Line #17 Anime/TweenyWitches


1	%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.
2	%% Note to editors: Please write in accordance with the Media Blasters English dub unless necessary.
3	[[quoteright:347:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Tweeny_Witches_1034.jpg]]
4	[[caption-width-right:347:[[{{Tagline}} A never-before-seen magical world.]][[labelnote:characters]]Left to right: [[HairOfGoldHeartOfGold Eva]], [[AllLovingHero Arusu]] and [[BrokenBird Sheila]].[[/labelnote]]]]
5
6	->''"Anyone can use magic as long as they believe with all their heart!"''
7	-->-- '''Arusu'''
8
9	Arusu (Creator/SachikoKojima) is an 11-year-old girl who has a thing for the occult and is especially obsessed with witches and magic, thanks to a book given to her for her fifth birthday by her DisappearedDad, Jidan (Atsuki Tani). When some bullies try to steal her book, a mishap sends her falling literally into the Magical Realm. Almost immediately, she meets Sheila (Creator/HoukoKuwashima) and Eva (Creator/RyoHirohashi), two apprentice witches who are close to her age.
10
11	Delighted as she is to be in the Magical Realm, she is less than delighted at how their society is run. Everyone is certainly not overjoyed at the reality of magic, while she believes magic should be used to make people happy. More disturbing to her is how the witches capture fairies and keep them behind bars for their use in spells. When she releases all the captive fairies back into the wild, the Grand Master of Witches (Ryoko Kinomiya) punishes Sheila and Eva with the Curse of Eternal Youth, leaving her bound in duty to join them on their quest to recapture the fairies and break her new friends' curse.
12
13	As she becomes more familiar with magic and her new friends, she learns more about her new world and its extremely dark underbelly -- in particular, the war between the witches and their enemies, [[BigBad Grande]] (Creator/JojiNakata) and his faction of warlocks, who seem intent on tearing everything apart and are also very interested in that book of hers...
14
15	Certainly one of the {{darker\|and edgier}} takes on the MagicalGirl genre, ''Tweeny Witches'' (魔法少女隊アルス, ''Maho Shôjo Tai Arusu'', translated as ''Magical Girl Squad Arusu'') is a 2004 anime created by Keita Amemiya and produced by Creator/Studio4C. The series aired within ''Tensai Bit-kun'' on Creator/{{NHK}} Educational TV from April 9, 2004, to March 4, 2005, with a 6-episode OVA spin-off titled ''Tweeny Witches: The Adventures'' released on November 22, 2007.
16
17	A manga adaptation by Mai Jinna, titled ''Mahō Shōjo Tai Arusu: Minarai Majo Kōza'' (''Lessons For Apprentice Witches''), was serialized on two pages in Shogakukan's {{shoujo\|Demographic}} magazine ''Ciao'' from the May 2004 issue to the March 2005 issue.
18
19	In September 2011, Fuji Shōji released a pachinko machine titled ''Magical Slot Mahō Shōjo Tai Arusu''.
20
21	In North America, Creator/MediaBlasters released the TV series and ''The Adventures'' in 2008 and 2009 respectively, both dubbed and subbed. Both the TV series and ''The Adventures'' are available in Italian on Website/YouTube [[https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVoL495tLX3zo166YFnXwDxkTeDdZj_KC here]].
22
23	For two anime/manga series with similar art-style, premise, and themes, see ''Manga/SoulEater'' and ''Franchise/LittleWitchAcademia''. Not to be confused with ''Series/{{Tweenies}}''.
24	----
25	!!''Tweeny Witches'' provides examples of:
26	[[foldercontrol]]
27
28	[[folder:A]]
29	* AerithAndBob: The names range from fantastic ones like "Atelia", "Sigma", and "Presatio" to average Western names like "Sheila", "Eva", and "Wil".
30	* AdjectiveNounFred:
31	** The show is known in Japan as ''Magical Girl Squad Arusu''.
32	** Episode 13 is titled "The Warlock Sigma".
33	** Episode 22 is titled "The Pirate Lennon".
34	* AgelessBirthdayEpisode: In episodes 11 and 12, Arusu, Eva, and Menow celebrate Sheila's birthday. {{Justified\|Trope}} because Sheila is made TheAgeless by that point.
35	* AllThereInTheManual: The synopsis of episode 15 in the Japanese official site reveals that "deadly grey" (死の灰色, ''shi no hai-iro'') is the name of the "disease" Sigma tells Arusu and Sheila about.
36	* AllYourPowersCombined: Dark magic requires the True Book of Spells, the only one of its kind to list every spell a witch can use; each one of the 100 fairy species whose body parts enable magic; and a witch [[spoiler:who holds darkness in her heart.]]
37	* AndroclesLion: In "The Gryphon's Feather", after Arusu helps a gryphon run away from the special task force, the gryphon repay the favor by giving her its feather, which she needs to fly on a broom.
38	* AnotherDimension: The Magical Realm exists separately from the Human Realm, with the latter being sometimes described as such by the inhabitants of the Magical Realm.
39	* AntagonistTitle:
40	** "The Warlock Sigma": The titular character is revealed to be Grande's EnigmaticMinion three episodes later.
41	** "The Pirate Lennon" is named after the pirate witch who ambushes the ''Ludens'' on its way to the Human Realm.
42	** "The Ice Witch and the Dragon of Fire and Ice" is named after the one and same character, a giant witch dragon who sought to TakeOverTheWorld in the past.
43	* ArcWords: Arusu's belief that "Anyone can use magic as long as they believe with all their heart!" appears throughout the series and ''The Adventures''. It was passed down from her DisappearedDad, Jidan, who [[spoiler:told Wil the same thing 14 years ago.]]
