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1[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/MagicUsersClub01.jpg]]
2[[caption-width-right:320:The last hope of the human race. OhCrap.]]
3
4-> ''"Takakura, I... I swear to become a great magician! Just... like... ''you!''"''
5-->-- '''Sae Sawanoguchi'''
6
7''Magic User's Club'' (''Mahou Tsukai Tai!'') is an {{anime}} created and directed by Creator/JunichiSato (''Anime/SailorMoon''). It tells the story of a plucky group of teenage {{Magical|Girl}} [[MultipleDemographicAppeal Students]], and their quest to liberate the world from extra-terrestrial invaders. It was originally released as an OVA series produced by Creator/TriangleStaff in 1996, and was followed in the late 90s by a TV series that picked up the story where the OVA left off. It has since received both {{Manga}} and LightNovel adaptations. The anime series was licensed in North America by Creator/MediaBlasters (via their Anime Works imprint), but is now licensed by Creator/NozomiEntertainment.
8
9One year ago, an alien spaceship known as "The Bell" invaded the earth, spreading a message to the humans of the world that it was here to take over. Though the planet's military forces fought desperately against the The Bell, they proved to be no match for the invaders' [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien highly superior technology]]. All resistance was [[ResistanceIsFutile quickly wiped out]], though the aliens seemed to be taking special care not to harm the human soldiers, and The Bell never made the first strike. Quickly realizing that the aliens would not attack without provocation, humanity quietly accepted defeat and sought to return to as normal a routine as possible.
10
11Now, the people of earth have grown used to the The Bell, which has caused no further disruptions save for sending out probes to politely observe their day-to-day lives. [[HotBlooded Unwilling to accept the status quo]], Takeo Takakura (Creator/MasayaOnosaka), the president of Kitanohashi High School's Magic Club, has declared that it is the duty of the club to single-handedly defeat the invaders and secure the freedom of all humans. Unfortunately, the Magic User's Club has only five members, and of those, only he and his vice-president Ayanojyo Aburatsubo (Creator/TakehitoKoyasu) know how to use magic effectively! On top of that, Takakura finds it to be a daily struggle to keep his [[CovertPervert perverted nature]] at bay long enough to focus on the task at hand.
12
13But all hope is not lost, for Takeo finds an [[GenkiGirl eager and energetic]] (though not quite able) student in new club member Sae Sawanoguchi (Creator/HirokoKonishi). Seeking to overcome her [[TheKlutz clumsiness and low sense of self-worth]], Sae declares that she will follow in the footsteps of Takeo, and become a powerful magic-user. Will Takeo, Sae, and the rest of the club learn to control their power and become the hope of humankind? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: wherever the Magic Users Club goes, [[HilarityEnsues hilarity]] is bound to follow!
14
15The TV series continues the story. The main plotline is about Sae and a mysterious androgynous waif.
16
17There are also two different manga. One is a shounen manga and maintains the same light feel in the OVA. The other is shoujo, and is much darker and has several different characters as well.
18
19----
20!!This series contains examples of:
21
22* TwoDVisualsThreeDEffects: The limited mid-90s CGI makes the alien ships more... alien.
23* AdultsAreUseless:
24** Minowa and Yoshito doesn’t help finding out more the Bell. In the end, they have to ask Akane to read the Bell’s mind(s).
25** Katsuhito Kubo, Miyama and Takakura’s club supervisor, does nothing to settle their disputes.
26* AgentScully: Minowa initially, but the increase in magic activity makes it hard to ignore.
27* AlliterativeName: Every. Single. Character.
28* AllYourPowersCombined: The club usually does this together as a group activity or to improve their success on more powerful magic.
29* AmazinglyEmbarrassingParents:
30** Aburatsubo's mother, Akiko. He is absolutely ''horrified'' whenever she shows up at school.
31** Nanaka's mother also is this for her, when she shows up to a parent-teacher conference still wearing her gardening gear. For bonus points, she was wearing her still muddy boots on her hands.
