This year marks the 10th anniversary of the spring 2014 anime "The Lesser Students of Magical High School," "Disc Wars: Avengers," and "HIQUE! Playback of "The Lesser Students of Magical High School Anime 10 Years Ago

The Lesser Student of Magical High School

Tsutomu Sashima's light novel was adapted into an anime six years after its serialization.

In the near future, supernatural powers are named magic. Miyuki, an elite younger sister with powerful magical powers, and her inferior brother Tatsuya, who tries to protect her, enter a high school that trains magic technicians and become involved in various incidents.

The Internet slang "Susuoni" is probably the most iconic word in this work. According to an event held in 2017, "As expected of my brother" was said 172 times in the 26 episodes of the first season, or 6.61 times per episode. This is a calculation.

The secret of the popularity of "Sasuoni" can be seen from this "Sasuoni". The secret of its popularity can be seen in the clear concept of "The Lesser Student of Magical High School" as a work that depicts the activities of a hero named Tatsuya.

Although Tatsuya is an "underclassman" with low magical ability and is looked down upon by his family, he is in fact a super genius with rare talents. Having been subjected to rigorous combat training from an early age, he is an extremely talented soldier and is feared as a strategic powerhouse who never fails to train on a regular basis. Although he is a true superhuman (also known as the Demon King or the Rasbos in the original story), his only wish is for Miyuki's happiness. If his beloved Miyuki is in danger, he will retaliate ruthlessly with a cold fury.

In an entertainment world full of superhumans, an ordinary superhuman cannot be a superhuman, but Tatsuya's superhumanity is beyond the reader's imagination. In other words, Tatsuya is more than the strongest hero that boys can dream of. In other words, Tatsuya is more than the strongest hero a boy could ever dream of. From the characters to the stage setting, it is a straight-up exciting story, and viewers can only admire Tatsuya's achievements and praise him along with Miyuki, saying, "That's my big brother. In other words, "Sasuoni" is the greatest compliment to the clarity of the concept of this work.

Directed by Manabu Ono of "Transformers: Galaxy Force," "Saki" and "Horizon on the Middle of Nowhere," the character design is by Kana Ishida, who also illustrated the original novel. The first season aired for 2 cool 26 episodes, and a movie version was released in 2017, followed by the second season "The Visitor Arc" in 2020, a special "Reminiscence Arc" at the end of 2021, and the third season ...... in 2024, continuing the constant development of the anime. In October 2014, after the first anime season aired, the company entered the fighting game "Dengeki Bunko FIGHTING CLIMAX" featuring characters from the Dengeki series. The game was developed by France Bread, which is famous for adapting novel games into fighting games for doujinshi, and it is a symbolic event since the original work was a web novel.

Disc Wars: Avengers

The Avengers: Disc Wars: Avengers is an anime that brings together Marvel Comics characters such as Captain America, Hulk, Thor, and Iron Man, and is associated with foreign works. However, Toei Animation of Japan produced this ambitious work to introduce American comic (American Comic) animation to Japan, which at the time of 2014 was still not very familiar to the Japanese public.

Heroes and villains (villains) have been sealed in mysterious "discs". The Avengers, the world's most powerful hero group including Captain America, are no exception. Akira and five other boys and girls, who have obtained the power to free heroes from the disc, become partners with members of the Avengers and fight to fix the situation.

Although American comics have always had a strong connection with toys (for example, "Marvel Super Heroes: Secret Wars," which was published in Japanese translation in 2020, was originally published in 1984 as an American comic with a tie-in to a figure, giving a glimpse of the atmosphere of the scene at the time), the setting of this work is Unprecedented. When a Menko-like disc (Bachi Soul Disc) is smashed on the ground, the Avengers and other heroes appear, a true American comic + Pokémon + Menko! It is like a combination of Japanese and Western hobbies that transcends time.

In order for the heroes to materialize from the disc, Akira and his friends must be present, and the time is limited to only about five minutes. Akira and his friends are just boys and girls, and they cannot face the villains without the power of the disc. These restrictions create a sense of tension that is different from that of previous heroes, making this film worth seeing even for Marvel fans.

Another highlight of the film is the growth of Akira and his friends as they interact with the heroes who become their partners. The world's most powerful heroes are there to guide these life-sized boys and girls, and it is a dreamlike situation. And it is a truly extravagant setting in which various heroes and villains appear when the adversary slams the disc on the battlefield, bringing the dream card to life.

It is also a reflection of the latest setting of the ever-changing Marvel Universe. The series' writer, King Ryu, is an unidentified "masked screenwriter" (from his X profile), but he has wowed Marvel fans with his high-resolution screenplay.

This film is also a good introduction to the Marvel world because of the scheme of ordinary boys and girls interacting with the Avengers. 5 years later in 2019, the Marvel boom in Japan with the movie "Avengers: Endgame" may have been partly underpinned by this film.

Hi-Q!

a volleyball manga by Haruichi Furudate serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump since 2012, was adapted into an anime two years later for the spring 2014 school year.

Shoyo Hinata, who loves volleyball but spent his junior high school years underprivileged, is reunited with Tobio Kageyama, a genius setter who once defeated him, in the volleyball club at Karasuno High School, and they begin to see each other again. They are reunited and feud with each other. Then, Hinata and Kageyama discover the "oddball quick attack," an unorthodox combination that is performed without a signal, and Hinata and Kageyama become members of the volleyball club. Together with their unique teammates, they challenge themselves to reach new heights.

Hinata, who lacks experience but is physically strong and communicative, and Kageyama, who is an excellent player but has a history of isolation due to his excessive ambition, are two opposites who come to appreciate each other in a sports manga style. The drama created by the team's unique friends, such as Daichi Sawamura, the captain who supports the team; Takashi Sugawara, who is mild-mannered but sometimes has a bitter side; Asahi Azuma, who looks stern but is sensitive inside; Yu Nishitani, whose overwhelming presence puts everyone at ease; and Ryunosuke Tanaka, who is loyal and has a strong mental attitude, is exactly what makes team sports interesting.

Furthermore, the rival schools also have strong characters and their feelings are described in detail, making this a true melting pot of characters. You can even enjoy the luxury of having a favorite on both opposing teams and wanting both to win. The story is based on the classic shounen manga themes of friendship, hard work, and victory. The combination of the powerful production techniques makes the viewer burn with passion.

The anime version was produced by Production I.G, which has produced many sports anime such as "A of Diamonds," "Kuroko no Basket," "The New Prince of Tennis," "Welcome to the Ballroom," and "Aoashi," and was directed by Kan Mitsunaka, who made his name with the baseball animation for "Okiku Furikabutte, The realistic depiction of ballet, the catharsis of a sports anime, and the careful psychological portrayal have won high acclaim.

In 2014, the series collaborated with actual volleyball tournaments such as the Emperor's and Empress's Cup All Japan Volleyball Championships, the V. Premier League, and the All Japan Volleyball High School Championships, making the appeal of volleyball widely known. In 2022, a collaboration café with the hunting action game "Monster Hunter" was held, and fans were delighted to see Hyuga and his friends wearing equipment from the game. 2023 saw Hyuga and Kageyama appointed as "Sendai Tourism Ambassadors," and a commemorative monument was installed at a gym in Sendai. The work has become widely familiar to the public.

(Text by Shinichi Yanamoto)