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:
Comments
Mahou Shoujo verus Magical GirlMahou Shoujo - also written as mahō shōjo - translates literally into 'magical girl', titles that have been used for both Japanese and Western media since the early 90s. Some of the earliest series within the magical girl genre were known as 'majokko', which can be translated to 'little witch' or 'witch girl'. The term has largely fallen out of use. Why It MattersUltimately, what is and isn't a magical girl is decided by the fans, by history, and by the creators. This page will hopefully help you to understand how it all works, why the community isn't as united about it as you'd think, and how MSF chooses what gets featured and what doesn't. The Title Says It AllThe genre is called 'Magical Girls' - if that doesn't tip you off to what is needed to qualify, nothing will. Magical Girl MUST HAVE Tropes: - The main character(s) are girls - The main character(s) have magical powers, or something that acts as magic There's no if, buts, or maybes - if even one of those are missing, it isn't a magical girl. Yet, It's Not That SimpleIf that's all there was to it, many shows that currently aren't considered magical girls, would be. How the genre is broken down and defined from that point forward is surprisingly complicated. It also isn't helped by many people misinterpreting common tropes as requirements, or by not knowing the history and origins of the genre. The Many Misinterpretations:Often, people claim transformation scenes equal magical girls - except that many Magical Girl classics, like Cardcaptor Sakura, don't have any, and other genres like Idols and Super Sentai also use them, yet neither genre should ever be confused for a Magical Girl series (even if they do cross over sometimes.) The truth is, you can say the same of almost any Magical Girl trope - aside from the two Must Haves. |
Sister BlogsBootleg Wands
For bootleg and fake magical girl wands Real Magic Wands For genuine magical girl merchandise. Archives
June 2020
Filter By Tag:
All
This website uses marketing and tracking technologies. Opting out of this will opt you out of all cookies, except for those needed to run the website. Note that some products may not work as well without tracking cookies. Opt Out of Cookies |