Cheeky Angel

Did You Know?

• The anime's last episode used the first opening theme 'Grand Blue' by Aiko Kitahara as its ending theme.
• Genzō Soga received his scar protecting Megumi from falling glass while she was rescuing Miki from kidnappers.

Story

At age nine, Megumi is an aggressive boy who saves a strange man from a gang of children and receives a magical book. After bleeding on it, a genie named Pierrot appears and grants his wish to become a strong man's man, but instead turns him into a woman. Megumi throws the book away and spends six years searching for it, believing that is the only way to reverse the spell.

Characters

Megumi Amatsuka is physically a very attractive female but retains masculine mannerisms and fighting abilities, attracting the 'Megu-chan Protection Club', a group of misfit admirers. Only her best friend Miki initially knows her secret, though the protection club quickly learns it. Genzō Soga is the only man who makes headway with Megumi due to his willingness to prove himself. Megumi is a tomboy who denies any affection she shows. It is later revealed she was always a girl; she wished to be a boy because Genzō once injured himself protecting her, saying it was a man's duty to protect a woman, and she wanted to protect Miki. She confesses her love to Genzō and kisses him at the end. Miki Hanakain is Megumi's childhood friend who remembers the former Megumi and tries to make her more feminine, even threatening to end their friendship if Megumi cuts her hair. Miki accepted an arranged marriage to attend the same high school as Megumi. Keiko Tanaka is a spoiled brat and Megumi's rival who suffers a superiority complex, hating Megumi because others find her more beautiful. Megu-papa, whose real name is unknown, is perverted and frequently enters Megumi's room through secret entrances. Tsubasa Amatsuka, Megumi's mother, travels worldwide for work and is rarely home.

Media

The manga was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Sunday from June 2, 1999, to August 27, 2003, and compiled into twenty tankōbon volumes by Shogakukan between September 18, 1999, and September 18, 2003. Viz Media published the English version in twenty volumes from June 16, 2004, to January 9, 2008, and digitally from May 12, 2015, to February 23, 2016; by March 2021, Viz Media no longer held the license. The 50-episode anime adaptation by TMS Entertainment, directed by Masaharu Okuwaki, aired on TV Tokyo from April 7, 2002, to March 30, 2003. Opening themes were performed by Aiko Kitahara, and ending themes by U-ka Saegusa in dB.

Reception

The manga won the 46th Shogakukan Manga Award for the shōnen category in 2001. Eduardo M. Chavez, reviewing the first volume for Anime on DVD, found protagonist Megumi entertaining and the supporting cast solid, calling the title entertaining; he praised character development in the third volume. Liann Cooper of Anime News Network described the first volume as quite funny and charming with adequate artwork and an amusing concept, though noting Megumi's situations get old, and found the second volume artistically impressive and enjoyable. Janet Crocker of Anime Fringe called the first volume enjoyable, noting its resemblance to Ranma ½ but with a highly interesting story, fast pacing, substantial fight action, and serious treatment of gender identity. Holly Ellingwood of Active Anime described the sixteenth volume as a very unusual and intriguing drama about self-acceptance with a distinct art style. J.P. Arevalo of Anime Fringe praised the anime's laugh-out-loud humor and blend of drama and comedy.