Creamy Mami 40th Anniversary: Directors Reflect on the Magic and Drama of the Classic Anime

As the sixth entry in Studio Pierrot’s beloved magical girl series, Mahou no Shimai Lulutto Lily—which began airing in April 2026—marks a triumphant return after a 28-year hiatus. It consciously channels the spirit of its 1983 predecessor, Mahou no Tenshi Creamy Mami, from its songstress heroine to its grounded storytelling. To celebrate the franchise’s enduring legacy, the 40th Anniversary Blu-ray BOX for Creamy Mami hit shelves this April, giving longtime fans a chance to revisit the series. To mark the occasion, we spoke with two key creators from the original production: chief director Kobayashi Osamu and episode director Mochizuki Tomomi.

Setting the Stage: A Racecourse and Realism

When asked about their most vivid memories of the series, Kobayashi immediately pointed to the first episode. “The original script by Itou Kazunori placed the story in a typical residential area, but since Studio Pierrot was in Koganei at the time, I thought, ‘Why not use the Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchu?'” He recalled drawing the location on-site. “Itou was delighted with the idea.”

Mochizuki, who was a young episode director at the time, admitted he was too busy to form lasting memories—but one recollection stood out: a university anime research circle sent him several doujinshi—not art books, but full-fledged research volumes. “I was surprised that college students were analyzing the show so seriously,” he said.

Character Design That Defied Expectations

Kobayashi, who began his career on the 1963 monochrome series Ookami Shounen Ken, confessed he was stunned by Takada Akemi’s character design for Creamy Mami. “I expected something like Manga Nihon Mukashibanashi or Heidi, but instead I got this very modern, stylish look. The hair colors were so vibrant—I had imagined brown, but it was far more colorful.”

Mochizuki noted that earlier magical girl shows, such as Toei’s Maho Tsukai Sally, had established a formula, but Creamy Mami broke new ground. “It wasn’t just for little girls. We focused on drama that felt real,” he said. Takada’s designs also gave the characters a rotating wardrobe, a novelty at a time when most anime characters wore the same outfit every episode.

Avoiding Anime Clichés

Mochizuki recalled Kobayashi’s key instruction before production: “This is going to be realistic. No shrugging shoulders or scratching heads—those are anime clichés. Japanese people don’t react that way in real life.” Kobayashi also emphasized smooth transitions between actions, avoiding the common practice of returning to a default pose. “Those lessons have stayed with me to this day. Without that time, I might not be here now,” Mochizuki said.

Kobayashi, modest as ever, brushed off the praise. “I had never worked on a show with a female lead before, so I left much of the episode direction to Mochizuki after setting the tone in episode one.”

Fan Reaction and a Surprising Audience

Both directors were taken aback by the series’ popularity. “Anime magazines like Animage, OUT, and Animec were dominated by Space Battleship Yamato and Mobile Suit Gundam. Seeing Creamy Mami on the cover was a shock,” Mochizuki said. Kobayashi added that fans would even wait outside the recording studio—presumably for voice actors Oota Takako (Creamy Mami) or Mizushima Yuu (Toshio). “I’d never heard of such a thing before,” Kobayashi laughed.

Product Details: 40th Anniversary Blu-ray BOX

The “Mahou no Tenshi Creamy Mami 40th Anniversary Blu-ray BOX” (Limited Edition) is currently on sale at a price of 39,600 yen (tax included). It contains 1,537 minutes of content (1,226 minutes of main episodes plus 311 minutes of bonus discs).

Included bonus discs and features:

• Disc 1: Eternal Once More (1984 OVA and TV broadcast version)
• Disc 2: Long Goodbye (1985 OVA), Lovely Serenade (1985 music clip), Curtain Call (1986 music clip), Zutto Kitto Motto (1998 music clip), Mahou no Tenshi Creamy Mami vs. Mahou no Princess Minky Momo: Gekijou no Daikessen (1985 theatrical footage), Creamy Soap (1987), non-credit OP/ED collection (1983–84), Creamy Mami no Otogibanashi (2014 picture drama), Eternal Once More theatrical trailer (2025, new), and Pierrot Magical Girl Series Anniversary Blu-ray BOX promotional PV/CM (2026, new), plus digital gallery (still images).
• Audio commentaries on selected episodes featuring cast including Oota Takako, Mizushima Yuu, Kimotsuki Kaneta, Mita Yuuko, Matsui Naoko, Shimazu Saeko, Inoue Kazuhiko, Fujiyama Fusuke, and staff including producer Nunokawa Yuuji and director Mochizuki Tomomi.
• Packaging: Special box with newly drawn illustration by Takada Akemi and inner jacket by Studio Pierrot. Published by Bandai Namco Filmworks.

Pop-Up Store Event

A special “Pierrot Magical Girl Series POP UP STORE 〜Tokimeki Photo Studio〜” will be held from June 6 to June 21, 2026, at the Shinjuku Marui Annex 2F event space. The store features a space produced by prop stylist Endou Ayumi, with newly drawn visuals of the series heroines.

Both directors ended the interview with characteristic humility. When asked for a final message to fans, Kobayashi simply said, “What can I say?” Mochizuki added with a laugh, “I was practically a beginner when I worked on the show, so I almost want to say don’t watch it! But of course, we gave it our all. I hope viewers will enjoy the series in their own way.”

Interview and text: Kegasawa Masashi

© Pierrot