Review: Someday's Dreamers DVD - Lesson One "Magical Dreamer"

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Review: Someday's Dreamers DVD - Lesson One "Magical Dreamer"
by Kit

Monday, November 17, 2003

A 17 year old mage learns that there are some things in life that her powers simply can't solve.

Title - Someday's Dreamers DVD 1 "Magical Dreamer"
Creators - Masami Shimoda
Release - November 11, 2003
Region - 1 (U.S.A., Canada, U.S. Territories)
Studio - JC Staff and Viewworks K.K
Aspect Ratio - 16:9 Anamorphic video, Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1
Rating - G (General Audience)
Features - Animated, Color, Closed-captioned
Expected MSRP - $29.98 or $34.98 for Collector's Box

Overview
The story takes place during an alternative universe version of modern day Tokyo. Everything in this version of Tokyo is the same as the one in our world except for the fact that the use of magic is widely accepted by the common populace.

Yume Kikuchi is a gifted 2nd year high school student who lives in the small northern town of Tohno, Iwata Prefecture. She has left her comfortable surroundings in Tohno for big city life in the pursuit of her dream of becoming a mage. Yume has shown promise as a mage apprentice with her ability to use magical powers to help others. Since gaining her apprenticeship however, she begins to worry that her powers might not be enough to solve the problems of the people who are most important to her.

Impressions
This baby was just released in the U.S last week. The DVD offers 4 episodes for $29.98. Not exactly bargain bin, but if you're a fan of anime DVDs, you're probably used to getting reamed at retail. Someday's Dreamers was directed by Masami Shimoda if that means anything to you (Ai Yora Aoshi, Macross 7, Saber Marionette J). While Shimoda's patient plot unfolding is present in this new project as it was in Macross 7, for some it might unfold a little too slowly. While Yume's plight doesn't exactly create the material for a fast paced anime experience complete with mech battles, or flying blonde haired saiyans, it is interesting if you can get by the slow, initial episodes.

Yume is a beautiful young lady, even by pen and ink standards. Her tutor Masami Oyamada is a definite metrosexual.

The meat of the plot involves a young girl who is discovering her magical powers over the course of the series. In this version of Tokyo, mages are sort of like Jedi, in that they help the people and solve problems utilizing their special magical skills. Mages even have their own bureaucracy they report to, The Bureau of Mage Labor. Before mages can use their powers, they must follow the rules set by the bureau or send a request if the rules don't cover certain situations.

The lead character, Yume, is about a benign as a 17 year old Japanese girl can get. In fact, sometimes too benign. One might think that even Santa might be too evil for Yume, and we're talking about the nice story book version, and not the crazed, drunk, mall type. At one point, Yume, who ends up living with her mage tutor, apologizes to him for being hungry.

Submissive Japanese girl stereotypes aside, Someday's Dreamers is a very well made anime. The animation is top notch, and the story, although slow and even boring at some points, is emotion stirring in that feel good, pulling heart strings, type of way. The story unfolds in a type of way that you want to see Yume succeed and do well with her powers, but at other points, you're cursing Yume and begging her to get some self confidence and stop being such a push over.

Yume's journey from mage apprentice to full blown mage is one of happiness, confusion, joy, self-doubt, and learning. If you can stomach an anime with a wispy, innocent, female mage as a lead character, as well as a side story that involves romantic interest, then you might be in for a delightful surprise by popping Someday's Dreamers into your DVD player.

--- Kit "Kat"

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