Anime Fantasy

Magical Girl Special Ops Asuka Anime's Ad Reveals January 11 Premiere

The official website for the television anime of Makoto Fukami and Seigo Tokiya's Magical Girl Special Ops Asuka (Mahō Shōjo Tokushūsen Asuka) manga began streaming a commercial for the series on Friday.

The video reveals the anime will premiere on the "Animeism" programming block. The show will air on MBS and TBS on January 11 at 26:25 (effectively January 12 at 2:25 a.m.), before airing later on BS-TBS, AT-X, and CBC. The anime will stream in Japan only on Amazon Prime Video. The site did not specify the streaming services for outside of Japan.

The show stars:

Aya Suzaki (The IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls' Minami Nitta, Ajin's Eriko Nagai) as Asuka Ōtorii, or Magical Girl Rapture Asuka. Three years ago she victoriously survived the Distonia War as one of the "Magical Five." She exhibited unparalleled strength during battle. She carries wounds in her heart from the war, and tries to distance herself from fighting.

Akira Sekine (Princess Principal's Princess) as Kurumi Mugen, or Magical Girl War Nurse Kurumi. Three years ago she victoriously survived the Distonia War as one of the "Magical Five." She is a good friend of Asuka's, and adores her. She handles medical treatment, interrogations, and tortures.

Eriko Matsui (Agū: Tensai Ningyō's Machi, The IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls' Nao Kamiya) as Mia Cyrus, or Magical Girl Just Cause Mia. Three years ago she victoriously survived the Distonia War as one of the "Magical Five." She is skilled in gunfights. She is a member of JSOC's United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group, also known as SEAL Team Six. She has a confident personality and demonstrates no hesitation.

Ayana Taketatsu (K-ON!'s Azusa Nakano, Dagashi Kashi's Hotaru Shidare) as Chisato Yonamine, an Okinawan girl with dark, hollow eyes. She lost her mother and her right leg in a traffic accident. She was a karate student, but must now live her life from a wheelchair with that denied from her. Everyday her father degrades himself and abuses her.

Chinami Hashimoto (The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!'s Ayano Sadatō, Lostorage conflated WIXOSS' Suzuko Homura) as Sayako Hata, Asuka's classmate. She has a tendency to be timid and introverted, but she holds only admiration for the magical girls who fight on behalf of people. She is a member of her school's literature club, is a bookworm, and is close with her classmate Nozomi.

Rie Takahashi (Sirius the Jaeger's Ryoko Naoe, KONOSUBA's Megumin) as Nozomi Makino, Asuka's classmate. She is a lively member of the track team, and often hangs out with her classmate Sayako. She is the first one who spoke to Asuka, who had isolated herself from the rest of the class. Her father works for the foreign intelligence department of the Public Safety Bureau.

Hideyo Yamamoto (Strike the Blood, Code:Realize -Guardian of Rebirth-) is directing the series at LIDEN FILMS (The Heroic Legend of Arslan, Terra Formars). Makoto Fukami (Berserk, Yuruyuri San Hai!) and Norimitsu Kaihō (School-Live!, Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School: Despair Arc) are in charge of series composition, and Yoko Suzuki (animation director for Bleach, Polar Bear's Café) is designing the characters. R.O.N (FLCL Alternative, Kuroko's Basketball) is composing the music.

Seven Seas Entertainment licensed the manga series in English, and it released the fourth compiled book volume on September 25. The company describes the story:

When the Earth is threatened by the sudden appearance of undead creatures, a group of young women blessed with powers from a mysterious source rose to defeat them. Now, after three years of apparent peace, the same malevolent creatures have resurfaced. Five magical girls are once again conscripted to war as the Magical Girl Special-Ops force, to defend mankind from an unholy nemesis.

Fukami (Psycho-Pass script) writes the series, and Tokiya (Teizokurei Monophobia) provides the art. Naoya Tamura collaborates on the military setting. The creative team launched the series in Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan magazine in June 2015, and Square Enix shipped the eighth volume in Japan on July 25. The ninth volume will ship on December 25.

Source: Magical Girl Special Ops Asuka anime's website