is a Japanese anime series by Toei Animation. The story is loosely based on the 1837 Hans Christian Andersen tale "The Little Mermaid". It was broadcast from 1970 to 1971 on Nippon Educational TV (NET), later rebranded as TV Asahi.
Maco has been dubbed in Italian, French, Spanish and Korean.
Plot Maco is a young mermaid princess who longs for the forbidden human world. One night, she disobeys her father and visits the surface, where she falls in love with a handsome man aboard on a cruise ship. When an underwater earthquake causes the ship to sink, Maco rescues the man and brings him to shore. After visiting the sea witch, Maco transforms into a human girl and begins her new life in Yokohama.
Main characters
Maco is the 15-year-old daughter of the Dragon King who yearns for the human world. After becoming a human, she is adopted by an old man named Urashima and attends Karatachi Academy in Yokohama. Maco's parents give her a magical pendant called the "Life of a Mermaid". She wants to find Akira.
The Italian dub changes her name to "Ginny Masten".
Papa is a Dragon King himself and also a Maco's father. He is able to assume a human form and appear on Earth so he can help Maco. He often lets his daughter do her own things but is stern, particularly with Maco's use of her magical pendant and the etiquette she should follow. Later on in the series, he is reprimanded by God for allowing Maco to live in the human realm.
Mama is Maco's mother. She also contemplated becoming human when she was Maco's age.
Obaba is the sea hag who tells Maco on how to become a human.
Unlike Maco, most of them are content with their lives under the sea. One of her sisters explores the surface and is captured by a young man.
Mr. Urashima is an old zoologist who found an unconscious Maco on the beach. He eventually takes her in as his adoptive granddaughter. While very stern, he cares deeply for Maco. His real daughter died at sea many years ago. His surname likely comes from Urashima Tarō.
The Italian dub changes his name to "Savio Masten".
Akira is a young man that Maco saved from a shipwreck. Akira is a drifter who does odd jobs, so he and Maco do not cross paths very often. He is waiting to meet the person who saved him that fateful night. In the original series proposal, his name was "Shinichi", which was used for the Spanish dub. He is modeled after Ken Takakura.
The Italian dub changes his name to "Alex".
Taro is Jiro's identical twin brother and is more realist of the two.
The Italian dub changes his name to "Ghiri".
Jiro is the other twin who lives next door to Maco and Mr. Urashima.
The Italian dub changes his name to "Goro".
Maco's classmate, Haruko becomes her closest friend there and she loves jewelry.
The Italian dub changes her name to "Camilla".
The gang leader of Karatachi Academy, Bancho is in love with Maco. His real surname is Matsubashi. He has an older sister who has remarried at least once.
The Italian dub changes his name to "Tozzetto".
Senkichi is Bancho's friend and lieutenant.
The Italian dub changes his name to "Grissino".
Tomiko is a rich girl at school. Her mother is president of Karatachi's PTA, hence her arrogance. Tomiko falls in love with Akira, which sparks a rivalry with Maco. Although she initially hates Maco and torments her, they eventually become friendly.
The Italian dub changes her name to "Vanilla Thomas".
Principal Principal of Karatachi Academy, she is strict with the students, especially Maco, and often ingratiates herself to Mrs. Tomita in order to keep her donations to the school flowing.
Dabagon is Maco's homeroom teacher, but unlike the principal, he does not submit to Mrs. Tomita's demands.
The Italian dub changes his name to "Mr. Pizzetti".
Tomiko's mother, she is the head of Karatachi's PTA and abuses her wealth to control the school.
Taro and Jiro's mother, she raises and educates her sons in a very strict manner.
Taro and Jiro's subdued father.
Supporting characters
Kaoru is a little girl who befriends Akira on the Fukuyonmaru/Sea Paradise ship. She is later called "Naomi" and "Ayumi". In the Spanish dub she is called "Kaoru" and "Midori". She appears in episodes 1 and 6. The Italian dub changes her name to "Gloria".
