(L) Princess Tutu

[DrWho2002]

Yes, those were all manga acquisitions.

Princess Tutu has been licensed I believe a long time ago, (along with Scrapped Princess) but so far no one has come forward to state exactly who has it, so until then, it's still remains unlicensed in most people's views.

[wao]

I don't know what's wrong with whoever who acquired it announcing it straight off... It's a very subbable anime and it also is really really great... a lot of the culture is not Japanese but German and such, it's easier to do in English.


GAH. Well, even if they license it the DVDs aren't coming here for a loooong, looooooooooooooooong time.

Thanks anyway, DrWho2002.

[BanditKing]

Originally Posted by wao

I don't know what's wrong with whoever who acquired it announcing it straight off... It's a very subbable anime and it also is really really great... a lot of the culture is not Japanese but German and such, it's easier to do in English.


GAH. Well, even if they license it the DVDs aren't coming here for a loooong, looooooooooooooooong time.

Thanks anyway, DrWho2002.

If they announce it straight off they might add too much backlog and people keep complaining to make to release fast.

[donna8157]

Hi. I just finished watching this series and was really impressed with how much depth it had. The title didn't catch me when I first heard about it and thought it was some sort of regular type of magic girl show, but I was pleasantly surprised. Anyway, I tried to find some discussion on this show on this forum, but couldn't find any.

What did you think of the ending?

Spoiler:

Even though it was supposed to be a "happy ending", I still thought it was really sad. Ahiru stayed as a duck and her prince wanted to be with Rue. sniff sniff. Although, I do like Fakir also. I wanted a happier ending with Ahiru turning into a human and being with Fakir.

[NoSanninWa]

Princess Tutu is one of the best shows that I have ever seen. I'm glad that you enjoyed it as I have.

About the ending:

Spoiler for the end:

I was most surprised to see that Mute ended up with Rue. I agree that it was the perfect thing to do, but I found it unexpected even though I knew that Fakir was the perfect match for Ahiru. The most surprising thing about it was that Rue actually seemed to deserve Mute. I'd never gone from despising a villian so much, to liking her so much before Rue.

As for Ahiru staying a duck... it is sad, but if she didn't pay a price then her sacrifice would only have been a token. Besides. The important thing is that the two of them get to be together. Fakir fishes while Ahiru swims nearby. Of course since Fakir has the power to write reality I am sure that he will eventually write a story where she gets to be human again. Someday. In the sequel I hope.

[wao]

Yay! Another bunch of Princess Tutu fans :x I'm also a big plugger of the series...

To tell you the truth thuogh, I did not like the series until I came to the end of the 1st season... It seemed incredibly mushy and repetetive to me, but after rewatching it twice, I think I grew to like it. There were so many little hidden things (For example, the hint about the nature of the town when Paulemona and troupe were wondering "Was our troupe leader always like this? (an eel.)" And then they show one of the town gates...
I always love seeing the episodes in the 1st season starting from when

Spoiler:

Fakir realised Ahiru was Princess Tutu. And then his shock when he found out Ahiru was actually a duck... \o/ So funny! Fakir is so cute when he gets embarrassed XD He did seem to appreciate Ahiru more after that though - maybe because he knew he had to make interact with an important character, Princess Tutu... and then getting to talk to Ahiru probably shows a side of her he never appreciated before.

The ending for this anime is one of the best, IMO

Spoiler:

I was so surprised too! But then after thinking about it (That's what I like about this anime, it's not a mindless fairy tale but a really deep, rich and yet very subtle anime that reveals treasure-boxes of gems when you prod your mind to think about it) it makes perfect sense...
They both have the same kind of aura around them, they've spent the most time around each other in the anime, they've both suffered the same amount...
It makes sense why Mytho would understand Rue's emotions and want to save her. Her actions may have been evil and unorthodox, but her intent is what Mytho saw... What he said about her really did surprise me, it was such a great twist from the usual fairy-tale story. And you really do start thinking about Rue herself... I hated her too, right down to her clinging onto Mytho... But now I really appreciate her so much.

And I admire Ahiru even more: unlike most heroines, she dealed with the great, GREAT losses... One that she didn't get to be with Mytho ever again, even though she went through a *WHOLE* lot to help him get his heart back, even though she withstood all of those attacks to give him the hope to fight back...
And that despite this, I think in the end she managed to let go of this attachment to Mythos, by learning to accept that she had to make another HUGE sacrifice: turning back into a duck. I think that was really, really admirable. She enjoyed her life as a human so much, being able to have such a large scope of experiences with so many people and expressing her cheerful nature and learning so many valuable lessons... Yet she handed over her pendant in the end, learning - as Fakir said - to accept that she really, REALLY was a duck and there was no way to run away from it and keep the fantasy going.

