When magic, slice of life, and drama mix, what can come out of it? In the case of “Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto”, the result may be slow, yet it’s all the more heartfelt and quietly-touching. It’s something that definitely won’t be for everyone, but I personally can’t help but love it.


I did say ‘magic’ there; however, if you’re now thinking of something Fairy Tail-ish, you’re not even barking up the wrong tree anymore, you’re standing in the entirely wrong forest, if you’d excuse the lame pun. Magic in “Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto”, or “Someday’s Dreamers” in the English version, isn’t meant for tournaments, for beating up the bad guys and destroying entire towns in the process, and it’s definitely not meant to save the world. Instead, it’s as commonplace as magic in anime could ever get. To summarise the setup; mages are taking on all sorts of more-or-less mundane tasks in society--from doctors and fire fighters to indepent odd-jobs offices, albeit all of these are governmentally monitored.

It’s quite an original concept, and a solid one, too; after all, magic in anime has never before looked more believable. And yet, it’s a concept that doesn’t make for all that powerful intrigue, for action, or even for much comedy. At its story core, “Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto” very much stays true to a slice of life, and, as such, may not be entirely special at first glance.

In fact, for a while, the plot looks a bit episodic. Everyday problems, subtle character growth, and quiet details line each episode, making it as realistic as anime about magic gets, but also making it slow.

That’s not to say it’s bad, though. The story may stay slow and subtle throughout, yet the pacing is consistent, and the sheer character development and eventual drama more than make up for the lack of action if you ask me. It might not be obvious from the get-go, but the development of the story or rather its characters is very well thought-out, and heartfelt all the same--not the kind that’ll make you bawl your eyes out, but the quietly touching kind of heartfelt that I personally love, the kind where you can just tell a great effort was made, even if the result is flawed.

I’m getting off track, however. I mentioned the character development; and the characters in here are really what makes the story shine.

Sure enough, with the kind of setup I mentioned, they’re not supermen and superwomen pulling flashy magical tricks and battling just as magical monsters; instead, the characters at first glance are quite average. Not generic, but nobody that’d have caught your eye in particular had you run into them on the street.

Yet, there’s more to them. That, as well, isn’t obvious from the get-go, but it becomes obvious as the series progresses. The characters are as deep as a twelve-episode anime allows them to be, and where the time is too short to actually delve into everyone’s backgrounds, the backgrounds shown are fitting and believable.

Character development is plenty for such a short show, and a delight to watch. And the slow pacing actually helps here, since it allows the viewer to connect with the characters well and feel with them--which is necessary, else the greater impacts later on would get quite ridiculous. I don’t want to go around writing spoilers, but there’s a decent amount of drama in here... along with heartfelt friendship, bits of romance if you squint, and a pinch of tragedy; a mix that might not draw tears from everyone, but rather creates a subtle kind of emotional impact.

Character interaction is a bit expected, but always has its beautiful moments, as well as a few funny ones. The relationships may not always be entirely clear, but I’m not gonna complain--this is how the real world works too, after all.

The dialogue is rather simple and doesn’t always hit the mark, but it’s easy to follow and still conveys the emotion quite well overall. Also, the voice acting’s a delight to listen to.

The animation may not be up-to-date--this show is more than ten years old--but for its age, it’s through the roof. And the art is absolutely nothing short of a sight for sore eyes. Very well-rounded line-art, beautiful character design, very realistic scenery, and a definite hit in terms of character design. The music as well is beautiful, and minutely timed; the only downside is that it begins to sound somewhat repetitive after a while.

“Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto” isn’t flawless. It’s true to a slice of life, after all: quite episodic at the beginning; neither story nor characters appear to be all that outstanding; it stays slow throughout; and as such, it definitely won’t be for everyone.

Yet, this is also where this series’ charm lies. “Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto” is quiet and subtle; and where, at first glance, it looks quite ordinary despite the unusual setup, it also has a rare kind of beauty if you ask me, and not only in terms of art and animation. It’s heartfelt, with a strong underlying meaning to it; the pacing allows one to connect to the characters and feel with them very well; the ensuing character development is not only outstanding, but also beautiful to watch; and the eventual drama strikes all the harder because of that. It’s not the kind of Key Animation style anime that’ll make you bawl your eyes out, but rather the beautiful, quietly charming kind, the likes of “Tari Tari” or “Natsume Yuujinchou” (not like they could honestly be compared but then again which anime can… ^^"). If you open your heart for that, it’ll be sure to evoke some kind of emotional response.


However, it’s not a show that’ll entertain everyone. If you’re looking for fast-paced, action-filled stuff, this is not the anime to go for. If you’re in for slapstick comedy, choose something else. If you’re on the lookout for flashy magical monsters and fantasy, shoo.

“Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto” is for those who like the simple, quiet, heartfelt shows, and its outstanding character development, pieces of wisdom, and subtle emotional and visual beauty only help it along if you ask me. I personally love it; but, again, it’s probably not for the majority.

Cheers!~ (show less)