Oku-sama wa Mahō Shōjo: Bewitched Agnes
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Oku-sama wa Mahō Shōjo: Bewitched Agnes | |
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An Oku-sama wa Mahō Shōjo DVD cover featuring Ureshiko Asaba/Agnes Belle |
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奥様は魔法少女 Bewitched Agnes (My Wife is a Magical Girl: Bewitched Agnes) |
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Genre | Magical girl, Comedy, Romance |
TV anime | |
Director | Hiroshi Nishikiori |
Studio | Media Factory, J.C.Staff |
Network | Kids Station |
Original run | 4 July 2005 – 25 September 2005 |
Episodes | 13 |
Oku-sama wa Mahō Shōjo: Bewitched Agnes (奥様は魔法少女 Bewitched Agnes?), literally My Wife is a Magical Girl: Bewitched Agnes, is a magical girl anime comedy that pays homage to the popular 1960s sitcom Bewitched which both its title and subtitle reference (in Japan, Bewitched was known as Oku-sama wa Majo which means My Wife is a Witch).
This homage is quite fitting as Bewitched heavily influenced the first magical girl anime Sally, the Witch. Bewitched Agnes is produced by Media Factory, J.C. Staff, Amber Film Works, and the Oku-sama wa Mahō Shōjo Production Committee, and was broadcast on several television channels in Japan in 2005: Chiba TV, Kids Station, Sun TV, TV Aichi, TV Kanagawa, and TV Saitama.
[edit] Basic Plot
On the surface Ureshiko Asaba appears to be a 26 year old housewife who helps to run a boarding house. In reality she is a magical girl from the magical world of Realm. When she is transformed into her magical girl persona, Ureshiko is called Agnes Bell, and her job is to protect the Wonderland—an artificial town created by her mother, who protected the town in the same way many years ago.
One day another magical girl appears from Realm -Cruje Gapp has been sent to replace Ureshiko as the manager of the town, as Ureshiko has become too old. However, if Cruje accepts this responsibility the town as it stands will vanish and be remade according to Cruje's wishes, which goes against all of Agnes's beliefs. Agnes refuses to hand over the Managerial Ring to Cruje, which is the only item powerful enough to begin the town's transformation. In the end, Cruje is forced to give up, and enrolls in a local middle school under the alias Sayaka Kurenai while biding her time.
However, this is not Ureshiko's only problem - she and her husband have grown distant after a certain incident, and she is developing feelings for Tatsumi Kagura, a young man who is lodging in her home.
[edit] Episodes
As Oku-sama wa Mahō Shōjo has only thirteen episodes, describing the plot in detail is most easily accomplished by outlining the events of each episode in turn. Some information about what happens in each episode is found below.
[edit] Episode 1: No Kiss, You See
The viewer meets Ureshiko Asaba, who is currently cleaning a room in the boarding house where she is staying, because a new tenant is on the way. In order to make the job go more quickly, Ureshiko tries to use her magic power, only to overdo it and make a mess. The owner of the house sends her away to get more supplies for the new tenant's room.
Later that day, a new girl transfers into the local middle school for the summer term. After classes end, she reveals that she also possesses magic power, and begins to transform the school into one she finds more attractive. However, before she can complete the job, Agnes Bell changes the school back to its old form, and introduces herself to the younger magical girl. This girl, who identifies herself as the next Manager of the Wonderland, demands that Agnes hand over the Managerial Ring; Agnes immediately refuses.
About this time, Tatsumi Kagura and Yūko Ayase are driving through the town on their way to the boarding house—Tatsumi is to be the new tenant. In the end, the pair almost get into an accident, but they are saved by Agnes's magic. Tatsumi sees their mysterious benefactor, but she flies off before saying a word. He and Yūko then finish the journey to the boarding house, only to find that the assistant manager looks just like the woman who saved them. Ureshiko ignores this, and invites Tatsumi on a tour of the town.
Later that evening, Ureshiko offers to help Tatsumi put away his things, but ends up falling on top of him. The two almost kiss, but Ureshiko eventually pushes Tatsumi away, saying, "No kiss, you see."
[edit] Episode 2: Stew is Okay, You See
Nori and Ururu are introduced as Ureshiko's childhood friends, who tell her to fight Cruje to keep the Managerial Ring. Tatsumi begins his work at a publishing company, and starts his first assignment—to convince local author Tamotsu Asaba to sell the rights to his new book to the company. Tatsumi tries to begin the process, but is thrown out of Tamotsu's home before he can bring up the subject.
Sayaka is followed home by some of her classmates, who want to see where she lives. On the way, she uses her magic to send the others sliding down an enormous sand dune, but they are saved by Agnes at the last minute. Tatsumi, who was in the vicinity after leaving Tamotsu's house, encounters both Sayaka and Ureshiko, and invites the young girl to dinner. On the way home Sayaka and Ureshiko compete to change the Wonderland, but Ureshiko undoes all of the damage.
Ureshiko tries to teach Sayaka to cook stew by slowly cooking all of the ingredients and letting them simmer over time, but she believes that it is easier just to use magic. When the stew is done, Tatsumi asks to take some of the leftovers to Tamotsu's house, because he thinks the author never gets to eat a good meal.
In the end, Sayaka transforms into Cruje and challenges Ureshiko yet again; Ureshiko informs Cruje that the stew will only get cold if they fight.
[edit] Episode 3: Adults Are Children, You See
The viewer learns more about Ureshiko's friends Ururu and Nori, who finally meet Tatsumi. They think that he may be a bit too young for Ureshiko, but when they both become quiet at the mention of their being a couple, the two older girls start to wonder whether such a relationship is a possibility.
Later that day, Sayaka is forced to clean up her classroom at school yet again, and when another student tries to help her, Sayaka reveals that all of the citizens of the town are artificial life-forms. After leaving the school, Sayaka encounters Bulga, another magical girl from Realm; Bulga has been sent by the Elders of Realm to collect the Managerial Ring from Agnes Bell. Though Sayaka protests that she does not need anyone's help, Bulga begins to destroy some of the buildings in the Wonderland, only to be noticed by Ureshiko.
In the ensuing scenes, the plot switches from the battle between Agnes and Bulga to another interview between Tatsumi and Tamotsu Asaba, this time mediated by the manager of the publishing company. Neither venture goes well for the protagonists at first, but, in the end, Tatsumi's superior manages to impress Tamotsu by quoting from one of his books.
Meanwhile, Bulga has accused Agnes of being too old to hold the Managerial Ring, which is only meant for girls. Agnes responds that adults are children inside, and that she is still young at heart. Bulga launches an assault on Agnes using several stone pillars, but Agnes uses the power of the Managerial Ring to reverse all of the damage and eventually causes Bulga to flee by saying she is too weak to hold the Ring.[1]
[edit] Episode 4: An Evening Shower is Dangerous, You See
This episode begins with Tatsumi reading from one of Tatsumi's novels. Ureshiko notices the title of the book, and decides to visit Tamotsu, who the viewer learns is her estranged husband. In the ensuing scenes, both Tatsumi and Ureshiko travel to their pasts, to very different ends. Tatsumi recalls the happy times he had as a child, whereas Ureshiko can only remember the sadness that occurred on her wedding night. In the end, Ureshiko visits the local cafe to see her friend Nori, who tries to take her mind off her troubles.
Meanwhile, Tatsumi meets Sayaka while taking a walk around the town. He inadvertently says that he will go to an amusement park with Sayaka, even though there is no such place in the town. Sayaka takes Tatsumi's promise to heart, and decides to use her magic to create an amusement park of her own. Ureshiko notices that something is going on in the rainy weather and transforms into Agnes to solve the problem. However, while she eventually is able to reverse Cruje's magic, she does not escape unscathed—Cruje tells her that she is being selfish and that the Wonderland no longer belongs to her.
