Anime Profile: MÄR: Marchen Awakens Romance

MAR: Marchen Awakens Romance is a story revolving around 14 year old Ginta Toramizu, who dreams constantly of the Land of Marchen, a world where all of the fairy tales are true, and magic still exists. He's often picked on in school, and his own mother, a fantasy writer, even tells him that such a place does not exist. Only his best friend, Koyuki, ever listens to his dreams and encourage him in his hopes. Then one day he finds himself face to face with a creature who invites him through a gate that leads to the land he's only dreamed of! Delighted at the idea, Ginta eagerly enters, and wakes up to find all of his dreams have come true. Oddly, his coming to this world has made him stronger, faster, and have an increased stamina.

Almost immediately he's found by a young woman calling herself Dorothy, who gives him his first taste of magic with her "arms". She explains that "arms" are accessories imbued with magical properties and can be used as weapons, guardians, transportation, etc. She offers him an "arm" in exchange for his help in retrieving the mysterious "arm" Babbo, which had been sealed away for 6 years.

When they find Babbo, they learn that not only is he the first living "arm" Dorothy has ever seen, but also that he's so heavy, no one but Ginta can carry him! Dorothy lets Ginta keep the cup-and-ball shaped "arm" before leaving them, though Babbo refuses to travel with him. Babbo has lost all of his memories, and wants only to find out about his past. Ginta offers to come along, and finally after certain events, Babbo agrees to stay with Ginta. Babbo considers himself to be a gentleman, which sometimes makes him easy to manipulate.

Ginta and Babbo run across a boy farmer with an amazing green thumb (he can grow vegetables overnight!) named Jack. After Ginta and Babbo save Jack and his mother from a pair of werewolves, Jack agrees to travel with Ginta and return the favor. Along the way, they meet a boy named Alviss who explains that HE was the one who summoned Ginta into this world, that Alviss calls "MAR Heaven". He explains that six years ago, there was a great war, where a group of villains, using powerful "arms" tried to take over the world. They were finally stopped when an "other-worlder" like Ginta finally defeated the leader of the group, named Phantom. The group was called the "Chess Pieces", and after Phantom's defeat, they were spread over the world, and Phantom's weapon was sealed away.

Now Alviss wants Ginta to go against the reviving "Chess Pieces" and save MAR Heaven, something that Ginta's only too happy to do! Making new friends along the way, and reuniting with old ones, Ginta, Babbo, and Jack work hard in order to save all of MAR Heaven from the "Chess Pieces" and somehow, find a way for Ginta to return home! If he can survive a battle that resulted in the death of the last "other-worlder"....

Marchen is a German word meaning "fairy tale".

Ginta Toramizu is a junior high student who often fantasizes about a land known as Mar Heaven. One day, he is mysteriously summoned to Mar Heaven by a door that appeared in his classroom. When there, he learns of powerful weapons known as Arms, a special device that was created by magic and gives the user a special ability from a witch named Dorothy.

After Dorothy saw his strength and that he had no Arms, she decided to take him with her to find the rare Arm Babbo. With the companions and friends that he meets during his travels, the group seeks to destroy Chess, a faction which is determined to bring about Mar Heaven's Ultimate Demise for reasons unknown.