Majokko Megu-chan - Social Commentary

Social Commentary

The series dealt with subject matter considered too mature for young children at the time. Complicated social issues such as domestic violence, substance abuse and extramarital relationships were introduced, while loss and mortality frequently underscored Megu’s hi-jinx. This was a major break from the traditional juvenile animation in both Asia and the West, perhaps explaining why the series didn’t find a European market until the early eighties.

Another point of departure was the series’ subtle eroticism. Majokko Megu-chan was born of a proposal by Hiromi Productions, which had previously produced the less successful magical girl series Miracle Shoujo Limit-chan (1973–74) with Toei, to create a magical-girl series with a slightly naughtier edge than previous shows of the genre. The influence of Megu-chan's Toei stablemate, Go Nagai's Cutie Honey, was apparent in several aspects, from the somewhat racy lyrics of the opening theme song (performed, as was Cutie Honey's, by Yoko Maekawa) to the fact that the two series shared many of the same staff. While not as overtly sexualized as Nagai's heroine, Megu-chan was surprisingly voyeuristic for its period. Megu was frequently depicted in various states of undress and the series featured scenes which anticipated the rise of so-called fan service anime; the opening theme song itself features lyrics in which Megu boasts about her breasts and her way of manipulating boys with her looks and coquettish behaviors. (The theme song lyrics were penned by lyricist Kazuya Senke, known for writing hit songs with similarly suggestive lyrics in 1973-74 for then-teenage J-pop idol Momoe Yamaguchi.)

Later kogaru heroines would capitalize on Megu’s sexuality; it would, in fact, become a hallmark of the genre. There were numerous scenes in which Megu wore sheer nightgowns through which her underwear was plainly visible. Rabi had an arsenal tricks aimed at catching his "big sister" disrobed, from yanking the sheets off Megu's bed in the morning to using a fishing rod to lift her skirt.

Rabi wasn't the only voyeur Megu was forced to contend with; there was the vile Chou-san, an agent of the witch queen sent to sabotage Megu's chances of winning the throne. A stereotypical pervert in every sense of the term, Chou spent most of his time spying on Meg and devising ways to publicly humiliate her. In a memorable scene in episode 23, Chou-san rigged Megu's bathtub with wheels, causing it to race around the city while Megu was bathing. Earlier in that same episode, Chou attempted to trick Megu into taking off all of her clothes by hypnotizing her with a magical cuckoo clock; only Non's intervention at the last minute saved Megu from stripping herself totally naked. In another sequence, Chou-san breaks into the Kanzaki residence, hoping to abduct Megu in her sleep (fortunately she woke up in time and chased him out of the house). While his intentions were never stated explicitly, his underlying motivations were always made obvious.