Ureshiko sits in the rain after the battle, remembering a talk that she had with her mother about the Wonderland when she was still a small child. Tatsumi encounters Ureshiko on his way home, and tells her that it's dangerous to sit out in the rain without an umbrella.
[edit] Episode 5: Adults Are Okay, You See
Tatsumi is given an assignment by Tamotsu to prove his worth as an editor, but fails to live up to the master author's expectations, making him wonder if he's ready to enter the adult world. Sayaka tries once again to elude her classmates, but they corner her on a bridge and force her to show them her home. They criticize Sayaka for being too grown up, causing the young magical girl to dream of what it would be like to actually have the body of an adult.
The next day, Sayaka feigns illness and retreats to the nurse's office at school, where she transforms into an older version of herself with magic. While she is wandering around the town, she happens upon Tatsumi, who is studying an old relic in a corner of the city that is related to his assignment. The two introduce themselves again, and Sayaka asks if she can see Tatsumi again. Ureshiko, who noticed that Sayaka had used magic, reaches the relic just as Tatsumi agrees to meet the new version of Sayaka again, and declares that she no longer cares what he does.
At the end of the day, Tatsumi presents his new information to Tamotsu, who admits that he is impressed with the work. When he returns home, Tatsumi notices that Ureshiko seems upset, and tells her that a smile suits her better; this lifts her spirits to no end. Sayaka, in turn, praises herself for her cleverness in transforming her body. All three decide that being adults is a fun, if challenging endeavor.
[edit] Episode 6: The Charms of Adults Are, You See
The manager of Ureshiko's boarding house injures her back while she exercising with a friend. She gives Tatsumi and Ureshiko two tickets to a mambo concert, along with her unofficial blessing of them as a couple. Ureshiko becomes excited at the thought of going on a date and even goes to tell her friends about it, but her happiness is soon dashed when Tatsumi does not show up at the concert at the appointed time.
As it turns out, Tatsumi encounters the older version of Sayaka while on the way to an interview. Tatsumi invites her along, and the two learn about the aging process of ceramic pottery. In the end, Sayaka uses too much of her power to keep herself in her adult form, and Ureshiko has to give up some of her power to keep the spell from breaking in front of Tatsumi. Tatsumi rushes to the concert hall, only to find that the event has already started. Ureshiko arrives as well, and the two dance the mambo together outside of the building.
[edit] Episode 7: The Kiss Right in Front of Me, You See
After watching a short battle between Agnes and another Chane, another magical girl from Realm, the viewer gets another glimpse into Ureshiko's past. She begins to daydream about when she was dating Tamotsu, and how she was not able to kiss him even though he was right in front of her. Tamotsu apparently put up with this lack of kissing until the wedding night, when he declared that enough was enough.
Sayaka asks Tatsumi to go to the beach with her over the weekend. He agrees, and she asks the school nurse for advice on what to do on a date. The next day, Ureshiko meets with Tamotsu for a second time, only to be chastised for getting close to Tatsumi. Meanwhile, Tatsumi and Sayaka's older form enjoy a pleasant day at the ocean, under the watchful eye of Ureshiko and her friend Ururu. By the end of the day, Sayaka finds herself on the same patch of beach as the viewer saw earlier, and she discovers that she wants to kiss Tatsumi. Just before she does, however, she realizes what it would cost, and runs away.
Ureshiko, who had been watching the scene from the air, is attacked by Chane and her twin sister, Hermes, who manage to disable her powers. Sayaka reverts to her younger form, transforms into Cruje and saves Ureshiko, saying that she is in no mood to deal with Realm's interference in her affairs. Though she is safe from the magical girls, however, Ureshiko is not free from the effects of gravity, and she falls into the ocean. Sayaka calls for Tatsumi, who rushes to help the two girls.
[edit] Episode 8: The Existence of a Dear Person, You See
Cruje is called back to Realm, where she is scolded by the Elders for not taking over the Wonderland. When she returns, Sayaka consults the school nurse, who confirms that she was once a magical girl who helped Agnes in the early days of the Wonderland. She cautions Sayaka against falling in love, because it is not always as much fun as it seems to be at the start.
Meanwhile, an editor from a rival agency meets with Tatsumi and makes a pass at him, but he says that there is already someone that he loves. Ureshiko, in turn, meets with Nori and comforts her when she cries at the prospect of losing her daughter to the changing Wonderland.
That night, Yuki, the school nurse, takes Sayaka to a local festival in honor of the dead. She then tells Sayaka that she will be her support, and uses magic to transform into the magical girl Valentine Valentino. Sayaka realizes that Valentine must never have kissed, despite having fallen in love. The viewer then learns the details of Valentine's past, which includes the death of her "dear person."
Agnes arrives at the scene expecting to meet Cruje, and is surprised to find her friend Valentine is the one causing trouble at the festival. Valentine manages to throw Agnes off her broom, but before she can take the Managerial Ring from her, Agnes asks her why she wants the Wonderland to change. Valentine says that it is too cruel to live in a world without her loved ones, especially since they are all artificial. Agnes responds that, even if the boy was not real, Valentine's love for him was, and that that is what matters.[2] Valentine realizes the truth, and lets Agnes go, much to Sayaka's chagrin.
At the end of the episode, Tatsumi is confronted by Tamotsu and the rival editor, who accuses Tatsumi of assaulting her.
[edit] Episode 9: So I Have No Regrets, You See
This episode begins as a direct continuation of the last, and the viewer watches as Ureshiko comes to Tatsumi's aid, saying that she wants to divorce Tamotsu as soon as possible. That night, Tatsumi receives a call from Yūko, the girl who drove him to his new home. It turns out that Yūko has become engaged and is having a party with the rest of the college track team. Tatsumi attends, and wishes Yūko the best of luck in her new life.
The next morning, Ureshiko gets a surprise visit from Freya, the former Manager of the Wonderland. Freya tells Ureshiko that she must hand off control of the Wonderland to the next generation, and so she must do what she can so that she will have no regrets when the transition is made.
Sayaka, in turn, is visited by the Elders of Realm, and is told that she will soon control the Wonderland. Sayaka becomes distraught and meets with Tatsumi in her older form once again. She tries to ask Tatsumi if she can erase him, for in changing the Wonderland, she will also have to change its inhabitants. However, she cannot bring herself to ask such a question, and she runs away, injuring her leg in the process. When Tatsumi catches up to her, Sayaka realizes that she will never have a relationship with him, and tells him to find the person he truly loves.
Meanwhile, Freya and Maiko, the manager of the boarding house, travel to Realm to confront the Elders about their decision to wrest control from Ureshiko's hands. Maiko tells her husband, the head Elder, why the town should stay in its current form, but he does not listen to her.
At the end of the episode, Ureshiko and Tatsumi meet, and Ureshiko decides to give up the Managerial Ring and kiss Tatsumi. However, just before they kiss, Ureshiko notices a magical reaction, and changes her mind.
[edit] Episode 10: To Open My Mind, You See
Ureshiko transforms into Agnes Bell in front of Tatsumi, finally revealing her secret to him. However, before he can ask too much, Agnes flies off to see what was causing the previous magical reaction. She finds a huge cloud made of magic hanging above the town, but when she enters it she is attacked by a group of magical girls and is trapped in a web of magic. Cruje also enters the cloud, but she does not heed Bulga's suggestion to take the ring from Agnes; instead, Cruje dispels the magic web and flees the cloud with Agnes. Agnes sends the whole concoction back to Realm, but Bulga launches a spell of her own, which breaks Agnes's broom and sends her falling from high in the sky.
