Magical Kanan, also known as Magical Kanan: Summer Camp, is a Japanese anime series produced by Japan Homes Video. It was directed by Shigenori Kageyama and aired in Japan from January 21 to March 25, 2005. The story revolves around Kanan, a typical high school girl who discovers that she has the power to transform into a magical girl. Along with her friends, Mai and Yui, they attend a summer camp where they learn to harness their magical abilities and fight against monsters that threaten the world. What sets Magical Kanan apart from other magical girl anime is its unique take on the genre. The series incorporates elements of fantasy, comedy, and action, creating a blend of different genres that keeps viewers engaged.
Visual Novel / Magical Canan
Magical Canan is a 2005 Magical Girl anime by studio AIC. It's based on an eroge Magical Kanan released in 1998 by Terios as a game and 2000 as a hentai OVA. The story tells of Chihaya Hiiragi, an ordinary student, who one day meets a cute creature that has more than its look. The creature is the magical life form with Human shape-shifting ability from the land of Evergreen named Natsuki, coming to earth on a mission to recover five stolen "seeds" that has a power to manipulate and drive human's desires. Chihaya, who's dragged into this task, is given a power to turn into a Magical Girl Warrior and starts her quest to recover all the cursed seeds. Unknowingly to the girl, this task is more involved around her than she thinks.
The series incorporates elements of fantasy, comedy, and action, creating a blend of different genres that keeps viewers engaged. The characters are well-developed and relatable, each with their own motivations and struggles. The animation in Magical Kanan is colorful and vibrant, with detailed character designs and fluid movement.
Tropes included:
- A-Cup Angst: Chihaya, as reflected in the curvier form of Carmain.
- Adaptational Dye-Job: In the visual novel and OVA Natsuki’s animal form had pink fur and his human form had brown hair, in the anime his animal form had purple fur and his human form had black hair.
- Aloof Ally: Cerulean Blue and Septem deconstruct this trope as their aloofness would lead them to defeat, and not included with the main character.
- Big Damn Heroes: Cerulean Blue, more than once.
- Bizarre Alien Reproduction: The inhabitants of Evergreen begin life as seeds planted in the ground, the seeds grow into a plant which eventually sprouts a small animal creature, in adolescence they can shift into human form but will regress into animal form if they expend too much energy, and are in human form 24/7 as adults.
- Bleached Underpants: Magical Canan got its start as an Eroge and a Hentai OVA, Magical Kanan.
- Expy: Chihaya/Carmain to Sakura.
- Fanservice: Expect Chihaya in her bath, showing off her back once in a while.
- Faux Action Girl: Magical Kanan takes the cake. You know Carmain has a big problem with this when she's attacked and pinned down as soon as she finishes transforming.
- Involuntary Shapeshifter: Evergreen's population born as animals and change to humans when they grow or when they're magically charged. In Natsuru's case, he turns into a human when Chihaya transforms, and subverts this as the story goes since he has gained more and more magic.
- Lovable Sex Maniac: Natsuki in the Hentai versions.
- Luke, I Am Your Father: Bergamot is Chihaya's father .
- Male Gaze: Chihaya grows up when she transforms and we get close-ups of her breasts and butt expanding.
- Mentor Mascot: Natsuki and Hazuna.
- Noblewoman's Laugh: Cerulean Blue, complete with the classic hand gesture.
- Power Dyes Your Hair: Chihaya's hair changes from brown to red when she transforms. Sayaka's changes from blue-black to blonde.
- Rape as Drama: Of the hentai Magical Kanan, where rape is everywhere, only Sayaka has this problem. And that only comes from a flashback.
- The Rival: Cerulean Blue
- Secret Identity: Chihaya/Carmain, Emi/Septem, Sayaka/Cerulean Blue.
- Split Personality: Sayaka and Cerulean Blue have totally different personalities.
- Talking Animal: Natsuru in the hentai version. In anime, he only makes sound Chihaya never understands.
- Tamer and Chaster: As noted under Bleached Underpants, all the sexual elements were removed from the anime, but it's also chased enough that the original method for Chihaya and Sayaka to transform into Carmain and Cerulean Blue (by kissing Natsuki and Hazuna on the lips) is replaced with their respective partners giving them golden marbles that are normally kept on their person (collars in animal form, bracelets in human form).
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Played straight with Hentai!Chihaya and Hentai!Natsuki. Downplayed (even averted) with their anime counterparts.
- Those Two Girls: Sayaka and Miyuri
- Transformation Sequence: Chihaya gets a nude one in both the OVA and the TV series.
Septem Charm Magical Kanan
A magical creature went to the normal world to retrive some seeds. He lost his power and fainted. A girl found him and took him home. Well, this creature became a man after gaining back his power, which surprised the girl some. An incident happened and she became a magical fighter with his kiss. Things start to get complicated as they try to get the seeds and with most people not being what they seem.
The visual effects during the magical transformations and battles are visually stunning and a highlight of the series. The soundtrack complements the action and drama, adding to the overall experience. Magical Kanan explores themes of friendship, teamwork, and self-discovery. Kanan and her friends learn to trust each other and work together to overcome challenges. The series also touches on the importance of believing in oneself and finding the strength within to face adversity. While Magical Kanan may not be as well-known as other magical girl anime series, it is still worth a watch for fans of the genre. With its engaging plot, likable characters, and beautiful animation, it offers a refreshing take on the magical girl genre. Whether you're a fan of magical girls or just looking for an entertaining anime series, Magical Kanan is definitely worth checking out..
Reviews for "The Magical Creatures of Magical Kanan: A Field Guide"
1. Jessica - 2 stars
I found "Magical kanan" to be incredibly cheesy and predictable. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked any depth, making it hard to connect with them. The storyline was cliché and full of tropes that have been done to death in other magical girl anime. The animation was also lackluster, with poorly done CGI and generic character designs. Overall, I was highly disappointed with this anime and would not recommend it to others.
2. Tyler - 1 star
"Magical kanan" was a complete waste of time for me. The plot was confusing and poorly developed, jumping from one random event to another without any clear direction. The dialogue was stiff and forced, making it difficult to become invested in the story or the characters. The action scenes were also lackluster, with poorly choreographed fights and unimpressive magical abilities. I regretted watching this anime and would not recommend it to anyone looking for a well-written and engaging anime.
3. Hannah - 2 stars
I had high hopes for "Magical kanan" after hearing positive reviews, but it ultimately failed to meet my expectations. The pacing was incredibly slow, with episodes feeling unnecessarily dragged out and filled with filler content. The character development was also lacking, with the main characters remaining static throughout the series. Moreover, the art style was generic and unimpressive, making it hard to distinguish this anime from countless others in the magical girl genre. Overall, "Magical kanan" was a forgettable and underwhelming anime experience for me.