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ウルトラマニアック [Ultra Maniac] #3
Ultra Maniac, Vol. 03
But being a witch-in-training isn't as easy (or fun) as it seems. In fact, it's sort of a pain in the neck. There are secrets to keep, all kinds of tricky magical stuff to remember and never-ending catastrophes to sidestep. Nina may be sweet, but she's got a lot to learn. Thank goodness one of her schoolteachers is an emigre from the Magic Kingdom. Two witches are better than one, right? Well...maybe not.
184 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
11 people are currently reading
440 people want to read
About the author
Wataru Yoshizumi
193 books314 followersWataru Yoshizumi (吉住渉) is a Japanese mangaka. She was born as Mari Nakai (中井 真里, Nakai Mari) on June 18, 1963 in Tokyo, Japan. She graduated with a degree in economics from Hitotsubashi University.
Yoshizumi started her career as a mangaka while working as an office lady. Her debut manga was a yomikiri (short story) called "Radical Romance" that was published in 1984, in the summer issue of Ribon Original. She is known as a social mangaka, and is a good friend of fellow mangakas Naoko Takeuchi, Ai Yazawa, Miho Obana, and Megumi Mizusawa.
Yoshizumi currently (as of 2007) has her works published in both Ribon and Chorus.
Yoshizumi started her career as a mangaka while working as an office lady. Her debut manga was a yomikiri (short story) called "Radical Romance" that was published in 1984, in the summer issue of Ribon Original. She is known as a social mangaka, and is a good friend of fellow mangakas Naoko Takeuchi, Ai Yazawa, Miho Obana, and Megumi Mizusawa.
Yoshizumi currently (as of 2007) has her works published in both Ribon and Chorus.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
February 19, 2019
Este tomo me ha gustado una mijita menos, porque entra la trama en materia y se hace menos divertido. Pero aún así está siendo muy guay recordarlo. El personaje de Nina es demasiado amor <3
May 7, 2012
There's some real conflict here, as well as the romance subplots from before. And a good deal more magic, too. I really like this cast of characters, and the relationships that are developing. Pretty art, too.
August 16, 2020
Cute cute cuuuute.
October 31, 2019
Volume three of Ultra Maniac was actually pretty fun. The original arc of Ayu and her crush Tetsushi getting together is done and the narrative focuses now on their going steady while also focusing on Nina and Yuto (Nina's childhood friend from the Magic Kingdom) moving towards young love as well. The friendship of all of these characters is a very important part of the story in this volume.
Since this is such a short series at only five volumes, it is to be expected that the stories will either drag a bit over the entire course of the manga, or else be shorter and move along to different plots. The mangaka, Wataru Yoshizumi, chose to have a succession of plots.
The new one is the aforementioned relationship dynamics of Nina, Yuto, (also Hiroki, Tetsushi's friend), but also a new plot. Someone is sending mean letters to Nina, telling her to leave. I know from spoilers who it is, but even before the letters showed up, I knew someone was going to be hostile, which caused me to look online and find the mentioned spoilers. Wataru doesn't leave it to the imagination, and gives obvious visual clues. That is fine for this type of story. It isn't some actual "magical girl" series, but a school romantic comedy/slice of life series, with some magical/fantasy elements involved for fun.
There isn't much I didn't like. I admit that the somewhat mundane plot and some of the character designs might not be everyone's cup of tea, but for me it was fun. Interestingly enough, the character designs were admitted by the authoress herself to be unrealistic for the age group of the protagonists, and then in this volume she kinda shows the girls magically looking like adults and had them look different. It was kinda a nice bit of a way to show that they are teen girls. It is helped that in Japan, most seventh graders are thirteen on average, so someone being fourteen before they end that grade isn't unheard of. So while the designs are a bit older looking, they are not as bad as some in the US might take it where seventh graders are an average of 1 to 2 years younger at the time.
The above extended commentary isn't important per se, just something I thought was neat. :D I like little factoids like that.
Anyways, I do encourage others to try out this series and look forward to the last two volumes at some future date (I like to vary up my manga reading a lot).
Since this is such a short series at only five volumes, it is to be expected that the stories will either drag a bit over the entire course of the manga, or else be shorter and move along to different plots. The mangaka, Wataru Yoshizumi, chose to have a succession of plots.
The new one is the aforementioned relationship dynamics of Nina, Yuto, (also Hiroki, Tetsushi's friend), but also a new plot. Someone is sending mean letters to Nina, telling her to leave. I know from spoilers who it is, but even before the letters showed up, I knew someone was going to be hostile, which caused me to look online and find the mentioned spoilers. Wataru doesn't leave it to the imagination, and gives obvious visual clues. That is fine for this type of story. It isn't some actual "magical girl" series, but a school romantic comedy/slice of life series, with some magical/fantasy elements involved for fun.
There isn't much I didn't like. I admit that the somewhat mundane plot and some of the character designs might not be everyone's cup of tea, but for me it was fun. Interestingly enough, the character designs were admitted by the authoress herself to be unrealistic for the age group of the protagonists, and then in this volume she kinda shows the girls magically looking like adults and had them look different. It was kinda a nice bit of a way to show that they are teen girls. It is helped that in Japan, most seventh graders are thirteen on average, so someone being fourteen before they end that grade isn't unheard of. So while the designs are a bit older looking, they are not as bad as some in the US might take it where seventh graders are an average of 1 to 2 years younger at the time.
The above extended commentary isn't important per se, just something I thought was neat. :D I like little factoids like that.
Anyways, I do encourage others to try out this series and look forward to the last two volumes at some future date (I like to vary up my manga reading a lot).
March 28, 2008
The best one yet, I cannot WAIT until I get the 4th & 5th one!
July 25, 2015
Wow : ) I really enjoyed this volume and have been enjoying this manga series, so good & funny too! I definitely recommend it! : ) can't wait to read volume 4 : )
May 26, 2016
Cute yet again and now there are some new characters and conflicts...
October 24, 2016
The story is getting even more interesting!! I'm excited to find out that there is an Anime version!! I can't wait to watch it once I'm finished with the series!
October 26, 2025
Review for the complete series
Ayu is regarded as the cool girl at school - an image she'd like to maintain. But once she meets the bumbling exchange student Nina, she seems to stumble from one embarrassing incident to the next. Not only is Nina clumsy, but she also turns out to be a witch! One missed spell leads to another and soon Ayu's school life is in chaos.
Ultra Maniac is the only fantasy story this author has written so far. And it's a shame too! This author likes adding some crazy things to her stories which I always find hard to swallow. Adding magic to the story is a simple but clean way to deal with that issue - this was one of her few works where I did not feel as though I had to ignore my disbelief.
Ayu and Nina are both great characters. Nina was particularly cute and the way she always wants to help people is very loveable. I loved how their friendship developed. Ayu was quite stand-offish in the beginning and one can see how she grows to really care about Nina throughout the story - even to the point of giving up something that is dear to her for the sake of her friend.
While the author did a great job with portraying their friendship, I found the romance less convincing. I actually liked that romance took a backseat and that the main focus was on the friendship and magic. Nonetheless, I wish the romance was handled differently. It starts off quite nice and natural - I like how the characters slowly notice each other rather than falling in love too fast. But while the romance was really slow during the first few volumes, it turned fast very suddenly in the final volume. I could see the romance budding, but then it just took off like a rocket and I found it hard to comprehend.
Seeing as the romance was really not the main point, though, I can't complain too much. The magic system was never explored all that much, I think it would have been nice to know a little more about the Magic Kingdom. The comedy is much in the style of Yoshizumi and very enjoyable - the art is also adorable and just nice to look at!
January 16, 2026
Leído en japonés. Uf a ver, me encantan el humor y los gags y sobre todo las expresiones de sorpresa, y el ritmo de este tomo sigue siendo tan bueno como el de los dos anteriores, pero... Hacia el final aparece un nuevo personaje (muy Yoshizumi Wataru, eso de ir presentando personajes nuevos en cada tomo) que en teoría es adulto pero que en realidad es inmaduro y se da una situación que ha envejecido MUY mal (spoilers a continuación: ). Pero en fin, han pasado más de 20 años desde la publicación, hay que contextualizar. Por lo demás, sigo con muchas ganas de saber qué pasara en los siguientes dos tomos.
February 25, 2018
Smacked right in the middle of the series with the third of five digests, volume three of "Ultra Maniac" stirs things up with a bit of drama by adding two new central characters to set the plot in motion. Gratefully, the drama building up does not equate to that of in American television.
As I've mentioned in my reviews for volume one and two, the quality and tone of this manga stays consistent throughout the series. The lightheartedness of the story doesn't deter even when conflict is created. For anyone who was on board with the series from the start, this issue will continue the interest.
