Even though we have reached the day when Sailor Moon Crystal was
released, TheBetterCup and I still wish to continue the Magical Girl
Marathon. So today, I am super excited to talk about Princess Tutu. This
is one of my favorite magical girls. I did not include her in my Top 5
Maho Shojo only because I was not sure if she counted, but now that I
checked, she is definitely a magical girl and she is my fifth favorite
one. This show is truly unique, but its originality is emphasized by the
amazing plot and fantastic characters.
For a magical girl, you do not see a story that deters this much from
the basic outline. Princess Tutu takes place in a fantasy world were
magic seems to be a normalcy, and talking animals tend to mix with
humans naturally. This is full of magical realism that makes the entire
story feel like a story book. I saw Princess Tutu when I was in middle
school, about the same time I saw Tokyo Mew Mew, and they were nothing
alike (which is why I was not sure she counted as a magical girl). The
story was just so different, that she missed many of the formalities
that made a magical genre. But looking back now, this a magical girl
story. It focuses on an average young girl who is given the abilities to
transform into a stronger version of herself (one that exists within
her) and fights in the name of goodness, love, justice, friendship, and
respect.
-What is this cartoon about?
The
story is super interesting and full of drama that makes this heart
wrenching and beautiful. It is refreshingly creative while having darker
themes included. The entire story is based on story books with an
additional ballet theme. The anime opens with an old storyteller that
dies before creating an ending to his final story. Then the main story
opens. It focuses on a little duck named Ahiru who is given a magical
necklace that allows her to change into a young girl and into a magical
girl named Princess Tutu. Her goal is to collect the missing shards of a
young prince’s heart. Yet, there is an evil puppet master that attempts
to control the entire story and Ahiru’s fate.
-Who are the central characters?
Duck/Ahiru Arima: Duck
is the protagoinist and titular character of Princess Tutu. She is a
normal little duck that falls in love with a lonely prince. Her wish to
make him happy is granted, when a strange man named Dosselmeyer gives
her a pendant that allows her to transform into a 13 year old girl named
Ahiru. With this ability she is also able to become Princess Tutu, a
magical girl that collects shards of the prince’s heart. Of course she
cannot stay human if she quacks or touches water, and she vanishes if
she proclaims her love to the prince. Duck’s personality matches well
with the fact that she is a duck. She is awkward. Ahiru tends to be very
easily excited, talks very much, clumsy, uncollected, scatterbrained,
and nervous. Yet she also holds the qualities of any magical girl like
kindness, friendliness, and good moral strength.
Fakir: Fakir
goes to the same ballet school as Ahiru. He is 17 teen years old and
Mytho’s roommate. He has a major role in the story (sorry I cannot tell
with out ruining the awesome plot, but trust me you will love him).
Anyways he is the knight that protects the prince by sacrificing his
life for him. At first, he is mean and cold toward Ahiru. He acts rude,
being very brash and straightforward to her with no concern for her
feelings, and acting possessive of Mytho. At first he even tends to be a
little afraid of what may happen. After they learn to work together, he
opens up to her. He is a possible love interest for Ahiru.
Rue/Princess Kraehe: Rue
is a very talented and advanced ballet dancer in Ahiru’s school. Rue
has a very sad story and dark past that is revealed throughout the
anime. With out ruining the plot, I will tell you only that Rue is the
Raven in the story (kind of). She is very attached to Mythos, wishing to
make him her prince, and she is able to change like Ahiru into Princess
Kraehe. Rue is distant and snobbish. She does not make anyfriends (she
only keeps her goal in focus) but can be kind and good hearted at times.
As Kraehe, she is completely different. Kraehe is manipulative, and
dark person. She acts with pride, cruelty, and jealousy.
Mytho: Mytho
is the 16 year old prince of the story. His entire heart is shattered
and with out the missing parts causes him to be emotionless. He is one
of the main reasons behind each of the other characters’s actions. Even
though he is so central, he does not seem to be the most prominent
character in the anime. He is Ahiru’s main love interest, and her reason
for being able to become human. Mytho is unemotional and easily ordered
around.
Dosselmeyer: Dosselmeyer
is an old man that grants to Ahiru the magical pendant that allows her
to transform from a duck into a girl and into Princess Tutu. He has a
huge role in the plot, acting mainly as an antagonist (but in what way I
will not tell). As the writer who created the story of the prince and
the raven, he tries to control the characters so as to end the story as
he wishes. At first, he seems to be trying to help Duck, but it is
quickly revealed that his motives are not what they seem. He is
sadistic, selfish, and cruel. His goal is to have an entertaining story
no matter what the cost to the characters. He is actually really twisted
and scary, as far as magical girl antagonist go, he is very dark maybe
second to Kyubey.
-How is the Artwork?
The artwork is simple, but super cute. It does not have anything
particularly amazing, and yet it is not necessarily average either. The
magic and colors tend parallel its darker themes since they are more
grey, dull, and not bright or exciting.
The idea is extremely different and unique. The entire plot is bizarre and full of drama that will eat at your heart. The entire thing is beautiful and artistic as well. I personally loved it, and the story is well worth it all.
