Sasami: Mahou Shoujo Club
Encyclopedia
is a magical girl
anime
which features the rather familiar likenesses of Sasami
and other characters of the Tenchi Muyo!
franchise, specifically those of Pretty Sammy
. However, this series has nothing to do with either Pretty Sammy anime titles. The animation style is different and the anime itself is set in a very different alternate universe.
Produced by AIC
and BeSTACK and officially recognized as a Tenchi Muyo! spin-off, it is aired in WOWOW
on Thursday nights, the show aired its first season from April 13, 2006 to July 13, 2006.
On October 6, 2006, a second season had begun airing. Both seasons have now been licensed for a release in the U.S. by Funimation Entertainment
.
On January 12, 2009, the series made its North American debut on the FUNimation Channel
.
and her pet Ryo-Ohki
, and her life is about to change.
The first series/season is dedicated to character development as we are introduced to magic girls Sasami, Misao, Makoto, Tsukasa, and Anri. As the girls discover their awakening powers, they also learn a bit about themselves as they train with Washu and Daimon as part of their "cooking club." This culminates in their taking a trip to the magic world, where they compete against other magic squad teams, some having boys in them.
The second series/season is dedicated to plot, where Sasami's magic girl squad's activities have impressed the Chief Sorceress. As such, she wants those girls as part of her plan to change the human world (Earth), which she sees as too corrupt. The girls, especially Misao, must not only learn to master their abilities and magics, but also learn to face their own fears, lack of understanding, and the like as they walk a dark road set down before them by the Chief Sorceress.
This anime also features Misao (Shinohara)
and Sasami's homeroom teacher Mihoshi
.
(Japanese), Trina Nishimura
(English)
The opening and end themes were dubbed into English for Funimation's release of the series. The opening theme was performed by Lauren-Claire Poitevent while the closing themes were performed by Laura Wetsel, both of whom had voice roles in the English dub.
Magical girl
belong to a sub-genre of Japanese fantasy anime and manga. Magical girl stories feature young girls with superhuman abilities, forced to fight evil and to protect the Earth. They often possess a secret identity, although the name can just refer to young girls who follow a plotline involving magic...
anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
which features the rather familiar likenesses of Sasami
Sasami Masaki Jurai
is a fictional character in the anime series Tenchi Muyo! and its various spin-offs.-Personality and series role:In most series, Sasami is the younger sister of Ayeka and so is also a princess of Jurai. Within the family group Sasami usually takes on the dual role of younger sister/mother. She...
and other characters of the Tenchi Muyo!
Tenchi Muyo!
, is a Japanese anime, light novel, and manga series created by Masaki Kajishima and Hiroki Hayashi.The generally accepted translation of the title is No Need for Tenchi or Useless Tenchi, though at the time of its appearance it was also translated variably as No Heaven and Earth and This Way Up...
franchise, specifically those of Pretty Sammy
Magical Girl Pretty Sammy
is an anime based on the magically transformed version of the Sasami character from the various Tenchi Muyo! series. The Pretty Sammy OVAs have been dubbed into English by Pioneer USA , while the television series is only available subtitled...
. However, this series has nothing to do with either Pretty Sammy anime titles. The animation style is different and the anime itself is set in a very different alternate universe.
Produced by AIC
AIC (company)
, often abbreviated as AIC, is a Japanese anime studio with headquarters in Nerima, Tokyo.The company was founded on July 15, 1982. In addition to producing anime for domestic consumption in Japan, AIC has provided animation assistance on other animated series such as Inspector Gadget...
and BeSTACK and officially recognized as a Tenchi Muyo! spin-off, it is aired in WOWOW
WOWOW
WOWOW was the first private satellite broadcasting and pay TV station in Japan. It has its headquarters on the 21st floor of the Akasaka Park Building in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo...
on Thursday nights, the show aired its first season from April 13, 2006 to July 13, 2006.
On October 6, 2006, a second season had begun airing. Both seasons have now been licensed for a release in the U.S. by Funimation Entertainment
Funimation Entertainment
Funimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005...
.
On January 12, 2009, the series made its North American debut on the FUNimation Channel
FUNimation Channel
The FUNimation Channel is a 24-hour cable network which broadcasts anime series in the United States. OlympuSAT was chosen as the exclusive distributor of the network....
.
