Ultra Maniac Highly recommended

Director
Shinichi Masaki
Production
ANIMAX, Ashi Production, Starchild Record
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
26 episodes
Year
2003

Ultra Maniac DVD Volume 5

By David Rasmussen
29th Jul 07

Magic isn’t for everyone.
Emma Watson seems ready to prove that as she quite possibly prepares her parachute to bail out of the Harry Potter Experience at Movie 5 (“Order of the Phoenix”), landing in the lap of such late night people as David Letterman and so forth either confirming or denying word that she’s ready to quit as Hermione.
Forget the fact Hermione is growing into a lovely young woman and Emma Watson can write her own ticket ala Daniel Radcliffe (who starred buck naked in one scene on the UK stage prior to the filming of Order of the Phoenix), she is rumored to be ready to throw years of work away because she wants to branch out and expand as an actress. Thankfully we’re up to Movie 6 (very little left to ruin with a possible main star exodus) next and the actress who plays Cho Chang is growing into her own, since (if Emma does bail) she’ll have to amp up her cuteness index to cover the neophyte 2nd Hermione’s rough entry into the franchise so late in the game.

Magic, in the wrong hands, can be a very very bad thing indeed.
OK, no more bitching about Emma Watson’s possible kicking the fanbase of Harry Potter in the groin and running off to “expand” herself (BLOVIATE!), let’s talk Ultra Maniac.

Last DVD things were headed towards completion (a few more DVDs left).
Forget the brief arrival of the love child of David Duchovny and Simon Cowell (she who couldn’t be more depressive even if she tried), or the loss of the Orange Stone to Nina’s rival. One bright point of the last DVD is that Nina seems to be coming into her own power as the DVD ends (growing in strength).
Can this go further as this new DVD kicks off? Let’s find out.

Episode 17 : Quest
After the events of the previous episodes things couldn’t get any worst for Nina --- of course that is if you don’t count that Tsuijai (the one Nina has a thing for and a few DVDs ago found out about her powers as a witch) saw Nina’s cat-familyar Rio change from cat to humanoid form.

Yes, even now at DVD Volume 5 the whole relationship thing is more clear or untangled than it was some episodes ago (speaking of tangle/untangle though… but that’s later in this review). Anyway that can’t be a good thing, right? It gets worst when he seems not so bright, asking if Nina can change his pet cat from a cat into a human. Yeah. Nina should really grow a backbone and learn to say no.

Too bad she doesn’t, and Tsuijai isn’t all that bright on the whole concept of “familyars” and what not, and Nina isn’t all that strong enough to say no to requests… anyway… OK. Let’s say it. All together now.

“BY THE POWER OF OPTIMUS PRIME, TRANSFORM!!”

…this whole tra… I mean “TRANSFORM”(ing) thing with Tsuijai’s pet Shinnosuke (that’s a familiar name) has got to be a bad idea, made worst when it turns out that the cat in question is MALE and… well… Yaoi potential springs forth from the transformation of one male cat into one male human Yaoi cannon fodder character. No hugs please, Shinnosuke, no hugs. (And that’s too bad too because a young female trans… I mean TRANSFORM(ation) character returns and seems to have a crush on Rio (which seems to be shared by him in turn).

Today’s Practical Magic Lesson is simple.
Maybe you shouldn’t transform your boyfriend’s beloved cat, especially if he’s the same sex as said boyfriend (leading to all kinds of Yaoi troubles).

Episode 18 : R & B
R & B. Rhythm & Blues… I think. Anyway looks like the principal of the school Ayu/Nina goes to is no longer a mysterious character. He is now proven to be from Nina’s world of magic, and now he seems to flaunt it openly especially as he steps into the world of magic in order to meet with an old student of his from Magic School days who seems to have abit of a problem. Sure, of course this problem won’t ever be dropped into Nina’s lap by him for some reason… right.

Too bad too, since Nina has been cramming the book studies in terms of magical study of late since her improvements in her magical skill from last DVD. At this rate she’ll soon become the next Hermione Granger… especially since Hermione is heading well down the road of mischief as of this last movie (or doom if Hermione’s long time actress Emma Watson bails on her and quit the Potter franchise).

But when Nina’s mom talks about what should be considered a highly suspicious invitation to an adults only club (nothing perverted, mostly it’s probably adult only since I bet they serve alcohol) that drives Nina to try a new spell out on her and Ayu that will… here we go again… repeat after me now :

“BY THE POWER OF OPTIMUS PRIME, TRANSFORM!!”

…them into adults. Or just put just enough age on them to get pass the bouncers.
Of course it’s only coincidence that Nina’s rival Maya should just so happen to get the same invitation, and just so happen to know the same spell Nina does, so she too can become an adult and get into this club.
Good thing another old friend from previous volumes shows up, and for the first time spills that Nina’s grandfather has been spying on her through her pocket PC all this time.
Well, somebody had to reveal that bit of useful information.

As it turns out a time/space anomaly floating about the club (and then outside) leads to another chase between Nina/Maya for the third “Holy Stone”, only this time Nina isn’t going to hold back on this hunt (she’s going all out for it).

No practical magic lesson this time.
It’s ladies night out, all the ladies look hot as legal age adults (and yes, Nina’s mom who is a legal age adult is truly hot in her own rights).

Episode 19 : Stand By Me
No, no, today’s episode won’t have Nina & Ayu walking down train tracks looking for a dead body (complete with voiceover dialogue remembering their “childhood”).
This episode is, however, the results of a misguided attempt by Nina’s granddaddy to improve her catching abilities with Holy Stones (which she already has the advantage of 2-1 against Maya) by splitting her apart from her long friend Ayu. Bad idea. Especially since NEXT episode seems well on it’s way to doing that without any outside influence.

Episode 20 : Tangle
Sorry, this one ends in a cliffhanger.
Nina finds a dark side to Ayu’s significant squeeze Kaji, and he forces her into silence.
Too bad because Ayu takes it the wrong way and thinks Nina is poaching Kaji for her own, forgetting Nina already has someone she’s interested in (and someone else who is interested in her).
By the end of the episode things are looking bleak and only one more episode to “Untangle” the mess that formed by the end of the DVD can hopefully clear this all up.
Most likely since there’s TWO more DVDs to go, so it’s too soon to wrap up the series pre-maturely.

Time for the wrapup!
Ultra Maniac DVD Breakdown the 5th
Short. Sweet.
Read my past reviews for all my reasonings behind loving this one.
None of those changed, mainly, I still like what I see here.
A nice lovely little view that has heart, joy and humor along with lovable characters, nice scripts and good animation. Can’t be much clearer than that.
Ultra Maniac DVD Volume 5 gets… yes… another 5 out of 5. Good job.
I guess when I do the final overview of the whole box set it will get a good score.
So far nothing has come out yet to threaten it’s score or diminish it so… good luck, Ultra Maniac.
You have two more reviews to go through, hang in there!

-- David Rasmussen 29th Jul 07

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