AKA: Mahoujin Guru Guru the Movie: Shiawase no Pickle, Magic Circle Guru Guru the Movie: The Pickle of Happiness

Genre: Children's fantasy comedy

Length: Television series, 35 minutes

Distributor: Currently unlicensed in North America

Content Rating: 6+ (mild slapstick violence, toilet humor)

Related Series: Doki Doki Densetsu Mahoujin Guru Guru, Mahoujin Guru Guru

Also Recommended: Akazukin Chacha, Mahoujin Guru Guru

Notes: Based on the manga by Eto Hiroyuki, which ran in Shonen Gangan.

Rating:

Mahoujin Guru Guru the Movie: The Pickle of Happiness

Synopsis

Here we go again. Nike and Kukuri continue their adventures, fighting various critters, reuniting with adventuring buddies, and facing a dragon to attain the Pickle of Happiness. Oh dear.

Review

Hey, it's the Guru Guru gang, and they've gained a few levels and a few new powers!

After a quick introduction in which people new to the franchise are given a rundown of who (and what) these crazy people are, it's more of the same silly comedy action that made the original TV series fun.

You've got more wacky hijinks with Kukuri summoning more and more weird spirits, and Nike showing off his great moves (or maybe just *posing for effect*), and guest cleric Juju (from midway through the TV series) slapping things down with holy symbols. It's great fun, as long as you're familiar with the genre and don't mind just how frickin' strange the whole setup is.

Much like the TV series, the animation and other technical aspects of this movie take a back seat to the comedy and the characters. It's not to say the animation is *bad*, but it's not the primary reason to watch this movie. This is definitely a children's feature, and the movie doesn't do anything to disabuse us of that notion.

If anything, this movie is a fun romp through the Guru Guru universe that will please fans of the original TV series, serve as good setup for the second series, and even amuse those unfamiliar with either.

A silly, silly movie, made for fans of console RPGs. People unused to this sort of humor may take it down a star. — Carlos/Giancarla Ross

Recommended Audience: Same as the TV series: Good for most children. The usage of "dark" magic may not sit well with ultra-conservative audiences, but it's about on par with the modern kiddiefied versions of fairy tales and shouldn't offend most people. A few toilet humor gags here and there might startle Western parents, but overall, it should be fine for most grade-school children and up.