Magical Play
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Magical Play ("Magical Witchland;" 魔法遊戯 飛び出す!! ハナマル大冒険; "Mahou Yûgi") was an original web anime featuring character designs by Kiyohiko Azuma. It was Webcast from October 19, 2001 to early 2002. 22 web episodes were created and a 3D episode. The web episodes were released in Japan on four DVDs. Production was cancelled early and the show is left hanging at the end of episode four. ADV Films annonounced the licensing of the show on April 7, 2003 and has released a two disc DVD "complete" set. The series is a satire of the magical girl genre of anime.
There are two mangas adopting this series. One is drawn by Yoshitaka Yoshino, and the other is by Yukimaru Katsura.
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[edit] Plot
Padudu, the first main character, 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.
[edit] Story
Padudu, who has been traveling for a while trying to collect Hanamaru, and unwillingly interrupts a fight between two other girls, one being dressed in the likeness of a rabbit. Padudu ends up falling on the girl's opponent, thus making the audience believe Padudu has won the match. This angers the other 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 develope a good relationship.
As Padudu and Pippin travel together, the meet an older girl, who is also trying to become a Magical Girl, and has already collected many Hanamaru. Her name is MyuMyu, and eventually joins the duo.
Every once in a while, the meet Nonononn, a criminal who is on the run, and 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 goes out on her own. 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. Also, 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, or at least one of Queen Perilun's servants, beckons them to fight her, and her 'sister' panther. Nononnon and Padudu end up killing the Panther, and the Jail Keeper is stunned. Once that scene ends, the show is left hanging.
[edit] Major characters
[edit] Padudu
Padudu is a slightly dimwitted young girl from Sea Heaven 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 in Japanese and Larissa Wolcott in the English Dub
[edit] MyuMyu
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 in Japanese and Leigh Anderson Fisher in the English Dub
[edit] Pipin
Padudu's "life long 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 in Japanese and Samantha Inoue-Harte in the English Dub
[edit] Nonononn
Nonononn 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 in Japanese and Katherine Catmull in the English Dub
[edit] Queen Purilun
The Queen of Sweetland, much like Myumyu she acts nice and caring in the public eye but behind the scenes 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 in Japanese and Larissa Wolcott in the English Dub
[edit] Zucchini
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 in Japanese and John Minnich in the English Dub
[edit] Mustard & Ketchup
Sweetland's police force, they spend most of their time chasing Nonononn and falsely arresting Padudu. Mustard is voiced by Nanae Katou in Japanese and Lana Lesley in the English Dub Ketchup is voiced by Ryoko Nagata in Japanese and Shawn Sides in the English Dub
