Fancy Lala

Fancy Lala, known in Japan as Fancy Lala, the Magic Stage[2] (魔法のステージ・ファンシーララ, Mahō no Sutēji Fanshī Rara) is a magical girl anime series produced by Studio Pierrot in 1998, following an OVA released in 1988. A two-volume manga adaptation by Rurika Kasuga ran in Ribon. The original designs were created by Akemi Takada, who worked on many of the 80s' Studio Pierrot series. The anime series has been licensed for English release by Bandai Entertainment.

Fancy Lala
Fancy Lala logo
魔法のステージ・ファンシーララ
(Mahō no Sutēji Fanshī Rara)
GenreMagical girl[1]
Original video animation
Harbor Light Story Fashion Lala Yori
Directed byMotosuke Takahashi
Written byKenji Terada
Music byKenji Yamamoto
StudioStudio Pierrot
Released11 March 1988
Runtime48 minutes
Anime television series
Directed byTakahiro Omori
Produced byJunji Ashida (TV Osaka)
Reiko Fukakusa
Shin'ichi Ikeda
Kazuhiko Ikeguchi
Written byKen'ichi Araki
Tomomi Mochizuki
Sadayuki Murai
Masashi Yokoyama
Music byMichiru Ōshima
StudioStudio Pierrot
Licensed by
Bandai Entertainment
Original networkTXN (TV Osaka)
Original run 5 April 1998 – 27 September 1998
Episodes26
Manga
Written byRurika Kasuga
Published byShueisha
MagazineRibon
DemographicShōjo
Original runMay 1998 – November 1998
Volumes2

Plot summary

One day, a 9-year-old girl Miho Shinohara is given two stuffed dinosaurs by a stranger. The stuffed dinosaurs come to life and present her with a magic sketchbook and pen. Within limits, and subject to varying degrees of control, she can draw in the sketchbook and bring the drawings to life. Miho can also transform into a teenage girl, whom she names Fancy Lala. Fancy Lala is scouted by Yumi Haneishi, the president of the talent agency Lyrical Productions, and begins the long road to stardom.

Characters

Main cast
Miho Shinohara (篠原 みほ, Shinohara Miho) / Fancy Lala (ファンシーララ, Fanshī Rara)
Voiced by: Reiko Ōmori (Japanese); Katie Rowan (English)
A 9-year-old elementary school girl, Miho dreams of one day drawing manga as a career. After Mystery Man gives her Pigu and Mogu, they in turn give her a magical pen and sketchbook, which allow her to transform into a 15-year-old girl who she names Fancy Lala. Fancy Lala is scouted by Yumi Haneishi of Lyrical Productions, and gradually follows the path to stardom though her parents nor sister knows about this.
Mogu (モグ)
Voiced by: Michiko Neya (Japanese), Chris Simms (English)
A small pink dinosaur who accompanies Miho Shinohara. Mogu is a girl.
Pigu (ピグ)
Voiced by: Shinobu Adachi (Japanese); Maureen Jones (English)
A small blue dinosaur who accompanies Miho Shinohara. Pigu is a boy.
Mystery Man (不思議さん, Fushigi-san)
Voiced by: Ryūnosuke Ōbayashi (Japanese); Byron Close (English)
A mysterious person who gave Miho Shinohara Pigu and Mogu. He often advises Miho/Fancy Lala; his name is never mentioned in the series.
Hiroya Aikawa (相川 ひろや, Aikawa Hiroya)
Voiced by: Hideo Ishikawa (Japanese); Victor Atelevich (English)
A popular idol who happens to be very attractive, Hiroya is Miho Shinohara's love-interest, and Fancy Lala's mentor at Lyrical Productions.
Yumi Haneishi (羽根石 由美, Haneishi Yumi)
Voiced by: Atsuko Tanaka (Japanese); Onalea Gilbertson (English)
The president of Lyrical Productions, who represent Fancy Lala. She was once married to Kishi, the guitarist of Hiroya Aikawa's band but the two ended up getting divorced, and has a son named Tappei, who attends kindergarten.
Ririka Kawaguchi (川口 理々香, Kawaguchi Ririka)
Voiced by: Michiko Neya (Japanese)
An employee at Lyrical Productions, and Fancy Lala's manager.
Taro Yoshida (吉田 太郎, Yoshida Tarō)
Voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi (Japanese); Jeffrey Watson (English)
Miho's classmate and next door neighbor, they often fight (often like an old married couple), but he cares about her deeply. He is also the cousin of Miki Yumeno. He seems to have a romantic interest in Miho, however he doesn't know that Miho has a crush on Hiroya.
Miki Yumeno (夢野 美樹, Yumeno Miki)
Voiced by: Fumie Kusachi (Japanese); Mariette Sluyter (English)
A popular idol, Miki is Fancy Lala's main rival. She is also the cousin of Taro Yoshida, Miho's male classmate from school.

