Hikaru Shidou is a week away from graduating from junior high- but with her best friends Fuu and Umi set to move away and attend different high schools, the future is anything but bright. Desperate to avoid their upcoming separation, the three friends make a wish to stay together under what is said to be an enchanted cherry blossom tree.

As it turns out, Mokona, the fairy of the tree, grants their wish- if not quite in the way they intended. First Hikaru gains a mysterious Ovum jewel, and with it, the power of the fire deity Lexus, whilst Fuu and Umi learn that they are due jewels and deities of their own. And the girls soon realise that they must master these new powers quickly, for along with priest Clef, they are now the first and only line of defence against the invading forces of Cephiro, a world from another dimension.

A remake of the first Magic Knight Rayearth TV series, the Rayearth OVA attempts to distil the essentials from 20 episodes’ worth of material into just under two and a half hours. As with any condensed retelling of this type, the result is something of a mixed bag. The basic idea of ‘teenagers acquiring special powers and fighting to save the world’ won’t faze the average anime fan, but beyond being an excuse for some suitably flashy action scenes, the story does a falter a little when it attempts to give us some background. Without time for an extensive look at the motivations behind Cephiro’s invasion, the OVA instead settles for large chunks of exposition that confuse more than they clarify, at least on first viewing.

Similarly, aside from the three leads, the cast do not receive much in the way of development. From what we get to see of them, the characters look like a potentially interesting bunch, but sadly their onscreen time is limited to helping or hindering the three girls as the storyline demands. Fortunately, Hikaru, Fuu and Umi are at least given some depth, as we not only learn how the three met and came to be such good friends, but also see them grow and mature in the face of the unexpected situation that has been thrust upon them.

Fortunately, it isn’t all bad news, for once the action gets into full swing it is easy to forget Rayearth’s other flaws. The animal deities on both sides not only imbue their allies with elemental powers, but can also take on the form of a giant robot, resulting in a series of battles that combine the special attacks of the magical girl genre with the titanic one-on-one conflicts more often seen in mecha series.

Rayearth also makes a strong showing in the visual department. Compared to the TV series, the characters have been given a makeover that results in some top notch designs, whilst the settings and battle sequences are equally impressive. The vibrant colours, coupled with an atmospheric soundtrack, add an extra depth to the action that will help keep you glued to the screen despite the more underwhelming elements.

In Summary

The transition from TV series to OVA or movie is rarely a smooth one, and Rayearth is a prime example of what happens when the events of a full series are compressed into the space of a few hours. Somewhat lacking in the areas of story and character development, Rayearth manages to compensate somewhat with gorgeous visuals and well-choreographed action scenes, making for a serviceable if not outstanding feature overall.