I feel I’ve introduced myself through the years as being pretty open to a wide range of genres and theming. I don’t contemplate myself superior in style for watching one style over one other, being a superfan of 1 widespread title, or consistently touting obscure sequence as higher, and so forth. However Winter 2024 actually has a variety of divided fanbases particularly with sequence like Mato Seihei no Slave i.e Chained Solider, and Mahou Shoujo ni Akogarete i.e. Gushing Over Magical Ladies. The sequence garnered feedback that ranged from ragebait to real reward for subverting the style.
I’m not stunned that there’s been little speak, no less than among the many of us I comply with, about Gushing Over Magical Ladies except for “it will get you placed on an inventory” or “not my cup of tea, however will watch drama about it from the sidelines”. That’s all truthful sufficient contemplating if you actually hunker down the nitty-gritty particulars of the sequence.
As I do, I’ll provide the synopsis, the quick do I like to recommend this or not, and the lengthy, and conclusions. Moreover, for readability’s skae this put up will comprise spoilers for characters, plots, occasions inside the anime and extra subsequently learn at your individual decersion.
Hiiragi Utena, is a shy pupil who loves magical ladies. She completely adores her city’s magical woman group Tres Magia, and all of the beliefs they uphold. Whereas watching a Tres Magia showdown, Utena is approached by Venalita and supplied up the chance any woman would seemingly take: get her personal transformation object and develop into a magical woman herself! Sadly for Utena, this provide doesn’t add her to Tres Magia’s ranks. She is now a lackey for Enormita, their opposition! Regardless of her finest efforts Utena has to combat Tres Magia, however as a substitute of feelingly fully remorseful… it felt kinda good to combat them? Utena embraces her position as Magia Basier, meets new villain allies, and her obsession with magical ladies transforms into one thing past complete adoration.
The Quick
If you happen to had beef with Gushing Over Magical Ladies as a premise with out watching, and even simply watching episode one – your stance on that gained’t change with the sequence now completed. It lewds the loli’s a number of instances, and in sexually express manners the place it will possibly’t be interpreted as anything. It’s gross to many levels for the reason that core solid, minus Korisu whose youthful, are 14-15 years outdated.
It’s additionally not a sequence profitable any awards for animation high quality both. The sequence suffers from the usual, the primary three episodes are tremendous polished and fairly spectacular, then it declines in high quality. There’s nothing too apparent or unhealthy concerning the animation, however it’s noticeably much less fluid and clear. One might argue there’s a number of montages that use the slide present nonetheless, and voice over mixture to cowl some floor earlier than making it up with erotica, or battles animation.
The story has fascinating components which are value taking a second have a look at, and that I’ll talk about within the lengthy part. It takes a variety of trying past the erotic components to get to these factors. Coupled with a fairly intriguing however fairly debatable plot, it’s simply not value it for the typical viewer to trudge via.
If it wasn’t the sequence for you pre-airing, otherwise you’re actually sticking to your weapons about what you’ll or gained’t tolerate in a sequence, protected to say this isn’t for you and can by no means be. It’s a reasonably lower and dry sequence that you simply’ll both watch to the top for morbid curiousity’s sake or not.
The Lengthy
Gushing Over Magical Ladies has it’s faults. The lewding of lolis, and poor animation post-episode three, debatable plot that doesn’t actually take a full form within the sequence and extra. Imagine it or not there are some fascinating concepts coming into play with this sequence. You simply should peel your eyes away from the erotic components to essentially give it some thought.
The sequence is fairly on the nostril, no questions on it, queer. Kiwi/Leoparde is unabashedly sexually inquisitive about Utena/Basier. Matama/Loco and Nemo/Leberblume are a canon couple by episode 9/ten with no doubts or different interpretations. Granted the large caveat is that these usually are not wholesome relationships by a protracted shot. Kiwi’s advances on a hesitant Utena who clearly rejects her is a bit off-putting. Matama and Nemo’s relationship turning into canon is… extremely questionable to say the least. However no less than we’re given a again story that reveals it’s not solely compelled.
It additionally explores different factors in relationships. Probably the most sexually express one being between Baiser and Azure – it’s a BDSM relationship lacking a little bit of key communication. Once more, this isn’t essentially on account of not understanding BDSM, however fairly their inexperience of what it really means.
Foraging ahead with non-sexual relationships, the staff dynamics a secure for heros and villians alike, are explored on all sides as nicely. The relationships that Utena, Kiwi and Korisu forage via their odd circumstances are fascinating. They’re three fully completely different ladies who managed to stumble into Enormita’s fingers on account of likelihood it looks like. But, the trio do have some real moments of affection and understanding that provides a variety of dimension to them. That is me projecting just a bit, however Utena particularly appears to embody the notion of being the particular person you wanted if you have been youthful, in the direction of Korisu.
Even Tres Magia will get in on this. Sulfer is compelled to hide her true energy, a large iron fist for assaults, as a substitute displaying she’s the protection specialist for the beginning of the sequence. Why did she do that? As a result of their mascot Vatz, and the Tres Magia PR staff stated her energy was too scary for youths! Azure has a variety of internal doubts and issues, largely on account of Basier’s battles, which have her questioning if she’s actually lower out to be a magical woman. She even critically considers giving it up, as a result of she is aware of she’s bringing down the group. It’s solely via leaning in on her teammates and actually working at it, that she develops as a personality. The sequence manages to subvert sure troupes, and pokes enjoyable at all of them the identical. It’s, via the appropriate lens, actually fascinating to look at.
It comes all the way down to the infinite ping-pong of questions evoking some morality that bogs viewers down. Do ladies actually develop an curiosity in intercourse this younger, or is it only for fan service? Is it applicable to depict ladies this younger performing on these erotic needs? Even with the veil of it being them ‘preventing’ in a magical woman battle? Would censoring extra with broadcast – as a result of belief me even I used to be a bit gobsmacked by what was proven in that model – been a better option?
For me, there isn’t any clear lower reply. It was value it, once more emphasis for me, to check out this sequence and see what it needed to provide. I discovered some benefit inside the choices, however it took quite a bit to look past lewding the loli’s to get there. I don’t maintain any ill-will in the direction of of us who noticed what they noticed, and went ‘nope’. That’s a superbly high quality reply.
This sequence actually boils down, much more than the everyday sequence, what your private preferences and tolerances for media are. Don’t let my assessment, or anybody’s feedback fully validate or disgrace you. Take management of what you have interaction in, and be chargeable for the repercussions of your actions.
I’m not going to say Gushing Over Magical Ladies was explicit good or unhealthy. It had a reasonably equal steadiness of each, in varied features of anime. Within the grand scheme of issues, as a lot as sure followers will most certainly berate for this: it’s actually simply mid. It simply occurred to be a controversial title with sufficient eyes, loving it or hating it, on it in the mean time. However like a variety of ‘peak’ anime I’ll genuinely be curious if this sequence manages to be remembered for something aside from controversy a yr from now.
That’s the quick and lengthy and in need of it. I’m curious to know if anybody else gave this sequence or a shot, or if I managed to finish up on varied individuals’s do-not-interact-with-lists.
