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Magical Girl Special Ops Asuka #1
魔法少女特殊戦あすか
戦乱を鎮めた魔法少女達のその後を描く、マジカルミリタリーアクション!!謎の生物・地冥界(ディスアス)の侵攻によって危機に瀕していた人類は、不思議な魔法の力を得た魔法少女達の活躍によって救われた…。そして3年後、それぞれの生活に戻った彼女達に、その日常を切り裂く新たな事件が勃発!! 人類の救世主となり“伝説の5人(マジカル・ファイブ)"と呼ばれた魔法少女の一人、大鳥居(おおとりい)あすかは運命に翻弄されながらも懸命に現在(いま)を生きようとしていた…。
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First published October 24, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 17, 2018
I quite liked the story of this. But, then again, it kind of has the same issues I have with a lot of manga that you get very sexual depictions of under-aged girls... Which really bug me. Also, I think this story would be better about a grown-up anyway with all the fighting and stuff. But that I could look past, the sexualization really bothers me and I doubt I will be going to further parts of this series. Otherwise entertaining and interesting.
July 20, 2020
There are two very different books at war here and one is very good and the other is rather not so much. I think the creative team commits fully to both, just one really works more than the other.
Asuka is the perfect tragic heroine - in a world where magical girls were militarized, she was the best of five girls who saved the planet from an alien invasion. Now she is an old soldier in a teenager’s body - coping with the horrors she witnessed and trying her best to forget.
There’s a ton of complexity to Asuka - she won’t hesitate to save her friends, but she hates every second of it. It’s genuinely sad to watch as events force her back into action. The other magical girls that show up all have their own motivations and are very distinct (that is my polite way of describing War Nurse, who seems to use her status as a way to feel power after trauma in middle school).
Phantom Thief Jeanne and Sailor Moon this is not. This is full stop shonen violence through a magical girl lens. It can be a bit much for most tastes, but I mostly come down on the tolerating it side. I could also do without the played up sexuality of every single female character (the evil mastermind in particular is ludicrously dressed throughout). When the book revels in both of those it does drag down the other, better, aspects.
There’s a ton of interesting juxtaposition throughout - Asuka trying to live her life versus her ebullient classmates who were dropped in from a happier series, the other magical girls’ attitudes compared to Asuka, the cutesy appearance of the aliens versus their terrifying behaviour, how insulated the girls are to the horrors in front of them compared to the general populace. And, yes, the generally serious nature of the proceedings and the distracting cheesecake.
This can be hard to read; it’s not necessarily fun, but it is a novel take on the genre and really interesting when it leans into what it does well - the action scenes are fast and crisp and mostly easy to follow, which is appreciated. I know it gets to be a bit much (I watched the anime so I am a bit ahead of the curve, story-wise), but I enjoyed it as a change of pace and will keep with it for now.
Asuka is the perfect tragic heroine - in a world where magical girls were militarized, she was the best of five girls who saved the planet from an alien invasion. Now she is an old soldier in a teenager’s body - coping with the horrors she witnessed and trying her best to forget.
There’s a ton of complexity to Asuka - she won’t hesitate to save her friends, but she hates every second of it. It’s genuinely sad to watch as events force her back into action. The other magical girls that show up all have their own motivations and are very distinct (that is my polite way of describing War Nurse, who seems to use her status as a way to feel power after trauma in middle school).
Phantom Thief Jeanne and Sailor Moon this is not. This is full stop shonen violence through a magical girl lens. It can be a bit much for most tastes, but I mostly come down on the tolerating it side. I could also do without the played up sexuality of every single female character (the evil mastermind in particular is ludicrously dressed throughout). When the book revels in both of those it does drag down the other, better, aspects.
There’s a ton of interesting juxtaposition throughout - Asuka trying to live her life versus her ebullient classmates who were dropped in from a happier series, the other magical girls’ attitudes compared to Asuka, the cutesy appearance of the aliens versus their terrifying behaviour, how insulated the girls are to the horrors in front of them compared to the general populace. And, yes, the generally serious nature of the proceedings and the distracting cheesecake.
This can be hard to read; it’s not necessarily fun, but it is a novel take on the genre and really interesting when it leans into what it does well - the action scenes are fast and crisp and mostly easy to follow, which is appreciated. I know it gets to be a bit much (I watched the anime so I am a bit ahead of the curve, story-wise), but I enjoyed it as a change of pace and will keep with it for now.