Tatsumi, who had been watching from below, manages to catch Agnes before she hits the ground, but breaks his legs in the process. Agnes uses some of her power to heal him, and explains the truth of her position as Manager to the young boy.
Meanwhile, Sayaka has returned to her home, only to find that the Elders are waiting to chastise her for wasting a perfect opportunity. They also tell her that if she does not take over control of the Wonderland in twenty-four hours, they will destroy it by force. Sayaka seals her powers in desperation, and flees her home. However, this was not a good idea, as the buildings in the town started to catch fire in the interim, and are now facing destruction. Sayaka is met by her classmates, who tell her that the school is ablaze. She soon finds that the class's treasure—the victory flag from the summer baseball tournament—is still inside the building. Sayaka eventually succeeds in rescuing the flag without her magic, but inhales too much smoke and faints.
Ureshiko is met by Yuki, the school nurse, and uses the power of the Managerial Ring to put out the fire. Yuki tells her that the world is definitely going to change at some point, and that she should do what she needs to do before that happens. In the last moments of the episode, the viewer sees what Ureshiko's biggest regret entails: she flies to the home she shared with Tamotsu, and he comes outside only to find his wife in a strange costume. The two stare at each other in silence...
[edit] Episode 11: The Autumn Wind Blowing, You See
The viewer watches as Ureshiko delves deep into her past to the time when she first met Tamotsu years ago. She tells Tamotsu that she thought he would be the only person who could care for her, since he saw through the secret of the Wonderland mere moments after stepping inside it.[3] Tamotsu expresses his regrets for not understanding his wife, but says that if the world is to be destroyed, it is not his affair.
After flying home, Ureshiko urgest Tatsumi to flee the Wonderland before it is destroyed by the Elders, and she agrees to leave the town behind if she can live with him.[4] However, when they get to the train station, Ureshiko pushes Tatsumi onto the train just as it speeds off, saying that she will be happy if at least he survives.
Meanwhile, the Elders of Realm ready the attack on the Wonderland, despite Freya and Maiko's attempts to dissuade them from destroying the town. Ureshiko, in turn, transforms into Agnes and casts a protective spell to block the attack. She is able to fend off the first round, but when the Elders increase the power of their spells, she is knocked to the ground. Freya and Maiko rebel against the Elders and take away two of the staves necessary to destroy the Wonderland, but Agnes will not able to hold off the assault in her weakened state for long.
The Elders then appear to Sayaka and tell her that the summer has ended, and that the autumn wind is now blowing change into the air. Agnes is injured by another round of battle, and tries to fly to her shield to strengthen it from nearby. However, she is hit by lightning and sent back to the ground. Sayaka goes to Agnes, meeting a returning Tatsumi on the way, but rather than steal the Ring from her, she slaps Agnes, telling her not to be so selfish as to try to defend the town on her own. Agnes agrees that she needs everyone's help, and uses the power of the Ring to break the seal on Sayaka's magic, allowing her to instantly transform into Cruje. Together, the two use the Ring to amplify their power and ward off the Elders' attack.
Agnes tells Tatsumi and Cruje that she will travel to Realm to confront the Elders, because both she and the Wonderland will be erased if she tries to flee again. Cruje tries to return the Ring, which she will need if the Elders try to punish her, but Agnes says that it would be best for Cruje to keep it for the time being. The episode ends with Agnes teleporting back to her homeland of Realm and opening the doors to the Elders' chamber.
[edit] Episode 12: The Heart Is Alive, You See
Sayaka is sitting at home examining the Managerial Ring when Cruje, Chane, and Hermes appear, telling her that the ring is finally hers, and that she should begin the reconstruction of the Wonderland immediately. When Sayaka says that she is just holding the ring, the three other magical girls chide her into putting on the ring for just a moment, and then hypnotize her.
Meanwhile, the viewer gets a taste of Agnes's adult side, as she argues with the Elders once again to keep the Wonderland in its current state. The head of the Council chastises Agnes for not doing a better job of teaching Cruje how to manage the town, and sends her to a prison dimension to reflect on her actions.
Sayaka is being taken to the edge of the town so that she can begin the transformation process, but is stopped midway by a boy in her class named Yuki, who also happens to be one of the bullies who has been picking on her all season. Yuki tells Sayaka that he likes her, and she asks if his feelings would be the same even if the world were to change. She then confronts her fellow magical girls, who immediately hypnotize her for a second time.
Agnes is feeling sorry for herself in the prison, when she is visited by the spirit of her mother, Aphrodite. Aphrodite tells Agnes that her current state is partially her mother's fault, for she had thrust the idea of an eternal Wonderland on her at a very young age. Aphrodite also tells her the secret to escaping from her prison in order to atone for her past actions—her heart is alive, and if it bonds with someone, the power of that bond will be enough to break the spell. She thinks of Tatsumi, who is also thinking about her, and she is able to break out of her prison and travel back to the Wonderland.
The episode ends with Sayaka standing at the top of the hill at the edge of the Wonderland, with her three self-appointed attendants behind her.[5] They are musing over the fact that they will be able to make the changes they want to the Wonderland by using Cruje's magic for their own ends.
[edit] Episode 13: You Are Here With Me, You See
Ureshiko is happy that she has been reunited with Tatsumi, but she realizes that she needs to protect the Wonderland if Tatsumi is to exist. She transforms into Agnes Bell and begins the flight to the edge of the town, but is waylaid by Chane and Hermes who tell her that her time as the Manager is finally over. The two begin to execute a sure-kill technique, but before they can actually attack Agnes, they are stopped by Yuki, who has transformed into Valentine Valentino again.[6] Bulga challenges Valentine to a duel, and though the two manage to damage each other, Bulga accidentally succeeds in stabbing Valentine with her umbrella. This causes Chane and Hermes to tell Bulga that they were "just supposed to be scaring Agnes," and that she has taken things too far. Bulga and her two underlings flee the scene,[7] leaving Agnes and a struggling Valentine.
However, Valentine says that she can take care of herself, and she summons Tatsumi to Agnes's broom by using Magity before disappearing. Sayaka regains consciousness, and decides what she wants to do with the Wonderland. Agnes and Tatsumi talk about what is going on, and eventually kiss. However, as Sayaka's magic takes control of the Wonderland, Tatsumi disappears, leaving Agnes to cry on her own as the town is changed. The viewer gets a chance to see what the rest of the cast is doing just before the transformation, and then everything fades to white.
Ureshiko wakes up, having lost her magic power. She is met by Maiko and Freya, who are soon joined by Tatsumi. They explain that Sayaka's only changes to the Wonderland were to repair the damage done during the Elders' attack on the city. The viewer is then treated to a montage of what is happening to the characters, and watches as Tatsumi asks Tamotsu for permission to have a relationship with Ureshiko.
The series ends with Ureshiko saying that she loves the Wonderland, and that it will never change so long as the Managers understand what it means to truly live.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Characters from Realm
Realm is the magical kingdom that lies parallel to Earth.[8] All of the characters listed below were either born in Realm or have have ties to it that become clear as the story develops.