32* AmbiguouslyBi:
33** Takakura fantasizes Aburatsubo stripping down, even though he rejects his advances. He also gets a little crisis when thinking about Jurika.
34** [[spoiler: Aburatsubo might return Nanaka's feelings towards the end of the series.]]
35* AnimeHair: Akane has pink streaks in her long white hair, and Sae's hair looks like a bunch of tiny Raggedy Anne-esque squares.
36* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove: To Aburatsubo, from Nanaka. He rejects her feelings. ''In the kindest, sweetest way ever'', doing what he can to not break her heart further. The frame doesn't change from a closeup on Nanaka's face while he gives her his reply. You can watch her emotional state shift from nervousness to surprise to sad realization to resignation.
37* ApologisesALot: Sae says it more often than most, on account of her lacking self confidence. In one scene, being stuck in a room and trying to teleport out, she continually says it for around two straight minutes as things teleport in, crowding up the room.
38* AttackOfThe50FootWhatever: Happens to Akane on account of magic gone wrong and some emotional turmoil. Resolving the turmoil returns her to normal.
39* ArtShift:
40** The OVA was made with cel animation with more detailed character designs compared the TV series' digital animation and simpler designs.
41** The opening scene with the Bell is much more realistic and CG heavy then the rest of the series. It's enough to make you think you're watching a different anime till the opening theme hits.
42* BenevolentAlienInvasion: The aliens have invaded at some point before the story begins. They don't really do anything unless outright attacked [[spoiler: at first]], and even go so far as to obey traffic laws.
43* BigDamnHeroes: Played with.
44** OVA Episode 6, The Magic Club tries to switch Minowa with Sae after being captured. Though because Takakura's tendency to show off, the whole club and Minowa gets switched instead.
45** TV Episode 1, Miyama showing up in the blimp to negotiate with the Bell-Turned-Crazed-Cherry Blossom Tree. Though the military simply shoo her away.
46* BigSisterInstinct: This is what Akane expects from Nanaka as she would scold her like she should. Unlike Sae who's too nice to discipline her properly.
47* BrilliantButLazy: Akane is one of the more gifted members of the club when it comes to magic, and, spin aside, her spells almost always go well. She is also the only one who is able to cast magic with only a ''picture'' of the magic wand that is required for said spells, even making her own in episode 2 of the TV series. The problem is she's a teenage girl who has her mind on things outside of the club most of the time.
48* BrokenAce: Aburatsubo. At one point he tells Sawanaguchi that although he's good at everything, he doesn't enjoy much of anything, because there is little challenge.
49--> "Does a fish think anything if it can swim?"
50* CampGay: Aburatsubo is a mix of this and StraightGay. On the one hand, he is a long-haired {{Bishonen}} who flirts outrageously with Takeo. On the other, he's the school's star athlete and only acts camp around Takeo.
51* CharacterDevelopment: Akane starts of as fickle, aloof, and rather solve problems by herself. However when her friends help her out when she gets into trouble, she starts committing more time with them.
52* ChivalrousPervert:
53** While Takeo may burst into perverted fantasies at the drop of a hat, he's very protective of his fellow club members, especially Sae, and tries his best to perform his duties as president.
54** Also Aburatsubo, whose SingleTargetSexuality on Takeo doesn't deter him from being a reliable friend and magic club member.
55* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: The journalist, his photographer, and the teacher who tells his students 'education is love,' are completely absent from the TV series with no mention of them at all.
56* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: The three main characters: red for Sae, blue for Akane, yellow for Nanaka. The only things keeping the Magic Club from being a full-blown {{Sentai}} are a repeated color in the team (both Takeo and Aburatsubo wear black), the lack of [[SuperSentaiStance posing]], and the fact that the Bell never really attack anyone [[spoiler:(at least until towards the end)]].
57* CoolStarship: The Bell.
