Product Review

Magical Project S takes some very odd turns in its second half. By winning her struggles with Pixie Misa and assorted other villains, Sasami/Magical Girl Pretty Sammy succeeds in restoring "Gemini to its proper balance." Misao realizes Ramia has been turning her into Misa and using her as a pawn in her bid to usurp the throne of Juraihelm. Everything appears to be ending happily four episodes too early, when the villain Romio (Princess Ayeka) appears. She re-inflames Ramia's desire for power, and when their agents attack Sasami's school, space-pirate Ryoko arrives as royal guardian Overly-Splendid Oryo. The story builds to an off-kilter climax as Romio steals everyone's magical power and tries to use it to destroy the Earth. Although it includes comic references to other anime shows, Magical Project S isn't funny enough to work as a send-up of "magical girl" series, but it's too silly to accept as an example of the genre. The character designs are lifted from Tenchi Muyo!, but the story has nothing to do with that continuity. The result is an unusual but not particularly entertaining program. (Rated 3 and older: cartoon violence) --Charles Solomon