Divine Raimen Magical Girl Howking Moon is a unique and captivating concept that combines various aspects of fantasy and magical girl genres. This intriguing story revolves around a young girl named Moon, who discovers her extraordinary powers and becomes a magical girl. The term "Divine Raimen" refers to the source of Moon's powers, which is a celestial energy derived from the moon itself. As Moon embarks on her journey as a magical girl, she encounters numerous challenges and adversaries. However, her divine raimen powers grant her incredible abilities, such as the ability to manipulate energy and cast powerful spells. These abilities enable her to defend herself and protect others from dark forces that threaten the world.
Besides Kaguya gaining powers and fighting against God Flame Heavenly Maiden Flaming Star, this volume also introduces the antagonists: the Chaos Six. Their goal is made pretty clear: complete and total annihilation. You know, pretty typical evil stuff. Oh, and that evil stuff includes social media; or rather, the immediate need for social approval. Didn’t expect an ecchi magical girl series to have that kind of commentary, but there you go.
Besides Kaguya gaining powers and fighting against God Flame Heavenly Maiden Flaming Star, this volume also introduces the antagonists the Chaos Six. It s the reveal that the aliens fighting it out for Earth s fate are doing it on a whim, or rather that one said instead of destroying the Earth outright let s have a game that was the last straw for me although the plastic surgery titties were already pushing me pretty close.
These abilities enable her to defend herself and protect others from dark forces that threaten the world. The story's plotline gradually unfolds, revealing Moon's destiny as the rightful protector of her hometown. She learns of an ancient prophecy that foretells her role in maintaining the balance between good and evil.
The Anti-Social Geniuses Review: Divine Raiment Magical Girl Howling Moon Volume 1
Justin: Childhood friends Kaguya and Himawari just so happen to be on a bus with their classmates as part of a field trip when suddenly, a monster appears! The bus is knocked off a cliff! When they each awake they happen to become embroiled in two different factions: The secret society Millennium, who the world at-large believes is evil, and Chaos Six, who secretly might be pushing the world to its destruction! A large game involving powerful figures surrounds each group, but these two girls — these childhood friends — are now on opposing sides and will determine the future of this world.
And it will be done in the most insufferably boring way possible.
Divine Raiment Magical Girl Howling Moon is a manga written by Kenji Saito (Trinity Seven) and drawn by Shouji Sato (High School of the Dead, Triage X). Immediately, you can expect massively endowed ladies (around 13-16 years old and a few adults) drawn in ridiculous angles and something entirely nonsensical to happen going into it. But these creators are taking the magical girl angle (so girls transform, power of love, all of that) and adding their own spin to it! If nothing else it’ll at least be entertainingly dumb right?
Not in the slightest. Aside from the general tits and butts that appear in this volume, the manga continuously shoots itself in the foot by not making it clear what type of magical girl story it really wants to tell. Is it aiming to be a serious magical girl tale (no)? Or is it trying (and failing massively) to poke some fun with the concept? You have these transformations that take decades on the page to display; you have the one character (Himawari) transform to such a degree that’s super genki and makes it feel totally at odds with what’s going on within each page; and you have the girls, after all is said and done, randomly go back to school somehow?
Because of this, you manage to get over 140 pages where lots of things can go down and not find anything remotely fun or entertaining. There are a lot of characters thrown into this volume that are hard to care about. The general story doesn’t evolve into anything that makes even hilarious sense. All I know is somehow we have a moment in this manga where there was a fight in a different dimension that turned into a bath scene that also got the main character’s boobs groped…I would say this is on par for the course, but it’s done in such a sleazy way that it seems hard to believe that got past approvals.
Soooo what makes this worth reading? Well, not much aside from the art. And I feel the art was way better in High School of the Dead (and made more sense). With so much inconsistency and just it being unmemorable (without, you know, counting these middle schoolers transforming and getting over-sexualized), Divine Raiment Magical Girl Howling Moon is just way too boring a read.
Justin’s rating: 2 out of 5
Helen: In a middle school field trip gone wrong, Kaguya finds herself captured by mysterious forces who say they are trying to protect and save the Earth, but Kaguya only knows them as terrorists! Behind the scenes, Earth has turned into a battlefield between two alien forces and the side Kaguya has found herself on is the side that truly wants to save the planet, but the other side has twisted the narrative so the general public thinks the opposite. To make matters worse, Kaguya’s friend Himawari was also captured but by the other side and now both of them have sworn to become magical girls to fight for the other’s sake, even though it might end up killing them both in the process.
Some anime and manga fans are probably tired of hearing this but the dark magical girl sub-genre isn’t actually very new, no matter what marketing material for the latest edgy series you might read says otherwise. Series like Uta Kata came out years before Madoka Magica really popularized the sub-genre and even before that many magical girl series, just like children’s novels from the 1900s through post-WWII, often had a dark, unsettling undertone to them as well as serious stakes. Likewise, having magical girls age up as a part of their transformation sequence is also a classic magical girl trope; it doesn’t see as much usage these days (or when it does it’s often fairly subtle, like the main trio in Hugtto Precure) but it’s also a classic part of the magical girl repertoire. However, having Kaguya and Himawari transform from their middle-school aged selves into bodies with figures that could not be achieved without plastic surgery just feels like an icky, bad-faith take on the trope.
