Magical Project S/Sasami 14

Overview

Characters

Episodes

Sasami 14

“Sasami 14: Magical Girl Pretty Sammy”, also known simply as “Sasami 14” was a failed attempt by AIC to try to make a direct sequel for Magical Project S.

The project started as pitch to gather funds from fans in the Japanese crowdfunding platform “Campfire” to kickstart a new anime. It wasn’t mean to directly fund the show and it had a more modest goal of simply gatherings money to make a 5 minute long promotional video, and possibly gather interest from fans, and investors to fund a full anime series.

The proposed sequel would have had a time skip , a brand new creative team, and a new art style. As the name implies, It was meant to cover the adventures of Sasami and Misao as 14 year old magical girls.

Project history

While some big companies use crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter to generate hype and market new products for established brands, the "Sasami 14" project was, seemingly, a truly low-budget operation. Although the project was professionally produced, it only consisted of rough sketches, character models, and unfinished artwork that was in the very early stages of development for a major anime project. The only known animation produced was an uncolored version of Sasami's transformation into Pretty Sammy.

Despite two attempts, the "Sasami 14" crowdfunding campaign failed to reach its goal of 10,000,000 yen (about US$89,000 at the time). The project was canceled and all funds were refunded to backers. . The announcement that AIC would share the rights of the Tenchi franchise with Toei animation to fund future projects might had influenced its cancellation as well.

The somewhat lukewarm response to the project was likely caused by several factors. First, the project was initially pitched in 2017, roughly 21 years after the finale of Magical Project S. This was well past the time when the Pretty Sammy franchise was in its prime. Second, the Magical Project S sub-franchise is notoriously obscure in the west, even compared to the Pretty Sammy OVA continuity. This is because it never received an official English dub and never aired on TV in America. Finally, the fact that the crowdfunding option was only open to Japanese fans through Campfire further reduced the potential amount of backers.

While Toei and AIC have expressed interest in continuing the Pretty Sammy franchise, in some form, its unknown if the project will continue one day, or if it was abandoned altogether, and they will simply reboot the franchise and take it in a completely new direction.

Plot and basic Premise

Sasami 14 was a planned anime project that would have been a direct continuation of the main Magical Project S TV series. Although there were other spin-offs based in the “Magical Project S” tv show such as Videogames and a manga series, only “sasami 14” was explicitly intended to be in the same universe of the “Magical Project S” tv show as a direct sequel,

The story would have taken place four years after the events of the TV series finale, and would have followed Misao and Sasami as they attend their second year of junior high school. Both girls would be 14 years old at this point, and they would have been magical girls for some time.

Little is known about the plot of Sasami 14, but it is known that Misao and Sasami would lose their powers and their ability to transform at the beginning of the story. This is likely temporary, as they are the main characters of a magical girl show. The pitch for the project also promised new monsters and new magical girls.

The newest magical girl is Dirty Mira. She has a familiar named Billy, and her backstory is meant to be a mystery.

Updates and changes.

Sasami 14 changed some minor details from the original Magical Project S TV series. For example, Sasami now has short hair in her civilian form, and only gets her iconic pigtails when she transforms into Pretty Sammy. Misao also no longer grows taller when she transforms into Pixy Misa, but she is now slightly taller than Sasami. It is unclear whether this change was intentional or an oversight by the creators.

Other changes include Rumiya being described as still being “secretly in love” with Misao, even though he had already confessed his feelings to her in the TV series finale. Additionally, Rumiya's bird form is now purple, just like it was in the Pretty Sammy OVA continuity.

Characters

Returning Characters

Sasami Kawai/ Pretty Sammy

Sasami is described as being the same character she was in Magical Project S, except she is now 14 years, and more experienced being a magical girl. She stopped wearing her iconic twin tail hair style in her civilian form, but she kept it for her “Pretty Sammy” magical girl transformation. She now fights for both “World peace” , and “Jurailheim”.

Misao Amano/ Pixy Misa

Misao, now also 14 years old, is still the same person she was at the end of Magical Project S, albeit a little more experienced. She is still soft-spoken and shy as Misao, but more extroverted and energetic as Pixy Misa. She remains in control of her alter ego, and she still loves being a magical girl and fighting alongside her best friend, Sasami.

Ginji Kawai and Honoka Kawai

Ramia

She is described as a “wizard” from Jurailheim with a “ruly and aggressive” personality. Despite the fact that Tsunami was already crowned as queen, Ramia still covets the title, and she still would be willing to become queen should the opportunity arise,

Tsunami

As of the events of Sasami 14, she is now finally queen of Jurailheim. She is described as having a soft and gentle personality.

Washu Fitzgerald Kobayashi

She returns now as a “special lecturer” at the “Umi no Hoshi” Junior High School, the same school both Sasami and Misao attend.

Rumiya

This time his bird form design changed, now resembling his Magical Girl Pretty Sammy OVA counterpart’s purple design. He is described as still being pushed around by Ramia, and having a “secret crush” on Misao.

Mihoshi

She returns as both Misao and Sasami’s homeroom teacher at the “Umi no Hoshi” Junior High School. She was previously also Sasami, and Misao’s homeroom teacher in their old middle school.

Kiyone

She teaches at the “Umi no Hoshi” Junior High School. Its the same high school Mihoshi teaches.

Ryo-Ohki

Little is revealed about him besides the fact he still continues to enjoy carrots.

Ayeka /Romio

She is referred as “Ayeka” instead of “Romio”, which is her name in the Magical Project S Universe, most likely simply because Ayeka is a more recognizable name. She was a former queen candidate, alongside Ramia and Tsunami.

Ryoko/ Overly Splendid Oryou

She is referred as “Ryoko” instead of the name of her variant in the Magical Project S universe “Oryou”. Most likely they are the same character and she was simply referred with her more well known name for convenience.

Tenchi Masaki

He is listed as returning, but his role was not revealed beyond that.

New characters

Dirty Mira

Dirty Mira (ダーティーミラ) is the newest magical girl. Her true identity and backstory are meant to be a mystery.

Billy

Little is known about Billy beside the fact that that they hinted Billy might also be a Cabbit, and that they are Dirty Mira’s familiar, similar to Pretty Sammy’s Ryo-Ohki, and Pixy Misa’s Rumiya.

Debagamera

A monster that resembles a turtle with a camera motif and is supposed to be a new enemy.

Gallery

Trivia

• Curiously, "Sasami 14" takes the thematic opposite route of the Pretty Sammy Novel universe. While both projects deal with a time skip during which both Misao and Sasami are 14 years old, the novel universe ended with the tragic deaths of Sasami and Misao. In "Sasami 14," however, them being 14 is simply the start of a brand new adventure. Additionally, in the novels, it was Misao Amano who decided to have a short hairstyle, while in this version, it is Sasami.
• Had this project being green lit, it would have marked the return of Kiyone Makibi in animation since 1999 in Tenchi Forever!