The MiracleRaver's Magical Girl Mayhem

Pretty Cure Review #1

noreply@blogger.com (Mango) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:52:00 +0000

Hi all and salutations! I know, I know, I'm already starting another anime without finishing up Mermaid Melody. Yet, it's not as flaky as you may think (even though it probably is -.-). This one has been preying on my mind for the past few years and I have just gotten the opportunity to watch it, so I just couldn't pass it up.

Pretty Cure (or Futari wa Pretty Cure) is the first in a long line of series and spin offs. The series focuses on two girls named Nagisa Misumi and Honoka Yukishiro who are chosen by fairies of the Garden of Light, Mipple and Mepple, to defend their world against the Dark Zone as the Emmisaries of Light: Cure Black and Cure White.
So far, I've watched five episodes and still am on pretty neutral ground when it comes to continuing the series. It's different, though I'm finding it very hard to see why it got so many spin offs and sequels.
I enjoy the fact that the series incoprates more shonen-like fight scenes instead of the normal pretty twirly flips (not that I mind them of course). Mascots Mipple and Mepple have to be the cutest things to date in the mahou shoujo biz. Yet, Mepple comes off as a bit bossy and somewhat of a brat, kinda like a certain Cyberian we all know and love (*eyes Alto*). I also found it enjoyable and different that there was no knight in shining armor waiting for either of them with a safety net. Hopefully I can still say that toward the end of the series. It's also convenient and very strategic that neither girl has a weapon, just a finishing attack. So, no tripping and fumbling that scepter in a pinch.
Some of the things that I did not enjoy about the series was that the magic the girls possessed seemed a little haphazard to me. So far, I think I'm catching onto the theme of duality, yet I felt there could have been more done than just using black and white thunder. Maybe I'm a little old school and enjoy the organization Sailor Moon, Card Captor Sakura, and Tokyo MewMew bring with the elements and each individual possessing a different strength. As long as we're on the subject of powers, I felt the henshin was quite lackluster and, anyone that knows me personally knows, I'm a stickler for henshin. If I don't get goose-pimply from your phrase or battle cry, I'm not gonna have too much of a reason to stay and watch the rest of the series.

This seems to be another series that might be on my "watch later" list, because it's just not sending me. I'll try to watch a few more episodes and see where my attentions go after that. It's the weekend, so I should have ample time! If you've watched the series, let me know what you thought. I'd love to hear from you!

~DJ Melody

Space Channel 5 Space Reporter Ulala: Patron Saint of Dance

noreply@blogger.com (Mango) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:59:00 +0000

Hey folks, it's me Melody! Sorry it's been so long since my last post, but lots have been going on. I managed to get into high school now and have high hopes for this new year! So many events to party at, so much kandi to collect, and so many video games to collect and play.

Speaking of video games, I just recently got hooked on this super old, but still super cute game called Space Channel 5 Part 2. Maybe you old school gamers remember playing the first one and remember the awesome fun you had. It's basically a music video game where you play as Ulala, a space reporter, and have to copy a sequence of moves in time to music. A similar game is Parappa the Rapper if you guys remember playing that game as well. Think of a high intensity battle of Simon-Says where "the entire universe depends on your funky moves" (Fuse, Ep. 3).
In Part 2, the fun doesn't stop and you get to meet some old friends as well as play different instruments and sing karaoke, sorta.

I've spent over 10 hours on this game and am absolutely in LOVE with it. And, after careful deliberating, I have come to a conclusion the Ulala is definitely a magical girl and super cool one at that. Reasons?:

Her magical weapon is a microphone that changes into a ray gun
Her catchphrase "Super Successful Rescue" is, well, catchy
While without a henshin sequence, she does have an ample wardrobe that allows her to work undercover in awesome style
She saves the universe with a flare that only so few possess.

Bass says those are very flimsy reasons to dub her an official mahou shoujo and says that she's a normal heroine all her own. I think she's avoiding the obvious. Alto says that she reminds him of SwiChaCha, the Patron Cyber Muse of Dance back in Eternia, which is totally off subject, though I've seen a picture of her and they do look fairly similar. Er... well, I digress (big word from Harmony). What do you guys think? For those that have played the game, do you think she's awesome enough to be deemed a magical girl or am I looking too far into it? I'd totally love to hear your thoughts!

~DJ Melody

Glowing Attack Action!: The Skeleton of the Mahou Shoujo Attack

noreply@blogger.com (Mango) — Sun, 23 May 2010 00:03:00 +0000

Salutations and felicitations one and all! My name is DJ Harmony. I have logged onto this blog as a sincere promise to my good friend Melody with hopes of bringing a more scientific approach to the mahou shoujo perspective. *adjust glasses* And I am here to discuss my favorite part of being a magical girl and that henshin and attacks.

