I'm Lauren Moss, and I was just an ordinary sixth former, until I met a magical creature named SFE, and signed a contract to become a Magical Student! That was three years ago, and I'm not exactly a shōjo anymore, but certainly not ready to grow up and give up my powers! I don't have SFE looking out for me anymore, but I'm going to do my best to defeat the yōma named 'MA' - wish me luck!

Forgive the indulgent silliness, I'm currently engaged in researching the mahō shōjo subgenre of Japanese manga and anime, and it only seems right that I kick this blog off in fitting style! This year I graduate from York St John University with a Bachelors in English Literature and Creative Writing (joint honours), and will (touch wood) begin my Masters study in English Literature at the same institution.

When I was eight or nine, the only TV show I really wanted to watch was Sailor Moon (specifically the English dub produced by DiC), and, as it was only repeated on Fox Kids at about eight o'clock on Saturday mornings, I actually tried to persuade my mother to let me quit ballet as it clashed with Sailor Moon. I was dead serious. 

And although the magical girl subgenre as a whole can seem very silly indeed, it's standing within the Japanese media is very important indeed. Shōjo in general is a driving force behind Japanese consumerism, Hello Kitty being a go to example. Pretty girls in pretty clothes are absolutely ubiquitous to Japanese popular media, and, unsurprisingly, giving those girls some magical powers has led to some of the most dynamic and fascinating texts I have personally ever explored.

So, please enjoy some more indulgent silliness, with more glitter, bows, and frills than you've ever seen in one place.