(Watching Magical Girls for Professional Reasons, I Swear!)
Kuroha Akira used the remote to flick on the living room television, then glanced at the old-fashioned clock hanging on the wall. It was just past eight—prime anime broadcasting time.
Switching to the Asahi TV channel, the closing credits of a reality prank show were rolling. Up next was the classic magical girl anime, Star Pretty Girl, where Japanese elementary school students transformed into heroes of justice to battle evil forces.
While the iconic Sailor Moon and her famous line, "In the name of the Moon, I'll punish you!" didn't exist in this world, similar works did. The catchphrases had subtly morphed into things like, "In the name of the stars, I'll punish you!"
Star Pretty Girl was a spin-off of that lineage. Though it had been airing for several years now, its storyline was entirely original. The original featured a high school girl protagonist team, but in this children's anime adaptation, they were downgraded to elementary school students, forming the classic red, yellow, and blue trio.
This was the wellspring of magical girl anime!
However, it remained a very orthodox, straightforward work at present, devoid of any dark, deconstructive, or cruel elements. It seemed this world's equivalent of Urobuchi Gen hadn't yet begun his… contributions.
When Kuroha Akira first discovered this anime, despite the unfamiliar characters and plot, a strange, inexplicable sense of déjà vu washed over him.
Though Star Pretty Girl had only been airing for five years here, Kuroha Akira had a persistent feeling this anime should run for another twenty…
Because this is basically Pretty Cure!
One of Toei Animation's "Big Three" franchises that would run for two decades, spanning countless series and featuring the largest roster of magical girls!
(Incidentally, the other two were Kamen Rider and Super Sentai.)
"Shion, watch carefully. This is your 'textbook'," Kuroha Akira instructed, his tone scholarly.
"Yes!" Shinomiya nodded seriously, her focus shifting to the screen.
The two then settled into a comfortable silence to enjoy the episode.
After the opening theme—which Kuroha Akira found charmingly retro—the main story began. As an episodic series, each plot was self-contained, making it easy to follow even for first-time viewers.
This episode centered on the cool, aristocratic character of the trio—let's call her 'Little Blue'—who had never experienced commoner activities, specifically a summer festival. She attended with the hot-blooded protagonist 'Little Red' and the intellectual 'Little Yellow,' having a blast at various game stalls. Consequently, she let her guard down and fell victim to a villain disguised as a ring-toss stall owner, triggering a high-stakes ring-toss duel.
Thanks to the villain's special ability, if the ring didn't land… the clothes on one's body would be forfeited as collateral…
Holy—! Which genius scriptwriter came up with this plot?! It's simply… brilliant!
But is it really okay to air this in a children's anime?!
Perhaps the production team had realized that more adults than children were tuning into magical girl anime these days. Still, there was no actual nudity; only underwear was 'confiscated,' making it a remarkably tame scene that barely qualified as fan service.
Moreover, the elementary school magical girls' embarrassment over losing their underwear was played more for cuteness than lewdness, so it was probably fine… This would likely become this world's version of a 'first enlightenment' anime for Japanese youth.
Later, the clever Little Yellow spotted a loophole in the rules, and Little Red's brute strength shattered the villain's ring-toss ability.
Then came the classic, time-honored sequence: Transformation! Battle! The Power of Friendship! Defeat the Bad Guy!
Finally, everyone enjoyed the summer festival's grand finale fireworks and promised to watch them together again next year.
Neither Kuroha Akira nor Shinomiya spoke a word until the ending credits finished rolling.
Shinomiya had watched with rapt attention, completely immersed in a state of flow.
Kuroha Akira patted her shoulder, snapping her back to reality. "So, what are your thoughts?"
"Hmm… I always thought this kind of anime was just for children, but it was surprisingly engaging…"
Shinomiya had never watched anime before and held little interest in the '2D world,' mainly due to lack of exposure. Back in junior high, the girls in her class often mocked boys who were into anime. While Shinomiya didn't look down on them, she also felt anime was juvenile and couldn't understand the appeal. It was less 'prejudice' and more a simple 'lack of understanding'—the typical outsider's view.
