Summary
When there was word of a new announcement from Studio Bones, fan speculation conjured the usual suspects: aSoul Eaterreboot,One Punch ManSeason 3,NoragamiSeason 3, and so on. When they instead revealedMahoAku, a lot of fans were disappointed, but not only does this speak to a misunderstanding of the studio - it also ignores the importance of this adaptation.
Hot off the success of Cowboy Bebop, Bones was founded in 1998 by Masahiko Minami, Hiroshi Osaka, and Toshihiro Kawamoto, who all left Sunrise to create a new studio with a similar structure.Their most popular works includeSoul Eater,Fullmetal Alchemist, andEureka Seven, with their more recent catalog includingMob Psycho 100,Bungo Stray Dogs, andMy Hero Academia.
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What is MahoAku?
MahoAkuis the shortened name forKatsute Mahou Shoujo to Aku wa Tekitai shiteita, which translates to “The Magical Girl and The Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies.” It follows Mira, a member of a villainous group, who falls in love at first sight with Byakuya Mimori, a magical girl intent on putting a stop to the evil organization of which Mira is a part.
This story was written byCocoa Fujiwara, a manga author and artistwhom anime fans may recognize as the original creator ofInu x Boku Secret Service, which received an anime in 2012. She started young, creating her first work,Calling, at just age 15. She chose to forgo high school in favor of honing her skills as a mangaka, and she was a lover of RPGs and fantasy, something that has been reflected in her work.
She would go on to writeStray Doll,Watashi no Ookami-san(2001),Dear(2002),Ojousama to Youkai Shitsuji(2003),Inu x Boku SS(2009), and finallyMahoAku(2013). However,MahoAkuwould remain unfinished, as Fujiwara passed away on July 14, 2025, at age 31. It’s been said that Fujiwara was a fan of Studio Bones and pitched the series to them, but the production was put on hold due to her passing, until now.
Who is Making It?
Although the project is still early in production,there was a small teaser accompanyingits announcement, showcasing colored artwork from the manga and setting the tone for the anime. This teaser also details the key staff members working on the show, and the director alone should have fans of recent romance anime very excited.
Akiyo Ohashi is set to direct the series and her recent credits speak highly of her talents in the genre, from 2021’sGiven - On The Other Handto 2020’sThe Stranger By The Shore. Both were received wonderfully by critics and audiences for their heartwarming atmospheres tempered by solid dramatic directing, to say nothing of their progressive gay representation.
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Speaking of Boys Love,the screenwriter for theGivenseries, Yuniko Ayana, has also been tapped to write MahoAku. She has also pennedFlip Flappers,Lupin III: Part 5, and has been a recurring writer in theNanatsu no Taizaiseries. The character designs will be done by Haruko Iizuka, who recently worked onSugar Apple Fairy TaleandHorimiya, to name a few. She also served as the character designer on Bones' 2020 filmJosee, the Tiger and the Fish.
Finally, there is the music, and if the show’s score is anything like the track in the teaser, it sounds like it will be lovely. The soundtrack is being done by MAYUKO, the female singer-songwriter who is scoring this season’sButareba, and who recentlyworked on both seasons ofOusama Ranking. If it wasn’t already obvious, the staff is an all-star assembly of women, and it will be exciting to see who else is tapped to be a part of the project as more details are revealed.
Why This Adaptation Matters
Because Bones is one of the best animation studios in Japan - with a stacked portfolio to back up such a claim - sometimes the expectations placed on the studio are misguided. It’s not because Bones is incapable of delivering, but more that the exact kinds of things audiences want from the studio go against what is best for them. Bones has indeed crafted exceptional genre works and even some legendary shōnen series, but that’s not all that they do.
Going back to the very beginning, Bones is the child ofCowboy Bebop’s success, a work that truly sticks out in Studio Sunrise’s oeuvre. Sunrise is mostly known for mecha series likeMobile Suit Gundam, andBebopwas only allowed to be madeso long as there were spaceships that Bandai could sell models of.
The stars might have aligned for that series, but for Minami, Osaka, and Kawamoto, it was time to create a space where stories likeBebop- meaning, original or different stories - could flourish. Whether it was adaptations or new works, the studio has always sought to create anime that stood out from the rest, created by some of the most talented artists in the industry.
So yes, it’s a bit unfortunate that Bones might not work onOne Punch ManSeason 3 or another hotly anticipated manga. However, at a time when the strain of demand for popular adaptations isleading studios like MAPPA to ruin, Bones' commitment to its founding principles is commendable, even with a juggernaut likeMy Hero Academiaon its plate.
As a reminder, Bones has several studios, each with its own dedicated projects. Studio C has been exclusively working onMy Hero Academiasince 2016, just as long as Studio D has been working onBungo Stray Dogs, but A, B, and E don’t have commitments. This is all to say that it’s not as though the studio isn’t working on anything else worth getting excited about.
Furthermore, fans of this studio, or even just its past works, should absolutely be excited aboutMahoAku. Who knows? It could just turn into another Bones classic, and years from now,the fans will be wildly speculatingabout a potential sequel the instant that there are rumors of a new announcement from the studio.
