Anime Review - Magical Pokan (Magipoka, Renkin San-kyuu Magical Pokaan)

Noone fangirls more effectively than Liru and Uma

I have obtained much anime over the years; in fact, it comes in quicker than I can watch it. And so, I have a few titles that I have no idea why I would have wanted it in the first place, nor remember who I should blame for the recommendation if I don’t like it. Magical Pokan falls into this category, however the screenshots of an adorable wolf-girl gave me reason enough to fire up what eventually turned out to be a cute, adorable and amazingly funny show.

Following the exploits of four princesses from the Netherworld trying to come to terms with living in the human realm, Pokan tells of the daily adventures of Liru the werewolf, Pachira the vampire, Uma the witch and Aiko the android. Delightfully naive, each girl struggles to overcome their natural urges and conquer their peculiar insecurities. Uma is pretty crap at magic, and only attracts crowds because of her uncanny ability to flash her panties each time she casts a spell. Aiko is terrified she can’t attract a man because of her weight, whilst Pachira keeps burning up in sunlight. Finally, Liru turns into an adorable puppy every time she sees a full moon and can’t resist a serving of Matsuzaka beef.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Pachira's panties!

If it sounds simplistic and easygoing, that’s because it is. Each episode is divided into two shorter tales that fly past quickly and enjoyably with little requirement for thought. There is also a healthy dose of fan-service that sees the quartet frequently in underwear or bathing suits, and that never hurts a series as far as I’m concerned. As a breath of fresh air, these brief glimpses of cleavage or panties are not the main focus of the show nor do they detract from the plot allowing it to carry on unhindered. Sure it is predictable in places, but the overdose of moe is a lot more enjoyable than some of the ecchi shows I have subjected myself to recently.

Liru simply wasn't impressed by the flyby boob-squish.

Whilst not the slickest and up-to-date animation out there, the characters are pleasant on the eye with a gorgeously varied palette used throughout. From the main cast, only luscious Liru is blessed in the cleavage department and the artists are more than happy to display her curvaceous figure in scanty outfits. In fact, the wardrobes used for each of the girls is a pleasant and varied surprise, suiting their personalities perfectly; from Pachira’s upmarket garb to Aiko’s reserved full length dresses to cover her substantial figure, a significant amount of thought has gone into the clothing. My only issue on the animation front is caused by the breasts of the evil scientist, K-ko. Swinging down like oversized udders, the ginormous funbags take over the screen as they jiggle in every shot.

10 points to the first reader to tell me exactly
what feels like pudding...

Opening with a somewhat darker and mysterious track, the opening credits imply the show hidden within is riddled with yuri fan-service. The closing audio is sung in turn by each of the four female leads invoking different nonsensical magical spells accompanied by a catchy tune that will stay with you for days. During the show, the incidental music is much more attuned to the nature of the series giving a playful and fun atmosphere to the show.

Heading up the impressive seiyuu list, the unmistakable voices of Aya Hirano and Hitomi Nabatame take centre stage as Pachira and Liru. The remaining duo, although not as accomplished, certainly serve up a stellar performance as the excessively kawaii and moe Aiko and Uma. As a secondary character, Dr. K-ko is as over the top and flamboyant as her hefty assets and features the frequently recycled evil genius laugh (tm).

Pachira's DFC was the source of amusement for many.

Speaking to the handful of other fans that have seen this show, it seems that Liru is head and wet nose ahead of the rest. Not quite as naive as the rest of the bunch, she usually gives guidance on simple things such as mail delivery. Issues only come in the presence of a full-moon, when all bets are off and the real animal comes out; what makes this even more endearing is that she acts almost exactly the same as my dog, rolling in mud and begging for treats. The rest of the bunch, although adorable, are a little cliché and designed to appeal to specific areas of the anime community. Aiko: the clumsy, moe meganekko who is desperate to please. Pachira: the somewhat amiable tsundere who is obsessed with seducing a slave. Uma: the ditzy, panty-flashing loli idol that rates almost as highly as the untouchable Komugi-chan. But hey, I bet this gets brownie points from most viewers!

Pixel for pixel, each breast is bigger than her head.

Sadly only featuring in a couple of episodes, the despot Dr. K-ko is predictably written but an utter pleasure to watch. Once you get past the oversized mammaries, a realisation will hit that everything about the detestable anti-hero is intentionally over the top and she fits into the crazy cast perfectly.

To that mystery person that recommended Magical Pokan all of those years ago: I thank you. For a mindless bit of fluff and fun, it doesn’t really get much better than this.

Let's hope Liru doesn't catch a cold. On second thoughts,
the sneezing could be a bonus...