Mahō Shōjo Pretty Sammy: Part 2 – In the Julyhelm

Mahō Shōjo Pretty Sammy: Part 2 – In the Julyhelm is a Japanese-style adventure game that continues the story of the Magical Girl Pretty Sammy anime. Released in 1996, it features two concluding episodes with gameplay identical to its predecessor, offering limited actions like talk, look, and think at each location, and occasional turn-based battles.

Mahō Shōjo Pretty Sammy: Part 2 – In the Julyhelm: Review

Introduction

In the kaleidoscopic landscape of 1990s anime adaptations, Mahō Shōjo Pretty Sammy: Part 2 – In the Julyhelm stands as a curatorial time capsule—a digital continuation of the magical girl spin-off from the Tenchi Muyo! universe. Released in February 1996 on the NEC PC-98 and later ported to Windows and Sony PlayStation in 1997, this visual novel serves as the dramatic conclusion to the narrative begun in its predecessor. As a game born from the pen of animation studio AIC Spirits—the same minds behind the original anime—it carries the DNA of its source material: a blend of saccharine magical-girl tropes, meta-humor, and the chaotic interdimensional politics that defined the Tenchi franchise. This review posits that while In the Julyhelm rarely transcends the limitations of its era or genre, it achieves a rare feat: translating the essence of a beloved animated series into an interactive format with unwavering fidelity, creating an experience that is both nostalgically charming and mechanically archetypal.

Development History & Context

In the Julyhelm emerged from the crucible of mid-90s anime-game crossovers, an era where licensed properties flooded Japanese PC and console markets. Developer AIC Spirits, the animation studio directly responsible for the Pretty Sammy OVA series, spearheaded the project, ensuring a level of creative continuity rare for adaptations. The team’s vision was unambiguous: to distill the remaining two episodes of the anime into a playable narrative, prioritizing authenticity over innovation. Technologically, the game was a product of its platforms. The PC-98 version, released first, operated within the constraints of aging hardware (16-color palette, limited audio), forcing the team to rely on static, flip-screen visuals and simple sound design. The 1997 PlayStation port, however, leveraged CD-ROM technology to deliver full voice acting from the original Japanese cast—including Chisa Yokoyama as Sasami/Tsunami and Rumi Kasahara as Misao—alongside enhanced sprite work and smoother transitions. This duality underscores a common challenge of the era: bridging the gap between burgeoning console capabilities and established PC adventure conventions. In 1996, the Japanese gaming landscape was dominated by point-and-click adventures and early visual novels, with titles like YU-NO: A Girl who Chants Love at the Bound of this World defining the genre. In the Julyhelm entered this milieu as a straightforward, anime-centric offering, eschewing the complex narratives of its contemporaries for a focus on character-driven comedy and episodic storytelling.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

The game’s narrative is a tightly scripted four-act play, with Part 2 covering the climactic third and fourth episodes: “Friends” and “Leave it to Sammy!” The plot revolves around Sasami’s dual life as an ordinary schoolgirl and Pretty Sammy, the magically appointed savior of Juraihelm’s Earth. Ramia, the spoiled crown princess of rival planet Julyhelm, orchestrates a campaign of sabotage to frame Sammy for chaos—planting evidence, manipulating bystanders, and unleashing grotesque magical constructs like “Black Sammy,” a shadow doppelgänger representing Sammy’s repressed anger. This conflict is deeply rooted in the Tenchi Muyo! multiverse, with cameos from Tenchi, Ryoko, Ayeka, and the Galaxy Police (Mihoshi and Kiyone) grounding the story in familiar territory. The dialogue oscillates between broad slapstick—Misao’s frantic exasperation, Ryo-Ohki’s cabbit chirps—and surprisingly poignant moments, as Sammy grapples with the moral weight of her power. Thematically, the game interrogates responsibility and friendship. Sammy’s mantra—”Leave it to Sammy!”—becomes a double-edged sword, reflecting both her confidence and the unsustainable pressure of heroism. Ramia’s jealousy, meanwhile, serves as a critique of imperial entitlement, while the “Mysterious Person from Hong Kong” (voiced by the veteran Takeshi Aono) introduces a subplot of corporate espionage, subtly satirizing globalization. The narrative’s strength lies in its adherence to the anime’s tone: never taking its magical-girl premise too seriously, even as it explores Sasami’s growth from a reluctant heroine to a confident leader.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