Story
Sasami Iwakura has been endowed with magical powers since birth; but at age three, she is forbidden by her parents to use them. So she decides to keep her magical powers a secret. But at the start of a new term, she encounters the new transfer teacher WashuWashu Hakubi
, the self-proclaimed greatest scientific genius in the universe, is a fictional character in the anime and manga Tenchi Muyo!. Her character differs depending on the continuity, though she sometimes displays a number of innate powers which she rarely uses, preferring to solve problems with reason...
and her pet Ryo-Ohki
Ryo-Ohki
, is a fictional character in the Japanese anime series Tenchi Muyo! and its spinoffs. Ryo-Ohki's appearance is similar to a cross between a cat and a rabbit, and for this reason Ryo-Ohki is commonly referred to as a cabbit...
, and her life is about to change.
The first series/season is dedicated to character development as we are introduced to magic girls Sasami, Misao, Makoto, Tsukasa, and Anri. As the girls discover their awakening powers, they also learn a bit about themselves as they train with Washu and Daimon as part of their "cooking club." This culminates in their taking a trip to the magic world, where they compete against other magic squad teams, some having boys in them.
The second series/season is dedicated to plot, where Sasami's magic girl squad's activities have impressed the Chief Sorceress. As such, she wants those girls as part of her plan to change the human world (Earth), which she sees as too corrupt. The girls, especially Misao, must not only learn to master their abilities and magics, but also learn to face their own fears, lack of understanding, and the like as they walk a dark road set down before them by the Chief Sorceress.
This anime also features Misao (Shinohara)
Pixy Misa
is a fictional character in the anime Pretty Sammy , a spinoff of Tenchi Muyo!. An evil magical girl, she is the rival and dramatic foil of the series' protagonist, magical girl Pretty Sammy...
and Sasami's homeroom teacher Mihoshi
Mihoshi Kuramitsu
is a Galaxy Police detective in the fictional Tenchi Muyo! anime and manga series. Her given name "Mihoshi", , literally means "Beautiful Star", and is derived from a town in the Okayama Prefecture formerly known as Bisei.-OVA:...
.
Sasami Iwakura
- is the lead character of the series. She is a bubbly girl who has magical powers which she uses only in secret because she is forbidden by her parents to use them. It is only when her cooking teacher Washu discovered her magical powers that they are to be of use. Except for the absence of freckles and the triangular mark on her forehead, she looks similar to her metaseries counterpartSasami Masaki Juraiis a fictional character in the anime series Tenchi Muyo! and its various spin-offs.-Personality and series role:In most series, Sasami is the younger sister of Ayeka and so is also a princess of Jurai. Within the family group Sasami usually takes on the dual role of younger sister/mother. She...
.
Misao Shinohara
- is a classmate of Sasami and they become friends in the first episode. She is an introvert whose shyness manifests as worm-like creatures around her whenever she gets scared. They also envelop her body, making her scary to those around her. It is only after meeting Sasami that she becomes more outgoing. Except for the bow on her hair and her hair being more blue than purplish black, she resembles her counterpart in the Pretty Sammy series, Misao AmanoPixy Misais a fictional character in the anime Pretty Sammy , a spinoff of Tenchi Muyo!. An evil magical girl, she is the rival and dramatic foil of the series' protagonist, magical girl Pretty Sammy...
.
Makoto Hozumi
- is the third member of the club; she has the ability to either shrink or enlarge herself at will. It is for this (and her short stature) that she drinks up the school's entire supply of milk and eventually goes to the restroom.
Tsukasa Takamine
- comes off as a relatively emotionless girl with pink hair. She has the ability to use and manipulate the wind. She has an overprotective father who does not want her to use her powers after her mother died, but he eventually lets go of that trait, knowing the powers she has are a reminder of her mother.
Anri Misugi
- is the fifth member of the club. She has the ability to transform her drawings and writings into tangible symbols. Although she acts like a princess, she actually comes from a rather large family with a lot of siblings. Anri has a strong infatuation with Tsukasa and lavishes words of love and flattery on her constantly.
Washu Kozuka
- is the cooking teacher and adviser of the magical girls' club (and cooking club). Although she is recruited by the school, she is in fact from the world of the witches. As adviser, she trains the girls to be good magical girls. Ironically, although she is the cooking teacher, she herself cannot cook. She is based on Washu HakubiWashu Hakubi, the self-proclaimed greatest scientific genius in the universe, is a fictional character in the anime and manga Tenchi Muyo!. Her character differs depending on the continuity, though she sometimes displays a number of innate powers which she rarely uses, preferring to solve problems with reason...
from the Tenchi Muyo franchise. Despite being from the world of the witches, she is a normal human. People like her are labeled "Story Tellers".