[edit] Ureshiko Asaba
Ureshiko is the current magical girl in charge of managing the Wonderland—her alias is Agnes Bell. She succeeded Freya in the position, and decided to have the Wonderland retain the same identity as that of her two predecessors as an experiment on human potential. Given that she was chosen by the elders of Realm to guard the Wonderland, it is clear that Ureshiko has strong magical powers, and it would come as no surprise if she had the strongest abilities in Realm. However, even a magical girl with powers as great as Ureshiko's would be unable to manage an entire town on her own, and so she must use a ring passed down by previous Managers in order to keep the area stable. [9] Although she knows that her time as the Managerial Magical Girl has probably come to an end, Ureshiko is reluctant to give away her authority; she believes in the power of humans to determine their own fate, and wants to keep the Wonderland the way it is,[10] despite the urging of the Elders for her to change it, and the fact that her costume is becoming more and more revealing as her body grows.[11]
As Agnes Bell, Ureshiko is able to use her powers to fly, create protective barriers,[11][12], heal wounds [12] and relieve fatigue[13], and repair any damage done to the Wonderland by the other magical girls.[9] Given her status as the Manager of the Wonderland, Ureshiko is able to create or destroy life while she is within the limits of the city—she displays this to Tatsumi in a later episode by creating a butterfly out of thin air.[14] She is also able to use the Managerial Ring as an alarm when other magical girls are performing spells. [9][12] It is interesting to note that Ureshiko also seems to have some magical abilities even when she has not transformed, including levitation of objects, though her precision is not as great. Ureshiko's wand ornaments take the form of the sun and moon, perhaps as a symbol of her need to be vigilant at all times.
Both transformed and when she is in her civilian guise, Ureshiko is quite clumsy, and nobody is surprised when she falls down stairs [11] or walks into light posts. [9] She also becomes overwhelmingly upset over relatively small occurrences such as leaving laundry out in the rain [15] and putting the wrong condiments on her food. [16]
Ureshiko has a complex character that develops throughout the series. At the start she seems to be a mature, confident woman, but as the series progresses she begins to doubt her place as the Manager and as a wife.[17] However, she sincerely hopes that her dream of allowing the Wonderland to flourish on its own will come true, and so excuses herself from giving up the position by saying that she is young at heart. [11] Despite being married, Ureshiko lives with her surrogate grandmother in a boarding house and begins to have romangic feelings for Tatsumi, the young man living there. Ureshiko still cares a great deal for her estranged husband,[3] and thought that he would be the only one for her, and so she feels conflicted in her love for Tatsumi. Thoughts of her husband are one of the only things that can ruin Ureshiko's usually bright mood, and she relies on her friends to help recover her confidence. By the midpoint in the series, Ureshiko is able to ask Tamotsu for a divorce, [18], but he sternly refuses, even when she clearly states that she no longer loves him.[19]
In the end, Ureshiko is able to reveal her true identity to her husband, who forgives her for never expressing her love for him physically. Ureshiko regains her confidence in her abilities and in herself, and she returns to Realm to explain her reasons for protecting the town. [20] She approaches the elders directly, pointedly bypassing the podium used by other visitors, and speaks freely—she really does go full circle.
[edit] Sayaka Kurenai
Sayaka has been chosen to be the successor to Ureshiko as the Manager of the Wonderland—her alias is Cruje Gapp. She believes that the Wonderland needs to be changed in order for it to be fun, and wastes no time in trying to transform it into a "cute place." [11] Sayaka constantly demands that Ureshiko hand over the ring so that she may begin the process of remaking the world, though Ureshiko refuses every time.
As the Manager-in-Training, Sayaka also has strong magical powers—though she does not possess the Managerial ring, she is able to create and transform objects to suit her mood. This has included remodeling a school, [11] building parts of an amusement park,[15] and creating a home for herself out of thin air. Sayaka is also able to use magic when not transformed into Cruje, including sealing away her powers for a limited time,[12] and changing her appearance so that she can meet Tatsumi in secret.[21] However, since she does not have the Manager's Ring, the limits to her power are much lower than for Agnes, and so she becomes tired when she uses too much magic power at once. [22] Her wand ornaments take the form of a Saturn-like planet and a moon.
Sayaka comes off as an ambitious, hard worker who wants nothing more than to have fun in the new Wonderland.[23] However, as the series progresses, she comes to understand her other emotions, including her loneliness as a Managerial Candidate, her need for friends her own age, and her budding love for Tatsumi.[24] Though she initially shows disdain for the classmates she finds when she enrolls in a local middle school[25] [26], Sayaka begins to find the humor in their actions, and helps to put out a fire that threatens to destroy the school. Once she gains possession of the Managerial Ring [27] she finds that she is reluctant to put it on and assume her responsibility as the new Manager.[20]
Sayaka has a paradoxical idea about what it means to be a child. In on sense, she wants to remain as a young girl, because "only girls have the right to manage the Wonderland."[11]. However, she also seems to want to be treated with the respect that is given only to those who have experienced the world around them, and resents the fact that both Ureshiko and the rest of the cast treat her as a child.[28] In order to have a relationship with Tatsumi, Sayaka periodically alters her appearance so that she looks like someone closer to his age, and then tags along on his work assignments.[21][13] She finds that she wants to kiss Tatsumi as time goes by, but stops herself at the last moment to protect her magical powers. [29] By the end of the series, Sayaka understands that Tatsumi cannot love her in her child form, and allows him to pursue his relationship with Ureshiko.
[edit] Bulga
Bulga is the third magical girl to be introduced to the series, and acts as a foil to both Ureshiko and Sayaka throughout the plot. Bulga arrives in the Wonderland as a messenger of Realm's elders.[9] Her job is to find out Sayaka has not taken possession of the Managerial Ring, and to assist her in any way possible. However, Cruje reveals that she was the second-ranked magical girl in the competition to become the next manager, [30]and she makes no attempt to hide her contempt for her former opponent. After relaying the Elders' message, Bulga strikes out on her own to take the ring for herself and usurp the position of Manager, but is unable to take it out of Ureshiko's possession. [1] She later forms an alliance with Chane and Hermes to take the ring away from Agnes and present it to Cruje.
Unlike Ureshiko and Sayaka, Bulga never transforms into a magical girl in order to use her powers. Instead, she makes use of an ever-twirling umbrella as both her broom and wand, and is able to move stone, animate objects, and manipulate the wind with ease.[9] Bulga is also able to hypnotize Sayaka on two separate occasions,[20] and has the ability to transfigure herself into a dog.[20] Interestingly, she only needs to use the common magical phrase "Magity" when using her destructive spells, [9] and is able to perform her other magic without it.
Bulga is the most calculating of the magical girls who come from Realm to help Cruje. She displays the most destructive tendencies, and does not seem to mind damaging the Wonderland as long as it helps her achieve her goals. However, her ambition does seem to have some limits, as she flees in fear from Agnes once all the damage she caused was repaired in an instant by the Manager's power.[9] Though she shows little development during the series, she does seem to have some human emotion—when she accidentally attacks Valentine with her umbrella, she automatically apologizes and flies away.[7] At the very end of the series, it is hinted that Bulga will live in the Wonderland as an attendant to Cruje, and she seems to be making friends with some of the other children at the middle school.[31]
[edit] Chane and Hermes
Chane and Hermes are twin magical girls from Realm who work with Bulga to steal the Managerial Ring from Agnes. Chane is the first to appear, and challenges Agnes on her own. When Chane loses, she warns Agnes that her time as a magical girl is limited.[32] This causes Agnes to perform an aggressive spell for the first and only time in the series—she breaks the spell on Chane's broom, causing her to fall out of the sky. In the next battle, Hermes ambushes Agnes while she is dodging Chane's attack. The two are not seen apart after this point, and work in tandem to reach their goals. Toward the end of the series, they are seen to be allies of Bulga,[12] and reveal that they are to be Cruje's support once the Wonderland is changed.
