The tale of a young mage and her internship in the big city, where she meets a boy also practicing magic.

Episode Summary

Suzuki Sora, a girl from Hokkaido, is accepted into a magic internship in Tokyo. She finds this out from her mother, who is out in the field in the middle of picking potatoes. She rides off on her bicycle to tell her father, who appears to be a large, stately tree. She has a visit with her friend Michiru before she leaves, though her friend is a little heartbroken over a boy who’s going to move away. Over dinner, her mom gives her some advice about being on her own.

That night she goes to see Michiru once more, and she tells her to go for it with that boy she likes. Sora creates some magical snow for atmosphere while Michiru confesses her feelings. After getting home, Sora takes a warm bath. She receives a message on her cell phone from Michiru that she and her crush will keep in touch, and that Sora should look for a boyfriend too. The next day she says goodbye to her home and her mother.

Thoughts

This show is apparently based on another series which found its way to the US on DVD in 2003 and 2004. Though judging from some promotional artwork and comments from people online, the shows really aren’t related in any way that would prevent someone from enjoying one without having seen the other. I have to say that the promotional artwork that I found for the first series is very, shall we say, mediocre and average compared to the style that this series has employed so far. The character animation style seemed very familiar to me, and I found out why – the animation character designer also worked on Paradise Kiss and his particular style of characters is very distinctive in my eyes. The background artwork is also fairly unique, utilizing what appear to be actual scenic photographs, filtered to fit in better with the look of the animation.

Not everyone is going to like this show, mainly because it’s very slice-of-life and you can tell by my summary that nothing really intense happens. It’s a very simple look at life in the country, with a few forays into young love, farming, and friendships. I’m betting that a lot of people would fall asleep watching this, or would want to complain that nothing really happens, but to the right person I think the laconic pace and less common story would be a nice change. Even the magic use, which I thought would be more prominent to the plot, was introduced in a very subtle way. It seems like things like this are more common and accepted in this version of Japan than they would be in real life, because Sora’s magical snow wasn’t met with a whole lot of awe or surprise. Things might get a bit more interesting once Sora gets to Tokyo, but I imagine not a whole lot is going to change.

If you’re looking for some shounen action or a rip-roaring comedy to watch, this show certainly won’t strike your fancy in any way shape or form, but if you’re in the mood for something chill to watch and you don’t mind that it may not have a huge overarching plot with intense emotions, I think you might like where this show is headed. Its striking visuals and simple characters give it a charm that many less-subtle series lack, and it leaves a willing audience with a warm feeling inside.

Pros

• Nice, understated character designs and pretty background art
• Differently-paced from more action-oriented shows

Cons

• Slow pace may turn some people off

By Jessi – 09/01/08