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Comparing this to the 2008 version is an inevitability, a show that I would say had quite a bit of cultural impact. Here we have ostensibly a remake, with an almost identical screenplay, lines delivered by the same voice actors (16 years older), directed by the same director (16 years later). Even the storyboarding is nearly identical most of the time. So why does it feel so different?

It's hard to pinpoint the exact things that make this not land in the same way as the older adaptation. In a way, it feels more like an adaptation of the old anime, than a new adaptation of ... the source material. And in this game of telephone, important interpretations seem to be lost. Decisions are apparently made without deeper consideration. Scenes seem to be presented in a more drab, less emotionally evocative way. Crucially, the characters seem less natural and believable and it just has a kind of air of unambitious mundanity.

Holo occasionally seems to be a bit out of character here. To put it reductively, she appears a bit moe-ified and robbed of agency. And Lawrence seems less humble and more conventionally masculine in his demeanor (in a modern, anachronistic sense). The net effect is that their relation seems to have a weird sense of 20th century gender norms, rather than reflecting the apparent lived reality of the setting. Holo is supposed to be (chronologically) old, wise, and even powerful (socially and sometimes physically). She's playful and present, but also a bit naive to the current state of the world and its culture.

In this new adaptation, even delivering the same lines, Lawrence will occasionally raise his voice in aggression towards her in a bizarrely domineering rather than being flustered or desperate, and seems to just get away with it?? And Holo sometimes behaves like some kind of roleplayer or actor who instead of being effortlessly playful for her own sake seems to be acting cute for an invisible audience, something the character shouldn't even have a concept of. The result is that the setting and characters lean towards feeling less believable, even nearing the feeling of isekai or other modern derivative fantasy.

Still, the differences aren't so great that I can definitively say it's MUCH worse than the original. It's just disappointing to see the same work remade, with the same director, same voice actors, basically the same screenplay and storyboarding and they didn't even manage to improve it, but made it slightly worse instead? What's the point? I can only imagine the decision to produce this was mostly motivated by industry-level forces, and the people involved just weren't as passionate about it as in 2008. What a shame.

Revisiting Magipoka 15 years later, I found a lot of new things to appreciate that maybe went over my head when I was new to anime.

Good: It really has a unique vibe, and the surrealist elements make it stand out. The characters are super charming of course, and I also love how this show isn't afraid to have attractive male side-characters that the girls actively fawn over. Despite ostensibly being an ecchi comedy, they are depicted with genuine agency and they're allowed to be silly or stupid or unattractive sometimes!

Bad: There's a couple weird moments that don't really work for me, and the way the ... rule of three is used almost formulaically doesn't always quite hit (Or rather, a lot of the time it's extended to a "rule of 4" which can feel a bit dragged out). I would also have liked if it was a bit less episodic so there could be some lasting development and an overarching story.

Music: The soundtrack is actually excellent. Beautifully written and arranged, with live instruments everywhere. The way the opening theme is used as a leitmotif is really skillful and fun too. Coupled with the competent musical direction it's a lovely musical experience overall. Here's an extra sentence to emphasize how much I like this soundtrack!

Best girl: In 2008 I thought Pachira was best girl, but now that I'm older I have to change my mind to Aiko! She's selfless, skilled, calm and smart and she has 4GB of memory!