Like Bulga, neither Hermes nor Chane transform into the traditional magical girl uniform of this series. Instead, the two wear identical outfits, and, in traditional anime style, the only difference between them is in the angle of their hats. The pair travel around on "brooms" that resemble spoons, and are able to cast spells without the use of wands. In addition to being able to use magic to create objects out of the air, Chane and Hermes are able to use magical shuriken[29] and transform into a pair of crows.[20] They, along with Bulga, hypnotize Cruje later in the series.[20]
Hermes and Chane show little development during the course of the series. They only appear in several episodes, and do not take part in the show's epilogue. They exist as subordinates to the will of Realm's elders, and, to a lesser extent, Bulga's.
[edit] Yuki Tanishimi
Yuki is the nurse at the middle school in which Sayaka enrolls at the start of the series. Though she does not initially display any magical power, she is able to see Sayaka's first attempt at rebuilding the Wonderland, and cautions her against further action until she successfully inherits the Managerial Ring. [11]
Yuki's identity as both a citizen of Realm and a magical girl is not confirmed until Episode 8 of the series, when she reveals to Sayaka that she still possesses magical powers.[33] Yuki goes on to tell Sayaka about her past, in which she was an attendant to Ureshiko as she succeeded the position of Manager.[34] Yuki also tells the younger girl about her first love, a young man who drove a motorcycle. Though she loved the boy, Yuki remained devoted to Ureshiko, and politely refused to kiss him in order to keep her powers as long as possible. However, on the day that Yuki received her nursing school exam results, she discovered that her boyfriend had died in an accident.
As a second "older magical girl," Yuki's name changes to Valentine Valentino, and she insists that Ureshiko call her this when they meet.[35] In general, Valentine's powers are similar to Ureshiko's. She can use attack magic based on fiery explosions, and can fly a broom with skill. Though she claims that she wants to see the Wonderland changed so that she will no longer be reminded of her loved one's death, she does not display the same destructive abilities as the other antagonists in her quest to defeat Agnes. She is also able to use the standard spell, Magity, to perform various functions.[31] Her wand's shape is similar to that of an ear cleaner, perhaps as a tribute to her work as a nurse.
Yuki shows some distinct character development during the course of the series. At the start, she plays the role of concerned guardian to Sayaka, who is alone in the Wonderland. [36] During this period, it is not made entirely clear that she was originally from Realm, though she does have some insight into Sayaka's romantic struggle.[37] At one point, Sayaka calls Yuki by her magical girl name, [38] but, before that point, she had not been called by her civilian name. As viewers learn more about Yuki's past, she begins to appear sullen, as if she has given up on her life in the Wonderland.[39] However, after Ureshiko confronts her about her attitudes toward the people of the Wonderland, she begins to feel hope for the future once again.[2] By the end of the series, Yuki uses her power to aid Ureshiko,[6] and at the end of the series she continues to guard her magic powers in order to watch over Sayaka's progress.
[edit] Freya
Freya is a secondary character in the series who shows little development due to the fact that she does not appear often until the end. She has no special name for herself while she is in the Wonderland, and goes by her name from Realm during all conversations. However, some information can be provided.
Freya was the Managerial Magical Girl during the term before Ureshiko's.[33] She took over the position from Aphrodite, and, though the Wonderland is meant to undergo a transformation at the start of every new term, Freya decided to leave it the same way in order to see how its inhabitants developed.[40] She visits Ureshiko during Episode 9 to advise her against keeping the Managerial Ring any longer and that the Elders have officially stripped her of her title,[41] but confides in her successor that she is doing the right thing.[42]
Though she was once the Manager of the Wonderland, Freya does not display any magic during the series, and so it may be that she has already kissed. There is also no footage of her from the past, and so there is no way to know exactly what her powers were. However, Ureshiko does look up to Freya as an older sister and a helpful mentor, a vision that Freya believes she does not deserve.[43]
It is interesting to note that Freya is the daughter of Maiko,[44] the old woman who lives with Ureshiko, and one of the head elders of Realm. Though Freya is outwardly respectful of both of her parents and wants them to get along, she seems to side with her mother ideologically.[45]
[edit] Maiko Motohiro
Maiko Motohiro[46] is the owner of the boarding house in which Ureshiko lives while she is estranged from her husband. She acts as a surrogate grandmother to Ureshiko, offering her helpful, if sarcastic, advice throughout the series. It is revealed in Episode 9 that Maiko is the mother of Freya, and has a relationship with one of Realm's chief elders.[47]
It is interesting to note that, while Maiko has an adult daughter, she is able to use magic to help Ureshiko with the housework and to check on her from time to time. [11] Given the magic paradigm that exists within this series, this would suggest that Maiko has never kissed a human from the Wonderland. It is unknown whether Maiko's powers are a special case due to her role as an elder's wife, or if magic power returns upon reaching adulthood.
Maiko is owner of the cynical attitude that often appears in older women in anime. Despite her age, she refuses to believe that she is not a vital woman, and regularly practices the mambo with a male friend of hers.[13] She has a husband,[48] but does not seem to notice that he is one of the leaders of Realm—she treats him as she does everyone else, and chastises him when he tries to wield his authority.[49] Though she is one of the oldest characters in the series, she also has one of the most vibrant hearts, and defends the fact that the Wonderland is indeed changing with time.[50]
[edit] Aphrodite
Aphrodite is the name that Ureshiko's mother used when she was a magical girl. She is never explicitly given a name in the Wonderland, because the only people who mention her are those who come from Realm. Aphrodite was the Managerial Magical Girl two terms before Ureshiko, and changed the Wonderland into a traditional, rural town some years ago. [51][52] It is unknown whether she urged Freya to maintain the Wonderland in that form, but her two successors each chose to keep it the way it was, in order to allow the people there to live on their own. Aphrodite knew that she would one day have to leave the world behind, but she wanted to leave a piece of herself behind. [53]
Little is known about Aphrodite, as her physical form never appears in the series. She exists only in flashbacks until Episode 12, when she comes to Ureshiko to give her confidence.[20] It is unknown whether the real Aphrodite has died, or where she could be living at the present time, but her astral body dotes on Ureshiko, showing that she is a loving mother. For Ureshiko, Aphrodite is an ideal for what it means to be a magical girl and a strong woman.
[edit] The Elders of Realm
This group of magicians is in charge of many of the functions of Realm, including the punishment of magical girls, the auditing of the Wonderland's progress, and overseeing of the Manager.
For the majority of the series, the Elders are seen as the second line of antagonists working from the shadows to overthrow Ureshiko's version of the Wonderland. They send Cruje to the world below for her to succeed to the position of Manager, and urge her to change the Wonderland as soon as possible.[54] They periodically check in with Cruje by possessing her collection of teddybears, and continue to nudge her into altering the Wonderland, which they think has remained in the same state for far too long.[47] In the end, they decide to undermine Ureshiko's authority as the Manager and erase the Wonderland completely by creating a giant thunderstorm.[27] Even when Agnes and Cruje manage to deflect the attack on the Wonderland, the elders do not relent, and send Agnes to a Punishment Dimension until Cruje has begun her term.[55]
For all of their supposed malice and apparent dislike of the Wonderland that has survived through the terms of three Managers, the elders should be given some credit. To the majority of people in Realm, the Wonderland is not a real place, and is little more than a temporary diversion. The elders claim to be under immense pressure from other powers within Realm to change the Wonderland, which had become boring to Realm's population. Looked at in this light, the elders are little more than helpless bureaucrats who are trying to please the majority. While this is not particularly noble, they cannot be faulted for doing their job.
