▪	RELEASED BY:		FUNIMATION ENTERTAIMENT
		▪	ASPECT RATIO:		4:3 FULL SCREEN
		▪	AUDIO:		ENGLISH AND JAPANESE DD 2.0
		▪	RUNNING TIME:		320 MIN
		▪	RATING:		TV PG
		▪	RELEASE DATE:		08/12/2008
		▪	REVIEW DATE:		08/11//2008
		▪	REVIEWED BY:		HOLLY ELLINGWOOD

A distant spin-off of Tenchi Muyo, Sasami should not be confused with the earlier Pretty Sammy series.  Sasami has all new characters, an all new story, and a touch more drama than its close cousin Pretty Sammy. Sasami is a girl with a penchant for baking and whose stint at the Cooking Club proves to be far more challenging – and awe inspiring – for the young girl than she ever could have imagined. She is in fact the product of a witch and a human, and bears the powers of her witch ancestry. With the awakening of her power, so too is birthed the hope that she and other girls like her will be able to bridge the chasm between humans and their deep fear of magic and witches.  The season begins with her meeting the girl who will become her best friend, Misao, their meeting their new teacher, the mercurial Washu (similar to her Tenchi Muyo character) and their start as magical girls in training with Washu at the Magical Girls Club which is the true nature of the cooking club. The show follows with one episode after another revealing the different girls that join the club and become friends. Their characters are fairly diverse, including a spoiled girl with a big ego who is crushing on her fellow magical girl, the mild speaking Tsukasa. There is also a pint-sized girl with a gigantic attitude, and rounding them off is the soft-spoken and introverted Misao and the always well intentioned Sasami. Tenchi Muyo fans may want to take note that another teacher at the school is Mihoshi who is just as klutzy in this series as she has been in other Tenchi Muyo spin-offs. Also there is Ryo-Ohki, the funny creature who is in every Tenchi Muyo anime.

The show doesn’t move very fast. It focuses mostly on friendships and hearts filled with good feelings. There is a trip to the World of the Witches which introduces the shows first real taste of intrigue with the meeting of Ami-chan. What this mysterious person wants with Sasami and what ties them will prove to have a leading thread into the next season.  Following on its heels is the Magical Girl Tournament that brings about the climax of the first season. The girls must discover the strength found in their friendship if they hope to overcome the competition as well as their own inner doubts. It is during the two-part finale that the show gives a few mysterious clues to a more dramatic story line longing to emerge, but one that never finds fruition in this fledgling season. Sasami’s unexpected powers, a person in need of rescue, and hints about an awakening cauldron are all fuel for curiosity that must wait for the second season in the hopes of being satisfied.

The show is fun, it’s light with barely a twinge of angst except for the finale episode.  It focuses on the bonds, hopes and challenges the five girls face to form a sweet anime about the power of friendship and hope.

The animation is done by AIC who brought anime fans much respected titles such as AD Police, Bubblegum Crisis, Ah My Goddess, Dual, and El Hazard. The animation for Sasami has lush backgrounds, a very attractive palate of colors and details with a diverse range of hues and some surprising subtleties to character designs. The eyes of the characters are different, giving them a bit of an odd look at times with the way the eyes have been ‘lit’ and ‘shadowed’ at the same time. With such beloved titles as Ah My Goddess and El Hazard under AIC’s belt, you can find some of the luxuriant appeal in the engaging visuals of the lighter fare of Sasami.

EXTRAS:
Bonus features include a reversible cover, FUNimation trailers, textless opening and ending animation.

IN SUMMARY:
Sasami holds all 13 episodes on two discs.  It holds all the magical girl goodness you can handle!