44	* ArmoredVillainsUnarmoredHeroes: Arusu and her friends wear simple black minidresses in contrast to the FacelessGoons of Wizard Kingdom in armors that cover their whole bodies.
45	* ArtShift:
46	** The first part of TheTeaser consists of static illustrations that resemble Renaissance and Reformation-era European paintings.
47	** In the trailer for episodes 11 and 12, the animation shifts to a childish crayon style after showing a picture of Menow holding a baby Sheila under her arms.
48	** In episode 11, the animation shifts to a childish crayon style for the scene where Eva explains to Arusu the traditions of the witches.
49	* ApocalypseHow:
50	** Due to [[spoiler:the overexploitation of magical and scientific resources]], the destruction of the Magical Realm is approaching. [[spoiler:As Sigma's father foretold, Arusu prevents it with the magic of light.]]
51	** Grande plans to destroy the Human Realm through dark magic in hopes of making a new home for his species to escape the eventual destruction of the Magical Realm.
52	** Jestor in "The Secret of Dragon House" created a program to destroy the Witch Realm. Although he planned to destroy the Warlock Realm as well, apparently he died before he could complete his work.
53	[[/folder]]
54
55	[[folder:B]]
56	* BeastOfTheApocalypse: [[spoiler:As Eva casts dark magic, the 100 fairy species turn into a huge frog-like creature that attaches to her. It disappears once Arusu undoes dark magic with the magic of light.]]
57	* BigBad: Grande is the leader and general of the warlocks, who are ([[NotAlwaysEvil mostly]]) the mortal enemies of the witches and wizards. He is behind one of the most prominent conflicts in the TV series as he plans to destroy the Human Realm through dark magic in hopes of making a new home for his species to escape the eventual destruction of the Magical Realm.
58	* BittersweetEnding:
59	** The TV series ends with [[spoiler:Arusu saving both the Human and Magical Realms, but she and her friends have to bid farewell to each other before she returns to her homeworld and reunites with her parents. Lennon has reconciled with his mother (who has been forgiven by the Grand Master for her past forbidden relationship with Jidan) and is going to live with her, but they're never going to see his father surviving his apparent death.]]
60	** ''The Adventures'': "The Ice Witch and the Dragon of Fire and Ice" ends with the Witch Realm released from the freeze the Ice Witch brought, but at the cost of Hanamomo's [[DeathOfAChild untimely death]].
61	* BlackMagic: Dark magic is a forbidden spell that requires the True Book of Spells, each one of the 100 fairy species, and a witch to destroy everything and to [[spoiler:drive every living thing to despair. It derives its powers from hate, distrust, and despair, hence why the caster needs to have darkness in her heart]]. [[BigBad Grande]] seeks to destroy the Human Realm with it in hopes of making a new home for his species to escape the eventual destruction of the Magical Realm. [[spoiler:In the GrandFinale, as foretold by Sigma's father, Arusu dispels dark magic with the magic of light.]]
62	* BloodlessCarnage: [[LadyOfBlackMagic Atelia]] is shown striking a warlock soldier with her MagicStaff without any visible damage on him.
63	* BroughtDownToNormal: [[spoiler:As the destruction of the Magical Realm approaches, the witches start losing access to their magic and fall ill in the process. Even the Grand Master of Witches and the Three Sages are no exception.]]
64	[[/folder]]
65
66	[[folder:C]]
67	* CastOfSnowflakes: Even background characters look distinctive in identical costumes, which is quite necessary considering the large cast.
68	* CatchPhrase: "Anyone can use magic as long as they believe with all their heart!"
69	* CerebusSyndrome: The series was pretty dark to begin with, but when Sigma and the warlocks show up, things start to become serious.
70	* ChekhovsGun: Eva explains to Arusu that [[spoiler:the witches and warlocks are the descendants of a race of {{winged humanoid}}s who inherit their ancestors' wings only in the degenerated form. When Eva sees Lennon's back lacks degenerated wings, she finds out that he is a human, not a witch]].
71	* ChildrenAreInnocent: Sigma and Lennon are a preteen and a teenager respectively. They are two of the more sympathetic villains in the franchise and the only villains who end the TV series redeemed.
72	* CivilizationDestroyer: In "The Secret of Dragon House", Jestor created a computer program to destroy the Witch Realm. Although he planned to destroy the Warlock Realm as well, apparently he died before he could complete his work.
73	* ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve: As a child, Arusu learned from her DisappearedDad, Jidan, that anyone can use magic as long as they believe with all their heart. It is heavily implied that TheIdealistWasRight, judging by the fact that the [[IneptMage inept witches]] on the ''Ludens'' finally manage to fly on brooms in the belief that they might be able to use magic because even a human girl like Arusu can do it.
74	* CrystalDragonJesus: Judging from what is shown in the series, the religion of the witches and warlocks looks like Christianity. The Witch Realm has a large chapel, where Atelia arranges a meeting of all her people. According to Atelia, the Book of Prophecies tells the story of how a witch known as a savior created the Magical Realm with the legendary magic of light. At the beginning of "The Warlock Sigma", Sigma's father is seen foretelling the coming of a savior right after he tells another warlock that it's forbidden to awaken {{Satan}} from his eternal seal by the Creator.
75	* CuteWitch: All three witches in the picture. Witches in general are also this, with a few exceptions. Of course, the series is a DarkerAndEdgier take on the genre, with the Witch society having some less-than-wholesome practices and the warlocks being ANaziByAnyOtherName.
