The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies is sweet, funny, and pokes fun at the magical girl tropes.
The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies is a hefty title and book. At a little over 400 pages long, it’s worth purchasing because it’s adorable and funny. It reminds me of Chobits, but that could be because of the magical girl’s appearance. It’s a series that focuses less on the magical girl battles and more on the mundane grind and, of course, the unlikely relationship between a magical girl and the enemy. It’s love a first-sight comedy, much of which comes from Byakuya, a.k.a. Glass Happiness’s nemesis, Mira. The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies is sweet, funny, and pokes fun at the magical girl tropes.
Created by Cocoa Fujiwara, translated by Giuseppe di Martino, and lettered by Rochelle Gancio, the book contains 20 chapters. It starts with Lieutenant Mira wreaking havoc on people with his evil minions. Hilariously enough, the evil organization he is with has no name. It’s just evil, letting the series play on the fact that these villainous groups are interchangeable in these types of series. The Yen Press manga then sets up a surprising shift with the appearance of the scantily-clad magical girl. So, Mira’s evil glasses shatter, and any manga or anime watcher knows what that means.
The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies Leans Into Generic Labels to Up the Comedy
The generic titles “evil” and “magical” allow the series to stand out—a fantastic feat in itself. While the characters have names, they even refer to each other using generic labels. Byakuya calls Mira.”evil lieutenant.” Mira can’t shake the name even when he’s doing something kind. However, that’s not all, as their interactions start to resemble comedic trolling.
Mira tells Byakuya to prepare herself as though she’s in danger. But in the next panel, he gives her chiffon cake. Thanks to that, The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies keeps it light and funny throughout the story. Plus, Mira’s heart-bursting reactions to Byakuya’s replies always bring laughter.
The Hustle Never Ends
The angel who trains and leads the magical girl—think Luna from Sailor Moon—also gets flipped. Byakuya’s got a cat. But it’s a person in a cat costume. And this angel dressed up is hardly angelic. He’s a pervert and uses Byakuya to work multiple jobs so he can lay around and drink. All the work becomes a point of contention between the lovebirds. Mira even hilariously offers Byakuya his credit card to max out. It’s funny yet grounded because bills and rent remain a thing. The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies is a trippy version of the magical girl stories.
The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies maintains a hilarious romantic momentum while poking fun and exaggerating magical girl tropes. From the attire to transformation to the idea of purity, it keeps it fun. Even the titles of the panels add comedy as the last line of the panel section. Thanks to this, The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies is a wonderfully entertaining manga worth checking out. Rest in peace to the creator.