As you may already know, henshin is the transformation sequence that occurs when the average mahou shoujo changes into her alter ego. Both henshin and attacks are access through a special password or phrase that is called in order for the event to take place. Yet, believe it or not, there is a basic structure set to these phrases. Not too many people think about it when they call out the henshin of their favorite magical girl, but their is a certain sequence that most attacks and henshin follow in order for them to work. But, fret not, for I will walk you through the basics of constructing you own henshin or attack phrase!

Now, it really isn't all that difficult. It only takes a simple grasp of grammar (noun, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, etc.) and a basic break down of a given phrase. Let's start with Sailor Moon's henshin, "Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"

"Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"
(noun) + (adjective) + (noun) + (verb)

Did you notice that? When broken down and simplified, it demonstrates the basic formula used for henshin, kind of like P= l + l + w + w. Though it doesn't differ from a normal grammatical phrase, it is more symbolic than saying "Went to the park." Let's look at an attack phrase. We'll use a few from various animes since the formula can vary:

"Emerald Typhoon!"
"Azure Cyclone!"
(noun) + (noun)

"Ribbon Strawberry Check!"
"Mercury Aqua Mirage!"
(noun) + (noun) + (verb or noun)

"Saint Mirror Bridal Flash!"
"Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!"
(noun) + (noun) + (adjective) + (verb)
or
(noun) + (noun) + (noun) + (verb)

While it doesn't differ too much from the henshin phrase, the attack phrase can be as short and concise or as elaborate and lengthy as you want it to be. In some series, you can judge the attack strength by the length of the phrase. Though, when creating your own mahou shoujo henshin/ attack phrase keep in mind that it's more than formulas, it is also about imagination! A good noun and verb relationship always makes it sound good and if you manage to through in a nifty adjective, you've got yourself a too-cool-for-school phrase.

If you still need some help putting together a phrase for yourself, Seventh Sanctum - Anime has a generator that can help you. You just put in the type of entity or elements your attacks consist of and it spouts out a plethora of different things! Try it, you might like it! Please feel free to leave your comments and findings if you have anything to share!

Well, I must be off. Though I am not taking summer school, I must wake up fresh to attend a lecture of the History of Algebra and It's Impact on Humanity. I hear it's simply scintillating! Take care!

-.+.-DJ Harmony

Mermaid Melody Review #1

noreply@blogger.com (Mango) — Wed, 19 May 2010 23:53:00 +0000

Ugh, summer school really blows. It doesn't help that this creeper named Ken happens to be in my class. Apparently he didn't quite pass either and now he spends all lunch period being weird and telling me how much in love with me he is. Yeah, me and the rest of the girls in class. Ewww!

But, I didn't write to complain about summer school. I'm totally excited! I was over at a friend's house and she got me into this one mahou shoujo called Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch. Well, you can only imagine how ecstatic I was to hear of a totally cool music orientated magical girl and I watched it with high hopes. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. It's absolutely adorable, and tons of henshin. I stayed up most of the night and little into the morning watching the first fifteen episodes. Gosh, I love this anime!

Lucia, Mermaid Princess of the North Pacific Ocean, sets out to land to find the boy she saved from a shipwreck seven years before the beginning of the story, to whom she had entrusted with her pink pearl. She eventually finds the boy: a surfer named Kaito Dōmoto. But as the human form Lucia assumed, named Lucia Nanami, bears very little resemblance to her mermaid form, Kaito cannot recognize her. She cannot tell Kaito who she really is; otherwise, according to mermaid folklore, she would turn into bubbles. She tries to convince Kaito into figuring out who she really is (since the legend does not say anything about the other person discovering a mermaid's true identity by himself).
At the same time, Lucia has been told that a group of water demons or suiyō (水妖) have invaded the marine world and she must gather the six other Mermaid Princesses and their pearls to bring back the legendary goddess, Aqua Regina, to stop them. To fulfill this, she joins forces with Hanon and Rina, Mermaid Princesses who came up to dry land, use their pearls, turn into singing idols, and use their voices as an offensive power. (Wikipedia)

The Mermaid Princesses have awesome battle songs that are super catchy, though, by the time I managed to learn the first song, they came up with a new one. I was a little miffed about that. Their idol outfits are gaudily cute. I mean, I, personally, would not wear them, but they make super cute mahou shoujo uniforms! And Kaito, the object of Lucia's affections, while not all that cute, is a definite change from the normal mahou shoujo boyfriend: he's a bit clueless, but he's not always after her trying to save her, making Lucia appear to be a little more capable to do her job.

