chew-toys." — Carl Kimlinger, Anime News Network.^[4] "Magikano has potential based on what's here so I'm curious as to how the two remaining volumes will play out but I'm just expecting more light and silly fun with no real meat to it." — Chris Beveridge, Mania.^[5] "Magikano has racy girls with magical means with more comedy and twists that harem fans can imaigne!" — Holly Ellingwood, activeAnime.^[6] "This is a collection of gags in search of a plotline, and when it finally does find a story to tell, the change in tone is so abrupt that you end up wishing it had stayed pointless and stupid." — Carlo Santos, Anime News Network.^[7]

References

1. ^ "Magikano". Anime on DVD. http://www.animeondvd.com/reviews2/disc_reviews/6882.php. Retrieved 2007-12-15. 
2. ^ "ANIME NETWORK ANNOUNCES FOUR NEW Anime SERIES PREMIERING IN JANUARY". Anime Network. Archived from the original on 2008-02-28. http://web.archive.org/web/20080228061140/http://www.theanimenetwork.com/news.php?selectNewsID=142. Retrieved 2008-03-17. 
3. ^ "Sojitz's ARM Corporation Transfers Rights to More Than 30 Titles". Funimation. Archived from the original on 2008-07-10. http://web.archive.org/web/20080710210605/www.funimation.com/f_index.cfm?page=news&id=455. Retrieved 2008-07-10. 
4. ^ Kimlinger, Carl (April 10, 2008). "Magikano DVD 1- A New Witch in Town". Anime News Network. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/magikano/dvd-1. Retrieved February 13, 2011. 
5. ^ Beveridge, Chris (November 22, 2007). "Magikano Vol. #1". Mania. http://www.mania.com/magikano-vol-1_article_79888.html. Retrieved February 13, 2011. 
6. ^ Ellingwood, Holly (March 4, 2008). "Magikano Vol. 2: Witch Hunt". activeAnime. http://activeanime.com/html/2008/03/04/magikano-vol-2-witch-hunt/. Retrieved February 13, 2011. 
7. ^ Santos, Carlo (November 11, 2009). "Magikano DVD - Series Seet". Anime News Network. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/magikano/dvd-series-set. Retrieved February 13, 2011. 

External links

• Magikano (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• Magikano at Funimation