76	[[/folder]]
77
78	[[folder:D]]
79	* DarkerAndEdgier: While [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism idealistic]], the series is a darker and mature take on the CuteWitch genre as a whole. It begins as a SliceOfLife with some drama about a group of young apprentice witches, only to take a much darker turn once [[KnightOfCerebus Sigma]] makes a proper introduction with the group embroiled in the war between the witches and warlocks, as well as the destruction of the Magical Realm. The warlocks from Wizard Kingdom bring an aura of sheer brutality and menace never before seen, with their invasion of the Witch Realm, their {{manipulati\|ve bastard}}ons, their ethnic cleansing campaign against their traditional counterparts known as the wizards, their [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness disposal of whoever has outlived their usefulness]], their plan to destroy the Human Realm through dark magic in hopes of making a new home for them to escape the destruction of the Magical Realm, their long imprisonment of [[spoiler:a human]], their use of hostages, and their propaganda to create a common enemy. In the GrandFinale, [[spoiler:[[BigBad Grande]] turns Eva into the unwilling caster of [[BlackMagic dark magic]], which feeds on ThePowerOfHate to destroy everything with people driven to cross the DespairEventHorizon]]. On top of that, the characters deal with animal rights issues, eugenics, traditionalism, abandonment issues, loss of a loved one, military dictatorship, MalignedMixedMarriage, and betrayal, the first four of which appear even before CerebusSyndrome kicks in.
80	* DarkIsEvil: When the traitor among the witches casts [[BlackMagic dark magic]], it tears the earth apart with black beams.
81	* DarkSecret: The leadership of the witches hides the fact that all the captive fairies had escaped from the public. However, after an angry hydra attacks the Witch Realm in episodes 9 and 10, the warlocks discover about it. In episodes 13 and 14, some young witches including Sae and Hata finds out it, being arrested for discovering the top secret.
82	* DespairEventHorizon: [[spoiler:As the Grand Master of Witches explains, dark magic takes away the will of every living thing to rebuild and even their hopes. It takes [[MessianicArchetype Arusu]] casting the magic of light to [[HopeBringer bring hope]] back to them.]]
83	* DispelMagic:
84	** A witch's long hair is needed to turn anything TakenForGranite back to normal.
85	** The magic of light is the only spell that can destroy dark magic.
86	* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything:
87	** Sigma [[WeCanRuleTogether offers Sheila a chance to leave the world together]], telling her [[NotSoDifferentRemark that he knows they're not that different]]. The way he talks makes it look like he's making a LoveConfession for her.
88	** The witch evaluation banishes those who cannot use magic at 16 to the Human Realm, where they marry into humans. Furthermore, "Lennon's True Identity" reveals that it's against tradition for a witch to marry a human if she can use magic. This is an obvious parallel with the eugenics movement, which believes "flawed" people need to be removed from the human gene pool.
89	* DramaticIrony: After Arusu releases a mina fairy from the holding facility, Atelia reports to the Grand Master of Witches that with the mina fairy captured, the witches now have all of the 100 fairy species.
90	* DuelingMessiahs: The TV series ends up with Arusu and Grande fighting to stop [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the destruction of the Magical Realm]]. The former is an AllLovingHero and a pacifist whereas the latter's plan of HomeworldEvacuation involves destroying another entire dimension in the process.
91	[[/folder]]
92
93	[[folder:E-F]]
94	* EndOfAnAge: [[spoiler:The witches, warlocks, and wizards come together to rebuild the Magical Realm in the finale, marking the end of the age of segregation.]]
95	* EverybodyLives: [[spoiler:Nobody dies in the TV series and ''The Adventures'' outside of flashbacks.]]
96	* EyeCatch: The eyecatches have the series logo against a black background.
97	* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin:
98	** The main protagonists of ''Tweeny Witches'' are an 11-year-old human apprentice witch and two native apprentice witches of her age.
99	** Atelia, the Grand Master of Witches, Lennon, and Wizard Kingdom share their names with their {{Leitmotif}}s, though the second one's is only named "Grand Master".
100	* ExtraordinaryWorldOrdinaryProblems: The series takes place in the Magical Realm, but Arusu and her friends still deal with problems like animal exploitation, conservatism, war, oppression, and racism.
101	* FacelessGoons: On both sides: The witches' have mosquito-like gas masks while the warlocks' wear armor that makes them look like sharks.
102	* FakinMacGuffin: The warlocks are trying to get the True Book of Spells so they can cast dark magic. Sheila bluffs them by using her guard dog to create a copy just in case Lennon gives them the book.
103	* FeministFantasy: ''Tweeny Witches'' is a hauntingly beautiful dark fantasy primarily driven by a diverse cast of women. The entire cast is varied in both their personalities and [[CastOfSnowflakes appearances]], with some being stunningly beautiful and some being plain. The main trio of young apprentice witches, as well as [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Atelia]], prove themselves to be brave, resourceful, and independent without waiting for a man to rescue them. Their femininity, or lack thereof, is not shown as a [[RealWomenDontWearDresses bad thing]], as Arusu and Sheila are not shamed for their gender-nonconforming aspects while Eva and Atelia have moments where they demonstrate SilkHidingSteel. Instead, their characterizations are built around something that is sensibly related to the plot, such as having low self-esteem because of the [[IneptMage inability to cast magic]]. Meanwhile, the cold, emotionless, AlwaysMale warlocks are the villains of the series, who cause untold destruction, and are eventually soundly defeated by the ingenuity and kindness of the heroines.
104	* FloatingContinent: The Magical Realm has floating islands.
105	* FreezeFrameBonus:
106	** In episode 15, after he shot a warlock soldier to save Eva, Sigma sends a red signal to the soldier. In episode 16, he sends the same red signal to a white creature the warlock army rides on. It's implied that he manipulated not only the heroes, but also the warlock army for his own ends.
107	** As soon as Atelia declares a full-scale war with the warlocks, the special task force is seen moving presumably to fight the warlocks that are invading the chapel in the Witch Realm.