Rather than calling this series “edgy” I’d rather call it “skeezy” and I’m not sure that’s the precise tone the creators were going for (although they have also created Trinity Seven, High School of the Dead, and Triage X). Having magical girl series where there are characters on both sides isn’t new. I can even think of at least a couple where it turns out that the main character has been on the “wrong” side all along (saying which would be major spoilers) so I can’t say that that aspect of Divine Raiment Magical Girl Howling Moon is new either. Rather, it feels like the creators went down a list of tropes you would find in an “edgy” series and tossed them all in; we’ve got “over-sexualization of minors,” “characters who would do the wrong thing to save the other,” “manipulative shadow agencies,” and even “aliens without morality pulling the strings!”
It’s the reveal that the aliens fighting it out for Earth’s fate are doing it on a whim, or rather that one said “instead of destroying the Earth outright let’s have a game” that was the last straw for me (although the “plastic surgery titties” were already pushing me pretty close). It just feels so try-hard, like the creators can’t otherwise trust their own writing and characters to engage the reader and instead they have to keep upping the stakes instead. I don’t know if it feels more lazy or just bad but I do know that I won’t be sticking around for more.
Helen’s rating: 1.5 out of 5
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| Divine Raiment Magical Girl Howling Moon Volume 1 | |
| SUMMARY | |
Title: Divine Raiment Magical Girl Howling Moon (Shinso Mahoshojo Howling Moon)
Genre: Ecchi, Magical Girl
Publisher: Kadokawa (JP), Yen Press (US)
Creators: Kenji Saito (Story), Shouji Sato (Artist)
Serialized in:Young Dragon Age
Localization Staff: Ko Random (Translator), Anthony Quintessenza (Letterer)
Original Release Date: June 18, 2019
A review copy was provided by Yen Press.
- TAGS
- Divine Raiment Magical Girl Howling Moon
- ecchi
- fate of the world
- Kenji Saito
- magical girl
- Shōnen
- Shouji Sato
- Yen Press
As it stands right now, this final volume is disappointing. However, if the story ever does continue… well, perhaps it can be redeemed. Bringing all that information in for the final chapter sure felt like a rush job, though…
Along her journey, Moon is guided by a wise mentor, who teaches her valuable lessons about the responsibilities and sacrifices that come with being a magical girl. The concept of Divine Raimen Magical Girl Howking Moon also incorporates various elements of Japanese culture, such as traditional clothing, rituals, and mythical creatures. The story immerses readers in a vibrant and enchanting world filled with magical beings, fantastical landscapes, and epic battles between opposing forces. Aside from its fantastical elements, this narrative also explores deeper themes such as friendship, self-discovery, and the power of belief. Moon's companionship with other magical girls, each possessing their own unique powers, teaches her the importance of unity and cooperation in the face of adversity. Through her trials and triumphs, Moon learns to harness the true potential of her divine raimen powers. She becomes a symbol of hope and inspiration for others, reminding them of the inner strength that lies within each individual. Overall, Divine Raimen Magical Girl Howking Moon provides readers with an enthralling and magical world to delve into. Its blend of fantasy, adventure, and profound themes captivates the imagination, making it a must-read for fans of the magical girl genre..
Reviews for "The Power of Belief: Divine Raimen's Magical Girl's Quest for Self-Discovery"
1. Sarah - 1/5 stars - I was really excited to watch "Divine Raimen Magical Girl Howking Moon." However, I was extremely disappointed with the show. The storyline was confusing and lacked depth. The characters were poorly developed, and their actions made no sense. The animation quality was also subpar and seemed rushed. Overall, I found it hard to connect with the series and couldn't wait for it to end.
2. Jake - 2/5 stars - While "Divine Raimen Magical Girl Howking Moon" had an interesting concept, it failed to deliver on many levels. The pacing was incredibly slow, with episodes that seemed to drag on without any significant plot development. The dialogue was cheesy and often cringe-worthy, making it hard to take the series seriously. On top of that, the animation was mediocre at best, with choppy movements and lackluster backgrounds. I had high hopes for this show but was left feeling underwhelmed and dissatisfied.
3. Emily - 2/5 stars - "Divine Raimen Magical Girl Howking Moon" had all the ingredients to be a fantastic anime but fell flat in execution. The character designs were overly stereotypical, and the personalities felt forced and unoriginal. The plot had potential but lacked coherence and struggled to keep my interest. The fight scenes, which should have been the highlight of the show, were dull and lacked impact. Overall, I found the series to be disappointing and not worth the time invested.
4. Michael - 1/5 stars - I don't understand the hype surrounding "Divine Raimen Magical Girl Howking Moon." The show felt like a mishmash of clichés and lacked any innovation. The humor was dull and predictable, and the attempts at emotional moments fell flat. I found myself cringing at the poorly executed dialogue and uninspired character development. The animation quality was also lacking, with awkward movements and poorly detailed backgrounds. I was highly disappointed and wouldn't recommend this series to anyone.