There are some short series that, when watching, you realize are better that way. There are even some full-length series that make you think “this would be better as a short”. But Katsute Mahou Shoujo to Aku wa Tekitai shiteita. doesn’t seem to fit the format to me. I mean, it’s fine – but there’s nothing to it that suggests it wouldn’t be better at full length. I enjoy it but I always feel as if each episode plays as incomplete. Always leave ’em wanting more is fine and all, but this is a production decision I find a bit baffling.
As a function of the half-length the character dynamics play out as pretty superficial. Maybe that’s the way it is in the manga too, maybe not – I certainly don’t know. Yet they are enjoyable. As we progress it appears less likely that Byakuya is playing Mina, which never seemed likely but did seem possible. She seems genuinely downtrodden and exploited, and genuinely infatuated with him. His motives are very transparent. But they are causing him difficulties with his own people. In fact there are even signs they’re beginning to suspect him despite an apparently stellar reputation for evil-doing.
The big news from the episode (and its funniest moment by far) was the revelation that the familiar is a dude in a cat suit. Or at least that’s his physical form, since the whole familiar thing seems to be real. What a piece of work he is too. He puts Byakuya’s tentacle encounter online (behind a paywall) and makes her work at a hostess club (which Mira’s co-workers have dragged him to). He also notes that while Byakuya has to be a virgin to be a mahou shoujo, eventually she can earn money that way too. Yes, this gets pretty dark.
I think we can all agree the familiar is scum, but what Mira is to do about Byakuya is a little more complicated. In Warumono-san of course Pink had a crush on the General, but it was strictly unrequited. I’m not sure resignation is an option for Mira, even if he were so inclined. And now he has a subordinate (or comrade) named Fomalhaut assigned to “work with him” on the magical girl problem. Which certainly suggests his odd behavior has set some alarm bells ringing at world domination headquarters.
Nicc
July 26, 2024 at 7:07 amI agree with your point that this series probably shouldn’t have been a short. A short works best for lightweight material. This season’s “Giji Harem” would work well as a short and maintain its appeal. The material in this series isn’t that lightweight and so the short format does stymie its storytelling.
It does look like Byakuya really is who she is and isn’t trying to get one over Mira. Some of Mira’s co-workers have already noticed that something is up, while others remain loyal to him. All of them do think he needs to relax a bit and one of them sends him off to a hostess club. Of course, Byakuya got put to work there by the familiar, picking up this job along with making paper flowers. Along with learning about the videos of her battling with the slimes being sold off, Mira’s heard enough and goes over to deal with it.
Right, the cat-looking familiar is actually adult-sized and is just wearing a suit. Mira quickly offs him, though it seems that they can’t die and may return someday. Still, it’s out of Byakuya’s hair for now and they enjoy a nice dinner with that A5 wagyu that he sent over to her. Indeed, I wonder what’s next for her. She’ll be doing better financially now that the familiar isn’t around to take a hefty cut of her earnings, but being a magical girl isn’t paying the bills (Clark Kent is the one bringing home the bacon, not Superman). And yes, Mira will be partnering up with an enthusiastic co-worker. Those meetings with Byakuya are about to get a lot more difficult.