Mahou Shoujo Tokushusen Asuka – 07

Posted by Pancakes on February 22, 2019 February 22, 2019 First Impressions / Mahou Shoujo Tokushusen Asuka

「魔法少女特殊戦開発部隊」 (Mahou Shoujo Tokushuusen Kaihatsu Butai)
“Magical Girl Operations Development Unit”

The more things change the more they stay the same: truly a statement which applies to most things, and one which MSTA isn’t an exception to. We may only just be over halfway through the show, but as with a couple earlier mahou shoujo deconstructions it’s getting easy to see where this one plans on leaving things off. Finding the enemy and saving the world from the new big bad? Oh we’ll definitely get the first before too long, but if you’re betting on resolution I’d start reading that manga right about now.

Given the proper introduction of Mia last week it only makes sense for the remaining Magical Five to make their appearances and MSTA certainly was open to meeting that demand. We now have our hardened, quiet girl of the group with Tamara, who besides a love of all things heavy firepower (the Russians have artillery as their god for a reason) also is unique in being the first “good” magical girl seemingly being coerced into her current role. That mention of a sister and looking out for her for example wasn’t made because everyone has her best intentions in mind, more likely is a situation where sister’s health is dependent on the job Tamara performs. Get Russia magical goodies and it’s happy ever after, fail and well there’s plenty of Siberian trees in need of gentle care and nurture. Certainly a more proper hearkening back to the insidious expectations of magical girls, particularly considering Asuka and Kurumi as we’ve seen have more or less willingly joined up for more suffering and despair. Given the circumstances it really begs the question just what tasty drama and shenanigans are in store once the Magical Five are finally reunited.

What keeps matters up in the air as well are the additional details slowly being dropped. Asuka’s PTSD flashbacks of course are going to be the big one for obvious reasons—you just know what’s going to happen when that victim of the moment winds up being an actual friend—but there’s also the new info on world linking gates and the ability of Dias items to actually affect regular human beings. Take those temporary gates, wouldn’t be a stretch to assume if they randomly pop up that someone can direct and/or control their generation, particularly if you can choose which universe it links to. Want to conveniently wreak havoc? Well just open a Dias portal in the middle of downtown. Want even more chaos? Why not transform the local populace into cute and cuddly collections of teeth and claws. I have a feeling MSTA this week wasn’t so much giving introductions as showing off the weapons the Babel Brigade will make use of in the near future. There’s a big plot at work under all this (albeit bloody) fluff, one which will certainly put our now determined magical girls to the test.

The only question is how far we’ll get into the details before that season finale comes rolling our way.

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