Anime
Bones' 'The Magical Girl and The Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies' Is Love at First Sight in New Preview
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Highlights
- Mahoaku, a fantasy romantic comedy, follows the unlikely love story between an evil lieutenant and a magical girl.
- Set to premiere on July 9, 2024, by Bones, the anime showcases the fun dynamic between the two love interests and the hilarious henchmen.
- Directed by Akiyo Ohashi, Mahoaku features a talented voice cast and production team, promising a charming and unique addition to Bones.
Title |
The magical girl and the evil lieutenant used to be archenemies |
Director |
Akiyo Ohashi |
Studio |
Bones |
Release date |
09/07/2024 |
Mira is the lieutenant of an evil organization bent on world domination, and if it wasn't enough that the magical girl Byakuya Mimori was standing in his way, now he's fallen in love with her! The magical girl and the evil lieutenant used to be archenemiesor More In short, it is a comedy, fantasy and love story adapted by Studio Bones in memory of the late author of the work.
The original manga was written/illustrated by Cocoa Fujiwara, who passed away in 2015 at the age of 31, leaving More unfinished after three volumes, the last of which was released posthumously. At the Avex Pictures panel at Anime NYC 2023, Bones announced that the manga would receive an anime adaptation, which was later revealed to be scheduled for the summer 2024 anime season.

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What the new trailer tells us
The latest preview, and the second to offer a glimpse of the anime itself, confirmed that the series would premiere on July 9th. Previous promotional videos focused exclusively on the dynamic between the two love interests, but this latest one offers a glimpse of what the action will be like, as well as informing the tone of the series.
Between the gothic appearance of the evil organization's headquarters and the orchestral score, complete with a choir, it's as over-the-top and theatrical as you'd expect from fantasy villains. At the same time, it doesn't take itself too seriously, with the organization's henchmen depicted as masked idiots who spout nonsense. It's easy to tell they'll be a great source of levity in this show.
Almost everything the viewer needs to know about Mira is revealed in this preview. He was raised in the organization and possesses the intelligence, cunning, and magical powers to lead his companions to world domination. However, the moment he confronts Byakuya, the magical girl chosen to defend Earth, Mira can't stop thinking about her. The preview ends with him being caught off guard while engaging in some mild-to-moderate online stalking.
What to know about the team
For fans of Fujiwara's work, this adaptation is a dream come true, right down to the voice cast, many of whom reprised their roles in the 2015 Mahoaku drama CD. The full cast at the time of writing is as follows:
- From Nakahara as Mira
- Yuki Ono as Byakuya Mimori
- Shinichirō Miki as the Cat Familiar
- Mariya Ise as Hibana Kagari
- Hikaru Midorikawa as the bird familiar
- Kenichi Suzumura as Fomalhaut
- Ayako Kawasumi as Bellatrix
- Hiro Shimono as Alcyone
- Nao Toyama as Spica
- Takumi Yamazaki as Sadalsudh
- Takaya Hashi as Betelguese
As for the production team, things look even more promising. The anime will be directed by Akiyo Ohashi, who directed Given – on the other hand and The Stranger by the Sea, two beloved romance stories from recent years. The script will be written by Yuniko Ayana, writer of Given anime series, Lupin III Part 5and Become touchy.
It's worth noting that Ayana also wrote for the BanG Dream! series, including BanG Dream! It's MyGO!!!!!, the jury's choice for Anime of the Year 2023 at the /r/anime Awards. Haruko Iizuka (Sugar Apple Fairy Tale, Horimiya) is the character designer. MAUKO (Classification of Kings, Butarebá) will compose the music.
A light addition to Bones' big year
This year, Bones is celebrating its 25th anniversary since its founders split from Studio Sunrise. In January, they launched their newest original series, Metallic Red, and My Hero Academia is back and better than ever with a new season. Additionally, My Hero Academiahis fourth feature film, You're nextwill arrive later this summer.
More It's their fourth project this year, and in typical Bones fashion, it's unlike any of the others, given its strength. It appears to be a light, funny, and heartfelt fantasy novel that will hopefully do justice to its late author's work. There's no word yet on how they intend to approach the unfinished story—whether they'll choose a place to simply end it or create an anime-original ending—but fans will be able to find out for themselves on July 9th.