The appeal and reviews of "Rage of Bahamut: Manaria Friends": A deep look into friendship and adventure at a magic school

Rage of Bahamut: Manaria Friends: A story of magic and friendship

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

game

■ Broadcast period

January 21, 2019 - March 25, 2019
0:30～

■Broadcasting station

TOKYO MX, BS11

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 10

■Original Story

Cygames

■ Director

Hideki Okamoto

■ Production

Animation production: CygamesPictures

■Works

© "Manaria Friends" Production Committee

■ Story

This is Mistarcia, a mysterious world where humans, gods, demons and all kinds of other races coexist. Life at Manaria Magic Academy begins when Anne, the lively princess of the Manaria Kingdom, and Grea, the shy princess of the dragon tribe, meet. Anne and Grea deepen their friendship as they learn magic. Through their daily lives and challenges at the academy, they grow and strengthen their bond with each other. The story skillfully weaves together elements of friendship, magic and adventure to create a fascinating world that draws viewers in.

■Explanation

It has been decided that the short anime "Manaria Friends," which depicts the popular characters Ann and Grea from the "Manaria Magic Academy Arc" event in the hugely popular social game "Rage of Bahamut," will be broadcast on television. In addition, the key visual, promotional video, character design, and information on the staff and cast have also been released. The TV broadcast will begin in January 2019.
Ann and Grea are highly popular characters who have appeared not only in "Rage of Bahamut" but also in other Cygames games such as "Granblue Fantasy" and "Shadowverse". "Manaria Friends" depicts the daily lives of these two characters and is a fantasy anime with an original story set at the Manaria Magic Academy in Mistarcia, a mysterious country where humans, gods, demons, and all other races live.
The director is Hideki Okamoto, known for "Konohana Kitan," and the animation is produced by Cygames Pictures, who are in charge of their first TV series. The cast continues from the game, with talented voice actors such as Yoko Hikasa as Anne, Ayaka Fukuhara as Grea, Nana Mizuki as Hannah, Wataru Hatano as Owen, Kimiko Nikoyama as Ruu, Kikuko Inoue as Miranda, Yuuma Uchida as William, and Chiharu Sawashiro as Heinlein.

■Cast

・Anne/Yoko Hikasa・Grea/Ayaka Fukuhara・Hanna/Nana Mizuki・Owen/Wataru Hatano・Lou/Kimiko Koyama・Miranda/Kikuko Inoue・William/Yuma Uchida・Heinlein/Chiharu Sawashiro・Jill/Hiroshi Naka・Poppy/Lynn

■ Main staff

・Original work: Cygames
Director: Hideki Okamoto; Series Composition: Satoko Sekine; Art Director: Ayu Kawamoto; Director of Photography: Hisashi Yonezawa; Color Design: Michiko Kado; Editor: Fumi Hida; Character Design: Minami Yoshida; Music: Takashi Watanabe; Sound Director: Ryo Tanaka; Sound Effects: Yuka Kazama; Sound Production: Tohokushinsha; Animation Production: CygamesPictures

■ Main Characters

The daughter of the Manaria Kingdom, where the Ammanaria Magic Academy is located. She has an overwhelming talent for magic and learned how to summon heroic spirits at a young age. She attracts people with her bright, righteous personality and charisma inherited from the king, but she can also be naive and naive.

・Grea A half-dragon, half-human girl. She had trouble fitting in with the dragons' nest, but enrolled in the Manaria Magic Academy to live with the humans. At first, she had a complex about her appearance, but she is gradually overcoming it through her interactions with Ann, the princess of Manaria.

・Hanna Manaria Magic Academy's student council president. She loves the academy more than anyone else, and her strong sense of responsibility has earned her the respect of many students. She has a very high level of pride and the ability to get things done, but sometimes she is too shy to express her true feelings.

A royal knight who enrolled as Owen Anne's guard. He is earnest and inflexible at times, but his feelings for Anne are genuine. He is studying magical swordsmanship at the academy.

Luu is a dim-witted freshman whose catchphrase is "~desuu." She becomes friends with a one-eyed monster named Ball Eye who fell from the sky. She is still practicing her magic, but is enjoying her school life in a bright and carefree manner.

A teacher at Miranda Manaria Magic Academy, specializing in sacred magic. He has a unique way of speaking and eccentric behavior, but he generally cares about his students. His hobby is making costumes, and his office is full of strange costumes.

A student at William Manaria Magic Academy. He has excellent grades and is also active as a library committee member at the academy. However, when he gets nervous, he can't help but speak in the language of his hometown.

Heinlein is a teacher at the Manaria Magic Academy, specializing in dark magic. He is an expert in dark magic and can calmly handle any situation.

Jill is an active teacher at the Manaria Magic Academy, despite his advanced age. He specializes in the fundamentals of magic. He has a generous personality and gently guides his students.

A student at Poppy Manaria Magic Academy. She adores the student council president Hannah and serves as her right-hand man. She has a knowledgeable mind and is calm.

■Detailed evaluation

Rage of Bahamut: Manaria Friends is a spin-off of Cygames' popular game Rage of Bahamut, focusing in particular on the characters Anne and Grea from the Manaria Magic Academy arc. The anime is set in the world of Mistarcia, where many different races coexist, with themes of magic and friendship. Below, we will provide a detailed review of the series from various perspectives, including story, characters, production, music, and visual effects.

story

The story of "Manaria Friends" begins with the encounter between Anne, the lively princess of the Manaria Kingdom, and Grea, the timid princess of the dragon tribe. The series depicts the process of how the two deepen their friendship as they study magic at the Manaria Magic Academy. The story begins with small everyday events and gradually develops into major challenges. Viewers are particularly moved by episodes that strengthen the bonds of friendship and scenes of magical adventures. Furthermore, while each episode has its own independent storyline, it pursues a consistent theme throughout, ensuring that viewers will not tire of the series.

character

Each character in this work is unique and charming. The main character, Anne, is cheerful and righteous, with a charisma that draws in those around her. Meanwhile, Grea is troubled by her mixed heritage, but is shown to grow through her interactions with Anne. The supporting characters are also fascinating, with Hannah's sense of responsibility, Owen's loyalty, and Lou's airheadedness each adding depth to the story. In particular, the detailed settings, such as Miranda's eccentric behavior and William's impatience, enhance the characters' charm.

Production

Director Hideki Okamoto is a talented director known for his work on "Konohana Kitan," and his direction shines in this work as well. As this is Cygames Pictures' first TV series, the passion of the production staff is palpable on screen. Character designer Minami Yoshida faithfully reproduces the image of the original work while adding the unique charm of anime. Art director Ayu Kawamoto and cinematographer Hisashi Yonezawa also do an excellent job, beautifully depicting the mysterious world of Mistarcia.

music

The music is by Takashi Watanabe, and the beautiful melodies are impressive, fitting for a fantasy anime. In particular, the background music builds up emotions as the story unfolds, capturing the hearts of viewers. The character songs also reflect the personalities of each character, making them enjoyable to listen to. The work of sound director Ryo Tanaka and sound effects designer Yuka Kazama is also excellent, and the sound direction enhances the story.

Visual Effects

The visual effects in this work are particularly outstanding in the magical and adventure scenes. Michiko Kado, the color designer, vividly depicts the magical glow and beautiful landscapes of Mistarcia. In addition, Fumi Hida, the editor, does a great job, and the story moves along at a good pace, keeping the viewer interested. Cygames Pictures, the animation production company, maintains a high level of quality despite this being their first TV series, and the work is full of visual appeal.

■Recommendation details

"Rage of Bahamut: Manaria Friends" is a fantasy anime with themes of magic and friendship that can be recommended to a wide range of viewers. In particular, it is recommended for the following viewers:

I like fantasy anime

The mysterious world of Mistarcia and the magical adventure scenes are irresistible for fantasy anime fans. Combined with the beautiful visual effects and music, you can immerse yourself in the fantasy world.

Character-focused audience

Each character in this series is unique and charming, capturing the hearts of viewers. In particular, the growth of the friendship between Anne and Grea and the personalities of the supporting characters enrich the story. This series is especially recommended for viewers who are interested in the growth and relationships of characters.

Fans of the Rage of Bahamut series

Fans of Rage of Bahamut can enjoy a new story about Anne and Grea. It faithfully reproduces the image of the original work while adding its own unique charm, making it a must-see for fans of the series.

I like slice-of-life anime

This work also has many episodes depicting the daily life at the magic academy, so it is recommended for fans of slice-of-life anime. The story, which has themes of friendship and growth, is heartwarming and moving.

■ Summary

"Rage of Bahamut: Manaria Friends" is a fantasy anime with themes of magic and friendship that is loved by many viewers. All elements, including the story, characters, production, music, and visual effects, are of a high standard and have the appeal to draw viewers in. It is especially recommended for fans of fantasy anime, viewers who focus on characters, fans of the Rage of Bahamut series, and fans of slice-of-life anime. Please enjoy the mysterious world of Mistarcia and the story of the friendship between Ann and Grea.