Supporting cast
Katsunoshin Asaka (朝霞 勝之進, Asaka Katsunoshin, 朝霞先生) Asaka-sensei
Voiced by: Mitsuru Miyamoto (Japanese); Steve Gin (English)
Miho Shinohara's teacher.
Emiko Kanno (菅野 江美子, Kanno Emiko)
Voiced by: Eiko Kanazawa (Japanese); Meredith Taylor-Perry (English)
An employee at Lyrical Productions.
Komiyama (コミさん, Komi-san)
Voiced by: Ken Narita (Japanese); Allan Boss (English)
Komiyama is Fancy Lala's stylist. It is hinted in the last episode that he knows more about what is going on than meets the eye.
Anna Nozaki (野崎 あんな, Nozaki Anna)
Voiced by: Mayumi Iizuka (Japanese)
A classmate of Miho Shinohara.
Chisa Shinohara (篠原 ちさ, Shinohara Chisa)
Voiced by: Mifuyu Hiiragi (Japanese); Carol-Anne Day (English)
Miho Shinohara's older sister. She's also a freshman in high school and her uniform consists of a white sailor collared shirt with a green collar, a red ribbon and a grey pleated skirt.
Mamiko Shinohara (篠原 真実子, Shinohara Mamiko)
Voiced by: Yoshiko Sakakibara (Japanese); Elizabeth Stepkowski (English)
Miho Shinohara's mother, she works as a TV producer, and is often away from home.
Yoichiro Shinohara (篠原 洋一郎, Shinohara Yōichirō)
Voiced by: Noboru Hoshino (Japanese); David Pettitt (English)
Miho Shinohara's father, he works as a paleontologist, and mostly works at home.
Yoshio (ヨシオ, Yoshio)
Voiced by: Yūji Ueda (Japanese); Matthew Erickson (English)
An employee at Lyrical Productions.
Akiru Yuuki (結城 あきる, Yūki Akiru)
Voiced by: Omi Minami (Japanese); Taylor Beaven (English)
Miho Shinohara's classmate, and closest friend, she dreams of becoming an actress.

Production

Fancy Lala is a complete remake of an earlier Studio Pierrot OVA titled Harbor Light Story Fashion Lala Yori. It was also influenced by Mahō no Tenshi Creamy Mami, the story of a ten-year-old Japanese girl granted the power to transform who also became an idol.[3]

Harbor Light Story Fashion Lala Yori

The original OVA was very different than the final series, being a retelling of Cinderella. In it, the heroine, Miho, a little girl who dreams of being a fashion designer, lives with her aunt and three cousins while her father is away on business. The aunt, who runs a dress shop, exploits Miho's dependence and makes her perform deliveries on her bike, while spoiling her own daughters. Of the three, the two oldest are cruel and mock Miho's dreams, but the youngest is nice to her. A local disco is holding a contest to find the next "Disco Queen." Miho is too young to enter, but decides to design a dress for her cousin. When the aunt finds out, she rips up the dress. After everyone leaves, two fairies take pity on Miho and transform her into "Fashion Lala," a sixteen-year-old blonde, so she can enter the contest herself. While performing, Miho's outfit changes into her previous designs, and it seems that she wins. At the end, she returns to a happy life with her father.

The heroine being named Miho and the two fairies, as well as the concept of an "evil cousin", were the only things retained for the final series.

