For as heavy as A Magical Girl Retires starts, what follows in Park Seolyeon’s novella, newly translated from Korean to English by Anton Hur, is a funny, fantastical, and thought-provoking trip through a whimsical alternate universe that asks: What would Earth look like if “magical girls” of the eponymous beloved genre were real?
The protagonist, a 29-year-old woman burdened by both credit card debt and little career prospects, is introduced at her absolute lowest. However, one day she’s suddenly confronted by the opportunity of a lifetime when a magical girl by the name of Roa visits her, who tells her that she’s destined to become the Magical Girl of Time. And Roa would know; every magical girl has their own unique superpower, and her talent is clairvoyance.
Rejuvenated by her destiny-granted purpose, the heroine jumps at the chance to fulfill her duty. However, the struggles of her past life do not disappear overnight. With humor and clarity, the writing of A Magical Girl Retires possesses a simple yet witty cadence that’s quick to point out the absurdism of navigating being an adult that’s marred by the rising prices of basic necessities, the slipping away of time, and the ever-increasing urgency of climate change.
Park knows her genre well and deconstructs it flawlessly. From a trade union for magical girls to a critical reflection of why women gain their powers in this setting, this story is a treat to those who are familiar with other magical girl stories of the past and present. Accompanied by illustrations for each chapter by artist Kim Sanho, it’s easy to slip into the uncannily pristine world Park paints a picture of. Through the writing of superpowers like clairvoyance and time magic, ideas about the meaning of our lives — if there is any meaning to be ascertained to begin with — are explored in comedic yet poignant detail. The cast of characters, from our well-meaning but forever-fumbling protagonist to her kindhearted-yet-distant mentor Roa, the world feels as vibrant as it does achingly realistic.
What really shines throughout Park’s story is that under the veneer of its light-hearted adventure of a woman trying to understand her new powers, there is an acute awareness of the many horrors that plague our actual world, devoid of magical girls to fight against its endless cruelties. As the stakes raise, its themes of our shared responsibility towards global justice resonated particularly strong. Through Hur’s translation, its themes of having hope in the face of insurmountable odds and systemic injustice still ring clear.
A Magical Girl Retires is a short, refreshing read. Its multitude dimensions offer many outlets for its readers to take delight in: for those looking to laugh, or for those who want to see something new in the magical girl genre. Its core premise is strong enough that it could easily have flourished as a full-on novel, but in its compactness it offers a touching and relevant testament to our times.
