Mahou Shoujo Tai Arusu

Tweeny Witches ( 魔法少女隊アルス,Mahō Shōjo Tai Arusu, lit. "Magical Girl Squad Arusu") is a Japanese anime television and original video animation series. Produced by Studio 4°C, the series is directed by Yoshiharu Ashino and written by Shinji Obara. Inspired by Through the Looking-Glass, the story follows a young human girl who finds herself trapped in a magical world filled with witches, warlocks, and fairies. In 2003, it was announced at the Tokyo International Anime Fair that the anime Magical Girl Squad Arusu was going to be made. The series first aired between April 9, 2004, and March 4, 2005; in all, 40 episodes were made plus an OVA that contains 6 episodes which were released in 2007.

It was translated and dubbed into English by the anime television network Animax, who broadcast it in its respective networks in Southeast Asia and other regions, and was licensed for distribution in the United States by Media Blasters until 2012. AnimeWorks (Later called Media Blasters) licensed under the English name Tweeny Witches with three DVDs being released in 2008. The OVA titled Tweeny Witches: The Adventures (Japanese: 魔法少女隊アルス The Adventure, Hepburn: Mahō Shōjo Tai Arusu: Ji Adobenchā, lit. "Magical Girl Squad Arusu: The Adventure") was also released on DVD by Media Blasters in 2009.

Synopsis
Arusu believes in magic. With all her heart, she believes that magic is possible and that it can be used for good deeds and fun games. But suddenly, she finds herself transported into another world, ruled by a mysterious elite of witches—and these witches don't seem to be in it for the fun. They're hard at work capturing sprites, the native magical beings of the world, and forcing them into slavery. Once Arusu realizes that her new surroundings aren't just a dream, she sets out to change things.

(Source: ANN)

TV Anime
In 2003, it was announced at the Tokyo International Anime Fair that the anime Magical Girl Squad Arusu was going to be made. The anime first aired between April 9, 2004, and March 4, 2005; in all, 40 episodes were made plus an OVA that contains 6 episodes which were released in 2007.

Staff

 * Planning - Tohokushinsha
 * Planning/Original story - Keita Amemiya
 * Director - Yoshiharu Ashino
 * Series Composition/Screenplay - Shinji Ohara
 * Character Design / World View Design - Daisuke Nakayama
 * Color design - Tomoko Washida
 * CGI supervision - Akiko Saito
 * CGI Director - Mayu Ito, Takuma Sakamoto
 * Director of Photography - Hisashi Goseki
 * Acoustic Director - Keiichiro Miyoshi
 * Sound Production - Tohokushinsha
 * Music - Tamiya Terashima
 * Music Producer - Teruhisa Tanaka
 * Music Production - Rentrack Japan, Dentsu Music and Entertainment , Inspire Holdings
 * Line Producer - Hiroto Yonemori
 * Animation producer - Eiko Tanaka, Hiroshi Kasagi
 * Producers - Wataru Tanaka, Rika Tsurusaki, Shinjiro Yokoyama, Hiroyuki Hattori, Shinsaku Tanaka
 * Executive Producers - Kiyotaka Ninomiya, Yuji Shimamoto, Eiko Tanaka
 * Animation Production - STUDIO 4℃
 * Production - Comprehensive vision
 * Productio n- Magical Girl Corps Project (Tohokushinsha, Dentsu, Beyond C.)

It was translated and dubbed into English by the anime television network Animax, who broadcast it in its respective networks in Southeast Asia and was licensed for distribution in the United States by Media Blasters until 2012. It was licensed by AnimeWorks (Later called Media Blasters) under the English name Tweeny Witches with three DVDs being released in 2008. The OVA titled Tweeny Witches: The Adventures was also released on DVD by Media Blasters in 2009. In 2009, a complete collection for both the TV series and the OVA called Tweeny Witches: True Book of Spells was released. In 2010, a complete collection only for the TV series called Tweeny Witches: Core Collection was released. In 2012, a complete collection for both the TV series and the OVA called Tweeny Witches: Complete Collection was released

The Adventures
"Tweeny Witches" The Adventure created by Studio 4C in collaboration with "Garo" creator Keita Amemiya. Includes the Alice chapters "Sakana ni Natta Maho Shojotai" and "Fuin Sareta Kokoro," Sheila chapters "Yosei Hakusho" and "Kori no Majo to Hien no Taki," and Eva chapters "Dragon House no Himitsu" and "Shippu Doto no Maho Shojotai" on three DVDs.

Character
Arusu (アルス, Arusu) is the main protagonist of the series. She is a cheerful and supportive person. A bit of a tomboy, she means to do well and is not disheartened when others put her down, instead she encourages them. Arusu loves magic (as well as sweet chestnuts) and believes it should only be used to make people happy. At the beginning of the season, Lennon and the book brought her to the Magical Realm when she accidentally fell off the top of the school. She is the one who set all of the fairies free and caused Eva and Sheila to be cursed. In the end, she decided to go back to the Human Realm with the help of one of the interdimensional sirens where she found her mother talking to her father in the kitchen.