108	** As Grande makes a speech about his solution for the [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt destruction of the Magical Realm]], a sick warlock is briefly seen using a ventilator on his bed.
109	[[/folder]]
110
111	[[folder:G-I]]
112	* GenderRestrictedAbility:
113	** Subverted. Although only the witches appear over the first 10 episodes, the Warlock Realm does have its share of magic-users in the form of the wizards, a DyingRace of magic-using warlocks.
114	** It's explicitly stated that only a witch [[spoiler:who has darkness in her heart]] can use dark magic with all the 100 fairy species and the True Book of Spells.
115	* GoroawaseNumber: Arusu and later some witches use one of these to cast magic, as opposed to the traditional way which uses Greek numerals instead. The English dub replaces them with direct translations of puns. For example:
116	** 0141963215 (a spell for hallucinogenic magic) becomes "oishii kuromitsu ichigo".
117	** 80588109696 (a spell for petrification magic) becomes "yamagoya hairegu rokkunrōru".
118	* GottaCatchThemAll: Atelia tells Arusu and her friends that they have to capture each one of the 100 fairy species in order for the Grand Master of Witches to undo the Curse of Eternal Youth cast on Sheila and Eva.
119	* GreatEscape: [[spoiler:Sigma, in an attempt to escape prison with his cellmate, Jidan, asks Tiana for a job to redeem himself for his failure, suggesting that the warlocks take Jidan hostage to demand the True Book of Spells from the human's daughter, Arusu. As further LaserGuidedKarma for his betrayal and manipulation of Arusu and her friends, Tiana mockingly refuses to let him out, reminding him that no one gives their traitor a second chance. However, he ends up escaping with his cellmate anyway.]]
120	* HandsOffParenting:
121	** Yoko is so depressed and/or drunk that Arusu has to do everything. Then again, she still has a sense of humor so there could be hope for her yet.
122	** Sheila and her mother have been estranged for years.
123	* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: ''Tweeny Witches'' uses "Destiny" for the TV series and "Adventure" for ''The: Adventures'', though the latter is missing in the original Japanese version.
124	* InstrumentalThemeTune: The anime opens with an orchestral instrument theme composed by Tamiya Terashima.
125	* InternalReveal:
126	** While the audience knows from the start that Arusu is human, Sheila, Eva, Obecitus, and Magna assume her to be an apprentice witch. However, she proves herself to be really human with a chestnut because it is not native in the Magical Realm.
127	** While the audience knows from the start that all the captive fairies had escaped, everyone except Arusu, Sheila, Eva, wardens, and the leadership of the witches does not know this. However, after the angry hydra attacks an entire town in episodes 9 and 10, the warlocks find out it. In episodes 13 and 14, a bunch of young witches including Sae and Hata finds out it, being arrested for discovering a top secret.
128	[[/folder]]
129
130	[[folder:L]]
131	* LastDayToLive: At the end of episode 15, Sigma tells the heroes that Arusu and Sheila will die of "deadly grey" 24 hours later. [[SubvertedTrope It was a lie for him to get the True Book of Spells]].
132	* TheLegendOfChekhov: Atelia tells Arusu and her friends about the legend of a witch known as the savior who created the Magical Realm using the magic of light. [[spoiler:In the GrandFinale, Arusu performs the magic of light to destroy dark magic and save Eva.]]
133	* {{Leitmotif}}:
134	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foKqCYEYnpo "ARS~Main Theme~"]] has three leitmotifs. The first two ones appears in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxJP_97Mkr4 "Kaerenai"]] [[labelnote:Translation]]"Can't Go Home"[[/labelnote]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJz53RRKQv4 "Dōkei"]] [[labelnote:Translation]]"Aspiration"[[/labelnote]], while the third one appears in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipCf1EG_icE "Kessen"]] [[labelnote:Translation]]"Decisive Battle"[[/labelnote]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YQUKxHlwzQ "Tokushu Hokaku Butai"]] [[labelnote:Translation]]"Special Capture Squad"[[/labelnote]].
135	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXk_CbINE6c "Kūchū e"]] [[labelnote:Translation]]"To The Sky"[[/labelnote]] appears in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQJ2cfBHPC8 "Kaze o kitte"]] [[labelnote:Translation]]"Cutting the Wind"[[/labelnote]].
136	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frABiRDISPM "Madōsho"]] [[labelnote:Translation]]"Book of Spells"[[/labelnote]] appears in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrTluBK88f4 "Akiraka ni naru Himitsu"]] [[labelnote:Translation]]"The Secret Becomes Clear"[[/labelnote]].
137	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFLm4QOBoUI "Atelia"]] appears in an unnamed harp piece that plays when [[spoiler:Grande]] shows Eva a vision of a mysterious old man who tells her to [[{{Determinator}} stay determined]].
138	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTnYpcBuHKE "Lennon"]] appears in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxFJLZJT1EE "Hyōhen"]] [[labelnote:Translation]]"Sudden Change"[[/labelnote]]. It is associated with Lennon.
139	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io2zFuuTEhE "Hatsukoi"]] [[labelnote:Translation]]"First Love"[[/labelnote]] appears in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYfSqgp4Vms "Shin-sekai"]] [[labelnote:Translation]]"New World"[[/labelnote]].
140	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXkoDy907ME "Shitsui to Kibō"]] [[labelnote:Translation]]"Disappointment and Hope"[[/labelnote]] appears in an unnamed song that plays in the cold open sequence.
141	* LightEqualsHope: [[spoiler:Arusu glows gold as she dispels dark magic with the magic of light, bringing hope back to the Magical Realm.]]
142	* LightIsGood:
143	** The light of the Sanctuary is the source of life and magic in the Magical Realm.
144	** Only the magic of light can undo dark magic.