January 7, 2020
This is actually my first manga so wasn't sure what to expect/what to compare against. I thought it was interesting enough! Will probably check out a few more mangas and the rest of this series to get a better idea. I thought this was an easy, fun read.
December 8, 2017
NOT what I was expecting - deals with issues of PTSD and violence in a way that isn't at all reminiscent of other dark magical girl stories.
Full review eventually appearing on ANN.
Full review eventually appearing on ANN.
August 13, 2018
Besides the darkness of the theme and the somewhat graphic violence, it’s not a bad read overall.
Check out my full review at lampshadereader.com
Check out my full review at lampshadereader.com
May 14, 2021
Ever since Madoka, I've been curious about what other deconstructions of the magical girl genre were out there. And while they're not all winners, I've found some surprising diamonds in the rough, like the ultra-violent, ultra-fanservice-y, yet unexpectedly engaging Magical Girl Apocalypse (at least, up until the time skip), or the melancholy but somewhat more grounded Yuki Yuna is a Hero (which I still need to finish). But most of those series take place during the otherworldly threat; Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka is the first deconstruction I've seen that occurs (mostly) after that threat has been defeated. And it's a very interesting approach.
It's clearly a metaphor for soldiers returning from war, with all the difficulties readjusting to normal life, figuring people out, and PTSD (loads of PTSD) that must come along with that. Some of the magical girls here do try to just forget everything and move on, struggling with the idea that a threat might be lurking around every corner. Others just shifted their focus to other foes, taking work as mercenaries and contract killers. All of them, however, are still being monitored by government agencies, because they're too powerful and potentially dangerous to ever truly be free. There is some monster-fighting, since there's a shadowy group that's trying to resurrect, or reverse-engineer the alien invaders for their own purposes, but the primary focus in this volume is on the characters. And it works.
From the cover of this, and other volumes, I was expecting the focus to be more on war-torn action, and most likely fanservice, and while there's some of each, it always seems to fit the situation without being gratuitous. And yes, that even applies to the fanservice. Bear with me.
So, there's a scene a relationship seems to be starting between two of the characters--a lesbian relationship, at that. These two have more or less been through hell together, and now that they finally have a quiet moment together, three years after the war, one of them opens up about how she feels. As she's leaning in toward her friend, there's a cutaway to presumably the next day, where the friend and some of her classmates go swimming after school--and that's where we get what's really the first fanservice in the volume. It's not as blatant symbolism as the "train going through a tunnel" scene they used to use in old comedies, but it does hint that maybe these two actually decided to give the whole relationship thing a try. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it, and it's just girls in swimsuits, but I like my interpretation.
All in all, I was very pleasantly surprised by this volume, and I look forward to seeing where the series goes. And I didn't even mention the art, which is another strong point in its favor; it's still very much in the clean, digitally enhanced style of modern manga, but there's good use of shading, and occasionally some rougher line work added in to give it character. When there is action, it's easy to follow, faces are expressive, and the artist doesn't skimp on the backgrounds. A solid package, all around.
It's clearly a metaphor for soldiers returning from war, with all the difficulties readjusting to normal life, figuring people out, and PTSD (loads of PTSD) that must come along with that. Some of the magical girls here do try to just forget everything and move on, struggling with the idea that a threat might be lurking around every corner. Others just shifted their focus to other foes, taking work as mercenaries and contract killers. All of them, however, are still being monitored by government agencies, because they're too powerful and potentially dangerous to ever truly be free. There is some monster-fighting, since there's a shadowy group that's trying to resurrect, or reverse-engineer the alien invaders for their own purposes, but the primary focus in this volume is on the characters. And it works.
From the cover of this, and other volumes, I was expecting the focus to be more on war-torn action, and most likely fanservice, and while there's some of each, it always seems to fit the situation without being gratuitous. And yes, that even applies to the fanservice. Bear with me.
So, there's a scene a relationship seems to be starting between two of the characters--a lesbian relationship, at that. These two have more or less been through hell together, and now that they finally have a quiet moment together, three years after the war, one of them opens up about how she feels. As she's leaning in toward her friend, there's a cutaway to presumably the next day, where the friend and some of her classmates go swimming after school--and that's where we get what's really the first fanservice in the volume. It's not as blatant symbolism as the "train going through a tunnel" scene they used to use in old comedies, but it does hint that maybe these two actually decided to give the whole relationship thing a try. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it, and it's just girls in swimsuits, but I like my interpretation.