Ryo-Ohki
- Ryo-OhkiRyo-Ohki, is a fictional character in the Japanese anime series Tenchi Muyo! and its spinoffs. Ryo-Ohki's appearance is similar to a cross between a cat and a rabbit, and for this reason Ryo-Ohki is commonly referred to as a cabbit...
is Washu's pet cabbit (combination of cat and rabbit). This probably is the reason it eventually ends up with Sasami, much like its counterpart. Although its gender is not known, it can change its form, like its counterparts do. It also makes noises that often sound like laughter. Its name is pronounced "Roy-Ohki" in the English dub, or "Royo" for short.
Mihoshi
- is Sasami and Misao's homeroom teacher. Just like her counterpart in the Tenchi franchiseMihoshi Kuramitsuis a Galaxy Police detective in the fictional Tenchi Muyo! anime and manga series. Her given name "Mihoshi", , literally means "Beautiful Star", and is derived from a town in the Okayama Prefecture formerly known as Bisei.-OVA:...
, she is clumsy and goofs up a lot.
Daimon
- is Washu's helper. Like Washu, he is also from the world of the witches, but at the school he serves at the school's custodian. Despite being Washu's boss, she tends to order him around.
Ginji Iwakura
- is Sasami's father. He is a children's novelist. He forbids Sasami from doing activities that involve magic or traveling to the magical world. Later in the series, it is revealed that he is from the magical world, and has a rank higher than Washu and Daimon. He is named after his counterpart in the Pretty Sammy and Magical Project SMagical Project SMagical Project S, known in Japan as , is a 26-episode anime series produced by AIC and Pioneer LDC. It is based on the Pretty Sammy character and the OVA series....
series.
Honoka Iwakura
- is Sasami's mother. She is named after Sasami KawaiSasami Kawaiis the alter-ego of Pretty Sammy in the Pretty Sammy OAV series and Magical Project S . She was based on Sasami Masaki Jurai from the Tenchi Muyo! series.-Overview:...
's mom in Magical Project SMagical Project SMagical Project S, known in Japan as , is a 26-episode anime series produced by AIC and Pioneer LDC. It is based on the Pretty Sammy character and the OVA series....
Monta
- - Sasami's classmate who has feelings for her. Sasami does not know this; rather it is Misao who has feelings for him. His real name is .
Kozue and Chiaki
- Kozue Matsubara
- Chiaki Miyazawa
- and - Sasami's friends. Kozue is the girl wearing glasses and Chiaki the tall girl.
Itoki
- is a messenger and magical girl trainer. She does not get along with Washu very well and is infatuated with Daimon, though his exact feelings for her are somewhat ambiguous. Washu considers Itoki a rival.
Amitav
- is a strange boy whom Sasami meets at a pond in the magical world and teaches her the magical girls' song which Sasami memorizes very well. Sasami calls him and has romantic feelings for him. He says he has three names which he has trouble remembering, and the first name given to him happens to be very long. It is also possible that he returns Sasami's feelings.
Ayane
Voiced by: Saeko ChibaSaeko Chiba
is a prolific Japanese seiyū and singer, born on August 26, 1977 in Hachinohe, Aomori. She grew up in Tokyo, Japan, and married on her 30th birthday: August 26, 2007. She is contracted to the Space Craft Group...
(Japanese), Trina Nishimura
Trina Nishimura
Trina Nishimura is an American voice actress who works for anime series at Funimation Entertainment. She has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films, TV Series and OVAs.-Anime:* AM Driver - Cathy...
(English)
- She is the leader of the "Shining Star" magic girl team. Misao looks at Ayane as a mentor.
Chief Sorceress
- She is the leader of the magic world and the main antagonist of the series. Her beliefs about how the corrupt human world needs to be led by witches leads her to enact an ambitious plan which involves the magic girls from Earth, especially Sasami's group. Chief Sorceress is never addressed by name, only by title.
Music
- Opening: Sweet MAGIC (performed by Magical Sweets)
- Ending: Kirakira Days (Sparkle-sparkle Days) (performed by Magical Sweets) (Season 1)
- Ending: Yuyake No Solitude (Sunset Of Solitude) (performed by Magical Sweets) (Season 2)
The opening and end themes were dubbed into English for Funimation's release of the series. The opening theme was performed by Lauren-Claire Poitevent while the closing themes were performed by Laura Wetsel, both of whom had voice roles in the English dub.