I really can't wait to start watching more of this anime, though I'm a little annoyed that I have wait another week before I can, Rhythm is really getting on my hiney on this studying thing. At least I have Harmony here to tutor me. Though I find it quite unfair how she's so much younger than me, but knows so much. Well, I won't let it bother me and go and study!

~DJ Melody

Magical Disaster!

noreply@blogger.com (Mango) — Wed, 05 May 2010 16:22:00 +0000

It's been a couple days since I last posted, only for the fact that I have to go to summer school. I've been moping around the house for the longest time. *sighs* So much for summertime freedom and raves. Now my schedules gonna be busier than ever! *sniffles*

Anywho, while I was in economics class the other day, my teacher was talking about how much the country spends on military persons and defenses along with those high-tech gadgets and stuff. I couldn't help but think, "Wouldn't it be more economical to have a handful of magical girls as opposed to four different types of militaries?"

Think about it, magical girls themselves are one woman armies. We don't cost that much to feed or keep happy (give us some sweets and a super cute boyfriend and we're pretty much good to go). The destruction is usually kept to a minimum (stardust and hearts don't cause entire building to crumble.. usually) and there really is not cost to deploying us (we could teleport or just fly there).
Though, I suppose we have are cons as well, such as the occasional bad hair day or break up...

But really, don't you think it's a little more economical to own a few magical girls instead of hoards of beefy army guys? I'm love to hear why you would think why... or why not!

~DJ Melody

Wedding Peach Review

noreply@blogger.com (Mango) — Sun, 02 May 2010 17:42:00 +0000

It's the Sunday of summer vacation and I thought I'd celebrate by having a mahou shoujo marathon of one particular anime in particular. I chose to watch Wedding Peach amongst the mass collections of anime on the internet. I'm beginning to think perhaps I should have chosen something a little more... interesting.

Wedding Peach was another one of those animes that I had overlooked during the time Sailor Moon came out. I hadn't heard to much about it and I used to see the manga on the same shelves as Magic Knight Rayearth and Peach Girl. Yet, when I heard it was a magical girl anime, I thought I'd give it a shot.

In Wedding Peach (or Ai Tenshi Densetsu Wedingu Pīchi), there are three known worlds--the human world, the angel world, and the devil world. The evil queen Raindevilla yearns to destroy the angel world with help or her many devil minions. The goddess Aphrodite sends an angel to the human world, Limone, to summon three love angels in the form of three school girls, Momoko Hanasaki, Yuri Tanima, and Hinagiku Tamano, who together become Angel Lilly, Angel Daisy, and Wedding Peach. The three girls must fight to overcome the evils of the devils, as well as their own lives, and restore peace to the angel world by gathering all pieces of the Sacred Four Somethings (or Saint Something Four) (Anime News Network).

While most mahou shoujo plots seem pretty superficial upon a simple read of a summary, after watching the first 10-15 episodes, the anime still remained flat and shallow to me. What you see is pretty much what you get. To be honest and as objective as humanly possible, it just seemed like a really bad Sailor Moon rip-off, no to mention the anime art looked incredibly similar. It had an abundance of henshin, which, of course, I liked, yet it was what most people dread and cringe when they think about magical girl anime.
You maybe wondering about in what ways I see this anime to be a Sailor Moon knock-off. Well, for example, Momoko, the main character, is incredibly similar to Usagi in the sense that she's a bit of a crybaby, boy-crazy and a bit irresponsible. I'm sorry, but I think there is only room for one annoying mahou shoujo heroine and Sailor Moon has already filled it (I promise, crybaby and flakiness are not prerequisites for being a mahou shoujo). Also, Wedding Peach's two different forms (her bride form and her fighter form) are quite similar to Sailor Moon's princess form and senshi for, but what makes it even more annoying is that she can do it any time she wants, dulling any kind of symbolic significance either form has (having two different forms, again, is not prerequisite). The need for people's energy and manipulating them is something both anime's villainess' share, but dubbing it Love Energy was a little too corny for me.

I can't say there was very much I liked about it, except for the idea for the Saint Something Four artifacts which comes from the whole wedding-good luck-ritual thing: Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. I thought that was a super cute idea. Jama-P, the Love Angel's official magical pal, is really cute, before and after he's purified. I feel kinda bad how he gets knocked around though.

To be honest, I really don't feel interested enough in it to actually finish the series. It's become extremely predictable (as far as mahou shoujo goes, so that's kinda saying something) and I haven't even read the manga. So, since I'm pretty sure how it's gonna end, I think 15 episodes under my belt is good for now. Who knows, maybe I'll go back to finishing it some time later.

