Search - Tweeny Witches Vol. 1-Arusu in Wonderland on DVD

Tweeny Witches is quick, cute fun

lain4ever | Los Angeles, CA | 04/15/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Tweeny Witches" surprised me with its instant charm, in only 22-minute episodes. Actually, the episodes are divided into two parts, each one being 11 minutes long. However, this series covers plenty of ground in 8 episodes, giving a brief look at Arisu and her peacekeeping efforts against the imprisonment of fairies.

In "Tweeny", Arisu is a teenage middle school student who totes around her bulky magic book. Her friends teased her and were about to throw the book off the roof of the building. Arisu grabbed it, but fell off. If it wasn't for the magic book sending her to another dimension, Arisu would have been a goner.

Fortunately Arisu was transported to a world of witches and fairies. Actually, the fairies like more like multi-colored monsters. However, Arisu couldn't stand seeing them cooped up in cages by witches-in-training, such as the shy Eva and the strict, disciplined Shiela. She set them free, but this caused misfortune for Eva and Shiela, in charge of guarding the fairies. As punishment, the leader of witches casts a curse of eternal youth on Eva and Shiela, who unfortunately are about the same age as Arisu.

However, "Tweeny" is more than it looks. The characters are very strong, and pull off incredibly emotionally performances, even though the emotion is in small 11 minute sound bites. And there is also a big overarching plot, spanning a war between warlocks and witches and the misuse of magical creatures.

I actually like the quick format. It offers quick anime fun, convenient when I'm in a hurry to finish homework or work on news stories. And although the drawings lack detail, the animation is very smooth and fast. And there's plenty of broom-riding and magic casting for fans of the "Harry Potter" movies. This is a great gem for anime fans."

Not just for kids!

John Ronald | Sugar Land, Texas | 12/17/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This Anime is yet another guilty pleasure of mine; although clearly aimed at younger viewers, it is still a lot of fun for adult Anime fans as well. Coming-of-Age stories are always touching, and like another reviewer mentioned, the Harry Potter cinema experience has probably whetted my appetite for this sort of thing. I've not ready any of the HP books, nor do I plan to--but I've seen all the movies and love them. I happened to see a trailer for Tweeny Witches on another DVD I was renting and decided to give this one a try. I was surprised how much they are able to pack into such short little episodes. The visuals are simply stunning. Normally after the first few times, I just skip through the intro segments to most Animes. Not this one. The opening sequences are so stirring to the heart that I just have to let them play, especially as one grows emotionally attached to the characters and their struggles. While I commend Arusu's ecological awareness and concern for the fate of the fairies, who are sentient beings, her strict pacifism is as annoying as it is impractical. She does sometimes fight back, but only with great reluctance. I understand this probably comes from the fact that pacifism is very much a part of Japanese culture post-1945; It was practically imposed on Japan by the US occupation force in the immediate postwar period. But I think Arusu is slowly learning that it is impossible to fight injustice and protect your friends and the things you hold dear without sometimes actually, um, fighting. She does try to stay true to her ideals, and for that I have to give her grudging respect, but I can certainly understand Sheila's exasperation with her at times. Eva in this volume is little more than comic relief and cuteness; We have to wait until Volume 2 before Eva finds her own voice and inner confidence.

My rental copy of this 2-part DVD was slightly scratched and would only play through the first 3/4 of the DVD before my Playstation2 rejected it as unreadable. I had to take it upstairs and finish watching it on my home PC monitor. This happened with both discs, very annoying. I had much better luck with Volume 2.

Although the visuals are very impressive, with just the right mix of CGI and traditional animation, the story is very much driven by the characters and their relationships in the face of a looming Realm-wide crisis. "Tween" is a bit o a misnomer, since Eva is probably 9-10 and Sheila and Arusu are likely around ages 13-14, that is, already young teens ("Tween" tends to describe ages 11-12, i.e. "pre-teens" who are no longer like other children but not yet adolescents who have hit puberty).

Arusu reminds me of other "humans out of their element" heroes like Farscape's John Crichton, or the hero in Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, or Philip J. Fry of Futurama. All rise to the occasion and adapt to their new environment and win the love and respect of the locals. Like other immigrant narratives such as those extolling and renewing the "American Dream", Arusu renews the hope of all (native) witches in the true power of magic."

Very Enjoyable. Great For All Ages

Jeffrey D. Sherwood | Idaho | 06/24/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I loved this first volume. It was a lot of fun. The three main characters go to the extreme of their personality types, but I think it works. The story opens with Arusu in a forest and talking about how excited she is about magic. At first she got on my nerves, but then I realized she is an energetic kid. Arusu obnoxiousness helps show she is in a place where she doesn't fit in.

The next character is Shiela and she is always mad and mean. She wants Arusu to go away. It never works out that way. Sheila's meannes works, because she keeps the other two on track and moving. Without Sheila it would all fall apart.

Eba is this whiney little third character. She is here so we will have someone to feel bad about and cheer for when she overcomes her fears.

Yes, this is fast paced and a lot of things are thrown at you quickly. You need to pay attention to catch it all. I think the series could have benefited from slowing down a little. I think that is my only complaint with this series.

The artwork in this series is wonderful. There is a fresh look at magical stuff. I especially like the fresh take on fearies. Forget the cute little winged girls. These fearies look like Tim Burton got a hold of the Pokemon creatures. I also really like the music. It fits perfectly with the series. I would like to find the soundtrack.

I don't think you will go wrong with this selection."

A Majorly Pleasing Blend

Philly Farmgirl | Philly...duh? | 07/22/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Tweeny Witches is not just a show about magical girls, it's about respecting freedom, respecting power, and not being afraid to change the world. It has the basic element of girl transported to magical realm, but it infuses it with a fast paced story, strong willed characters, and beautiful artwork, with added CGI affects. It's not just fantasy, there are also some science fiction elements as well. The magical realms are full of imagination, and the sprites are all designed in a quirky Gothic style. The end credit sneak peeks for the next episode are definite highlights. The editing may take a while to get used to but when you do, you barely notice it. I think it is a great show for both kids and adults alike. I would recommend it for fans of Harry Potter, Hayao Miyazaki, Tim Burton, and the non-stop adventure series The Edge Chronicles. That's a pretty cool mix when you think about it."