March 30, 2005:

Okusama wa Mahou Shoujo has an official site now.

May 01, 2005:

The Okusama wa Mahou Shoujo official site now has character profiles.

June 22, 2005: Okusama wa Mahou Shoujo in Animaga

It turns out Dengeki Ani-Maga (or simply Animaga) is pretty nice. It's a little more expensive than Megami (at least State-side), and not as thick, but the posters are better, and there seem to be about as many of them. Also, it doesn't suffer from Constant Da Capo Re-tread Syndrome.

From the looks of it, trying to scan every decent poster from just one issue alone would take hours.

While I'm not going to be able to manage that, I did scan the awesome Okusama wa Mahou Shoujo poster from volume 15:

Okusama wa Mahou Shoujo poster. (1600x2250. 906KB.)

I've also prepared a 1600x1200 wallpaper-sized version:

Okusama wa Mahou Shoujo wallpaper. (1600x1200. 384KB.)

I am fully prepared to go on record as predicting this show will be totally awesome simply as a matter of general principle.

You know, I might as well go all out and prepare some basic dual-monitor wallpaper as well.

Okusama wa Mahou Shoujo wallpaper. (3200x1200. 813KB.)

Okusama wa Mahou Shoujo wallpaper. (2560x1024. 630KB.)

The 2560x1024 wallpaper is centered better, but that's more a limitation of my original scan. You're nuts if you think I'm going to rescan it just for that.

August 02, 2005: Oku-sama wa Mahou Shoujo

Oku-sama wa Mahou Shoujo is totally sweet. Really, I'm just relieved it's not a colossal disaster; too many sure-thing concepts manage to fail pretty hard.

New girl Sayaka stirs things up.

Rather unexpectedly, one of my favorite elements of the show is the background music. It is very reminiscent of the background music in Azumanga Daioh. Oku-sama wa Mahou Shoujo also has a killer OP by Melocure (I trust the significance of this does not escape Melocure fans) as well as a pleasant ED sung by Inoue Kikuko.

The J.C. Staff character designs are similar to those found in The Melody of Oblivion. Really, all the visuals are quite good. I find there is always something interesting to look at, as the show reveals more and more of the town and the school, the characters' homes, and their neighborhoods.

Old guard Ureshiko doesn't like it.

All this plus its GAME-BREAKING HOME RUN premise about a late-twenties, veteran magikal girl being pushed towards retirement means all the show has to do in order to pass muster is avoid the stupid contrivances and devices that apparently plague the manga. Thankfully, the Oku-sama wa Mahou Shoujo anime steers clear of these pitfalls—at least through the first five episodes, anyway. So, like I said, it's TOTALLY SWEET.

January 07, 2006: Okusama wa Mahou Shoujo

I marathoned pretty much all of Oku-sama wa Mahou Shoujo in one blast a week or three ago. It helped re-watching the episodes I had already seen because it had been a few months since I left off.

I'm pleased enough with the show. They didn't fuck it up royal, and it has plenty of good points to balance out some of the disappointing aspects.

Older Edition Sayaka chats up an oblivious Tatsumi.

The music is great. I've already raved about the rocking Melocure OP, which I'd like to nominate as the best OP sequence of 2005. Likewise, the Azumanga Daioh-esque background music is plenty fun.

Oku-sama wa Mahou shoujo is a very fanservice-heavy show, but it's not the "traditional," uninspired panty shots and such. It's...different. But it's got a J.C. Staff/Melody of Oblivion hotness to it that works great.

There is a twist or two in the story, although ultimately the ending is fairly predictable. That's unfortunate, but hardly unexpected. Nobody should be surprised if Male Lead ends up with Primary Love Interest and Happy Ending occurs. This isn't Gainax, you know.

Ureshiko spots Sayaka and Tatsumi—and disapproves.

I am somewhat disappointed in the ending, though. I really believe the show should have explored the relationship between Tatsumi and older-form Sayaka a lot more. As romantic matchups go, it was a lot more interesting (and had more chemistry) than the Tatsumi + Agnes relationship. I guess the fact that normal Sayaka is enrolled in elementary school would have troubled a lot of viewers, even though she clearly had little in common with her classmates, but it would have made for a more interesting show. Kind of a reverse Nanaka 6/17, I suppose.

July 11, 2006: Okusama wa Mahou Shoujo.

Tamotsu courts Ureshiko with dubious success.

Tatsumi and Sayaka.

Oku-sama wa Mahou Shoujo could have been a great show if Ureshiko had reconciled with her husband and Tatsumi had de-powered Sayaka.

P.S. Spoilers.

July 29, 2006: Oku-sama wa Mahou Shoujo.

Sayaka.

Tatsumi and Sayaka.

Here are a couple more screenshots from Oku-sama wa Mahou Shoujo for no reason.