Magical Chinese Girl Ipanema! (魔法少女ちゅうかないぱねま!, Mahō Shōjo Chūka na Ipanema!) is the tenth series in the Toei Fushigi Comedy Series that aired on the Fuji Television network from July 23, 1989 to December 24 of the same year, created by Shotaro Ishinomori and produced by Toei, total 23 episodes.
On April 2020, Ipanema became one of the 70 shows to stream on the Toei Tokusatsu World Youtube channel.
Plot[]
| “ | Rinpara Ipanema Shao Shao Pai. | ” |
–Ipanema's Transformation Phrase | ||
Ipanema, the daughter of a millionaire in the Chinese Magic Realm and a Chinese witch, was bankrupted by the schemes of Happosai, the directress of the Chinese Witch Academy. In addition, she was turned into a little slave at the academy, where she spent her days being used and humiliated by Happosai. However, unable to bear it, Ipanema comes to the human world, in search of her missing parents.
Then, by chance, she sees Shingo Takayama, who carries a pendant from the Chinese Magic Realm left by Pai Pai, another magical girl from the Chinese Magic Realm. Pai Pai worked as a governess for the Takayama family, until she left the human world.
Using this as a clue, Ipanema became the governess of the Takayama family, just like Pai Pai, and solved several problems throughout the story, while searching for her parents.
Overview[]
Magical Chinese Girl Pai Pai was canceled due to a filming boycott, which caused actress Natsuki Ozawa to leave, so a new production was hastily made.
The drama basically follows the line of its predecessor in that Ipanema searches for her missing parents and, as in the previous series, experiences life in the human world with the Takayama family.
Magical Chinese Girl Ipanema boosted the career of actress Wakako Shimazaki, who was also successful as a singer in japan.
As for the characters, the characters of the Takayama family continue in the series, while the characters of the Magical Chinese realm, on the other hand, are all changed, as it would make no sense to keep the characters from Pai Pai in the storyline.
Characters[]
| Ipanema |
Allies[]
- Akira Takayama (高山アキラ, Takayama Akira): He is the eldest of the three idiot brothers. His father's resemblance to him has grown stronger, and in addition to his unreliability, he has a particularly low deviation score among his siblings and cannot even do first grade elementary school arithmetic.
- Toru Takayama (高山トオル, Takayama Tōru): He is the second son among the three idiot brothers. He is in a sensitive period, torn between an older brother who looks like his father and a younger brother who looks like his mother. Although he is the wisest of the three brothers, he is also the most stubborn.
- Shingo Takayama (高山シンゴ, Takayama Shingo): The yougest of the three idiot brothers. He continues to have a good relationship with his girlfriend Sayaka, from Pai Pai. He received the pendant as a memento from Pai Pai, but when he learned of the relationship between the Chinese Witch and the pendant, he gave it to Ipanema. He is the only person, other than those involved in the Chinese Magic Realm, who knows that Ipanema had become a Chinese Witch. He was told not to talk about it, but he is very gossipy and tells everyone about it. He misses Ipanema more than any of his brothers.
- Yukio Takayama (高山行男, Takayama Yukio): Yukio is the boys' father. He is a dedicated archaeologist. In the last episode, he marries the young Sachiko Eto.
- Sayuri Sangenjaya (三軒茶屋小百合, Sangendjaya Sayuri): Yukio's older sister and the aunt of the three idiot brothers. Even more than before, she dreams of "reviving the prestigious Takayama family" and is trying to make the three idiot brothers decent. She herself is trying to make money from shady businesses and get a prestigious name for herself.
- Tigris (チグリス, Chigurisu): A former employee of Ipanema's house. He helps Ipanema find her parents so they will return the money they owe he. His name comes from the Tigris River.
- Euphrates (ユーフラテス, Yūfuratesu): Euphrates is a former employee of the Ipanema family and the son of Tigris. He follows his father's behavior, but is dissatisfied with his father's attempts at revenge. Like Ipanema, he is not good with his studies, but he has a serious side, and so he has a pure heart that hides his love for Ipanema. At the end of the story, he goes to rescue Ipanema, who is held captive by Happosai, and sets her free. Later, he declares himself to Ipanema and she accepts. His name comes from the Euphrates River.
Villains[]
- Happosai (八宝菜院長, Happōsai inchō): Directress of the Chinese Witch Academy. Since she had to work hard to become the directress of the academy, she is jealous of Ipanema's hard work. Near the final episode, she kidnaps Ipanema to obtain "Great Pyron" a legendary treasure from the Chinese Magic Realm, but Ipanema is freed by Euphrates, who comes to her rescue, and is finally transformed into a plate of eight precious vegetables. (A Gomoku-like ending).