All in all, I was very pleasantly surprised by this volume, and I look forward to seeing where the series goes. And I didn't even mention the art, which is another strong point in its favor; it's still very much in the clean, digitally enhanced style of modern manga, but there's good use of shading, and occasionally some rougher line work added in to give it character. When there is action, it's easy to follow, faces are expressive, and the artist doesn't skimp on the backgrounds. A solid package, all around.
August 14, 2022
This story seems to explore some aspects of PTSD and the sense of duty, but it's in a high-school setting, so you also have homework, friendships, girl stuff, maybe even boyfriends later on. While the transformation of the superpowered individuals is not unlike the one in Sailor Moon, the gory elements are more fitting to series like Gantz. Little is explained so far about the origin of the antagonist.
Three years before, the world went through the Distonian War where Disas, creatures able to shape-shift and teleport, tried to take over the world. Only the Legendary Magical Five, a group of girls with amazing powers, managed to end that war. Otori Asuka was one of them. After losing her family in a gruesome manner, she swore off the violence that was such an important part of her life. Now she is a regular student in high-school, with very few people knowing her real identity. Unfortunately, she is needed again.
Three years before, the world went through the Distonian War where Disas, creatures able to shape-shift and teleport, tried to take over the world. Only the Legendary Magical Five, a group of girls with amazing powers, managed to end that war. Otori Asuka was one of them. After losing her family in a gruesome manner, she swore off the violence that was such an important part of her life. Now she is a regular student in high-school, with very few people knowing her real identity. Unfortunately, she is needed again.
June 24, 2022
Not the best manga I've read but definitely worth a read. I'd probably give it 3 1/2.
The art is good, the story is fine, if not a little generic.
The story is actually unique but the way it's told is sort of generic if that makes any sense.
A middle school girl who is a legendary magical girl is involved in a war against magical creatures called Disas.
She suffers the trauma of killing, violence and having the people she loves taken from her.
After a major war she never want a to fight again and sets off to high school.
Asuka makes 2 friends and when one of them is about to be killed in a public mass shooting, she is forced to transform into a magical girl in order to save her friends life.
The story has elements of war to the point where they have military advisor to make sure things are accurate. There are horror elements with the Disas and believe me it earns it's OT.
I love horror so it doesn't bother me but if your easily upset by gore you might want to avoid this manga.
Overall I was a little disappointed but it's a decent manga.
The art is good, the story is fine, if not a little generic.
The story is actually unique but the way it's told is sort of generic if that makes any sense.
A middle school girl who is a legendary magical girl is involved in a war against magical creatures called Disas.
She suffers the trauma of killing, violence and having the people she loves taken from her.
After a major war she never want a to fight again and sets off to high school.
Asuka makes 2 friends and when one of them is about to be killed in a public mass shooting, she is forced to transform into a magical girl in order to save her friends life.
The story has elements of war to the point where they have military advisor to make sure things are accurate. There are horror elements with the Disas and believe me it earns it's OT.
I love horror so it doesn't bother me but if your easily upset by gore you might want to avoid this manga.
Overall I was a little disappointed but it's a decent manga.
July 19, 2020
Beh, direi che siamo un po' fuori dalla mia zona di conforto ma si potrebbe continuare a leggere.
Questo lato dark della maghette non mi dispiace, anche se sto aspettando con ansia il nuovo volume dell'edizione eternal di Sailor Moon.
C'è Asuka che ha già salvato il mondo una volta e vorrebbe solo andare a scuola e avere una vita normale. Soffre di disordine da stress post-traumatico e cerca di far parte di un mondo che un po' le sta stretto. Ha visto cose tremende tre anni prima e vorrebbe dimenticare.
Ma purtroppo c'è un nuovo nemico che si mette a sparare nel centro di Tokyo e lei deve proteggere una ragazza che vorrebbe esserle amica. E di lì sembra che l'incubo ricominci...
I disegni non mi piacciono molto, sono nella media, ma la storia sembra interessante. Continuerò a leggere.
Questo lato dark della maghette non mi dispiace, anche se sto aspettando con ansia il nuovo volume dell'edizione eternal di Sailor Moon.
