Magical Land

Osaka reading about Magical Land.

Magical Land (マジカルランド Majikaru Rando) is a theme park that appears in the world of Azumanga Daioh. The attractions of Magical Land are largely unknown, though it is famous for a roller coaster that is supposed to be very frightening and make everyone cry when they get off it. The theme park is very popular, as shown by the length of the waiting lines (for some of the rides you have to wait over 50 minutes). The theme park opened in May 2000. In the anime, the girls have to ride the train to get there.

History

Year 2

A photo of Osaka, Kagura, Chiyo, Sakaki, and Tomo at Magical Land that Tomo showed Yomi to annoy her.

Yomi reading the theme park guide (Azumanga Daioh Puzzle Bobble artwork).

The girls first heard of Magical Land through reading a theme park guide during their second year of high school. Tomo and Chiyo were both excited about going there, though Yomi did not seem to care. However, she was in fact more enthusiastic than anyone else, as shown when she gets home and reads a book called Magical Land 2000 Complete Guide that she bought for herself. Unfortunately, Yomi caught a fever and was unable to go, though Tomo convinced the others (inaccurately) that what Yomi would have wanted was for all of them to go without her and have fun anyway. In the anime, Kagura was with them, while in the original manga she was not since she had not yet become a close friend of the others.

Year 3

Following the college entrance exams, Chiyo suggests that the girls all go to Magical Land again since Yomi couldn't come the first time. Upon the insistence of Yomi, it was decided that they would go after she got back her results (she was the last one to get accepted into college), even though Tomo argued that it would be better to go before since Yomi would probably bring everybody down if she failed, which made Yomi angry. More specifically, the girls went to the amusement park on the same day that Yomi would get her results back. Thankfully for everyone, Yomi got accepted, and thus they could all go together without Yomi's fate hanging over their heads. It is mentioned in the anime that a new ride has now been built.

Mascot

Yomi's souvenir.

The mascot of Magical Land, as seen in the anime version, is a light-coloured cat with a party hat or wizard hat on its head, holding a rod in its hand. In the anime, Yomi got a souvenir from the others in the shape of a snow globe featuring the mascot standing on a pile of snow. The mascot also appears on other official Magical Land merchandise.

Trivia

• The park is obviously based on Disneyland (more specifically, Tokyo Disneyland) since a castle and a mountain similar to the Matterhorn (a ride not found at Tokyo Disneyland or any Disney park besides the original Disneyland) appear in the theme park guide.