MAGIUS

MAGIUS - Multiple Assignable Game Interface for Universal System - is a Japanese system used for many anime/manga roleplaying games.

It was published as the "generic Fujimi roleplaying system" in 1995, and was used between 95 and 98 for small paperback role playing game books based on anime and light novels. It was designed as a light, simple system useable for people who had never played role playing games before, and cut off most complicated parts that were normal for RPGs. Some of the applications limited what the characters could do, some even did away with the Game Master. Some felt more like board games than role playing games.

The system used a simple mix of basic skills and trainable skills, and all actions were decided with 2d6 plus the modifier. What skills were basic and trainable differed from module to module.

While MAGIUS was sometimes said to be the "Japanese GURPS light", there was one big difference. Unlike GURPS, the different modules of MAGIUS weren't inter-compatible. What you used was just the MAGIUS start book and one module of your selection. So it wasn't a system that you could gradually expand with each module. In fact, it was the supplements that were the main book, the start book was just an extra. Once you knew the basic rules of the start book, you could actually do well with just a supplements.

MAGIUS never succeeded in expanding the role playing market as intended. As the company mostly created supplements that you had to know the source media in order to enjoy gaming with, it was looked down upon by the veteran role players and didn't catch on light users. However, with it's ultra simple yet variable system, it spawned a massive amount of home-made supplements, which also was intended, as Fujimi held Magius designer contests.

A thirty-some official MAGIUS titles were released.