Give me your comments and/or arguments, be nice though (especially if you're a defending fan)! I really wanna hear your thoughts!

Magic Knight Rayearth: Review #2

noreply@blogger.com (Mango) — Sat, 01 May 2010 16:03:00 +0000

Yay, exams are finally over and I can go back to posting normally! I hope you enjoyed DJ Rhythm's blurbs and thoughts on yuri. She usually knows more stuff about that than I do. Probably because she's so much older and worldly than I am. At least, that's what I keep being told.

Anywho, I just finally finished watching Magic Knight Rayearth and I must say, it was extremely odd. Don't get me wrong, it was enjoyable, it was just... odd. I think it was the use of mecha as Rune-Gods that threw me off. And boy were there alot of mecha! I keep trying to remind myself that I was watching a mahou shoujo and not Gundam 00. Yet, the mechanical fights were certainly something! I enjoyed them immensely.
As for the characters, I seemed to have grown very fond of only a few of them and the others I didn't very much care for. For example, I loved the diversity of those that came to invade Cephiro. Yet, the constant heroic antics of the boys for the Magic Knights became somewhat bothersome and boring. I know, I know, it's what they do, but I couldn't help being bored with it. Eagle was so awesome and kicked so much butt! Alcyone and Princess Emeraude I could've done without. I'm not a big fan of being so haplessly in love that you don't care about the world around you, especially the way they used the whole frail damsel-in-distress motif.
Oh, and before I forget, is it just me or does Lantis and Prince Endymion (Sailor Moon) look alot alike to you:

Lantis
Prince Endymion

*scratches head* It was bugging me the whole time and I wondered if anyone else noticed the similarities. Either way, we all know who the cooler one is, of course! *draws hearts around Lantis*

Anywho, I gotta go, but if you have any comments, please make your voice heard! you know I'd love to hear anything you have to say! :3

~DJ Melody

Magical Nannies: What I Want to be When I Grow Up

noreply@blogger.com (Mango) — Sat, 01 May 2010 14:47:00 +0000

They're magically inclined, quirky, deal with hordes of naughty children, and usually carry a proper British accent. If you've never been entertained by a proper magical nanny, then it was high time you were!

Though, they're not part of a separate genre of their own, in anime or otherwise, magical nannies have always captured our hearts one way or another. Nannies such as Mary Poppins and Nanny McPhee manage to change not only the children's behaviors, but the thoughts and views of the parents (as most nannies tend to do) with a nifty magical advantage. They're usually tactful, clever, and full of awesome surprises. A few to note are:

Mary Poppins- This practically perfect nanny of 17 Cherrytree Lane can make a jolly holiday out of the most mundane things. Being able to entertain her charges with going in and out of chalk pavement pictures and winning a horse race with a carousel horse is all in a days work for this nanny. She's a friend to all and teaches an important lesson to us: a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down. It never hurts to see a bright side in all the bad things that happens, is what she teaches her children and their work-a-holic father.

Nanny McPhee- Though her appearance is quite the contrast to the aforementioned nanny, her homely visage should not cause anyone to misjudge the might of her powers. Her ability to handle several children at a time is unsurpassed. With a tap of her cane, she shows her young charges the error or their bad behavior through visible consequences. By setting a situation into mass chaos does she show them how to correct themselves without a qualm or harsh word.

Fraulein Maria- If you've never gotten the opportunity to watch the Sound of Music, now is an absolutely perfect time. Fraulein Maria, much like Nanny McPhee, must deal with a handful of children who have lost their mother and have a very emotionally distant father. She is also 12th in a long line of governesses (another term for nanny, I suppose), proving that the children are quite misbehaved. However, she has no magic powers at hand, except for her miraculous love of song. Patiently, she teaches the children the wonders and disciplines of music while reawakening their father's love for it. I won't give to much away, but it is a very compelling true-to-life story that only Rogers&Hammerstein could pull off.

Mrs Piggle-Wiggle- She lives in a topsy turvy house with an old horse and dog. She holds random neighborhood parades that consist of nothing but children. She even remembers each child by name. While she is more of a psychologist than a nanny, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle manages to rid bad habits with the aid of her chest full of magical cures. From the Picky Eater to the Bickering Twins, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle has a cure for everything and anything. Sometimes the cure tells the parents to leave the child be and the children learn the lessons on their own. Sometimes there is a special aid like a powder or radish seeds. Whatever the case may be, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle has the answer.

If I ever have to stop my job as a magical girl, I would definitely love to use my magic in such an awesome way. Or better yet, I'd open up an academy, just to teach awesome magic stuffs to nannies in need of a little boost! Thanks lots for reading and if you have any other nifty nannies to name or comments about anything in this post, feel free to comment. I'd be happy to hear from you!

