Anime REVIEW: Sasami Magical Girls club

Here with have yet another of my blog (so many, yet half are only 1 or 2 posts so far :(, I need to step up my game!) where I'll take a look at an anime series I've just finished watching and give my undoubtebly expert (haha!) opinion on it. So for this time we have the 2006 official Tenchi Muyo! spin off Sasami: Magical Girls Club.

Let me begin by saying that this is not the kind of series I'd watch normally, but due to its nature as a Tenchi spin off and the inclusion of some of its characters it had to be done, and the other Sasami series Pretty Sammy and Magical Project S were marvelous. This however....wasn't.

Well, to say it was a bad show would be a bit too much. I'll go into that a bit later on. Anyway basically the show is based around the titular character Sasami Iwakura, gifted with magical powers since birth and forbidden by her parents to use them. But with the arrival new transfer teacher Washu (also from Tenchi Muyo!) Sasami's life changes as she makes new friends and is taught how to use her powers as a magical girl. Other Tenchi characters present in the show include Mihoshi as Sasami's homeroom teacher and the cabbit Ryo-Ohki as Washu's pet. Those familiar with the Pretty Sammy series will also notice Misao present, albeit with a different surname (and no Pixy Misa! Boooo!). New magical girls include Makoto, An-An and Tsukasa. The 26 episode show is split into 2 distinct seasons, with the first 13 episodes introducing us to the characters and the latter half of the show taking the plot forward and some character development, particuarly Misao. However I feel this format leaves much to be dersired as the final story arc is extremely rushed and the overall ending falls flat and left me very disappointed.

In many ways the 3 new magical girls are more likeable than those already part of the Tenchi mythos. The fact that this is recognised as a Tenchi spin off is really only to draw attraction to the series from long time fans such as myself. The show makes no use of other characters such as Ryoko, Ayeka or even Tenchi himself, instead creating new characters for the land of the witches. For this reason I think that perhaps the show would have worked better without ANY Tenchi characters, as I wouldn't feel the need to compare it to its predecessors and what is resultedly a distinctly average show could have been so much more.

Despite its flaws if you're into the magical girl genre this show is definitely for you, the animation is crisp and beautiful and is full of likeable characters. However if you are like me and are watching this purely because it is a Tenchi spin off, I'm afraid you may end up severely disappointed...