Magikano

Magikano (マジカノ, Majikano) is a Japanese 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.

Magikano
Cover of the first manga volume
マジカノ
Genre	Harem, magical girl, romantic comedy[1][2]
Manga
Written by	Takeaki Momose
Published by	Kodansha
Magazine	Monthly Magazine Z
Demographic	Seinen
Original run	April 2003 – May 2008
Volumes	10
Anime television series
Directed by	Seiji Kishi
Written by	Hideki Mitsui
Music by	Katsuyuki Harada
Studio	Tokyo Kids
Licensed by	^NA Funimation
Original network	Chiba TV, TV Saitama, tvk, AT-X
English network	^US Anime Network
Original run	January 3, 2006 – March 28, 2006
Episodes	13

ADV Films has licensed the rights for the North American release of Magikano on DVD,[3] and released the first volume on December 4, 2007.[4]

ADV Films' Anime Network began airing the anime on January 3, 2008 on their Subscription On Demand platform.[5] 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.[6]

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 an average junior high school boy who has a perfect attendance record at school and doesn't have any long-term goals aside from living a long life. He lives with his three sisters, and has no idea that they are mahoutsukai (magic users). Haruo has latent magic powers, but he is not aware of this, believing he and his family are perfectly ordinary. His powers are revealed to be extraordinary on two occasions; when a ghost takes over his spirit and is able to channel extreme power through him and when Michiru kidnaps him during a school play and he becomes so angry at how she has hurt his friends he that he awakens and is able to blow apart her castle and transport everyone home along with turning back time so no one except Michiru remembers the event. Maika and his other sisters ensure that Haruo is kept in the dark about them using magic through liberal application of magic memory-erasing hammers (no less than three hammers simultaneously at times). It is showing that this is done so often he occasionally seems aware at some level of the erasal asking if "something happened" and once stating he had a lot of gaps in his memory recently. 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. He seems to want for the most part a quiet life he is often showing trying to relax and do normal things such as watch TV or just hang out and seems wary of his sisters antics and reluctant to get involved on schemes but will be kind and always help if he can. Haruo is in his third year of junior high school (grade 9), in classroom B. Halfway through the manga series, he accidentally found out about magic but at first believes that his sisters are possessed demons, until his latent magic powers awaken after a misadventure. However, after this he still has a hard time believing in magic. In the last episode of the anime, 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 can lift this curse is Haruo Yoshikawa, which forces her to study at the same school and move into the Yoshikawa residence as a maid. For most of the series, Ayumi flirts with and casts spells on Haruo in order to seduce him and "make him a man". Because of this, she and Maika constantly argue and get into fights - which Ayumi inevitably loses. She claims that her curse is the reason for her seduction attempts, although in the last episode, it is revealed that she has truly come to love him.

Maika Yoshikawa (吉川 舞夏, Yoshikawa Maika)

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

Maika is the oldest daughter 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 "brainwashed" Haruo in his sleep by chanting "Big Brother and Maika together forever" repeatedly, and her usually caring and lady-like personality is replaced by a possessive jealousy whenever any female tries to get close 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. She is clueless, honest, sincere, and completely without guile and malice and the most normal of the sisters.. "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 is swimming 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 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 he's 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 and 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 once 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 has indecent dreams about him, and gets irrationally angry when Ayumi is with him. She often claims that Ayumi's behaviour is "Against School Policy" as an excuse to see Haruo, since she, as Student President, must see that all rules are followed. Her name yuri is actually a pun on the genre as many of the female students have the hots for her including the SC vice president. Hajime has even came up with a fantasy fetish in which she and Ayumi are about to kiss.

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 whenever she feels that they have a common cause. Marin is an incompetent and clumsy fool whose attacks inflict more damage on herself 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 witch (if you don't count the witch she purified in Michiru's world). Many jokes seem to imply she is not as wealthy as others.

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 - sounds whenever 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 become head of the Mamiya family in her place. She is aware 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. As seen when she took Haruo during the play, her powers surpass those of the other girls combined.

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 what's happening. It is later revealed that she is an artificially-created human immune to certain kinds of magic.

Melissa Maelstrom (メリッサ・メイルシュトローム, Merissa Meirushutorōmu)

Voiced by: Ui Miyazaki

A manga only character. Melissa is the 10-year-old head of the Maelstrom family, a group of Necromancers. Because of a curse of infertility, they are going extinct. She believes that if she has children with Haruto the curse will be broken so she kidnaps him. When that fails she decides to move next door.

