Anime Info | Simulcast | Official Pages

Japanese Title: Mahou Shoujo Tokushusen Asuka

Summary

It’s the 21st century. Humanity finally gets in contact with another intelligent life form. But the encounter wasn’t a happy one. Monsters from the netherworld invaded earth and destroyed their weapons, now it seems that it is only a matter of time until the candle of mankind goes out. However, there is hope thanks to one thing that can give life back to humanity. Magical Girls.

Impressions

Thanasis

My first thought after Episode 1 of Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka was summed up in just one word: Cool… I have always had a soft spot for transformation sequences and antiheroes and Asuka delivered both in 24 minutes of world-building. Asuka and 8 more middle-school girls received magical powers after an alliance was formed between an alien species and Earth to fight a second alien species hostile to Earth. The series takes place after the war has ended and the magical girls who survived the world are now veterans who have taken different paths in life.

What makes this different than your usual magical girls anime? First, the military theme. The girls took part in a brutal war that did tricks to their psyche. Second, the horror is real. People die and the magical girls are as much a killer as the villains of the story. Third, great directing (which is not a given in any moving visual medium). This is a must for fans of both war stories and magical girls (or at least of cool henshin sequences).