145	%%* LighterAndSofter: The OVA, compared to the TV series.
146	[[/folder]]
147
148	[[folder:M]]
149	%%* MacGuffin: The True Book of Spells Arusu's father left with her.
150	%%* MagicalGirl: Of the CuteWitch variety. Though unlike other [=MG=] shows, it is a human girl who transports into another world.
151	* MagicalIncantation: Magic in ''Tweeny Witches'' requires an incantation that is made of numerals. While most witches use Greek numerals, Arusu and later some witches use GoroawaseNumber (see above for details).
152	* MagicalLand: The Magical Realm is inhabited by witches, warlocks, and fairies. It is connected to the Human Realm through the Interdimensional Sea.
153	* MagicCauldron:
154	** Presatio is seen using a cauldron to boil water when Sheila spies on her to see whether the sage is the traitor.
155	** Eva uses a big cauldron to cook a magical soup in "The Magical Girl Squad Transformed Into Fish!".
156	* TheMagicGoesAway: [[spoiler:As the destruction of the Magical Realm approaches, witches start losing their magic and fall ill in the process. Even the Grand Master of Witches and the three sages are no exception.]]
157	* MagicHair: A witch's long hair is needed to turn anything TakenForGranite back to normal.
158	* MagicVersusScience: As Eva explains to Arusu in "Witches' Tradition", it's the custom among the witches to go to the Warlock Realm if they've been unable to get an official post. Meanwhile, in the Warlock Realm, the military government force the magic-using wizards of the old order to live in [[FantasticGhetto Miche Village]] ever since the foundation of Wizard Kingdom. It seems that this split has stagnated the three groups: the technology used by the witches hasn't really advanced past the dirigible, and while it appears that Wizard Kingdom is a [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion man-made underground cavern of plenty]], the military dictatorship of the warlocks uses their technology for BreadAndCircuses, oppression, and war. [[spoiler:In the GrandFinale, the three groups get back together to rebuild the Magical Realm.]]
159	* {{Magitek}}: The female witches tend to a more primitive steampunk-style of magitek while the technologically advanced male "warlocks" now use very little magic at all (there's only one "real" warlock left, and he's very old).
160	* TheMaker: According to the Book of Prophecies, a savior created the Magical Realm with the magic of light.
161	* MementoMacGuffin: The True Book of Spells that Jidan gave Arusu for her 5th birthday.
162	* MistakenForDying: Invoked. At the end of episode 15, Sigma tells the heroes that Arusu and Sheila will die of "deadly grey" 24 hours later. It was a lie for him to get the True Book of Spells.
163	* MiniSeries: Very mini -- the episodes are only 12 1/2 minutes long, counting the (very long) opening in odd-numbered episodes and the ending and preview in the even-numbered episodes. Without that, the episodes are about nine to ten minutes a piece. There are 40 half-length episodes in the main storyline. Combining them into a standard 25-minute slot yields 20. Add to that the six normal-length side story episodes released later, and you've got a full season.
164	* MissingChild: [[spoiler:Atelia never found her son, Lennon, for 14 years ever since her husband, Jidan, took him away from her to protect their mixed-race family from the persecution they would face in the traditionalist society of the Witch Realm.]]
165	* MonochromePast: Wil's flashback to when he sent [[spoiler:Jidan and a baby Lennon]] to the Human Realm has red as its only hue in the otherwise monochrome scene.
166	* MoodWhiplash: Despite being generally DarkerAndEdgier, the series has the incredibly cute, sweet and adorable closing theme, which can really offset moments like Sigma revealing himself to be lying about the "deadly grey" and its "counterspell".
167	* MysticalPlague: [[SignsOfTheEndTimes As the light of the Sanctuary is fading away]], a nameless disease begins to afflict the witches, leaving its victims [[BroughtDownToNormal powerless]] and bedridden. It's implied that the warlocks are falling to the disease as well, as evidenced by the scene in "" where a sick warlock [[FreezeFrameBonus is briefly seen]] using a ventilator on his bed. [[spoiler:In the GrandFinale, some of its victims are seen fully recovering after Arusu stops TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt with the magic of light]].
168	* MythArc: Arusu, Sheila, and Eva's quest to break the Curse of Eternal Youth cast on the latter two gets entwined with unraveling the mysteries surrounding the warlocks, the eventual destruction of the Magical Realm, and Arusu's DisappearedDad.
169	[[/folder]]
170
171	[[folder:N-O]]
172	* NeverTrustATrailer:
173	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSkrKXp2Ces The promo trailer]] looked ''awesome'' and got a lot of people excited about the series. Thing is, that was actually a mini-pilot and not an actual trailer.
174	** The trailer for episodes 9 and 10 shows a witch with a pumpkin head getting imprisoned and exiled to the Human Realm for not casting magic. However, in the actual episodes, Qoo ''almost'' gets exiled to the Human Realm for her inability to cast magic.
175	* NoAntagonist: The conflict in "The Magical Girls Squad Transformed into Fish!" from ''The Adventures'' is about the heads of Arusu, Sheila, and Eva being transformed into fish and their attempt to reverse it. They are trying to keep people from finding and laughing at them, but that's the extent of their antagonism.
176	* NoHuggingNoKissing: With the exception of [[spoiler:the MalignedMixedMarriage between Jidan and Atelia as part of their backstories]], there is no romance in any form.
177	* OnlyOneName: Every single character has only one name.
178	* OminousPipeOrgan: The theme for the Grand Master of Witches, "Grand Master", combines organ music with the strings and sinister choirs.
179	* OnceMoreWithClarity: The first part of TheTeaser begins with three medieval illustrations that portray winged people. In "The True Book of Spells", the same scene is played again as Eva reveals to Arusu that the witches and the warlocks have marks of wings on their backs as remnants of their flying ancestors' wings.