~DJ Melody

Unrequited Love: The Yuri Element in Mahou Shoujo

noreply@blogger.com (Mango) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 01:12:00 +0000

Hello, everyone. My codename is DJ Rhythm and I am addressing you on behalf of DJ Melody. Melody has alot of exams to keep up with and I had to tear her away- I mean, "persuade" her to study for her important finals. She can be quite a handful sometimes, but she promised to study as long as I wrote up a post today. I frankly don't understand her concern with these silly things, yet I am obligated to keep my end of the bargain.

Now, let's see, the reason why I am here. Ah, yes! Mahou shoujo! Mahou shoujo is a very interesting genre that seems to incorporate a good many other genres to it. Some of them unusual to mahou shoujo, such as in Magic Knight Rayearth's use of mecha. Others not so unusual such as hentai anime La Blue Girl (I'm not enjoying those looks you're giving me). Yet, in between all those is something that's quite in tuned with the shoujo genre itself and not just mahou shoujo. Namely yuri along with some yaoi.

Yuri, for those who are unfamiliar with the genre, literally means "lily" and is a sub-genre of shoujo anime that explores a love relationship between two girls (yaoi is the same thing, only with boys). While yuri is not as popular a genre as yaoi is in the States (heaven only knows why), it is still very compelling notheless. The yuri theme always seems to put more drama into the plot of most mahou shoujo anime, yet not too many of them seem to end very happily; as is a common convention with yuri.
For mahou shoujo, from what I've noticed, it sometimes involves a friend very taken with another, yet the main the other is either too innocent, dull, or stoic to notice or return her affections; as is the case with Mew Mint and Mew Zakuro. Sometimes it's an established relationship yet somehow it ends rather tragically; as in Sailor Uranus' and Sailor Neptune's case (hint: watch the StarS season). Rarely is there a mahou shoujo where the main character is actually involved with another girl (I say "rarely" only because I've yet to see one and there might be one that I haven't seen).

At this point, I must take my leave. I have exams as well, so I must study and rest. If you have questions or comments, please feel free to express them down below. Please be well.

*~*DJ Rhythm*~*

Absolute Twinkling Authority

noreply@blogger.com (Mango) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 02:57:00 +0000

A wand. A tambourine. Lipstick and a mirror. A staff. A pair of glowsticks. No, I'm not checking off a list of a things I'm going to sell at a garage sale. Nor is it stuff found in my purse (Well, maybe the tambourine and the glowsticks can be). These are everyday objects, when blessed with the power of magic, can be just as offensive as a sword or a knife.

Every mahou shoujo needs a weapon to fight and defend herself with. Though, these are usually young girls that are doing the fighting, not amazonian huntresses, so and everyday object is a very convenient thing to have. Most times it is a wand or scepter, like Cardcaptor Sakura's Clow Staff or Sailor Moon's Cutie Moon Rod. Other times they're things you would never even think to cringe at, like Angel Lily's (Wedding Peach) Saint Lipliner or Mew Lettuce's (Tokyo MewMew) castanets (I forget what they're called at the moment ^^; ). Sometimes they're things that make you tilt you head and go, "What the heck...?", like Puni Puni Poemi and her fish... wand.. thing.

Aside from protecting the magical girl, the weapon usually serves as a symbol of who she is and what she stands for. Like staffs and scepters of the Middles Ages, these weapons serve as a symbol of authority. When you see Mermaid Melody (no relation) pull her mic out, you know not only is she a an idol, but she'll sing her opponents dead... or deaf; which ever one comes first.

Me? My weapon of choice is a pair of winged glowsticks. I'm a raver after all, so I can't be to far from them. And of course, when you think "rave" you think awesome music, bright colors, and happy ravers; the people I've sworn to protect.

So for you, if you were a magical girl, what would your weapon be and what would it symbolize? I'd love to hear you thoughts!

~DJ Melody

Magic Knight Rayearth: Review #1

noreply@blogger.com (Mango) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:03:00 +0000

Hello my magnificently wonderful mahou shoujo lovers! Boy, am I pooped. I woke up super early this morning. It was raining really hard and it was thundering and lightning outside. I'm a super light sleeper, so it couldn't get back to sleep until the storm stopped. Blogging is the only thing keeping me awake in this computer class as I've already taken my history exam (I'm pretty sure I aced it ~.^).