She has many noticeable habits: she has long fingernails, both to have more of a witch-like appearance, as well as to make it easier to open up sweet chestnuts, is able to find easier ways to word the magic spells she is taught, which in turn actually helps most of the witches she trains with. She cannot ride a broom the normal witch way, so she rides it like one would a skateboard since she was quite skilled with one back in the Human Realm.

In order to save Eva, who activated black magic, she brings back sweet chestnuts from the human world. With the help of a celestial maiden from another dimension, she returned to the human world and was reunited with her parents. According to the Grand Master, the name Arusu means "magic" in the language of the human world.

Abilities
Her father, Jidan, gave her the True Book of Spells for her 5th birthday and was the one who taught her that magic should only be used for happiness and never destruction. Despite being a human, she was able to learn magic fairly quickly and is better than some of the native witches in the Magical Realm.

「Witch Magic」A technique that is activated by chanting a spell using a part of the fairy's body as a catalyst. The spell is composed of a series of numbers, pronounced like the Greek numbers, but the magic works even with puns. However, those that do not need to cast spells (flying magic with a broom with griffon feathers), those that use the physical elements of witches instead of fairies as a catalyst (petrification magic that uses the witch's long hair as a catalyst), There are exceptions, such as spells cast by the fairies themselves rather than witches (Eku's spell that "grant a child's wish in exchange for something precious"). As for lightning magic, even Sheila admits that she has defeated demons with a single blow, but Arusu himself dislikes using magic as a weapon. Using the fact that she can't see Piskey without a four-leaf clover, she seems to have a certain amount of wisdom because she evaded the evil hand of the special capture unit.

Manga
"Ciao" (Shogakukan) From the May 2004 issue to the March 2005 issue, "Mahou Shoujo Tai Arusu: Minarai Majo Koza (魔法少女隊アルス 見習い魔女講座)" was serialized in the form of a two-page manga. The author is Jinna Mai. However, it is not structured according to the content of the anime, but has the appearance of a short comic for girls.

Pachinko
In September 2011, Pachislot (Unit No. 5) "Magical Slot: Mahou Shoujo Tai Arusu" was released by Fujishoji and started operation in halls.

It is called "Super Burning Experience Slot", and "Super Attack Rush Time (SART)", which is activated in the real chance zone that visits every 300 rotations, and "Magical 7 Chance", where ART is added when 7 is complete and the trailer and continuous production using the images used in the animation are included.

Reception
The anime has received mixed feedback from reviewers: Ain't It Cool News said that the anime can be thought of as a "There will be blood" type as well as being "Spicy" structurally. The review goes on to say that the anime fan should "at least give it a try" and "warrants appreciation". Rachael Carothers and Ronald J Duncan from Anime News Network both gave a good review. Ronald said that while the idea of a character traveling to another world and gaining the ability to do magic isn't original, the series is different. He stated the episodes were well paced, had a fun main character, and the artwork was beautiful. Rachael praised the art as "extremely beautiful animation" and background music that "fits in so well". Theron Martin from Anime News Network gave the first DVD a B rating for both the sub and dub and went on to say that it was a "fresh twist on a well-established genre" but it raised animation shortcuts to annoying new levels. Chris Beveridge from Mania.com gave the DVD a mixed review with a C rating. Chris went on to say that the story was "slow moving and stilted"; however, he went on to say that his eight-year-old daughter was "plenty fascinated by it", something the creator was aiming at. Carl Kimlinger from Anime News Network gave the 2nd DVD a B− for both the sub and dub and went on to say that the animation was great and the lead character was "lively" but that the direction was "cold and over complex". The third DVD received a C+ rating from him for both dub and sub, again the artwork was praised but the story was lacking a great deal. For the OVA Carl gave it a B− rating again for both sub and dub. The OVA was praised for its fast pace, action, and adventure, but is "too somber and slow".

Chris Beveridge from Maina.com gave the 2nd DVD a better review stating that the "imagery presented, especially towards the end, was very grandiose and epic" but again cited the pacing of the story as a flaw. For the 3rd and final DVD Chris stated that the ending felt "pretty complete" and was "fairly predictable". He later went on to say that the best moments tended to come with the secondary characters but overall did not capture or hold his attention. Chris rated the OVA as being lighter and more accessible nut at times going over the top, in all the review was good. Chris has placed the anime at #4 of the 10 most underrated anime. Mark Thomas from Mania.com said it is something that parents could get into with their children, and a "little bit of Harry Potter, mixed with some Don Bluth, add a dash of Ralph Bakshi." makes it an odd, but fun, combination.

External Link

 * Mahō Shōjo Tai Arusu ─ STUDIO4℃ WORKS
 * TV Anime "Mahō Shōjo Tai Arusu" Official Website at the Wayback Machine (archived March 9, 2010)
 * TV Anime "Mahou Shoujo-tai Arusu the Adventure" Official Website at the Wayback Machine (For archived June 24, 2015)
 * Magical Slot: Mahō Shōjo Tai Arusu ─ Wayback Machine (Archived March 2016, 3)
 * Mahō Shōjo Tai Arusu ─ Wikipedia  JP 
 * Mahō Shōjo Tai Arusu ─ Wikipedia  EN 

Trivia
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