Episode list
Episode #TitleTransformation OutfitOriginal Airdate
1"Miho's Spectacular Transformation"
｢みほ、華麗なる変身!｣ (Miho, Karei Naru Henshin)		April 5, 1998
2"Lala's Debut in Harajuku"
｢ララの原宿デビュー!｣ (Rara no Harajuku Debyū!)		April 12, 1998
3"The Heart-Pounding TV Appearance!"
｢どきどきテレビ出演!｣ (Dokidoki Terebi Shutsuen)		April 19, 1998
4"A Double Date on Sunday!"
｢ダブルデートの日曜日｣ (Daburudēto no Nichiyōbi)		April 26, 1998
5"A Busy Day for Miho and Lala!"
｢みほとララの多忙な一日｣ (Miho to Rara no Tabōna Ichinichi)		May 3, 1998
6"Lala's a Rival?"
｢ララはライバル?｣ (Rara wa Raibaru?)		May 10, 1998
7"The Terrifying Care Duty for Mokko"
｢恐怖のモッコ当番｣ (Kyōbu no Mokko Tōban)		May 17, 1998
8"Kitten Lilu and the Secret of the Magic!"
｢チビ猫リルと魔法のひみつ｣ (Chibi Neko Riru to Mahō no Himitsu)		May 24, 1998
9"There's No Way I Can Be a Singer!"
｢歌手になんてなれない!｣ (Kashu ni Nante Narenai!)		May 31, 1998
10"The CD Release Campaign Disaster!"
｢すったもんだのキャンペーン｣ (Suttamonda no Kyampēn)		mermaid suit, fortune tellers outfitJune 7, 1998
11"The Spectacular Pinch Hitter!"
｢華麗なるピンチヒッター｣ (Karei Naru Pinchihittā)		June 14, 1998
12"Who Are You?"
｢あなたはだあれ?｣ (Anata wa Daare?)		June 21, 1998
13"The Lala and Hiroya Scandal!"
｢ララとひろやのスキャンダル｣ (Rara to Hiroya no Sukyandaru)		June 28, 1998
14"Miho in Toyland!"
｢おもちゃの国のみほ｣ (Omocha no Kuni no Miho)		July 5, 1998
15"The Dream Will Never End"
｢その夢は終わらない｣ (Sono Yume wa Owaranai)		July 12, 1998
16"Miho's First Journey Alone!"
｢みほの最初の一人旅｣ (Miho no Saisho no Hitoritabi)		July 19, 1998
17"The Day the Water Imp Appeared!"
｢カッパが出てきた日｣ (Kappa ga Detekita Hi)		July 26, 1998
18"Lala is a Cupid!"
｢ララは恋のキューピッド｣ (Rara wa Koi no Kyūpiddo)		August 2, 1998
19"Something Chisa Left Behind"
｢お姉ちゃんの忘れ物｣ (Onēchan no Wasuremono)		August 9, 1998
20"Together With Mom?!"
｢お母さんと一緒?!｣ (Okāsan to Issho?!)		August 16, 1998
21"Mr. Asaka's Girlfriend?!"
｢朝霞先生の恋人?｣ (Asaka Sensei no Koibito?)		August 23, 1998
22"The Scoop! Lala's Identity Revealed!"
｢スクープ!ララの正体｣ (Sukūpu! Rara no Shōtai)		August 30, 1998
23"My Sister's Boyfriend"
｢お姉ちゃんのボーイフレンド｣ (Onēchan no Bōifurendo)		September 6, 1998
24"Lala's First Concert"
｢ララのファーストコンサート｣ (Rara no Fāsuto Konsāto)		September 13, 1998
25"Lala Has Vanished!"
｢消えてしまったララ｣ (Kieteshimatta Rara)		September 20, 1998
26"I Love You All!"
｢みんな大好き!｣ (Minna Daisuki!)		September 27, 1998

Impact and influence

Although Fancy Lala did not achieve huge success upon release in Japan (Cardcaptor Sakura dominated the magical girl genre at the time and provided little opportunity for other magical girl anime to have much of an impact), some of its influence can be seen in later series that also failed to achieve massive success. Examples of these would be Chance Pop Session and the more successful Full Moon o Sagashite.

Internationalization

Fancy Lala was licensed by Bandai Entertainment for English release in 2001,[4] and dubbed at Blue Water Studios. The series has been released on DVD, but is only distributed in region 1 outside Japan. The series was also aired across Animax's various international networks worldwide, including Hong Kong, Taiwan and its English-language networks in Southeast Asia and South Asia.

A Filipino dubbed version was also broadcast over ABC 5 in the Philippines. It was also licensed and dubbed for Italian release by Merak Film. The manga is also available in Italian. In Portugal, Fancy Lala was licensed to Canal Panda, who dubbed it into Portuguese and broadcast it from 2003 to the end of 2004.

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References
  1. Dong, Bamboo (November 7, 2002). "Fancy Lala DVD 1 - Review". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  2. "Fancy Lala, the Magic Stage". Studio Pierrot. Archived from the original on December 18, 2010.
  3. Rogers, Michelle. "Mahou no stage Fancy Lala". Archived from the original on 2006-09-02. Retrieved 2006-08-04.
  4. "Bandai Interview". Anime News Network. 2001-07-02. Retrieved 2006-08-07.
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