Risky☆Safety - A thorough review of the fascinating world of magic and adventure

"Risky Safety: Magical Theatre of the Warriors" - A story of strange cohabitation and growth

■Overview of the work

"Oshi Magical Theater Risky Safety" is a TV anime series that aired on WOWOW from October 5, 1999 to April 4, 2000. It consists of 24 episodes, each of which is just 12 minutes long, depicting the strange cohabitation of the protagonist, Moe Katsuragi, and her roommate, the apprentice Shinigami Risky, and the apprentice angel Safety. The series is based on the original work by manga artist Rei Oshi, and was aired as part of "Anime Complex 2," a project planned and produced by Pony Canyon and its anime-related label, moe.

■ Story

One day, middle school student Moe Katsuragi summons Risky, an apprentice reaper, due to her sad feelings. Even more surprising, it turns out that Safety, an apprentice angel, coexists in Risky's body. Risky and Safety end up staying in Moe's room, and she becomes embroiled in various mysterious incidents. Moe grows as she navigates between Risky, who is after her soul, and Safety, who tries to stop him.

■ Characters

Moe Katsuragi

A very ordinary and unhappy girl with blunt bangs, glasses and freckles. A first-year student at Noyama Academy Junior High School. She lets Risky and Safety stay in her room, and grows through their strange life together. She is voiced by Maaya Sakamoto, whose delicate acting brings out the character of Moe.

Risky

Risky is a mischievous girl apprentice Shinigami who uses masculine language. She is after Moe's soul, but is unsuccessful. She is small enough to fit in the palm of Moe's hand, but she is a fully-fledged Shinigami scythe holder. Risky's voice actress is Iwatsubo Rie, and her lively voice is a perfect fit for the character of Risky.

Safety

A clumsy apprentice angel wearing glasses. She shares her body with Risky, but appears when she receives the vibrations of Moe's good heart. She tries to stop Risky, who is after Moe's soul. Safety is also voiced by Iwatsubo Rie, and has a gentle voice that contrasts with Risky's.

Fukami Yuga

Moe's boyfriend is a sixth-grade boy at Noyama Gakuen Elementary School. He is still in elementary school, so he is shorter than Moe. Fukami Yuuga's voice actor is Yajima Akiko, and her acting expresses Fukami's purity.

■ Production staff

The director was Koji Masunari, the series composition was Yosuke Kuroda, the character design was Takuya Saito, the mechanical design was Noriyuki Jinguji, the art director was Satoru Kuwahara, the color design was Mieko Seki, the director of photography was Hideo Okazaki, the music was Tamiya Terashima, the sound director was Tomohiro Yoshida, the editor was Shigenari Nishi, and the animation production was by APPP. These staff members worked together to recreate the worldview of the original work in the anime.

■Broadcast information

The series aired from October 5, 1999 to April 4, 2000, with all 24 episodes airing every Tuesday from 7:00pm to 7:30pm. It was broadcast on WOWOW, and a dense story unfolded in that short time slot.

■ Episode

The subtitles for each episode are as follows:

• Episode 1: For better or worse, Death Angel (1999/10/05)
• Episode 2: Angel Doesn't Lie (1999/10/12)
• Episode 3: The Deadly Angel Arrow (1999/10/19)
• Episode 4: Crying, laughing, fighting + This guy is mean (1999/10/26)
• Episode 5: Riley Riley Riley Riley (1999/11/02)
• Episode 6: Goodbye is November's Lullaby (1999/11/09)
• Episode 7: Flowers, Fuzzy and the Little Angel (1999/11/16)
• Episode 8: Yuwak, the Grim Reaper's Apprentice (1999/11/30)
• Episode 9: I Want to Chase You, but I Can't Reach You (1999/12/07)
• Episode 10: The Doll of Happiness (1999/12/14)
• Episode 11: The Secret Garden (2000/01/04)
• Episode 12: Let's start with hatred (2000/01/11)
• Episode 13: Embrace as Many Lottery Tickets as There Are (2000/01/18)
• Episode 14: The Legend of Momotaro (2000/01/25)
• Episode 15: SUPER Momotaro Legend (2000/02/01)
• Episode 16: Stand Up! (2000/02/08)
• Episode 17: Safety Powers (2000/02/15)
• Episode 18: Safety Powers Deluxe (2000/02/22)
• Episode 19: I'm So Happy (2000/02/29)
• Episode 20: Light Blue Stripes (2000/03/07)
• Episode 21: Stop the World (2000/03/14)
• Episode 22: Let your tears fly away, blown away by the wind (2000/03/21)
• Episode 23: Because I'm Here (2000/03/28)
• Episode 24: Such a happy misfortune (2000/04/04)

■ Theme songs and music

The opening theme is "Kiki Nagara at Dawn," with lyrics by Hamada Rie, music and arrangement by Terashima Tamiya, and singing by Katsuragi Moe (Sakamoto Maaya). The ending theme is "Koko ni Iru Kara," with lyrics by Hamada Rie, music and arrangement by Terashima Tamiya, and singing by Risky & Safety (Iwatsubo Rie). These songs add to the atmosphere of the work.

■The appeal of the work

The appeal of "Military Magical Theatre: Risky Safety" is the way it unfolds a dense story in a short time frame. The story depicts the protagonist, Moe Katsuragi, growing up through her strange life living together with Risky and Safety, which moves viewers. The contrast between Risky and Safety is interesting, and their interactions add humor to the show. Furthermore, a different mysterious incident occurs in each episode, providing fresh surprises every time.

■ Evaluation and recommendation

This work faithfully reproduces the worldview of the original work, while succeeding in drawing viewers in with its unique story development. In particular, the story of Katsuragi Moe's growth and the relationship between Risky and Safety are beautifully depicted, and there are many touching scenes. In addition, the fact that the story unfolds densely in a short time frame is also commendable.

The recommended audience is those who like fantasy elements and coming-of-age stories, and those who want to enjoy a dense story in a short time. It is also recommended for fans of the original work, Maaya Sakamoto, and Rie Iwatsubo. In addition, it is a work that can be enjoyed by elementary school and junior high school students who can sympathize with Fukami Yuuga's character.

Related information

The original manga for this work was also popular, and fans were eagerly awaiting its anime adaptation. The anime version made use of the characters from the original while developing a new story, appealing to not only fans of the original but also a new audience. In addition, DVDs and Blu-rays were released after the series ended, and the series continues to garner support from fans.

■ Summary

"Military Magical Theater: Risky Safety" is a fantasy anime that unfolds a dense storyline in a short time frame. It depicts the protagonist, Moe Katsuragi, growing up through her strange life living together with Risky and Safety, moving viewers. The contrast between Risky and Safety and the mysterious incidents that occur in each episode are also appealing, and this is a work recommended for those who like fantasy elements and stories of growth. It is also enjoyable for fans of the original work and voice actors, so be sure to give it a watch.