Stilly and the Magic Mirror - Himitsu no Akko-chan
The Magic Mirror (original title: ひ み つ の ア ッ コ ち ゃ ん Himitsu no Akko-chan?, lett. “Akko's Secret”) is a popular manga and anime for magical girls that was released in Japan in the 60s.
The manga was drawn and written by Fujio Akatsuka and was published in Ribon from 1962 to 1965. It predates the Mahōtsukai Sunny manga (whose name became Sally in the Mahōtsukai Sally anime), printed in 1966.
The original anime ran for 94 episodes from 1969 to 1970. It was animated by Toei Animation and aired by TV Asahi (then known as NET). It was remade twice, in 1988 (61 episodes, with Mitsuko Horie as Akko-chan singing the opening and ending theme) and in 1998 (44 episodes).
Two films were produced. Himitsu no Akko-chan Movie and Umi da! Come on from !! Natsu Matsuri both came out in 1989. It was adapted into a live-action film released on September 1, 2012.
Currently, an adaptation of the series is running as a web manga, ひ み つ の ア ッ コ ち ゃ ん μ (Himitsu no Akko-Chan μ, pronounced “myu”.) It is written by Hiroshi Izawa and drawn by Futago Kamikita.
History
Stilly Kagami (Atsuko “Akko-chan” in the original) is a childish and arrogant-looking elementary school girl who has an affinity for mirrors. One day her favorite mirror, which was given to him by her mother, breaks and she prefers to bury it in the garden rather than throw it in the trash.
In her dreams, she is contacted by a spirit (or in some cases the Queen of the Kingdom of Mirrors) who is moved by the fact that the girl treats the mirror so respectfully and does not throw it away. Akko-chan then receives the gift of a magic mirror and is taught the spells, “tekumaku mayakon, tekumaku mayakon” and “lamipus lamipus lu lu lu lu lu”. that will allow her to transform into whatever she desires
Characters
Atsuko Kagami
The main protagonist. Atsuko Kagami is often called Akko-chan for short. Atsuko Kagami, from the name Atsuko Kagami but with the part of the surname Kagami, “Kagami”, replaced by Mirror. In Japanese, kagami means mirror. She is known as "Stilly", "Caroline" or "Julie" in the western versions of the anime.
Kyoko Kagami
Akko's mother.
Kenichiro Kagami
Akko's father
Moko
Akko's best friend.
Kankichi
Moko's younger brother.
Ganmo
Kankichi's friend.
Chikako
A girl who likes to spy on Akko.
Taisho
A stout boy and Akko's rival, he has a secret crush on her.
Shoshō
Taisho's younger brother.
day
Taisho's henchman.
Rubber
Taisho's henchman.
Shippona
Akko's cat.
Dora
Taisho's cat.
Kenji Sato
Akko and Moko kindergarten teacher.
Moriyama (Professor Moriyama)
English teacher.
Queen of the Land of Mirrors (Dora)
A queen of the distant "Magic Country", which provides Akko with the compact mirror.
Exclusive to the 1969 anime
Gabo
A talking parrot.
Exclusive to the 1988 anime
Kio
Prince of the Land of Mirrors
gentaro
Elder servant of Kio
The strange old man
A strange man who shows up at random.
Exclusive to the 1998 anime
Ippei
A penguin who joins Akko and his friends.
Exclusive to the 2012 film
Naoto Hayase
Technical data
Manga
Author Fujio Akatsuka
Editor Shueisha
Magazine Ribon
Target shoujo
Date 1st edition July 1962 - September 1965
Tankōbon 3 (complete)
Italian publisher Brothers Fabbri Publishers
Series 1st Italian edition Candy Candy (216 ~ 235)
Anime TV series
Title The Magic Mirror
Author Hiroshi Ikeda
Studio Toei Animation
Network Asahi TV
Date 1st TV January 6, 1969 - October 26, 1970
Episodes 94 (complete)
Italian network Italia 1
Date 1st Italian TV 3 September 1984
Italian episodesat 86/94 91% complete
Anime TV series
Title: A world of magic
Author Hiroshi Ikeda
Studio Toei Animation
Network Fuji TV
Date 1st TV January 9, 1988 - December 24, 1989
Episodes 61 (complete)
Italian network Italia 1
Date 1st Italian TV 1990
Anime TV series
Title Stilly and the Magic Mirror
Author Hiroshi Ikeda
Studio Toei Animation
Network Fuji TV
Date 1st TV May 5, 1998 - February 28, 1999
Episodes 44 (complete)
Italian network Italia 1
Date 1st Italian TV July 2000
Italian episodes 35/44 80% complete
Manga
Title Himitsu no Akko-chanµ
Author Hiroshi Izawa
Drawings Futago Kamikita
Editor Comip!
Target shoujo
Date 1st edition 21 October 2016 - ongoing
