Why Magical☆Shopping Arcade Abenobashi Redefined Fantasy Parody

We had had a myriad of childish fantasies, dreams, and wishes when we were young. Our overactive minds, driven by these fantastical perspectives, made our childhood lives so colorful and eventful. But as we age, we gradually lose that spark until reality grounds our worldview. This is not inherently a bad thing, because a large part of growing up is understanding reality and accepting certain things as they are. But every now and then, the child within us will peek out again and seek whatever wonders they can find, even if it’s for a limited time.

“Magical☆Shopping Arcade Abenobashi,” also known as “Abenobashi Mahou☆Shoutengai,” “Abenobashi Magic Shopping District,” or “Magical Shopping Street Abenobashi,” is a 13-episode TV anime series that aired from the 4th of April till the 27th of June in Spring 2002. It was produced by Gainax, Dentsu, Starchild Records, Imagica, Rakuonsha, and King Records, licensed by ADV Films and Sentai Filmworks, and brought to life by Studio Madhouse. Being an original anime, it featured the genres of comedy, fantasy, and ecchi alongside the themes of isekai and parody. Each episode ran for 24 minutes and received a rating of R+ for its mild nudity, going on to receive an Excellence Prize for its animation at the 2002 Japan Media Arts Festival.

A manga series of the same title based on the anime was brought to life by author Akahori Satoru and artist Deguchi Ryuusei. It ran for a total of 2 volumes from the 26th of July 2001 till the 26th of June 2002, featuring all the genres of adventure, fantasy, and ecchi. Targeting the Seinen demographic, Magazine-Z serialized it, adhering to the central theme of Isekai. TokyoPop published it in English from the 10th of October to the 9th of November, 2004.

The tale is spun around protagonist Satoshi "Sasshi" Imamiya, a 12-year-old boy who believes his entire life is in shambles from his childish point of view. Things started going haywire when he lost his precious card collection, but his juvenile dilemmas only go from disastrous to worse when he finds out that his treasured childhood friend, Arumi Asahina, is set to move far away. But before he can do anything about his grand troubles, the duo’s problems are swiftly dashed aside to make way for the surreal; they get isekai’d away through a myriad of bizarre worlds full of science fiction, magic, and war.

Just as most people would do, they try to escape but only end up getting catapulted into a completely alien land. As time slowly ticks away, the children come to the shocking realization that every single world they see is actually just a reimagining of their hometown. But not everything is just a reinterpretation, because there are now two unfamiliar faces thrown into the mix: the voluptuous lady Mune-mune and the elusive blue-haired man Eutus. Could these two new characters possibly be the key to escaping their odd predicament? Thus, we follow the young boy's and girl’s exploits in these strange new worlds as they desperately try to return to their original home. Along the way, they end up unraveling a story that spans many generations, making them wonder if the root of their predicament is actually more personal than they had initially thought. An even more glaring question follows: Is returning home really what they wholeheartedly desire?

The entire plot is built around Sasshi and Arumi, who lived pretty normal lives in their home, which is a rundown project area just about to be replaced with a brand new development complex. Similar to most stories set in such areas, none of the inhabitants actually want to leave, but things spiral out of control pretty fast. As the duo ends up getting stuck in extremely weird but not random places, the narrative progressively pieces itself together until things start making sense to the audience. Furthermore, it's remarkable how they seamlessly integrate elements of comedy, drama, action, fantasy, and romance into 13 episodes. Each episode takes you from one genre parody to another, all while this entire conundrum follows a pretty coherent and fairly serious storyline underneath it all. It’s not easy to maintain a proper overarching plotline through multiple worlds, but here we are. During the run, you’ll be treated to worlds that follow RPG, Kung-Fu, Sci-Fi, Gangster, and Warfare themes, amongst many others, and they are all a lot of fun. Furthermore, this anime does not require you to follow the story, especially if you don’t want to, because there’s plenty of comedy to keep you occupied consistently. This isn’t to say there aren’t episodes that are plot-oriented, because they are a welcome addition that ensures the story isn’t directionless. I honestly recommend putting in the little brain power required to follow the plot because it is worth it.

Sasshi and Arumi take center stage in the character department and they are polar opposites of each other from the get-go. Even though their roles occasionally change, their interactions throughout the wacky worlds are entertaining to watch. It's undeniable that neither of them are flawless individuals, leading you to develop a deep affection or dislike for specific facets of their personalities over time. Meanwhile, the supporting cast is just as hilarious and memorable, each of them having their own quirks and pitfalls. I cannot forget the ecchi aspect here because all the young adult characters are portrayed as gorgeous and sexually attractive. So expect a lot of ecchi moments alongside comedy from them. Even a portion of the humor consists of ecchi jokes, so it's advisable to avoid obsessing over them and simply enjoy them for what they are.

Moving onto the Art and Animation department, I absolutely adored the numerous hand-painted backgrounds they employ in every episode. All of them are different from each other and possess a soul of their own, so if you’re an artist yourself, you’re in for a treat. As expected, each world has themes and environments, and the detailing and effort put into them is mesmerizing. The character designs all possess the wacky vibe of the anime and are very diverse, capable of portraying a wide array of emotions and postures. There are so many different body types here and they all fit the situation perfectly. All of the familiar supporting characters appear in a new form for each episode, fitting seamlessly into the new setting in the process, but remain easily recognizable. Whether in comedic or dramatic situations, the characters' faces convey their emotions with a well-timed style. Animation is fluid enough to keep up with all the bizarreness happening in the show, and it is best visible on the characters themselves.

My favorite has to be the Sounds and Music department, though; it’s so good that I sometimes forget the rest. The way the studio has emulated the sound effects is praiseworthy on its own, as there’s such variety and impact to be felt with each passing scene in various worlds. The opening theme is "Treat or Goblins" by Megumi Hayashibara, which is very catchy, upbeat, and fun, almost guaranteed to get you into the mood of the show. The ending theme is "Anata no kokoro ni," also by Megumi Hayashibara, which carries a hint of nostalgia alongside its black-and-white Japanese-style historical slideshow. Last but not least, every voice actor perfectly fits their characters, infusing them with so much life and humor that it sometimes overshadows all other departments!

Overall, “Abenobashi Magical Shopping Arcade” is an extremely fun show with an unexpectedly engaging overarching narrative. The pacing is just right for a mere 13 episodes; the comedy is hilarious if you can see it as just that; the gags are bountiful; and the “spoofs” throughout the show make it seem more like a wacky carnival ride. This is slapstick comedy, ecchi, and a lot of screaming combined into one coherent show, but you can easily relax and enjoy. Many people tend to compare this show to Excel Saga. While there are one or two similarities, this one is far from being a copy and has many unique things to offer. It is complex and intricate if you want it to be, but chill and random fun all the same if not. If you choose to see it beyond the parodies, which I highly recommend you do, you’ll witness a very complicated story that takes a serious look at urban decline and the loss of community feeling. That said, there are plenty of purposeful genre clichés inserted into the show, so take the chance to laugh out loud at them.