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Title (English) Ultra Maniac

Title (Japanese) Ultra Maniac

Advertising
Fantasy Novel

Notes From a manga by Wataru Yoshizumi, who also created "Marmalade Boy" etc.

Classification shoujo

Synopsis

Review I didn't bother looking into "Ultra Maniac" this past Spring because I assumed that it was just another of the flood of "cute girl" shows that came out this year. But I should have dug a bit deeper, because this adaptation of a story from Ribbon turned out to be a very bright, witty and enjoyable find for me � so much so that I've ordered the first mini-box R2 DVD release that contains the first eight episodes.
What we have here is a very smart and well done variation on the traditional magic girl show, from the point of view of the magic girl's closest friend and confidant. And in a nice twist, the first episode starts off with much of the story setup in place and handles the transition into the story line very well. (After seeing the first episode I did locate and watch the OAV which shows the initial setup of the story, but it isn't really necessary to see because the actual show is done so smoothly.)
Ayu isn't your typical magic-girl-show heroine, instead she is a confident, pretty, middle school student who is good at both athletics and scholastics. She is also reasonably capable of taking care of her new "friend" Nina, who happens to be a fairly inept magic girl who has flunked out of her magic middle school and has come to Earth for remedial studies. Nina is enthusiastic about her magical powers, in spite of her obvious limitations, and insists on using magic to "help" Ayu, which drives the plot here, particularly when it comes to the guy that Ayu likes.
So what we have here is a magic girl show where the heroine isn't a magic girl, isn't clumsy, isn't dumb and isn't self-conscious. In addition to these differences from the norm, "Ultra Maniac" has an additional conceit � Nina doesn't use "old fashion" magic like waving a wand and so on � she has a "personal magical assistant" hand-held computer that connects her to the Magic World's internet, from which she locates spells. And the "PMA" is smart � it won't allow Nina to download magic spells that she isn't qualified to use, although there are plenty of spells which Nina is supposed to be able to use, but still messes up.
To an extent, "Ultra Maniac" reminds me a lot of "Daa! Daa! Daa!" in the way that it handles this traditional story line and characters. (Although the obsessed club president does remind me of the little pervert with the glasses in "Tenshina Konamaiki".) I'm really looking forward to watching this series from the comfort of my living room couch, and on my big screen TV, rather than on the pc monitor in the basement.
(Dave Baranyi)

Credits Creator: Wataru Yoshizumi (manga)
Series director: Nanako Shimazaki

Episodes 26

Release

TV Showing See the whole series for free? This series may be syndicated to regional cable, satellite or terrestial TV stations. For Europe click here.

Date 2003 May 20 -

Production Ashi Pro

Broadcaster Animax

Animation

References & Help Look up the latest data on this title at:
Richard Llewellyn's Animated Divots, or
Anime News Network (see Encyclopedia section) ,
or in "The Anime Encyclopedia" (Clements & McCarthy, Stone Bridge Press, 2001).
Help & further information.

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Information
Title (English)	Ultra Maniac
Title (Japanese)	Ultra Maniac
Advertising Fantasy Novel
Notes	From a manga by Wataru Yoshizumi, who also created "Marmalade Boy" etc.
Classification	shoujo
Synopsis
Review	I didn't bother looking into "Ultra Maniac" this past Spring because I assumed that it was just another of the flood of "cute girl" shows that came out this year. But I should have dug a bit deeper, because this adaptation of a story from Ribbon turned out to be a very bright, witty and enjoyable find for me � so much so that I've ordered the first mini-box R2 DVD release that contains the first eight episodes. What we have here is a very smart and well done variation on the traditional magic girl show, from the point of view of the magic girl's closest friend and confidant. And in a nice twist, the first episode starts off with much of the story setup in place and handles the transition into the story line very well. (After seeing the first episode I did locate and watch the OAV which shows the initial setup of the story, but it isn't really necessary to see because the actual show is done so smoothly.) Ayu isn't your typical magic-girl-show heroine, instead she is a confident, pretty, middle school student who is good at both athletics and scholastics. She is also reasonably capable of taking care of her new "friend" Nina, who happens to be a fairly inept magic girl who has flunked out of her magic middle school and has come to Earth for remedial studies. Nina is enthusiastic about her magical powers, in spite of her obvious limitations, and insists on using magic to "help" Ayu, which drives the plot here, particularly when it comes to the guy that Ayu likes. So what we have here is a magic girl show where the heroine isn't a magic girl, isn't clumsy, isn't dumb and isn't self-conscious. In addition to these differences from the norm, "Ultra Maniac" has an additional conceit � Nina doesn't use "old fashion" magic like waving a wand and so on � she has a "personal magical assistant" hand-held computer that connects her to the Magic World's internet, from which she locates spells. And the "PMA" is smart � it won't allow Nina to download magic spells that she isn't qualified to use, although there are plenty of spells which Nina is supposed to be able to use, but still messes up. To an extent, "Ultra Maniac" reminds me a lot of "Daa! Daa! Daa!" in the way that it handles this traditional story line and characters. (Although the obsessed club president does remind me of the little pervert with the glasses in "Tenshina Konamaiki".) I'm really looking forward to watching this series from the comfort of my living room couch, and on my big screen TV, rather than on the pc monitor in the basement. (Dave Baranyi)
Credits	Creator: Wataru Yoshizumi (manga) Series director: Nanako Shimazaki
Episodes	26
Release
TV Showing	See the whole series for free? This series may be syndicated to regional cable, satellite or terrestial TV stations. For Europe click here.
Date	2003 May 20 -
Production	Ashi Pro
Broadcaster	Animax
Animation
References & Help	Look up the latest data on this title at: Richard Llewellyn's Animated Divots, or Anime News Network (see Encyclopedia section) , or in "The Anime Encyclopedia" (Clements & McCarthy, Stone Bridge Press, 2001). Help & further information.