Magical Girl Idols are not a new concept, as several series have explored this theme before. Even so, Maebashi Witches takes an interesting approach to the magical girl idol concept, with notable character developments.
Yuina is a cheerful high school girl who is excited to try on her new dress and take pictures wearing it. However, an orange, frog-like creature named Kurope was in her room. He tries to convince her to become a witch as he opens the portal in the closet.
She meets other witches in training, Azu, Mai, Choko, and Kyouka. They can gain magical witch powers if they earn 30,000 magical points to become full-fledged witches. However, if their points go to zero, they are no longer witches in training. To earn points, they must grant wishes from customers who enter the shop and fulfill them by putting on “idol” performances. In turn, they earn magic points. However, can the girls reach this goal while facing personal challenges that become apparent?
As expected, Maebashi Witches is a pleasant surprise, as there are a lot of interesting things going on. While idol anime in general usually has a lot of upbeat energy, although the girls can face challenges, it’s not all rainbows and roses here. The girls each have their unique challenges. These include:
- Yuina is not able to make friends because people perceive her as being too annoying.
- Azu faces internalized fatphobia as she is overweight, and her classmates bully her because of her appearance.
- Choco has to juggle school, taking care of the kids, and her grandmother, who is recovering from an accident, as her mother works long hours.
- Kyouka, who wants to help people, but feels that she doesn’t have enough freedom as her parents decide her future.
- Mai, who wants to reconnect with her long-lost best friend, with whom she has become distant.
Yes, Yuina can be somewhat annoying at times, but she is what brings the group together. Still, I feel that Azu is the most interesting character. She is initially mean and doesn’t get along with the group, especially Yuina. Azu criticizes her for wearing an outfit from a fast-fashion site like Shein, among other things. However, when a plus-size model came to the shop and Azu refused to work with her, it was interesting to see Azu’s struggles with her appearance and weight.
When she returns to the real world, she reverts to her true self, which she dislikes. It’s because of all the bullying she receives at school. As a result, she refuses to go outside the shop or see her friends in person, which her friends eventually figured out. However, she ultimately accepts who she is, with the hope of becoming a witch so she can present her ideal self to the world. I feel that she is the most improved character, although she can sometimes act cold towards Yuina.
Of course, it’s interesting to see the dark stuff in the series. One is, of course, the wish Mai grants to Yua with the hope it will improve her career by giving her a social account. Of course, people don’t like being lied to, as Yua has to face all the hate for taking over the account and having to ask for a wish to revert the mistake of accepting it. Yes, people on social media can be vicious.
The second involves Kyouka, who donates to a mole-character VTuber as a way to escape her strained relationship with her parents. However, she gets herself into trouble after finding out that the VTuber is a stalker and a groomer. Thankfully, he gets arrested in the last episode, but this was Kyouka’s embarrassing mistake. This mistake made her realize that she was childish and sheltered, rather than being the responsible one. That is compared to Choco, who has to work hard to do all the chores while helping her grandmother and taking care of her siblings.
Lastly, there is Kurope. Well, I feel that she is like Kyubey in a sense, as he is in it for the entertainment value. When Eiko, the first customer with whom potential, stole the shop from Yuina and her friends, he doesn’t seem sympathetic towards them, nor does he help them. They eventually find their way back and manage not only to help Eiko and resolve her issue, but also to reclaim the shop. The funny thing is, Kurope really misses them and wants them back. Yep, he is an opportunist, but thankfully, he gives the girls another chance.
That said, with the characters and the story, Maebashi Witches is an interesting watch. The idol performances are also quite good. Probably the only downside is that the show is not fully realizing the potential of the pairings. It would be nice to see Mai and Yua make up, as well as more of Yuina and Azu, along with Kyouka and Choco. However, that said, seeing the special moments they share is nice.
Overall, Maebashi Witches is an interesting idol show, mainly due to its characters. I liked how the girls eventually overcame their challenges as they worked to become completely fledgling witches. I admit some are relatable as well, although the stalker VTuber is probably the only creepy part. That said, most fans of idol anime should enjoy this one.
Other Reviews
- 505th G-View: Maebashi Witches – The Yuri Empire
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