MAGICAL DOMIKO TRANSFORMATION
Sesho | Pasadena, TX USA | 05/29/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Nanaka and Nenji have known each other for most of their young 17-year old lives. They were best friends up until the time they entered high school. At that time Nanaka became a bit of a goody-two-shoes, who left all her childish ways behind to focus on her academics at the expense of any sort of social life. Nenji, on the other hand, became a disrespectful thug. He's always dressed sloppily and he always seems to be getting into fights. As far as Nanaka can see, Nenji's life is going nowhere and she never wastes an opportunity to tell him her opinion, which infuriates Nenji to no end. When she slips down some rain-soaked stairs in the midst of a heated argument and is knocked unconscious, Nenji fears the worst. When she comes to in the hospital, Nanaka does not recall the accident. Worse yet, she has reverted to her 6 year old self, having no memories of her life after that! The only rationalization this little girl can come up with is a memory of imitating her anime idol Magical Domiko and wishing herself to transform into an adult. She believes this wish succeeded, thereby explaining her situation. It's up to Nenji to help her continue her life at school until she reverts back to normal...if that ever happens. But it's not going to be easy. Surely everyone will notice the abrupt personality change in Nanaka who overnight goes from cold and haughty college aspirant to childish Magical Domiko fan! And what will happen when she challenges Amemiya, a piano prodigy, at her usual role of playing at choir recitals. Nanaka actually thinks she can use magic to play. And it seems like Amemiya has a crush on Nenji!
This first volume of Nanaka was decent but nothing great. It seems a little more heartfelt than other anime of this ilk. You can really sense the bond and love between Nenji and Nanaka. Amemiya seems like an interesting character but too much of a shojo whiny heroine. A gangbanger rival of Nenji and his samurai wanna-be sister injects an unwelcome dose of cliche into the show which would best be left out. Hopefully, this series is short because I can tell over time the sweetness could drain out, leaving only annoying little girl child voices echoing in your head."