180	* OnTheNext: The previews in the TV series have no voice overs, only subtle scenes that foreshadow the next two episodes.
181	* OpeningNarration: The second part of TheTeaser features a narration, though the contents vary depending on the episode or the medium. The series features a female narrator explaining to the audience who Arusu is in the 1st episode and recapping the previous episode since episode 3. Meanwhile, the OVA features a male narrator saying "The Magical Realm. It is a mysterious world which is inhabited by witches, warlocks, and fairies. It was this strange [???] Arusu, a human, was suddenly drawn into. She began living with Sheila and Eva, who were apprentice witches her age, and the things that happened around them are always quite bizarre. What kind of adventures are [???] now?".
182	* OriginsEpisode:
183	** "Lennon's True Identity" gives the backstories of Lennon and his parents.
184	** "Promise" gives the full details on Sigma's backstory, confirming the identities of the three warlocks at the beginning of "The Warlock Sigma".
185	** ''The Adventures'': "The Secret of Dragon House" reveals how Dragon House came to be, as well as how Sheila became Eva's housemate.
186	* OurMagesAreDifferent: Witches and wizards are a mix of Race and Scholars: they are born with the ability to use magic and have to learn how to control it through study. Arusu initially seems to be a mere Gadget User empowered by the True Book of Spells, but she turns out to be a Lottery Winner as she becomes a powerful witch through study despite her human origins.
187	[[/folder]]
188
189	[[folder:P-R]]
190	%%* PlayingWithFire: Fire magic.
191	* PowerGlows: [[spoiler:When Arusu performs the magic of light, her entire body glows yellow.]]
192	* ThePowerOfFriendship:
193	** Arusu thought this and ThePowerOfLove saved her and Sheila from dying of "deadly grey". Of course, the "disease" was not real in the first place.
194	** [[spoiler:Arusu performs the magic of light and saves [[ApocalypseMaiden Eva]] by feeding her a chestnut, reminding her of their first meeting.]]
195	* ThePowerOfHate: [[spoiler:Dark magic takes shape from hate, distrust, and despair, hence why the caster needs darkness in her heart, as well as the True Book of Spells and each one of the 100 fairy species. In a ContinuityNod to the myth told in "The Warlock Sigma" that the power of all creatures that have been released from their cages would awaken {{Satan}} from his eternal seal by the Creator, the Grand Master of Witches describes its activation as the awakening of hatred sealed away in the Japanese dub, before warning her subjects to fight with innocence since showing their hatred only makes it stronger.]]
196	* ThePromise: Arusu promises to Wil and his grandson, Nito, that she will protect the magic and find a way to undo dark magic using the legendary magic of light.
197	* PropheciesAreAlwaysRight: There are two conflicting prophecies; one tells that only awakening the sleeping {{Satan}} with the creatures freed from the cages would save the people deprived of sunlight, while the other tells that a savior is coming to save the Magical Realm. [[spoiler:The finale reveals that they're both right — Eva performing dark magic enables the savior (Arusu) to save the day with the magic of light.]]
198	* TheProphecy: There are two conflicting prophecies; one tells that only awakening the sleeping {{Satan}} with the creatures freed from the cages would save the people deprived of sunlight, while the other tells that a savior is coming to save the Magical Realm.
199	* ProphecyTwist: There are two conflicting prophecies; one tells that only awakening the sleeping {{Satan}} with the creatures freed from the cages would save the people deprived of sunlight, while the other tells that a savior is coming to save the Magical Realm. However, they didn't say that [[spoiler:the magic of light undoing dark magic would save the world]], or that the MessianicArchetype would be [[spoiler:a human girl]].
200	* PoweredByAForsakenChild:
201	** The Witch Realm enslave fairies and use their body parts as the source of magic.
202	** [[spoiler:Grande uses Eva as the source of dark magic. The forsaken child part is justified — only a witch who has darkness in her heart can use dark magic.]]
203	* PreviouslyOn: Every two episodes of the TV series start with the narrator recapping the previous episodes.
204	* PublicDomainSoundtrack:
205	** The closing theme tune, "[=DuDiDuWa=]*lalala", is simply the most famous part of Johann Straus's "The Blue Danube", but given lyrics and set in common-time (4/4) instead of waltz-time (3/8).
206	%%** A classic music (this troper does not know, so please edit if you know) plays during the trailer for episodes 13 and 14.
207	* RecurringRiff: Throughout the series, the first two leitmotifs of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foKqCYEYnpo "ARS~Main Theme~"]] plays [[RuleOfDrama depending on]] [[RuleOfCool the situation]].
208	* RedEyesTakeWarning:
209	** In episode 3, Nerabu sports huge [[GlowingEyesOfDoom glowing red eyes]].
210	** The warlock cavalrymen ride on creatures with red eyes.
211	** [[spoiler:Eva's eyes become red as she performs dark magic.]]
212	* RedHerring:
213	** It's hinted that Arusu may be the long-lost daughter of Atelia due to how they both have long red nails. This is Jossed, however, when it's confirmed that [[spoiler:Jidan went to the Interdimensional Sea with young Lennon and the True Book of Spells 14 years ago]], meaning that [[spoiler:the 11-year-old Arusu cannot be the daughter of Atelia]].
214	** Barunn, Nerabu, and Biris are suspected by Sheila of having been chosen by the warlocks to cast dark magic because they side with Grande. Then it turns out that another witch is the real traitor.