Yet, after just one episode, her perception of anime had completely shifted.
If I had watched anime as a child… would I have felt less like I was living in a prison, filled with fear every day…?
Because you can draw spiritual strength from anime…
"No, I wasn't asking for your review of the anime," Kuroha Akira clarified. "I meant the voice acting of the main trio. What did you think?"
Shinomiya blinked, returning to her senses. Right—she was here to learn, not just to enjoy. She carefully recalled the characters' deliveries in the anime and voiced her most immediate impression.
"It felt like… all three of them had a slight sense of incongruity. Their voices didn't perfectly match their characters' ages or the situations."
"Excellent. Very perceptive."
Kuroha Akira was thoroughly satisfied with her answer. For an amateur to pick up on that subtle dissonance was a sign of genuine talent.
He then launched into a more detailed breakdown for her.
"The voice actress for this episode's focus, 'Little Blue,' is very experienced. She's completely nailed the character's personality, and her emotional control is spot-on. The only issue is her vocal register—it's a touch too mature. She sounds a bit too old for an elementary school student."
"Even though you can tell she's straining to pitch her voice younger, perhaps due to her own age and a naturally mature timbre, this is the best she can manage. And honestly, it's still quite impressive."
"She's likely a veteran with over a decade of experience. If she could just lower her vocal age by about two years, it'd be flawless."
Shinomiya nodded, a look of dawning comprehension on her face. "I see… now that you mention it, she does sound more like a middle school student."
"Exactly. Now, 'Little Red' is the opposite problem. Her vocal register is perfect, but her acting is weak. Her delivery is flat in many places, lacking dynamism. My guess is she's a rookie, freshly debuted."
"However, landing such a major role as a newbie means her talent agency is pushing her hard, and the director probably gave her the chance as a favor to the agency."
"Plus, that raw, unpolished quality inherent to a newcomer ironically fits Little Red's clumsy, headstrong personality. So, a bit of flat delivery is tolerable. After all, Star Pretty Girl's audience is incredibly forgiving and won't make a fuss over minor vocal quirks."
"Moreover, Star Pretty Girl is a long-running series. Little Red will get plenty of practice through the recording process. If the voice actress is ambitious, she'll naturally improve over time. Of course, all this hinges on her voice being truly suited to the role in the first place."
Kuroha Akira's analysis was clear and logical. Shinomiya listened with rapt attention, hanging on every word.
"What about 'Little Yellow'?" he quizzed her. "Can you pinpoint her issue?"
"Hmm… I can't quite articulate it… but I get the feeling Little Yellow's performance was a bit… monotonous? Oh, I'm sorry, I'm just an amateur daring to critique a professional…"
"No! You're absolutely right!"
Kuroha Akira's eyes sparkled with excitement. He hadn't expected her to pick up on such a nuanced detail.
Is this the S-rank talent[Soul Performance]at work?
Genius! This is pure genius!
"Little Yellow's problem isn't her vocal register or her experience. Technically, her performance is fine, and her voice fits. If you asked a hundred people, ninety-nine would say there's no issue. So where does that monotony you sensed come from?"
Shinomiya was completely drawn in, her curiosity fully ignited. Kuroha Akira's affirmation bolstered her confidence. He said I was right!
"The answer is a lack of passion!"
"My guess is Little Yellow's voice actress is also a seasoned professional with years in the industry, but she personally has no real interest in this anime. She failed to fully grasp the character's deeper personality, resulting in a performance that's technically correct but lacks soul."
"If she were a fan of the show herself, she could deliver that 'This character has come to life!' feeling. Sadly, this pro is just doing a job. While there's nothing wrong with that, a discerning director would probably find it a bit of a pity."
"Often, whether a character's voice has soul comes down to that tiny spark of genuine enthusiasm… So in this industry, landing a role you genuinely love is a rare and fortunate thing."
Shinomiya gazed at Kuroha Akira with immense admiration shining in her eyes.
"Akira-kun, you're amazing…"
"Heh…"
How many years do you think I've been immersed in this world?
I'm an old-school otaku, through and through!