C'è Asuka che ha già salvato il mondo una volta e vorrebbe solo andare a scuola e avere una vita normale. Soffre di disordine da stress post-traumatico e cerca di far parte di un mondo che un po' le sta stretto. Ha visto cose tremende tre anni prima e vorrebbe dimenticare.
Ma purtroppo c'è un nuovo nemico che si mette a sparare nel centro di Tokyo e lei deve proteggere una ragazza che vorrebbe esserle amica. E di lì sembra che l'incubo ricominci...
I disegni non mi piacciono molto, sono nella media, ma la storia sembra interessante. Continuerò a leggere.
May 3, 2020
Love the premise and I like Asuka herself a lot so far, but I REALLY REALLY did not need to see that one panel of our traumatized MC’s parents’...severed heads. I mean, I saw it coming the second the Disas monster creatures told her the “sure we’ll give your parents back! Piece by piece!” but still. *shudder* Anyways. There is also some fan service that I could’ve done without (mostly being too much focus on oversized boobs...), but no sexytimes or anything like that, at least not in this volume. I feel like Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka definitely earned the OT rating for the violence more than anything else.
All of that being said, I very much like the setup so far and will look forward to picking up volume 2. Hopefully we’ll get to see Kurumi and Asuka interact more.
All of that being said, I very much like the setup so far and will look forward to picking up volume 2. Hopefully we’ll get to see Kurumi and Asuka interact more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2019
I saw this manga pop up at random on an add somewhere and the concept intrigued me. A dark-fantasy Mahou-Shoujo in the vein of Madoka Magika where the reader sees the tragedy of the daily lives of of Magical Girls? Alright. Call me interested.
What I didn’t expect was an introspective on the natural progression of the use of Magical Girls as agents of Government Anti-Magical Forces, and a look at how Magical Girls would be integrated in a modern world.
The art is great! The story hooks you, and while the themes can be a bit dark and graphic at times, the mangaka throws in parts of levity to keep things light when it needs it!
Give it a shot!
What I didn’t expect was an introspective on the natural progression of the use of Magical Girls as agents of Government Anti-Magical Forces, and a look at how Magical Girls would be integrated in a modern world.
The art is great! The story hooks you, and while the themes can be a bit dark and graphic at times, the mangaka throws in parts of levity to keep things light when it needs it!
Give it a shot!
July 31, 2022
"If Tom Clancy wrote a magical girl story" sums it up for me: magical girl trope meets special operations and wartime PTSD. It's a a popcorn movie through and through, but sometimes that's what you need on your shelves. And the art is top tier, very good at conveying "this fool is crazy" energy, and of course fan service.
September 6, 2024
This manga had the good fortune of being the first I read after 8 volumes of Monster Musume (which I detested). I enjoyed this much more but think my 4-stars is a reasonable rating regardless of what I read before. The story is good (not a lot of humor) and the art gets the job done.
Bo-spluk! Brap! -- did Batman inspire manga or was it the other way around.
Bo-spluk! Brap! -- did Batman inspire manga or was it the other way around.
May 15, 2018
this is dark and gruesome. body parts in boxes.
January 14, 2019
I'm going to hold on judgment until I finish Vol 3. So far the art is really pretty, and there are A LOT of dark bits which I love. Not 100% sold on the story or where it's going.
July 7, 2021
I enjoyed the premise of this book. Lost a star only because the action shots were really difficult to figure out/read.
January 18, 2022
Fun and exciting tale of badass super-powered spies who are cute "Magical Girls." Great art, lots of fan service. Quick read and nothing to not like! 👍🏻
March 3, 2023
Over-sexualization of young girls, but fun story otherwise.
July 20, 2023
I wasn't sure what to expect. But it blew me away! Definitely going to continue reading the series!
July 1, 2024
I actually prefer the art from the anime but the story is interesting so I will collect and read this series.
February 8, 2025
Solid art and decent story so far, will probably continue this series in the future
January 17, 2022
So dark. I love it.
August 13, 2021
I enjoyed this start to a slightly darker take on magical girls. This isn't like some darker magical girl I have seen/read. In this one magical girls are like the secret weapon of the military, though they are helping to fight monsters (usually). It starts with them ending a great invasion and saving the world (not a spoiler) and then jumps 3 years into the future as a new threat appears and the military is trying to convince Asuka to rejoin the fight. Compared to other dark series, this does not feel like it is going to be a horror manga, more like an action/war manga with fantastical elements. Granted this is only volume 1, so we shall see.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews