ABOUT:Miho, a 9-year-old girl who wishes to make manga, is given two magical dinosaur toys - who are actually fairies from another realm - and a magic skecthbook by a mysterious stranger. These toys allow Miho to become a grown up, whom she names Fancy Lala. As Lala, she can use her sketchbook to create manga and drawings that come to life. Through a series of events, Lala becomes a singer and is scouted by several production companies, rising quickly to satrdom. However, none of Miho's family or friends know of this, and Miho soon finds herself struggling to maintain her ruse. Miho does use her powers for her own gain, but also to solve problems and help out those around her. STATS:WHO SHOULD WATCH IT:As part of the Studio Pierrot franchise, this series is a true magical girl classic that continues to influence the genre, despite being a late entrant. It's cute, soft, and uncomplicated.
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Previously, Toei had been the one dominating the magical girl scene, yet Studiot Pierrot took it by storm. Their Magical Girl franchise, built in the 1980s, includes some of the most iconic and influential series, whose impact on the genre can still be seen today. ABOUT:INFLUENCE:Studio Pierrot did not create the idea of magical girls - but it did put together, exaggerate, and repeatedly reinforce a number of underused concepts that already existed, in a way that no other series or franchise had before. Most magical girls prior to Mami were of the Little Witch genre, wherein magic was normal to the character. That is not true of any of the Pierrot franchise, where the girls gain the skill from a supernatural force. While female heroes did exist, their femininity was often played down. Femininity wasn't just accepted by Pierrot - it was embraced. In transforming, the girls' hair grew longer, they added makeup, and their clothes were excessively pastel and girly, often emphasizing their curves. Previously, transformation sequences weren't very feminine, or very common, and they didn't use items - they just inherently had the skill. All members of the Pierrot franchise have a power item they need to transform. The idea of using a show to sell toys definitely wasn't new, however, the extent to which these series feature the toys, and the number of them, far exceeds that of most previous shows. The wands, transformation items, differently dressed versions of the girls, along with the various animal guides created quite a few options for toymakers and children to choose from. When the franchise grew large enough to support it, they introduced film where the girls from different series met and collaborated. This was entirely new, as previously, magical girls had only ever worked independently, or - very rarely - only met once the previous generation lost their power. And, after years of being seen as a joke, or as being gross, Pierrot wrote their shows with the understanding thhat boys - and also adults - would watch and enjoy a show about a cute girl. Idols were changed in similar ways, but in terms of magical idol girls, Pierrot introduced the idea of young girls seeking out fame. With that came many trials, tribulations, and of course, secret identities. All of these things are still visible in today's magical girl anime. Using wands is almost an intrinsic part, as is having items to transform with. Including idols and fame, while not common, are still seen in characters like Cure Lemonade, Cure Sword, and the idea of mashing Idols with Magical Girls is present in shows like Lolirock and AKB0048. Magical girl toys have become a huge part of the genre, as well as a massively successful, credited with funding the existence of Sailor Moon in the 90s. WHO SHOULD WATCH IT:ABOUT:This series is a franchise, where in each season, an new version of 'Princess Momo', from another, magical world, is adopted by a human couple on the 'ground' (earth). In each series, teenage Momo is tasked with helping others to realize and achieve their dreams. In order to do so, she is given the ability to transform into an adult version of herself, complete with a disguise or job relating to the scenario at hand. She has varying degrees of magic skill, and is accompanied by fairy/animal guides. Officially, the two series originally had the same name, with the first being simply Magical Princess Minky Momo (also known as 'Sky Momo'.) Part way through, the second series was renamed as Magical Princess Minky Momo: Hold on to Your Dreams (also known as 'Sea Momo'.)The third series is a manga rather than an anime, and is called Miracle Dream Minky Momo. This series, while visually very cute and initially intended to sell toys to young girls, contains many dark scenes, adult themes, and a lesser degree of genre deconstruction. It is credited as being the first anime to introduce such themes, and open the door to modern, much darker and more adult deconstructions. In many ways, it makes the series a much more realistic and believable take on magical girls than most. However, it is not suitable for a younger audience. TRIGGER WARNING (CONTAINS SPOILERS) |
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