Media

List of volumes

No.	Japanese release date	Japanese ISBN
1	August 22, 2003[7]	978-4-06-349140-1
2	August 23, 2004[8]	978-4-06-349163-0
3	August 23, 2004[9]	978-4-06-349181-4
4	July 22, 2005[10]	978-4-06-349213-2
5	December 22, 2005[11]	978-4-06-349226-2
6	April 21, 2006[12]	978-4-06-349239-2
7	April 23, 2007[13]	978-4-06-349276-7
8	September 21, 2007[14]	978-4-06-349310-8
9	December 21, 2007[15]	978-4-06-349321-4
10	May 23, 2008[16]	978-4-06-349346-7

Episodes list

No.	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 the 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 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 turns the school into a festival-like event. With neither wanting to lose, they both start using their magic and turn the whole thing into one big battle between their respective fans.
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
Ayumi uses her magic create a portal to Haruo's dream to make him manly. The sisters and also Yuri enter the dream to investigate what Ayumi is doing; each is temporarily deceived by their wishes seemingly coming true. But, they almost get trapped when Haruo starts to wake up. In the morning, Ayumi concludes that the reason Haruo is not mature and cannot use magic is because Maika keeps spoiling him. Chiaki tells the three (Ayumi, Fuyuno, Yuri) that they must get along because Maika used to hate him in the past. They then open the past gate (Time Highway Magic) to see the reason. In the past, they see Haruo and Maika at school but they both get along pretty well (also revealing that Yuri has a crush on Haruo). Then they go to further back to when Haruo and Maika were younger and see Maika is brainwashing Haruo in his sleep. Wanting to know what had happened earlier, they travel further back and see Maika arguing with Haruo and saying she hates him. However, they all are shocked to learn it's just a rehearsal for the play "Hansel and Gretel". Ayumi is not satisfied so she goes back even further to dig up some real dirt but only to see that Maika loves her brother more than they expected (as a newborn she stops crying when Haruo touched her hand).
4	"Was it Really Stolen?" "Musumaretatte maji desuka?" (盗まれたってマジですか?)	January 24, 2006
Ayumi, Maika, Chiaki and Fuyuno bathe together but someone peeps on them and steals their underwear. Ayumi is very upset about this. The episode goes on with the four of them plus Yuri and Haruo trying to find out who stole the underwear but nothing comes out. The episode ends with a new character revealed to have Ayumi's underwear.
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
It's revealed that the new character is a witch hunter. Later, she tries to attack Ayumi and reveals her name is Marin Nijihara. Haruo then shows up in the middle of fight but Ayumi takes him home while telling him to ignore Marin. At home, Ayumi tells his three sisters about Marin. Later, Marin shows up as a student at school and tries to attack Ayumi again but loses so she tries to find her weak point. Soon after that, she asks Haruo to know what Ayumi dislikes. At the same time, Yuri sees both of them but suspects that Marin confessed to Haruo. After that Marin asks the same question to everyone and discovers her weak point. Later she tries to attack her again but loses. Later while the two fight again Haruo shows up. Ayumi accidentally shoots the magic at him but it deflects back because of Maika's magic-deflection spell but Marin thinks Haruo is a simpleton. Later, Ayumi uses magic on a lunch box but not just the one she gives to Haruo (also Maika, Marin and Yuri) so they must compete with each other to give lunch to Haruo first. They solve the argument by tasting each other's lunch box but they all turn into children. Marin finally gives Haruo her lunch (not the whole box) and they all become normal after drinking magical tea.
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
While in vacation, Ayumi tries to teach Haruo to swim but he tells a ghost story to her as an excuse to go back home and ends up being hit. Afraid of getting too much attention from the class, she takes Haruo to the pool nearby but is attacked and Haruo turns into ectoplasm. They all team up to get Haruo back and encounter a ghost spirit. They are able to defeat her at the end and turn her into a doll with the swimsuit she always wanted to wear.
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
While coming back from school, Haruo and his sisters encounter a stranger holding a magic gun in the house. Later, she tells everyone her name is Rika Anju a maid come to support Ayumi. Because the sister hit his head too many times, he is no longer able to hold magic and will be destroyed. However, it all turns out to be just fine. Rika and Ayumi compete to win over Haruo. Later, Haidenei spirit of fire who was sealed away at a hospital long ago is freed but it's just Rika's prank to collect data.
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
Ayumis appears to use magic which allow everything he has written in the book to happen. Suddenly, the 3 sisters and Yuri appear to get in the way. Because of their fight, all the letters in the book are mixed up and become "Haruo is going to kiss the girl who becomes MVP". Yuri, Maika, Ayumi and Marin must compete with each other to become MVP. "Woman-only Ultra Race!" is given the most points so the four of them rush to register. Ayumi's sister then puts a magic bug in the principal's brain and causes him to change the game rules (compete in pairs). Ayumi wins the race but the one who becomes MVP is Chiaki and shocks everyone when Haruo kisses her.
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
At a school festival, Ayumi, Yuri, Haruo and the three sisters perform in Cinderella. Ayumi's sister (Michiru Mamiya) appears and takes Haruo away. Everyone after them include Tetsuko Hongo (but Chiaki and Fuyuno get left behind). They are all attacked by fairytale characters. Haruo then awakens his power and defeats Michiru. Everyone returns but they seem to have forgotten everything that happened. Michiru vows revenge.
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
Early in the morning, Ayumi goes to Haruo's room but is stopped by Maika. While coming back from school, Ayumi try to seduce Haruo but he asks her what she is doing. Ayumi is depressed for not being able to make Haruo a man. Rika gives her magic panties which drives men crazy. Since the panties are perverse she decides to take them off but is unable to do so. The only person who can take them off is the one Ayumi wants to show the panties to(Haruo). She tries to make Haruo take off her panties but Maika interrupt. The next day at school she keeps trying but when alone with him she refuses to do it. Later, it is revealed that Haruo's glasses are broken and when he gets back home, Ayumi shows him her panties which embarrass him and he loses consciousness but his hand accidentally pulls the panties off. At the same time the three sisters come back which makes Maika mad at Ayumi again.
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
It's Christmas Eve and everyone is trying to be with Haruo. However, Haruo seems to ignore everything. It's revealed that he works in a cake shop with another girl which makes Ayumi jealous. Everyone except Ayumi joins the party; Haruo thinks it was his fault so he goes out to find her. While walking alone Ayumi encounters the girl that Haruo works with and it is revealed that Haruo asked her to go along to buy presents for everyone. Yuri gives Haruo's present to everyone but there is no present for Ayumi. Ayumi becomes upset and mad at Haruo but actually, he had kept her present with him.
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
It's new year. Haruo passes out the money from his parents to his sisters and also to Ayumi. They later go to the shrine. Haruo shows signs of awakening his power and is revealed to be a "Demon Lord". Ayumi wants to break her curse as soon as possible so she takes Haruo away with her. They find a Magical house in the way and they all go inside. However, it turns out to be Michiru's trap. She then takes Haruo away.
13	"Is it Really the Last Episode?" "Saishuukaitte maji desuka?" (最終回ってマジですか?)	March 28, 2006
When Ayumi was a little girl, she saw Haruo in the mirror for the first time. The group go after Michiru and battle with her. Michiru extracts power from Haruo so that no one is able to defeat her. Then Haruo awakens his demon lord power and takes over everything. Hango reveals that Haruo is the avatar of the demon lord. She also reveals that to contain the demon lord they must reverse time. However, she can't do it since Haruo's emotions have changed so she asks everyone to help her. They are able to revert time back due to their love toward him. The episode ends with everything starting all over again.

Reception

The reception of Magikano varies greatly. Reviews from viewers comment on the anime's fun nature and good use of humour. The use of inappropriate language without censorship and slap-stick humour was well-received by Magikano's audience. However, many viewers also held negative reviews and brought attention to the cliché romantic plot. Others who held the same opinion also commented on the pointless ending, where many fans felt that the series of events used in the conclusion of the story did not match the general overtone exhibited throughout the majority of the anime series.[17]

Anime reviewers such as the Anime News Network[1] and Mania[4] stated that Magikano has potential. However, Anime News Network joined viewers who disliked the anime, commenting that "it seems devoid of any ambition at all". This same network criticized the ending as "pointless and stupid" reflecting on the abrupt conclusion that changes in tone suddenly.[18]

Still, anime reviewers such as activeAnime praise the Magikano series and observe the "racy girls with magical means with more comedy and twists that harem fans can imagine!"[2] (Ellingwood, Holly).

References

1. Kimlinger, Carl (April 10, 2008). "Magikano DVD 1- A New Witch in Town". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 13, 2011.
2. Ellingwood, Holly (March 4, 2008). "Magikano Vol. 2: Witch Hunt". activeAnime. Archived from the original on December 3, 2011.
3. "ADV Court Documents Reveal Amounts Paid for 29 Anime Titles". Anime News Network. 2012-01-30. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
4. Beveridge, Chris (November 22, 2007). "Magikano Vol. #1". Mania. Demand Media. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2011.
5. "ANIME NETWORK ANNOUNCES FOUR NEW Anime SERIES PREMIERING IN JANUARY". Anime Network. Archived from the original on 2008-02-28. Retrieved 2008-03-17.
6. "Sojitz's ARM Corporation Transfers Rights to More Than 30 Titles". Funimation. Archived from the original on 2008-07-10. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
7. マジカノ １. Amazon.co.jp (in Japanese).
8. マジカノ 2. Amazon.co.jp (in Japanese).
9. マジカノ 3. Amazon.co.jp (in Japanese).
10. マジカノ 4. Amazon.co.jp (in Japanese).
11. マジカノ 5. Amazon.co.jp (in Japanese).
12. マジカノ 6. Amazon.co.jp (in Japanese).
13. マジカノ 7. Amazon.co.jp (in Japanese).
14. マジカノ 8. Amazon.co.jp (in Japanese).
15. マジカノ 9. Amazon.co.jp (in Japanese).
16. マジカノ 10. Amazon.co.jp (in Japanese).
17. Magikano, retrieved 2020-05-19
18. Santos, Carlo (November 11, 2009). "Magikano DVD Series Set". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 13, 2011.

External links

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