Introduction: 'Magical Play' was a series co-created by Azuma (he did the character design, some other guy directed) before Azumanga and Yotsuba&. For reasons that I cannot fathom, it was cut short after only four episodes, so this story is my attempt to flesh things out. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it – it's sort of a cross between Azumanga and Excel Saga – but you don't need to have seen it, I hope, to enjoy this story. If you like Azumanga, chances are you'll be right at home. So seriously, stick around: good times are promised.
—Incanto
The story so far: Everyone knows what it means to be a Magical Girl: the opportunity to battle evil, wear frilly costumes and most importantly, make tons and tons of cash through endorsements and diversified merchandise sales! The Magical Girl is an inspiration to preteen girls across the globe, a beacon of hope and light to all mankind. But the sad and unknown fact is that, for every Sailor Moon or Pretty Sammy, there are scores of those who didn't make it: hopefuls from across the galaxy who set their sights on earth, but in the end fell short.
This is the story you don't see. This is the story of Sweetland, the merciless proving-ground where ambition is tested, friendship is strained and souls are forged on the anvil-stone of perdition. Here, Magical Girl hopefuls battle one and other in order to collect hanamaru – stamps – and ultimately for the chance to become the Earth's next It Girl.
What is the true essence of the Magical Girl? Is it sweetness and light, goodwill and friendship? Or is it simply the desire to get ahead by any means necessary, crushing those who might stand in your way? These and other questions will be answered as the continuing story of Magical Play unfolds.
Characters:
Padudu (aged 10 or so) has come to Sweetland from her native Sea Heaven, a sort of cosmic boondocks, as a Magical Girl hopeful. She is a dead ringer for a ten-year old Tomo Takino with pink hair.
Uokichi is Padudu's friend and companion, an enormous fish that she wears as a cloak – and eats. Fortunately, no matter how much of Uokichi's flesh is consumed, it's all grown back by tomorrow morning! And it doesn't even need to be cooked, although it tastes better that way. He can't talk, buts emit a piteous groan from time to time.
Pipin (aged fourteen or so) is a slightly older, and more seasoned, Magical hopeful. She bears a grudge against Padudu ever since, on the day of Padudu's arrival, Padudu fell from the sky on top of Pipin, costing her a match and a hanamaru. For a weapon, her costume's rabbit ears connect to form a blade not unlike Darth Maul's lightsaber. Her companion is Sekine-kun, a rabbit whom she wears as a backpack. She bears the vaguest resemblance to Kaorin, especially when angry.
Myumyu (aged sixteen or so), the final member of the trio of protagonists, is a powerful, canny and beautiful Magical hopeful. She puts on a innocent demeanor to insinuate herself into Padudu's confidence, but in fact she is cold and mercenary to the core. Her partners are Kyal and Lkya, two paper-thin cats, one white and one black, that resemble Chiyo's Father. They are also her only item of clothing.
Queen Purlin is Sweetland's resident despot and Big Sister. She appears to have climbed to power over the corpses of fallen allies, and is currently keeping an eye on Myumyu as a possible threat. Her costume has a flower motif.
Zucchini Cachocarri (aged twelve or so) is Queen Purlin's incompetent flunky and whipping-boy. He doesn't really have any skills or prowess to speak of, but his devotion to his mistress is absolute: when sent to spy on Myumyu, he is so wracked with guilt for considering her attractive that like Harry Potter's Dobby, he has a tendency to bash his head repeatedly against any convenient object. When Myumyu's cats, for any number of reasons, begin to lose their grip on her body, Zucchini is prone to a nosebleed of sufficient force to launch his body into the stratosphere.
Nononon the Bully is Sweetland's resident arch-criminal, or freedom fighter, depending on one's perspective. Like Padudu, she came from Sea Haven and befriended a young Queen Purlin, but, under circumstances shrouded in mystery, Purlin betrayed her. Now she seeks revenge, or possibly something nobler. Her partner is, or at least was, a hammerhead shark. Tall, statuesque and grim, she is clearly a distant relative of Sakaki-san.
Mustard and Ketchup are the entirety of Sweetland's police department. It is implied that they were placed there after of flunking out of a Magical Girl's academy, and neither is thrilled with her lot in life, or an especially effective officer of the law. Mustard is the ditzy one; Ketchup is the longsuffering one.