Every so often, a series arises that is undescribably cute. Such a series offers an experience that can only be described as "saccharine, only dipped in caramel and rolled in sugar." Such a show is obviously indescribeably cute, and aimed more toward younger girls than, say, the latest detective drama. Magical Meow-Meow Taruto (Taruto henceforth) proves to be just a series as it exposes the life of an average housecat with the aid of pastel visuals and adorable catgirls.

With the three episodes on the disc, the creative team set out to create a semblance of a running plot. Viewers are eased into the world of Taruto through a narrated introduction that is accompanied by stills styled like stained-glass windows. The show then switches to the present time, focusing on a cat named Taruto. Much unlike the normal world, cats in Taruto's world are short, yet cute cat-people. However, like in normal life, humans can't understand their feline friends, who have their own culture.

The episodes on the disc lead Taruto and her friends through a series of misadventures. Like most children's programs, these shows try to teach something about life, such as death or friendship. Despite the lessons taught, the show takes a lighter tone and never shies away from the use of humor, or from the super-exaggerated facial expressions that typcially accompany the genre. Hints of a larger, more important plot present themselves from time to time, but the series is obviously focused on Taruto's experiences with her cohorts at this point.

Taruto alone can cause sugar-shock in the average adult.	Not satisfied with UFO catcher plushies, this girl collects cat-people.

Taruto's characters appear to come in two prominent flavors: cute girls, and gorgeous men. The formula fits well, however, given the show's target audience and overall atmosphere. The feline characters obviously receive the most attention, with more detailed designs and aspects to set them apart from each other. However, the biggest shock is the astounding variety of feline characters that show up. Aside from the major three or four girls, many different types of catpeople make brief appearances through the disc, most of which live in the house of a prominent cat collector. The show animates smoothly in most situations, with visible choppiness being reserved for comedic moments. The show transfers fairly well, with no visible cases of artifacting, cross-coloration, or other defects.

Sadly, Taruto's musical quality is not of the same standard as its story and video. The pieces are well-performed and suit the series well. However, the score itself is ultimately forgettable. The series opening, "Kyou no Hana" by "Masami Ito" is a laid-back, acoustic song that describes Taruto's mentality fairly well. The closing theme, "Hanauta no Hareruya" is a cheerful piece performed by the lead voice actresses that is both catchy and cute. The Japanese performance features several well-known actors actresses, including Maria Yamamoto (Hand Maid May, Kare Kano) and Aya Hisakawa (Oh My Goddess!, Sailor Moon). As a result, the performance is spirited and gives the characters a great aura of personality. The English dub is mediocre at best, and individual character performances range from decent to atrocious, The audio is clear on both tracks, with no noticeable dropout or distortion.

For the debut volume, Bandai has presented a package that mixes the best of the old, a new, interesting addition. The "addition" of note is the use of alternate angles for the show's opening and closing credits. The first angle contains the series' original Japanese opening and closing credits over their appropriate scenes. The second angle contains English credits over the opening and closing sequences. The overall effect is seamless, and provides an option for purists, as well as fans that prefer the English credits.

The packaging uses the artwork featured on the Japanese release, which is a gorgeous, detailed drawing of the major feline cast. The back of the cover contains a brief description of each episode, as well as images from the series and a staff list. The insert features a shot of the cast inside of a circle of ribbon. The inside of the insert features a list of the episodes on the disc, as well as descriptions for Taruto, Charlotte, and Chitose. The main menu features Taruto as she overlooks a sunset landscape. The options are encased in small bubbles. Transition between menus is fast, and often accompanied by a short animation sequence. Aside from the textless opening, Taruto's first volume offers two "music clips." The music clips are a particularly unique extra, and feature the voice actresses, clad in their characters' costumes, as they perform songs from the show.

The first volume of Taruto sets the stage for a potentially fun experience that viewers of all ages can enjoy. However, the hints of yet to come could set the series apart from the leagues of cut-and-dry series on the market.

Distributor: Bandai
Creator: Kaishaku
Released: 2001

Video Quality: A-
Audio Quality: A-
Presentation: B
Content: B-
Overall: B