A Month of Japan – Princess Tutu

A Month of Japan blog seriesBecause A Mortal Song is set in Japan, in the month leading up to the book’s release I wanted to celebrate some of the amazing media out there by Japanese creators. I’ll be highlighting my favorite books, TV shows, and films (as well as some snack box services—you need something to munch on while you’re doing all that watching and reading!). You can find a full list of my faves and other resources here on my website.

TV Rec – Princess Tutu

princesstutuWhat it’s all about: In a fairy tale come to life, the clumsy, sweet, and gentle Ahiru (Japanese for “duck”) seems like an unlikely protagonist. In reality, Ahiru is just as magical as the talking cats and crocodiles that inhabit her town—for Ahiru really is a duck! Transformed by the mysterious Drosselmeyer into a human girl, Ahiru soon learns the reason for her existence. Using her magical egg-shaped pendant, Ahiru can transform into Princess Tutu—a beautiful and talented ballet dancer whose dances relieve people of the turmoil in their hearts. With her newfound ability, Ahiru accepts the challenge of collecting the lost shards of her prince’s heart, for long ago he had shattered it in order to seal an evil raven away for all eternity.

Princess Tutu is a tale of heroes and their struggle against fate. Their beliefs, their feelings, and ultimately their actions will determine whether this fairy tale can reach its “happily ever after.” (from MyAnimeList)

Why you should watch it: Princess Tutu has so many of my favorite story elements. It takes popular tropes from fairy tales and magical girl cliches, and twists them in unexpected ways. It features vibrant characters who reveal more and more layers, and grow and change, across the entire series. It shows morality as something full of shades of gray rather than black and white. And it has a wonderful meta-fictional approach: stories within stories and a puppet-master orchestrating events from afar, who may not be as untouchable as he thinks. Not to mention the unique integration of ballet and classical music into the story. This isn’t just one of my favorite anime TV shows—it’s one of my favorite TV shows period!

What’s your favorite twisted fairy tale? Let me know in the comments.

Join me tomorrow for my next rec! You can read more about A Mortal Song in the meantime:

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