Magical Taruruto (まじかる☆タルるートくん), also known as Magical Taluluto, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tatsuya Egawa. It was serialized in Shueisha's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from November 1988 to September 1992, with its chapters collected in 21 volumes. The manga was published digitally in North America by Manga Planet in 2020. An 87-episode anime television series adaptation animated by Toei Animation, was broadcast on TV Asahi from September 1990 to May 1992. Three feature anime films along with several video games based on the anime were released from 1991 to 1992. By November 2020, the manga had over 12.6 million copies in circulation.

Premise

In Tokyo, there lived an outcast fifth grader named Honmaru Edojo who is a naughty youngster and one of the most trodden-upon losers in his class. He is in love with a smart and pretty girl in his class named Iyona Kawaii, but is frequently humiliated in front of her thanks to the school's bully, Jabao Jaba, his companion Korekiyo Ryouguchiya and Iyona's mean-spirited friend, Rui Ijigawa. After a bad day at school and since almost everyone in town hates him for who he is, his misery and negative emotions reach its peak and nearly took its toll on him until he accidentally summons the great wizard, Taruruto. Since becoming friends, Taruruto uses his magical powers to help Honmaru deal with all his hardships and other challenges. Later conflicts arise when new students like the narcissistic egotist Tsutomu Harako, and much later the troubled twins, Neeyo and Neezo Zakenja all transfer to Honmaru's school, all while the dark wizard Rivar attempts to eradicate Taruruto to divert the attention of fellow young wizard, Mimora, who is madly in love in Taruruto.

Characters

Main characters

Supporting characters

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Tatsuya Egawa, Magical Taruruto was serialized in Shueisha's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from November 14, 1988, to September 21, 1992. Shueisha collected its chapters in 21 volumes, released from July 15, 1989, to March 9, 1993. In July 2020, Manga Planet announced that they had licensed the series for an English digital release on its platform, starting on August 7 of that same year.

Anime

An 87-episode anime television series adaptation, produced by Toei, Asahi Broadcasting Corporation, and Asatsu and animated by Toei Animation, was broadcast on TV Asahi from September 2, 1990, to May 10, 1992.

Films

Three anime films were released. The first one premiered on March 9, 1991; the second one, Magical Taluluto: Magic Battle of the Friendship (まじかる★タルるートくん 燃えろ!友情の魔法大戦), premiered on July 20 of that same year; and the third one, Magical Taluluto: My Favorite Takoyaki (まじかる★タルるートくん すき・すき▼*タコ焼きっ!) premiered on March 7, 1992.

Video games

During the series' run, multiple video games based on the Magical Taruruto series were released in the early 1990s. These include games for the Famicom, Super Famicom, Game Boy, Mega Drive, and Game Gear. The series was also represented in some cross-over games like Famicom Jump II: Saikyō no Shichinin, and Cult Jump.

Reception

By November 2020, the manga had over 12.6 million copies in circulation.