[edit] Characters from Earth
The following characters are members of the cast who are from Earth and have no visible ties to Realm. It is important to note, however, that these characters are not originally from the Wonderland managed by Ureshiko. As the series does not make it clear whether there are other Wonderlands in the world, these characters may be completely human, or they may have been artificially created like those in the Wonderland.
[edit] Tatsumi Kagura
At the start of the series, Tatsumi Kagura is introduced as a college-aged young man who left school after sustaining an injury. Tatsumi was an athlete who specialized in the high jump, but he hit the bar and hurt himself during a competition. In order to move on, Tatsumi left the school to start a new life in what turns out to be the Wonderland. By chance he rents a room in the boarding house run by Ureshiko and Maiko, and takes a job working at a local publishing company. He enjoys spending time with Ureshiko, but worries about how he appears in front of older women like her. [9]
During his stay at the boarding house, Tatsumi begins to develop romantic feelings for Ureshiko, whom he sees as a mature older woman who can also act like a child. When he finds out that Ureshiko is really the magical girl in charge of the Wonderland, he is surprised, but decides that that does not change his feelings for her.[12] He and Ureshiko plan to flee the Wonderland when the elders launch their attack,[4] but Ureshiko leaves at the last moment, saying that she is happy that at least he will survive. Not content to leave the woman he loves to die, Tatsumi risks being erased himself to help Ureshiko. In the end, the two decide to become a couple despite their substantial difference in age.
Tatsumi shows viewers his steady yet haphazard personality through his actions during the show. Though he knows little about the editing and publishing business, Tatsumi immediately takes a liking to the job, as it gives him a chance to learn about a variety of topics through his work. He is initially intimidated by his first big assignment, but eventually comes to think of it as a rite of passage. He takes this same stance in his personal life, as he becomes romantically involved both with Ureshiko[13] and Sayaka's adult form.[29] Though he never figures out that Sayaka was using magic to transform herself, Tatsumi decides that he has deeper feelings for Ureshiko, and pursues her until the show's ending.[56] Tatsumi also comes to terms with the fact that his life as an athlete has ended by overcoming his apprehension of the high jump.[47]
[edit] Tamotsu Asaba
Tamotsu Asaba is a famous author within the show's universe, and has published several popular novels that detail the human condition and the nature of existence. He is currently being wooed by several editing and publishing companies for the rights to his new project, but he cannot decide between two until the end of the series. Though he has become famous for his work, Tamotsu still possesses a sense of professional modesty and does not like it when people openly praise his writing. [9]
Tamotsu is also confirmed to be Ureshiko's estranged husband early in the series. While it is initially unclear why the two have separated, it soon becomes clear that Tamotsu has taken on a mistress, [25] and that he is not ashamed to meet her in public.
Tamotsu arrived in the Wonderland years ago while on a pilgrimage to develop his writing skills.[27] He came to the town on a snowy day, and described it in his notes as "The town that Time forgot." A younger Ureshiko noticed this, and confirmed that this was the case. [57] Tamotsu immediately took an interest in the young girl, and the two began to see each other socially. Though Ureshiko has deep feelings for her first love, she cannot bring herself to kiss him, a fact that Tamotsu reluctantly accepts.[29]
Tamotsu and Ureshiko eventually decided to get married in the traditional Japanese style,[29] and on their wedding night, Tamotsu expects his long-awaited kiss. [15] When she still refuses, he becomes upset, saying that he doubts her feelings for him.
Tamotsu is a mysterious character, in that he claims not to be tied to anyone in the world, but will not actually engage Ureshiko in a divorce.[58] On the two on-screen occasions that Ureshiko visits their home, Tamotsu verbally abuses her and demands that she leave, but only after attempting once again to kiss her[15]; he claims that he is miserable without her.[15] However, Tamotsu also has a human side, which is evidenced by his sweet tooth [9] and the fact that he remembers the distinct taste of his wife's cooking. [25]
When Ureshiko finally reveals the truth to him near the series's end, he says that he "had a hunch,"[27] and immediately guesses that the people of Wonderland are artificial. He cries a single tear at the thought that he has lost Ureshiko as a wife, and wonders what might have been. However, he decides to live the way he wants, and will continue to write within the Wonderland, even if it means he will be erased along with it.[59] In the end, Tamotsu is able to finish his latest novel after all.[31]
[edit] Yuuko Ayase
Yuuko plays a small role in the series. She was the manager of the track team at Tatsumi's school, and developed a close relationship with him as a result. She refers to him with the traditional "senpai" honorific, and has great respect for him despite his choice to leave the school. Yuuko is the one who arranges for Tatsumi to live with Maiko and Ureshiko, and helps him transport his belongings to the boarding house. [11]
When Yuuko arrives at Maiko's boarding house, she greets her by saying, "It's been a long time." It is unknown how or why Yuuko knows about Maiko, but the two seem to recognize each other, if nothing else. She refers to Maiko as "Oba-san," [11] but since this is a traditional way of attending to the elderly and not a direct translation to "Grandmother," this does not mean that the two characters are related.
Though it is fairly obvious that Yuuko has romantic feelings for Tatsumi, he is completely oblivious to them, even when she offers to become his bride. After she seems him off, Yuuko does her best to forget about Tatsumi and push him away when he contacts her. In episode 9, Yuuko announces that she will be marrying a friend from childhood.[47] Despite this, Yuuko looks sad when she says her goodbyes to Tatsumi, suggesting that her feelings for him have not changed.
[edit] Characters from the Wonderland
As far as the show has revealed, these characters are all from the Wonderland, and thus are artificial life-forms created Aphrodite, Freya, or Agnes when they created their versions of the Wonderland. As the Wonderland has not been changed for three terms, it may be that these individuals are descendents of those created by the earlier Managers. It is important to note that both those who were born in the Wonderland and those who happen to be in it will be erased if the Wonderland is changed, but that they have no knowledge of this. In this way, the Wonderland can be thought of as a large-scale experiment run by the people of Realm on the effects of different living conditions on a population.[60]
[edit] The Publishing Staff
Soon after moving to the Wonderland, Tatsumi secures a job working for a small editing and publishing company that handles local publications such as the Bush Clover magazine. [9] Though they do not have a wide range of clients, the company is looking to expand its coverage by attaining the rights to Tamotsu Asaba's latest book, with the hopes of getting him to write a series in the future. As the company does not want to lose any time or energy in pursuing such a long shot, the head of the company decides to put Tatsumi on the case, claiming that it will be a learning experience for him. [25]
The company remains small due to the fact that the president allows workers to come and go as they please and take time off to take care of family and other personal affairs. One of the employees claims that the company "lacks tension" as a result [9], and that serious authors do not take the firm seriously. It is later revealed that this is because the president left a leading firm after not having enough time to spend with his own family. [61]
The staff is made up of a kind senior editor (Kashiwada), several male publishers (Shioya), a female PR agent, and a clerical worker.
[edit] The Rival Editor (Kusakabe-san)
This young woman is actually Tamotsu's mistress as well as one of the publishers who is trying to get the rights to his new book. She is quite cunning in her pursuit of both the author and his work, and does not hesitate to tell Tatsumi that he has no chance of getting Tamotsu to sign a contract. At another point, she makes a pass at Tatsumi in order to distract him from the publishing job,[62] only to claim that he assaulted her when Tatsumi does not agree.
Though she appears ruthless, the rival editor does seem to have genuine feelings for Tamotsu aside from her wishes to work with him professionally. Though her company does not end up getting the rights to Tamotsu's book, she shows up at the book's unveiling, and seems happy to be spending time with Tamotsu socially.[31]
[edit] Sayaka's Classmates
Sayaka enrolls in a middle school in the Wonderland to take up some of her time while she waits for Ureshiko to give up the Managerial Ring. The members of her class do not seem to like her at the beginning of the story, but both she and the other students grow on each other as time goes by.