58* ComicallyMissingThePoint:
59** Takakura being distracted by Miyama’s two ‘’friends’’, but Sae thinks he’s bowing his head.
60** Takakura confesses that isn’t trying to fight the Bell, but Sae thinks he trying to protect everyone by going alone.
61* CovertPervert: ClubPresident Takeo Takakura tries to hide the lustful thoughts that spring up at even the most inopportune times, however the truth is obvious to pretty much everyone else except [[WideEyedIdealist Sae]].
62* CreditsMontage: The TV series combines clips from the current episode with clips from the next episode in the ending theme.
63* CreepyChild: Jurika constantly stalks the Magic Club.
64* {{Crossover}}: With Anime/{{Shamanic Princess}} for a one episode OVA.
65* CuteWitch: Sae, Nanaka, and Akane dress this way, at least.
66* DarkerAndEdgier: The later quarter of the TV series when Jurika takes a more active role.
67* EveryEpisodeEnding: The opening verse of the EndingTheme "''Mata Ashita''" can be heard in the last moments before the credits in each of the {{OVA}} episodes.
68* TheEveryman: Nanaka serves as this for the group. She lacks Sae's raw magical potential, Akane and Aburatsubo's talent, Takeo's expertise, as well as any investment or motivation with the club outside of her friendship with Sae and her crush on Aburatsubo. Most of the time she simply wants to live life as an ordinary girl.
69* {{Fanservice}}: From all of the main girls, and Miyama. And occasionally Aburatsubo.
70* FiveManBand:
71** Takakura is TheLeader of the Magic User's Club as well as being TheSmartGuy.
72** Sae is TheHeart as most of the club activities resolve around her, and whatever trouble her magic causes.
73** Aburatsubo being TheAce who has both brains and beauty to back it up and the token CampGay.
74** Nanaka takes the role of the OnlySaneMan as she often questions the absurdity of the club's activites.
75** Akane being the GirlyGirl who works as a model and often goes on dates.
76* TheFriendNobodyLikes: Jurika eventually joins the Magic Club due to his knowledge on magic. Though he makes everyone uncomfortable by invading their personal space and prying into their thoughts.
77* TheFriendsWhoNeverHang:
78** Aburatsubo and Aikawa has only one conversation in the TV series. Given Aikawa's attendance record and Aburatsubo's clinging to Takakura, the two don't exactly have an excuse to talk to each other.
79** While Miyama isn't exactly a friend per say, Takakura is the only one she has a one-on-one conversation with out of all the club members. Even when Sae tries to talk to her, she doesn't respond to her directly.
80* GiveGeeksAChance: Takakura looks the part and has attracted no less than three people with vastly different personalities: Aburatsubo, Sae, and Miyama.
81* {{Gonk}}: Mitsuru Minowa is rather homely compared to the lovely Akane. His saving grace is being voiced by the hammy Creator/MikePollock and Creator/AkioOtsuka in English and Japanese respectively.
82* GoneHorriblyRight: OVA Episode 3, to rescue Akane from a Whirlybird, Takakura and Sae decide to shrink it. They indeed shrink it, ''except'' the propeller. This throws everyone off balance and knocks Takakura and Aburatsubo off their broom.
83* GreenEyedMonster: Aburatsubo has actual green eyes, and they’re usually eying on Sae.
84* HilariousOuttakes: Seriously, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edKovuyahnM check]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSvS2jgW52c them]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNwdA0DVcWk out]].
85* HonestAxe: This fable is invoked in a bathroom scene, in which Takeo is asked by Jurika if he was using the gold or the silver ''toilet paper''.
86* IfItsYouItsOkay: Takakura shows some attraction towards Jurika despite being a boy. Which makes sense as Jurika is [[spoiler: a part of Sae, who he is clearly in love with.]]
87* IHaveBoobsYouMustObey: The weird part is that Mizuha isn't even trying to invoke this trope but Takeo is often too {{distracted|ByTheSexy}} to hold his own in an argument against her.
