MÄR (manga)

''Märchen Awakens Romance'', officially abbreviated as ''MÄR'', is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Nobuyuki Anzai, serialized in Shogakukan's manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday'' from January 2003 to July 2006, with its chapters collected in 15 volumes. The story follows 14-year-old junior high student Ginta Toramizu who is transported into a fantasy-based world known as MÄR-Heaven. As Ginta ventures in the world of MÄR-Heaven, he encounters allies and antagonists.

A 102-episode anime television series adaptation titled ''MÄR Heaven'' was broadcast on TV Tokyo has licensed both the ''MÄR'' manga and anime for an English-language release. The manga was published between July 2005 and June 2007. The anime aired first in July 2006 on Toonami Jetstream, an online service from Cartoon Network, and then on the network itself, as part of the Toonami programming block in December 2006.

A manga sequel, ''MÄR Omega'', written by Anzai and illustrated by Kōichirō Hoshino, was published in ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday'' from September 2006 to June 2007, with its chapters collected in four volumes.

Plot

Ginta Toramizu, a 14-year-old Tokyo junior high student with poor eyesight and a passion for fairy tales and video games, is unexpectedly transported to the fantastical world of MÄR Heaven. In this new realm, his physical limitations vanish, granting him enhanced strength and perfect vision. He encounters Dorothy, a 16-year-old witch who introduces him to magical artifacts called ÄRMs. Together they retrieve the sentient ÄRM Babbo, which Dorothy reluctantly gives to Ginta after deeming it too troublesome.

As Ginta explores MÄR Heaven with companions like farmer Jack, he discovers the world's darker aspects when targeted by thieves coveting Babbo. He later meets Alviss, who reveals having summoned Ginta using the Gate Keeper Clown ÄRM to combat the resurgent Chess Pieces organization. This group, led by King Orb and Queen Diana, previously attempted to conquer MÄR Heaven six years earlier. The narrative follows Ginta's growing involvement in the conflict against Chess Pieces while balancing his desire to return home.

''MÄR Omega''

Set six years after ''MÄR'', the story follows Kai, adoptive son of an ÄRM smith, who dreams of wielding an ÄRM despite lacking magical ability. His inherited magic stone hints at lineage to Caldia, the sorcerer kingdom where all ÄRMs originate. When attacked by Chess Piece remnants, Kai discovers he can activate the sentient ÄRM Babbo, defying expectations. This draws attention from mysterious forces using "Fake ÄRMs"—magicless artifacts that drain users' life energy.

With allies Alviss and Elise, Kai travels to Caldia where the Grand Elder reveals Fake ÄRMs were created 300 years prior by dark magician Unwetter, whom Babbo (then Caldia's Elder) defeated at the cost of his life, transferring his soul into an ÄRM. When Fake ÄRM users assault Caldia, Kai awakens immense latent magic, proving his blood relation to Babbo. Joined by Inga, a descendant of Unwetter, the group embarks to recover Babbo's memory stones and confront the resurgent threat.

Characters

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:A second-year student who yearns for a fairy-tale world. Transported unexpectedly to MÄR Heaven, Ginta is an optimistic but impulsive boy who searches for a way home. After encountering the rare talking ÄRM Babbo, he journeys across MÄR Heaven and witnesses conflicts caused by the militant Chess Pieces. He forms Team MÄR with fellow travelers to oppose them, ultimately joining the War Games to confront their leader, Phantom.
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:Princess Snow, heir to Lestava in MÄR Heaven, is Koyuki's counterpart and Dorothy's step-niece. Her fragile appearance belies her fierce combat skills, known only to close allies. She fights using Ice ÄRM and develops strong feelings for Ginta. After fleeing her stepmother's assassination plot with Edward, she seals herself in ice, ordering him to return with a Fire ÄRM. Years later, Ginta melts the ice, freeing her, and their accidental kiss marks their first.
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:A sentient, mustachioed ÄRM resembling a , sealed inside a treasure chest. With no memory of his past, he joins Ginta to recover his identity. Capable of six transformations, he maintains a gentlemanly demeanor.
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:A Cross Guard member who summoned Ginta to MÄR Heaven. Cursed with Zombie Tattoo by Phantom during the First MÄR Heaven War, he harbors intense hatred toward the Chess Pieces' commander while fighting alongside Team MÄR.
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:A farmer from Badurika Island] who wields the earth-controlling Battle Shovel. After Ginta saves his crops from bandits, he joins the journey as Ginta's closest friend.
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:The 16-year-old princess of Caldea, a powerful witch and younger sister of Diana, the former princess. As Snow's step-aunt, she is bound by Caldea's laws to stop Diana's actions. A collector of rare ÄRM, she favors Guardian and Wind-types in battle. Her demeanor shifts between gentle and merciless, showing no hesitation in eliminating foes. She develops a strong infatuation with Ginta, often showering him with affection, which frustrates Snow.
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:The amnesiac leader of the Rubelia Thieves Guild, nicknamed "Nanashi" ("Nameless"). A flirtatious yet chivalrous fighter who wields lightning-based ÄRM such as Electric Eye.
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:Alan, a veteran of the previous MÄR-Heaven War, fought Halloween to a draw despite their former friendship. Cursed into Snow's guardian dog Edward, he required dangerous sleep cycles to transform until Ginta permanently separated them. This left him with a fear of cats.
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:Diana, a noble witch from Caldia, trains her sister Dorothy in magic and creates dolls. Driven by greed, she betrays Caldia, freeing Phantom and stealing 798 magical ÄRMs, including Babbo. After becoming the Queen of Lestava, she gains Snow's affection while secretly leading the Chess Pieces as their Queen, granting Phantom immortality with a Zombie Tattoo. She manipulates events from the shadows, waging war to conquer both MÄR Heaven and Ginta's world. When she captures Snow to further her plans, Dorothy confronts and kills her, though Diana briefly regains her true self before dying.
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:The undead commander of the Chess Pieces' elite Zodiac unit. Killed in the First MÄR Heaven War, he was resurrected through Zombie Tattoo, becoming a living corpse.

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Nobuyuki Anzai, ''MÄR'' was serialized in Shogakukan's manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday'' from January 7, 2003, to July 5, 2006. Shogakukan collected its chapters in 15 volumes released from May 17, 2003, to August 11, 2006.

In North America, the series was licensed for an English language release by Viz Media. The 15 volumes were released from May 3, 2005, to September 18, 2007.

A sequel titled ''MÄR Omega'', written by Anzai but illustrated by Kōichirō Hoshino, was published in ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday'' from August 30, 2006, to June 13, 2007. Its chapters were collected in four volumes published from December 16, 2006, to August 10, 2007.

Volumes

=''MÄR''

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=''MÄR Omega''

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Anime

A 102-episode anime television series adaptation, titled , produced by SynergySP, was broadcast on TV Tokyo and aired on Cartoon Network's online broadband service Toonami Jetstream in July 2006, and the series premiered on their television programming block Toonami, on December 23, 2006. It also premiered in Canada on YTV channel on June 1, 2007. Viz Media began releasing the series to DVD on June 12, 2007, with each disc containing 4 episodes. Four volumes were released before Viz delisted the series in favor of other titles. In June 2011, the first 52 episodes were available on Netflix's Instant streaming service.

Video games

Notes

References

External links

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{{SynergySP

Adventure anime and manga
Comedy anime and manga
Konami franchises
Shogakukan manga
Shogakukan franchises
Shōnen manga
Supernatural anime and manga
TV Tokyo original programming
Viz Media anime
Viz Media manga