215	[[/folder]]
216
217	[[folder:S]]
218	* {{Satan}}: Satan is mentioned by two unnamed warlocks who appear at the beginning of "The Warlock Sigma". One foretells that the only way to save people who have been deprived of sunlight is by awakening the sleeping Satan with the power of all creatures released from their cages. Sigma's father opposes the idea, saying that it is forbidden to do so because their Creator sealed Satan away forever. Judging from the context, they seem to be talking about how the warlocks need all the 100 fairy species to cast [[BlackMagic dark magic]], which they believe would save them from TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt once activated.
219	* SameRaceMeansRelated: During the second half of the TV series, Arusu finds out that there are other humans in the Magical Realm. They are [[spoiler:Lennon, who is revealed to be her half-brother; and Jidan, their father who has been imprisoned in Wizard Kingdom for the last 6 years.]]
220	* SavedFromTheirOwnHonor: [[spoiler:Atelia]] surrenders her life to an angry mob of witches in [[spoiler:her half-human son's]] place by publicly confessing that she has hidden [[spoiler:her past forbidden relationship with Jidan to come to and stay in power]]. Her family interrupts her SuicideByCop [[spoiler:and, in the finale, the grand master not only spares her and her son but also restores her to power, allowing both of them to help rebuild the Magical Realm]].
221	* SaveThisPersonSaveTheWorld: [[spoiler:Arusu saves both the Magical Realm and the Human Realm due to being the one who saves Eva from the despair that enabled her to perform dark magic.]]
222	* SaveTheWorldClimax: Arusu, Sheila, and Eva starts off with a fairly simple quest to break the Curse of Eternal Youth cast on the latter two. However, in the GrandFinale, [[spoiler:Arusu ends up struggling to stop [[ApocalypseMaiden Eva]] from destroying the Magical Realm with dark magic]].
223	* SceneryPorn: Many of the backgrounds are a real visual treat.
224	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere:
225	** Invoked. Sheila sends an asleep Arusu on the ''Ludens'', a ship for the Human Realm, to spare her from the destruction of the Magical Realm.
226	** Credelle decides to escape to the Human Realm to spare herself from the destruction of the Magical Realm. When Sheila finds out about it, the apprentice witch calls out the sage on her lack of pride as one of the Three Sages. The sage replies that anyone would want to live no matter what magic or pride if they find out about the destruction. {{Downplayed\|Trope}} because the sage collapses before she can go on board a ship for the other realm.
227	** When the special task force invade [[MageTower Dragon Palatium]] to take over the Witch Realm, Mileth and Miletis run away from the castle because who will win doesn't matter to them.
228	* SelflessWish: Arusu wishes for the Ecoo fairy to save Sheila from the special capture squad and an angry fairy.
229	* SensibleHeroesSkimpyVillains: Inverted. Arusu and her friends wear sleeveless black minidresses, with Arusu only in a {{tank top\|tomboy}} and pants before she gets a SignificantWardrobeShift as part of her GoingNative. [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Atelia]] is a veteran of the raid on Wizard Kingdom to retrieve the True Book of Spells, where she wore a [[FormFittingWardrobe skin-tight]], sleeveless minidress and ZettaiRyouiki. The antagonists, on the other hand, cover a lot of skin in varying degrees:
230	** The special task force spend the first half of the series wearing black [[AllEncompassingMantle cloaks]]. They get a SignificantWardrobeShift, with Nerabu, Barunn, and Biris in [[spoiler:a metal armor, a pink dress with a red cape, a grey [[CleavageWindow low-cut]] dress]] respectively. However, the last one still covers much than Arusu and her friends.
231	** The warlocks cover much, including the villainous ones. Sigma shows only his face and hair with his white-and-black suit, though he [[spoiler:turns out to be GoodAllAlong]]. Grande, Tiana, and Luca only show their faces with their white-and-gold suits. The FacelessGoons of both the military and the police show no skin at all.
232	* ShadowDiscretionShot: The scene is rendered in shadow when Grande turns into a dragon-like monster and [[SwallowedWhole devours]] Sigma's father while [[ForcedToWatch forcing]] a [[HarmfulToMinors younger Sigma]] [[ForcedToWatch to watch]].
233	* ShoutOut:
234	** The masks of the witches' mooks look a bit like that [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion first angel]] with a busted "nose."
235	** In episode 11, Arusu mentions the title of "Smile For Me", Naoko Kawai's once famous song.
236	** In episode 14, Arusu says ''[[Anime/HakushonDaimao Yobarete tobidete jajaja jān]]''.
237	** Episode 20 has Arusu doing a [[Series/KamenRider Kamen Rider Ichigo henshin pose]].
238	** The three volumes of the North American DVD release are named "[[Literature/AlicesAdventuresInWonderland Arusu in Wonderland]]", "Through the Looking Glass", and "What Arusu Found There" respectively.
239	%%* SignsOfTheEndTimes:
240	* SlidingScaleOfGenderInequality: All of the major characters are female since the story mainly takes place in the [[LadyLand Witch Realm]]. The three main characters are Arusu, an idealistic GenkiGirl who becomes an apprentice witch; Sheila, a DefrostingIceQueen BrokenBird; and Eva, a ClassicalAntiHero with HairOfGoldHeartOfGold. Even the most important male characters—including [[AdventurerArchaeologist Jidan]], the DisappearedDad and GreaterScopeParagon of Arusu; [[MrExposition Sigma]], the EnigmaticMinion from Wizard Kingdom; [[BigBad Grande]], the GloriousLeader of the warlocks; and [[spoiler:[[MysteriousWaif Lennon]], a mysterious pirate who claims to be the mirror of Arusu]]—stay strictly in supporting roles.
