Once upon a time, a storyteller named Drosselmeyer wrote about mythological creatures. However, as a result of his untimely death, one of those stories remained unfinished and two of the characters, the Raven and the Prince, broke free and escaped to the realm of reality to continue their battle.
Enter Ahiru, a small duck who falls in love with Mytho after seeing him dancing near her pond one day. Heartbroken because she can't reach him, she wishes to become human. Upon hearing this, the spirit of Drosselmeyer himself intervenes and transforms her into a human girl, motivating this through "personal entertainment". There are certain inconveniences, but Ahiru remains determined to reach her goal -- which is made even more difficult with the appearance of two adversaries! And just what is the connection between the four of them and Drosselmeyer's tale?
Synopsis: pandemonium91
Story & Characters
What do you get when you mix a duck, a prince, a knight, a monster raven, a prima donna, and ballet all together in a
big pot of anime fun? Princess Tutu! Despite, the cheesy name, Princess Tutu is a series that has heart and hope.
Although, it could be said that this is your typical magical girl shoujo series, Princess Tutu is far from being
standard. Of course the main character, Ahiru, transforms into the magical girl, Princess Tutu, to save her Prince,
Mytho. However, there is more to the characters than what appears on the surface. The characters are realistic and
each one grows and develops as the series continues. Ahiru, the protagonist, is also different from the typical Magical
Girl in anime. She is truly just a duck who looks like a girl because she fell in love with the prince. But, she is
not overly cute or attractive (or in some cases annoying) like most girls in anime. She is a unique, and quite
duck-like girl who just wants to give her prince his heart back. But even she grows and changes as the story
progresses. Even the main characters are different because they really came out of a story book and into reality. The
plot also does not follow a standard path. With the mysterious Drosselmeyer turning the gears behind the
characters' stories, the plot leaves you guessing until the very end. Although it is not overly complicated, there
is still depth to the story. With each episode set in a different tale, the story of Princess Tutu is not one to miss.
Rating: 9
Art
The artwork for Princess Tutu is also beyond standard. Considering the amount of ballet used in the series, the artists
must have studied ballet in order to capture the passion of ballet as perfectly as they did. Each movement is genuine
and very well done. Being a dancer myself, I know that the artists captured ballet properly and well. Down to the very
pointe of the toe and fingertips, the grace of ballet flows through the series. Character design for the series is
about the only standard thing in the show, following typical shoujo art design. However, the characters are exactly as
they should be. The prince is handsome and kind, the knight is brutish, but soft, and Princess Tutu is the epitome of
grace. Ahiru's character suits her perfectly as well. Wearing yellow pants, and orange shoes, her
"duckiness" shows through. (Ahiru also means duck in Japanese, and since she really is a duck, the name is
perfect for her). Throughout the series, there are also various ducks in the background and on objects that adds a very
cute touch to the series. The design of the school uniforms are adorable as well as the side characters such as Edel
and Uzura. The backgrounds suit the setting perfectly as they look like they came out of the pages of a fantasy
storybook, just as the Prince and the Raven did.
Rating: 8
Sound
As Princess Tutu is a series focusing heavily on ballet, the main music used is of course from various ballet. The
series also features a beautiful opening theme song from Okazaki Ritsuko (who is well known for the Fruits Basket
music), which blends a cute pop tune with the classical music of Waltz of the Flowers. The ending theme is also sung by
Okazaki Ritsuko. As far as voice acting goes, I've never heard a Japanese seiyuu that did not match the character
they portrayed. Princess Tutu is no exception. The acting is well done and very suitable to each character.
Especially for Ahiru, the voice acting is perfect. Ahiru even sounds duck-like when she speaks, bringing back some
memories of Donald Duck (although not quite THAT duckish). She also often quacks, and changes back into a duck when she
does, and Nanae Katou as seiyuu carries it out perfectly.
Rating: 10
Presentation
Overall, the series is highly enjoyable. It's funny, heartwarming, and at times heart wrenching. The characters
make you fall in love with them and care about them until the very end. Although I have heard many people upset with
the ending of the series, I even thought the ending was as it should be. The main idea that we control our own
destinies comes through loud and clear, in a very enjoyable manner. It's worth re-watching for the fun and love of
the series. And also for the beautiful ballet.
Rating: 8
Final Verdict
8.6667 (very good)
Reviewed by NotAJellyfish, Feb 19, 2007
