Recently in magical show Category

In anime, the guy sometimes doesn't get the girl in the end and not everyone lives happily ever after. People get hurt or abandoned. Love doesn't conquer all. The hero dies. Some series end like it was just another day in the life of the characters.

When I was young I favored shows that had a happy outcome or at least promised some sort of happiness in the future for the protagonist. I'm not a kid anymore.

Life can be tragic, brief yet still beautiful.

"Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto: Natsu no Sora" or as Wikipedia translates it "Things That are Precious to a Mage: Summer Skies" was one of two series shown in Japan this summer which caught my interest.

The animation is done in an unusual way as you can see from the three scenes I included here. It's as if someone drew on photographs. The characters are simply drawn but they move in a world that looks very realistic.

The short series focuses on Sora, a teen living in a small town who gets accepted to a summer internship program in Tokyo. She is a mage since her late father was also a magic user. Mages are part of this world. They get trained by the Bureau of Magic which sends them out to fulfill requests by ordinary folks.

This is not a world like Harry Potter's so don't expect to be awed by the effects or requests. It's all quite boring actually. Kinda like having the city repair the pothole in front of your house except the workers use magic to do it.

Sora is a country gal awed by the big city. One can imagine she'd be easy prey for any grifter. But she has plenty of magic powers and tries her best to make sure the clients are satisified with the job she's done.

She befriends several people from the program which include Gota, a teen who didn't realize he had magic powers until his father admitted he gave up being a mage. His mother left saying she could not live with a liar and Gota was thrust into a world he knew nothing about. His magical abilities seem close to nil until Sora helps him out.

They also fall in love but Sora carries a secret.

SPOILER ALERT. DON'T READ BEYOND THIS POINT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW THE PLOT TWIST

She is dying which explains the sometimes extreme reaction she has when she feels she has failed or not lived up to the client's request.

Sora graduates with the rest of her class, returns home to Biel and dies after she fulfills a promise she made to her dead father.

Gota finally visits her town years later wearing as a necklace the stone Sora gave him. The viewer is shown how the others have fared as well.

Some folks might just groan at this series and find something else packed with action or fanservice. Consider the show a snapshot into a girl's short but memorable life. Sora made her brief existence count by helping others or making them happy, For her, it was enough.

One can blame "Harry Potter" for the sudden influx of shows featuring magic schools or businesses that cater to the magical crowd. Some do rip off bits from the Potter universe like having a character wear glasses and graduate from an English school of magic. But most that I have seen seem to be based on original works.

"Rental Magica" began life as light novels by Makoto Sando. Never read them so don't ask me. I've only seen the anime incarnation which started airing in Japan in October. So far, I've watched up to episode 18 and find it entertaining. This is not a show that I would buy for my collection. But it's passable light fare that will do when I need an anime fix.

In the world of "Rental Magica," there exists magical companies that rent out mages to clients in need of supernatural help. A so-called association keeps tabs on these companies and lays down the law if need be. The hero of our show is Itsuki Iba, a second year high school student who had to take over as president of the company called Astral when his old man went missing. Since high schools in Japan last only three years, Itsuki is considered a junior. He's a nice boy who wears an eyepatch and doesn't seem to have a magical bone in his body. He's also cowardly and a pushover. But Itsuki has a good heart, views his ragtag group as his family and possesses a weird looking red eye that can see the weakness of a magic spell, a mage or a monster. Called the Glamsight, it is a very powerful trait that can be a burden on the owner.

When he reveals his right eye, Itsuki is more authoritative, directs his staff on how and where to attack and actually speaks in a more mature commanding voice. But he often bleeds and passes out after using the eye.

Astral's current staff include Honami Takase Ambler, a childhood pal of Itsuki who is a Celtic witch; Mikan Katsuragi, a young girl from a family who specializes in Shinto magic; Ren Nekoyashiki, an Onmyoudo who uses four cats; and Manami Kuroha, a ghost Itsuki met at a hospital and invited to join his group. Kuroha can do certain things like appear and disappear plus move objects around like a poltergeist. She is also the company apprentice/intern/tea maker/acting maid.

Astral's competitors include Goetia, a larger company led by Adilisia Lenn Mathers who is descended from Solomon and commands demons to do her bidding. She and Honami went to school together in England and were rivals so to speak. Both also like Itsuki and their rivalry over his affections is used to comedic effect.

The series is only 24 episodes and hasn't been licensed for the North American market yet. Each episode explains a magical term at the end of the show. "Rental Magica" will never be called a groundbreaking show or cutting edge but it's entertaining fare. And believe me after you've seen as many crappy anime shows as I have, it is a delight and a relief to see something decent.