241	* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: The series weigh both ends of the spectrum but ultimately comes to idealistic conclusions. [[WideEyedIdealist Arusu]] believes in [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve magic]], happiness, freedom, ThePowerOfFriendship, and [[PluckyGirl determination]] even though [[ExtraordinaryWorldOrdinaryProblems the Magical Realm is full of ordinary problems]]. [[TheLancer Sheila]] believes in [[BrokenBird depending on herself alone]] due to her DarkAndTroubledPast and tells Arusu that [[DoUntoOthersBeforeTheyDoUntoUs they must fight the warlocks because they want to fight]], though Sheila gradually becomes more idealistic near the end of the series. When it's revealed that [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the Magical Realm is dying]], the contrasts between idealism and cynicism become clear; Arusu tries to save the realm with the legendary magic of light, Luca believes in [[BlackMagic dark magic]] as the only way to save his people, Sheila and Eva decide to do everything they can no matter what, Atelia tries to distract her people from the truth to keep the weakening peace in her realm, [[BigBad Grande]] plans to [[OmnicidalManiac destroy the Human Realm with dark magic]] to make a new home for his species, and [[MysteriousWaif Lennon]] tells Arusu that nothing matters in such a situation. In the GrandFinale, [[spoiler:when [[TragicMonster Eva]] has gone insane with the power of dark magic, Arusu [[CallBack reminds her]] [[TastesLikeAFriendship of how their friendship began]] [[ThePowerOfFriendship with a chestnut]], by which she manages to use the legendary magic of light to stop TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt and destroy the magic of darkness [[EmotionEater fueled by]] hate, distrust, and despair.]]
242	* SlidingScaleOfMuggleInvolvement: The series has very low muggle involvement since the series takes place in the Magical Realm.
243	* SlidingScaleOfShinyVersusGritty: Wizard Kingdom has EverythingIsAnIPodInTheFuture aesthetics. In contrast, Miche Village is a poor district of the wizards in the desert outside Wizard Kingdom.
244	* SpellBook: The True Book of Spells is the only book to list every spell a witch can use, as well as one of the items the warlocks need to cast dark magic. Before it goes missing, it enables Arusu to use magic without using a fairy's body part. Her father gave it to her for her 5th birthday even though it should've been impossible for an ordinary human like him to own something of magical origin that the grand master states had been stolen 14 years ago.
245	* StealItToProtectIt: [[spoiler:Atelia met Jidan when she rescued him while fighting the warlocks to retrieve the True Book of Spells. She intended to return the book to its rightful owner, only for him to steal it in order to prevent more fighting between witches and warlocks, as well as the destruction of the Human Realm.]]
246	[[/folder]]
247
248	[[folder:T-V]]
249	* {{Tagline}}: The series is advertised with the hook "A never-before-seen magical world", referring to the fact that Arusu finds out that the Magical Realm is not what she thinks it is.
250	* TeamTitle: The series is known as ''Magical Girl Squad Arusu'' in Japan.
251	* TheTeaser: Every episode opens with medieval illustrations on the screen while the song named "Atelia" plays. In the TV series, the scene switches to a female narrator explaining to the audience who Arusu is in [[Recap/TweenyWitchesDestiny1TheWitchRealm "The Witch Realm"]] and recapping the previous episode later. In ''The Adventures'', the scene switches to a male narrator explaining what the Magical Realm is and telling the audience to watch Arusu's adventures.
252	* ThroughHisStomach: Discussed when Arusu praises Eva's cooking, saying the latter is so good at cooking she can win a man's heart with it.
253	* TitleDrop: Episode 20 has Arusu literally say "Magical Girl Squad."
254	%%* TrappedInAnotherWorld:
255	* VaguenessIsComing: Sigma's father advised [[BigBad Grande]] against the use of dark magic, foretelling that a savior would come to save the Magical Realm from its doom. Grande [[ForcedToWatch forced a young Sigma to watch]] as he killed the prophet before the prophet could give any more detail about TheProphecy.
256	[[/folder]]
257
258	[[folder:W-Z]]
259	* WarArc: As the secondary plotline of the second half of the series, Arusu and her friends fight in the war against the warlocks from Wizard Kingdom.
260	* TheWeirdSisters:
261	** Arusu, Sheila, and Eva make up the Magical Girl Squad.
262	** Atelia, Presatio, and Credelle are the Three Sages.
263	** Barunn, Biris, and Nerabu make up the special task force.
264	* WhamEpisode: Episode 16: Sigma reveals that [[spoiler:he approached Arusu and her friends to get the True Book of Spells]].
265	* WhamShot: At the end of episode 16, [[spoiler:Arusu and Sheila turn out to be alive 24 hours later, revealing that their "disease" Sigma told them about wasn't real in the first place]].
266	* WorldOfNoGrandparents: Sheila and Sigma are missing her parents and his father respectively, but their grandparents are never brought up even in passing. The only characters known to have a living grandparent are Qoo and Nito.
267	* YearInsideHourOutside: [[spoiler:{{Implied\|Trope}}. Arusu finds herself [[TrappedInAnotherWorld trapped in the Magical Realm]] and has apparently been there a long time. In the GrandFinale, when she finally goes home to the Human Realm, her mother, Yoko, notes that she's late to go home without seeming to have been worrying about the disappearance of her daughter.]]
268	* YourDaysAreNumbered: At the end of episode 15, Sigma tells the heroes that Arusu and Sheila will die of "deadly grey" 24 hours later. [[SubvertedTrope It is a lie for him to get the True Book of Spells]].
269	* YouSaidYouWouldLetThemGo: The warlocks accept Arusu's offer to give the warlocks the True Book of Spells in exchange for the safe return of [[spoiler:Jidan]]. When she and Lennon are going to Wizard Kingdom across the desert, a soldier tells them that his people just want the True Book of Spells and are never going to let the hostage go. Arusu is outraged before [[WizardClassic Wil]] tells the soldier to disappear for today, saying that the soldier is a disgrace to his people.
270	[[/folder]]

Context Anime / TweenyWitches