Animania

Yes, an anime review!  I probably will not be doing volume by volume reviews of anime titles as I watch them on Netflix or buy them, but I will try, at minimum, to do an overall series review for each.  Starting with Princess Tutu!

Series Summary: A girl named Duck - or rather, a duck who wants to become a girl - falls in love with a prince. One day, a bizarre old man emerges and gives her a magical pendant that transforms her into the waltzing Princess Tutu. Now she must choose - for those who accept their fate find happiness, those who defy it, glory.

Review: Princess Tutu is, without a doubt, one of the most amazing anime series ever.  It has excellent music, awesome art work, and a powerful story line.

The story starts with us meeting Duck, a girl who is in fact a duck.  She loved watching a prince dance, but hated seeing him unhappy.  To grant her wish to make him happy, a man named Drosselmeyer transforms her into a girl.  She gets to go to the same school with the prince, and dance near him, but its not until she learns that he has no heart that she finds the answer to making him happy again.  But can she do it, and what obstacles will she face?

One thing I love about this series is that all of characters are complex, except maybe Duck.  No one is really what they seem.  Interwoven within the story are sub-stories, caused by the town being the inundated with fairy tales come to life.  Princess Tutu has a cute name, and its starts out looking like a cute magical girl anime, but in reality is is a moving, dark fairy tale that deals with themes of free will vs destiny and of love.

I highly recommend this anime to guys and girls alike, though I also recommend keeping tissues near by, especially in the second season.  Every time I watch it, I find new details and subtleties.  Some people complained about Ahiru being translated in the release as Duck, but it does make sense and its no reason not to get it.  The rest of the translation is well done, and there are no issues with video or sound.  The individual volumes feature reversible covers, a dark one (like the one used for this review) and a lighter happier looking one.  ADV also threw in tons of extras related to ballet and interviews with the voice actors.

Rating: A+++++