A thorough review of the charm and emotion of "Always My Santa!"

Always My Santa! - A magical and moving story of Christmas

When we think of Christmas, we think of snow-covered streets, warm family gatherings, and above all, the presence of Santa Claus. The OVA "Itsudatte My Santa!", based on a short comic by Ken Akamatsu, is a work that depicts the magic of Christmas and is loved by many fans. In this article, we will take a closer look at the appeal of "Itsudatte My Santa!", the background to its production, the cast and staff, related works, and the theme song.

Overview

"Itsudatte My Santa!" is an OVA released on December 7, 2005, based on a short comic by Ken Akamatsu. It consists of two stories, the first of which is an animated version of the original story, while the second is a completely original story. Animation is by TNK, and production is by Three Fat Samurai and SOL BLADE.

The story begins on Christmas night, when a beautiful Santa Claus apprentice named Mai appears before an unfortunate boy named Santa. Through Mai's presence, a change comes over Santa's heart, and a touching story unfolds in which the magic of Christmas illuminates his life.

Background and original story

"Itsudatte My Santa!" is based on a short comic by Ken Akamatsu. Ken Akamatsu is known for his popular works such as "Love Hina" and "Mahou Sensei Negima!", but "Itsudatte My Santa!" is especially highly regarded among his short works for depicting the warmth and emotion of Christmas.

The OVA faithfully reproduces the story of the original manga, but adds some unique expressions and effects that are unique to anime. In particular, the original story in the second volume introduces new characters, further expanding the worldview of the original manga. This provides a fresh appeal not only to fans of the manga, but also to anime fans.

Cast and characters

The charm of "Itsudatte My Santa!" is in the characters. Below we introduce the main cast and characters.

• Mai - Voice actor: Hirano Aya A beautiful girl who is an apprentice Santa Claus. She appears before Santa and warms his heart. Hirano Aya's lovely voice brings out Mai's character even more.
• Santa - Voice actor: Jun Kamei An unfortunate boy whose heart changes after meeting Mai. Jun Kamei's acting portrays Santa's growth realistically.
• Maimai - Voice actor: Yukari Tamura Mai's younger sister, a lively character. Yukari Tamura's bright voice brings out Maimai's charm.
• Shallie - Voice actor: Kobayashi Yuu A character who appears in the original story, she is a cool beauty. Kobayashi Yuu's calm voice brings out Shallie's character.
• Noel Sensei - Voice actor: Sakurai Tomo A character who appears in the original story and is Mai's mentor. Sakurai Tomo's warm voice brings out the character of Noel Sensei.

Main Staff

Many staff members are involved in the production of "Always My Santa!" The main staff members are introduced below.

• Original author : Ken Akamatsu
• Planning : Hiroki Horio
• Director, Storyboard : Noriyoshi Nakamura
• Screenplay : Koichi Taki, Katsuichi Sato
• Character design : Masahide Yanagisawa
• Character design cooperation : Ran Ayanaga
• Sub-character design, chief animation director : Takashi Shiokawa
• Animation director : Yoshihiro Nagamori, Yukiko Ban
• Directed by Noriyoshi Nakamura and Naoyasu Hanyu
• Art Director : Toshihiro Kohama
• Color design : Yoko Wakana
• Director of photography - Naoto Sawa
• Edited by Mitsuhiro Wada
• Sound Director : Yota Tsuruoka
• Music : Hiroshi Sakamoto
• Producer : Takahiro Uto
• Animation production : TNK
• Production- Three Fat Samurai, SOL BLADE

Theme songs and music

The theme songs and insert songs further enhance the appeal of "Always My Santa!". The main songs are introduced below.

• OP1 - "My Love"
  Sung by: Nanaka Lyrics by: Nanaka Composition and Arrangement by: Hiroshi Sakamoto
• ED1 - "A Request from You"
  Sung by: Mai (Hirano Aya)
  Lyrics: Keiko Kimoto Composition and Arrangement: Hiroshi Sakamoto
• IN1 - "GANVARE!"
  Sung by: Maimai (Yukari Tamura)
• IN2 - "Samba de Santa!"
  Sung by: Little Non
• IN3 - "Get my own way"
  Singer: Shari (Kobayashi Yu)
• IN4 - "To say goodbye"
  Sung by: Noel Sensei (Sakurai Tomo)
• IN5 - "Eternal Miracle"
  Sung by: Nanaka

Related Titles

A related work to "Itsudatte My Santa!" is "Itsudatte My Santa! Vol.2," which was released at the same time. This is a completely original story with new characters appearing, further expanding the worldview of the original. It is enjoyable not only for fans of the original work, but also for anime fans.

Appeal and evaluation of the work

The appeal of "Itsudatte My Santa!" is undoubtedly the story's warmth and emotion at Christmas. Santa's growth and the change in his heart after meeting Mai deeply touch the viewers. In addition, new characters appear in the original story, further expanding the worldview of the original work. This provides a fresh appeal not only to fans of the original work, but also to anime fans.

The cast and staff also played a major role. Voice actors such as Hirano Aya, Kamei Jun, and Tamura Yukari portrayed the characters realistically, deeply moving the audience. In addition, staff members such as director Nakamura Noriyoshi and screenwriters Taki Koichi and Sato Katsuichi faithfully reproduced the story of the original work, while adding expressions and direction unique to anime. This has made "Itsudatte My Santa!" a work that is loved not only by fans of the original work, but also by anime fans.

Recommendations and how to watch

"Always My Santa!" is loved by many fans as a work that depicts the warmth and emotion of Christmas. You will feel its charm even more when you watch it during the Christmas season. In addition, new characters appear in the original story, further expanding the world of the original. This provides a fresh appeal not only to fans of the original work, but also to anime fans.

You can buy it on DVD or Blu-ray, or you can watch it on streaming services, so be sure to check them out. Watching it with your family and friends during the Christmas season will make it even more appealing.

Conclusion

"Always My Santa!" is loved by many fans as a work that depicts the warmth and emotion of Christmas. Santa's growth and the change in his heart after meeting Mai deeply move viewers. In addition, new characters appear in the original story, further expanding the worldview of the original. This provides fresh appeal not only to fans of the original work, but also to anime fans. Be sure to watch it during the Christmas season and experience its charm for yourself.