Title: 魔法使いさんおしずかに！ (Be Quiet, Magician!) Vol. 1
Artist/Author: 竹本泉 (Izumi Takemoto)
Book Size/Pages: A-5, 208pp., w/furigana
Volume: 1/2
Original Serialization: Nakayoshi 1984-1985
First Printing: 1/3/03
Rating: 3/4

This is a random find at the bookstore. I didn't think it was shojo as they placed it in the boys section, but this comic was originally serialized in Nakayoshi, the same magazine that was home to CCS and Sailormoon.

The story is pleasant and light and the artwork is simple and natural. It has a different feel to it than most current manga, but probably because it was written so long ago. It's like how Osamu Tezuka's stories seem a little different than more recent stuff like Miyazaki Hayao's.

Since this is a re-release, it has a lot of color illustrations like the Kodocha reprints.

1. Susan (13 years old) and her uncle Fred (30) have moved into her great-grandfather's house. Her great-grandfather is current traveling. There, they meet their neighbor Ellie, a soap-opera-loving young woman, Will, a boy about Susan's age, and his grandfather, Wally. His uncle is an unsuccessful illustrator and so they're usually low on money. Sue gets an idea that Ellie should marry his uncle, partially because she doesn't want to do the chores anymore. Sue brings her over for a bit, but his uncle gives her the cold should because he doesn't like pretty women (and that's why his illustrations aren't selling, because his females aren't pretty). She then has to run off again to catch a TV show. Later, Sue goes out and sees Ellie disappear into a pond and then pop back out again. Ellie reveals that she's a fairy and uses the ponds as shortcuts, but that Sue has to keep it a secret since no one else knows.

2. Sue asks Will if he believes in fairies and such, but he doesn't although he believes in UFOs and space travel. Over lunch with him and his grandpa, she finds out that Will is almost like her in that he has to do most of the chores around the house too. They go take a walk in the woods where she falls in a hole and various animals, including elephants come running out. She discusses this with Ellie who tells her that there are elves who dig tunnels. She also asks if Ellie can model for her uncle as his latest work was rejected again because the women aren't drawn beautifully enough.

3. Sue's dog, Cooper has been sneaking off in the middle of the night, and she wants to know why. With the help of Ellie, Sue is able to become a rabbit and follow Cooper. She travels through the tunnels in the ground where she overhears two magicians discussing plans to dig underneath the bank to steal money. Upon her return the next morning, she reports this to Ellie.

4. Sue goes out the next night with a shovel and tries to find out who those people are. She discovers that it's Will's grandfather, Wally, and one of his assistants. Wally tries to convince her that stealing is okay as the bank is insured, but to no avail. With Ellies help, their plans get ruined.

5. It's been a few months since previous chapter and Wally is up to no good again. He's got a blueprint to the bank and plans to make a magical cloth that will create holes in the wall. However, he loses his map and it falls into Ellie's hands. When he tries to rob the bank, all he gets when he opens the wall is water rushing out.

Comments

(Comments are Closed)