Kaoru's father is a wealthy hotel manager whom Akira had saved during the shipwreck. He later employs Akira to help his daughter get over her fear of the ocean. Ultimately, his lack of compassion drives Akira away. He appears in episodes 1 and 6.
Mizuguchi and Ryuuko are two con artists who pretend to be Maco's parents. They appear in episode 2.
Hiroshi is a young man who recently escaped from a juvenile facility in South Korea. He takes Maco and the twins hostage. He appears in episode 4.
Maco is Hiroshi's younger sister and she appears in episode 4.
Yoko is a little girl who sells flowers while her mother is sick. She appears in episode 7. The Italian dub changes her name to "Giuppy".
Santa Claus takes the form of an unhoused man. He appears in episode 8.
Jim is a black man who is falsely accused of a crime. Maco tries to restore his faith and urges him to clear his name. He appears in episode 11.
Mr. Ushio is an older man who refuses to leave his fishing village after it is ruined by pollution. He appears in episode 12. The Italian dub changes his name to "Mr. Fisher".
He asks Maco to visit his father and appears in episode 12.
Chavin and Dobin are two young men who take a liking to Maco, much to her father's chagrin. They appear in episode 13.
Yuriko is a principal's daughter, who was studying in Paris. When Yuriko returns to Japan, she proposes uniforms for Karatachi Academy. She appears in episode 16. The Italian dub changes her name to "Ylenia".
Isao Sudo is a top baseball player at Karatachi Academy who is terminally ill. He has a secret girlfriend named Yukiko. He seemed to be modeled after Mitsuru Hanagata from Star of the Giants. He a ppears in episode 17. The Italian dub changes his name to "Kenny".
Miyuki is Maco's classmate who befriends Urashima's pet monkey. Miyuki stops going to school and joins a biker gang after her parents abandon her. She appears in episode 19. The Italian dub changes her name to "Marian".
Yuuko is Taro and Jiro's aunt and she wants to be a flight attendant. She appears in episode 20. The Italian dub changes her name to "Levisa".
Medama is a mysterious young man who invites Maco out to Midorigahara. He is actually a fairy who wants Maco's help to stop the destruction of the forest. He appears in episode 22. The Italian dub changes his name to "Verdesio".
Minori is a young woman who looks exactly like Maco. She has an arranged marriage but she only wants to marry the man who saved her little sister's life. She appears in episode 23. The Italian dub changes her name to "Vinny".
Prince Harz is a prince of Escalia and he falls in love with Maco. He appears in episode 26.
Mitsuo sees Maco's sister at the harbor one night and becomes obsessed with capturing her. He appears in episode 30. The Italian dub changes his name to "Mirko".
Nobuko is a sweet, visually impaired girl who has a pet St. Bernard named Lulu. She appears in episode 32.
He hates dogs and wants nothing more than to get rid of Lulu. He is abusive towards Nobuko. He appears in episode 32.
Rika is a young woman who rescues people from drowning to gain fame. She appears in episode 41.
Suzue wants to meet the ghost of her mother, who died a year earlier. She appears in episode 43. The Italian dub changes her name to "Suzy".
Funakichi is a creepy boy who transfers into Maco's class. He hypnotizes her classmates and lures them to a bombing testing site. Funakichi is revealed to be a kappa who wants to get revenge on mankind for how they have mistreated his people. Eventually he realizes the error of his ways and saves Maco's friends. His people go out in the world, deciding to believe in humanity. He appears in episodes 46 and 47. The Italian dub changes his name to "Gregory" and he is a goblin rather than a kappa.
Music The scores and lyrics for Mahō no Mako-chan were created by Takeo Watanabe and performed by Mitsuko Horie. Some of the score was reused in later Toei series, including Majokko Megu-chan and Genshi Shonen Ryu.
Theme songs Opening theme "Mahō no Maco-chan" (Magical Maco) by Mitsuko Horie
Ending theme "Boku wa Maco ni Tsuite Yuku" (I Follow Maco Around) by Mitsuko Horie
Episode list
International titles Maco la sirena enamorada (Spanish dub) Una sirenetta fra noi (Italian dub) Makko (French dub)
References
External links Official site