Imagine this: You’re interested in making games. One day, you played one at an indie game booth at the high school grounds. You got excited so much that you joined that club composed of an introvert programmer, a riajuu music composer who works part-time in a family restaurant and a scenario writer who has a dual personality. This is how Stella no Mahou (Magic of Stella) begins.
Based on cloba.U‘s 4-panel manga serialized in Manga Time Kirara Max, and with animation production done by SILVER LINK, Stella no Mahou is the story of Tama (voiced by Maria Naganawa) and the members of the “Some dead fish eyes, Not enough sun(shine), Shuttle run Club” (SNS) – Shiina (voiced by Rie Murakawa), Ayame (voiced by Ari Ozawa) and Kayo (voiced by Aoi Yuuki). Joining the SNS’s hijinks are Tama’s childhood friend Yumine and “rival” Minaha, among other characters.
Animation-wise, the artwork and coloring complements the cutesy environment of the series’ universe. Some reviews of this series placed the spotlight on Tama’s growth from an artist (with a question mark, as depicted in the opening sequence) to an artist (a definite one), and I share their sentiments.
Though the series was named “Stella no Mahou” due to the first indie game she participated in; and it could’ve been referred to by any other name, I feel fine with the series’ setup.
Stella no Mahou, an addition to the yet-increasing library of cute girls doing cute things, serves itself well to cap off the year with a bang. We definitely recommend everyone to watch it if the New Game! hangover is still in your body.