As I've mentioned in my reviews for volume one and two, the quality and tone of this manga stays consistent throughout the series. The lightheartedness of the story doesn't deter even when conflict is created. For anyone who was on board with the series from the start, this issue will continue the interest.
June 7, 2017
3 STARS
If you'd like to see my review on the entire series, please check out my reviews on Ultra Maniac, Vol. 01 or Ultra Maniac, Vol. 05
If you'd like to see my review on the entire series, please check out my reviews on Ultra Maniac, Vol. 01 or Ultra Maniac, Vol. 05
December 4, 2018
I think that over time as this story develops it gets closer to what I've wanted to see from it. and I enjoyed the unexpected portions of the story that in the long run did make the book flow pretty well.
June 15, 2023
Another super cute installment. Yuta's feelings for Nina, the fireworks festival, Mito showing up and immediately being excited to meet everyone - I honestly adore the slice-of-life magic that Ultra Maniac provides.
March 13, 2024
This book was great! Cute little romances! Interesting plot lines and things that went on in this book! I did quite literally laugh out loud a few times! I loved it! Great book overall! 4.25 stars! Please read this manga series!
October 1, 2025
I really love all the different characters they have, and their all awesome. The relationships and feelings are very realistic and not dragged out forever. I remember why I loved this series and why I've kept it all these years.
March 13, 2018
magic girl romance manga
October 1, 2019
3,75/5
January 19, 2020
Kinda disappointed that Maya isn't actually part of the manga and was just created as Nina's rival in the anime.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
March 1, 2020Fun and cute. This will really appeal to my junior high class. These are really quick and easy to read. Managed to finish two in one day.
August 28, 2021
nina and yuta are so cute together, i'm so sad they're not together
i've never been so nervous about a fictional shoujo manga relationship lol oh my god
i've never been so nervous about a fictional shoujo manga relationship lol oh my god
April 7, 2023
Okay, my favorite scene of this volume- Nina tipsy doing magic in the club!!!! LOL
July 26, 2023
made in 2001 when the magical situation was all over the world cuz of Harpot lol
September 29, 2023
AAAAAAAAAAAA
10/10, me empiezo el 4 ahora mismito ehehehe
10/10, me empiezo el 4 ahora mismito ehehehe
March 6, 2024
this one's probably my fave of the bunch. Nina's adult fit is my FAVE and tbh the authors notes make me kinda sad
December 31, 2024
See Vol. 1 for review.
December 2, 2025
Je mets une note globale pour les 5 tomes.
C'est très sympa à lire. Je me suis bien attachée à Nina.
Je les avais adoré étant plus jeune.
C'est très sympa à lire. Je me suis bien attachée à Nina.
Je les avais adoré étant plus jeune.
January 20, 2018
Still loving this fluffy manga, the characters are adorable and fun. I love the art too, makes everything just as adorable.
September 20, 2015
Ultra Maniac sits on the border between children's manga and YA - packed with humor, the romance aspect is light and fun. The art is gorgeous and fits well with the lighthearted, cutesy plot.
The third volume takes on another somewhat complex issue:
The girls go clubbing with teacher Mito, another witch from the Magic Kingdom. Though the trip flirts with disaster, there are no lasting effects: no one makes any moves on either girl, Nina gets drunk and manages to not reveal her powers, and Mito discovers her love interest's crush isn't interested in him. Overall, it's a shallow trip that serves story needs but isn't fully explored.
I wasn't in love with Ayu's comment that wearing a T-shirt on a date was a bad, and the next worse thing would be dressing like a boy. Certainly it reveals a lot about her character (and her love for fashion), but it seemed a bit mean.
By this point, this manga has transformed from a comedy to a romance with comedic (and magical) hues. It's not a bad thing; in fact, it's better to switch focus than to eke out the same jokes over and over again.
The third volume takes on another somewhat complex issue:
The girls go clubbing with teacher Mito, another witch from the Magic Kingdom. Though the trip flirts with disaster, there are no lasting effects: no one makes any moves on either girl, Nina gets drunk and manages to not reveal her powers, and Mito discovers her love interest's crush isn't interested in him. Overall, it's a shallow trip that serves story needs but isn't fully explored.
I wasn't in love with Ayu's comment that wearing a T-shirt on a date was a bad, and the next worse thing would be dressing like a boy. Certainly it reveals a lot about her character (and her love for fashion), but it seemed a bit mean.
By this point, this manga has transformed from a comedy to a romance with comedic (and magical) hues. It's not a bad thing; in fact, it's better to switch focus than to eke out the same jokes over and over again.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews