Magic Knight Rayearth/YMMV

For the manga and anime series

• Non Sequitur Scene: The breast discussion in the second season.
• Complete Monster Debonair. Not only she was born as the incarnation of Cephiro's collective bad feelings and acted as such, she almost mind rape Hikaru when she was at most vulnerable and tried to kill her own "daughter" Nova when she had no more use for her.
• Draco in Leather Pants: Zagato wasn't a bad guy per se, but he still wanted to end the world for the sake of the one he loved and was very cruel to Alcyone, who greatly loved him
• Germans Love David Hasselhoff: Or should we say, Latin Americans Love Guerreras Mágicas. It's not without reason: it aired in between the 6th or 7th rerun of Caballeros del Zodiaco, Dragon Ball hadn't hit yet, Ranma ½ was silly, Slam Dunk was on a chaotic rotation, Escaflowne took ages to get anywhere, and B't X also had a hectic airing. Rayearth was in comparison a well balanced, well written, both-genders-appealing soap opera with action and adventure. The tune was catchy too, and it was one of the first anime series to air with its intro mostly intact since since Mazinger Z.
• Hilarious in Hindsight: Innova doesn't really fit in with most of the cast's Vehicular Theme Naming, until Toyota actually released a car called the "Innova."
  • Not exactly: during the manga's release there was a Honda motorcycle called the Innova (actually it was the Honda Wave in Japan, but it was marketed in Europe as the Innova).
• Ho Yay / Foe Yay: Eagle and Lantis.
  • Also, Eagle and Geo Metro. But Eagle is that pretty.
    • Averted in the Spanish dub, where Eagle is depicted as female. And hilariously, while they tried to avert Ho Yay, that dub actually created Les Yay between girl!Eagle and Hikaru.. Oops?
  • Not to mention Presea's attention to Hikaru early on, and Hikaru's practically drooling over Fuu for at first. CLAMP is well known for this, though.
  • Innouva is in love with Zagato, just like Alcyone - minus the Ax Crazy, add I Want My Beloved to Be Happy.
• Moral Event Horizon: Alcyone was crazy and probably psychotic, not to mention dragging herself on the ground because of the wounds Umi inflicted on her, but did she really deserve for Zagato to leave her to die without trying to save her?
  • Let's not forget Debonair abandoning and then trying to kill the local Jerkass Woobie, Nova, who can be considered as her daughter. And then killing Eagle and Alcyone.
• Nightmare Face: Vigor (one of Ascot's monsters that can take on a cuter, smaller form) gets a very creepy face when he starts turning back into a monster, with his eyes glowing, his head slowly tilting, and his fur all wild.
• Toy Ship: Aska and Sanyun
• What Do You Mean It's Not for Kids?: The original story is something like Emeraude calling three girls from another world to save Cephiro. Seems simple enough, right? Well, it's not. The real reason the Knights were summoned was that only someone from another world can kill the Pillar. And they have to go through with it. It really tears Hikaru up, and in the anime it literally splits her into two parts, a girl about to cry and her evil half.
• Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: Emeraude just wanted to be with her boyfriend/be allowed to be in love.

For the OVAs

• Alternate Character Interpretation: Eagle has gone from trying to save his country to being willing to destroy Earth to save Cephiro. He's also Emeraude's brother instead of Ferio. Hikaru has gone from a Genki Plucky Girl from a kendo family to a particularly Broken Cutie in the gymnastics club.
• Fan Disservice: The Magic Knights appear naked within their mecha. Add horrible bloody injuries and it quickly becomes Squick of the highest caliber.
• Nightmare Fuel: Emeraude pines for and throws herself at the feet of a dead Zagato, who still sits on his throne. Emeraude's castle is filled with the dead souls of Cephiro, who scream and lash at anything living. Zagato sacrifices himself in order to save the land- yup, the suicide by sword (possibly Seppuku) is shown on screen. Also, Lantis sacrifices himself in a different way- but he dies anyway. Several other characters die- including a teenage one. At the end, Emeraude is left without the one she loves.. To say this OVA is nightmare fuel unleaded is an understatement.

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