The final scene, even if it was only mere seconds long, was a brilliant touch to the end of this wonderful series. Unlike other shoujo anime like Ayashi no Ceres and their sappyish endings, this was so subtle and... professional? I dunno the word for it. It's just great. And it's so tantalising - you REALLY want to know more, but you don't. What happens in the future is left entirely up to you... It makes a PERFECT ending to base fanfics off, but you don't see any Princess Tutu fanfics around...
I'm also so incredibly happy that Fakir and Ahiru got to be together. It would be too perfect if Fakir could write a story to make Ahiru come back as a human, though... Man, this series so needs a sequel *_*

[jennwenn]

Agreed! I love this series so much. I have never gone from hating to loving characters so drastically in any anime series. (Except perhaps X TV, which has similar turnarounds, but even that was not as good.)

Spoiler:

I definitely felt, in the end, that the couples deserved each other. Mythos and Rue suffered in similar ways. (But uh, with the frozen ageing thing, isn't Mythos technically a LOT older than she is?) If Mythos chose Ahiru, I would have been very disappointed because Ahiru and Fakir were perfect for each other. Even the minor characters, like Edel, had me near tears.

And Drosselmeyer was both creepy and funny when things didn't go his way.

Many anime build up to this momentous climax that isn't really impressive at all, but Princes Tutu definitely had all the tension, drama, and tragedy without being sappy. That scene where they were going to cut off Fakir's hands, CREEEEPY. Or when Ahiru leaps out of the portal into Fakir's arms. *sigh* I'm so mushy but that was my favorite scene lol. I was also touched when Ahiru, as a duck, is still trying to help Mythos, even when he had given up.

I'd love to see a high-budget movie or OVA. (Maybe by the time the DVDs all come out, they'll announce one!)

[NoSanninWa]

It is great that this show can create so much thoughful insight. Here is a bit that only spoils the first half of this show. (up through episode 13)

Spoiler for first 13 episodes. Fakir's development in The Chapter of Egg.:

None of the characters changed as much in my estimation of them as Fakir did. At the beginning of the show I thought I knew exactly what he was like. With one glance I relegated him to a specific class of anime villian. I saw him greedily keeping Mute a prisoner. Keeping him separated from all others. Trying to control his very thoughts. Even slapping him when Mute defies him. It was so clear what sort of villian he was.

Then he showed kindness to a lost little duck for no reason at all and we saw another side of him. Starting then I looked at all of his actions a little bit differently. I saw his inner tumoil. I saw why he would do such things for Mute's own sake, to protect him.

Then I saw how Fakir's determination was broken by Tutu. She showed him how he needed to allow Mute to be hurt if he truly loved him. When Fakir allowed Mute to decide that he wanted his heart returned to him... Fakir changed. By changing, he became a greater man.

At first he became Tutu's reluctant ally. He was still so eager to protect Mute from Tutu even though Tutu was doing Mute's will. Then as he changed more he began to stand beside her. By the end of the Chapter of Egg, the two of them fought as one to save Mute's soul from Princess Kraher. By this time he had become a true hero.

It was an amazing journey to watch the progress of Fakir's enlightenment. I know that there is more to write about his journey in the Chapter of Chick, but that is all I have to say for now.

[dreamless]

Princess Tutu is one of the deepest show I have seen in recent years, it's up there with Kino no Tabi IMO. the first half looks like standard fairy tale show but then it suddenly turns into something much more. Very unorthodoxical series.

[wao]

Originally Posted by jennwenn

Agreed! I love this series so much. I have never gone from hating to loving characters so drastically in any anime series. (Except perhaps X TV, which has similar turnarounds, but even that was not as good.)

Spoiler:

I definitely felt, in the end, that the couples deserved each other. Mythos and Rue suffered in similar ways. (But uh, with the frozen ageing thing, isn't Mythos technically a LOT older than she is?) If Mythos chose Ahiru, I would have been very disappointed because Ahiru and Fakir were perfect for each other. Even the minor characters, like Edel, had me near tears.

And Drosselmeyer was both creepy and funny when things didn't go his way.

Many anime build up to this momentous climax that isn't really impressive at all, but Princes Tutu definitely had all the tension, drama, and tragedy without being sappy. That scene where they were going to cut off Fakir's hands, CREEEEPY. Or when Ahiru leaps out of the portal into Fakir's arms. *sigh* I'm so mushy but that was my favorite scene lol. I was also touched when Ahiru, as a duck, is still trying to help Mythos, even when he had given up.

I'd love to see a high-budget movie or OVA. (Maybe by the time the DVDs all come out, they'll announce one!)

Unfortunately, all the DVDs have loooooooooooooooong since come out and yet there's no sequel sort of thing. DAMN do I want one!

Did you know, btw, the person behind the concept of this anime (I believe she thought out the whole story and all - she directed Mahou Tsukai Tai if I'm not wrong), she actually went to places in Austria and Germany... and while she was there she studied and took photos and detailed observations of various places there, and used them as a base for all the various places in Kinkan-chou... She designed and laid out the whole of Kinkan-chou; I think this is somewhere on the Japanese website.

[Lord Raiden]

Yeah, no doubt. They really need to create a sequel to this one. I wanna see that little duck again.

[donna8157]

Yes, I do believe a sequel should be in order. =D Sigh .. I think this is one of the only series (other than Rurouni Kenshin) in which I want to see some more of the characters. I do have a question about the ending though.

If reality and fantasy are now separate again in their world, then wouldn't Fakir lose the ability to create reality with what he wrote? Would he not be able to turn Ahiru to a person again?

Well, it'd be awesome if they do have a sequel. I am completely smitten with this series. =)

[ZeppelinJ0]

I've really wanted to see this, since Sannin reccomends it so highly, but I can't find any info on the DVDs anywhere, and there are no subs otherwise... Any idea where I can find it? Is it really licensed?

[TronDD]

It was just announced as licenced last month. Gonna be awhile for DVDs to come out.

[ZeppelinJ0]

Originally Posted by TronDD

It was just announced as licenced last month. Gonna be awhile
for DVDs to come out.

Sorry just wanted to chain emoticon Who is it licensed by?

[TronDD]

It was licensed by ADV.

[StarCreator]

Originally Posted by donna8157

If reality and fantasy are now separate again in their world, then wouldn't Fakir lose the ability to create reality with what he wrote? Would he not be able to turn Ahiru to a person again?

But then, if that were true, you'd have to wonder how reality and fantasy got mixed in the first place... we're led to believe that Drosselmeyer had the ability in his life, but when he died, everything went all screwy.

Of course, we don't know for sure if he had the power or not, so we don't know if Fakir would keep it after cleaning Kinkan-chou up. Or, did reality and fantasy mix before Drosselmeyer or Fakir got their writing ability? Or is it that the fantasy world is real and the "reality" is a fake ideal? Or... *brain explodes*

[LK_LoA]

No sequel(s) please. It ended well so please let it be.
*Plays the ED credits*
That is all.

[donna8157]

Originally Posted by LK_LoA

No sequel(s) please. It ended well so please let it be.
*Plays the ED credits*
That is all.

Yeah, I know that it ended well enough .. but I just liked the characters so much that I would like it if they continued on. (sigh) .. I guess that's how it is.

[wao]

Aw dammit, now I'm not the only person with a Princess Tutu avatar But I'm the only one with a Fakia avatar...

Has anyone seen the seiyuu interviews on the Japanese webpage? They're quite interesting... Fakia's seiyuu and Fakia himself are rather different sorts of characters O_O

Speaking of which, I really wonder if whoever ADV is getting to dub Princess Tutu can do the duck-sounding voice that Ahiru's seiyuu has... Nanae Katou (yeah, that's Ahiru's seiyuu) has only been in Asagiri no Miko (Chika Yurikasa), Croquette! (Croquette), Godanner (Hayashi), Magic User's Club (Madoka Masuko), Mahou Yuugi 3D (Mustard), Peace Maker Kurogane (Hana) and that's it! That's counting all her minor roles as well.

Mythos' seiyuu is even more hidden, though - only been in Azumanga Daioh (as Male Student 1 from Episode 1 o_o), and Galaxy Railways (as... Yuuki Manabu, whoever that is).

But Fakia's seiyuu has done a loooooot more... including Ukiya from Gatekeepers (:O!!), Yuri in Kyou kara Maou, Suzumu in PMK, Sasame in Pretear, and even Arihiko in Shingetsutan Tsukihime... though Rue's seiyuu Nana Suzuki has done more well known roles (I've siad this before: Kururu from BF (sang one of the ED too), Minazuki from Happy Lesson, Taeko from PA, Hinata from Naruto, Nana from Shichinin no Nana (coincidentially she sang the ED...), blah blah)