Anime News

Fantasy Anime 'Rental Magica' on DVD Soon
Date: 11/17/2009
by Aaron H. Bynum

Magica Anima

For Itsuki, it's time to take over the family business. It's time to step up, and with unwavering confidence and determination, guide his employees to the success that readily awaits them. It's not easy running a magic-for-hire organization these days, competition is brutal and the work is a bit of a fright at times.... but it's all good work nonetheless. Helping those in need with their naturally supernatural talents, the associates of Astral aren't afraid to destroy a few monsters here and there to collect their due. It sounds like an honest job for Itsuki, unfortunately for him, he's taking over as president of Astral only because of his missing father, and on top of that, he apparently has no magical talent whatsoever.

The Japanese animated TV series Rental Magica finds a timid young man, Itsuki, suddenly burdened with the responsibility of keeping his father's business up and running. Tasked with ensuring the books are kept level, clients are satisfied with results, and smoothing over employee relations, Ituki is understandably a bit of a coward when he learns his unfamiliarity with the world of magic and the supernatural may prove dangerous. Announced for a domestic release this past spring [related A.I. news: "Fantasy Anime Acquired for U.S. Release" (05/2009)], the anime Rental Magica is a fantasy comedy coming to home video from online retailer Right Stuf and their production arm, Nozomi Entertainment (Emma: A Victorian Romance, Gakuen Alice).

On the positive side, Itsuki will have a lot of help in running Astral. Different magic users from different parts of the world lend their unique, sometimes odd, but altogether useful talents to accomplish the companies varying job requests. Itsuki can be a little lazy, so it certainly helps to have a diverse cast of employees willing to nudge him in the right direction.

Rental Magica, although criticized by some fans for its stock character personalities and ineffective story restructure, provides snippets of magic backstory interspersed with traditional harem subplotting. As Itsuki develops a trust of his associates, so does the company grow, but competition for contracts from their rival Goetia could prove fatal.

Rental Magica hits shelves on November 24th ($49.99), containing the first twelve of the anime series' twenty-four episodes.

Nozomi Entertainment will distribute this first DVD Set release with an array of bonus materials, most notable of which is an information booklet providing background knowledge about the anime and its use of mythology/supernatural. Consumers will also have the option of viewing the anime's first twelve episodes either in broadcast order, or in the story's actual chronological order. Additional items on the release of Rental Magica include character biographies, promotional spots, and trailers.

on Nozomi Entertainment: Nozomi Entertainment (www.Nozomi-Ent.com), Right Stuf's production division, is dedicated to the highest quality releases. By focusing on a limited number of anime properties each year, the Nozomi production team hopes to ensure each release receives the care and attention to detail it deserves.
Source: ICv2