- Yosukoudai Hanten (ようすこうだいはんてん, Yōsu kōda ihan ten): The Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Chinese Witch Academy. Sister of Happosai. She manipulates her sister, in order to get the "Great Pyron". In the end, she was turned into a crown (the hat she usually wears).
Ipanema's Weapons[]
- Pendant (ペンダント, Pendanto): The Pendant is the diploma of the Chinese Witch Academy, with which Chinese witches can transform themselves. Once activated, it turns into a wand.
- Compact (コンパクト, Konpakuto): A mirror for using magic on any occasion. It is heart-shaped and has a small wand inside. To use the magic, you must place the wand in the center of the heart and cast the spell.
- Mysterious clock (不思議な時計, Fushigina tokei): A legendary clock from the Chinese Magic Realm. It has the ability to manipulate time and show images from the past. Yukio finds it in a rock during an excavation. The clock eventually becomes the property of Ipanema.
Episodes[]
- The little princess of Chinese Witch Academy (聖中華魔女女子学院の小公女, Hijiri chūka majo Joshigakuin no shōkōjo)
- I'll surpass Paipai! (ぱいぱいさんに負けない, Paipai-san ni makenai)
- Visit your mother for 3,000 yen (母をたずねて三千円, Haha o tazunete san sen-en)
- Mysterious Clock?! (不思議な時計？ ！, Fushigina tokei? !)
- Sandstorm Girl (砂嵐の少女, Sunaarashi no shōjo)
- Keep feet on the ground... (大地に足をつけて…, Daichi ni ashi o tsukete…)
- Euphrates' Love (ユーフラテスの恋, Yūfuratesu no koi)
- Toru's Mean Teacher (トオルの鬼先生, Tōru no oni sensei)
- The Japan of Nobura (ノーブラ日本, Nōbura Nihon)
- Nobody holds Euphrates... (ユーフラテスは握らない…, Yūfuratesu wa nigiranai…)
- The "Stand by Me" of the 3 Brothers (3兄弟のスタンドバイミー, 3 Kyōdai no sutandobaimī)
- Euphrates' Birthday (ユーフラテスの誕生日, Yūfuratesu no tanjōbi)
- Sangenjaya's Deeply Sadness (哀愁の三軒茶屋に霧が降る, Aishū no sangendjaya ni kiri ga furu)
- The Day when the Father was Beaten (父さんに殴られた日, Tōsan ni nagura reta hi)
- Tanabota's Life (タナボタ人生, Tanabota jinsei)
- Daizaburo Kawasaki's Secret (川崎大三郎の秘密, Kawasaki Daizaburo no himitsu)
- Tangerine is an Artistic Fruit (ミカンは総合芸術フルーツです, Mikan wa sōgō geijutsu furūtsudesu)
- Brother for Sale (お兄ちゃん売ります, O nīchan urimasu)
- Fiction Kingdom (フィクション王国, Fikushon ōkoku)
- Ariwara no Narihira's Conspiracy (在原業平の陰謀, Ariwaranonarihira no inbō)
- The Horse is now a Boy (馬少年現わる, Uma shōnen gen waru)
- A Girlfriend for Daddy? (父さんに恋人!?, Tōsan ni koibito! ?)
- The Farewell at Christmas (別れのクリスマス, Wakare no kurisumasu)
Cast[]
- Ipanema: Wakako Shimazaki
- Akira Takayama: Takanobu Yumoto
- Toru Takayama: Kazuki Yamanaka
- Shingo Takayama: Daisuke Ishigami
- Yukio Takayama: Shigeru Saiki
- Sayuri Sangenjaya: Rie Shibata
- Sayaka: Kanako Kurotani
- Tigris: Noboru Mitani
- Euphrates: Hirotaka Watanabe
- Police officer: Isamu Ichikawa
- Mori Sensei (Teacher Mori): Atsuo Mori
- Principal: Toraemon Utazawa
- Ipanema's father: Ritsuo Ishiyama
- Ipanema's mother: Michi Yamamura
- Happosai: Nobuko Watanabe
- Yosukoudai Hanten: Teruko Yoshida
Notes[]
- The show can be viewed free on the official TOEI TOKUSATSU WORLD OFFFICIAL Youtube Channel.
- The Nuri-Onna prop from the second Gegege no Kitaro live action film in 1987, appears in the finale of this series.
References[]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZAEJVIAeCc&list=PL4rzcHfrDGhl3hkKUeum-kqzIq6g-O2ys