Okay, I know if the very first entry that I stated that I would be reviewing some mahou shoujo anime as a main premise to this blog. I have not been procrastinating, yet it's be a little hard to get a hand on anime when i have so little money in my pocket *weep*. So, out of the goodness of her heart, one of my best friends gave me something magical! But, it's kinda old though, so bear with me *sweatdrop*

As the first subject of review I chose the classic Magic Knight Rayearth by CLAMP. I had not seen it before due to the Sailor Moon's overshadowing popularity. I had often heard it was very good and had really wanted a chance to see it. I feel a little guilty about watching the anime without having read the manga in it's entirety.
It's my usual routine to help me judge an anime more efficiently. I hope you guys don't mind ^_^;.

Magic Knight Rayearth is about a three girls, on a field trip with their separate schools, are sucked into a crumbling land known as Cephiro and are asked to save it. To do so they have to become the Legendary Magic Knight, obtain the three Mashin (Rune-Gods), and save the Pillar know as Princess Emeraude (Emerald, I think is the proper translation) from the evil clutches of High Priest Zagato.

The plot line is a basic mahou shoujo plot, but it was the art on the DVD box that intrigued me. Though I could tell it was the manga art (CLAMP= Amazing) as opposed to the anime art, it still made me really want to watch it. I popped the DVD and settled in to enjoy the first disc. Among the first things I noticed, was the character and for some reason, I felt Umi had been cheated. Everyone in the crowd seemed to have a whole head while she, unfortunately, did not. I ventured on guessing that was probably why she was so cranky all the time (though it made me wonder what Sailor Moon's Rei Hino's excuse was). Also, to be honest, Hikaru looked a lot like a character of the same name from Angelic Layer, though the cuteness factor did not waver in the least. The world of Cephiro, on the other hand was beautiful. From the waterfalls to the trees, it seemed to just scream utopia.
The randomness of the girls' arrival into Cephiro irked me a little. Yet, I eventually understood that it only demonstrated further the lands urgency to have their presence there. I did enjoy the contrast of characters and how they resembled there names so well without adhering strictly to their meaning: Umi, meaning sea, seems to be a very cool and calculating thinker, though gets riled up at a moments notice; Fuu, her name having a wind reference, is always very calm and uplifting and has that cute sweetness that most otaku (fan) boys love (the glasses and RPG knowledge seem to only add to this); Hikaru, meaning light and possesses fire abilities, is a rough and tumble tomboy who is full of energy and naive cuteness, though this hardly gets in the way of telling the other two girls what to do and them listening to her.
The plot, so far, has built to a point where I want to keep with it. No it's not life-changingly compelling, but I'm still entertained with it nonetheless. I'm slightly disappointed that it lacks in henshin sequences, since the girls are always in their Magic Knight garb, but I love the attacks, especially Fuu's Healing Wind! It's sooo cool!

Well, that wraps up this review. Class is almost over with and I gotta get to my next exam. I'll watch a few more episodes later and give another thought. In the meantime, give me a few choice mahou shoujo anime to look into or even a comment or two. I'd love to hear from you and might be inspired to write more! Have an awesome day.

~DJ Melody

A Sparkling History

noreply@blogger.com (Mango) — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 20:08:00 +0000

Hello to all my wonderful readers out there! The weather sure is windy where I am. Way to windy, in fact. I was on my way from a friend's house not too long ago and, when I wasn't looking, that mean ol' Mr. Wind came and.. well... needless to say there's a block's worth of middle school boys who caught a risque shot of my technicolor panties *sniffles*. Nature is so unkind sometimes.

Though, after I fumed over a bowl of vanilla ice cream (with caramel sauce), I simmered down. I had too, there's alot to be done this week. I have my finals coming up and I have to study super hard so I can pass. Between enemies and equations, life's gotten super complicated for me. But ne'er you fear world, DJ Melody is always watching!

Speaking of school, history has got to be my all time favorite subject. After remembering those silly dates, I love to here the story of how certain things came to be, like countries, ideas, inventions, people... the list goes on! But, I bet you can't guess my favorite kind of history. Give you a hint: It's twinkly, sparkly, and will smack you in the face if you go against the paths of Justice!

I'm absolutely talking about the history of the magical girl. Like most people, things, and ideas, we had to come up from somewhere you know *teehee*. I, like the inquisitive history buff that I am, gave the internet a look see and found an awful lot of interesting things. Wikipedia has yet to let me down.

Before my research, I never knew that all of mahou shoujo spurred from the witty antics of Samantha Stevens of the US's Bewitched series that was popular during the '60s and '70s. Mitsuteru Yokoyama, know for classics such as Giant Robo and Princess Comet, was so fascinated by it's popularity in Japan that he was inspired to make Sally the Witch. I won't spoil the plot for you, but for the anime contributed a lot to how we precieve the mahou shoujo genre today. It intialy gave the current magical girl the custom to use her powers for to help those around her. Prior to that, Fujio Akatsuka's Himitsu no Akko-chan, or Akko-chan's Secret, introduced the canon of a the "special object" that gives her her nifty powers.

Since then, new mahou shoujo series brought different things to the table, like Cutie Honey and the henshin (transforming) sequence or Sailor Moon and the trademark sentai* (taskforce). Over time, the magical girl was no longer just a girl with magical powers helping people and fulfilling a dream, she was a fighting machine taking on the world, sometimes with the help of friends. Mahou shoujo went from being simple disguised flight stewardesses and doctors to princesses and goddesses that protected entire kingdoms, universes, or even dimensions. Makes me feel so proud to be apart of such an exclusive line *beams*.

There are other sites other than Wikipedia that talk of the genre's history. For instance, Henshin: The Mahou Shoujo Genre was a site I used to frequent on my spare time before it was taken down. The new domain is here, and is intergrated with some other articles i'm sure you'll love. Anime Academy has a shoujo page where it brings some other interesting facts about the behind the scenes of shoujo anime as well as other nifty things. Suburban Conspiracy has a great article on Sailor Moon's influence on the perception of America's view on the mahou shoujo genre. It's a super read.

Yikes, I gotta fly, I can't spend too much time educating you guys, there's and algebra test I've gotta study for. If you guys have any comments or anything you'd like me to add, email me, I'd love to hear from you!

~DJ Melody

*(The sentai (sen-tye) concept is featured in many animes. It usually consists of two or more characters joining together, with similar powers, trying to defeat a similar foe. Of course this idea is not just limited to just mahou shoujo. Favorite shounen anime, Yoroiden Samurai Toruupaa (Ronin Warriors) and popular tokusatsu (live action shows, literally means "special effects") series Super Sentai (Power Rangers) use this concept extensively. Some others that use it comically are Dragon Ball Z (The Ginyu Force), Excel Saga (Municipal Force Daitenzen), Bleach (Karakura Superheroes).)

Mahou Shonen: The Magical Boy

noreply@blogger.com (Mango) — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 01:40:00 +0000

You know what I love just as much as raving and mahou shoujo manga? Video Games! I love to play video games. My specialty are the dance/music/rhythm games. From Bust-A-Groove to Just Dance! I love to listen to the different songs. I also like to move my body, so Dance Dance Revolution and Para Para Paradise are my two most favorite games.

However, once in a while, I like to couch potato around with a good RPG. One I've gotten really fond of the Kingdom Hearts series. I buy one the first week it comes out. I was playing half-way through Kingdom Hearts II when I thought out loud, "What the- Sora's a magical girl! In disguise!" When the people on my bus stopped looking at me oddly, I began to draw references from the game to the mahou shoujo genre:

*__MAHOU SHOUJO CHECKLIST__*

Magically Enchanted Wand/Weapon---->
Keyblade

Magical Henshin--->
No phrase, but has the ability to switch from one costume to another depending on the world or power he chooses (i.e. proud form)
Magical Animal Sidekick--->
Donald and Goofy (though Goofy's not exactly "magical")
Signature/Finishing Attack--->
Sealing the keyhole of every world. There's no phrase, but when the cut scene comes on, you know what he's gonna do.

While there is some more, these are a few essential things that coins a magical girl as a magical girl. You cannot tell me I'm reading too much into it, cause I know you can see it as well. That's why I can see you grinning. And don't you get me started on Ichigo from Bleach (the guy walks around with a stuffed animal that nags him endlessly). However, there is actually a magical boy genre, mahou shonen (ma-ho sho-nen). It's not as popular as mahou shoujo, but there are a few well known ones such as Yu-Gi-Oh, DNAngel, Tokyo Babylon, and .//hackSIGN. And you can't forget those loving boyfriends that stand beside their mahou shoujo girlfriends. Like Tuxedo Mask/Chiba Mamoru from Sailor Moon, Aoyama Masaya from Tokyo MewMew, or even Doomoto Kaito from Mermaid Melody. They all supporting the main heroine one way or another and had their only little super power that helped out.

Even though it is amusing to imagine a boy in a frilly skirt and a wand when you think mahou shounen, like their female counter parts, they'll show you who's boss; quick fast, and in a hurry! Wand or no wand!

Manga: The Bible to Any Series

noreply@blogger.com (Mango) — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 00:46:00 +0000

Hi there, mahou shoujo sophisticates and newbies. I hope you all are enjoying the spring weather! I love the spring. It usually means summers around the corner and I absolutely love the summer! Sand, surf, no school, and best of all: monthly raves! Ah, can't get enough of those!

Speaking of which, you know what else I can't get enough of? Manga! Magical girl manga to be exact. Beautiful art always pulls me in and a wonderful plot line keeps flipping through those pages. When I'm not saving the world from evil or dancing to a good groove, my nose is nostril deep in one of those cliff-hangers! Not only are they entertaining, but they give me combat education. I need to stay in tip-top shape, even when there are no baddies to be fought! (At least, that's the excuse I'm gonna stick too. *nod*)

You'd be surprise what kind of work goes into constructing a manga; scripting, planning, drafting- it's loads of hard work (Not that I'd know first hand). It's also a of work to adjust from series to watching the actual anime*.
It's super exciting to see your favorite characters move and interact on screen. It's also fun to hear their voices and go "That's totally how she sounded to me in my head!" Yet, there is a super important thing that oldies and newbies should understand: an anime is never ever supposed to be exactly like the manga. While it is irksome to see minor (or major) plot change, one must remember that it's an adaption of the story based on the manga. I'm sure there's tons of copyright laws that go into that reason as well as wanting to change some things in order to fit them into time slots, but understand that there are reasons for some changes, unless...

They're completely, totally outrageous changes that change the plotline altogether. Yeah, I'm sure you know the kind: The Starlight Hermaphrodite Fiasco as well as the Sailor Cousins/Lovers argument usually pops up in the mind of most mahou shoujo lovers (namely Moonies). When that happens, the anime ceases to be based on the manga and becomes an absolute monstrosity of the producer and everyone else who is involved with the projects. While some manga-ka do not mind the changes, some are actually very disheartened by the change (Takeuchi-san was very annoyed by the Starlight's change in... er... gender *ahem*)

"What is the point to this?" is what your faces are telling me. The point is, if you watch and love a particular manga series, do the manga-ka a favor and by the manga. They worked hard on those characters and they want you to love them as they were meant to be. Not to mention you'd find a whole lot of super awesome stuff that the anime may haver never delved into. This info may better explain some sort of tidbit you were wondering about but ended up getting lost in the manga because they never really covered it. My rule: The bible to all anime series is the manga they were based upon, if they were based upon a manga.

Thanks for reading and give you comments on why you would agree, or disagree, with the reasoning. Be sure to try and shout a henshin (transformation phrase) today; you may be a magical girl (or boy. they exist you know ^_~)

~DJ Melody

*(For those who don't know anime (ah-nee-may) is the animated stuff you watch and the manga (mon-gah) is the stuff you read. Some manga get popular enough to get there own series, though not all anime series come from manga. Some manga get so popular that they start making the anime right in the middle of the manga's series, cool huh?)

Miracle Salutations!

noreply@blogger.com (Mango) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 23:21:00 +0000

Hello, Aloha, Hola, Salut, and Konnichiwa! Melody's my name, DJ Melody, and being a magical girl, well, that's my game. I'm a MiracleRaver to be exact, but details about that come after this. This is about what I can do for you, the wonderful, stupendous, finely-groomed reader!

(Okay, maybe that was laying it on a little thick)

Have you ever picked up an anime DVD looked at the cover and were frightened out of your skin at the doe-eyed cutie with a atrociously pink tu-tu and glittering wand looking back up at you? Did you cringe at all the cute and pink on that label? A wise man once said we fear the things we don't understand. So, if you understand why it is, then you no need to fear it, correct? Well, folks, that's where I come in. I'm your personal guide through the Magical Girl Realm. I'm a Certified Mahou Shoujo Participant and can answer any and all of your questions of the genre and it's anime.

Why I'm doing this wonderful favor for you, my wonderful readers? Simple really! I want to share my love for all thing cute, large eyed, and sparkly with you. Especially with all my fellow shoujo lovers out there.

Now, to be a little specific, while most mahou shoujo ramblings will be very random and, hopefully, informative, I will mainly try to give a review about a certain magical girl anime; once after the first few episodes and once after I finish the series. The first one will be a reflection on the characters and the plot initially, the second will be a reflection on how the characters afterwards and a thought of the series in it's entirety.
I'll also try to blog about some misunderstood concepts, or answer any question that you may have regarding the topic! I really love to receive the occasionally email or letter on my desk *teehee*!

Along with email, I encourage everyone to leave comments and opinions on any subject matter, as long as it's sound (not drug induced) and educated. I don't mind disagreements, however, bad words and outright rudeness is something I will not tolerate. Do not push me! *puffs cheeks* I've yet to work out a method as to where you can email me without me recieving spam (leaving it out for everyone to see doesn't make me feel good at all.), but please do not be shy with the comments.

I hope you enjoy yourselves here and until next post: Bye-bye, Adios, Au Revoir, Shalom, and Ja ne!