Anime Review: Maho Shojo Lyrical Nanoha

Review Maho Shojo Lyrical NanohaWritten by WarpshadowRating good/ very good

With a twist of genre conventions almost anything can be made new. Such is the case with Maho Shojo Nanoha a magical girl show spiced up with some science fiction and fighting twists.

Nanoha Takamichi was just an ordinary third grader until one day she came across a wounded ferret. It happened to be no ordinary ferret but Yuuno who had traveled to this world in order to collect the jewel seeds. The jewel seeds are far too dangerous to be left lying about so Yuuno gives Nanoha Raging Heart, a device that allows Nanoha to become a magical girl and collect the jewel seeds. While Nanoha's mission is difficult enough on it's own, she soon finds out that there is another magical girl who also seeks the jewels seeds for her own purpose.

While the magical girl genre of anime is generally thought of as a subset of shojo (aimed at girls) anime Maho Shojo Lyrical Nanoha takes the conventions of the genre and makes them into a show for guys. This is made most obvious in the fight scenes of the show which are more intense and fluid than usual for a magical girl show.Nanoha also didn't acquire the fault of shonen anime fight as they last at most half an episode and even then only when the plot demands it. The subject matter of friendship may be typical fare but it is cast in a light that may be a bit too mature for some younger viewers, particularly where Nanoha's rival Fate is concerned. Although this may be a show for guys there is some question as to whom this show is targeted to as Nanoha's transformation sequence is a bit disturbing. Fortunately is discarded in later episodes. While I did not find the show to be extraordinary Maho Shojo lyrical Nanoha is a fresh take on old material.