Mahou no Tenshi Creamy Mami

English Title: Magical Angel Creamy Mami
Mangaka: Yuuko Kitagawa & Ito Kazunori
Pub. Date: ?
# of Vols.: 3

TV Series: 1983 (52 Episodes)
Eien no Once More (1984)
Creamy Mami vs. Minky Momo (1985)
Long Good-bye (1985)
Lovely Serenade (1985)
Adesugata Mahou no Sannin Musume (1986)
Curtain Call (1986)
Majokko Club Yoningumi - A Kuukan Kara no Alien X (1987)
Perfect Memory (1987)
Creamy Mami Memories
Mahou Series Omoide Best Ten

Morisawa Yuu, 10 years old, lives with her parents who run a little shop called Creamy Crepe. She's a happy and energetic girl out roller skating when we meet her. One day she sees a strange object in the sky and follows it. It turns out to be an ark/boat-like UFO, the Feather Star, which leaves behind two talking kittens named Posi and Nega (Positive & Negative). They give her a wand/baton and tell her to say "Pam-Pululu Pim-Pululu Pam Pim Pam" to transform into a magical form. [Note that Minky Momo is another series where the heroine gets a similar magical phrase that is made up of fun, nonsense words]. Yuu is instantly happy with her new look as an older and very feminine, pretty girl.

Little by little she tries out her new self until she's spotted by the head of Parthenon Productions who's main star is very late. He spots the transformed Yuu and ushers her onstage to sing for the audience in idol Megumi Ayase's place. Her two companions assure her not to worry as the magic will take care of her singing voice. She's asked what she goes by and she announces her name is Creamy Mami (from Creamy Crepe). She's a success and the late-arriving Megumi does not seem pleased with her new rival. Meanwhile, Toshio, Yuu's friend, has developed a crush on Creamy Mami and Yuu feeling sorry for him decides to transform again so he can see the girl he's begun to pine for. But with only a hello out of her mouth, Shingo, the President of Parthenon, whisks her away as he's been looking for her to appear on a Top 10 show. Creamy Mami is now an overnight success.

Her career will take up more of her time as a growing idol and she will also have to contend with growing feelings for Toshio. And he in turn with his for Yuu and Mami. The manga ends with a very touching farewell concert given by Mami to her fans. She asks the alien Pino Pino who gave her her magic (Nega and Posi had come from his ship, and he later gives her other magical gifts) to allow her to sing just one last song. It's very important to her. He too wishes to hear her sing, so it's fine by him before he takes back the magic she'd been given. She sings her final song and lays down her microphone, a soft smile on her face. And on leaving the stage, Toshio comes to her; he knows Yuu and Mami are the same, and the two as Yuu and Toshio embrace. Afterwards, the final page of the story shows happy photos of the main characters and one special of possibly a grown-up Yuu and Toshio walking contendly together.

Like so many shoujo, especially mahou shoujo, tales of idols like this one are concerned with dreams, wishes of the heart, and love. And I found it to be quite touching in its portrayal of these things. Yuu and Mami are very likable characters and when the time came to see Mami give her final concert, I was both saddened and happy for her, just as she must be. The simplicity yet sincerity of the artist's drawings of the final scenes brings these things out I think. I also liked the side-story of the young girl, Miya, who chooses to live within a world where time has stopped. A girl as an artist chose to draw a final world she wanted for herself, and the unicorn who uses his magic to make this possible and find he himself has fallen in love with her. This story again, while deviating from the rest of the manga, gives a special glimpse into the power of one's wishes and the effect this can have. Too, it serves as an interesting contrast to Yuu's own circumstance as she has a time limit on her powers, so even if she wanted to live within her dream as Mami forever, she could not. But perhaps meeting Miya and the unicorn who shares her existence in a dream where time has stopped, will have more to think about seeing the deeper side to magic and the dual side of magic if she is not careful with it.

I need to also note that Creamy Mami is one of the big Studio Pierrot titles and would influence other stories down the line such as the later title Fancy Lala which is heavily inspired from Mami's story.

Addition from Dave Endresak: Yuu-chan's transformation command is "Kanon" (as in the goddess Kanon - we also use the spelling "Canon" with all the various historical, religious, and accoustical/musical meanings of the term). Yuu-chan has a little purse that is circular in shape, and she keeps her magical compact inside it. The compact opens like any girl's compact, but has a miniature wand in a little slot inside it.The wand pops out when she opens the compact, turning into a full-sized wand.

Magical Companion
Posi and Nega-two alien cats

Magical Phrases
Pam-Pululu Pim-Pululu Pam Pim Pam-to transform
Pururupintanpapupam-to infuse magic into other objects

Magical Items
Magical compact
Wand
Star Tambourine