As a visual novel, In the Julyhelm’s gameplay is minimalist yet purposeful. Players navigate through static scenes (e.g., Sasami’s classroom, Julyhelm’s crystalline palace) by selecting from a limited set of actions: Talk, Look, Think, or Use. Each location offers a finite number of these interactions, and once exhausted, the story advances automatically—a design choice that streamlines pacing but eliminates meaningful agency. This “action point” system, reminiscent of early Sierra adventures, transforms exploration into a scavenger hunt for narrative triggers. Combat, when it occurs, is rudimentary turn-based fare. Players command Pretty Sammy’s magical arsenal—like the “Love-Love Beam” or “Starlight Attack”—against Ramia’s minions, with strategy limited to basic attack/defense choices. Character progression is nonexistent; the game is a linear corridor with no branching paths or multiple endings. The PlayStation version improves the PC-98’s interface with a cleaner menu system and highlighted selectable objects, but both versions suffer from a lack of interactivity. This simplicity is a double-edged sword: for fans seeking a passive story experience, it’s efficient; for gamers expecting puzzles or player-driven outcomes, it’s a letdown. The UI, while functional, feels dated even for 1996—cluttered with tiny icons and text-heavy prompts on PC-98, slightly refined but still utilitarian on PlayStation.

World-Building, Art & Sound

In the Julyhelm excels in its faithful recreation of the Pretty Sammy universe, a realm where magical girl aesthetics collide with sci-fi absurdity. Juraihelm’s celestial bureaucracy and Julyhelm’s neon-drenched, cyberpunk-inspired cities are rendered with vibrant, hand-painted backdrops that capture the anime’s whimsical art style. Character sprites, though small, are expressive, with Sasami’s wide-eyed innocence and Ramia’s haughty sneers instantly recognizable. The PlayStation version’s sprite work is notably sharper, with smoother animations for spell-casting transformations—a visual treat for the era. Sound design reinforces the game’s identity: the PC-98’s synthesized chimes and beeps evoke retro charm, while the PlayStation port’s CD-quality audio delivers the original voice cast’s performances, lending scenes like Sammy’s confrontations with Ramia an emotional authenticity. Composer Hiroki Kikuta’s contributions (though unconfirmed in the sources) likely echo the anime’s jaunty, electronic score, blending cheerful melodies with tense battle themes. The game’s atmosphere is a masterclass in tone preservation: scenes of domestic tranquility (Sasami eating taiyaki with her family) contrast with explosive magical battles, all underscored by the same lighthearted yet earnest sensibility that defined the anime. This cohesion between art, sound, and narrative makes In the Julyhelm less a game and more an interactive episode—flawed but immersive for its target audience.

Reception & Legacy

Upon release, In the Julyhelm garnered modest attention, buoyed by its Tenchi Muyo! pedigree and the novelty of full voice acting on PlayStation. Critical reception was sparse in Western sources, but user reviews on platforms like GameFAQs praise its faithfulness to the anime, with an average “Good” rating (12 user scores) and an estimated 19-hour playtime. The game’s niche appeal—limited to Tenchi enthusiasts and magical-girl fans—prevented it from achieving mainstream success, but it carved a cult following for its charm and accessibility. Commercially, it performed adequately in Japan, capitalizing on the anime’s enduring popularity but fading quickly amid the glut of 1997 releases. Its legacy is twofold: as a historical artifact of licensed gaming, it exemplifies the era’s constraints and creative compromises; as a piece of Tenchi Muyo! media, it remains a footnote in a sprawling franchise. The game’s influence on the visual novel genre is negligible—it introduced no innovations—but it did pave the way for later Pretty Sammy titles like 1998’s Heart no Kimochi on Sega Saturn. Notably, its PlayStation port is now a collector’s item, with used copies on eBay fetching around $20, reflecting its status as a curiosity for retro gaming enthusiasts.

Conclusion

Mahō Shōjo Pretty Sammy: Part 2 – In the Julyhelm is a game of two halves: a loving tribute to its source material and a mechanically stunted relic of a bygone era. Its strengths—the faithful narrative, charismatic voice cast, and vibrant art—create an experience that resonates deeply with fans of the anime. Its weaknesses—limited interactivity, simplistic combat, and archaic design—ensure it remains a niche curiosity for broader audiences. As a historian of the medium, one cannot overlook its significance: it represents a pivotal moment when animation studios directly translated their work into games, prioritizing authenticity over engagement. While it may never rival the narrative depth of modern visual novels, its charm lies in its unapologetic adherence to its roots. For players willing to embrace its linear structure and dated systems, In the Julyhelm offers a warm, nostalgic journey back to the magical-girl boom of the 1990s—a flawed but earnest testament to the power of faithful adaptation. In the pantheon of licensed games, it stands not as a masterpiece, but as a poignant reminder of an era when passion projects, however constrained, could still capture the magic of their inspirations.