On her first day, Sayaka is told by the class bully that she has to clean the classroom by herself every day for a week as a hazing ritual[11], and then pile on more work when she excels in class [9]. She is also bothered every so often by a clique of upper-class girls who demand to see her house and play with her belongings.[25][21] A fellow transfer student tries to commiserate with Sayaka's plight as the new girl in the class, but is not able to convince her that things will change.[63] Over time the rest of the class begins to warm up to Sayaka, even inviting her to go to the beach with them, [29] but she refuses to see them as more than a bunch of kids.
The situation with Sakaya's classmates changes in a later episode, when the school is ravaged by a large fire.[12] The students are able to escape the building without being injured, but discover that their class flag is still inside the building. Sayaka initially refuses to help save either the building or the flag,[64] but she eventually decides to help out. When she discovers that her classmates have drawn her along with the rest of the class on the flag, she is touched, and decides to work on her relationships with them.
[edit] Characters of unknown origin
Ururu Kinjou and Nori Misugi are two of Ureshiko's closest friends while she is in the Wonderland. She confides in them her growing feelings for Tatsumi and her frustration at having to turn over the Wonderland to a successor who is only going to change it. Nori echoes Ureshiko's concerns, saying that she does not "want to see the environment where her daughter will grow up change." [25] Ururu, on the other hand, says that the world will not change too much, that there will still be men around in the new world, and that Ureshiko "should worry more about her own happiness."[25] Despite their differing opinions on how the Wonderland should be run, both are genuinely concerned by Ureshiko's plight.
However, it is not made clear whether these two characters are from the Wonderland, or whether they are from Realm. Several points should be brought up in examining this issue.
- Neither Ururu nor Nori make use of magic during the series, which would make it seem obvious that they are from the Wonderland. However, both point out to Ureshiko in Episode 2 that "protecting her kiss" is a dangerous thing, as it will never allow her to become a complete adult. [25] This suggests that they have both kissed already—the one woman has a husband and young daughter, and the other is seen at bars and is self-admittedly boy-crazy.
- Ureshiko's confidence in both of her friends itself makes their origins unclear. The population of the Wonderland is never supposed to know that it is artificial. It would seem strange that the two would be citizens of the Wonderland, given that both Nori and Ururu know about the Wonderland and magical girls. Why would Ureshiko need to confide in people from her Wonderland about her personal problems? Though she has a naturally gregarious personality type, Ureshiko takes her duty as a magical girl very seriously, and would probably not jeopardize her position as Manager for something like this. However, whenever Ururu or Nori mention Realm, they talk in a questioning tone, as if they are not sure of the facts. Does this mean that they do not remember the rules of Realm after being away for so long, or that they only have the information that Ureshiko told them and nothing more?[65]
- Yuki was an attendant magical girl when Ureshiko took over as Manager, which shows that there can be more than one magical girl in the Wonderland at the same time. Given that Sayaka will have three attendants when she takes over the Wonderland,[5] it would make sense if Ureshiko also had a trio of them when she first succeeded the position. Ururu and Nori appear to be about the same age as Ureshiko and Yuki, and so it would not be surprising if they worked in this capacity before kissing and losing their powers.
- The characters in the series who are known to be from Realm have hair and eyes in a variety of colors, while those who are from the Wonderland and other areas have hair and eyes in earth tones. Ururu and Nori both have distinctive hair and eye colors, and more closely resemble the other characters from Realm than they do those from Earth. Also, their accessories and jewelry have similar charms to those worn by Ureshiko and Yuki when they transform into magical girls.
[edit] Voice Talent
The following voice actresses and actors lended their talent to the making of the series.[66]
Character | Actor/Actress - Japanese | Character | Actor/Actress - Japanese |
---|---|---|---|
Ureshiko Asaba | Kikuko Inoue | Sayaka Kurenai | Ai Shimizu |
Tatsumi Kagura | Daisuke Kishio | Tamotsu Asaba | Juurouta Kosugi |
Maiko Motohira | Atsuko Mine | Yuki Tanishima | Yuri Amano |
Bulga | Akeno Watanabe | Freya | Rica Matsumoto |
Nori Mitsugi | Akiko Hiramatsu | Ururu Kinjou | Yuri Shiratori |
Yuuko Ayase | Masumi Asano | Aphrodite | Mika Doi |
[edit] Media
Following the release of the series, two separate CDs were also created and released. Both feature the show's original voice talent. The first to be released was a drama CD featuring segments that take place before the beginning of the televised series, and explain why Ureshiko left her home with Tamotsu Asaba. The second was a CD featuring the opening and closing themes of the song, both in their original forms and as karaoke. The tracklists for both albums are found below.
Okusama wa 17-sai to 3652-nichi! Drama CD released on July 6, 2005[67]
- Minna no Okusama (22:36)
- Namida no Birthday (21:25)
- Mainichi ga Birthday (3:59)
- Ureshiko kara no Message (2:29)
Home & Away/Jewelry Music CD released on July 27, 2005[68]
- Home & Away (4:29)
- Artist: Melocure
- Jewelry (4:30)
- Artist: Kikuko Inoue
- Home & Away (karaoke) (4:30)
- Jewelry (karaoke) (4:28)
[edit] External links
- An Official Website (Japanese)
- Another Official Website (Japanese)
- Anime News Network's Oku-sama wa Mahou Shōjo page
- AnimeNfo.Com's Okusama wa Maho Shojo - Bewitched Agnes - page
[edit] References
- ^ a b Agnes: You just can't. The powerful magic of the ring cannot be handled by an ordinary magical girl. "Adults are Children, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 7/17/2005. No. 3, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ a b Agnes: Can you truly erase your loved one's life? Are the memories inside of you artificial too?"The Existence of a Dear Person, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/21/2005. No. 8, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ a b Agnes: Because I thought you were a person who could accept an imaginary town, I could entrust myself to you...I wanted to be with you."The Autumn Wind Blowing, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/11/2005. No. 11, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ a b Ureshiko: Tatsumi-san, let's run away from the town together. If we get out of this town, if we are outside of the Wonderland, then you wouldn't be erased! "The Autumn Wind Blowing, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/11/2005. No. 11, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ a b Bulga: It is our duty to be your witnesses. Now that you have the ring, we cannot leave your side. "The Heart is Alive, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/18/2005. No. 12, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ a b Valentine: Agnes! I am your supporter to the end! "You Are Here With Me, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/25/2005. No. 13, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ a b Bulga: I didn't mean to—you jumped out so suddenly! "You Are Here With Me, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/25/2005. No. 13, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Agnes: You can do anything with magic in Realm. Water, air...you can even create living creatures... "To Open My Mind, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/4/2005. No. 10, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Adults are Children, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 7/17/2005. No. 3, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Agnes: I love this world! I want to leave it as it is now! Please understand! "Adults are Children, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 7/17/2005. No. 3, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "No Kiss, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 7/3/2005. No. 1, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ a b c d e f g "To Open My Mind, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/4/2005. No. 10, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ a b c d "The Charms of Adults are...You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/7/2005. No. 6, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Agnes: The creation of the world is the magic that only the Managers are allowed to use. The ring has the power to do that. "To Open My Mind, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/4/2005. No. 10, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ a b c d e "An Evening Shower is Dangerous, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 7/24/2005. No. 4, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Ureshiko: I...how could I?! I confused soy sauce with Worcestershire sauce! "Adults are Okay, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 7/31/2005. No. 5, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Ureshiko: Why am I like this? So obstinate and stubborn...maybe it is wrong that I'm so particular about this..."An Evening Shower is Dangerous, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 7/24/2005. No. 4, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Ureshiko: Please...can we end this relationship? "The Kiss Right Before My Eyes, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/14/2005. No. 7, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Ureshiko: I'm all done with you. I can't come back to you. "So I Don't Have Any Regrets, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/28/2005. No. 9, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ a b c d e f g "The Heart is Alive, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/18/2005. No. 12, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ a b c "Adults Are Okay, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 7/31/2005. No. 5, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Sayaka: I can't tell him that I used too much magic..."The Charms of Adults Are...You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/7/2005. No. 6, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Cruje: Once I become the Manager, this town will be a lot more fun. "An Evening Shower is Dangerous, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 7/24/2005. No. 4, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Sayaka: Since I was small, people shoved responsibilities and duties on me, so nobody ever worried about me sincerely. "So I Don't Have Any Regrets, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/28/2005. No. 9, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Stew is Okay, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 7/10/2005. No. 2, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Sayaka: Who cares? The heck with this world! They are all artificial! "Adults are Children, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 7/17/2005. No. 3, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ a b c d "The Autumn Wind Blowing, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/11/2005. No. 11, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Sayaka: You're thinking that the Wonderland I create won't be any good, aren't you? "The Autumn Wind Blowing, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/11/2005. No. 11, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ a b c d e f "The Kiss Right Before My Eyes, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/14/2005. No. 7, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Bulga: It's making me look bad as the one who fought for the position of Manager against you. "Adults are Children, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 7/17/2005. No. 3, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ a b c d "You Are Here With Me, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/25/2005. No. 13, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Chane: You will cease to be a magical girl soon. You got married in this world, right? Then you will kiss someday. Then you will lose your magical power. "The Kiss Right Before My Eyes, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/14/2005. No. 7, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ a b "The Existence of a Dear Person, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/21/2005. No. 8, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Yuki: I was supposed to support Agnes as she succeeded the Manager position from the former Manager, Freya. "The Existence of a Dear Person, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/21/2005. No. 8, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Valentine: Today it's Valentine Valentino—call me by my magical name."The Existence of a Dear Person, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/21/2005. No. 8, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Yuki: Do you know what it means to fall in love with a man in this world? If you kiss him, you will cease to be a magical girl. "The Kiss Right Before My Eyes, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/14/2005. No. 7, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Yuki: What matters is the timing. If you are drawn to each other, you'll feel passionate about each other, and you'll see the sign to go for it. "The Kiss Right Before My Eyes, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/14/2005. No. 7, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Sayaka: Hey, Valentine—what do I do on a date? "The Kiss Right Before My Eyes, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/14/2005. No. 7, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Yuki: You think that falling in love with someone is wonderful, but that's not all. You can get hurt, too."The Existence of a Dear Person, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/21/2005. No. 8, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Maiko: Freya, the one who protected this town after succeeding the position after Ureshiko's mother, Aphrodite... "So I Don't Have Any Regrets, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/28/2005. No. 9, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Freya:The Council will not allow you to continue to manage the Wonderland any longer."So I Don't Have Any Regrets, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/28/2005. No. 9, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Freya: Changing isn't the only sign of hope. It is also important to preserve things if they are important to us. Even that can turn into hope. "So I Don't Have Any Regrets, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/28/2005. No. 9, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Freya: I didn't teach her much because I thought she would know, just because she was Aphrodite's daughter. "The Heart is Alive, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/18/2005. No. 12, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Freya: Is that all you can say after not seeing each other for a few years, Mother? "So I Don't Have Any Regrets, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/28/2005. No. 9, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Freya: Father, you let it go when I was there, and you can't when Agnes is? Please, keep that town. "The Autumn Wind Blowing, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/11/2005. No. 11, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ 奥さまは魔法少女 - ABOUT - キャラクター紹介
- ^ a b c d "So I Don't Have Any Regrets, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/28/2005. No. 9, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Maiko: Is your dear wife visiting you something of a bother while you are lazing about in Realm?"So I Don't Have Any Regrets, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/28/2005. No. 9, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Maiko: It's the wife's responsibility to stop the husband from making mistakes. "The Autumn Wind Blowing, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/11/2005. No. 11, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Maiko: "That town does not change." "It's an old town." If that's all you can see, then I guess you can't see new hopes in it. But those of us who live there—the people—they all change every day."So I Don't Have Any Regrets, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/28/2005. No. 9, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Aphrodite: This town has remained unchanged for a long time. I once managed it, but the Manager who succeeded after me didn't want to change it."An Evening Shower is Dangerous, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 7/24/2005. No. 4, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Aphrodite: I wanted to see how people live while supporting, helping, and sometimes meddling with each other. "The Heart is Alive, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/18/2005. No. 12, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Aphrodite: I think I can stay in this scenery for eternity."An Evening Shower is Dangerous, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 7/24/2005. No. 4, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Elder: What do you think your job is? It troubles us that you do not alter that world as a magical girl. "The Existence of a Dear Person, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/21/2005. No. 8, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Elder: You thought Cruje would destroy the town. You even tried to flee with that man according to your own selfish thought. Agnes Bell, even though it was only an attempt, your action is worthy of sending you to prison. "The Heart is Alive, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/18/2005. No. 12, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Tatsumi: Please give me Ureshiko-san. I love her! Please give her to me! "You Are Here With Me, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/25/2005. No. 13, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Ureshiko: Yes. I am the resident of such a town. "The Autumn Wind Blowing, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/11/2005. No. 11, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Tamotsu: I am not so perfect as to allow your selfish request. I will never allow only you to be happy! "The Kiss Right Before My Eyes, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/14/2005. No. 7, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Tamotsu:Whether this world is real or not doesn't matter to me. I'll just do what I want to do before [the world is erased]. For me, that's writing. "The Autumn Wind Blowing, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/11/2005. No. 11, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Agnes: Maybe they are just having fun, watching what is going to happen to this world... "To Open My Mind, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/4/2005. No. 10, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Shioya: He was the best in the industry. But he put all of his efforts into his work, not caring about his family nor his bed-ridden wife. "Adults are Children, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 7/17/2005. No. 3, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Editor: Listen...if there's anything you want to know about this and that, I can help you. Am I not good enough for you? "The Existence of a Dear Person, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 8/21/2005. No. 8, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Student: I was a transfer student, too. I was like that at first too. But you'll be friends with them soon. "Adults are Children, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 7/17/2005. No. 3, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Sayaka: It's okay...it will be erased along with the rest of this world."To Open My Mind, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/4/2005. No. 10, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Nori: She went to Realm? Ururu: And she still hasn't returned from there... Nori: That's bad, isn't it? "The Heart is Alive, You See". Oku-Sama wa Mahou Shōjo. Kids Station. 9/18/2005. No. 12, season 1. 23 minutes in.
- ^ Okusama wa Maho Shōjo (TV) (English). Anime News Network 1. Retrieved on 2007-09-22, 2007. Retrieved on September 22, 2007. Retrieved on 22 September 2007.
- ^ Nonchan. Okusama wa 17-sai to 3652-nichi! (Japanese/English). Neko-Han-Ten 1. Retrieved on 2007-09-20, 2007. Retrieved on September 20, 2007. Retrieved on 20 September 2007.
- ^ Nonchan. Home & Away/Jewelry (Japanese/English). Neko-Han-Ten 1. Retrieved on 2007-09-20, 2007. Retrieved on September 20, 2007. Retrieved on 20 September 2007.