88-->'''Sae''': "We have to help him get over those horrible [[AccidentalPun memories]]!"
89* IneptMage: Sae Sawanoguchi, though not for a lack of trying. Her magic is by far the most powerful, ''if'' she can control it, and ''if'' it comes out in the first place. She slowly gets better over the course of the series.
90* InstantFanClub: Aburatsubo has this in the TV series, even though he's gayer than a Broadway musical. (Although, you never know, maybe [[FagHag that]] is ''why'' he has them...)
91* IntrepidReporter: A pair of them in journalist Mitsuru Minowa and his sidekick/photographer Yoshito Yoshimoto. They stumble upon the antics of the Magic club while trying to investigate The Bell.
92* ImagineSpot: Takakura does this frequently with whatever triggers his perverted fantasies. Often times, he'll lose his grip on reality.
93* TheKlutz: Sae Sawanoguchi, who not only manages to fail at nearly everything she tries, but often fails in the most [[PersonOfMassDestruction spectacular way possible]].
94* LethalChef: Sae's big sister Saki. When asked why she is using red chili paste while making Tomato Stew, she responds: "''... What's that?''"
95* MadeOfMagic: [[spoiler: Jurika and Jeff are made from Sae's raw magic, albeit subconsciously]]. Revealed in the final episode of the TV series, they are based on dolls that Sae used to play.
96* MagicAIsMagicA: All it takes to do magic in the ''Magic User's Club'' universe is a weird looking wand, some Latin-like chanting concentration and self confidence. The main reasons for Sae's magical misfires are either from her lacking self confidence or her mind wandering.
97** While the cast mostly use the wands Takeo has recreated, they seem to serve as a focus more than a hard requirement. Akane accomplishes some magic with makeshift wands that merely resemble the original (albeit with mixed results), and Sae learns to cast magic without a wand at all in the TV series.
98* MagicalIncantation: Most if not all the spells are cast with varying Latin(esque) chants. Among the most common is the spell for flying with a broom, "''Izatai Abamehinam Etokafe Nan!''"
99* MagicVersusScience: The {{Sufficiently Advanced Alien}}s are nigh indestructible, with a scientific mastery of space travel and weapons that can disintegrate aircraft carriers. They are countered by high school kids who can fly on brooms and magically transform them into pillows. [[spoiler:This is what gets the Bell to start searching out for the kids in the first place, in spite of previously being fine to simply follow societal rules.]]
100* MoodWhiplash: The first OVA does a [[TheTeaser cold open]] of The Bell [[CurbStompBattle forcing its way through Earth's orbital defenses and effortlessly defeating utterly a US Navy taskforce in San Francisco Bay.]] Cue the peppy catchy opening theme! This opening is repeated for episodes 2, 3, and 4. Episodes 5 and 6 don't have the ColdOpen.
101* TheMothership: The unknown alien vessel that invades Earth is called "The Bell".
102* NoblewomansLaugh: Takakura's rival Mizuha Miyama is a constant user of this laugh, normally when she's finished knocking him down the only peg he has left.
103* NoBisexuals: Slightly averted in that [[spoiler: Aburatsubo seems to be having feelings for Nanaka towards the end, which, while not discussed with the rest of the cast, seem to confuse him]].
104* {{Nosebleed}}: Takeo should win some award for how many times this happens per episode.
105* {{Ojou}}: Akane, who models in the TV series and appears to be independently wealthy.
106* OnlySaneMan: Nanaka isn't entirely sold on using the magic of the club to fight the Bell, for rather obvious reasons, and is often the one to reign in Sae from her less well-thought-out actions. However, her loyalty to her friends and her crush on Aburatsubo means she ends up going with it anyways.
107* NoSenseOfPersonalSpace.
108** The Bell's Whirlybird and probes have no sense of personal space, much to the ire of everyone else when it tries to check under their clothes. Though they do not seem to have any sense of arousal the way humans do...like Takakura.
109** Aburatsubo however invades Takakura's space at every opportune moment.
110* PerpetualSmiler: Jurika is always shown with a smile with a giggle not too far behind. Until [[spoiler: Sae proclaims she hates magic, which shatters his smile into a wistful frown.]]
111* PottyEmergency: Sae has one in episode 3 while being LockedInARoom with Aburatsubo. Once again during Episode while handling patrons when the other club members are busy.
112* RunningGag: Takakura's perverted fantasies.
113* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: [[spoiler: The Bell]] once messing with magic is deemed too risky.
114* SelfInsertFic: In-universe example. Miyama creates a manga series based on herself [[spoiler: and Takakura in a romance scene.]]
115* ShapeshiftingExcludesClothing: In episode 5, Akane starts to hiccup, causing various strange things to happen. At one point, she shrinks down, leaving her clothes piled on the club room floor. The same happens to Takakura in episode 3, when he eats a magically-shrunken apple and inadvertently shrinks himself as a side-effect.
116* ShoutOut:
117** Quite a few to ''Anime/KikisDeliveryService''. OVA Episode 2, Creator/AkioOtsuka's plays Minowa who flies a blimp. Then crashes it into the school at the end. TV Series Episode 12, Sae asks a takoyaki vendor to borrow a banner pole to fly on.
118** OVA Episode 1 is full of them for ''Anime/CastleInTheSky''. Right down the propeller sound effects used by the Whirlybirds and Sae falling slowly onto a boat.
119* SkintoneSclerae: Yoshito Yoshimoto.
120* SpaceIsNoisy: Averted nicely in the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKf7mMZ46p8 OVA intro]].
121* SpectacularSpinning: Whenever Akane casts a spell on something or someone, the object/person will spin rapidly for a few seconds before the spell takes its intended effect. It's never explained why this happens, and she appears to have no control over it. She does complain about it, though.
122* StarfishAliens: The Bell aliens. There is a brief insight into their thought process: the Bell apparently makes decisions with two 'leaders' (shown as a red light and a blue light) arguing over different logical courses of action until they are both in agreement. See TwinTelepathy for more.
123* TakeMeInstead: OVA Episode 6, the club members debates on who to switch places with the captive Sae. Though Minowa convinces them that is better to send a non-magic user like him instead. Nanaka switching would not change the situation, and the chances of the spell succeeding would be higher with Takakura.
124* TwinTelepathy: In OVA Episode 5, Akane uses a mind reading spell on the Bell which has two minds. The side effect causes her to split into two halves for the duration of the spell.
125* UnskilledButStrong: Sae, on many occasions, shows herself to have the most raw power when it comes to magic and does incredible things with it. However, she lacks the skill and focus to tap into her full potential throughout most of the OVA and TV series.
126* VocalEvolution:
127** Creator/MayumiIizuka sounds much closer to Misty from ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'' in the TV series as it was released after that show. In the OVA, the vocal quality is markedly different.
128** Creator/JunkoIwao is in a similar vein, which she adheres closer to Tomoyo from ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura'' in the TV series. She sounds closer to Hikari from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' in the OVA series.
129* WantonCrueltyToTheCommonComma: Or rather, the common apostrophe; the title suggests that the club belongs to just one magic user. "Magic Users' Club" would be accurate in this case.
130* WeakButSkilled: Nanaka's raw magic power dwarfs against Sae, but her ability to fly is much more consistent and keeps accidents to a minimum.
131* WildMagic: In the TV series Jurika, the mysterious person who appears and disappears, is revealed [[spoiler:to be an anthropological manifestation of Sae's magic]].
132* WorldTree: The giant cherry tree The Bell is transformed into certainly looks like one. Episode 1 of the TV series is spent trying to find a way to remove it from the city, since its massive shadow and endless flower petals are causing a significant inconvenience for the civilians.

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