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Princess Tutu Research Paper
Ok. So I came here like... October? Yeah October; asking for any help in sources for my research paper.
And I finished the project and now I get to post it for you guys like I promised. (At least I think I promised...)
Anyways here it is behind the cut. ^^
And once again, thanks for all the helpful suggestions! Although to be honest I ended up using more internet sources, but I did learn alot more stuff about anime from those books!
And one more thing.. T T It may suck, but I did my best for my first college research paper... I think.. But I don't mind critiques.. Feel free to offer.
The Magic of Ikuko Itoh’s Princess Tutu
(Withdrawing my Name)
MA11OA, FA07
November 15, 2007
I) Topic
This project is based on the original creation of Ikuko Itoh: “Princess Tutu”. This anime spans for 38 episodes (26 once combined on the American DVD), created in 2001 and aired in most of Asia from August 16, 2002 to June 28, 2003. Even though the series is classified as a Magical Shojo (girl) anime such as Sailor Moon or Card captor Sakura, it transcends that world by becoming a fairy tale and twisting the common structures of storytelling. Inside that story plays the drama of four people fighting to defy the fates that were set for them in the story.
Works Cited
“Princess Tutu.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 3 Nov. 2007. 13 Nov. 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/princess_tutu>.
“Ikuko Itoh.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 19 June 2007. 13 Nov. 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ikuko_itoh>.
“Princess Tutu.” King Records. 13 Nov. 2007 <http://www.kingrecords.co.jp/scr_catalog/011.html>.
(LJ) wmchichiri. “Ikuko Itoh At Ushicon Q&A and Other Fun.” Live Journal Community Princess Tutu. 1 Feb. 2006. 25 Oct. 2007 <http://community.livejournal.com/princesstutu/57459.html>.
II) Thesis Statement
Even though Princess Tutu is still considered new, I value it as a classic like Sailor Moon or Dragon Ball Z. There are so many moments in Princess Tutu where things can get just as intense with emotions and fierce battling. Everything in the anime seems to jump out at me and even now sticks to my mind. It only urges me to treasure the series even more because it has the power to stay with you even after several points have passed after watching the series. It still surprises me how I could call up the vivid scenes that are kept in my heart.
Even now I can see the beautiful artwork of the characters, the town’s scenery, the dancing… I admire the wonderfully fluid movements of various characters communicating their personalities and feelings through their dancing. I adore the way the story was told, leading you down a common path only to throw something new at you when you least expect it, therefore throwing you off your usual thinking of how a character in a fictional story operates. I feel that the anime agrees with m own mild belief that there is no true line between good and evil. There is a reason behind everything that happens in the world and everyone does something for a reason, no matter how great or bad a reason as it may seem to either you or I. Rue and her alter ego, Princess Kraehe, are very good examples, but more about that later.
III) Origin
Princess Tutu came into Ikuko Itoh’s mind while she was in-between working on Sailor Moon for Toei and character designs for “Magic User’s Club” or “Mahou Tsukai Tai”. She caught herself drawing ballerinas and finally succumbed to the growing idea of “Princess Tutu”. She shared thoughts and ideas for the story with fellow Toei co-workers and many agreed rather sincerely that it was a good idea, but on the sense of ‘good luck with that’. Even though she knew how difficult it might be to go ahead she pursued the idea anyway.
Itoh’s attraction to ballet began, from my impression of interviews, in her childhood. When she was a little girl she would sit with her father and listen to ballet music. But whenever she would ask what the story was behind the music, her father wouldn’t explain. Since he found it too bothersome to tell the story, she would imagine her own stories.
As she grew older she attended many ballet performances including, of course, The Nutcracker. Along with that, her many trips to Europe also influenced the scenery that surrounds the town of “Princess Tutu”. It surprised me though that she had never taken any ballet lessons prior to working on Princess Tutu. In order to gain a better understanding of the many poses and movements in ballet, Itoh dragged along with her the director and animators. Many ballet performances were also referred to in research for the anime in the making, as well as photographs of their instructor in action. Specific music for the series was already made known by Itoh for her animators to draw the storyboards around. All of these were used to construct the dancing sequences of Princess Tutu, both those based off actual performances as well as those original to Princess Tutu itself. It was made very clear that the characters were not drawn overlaying a real performer in a reference photo, paused video, or anything else of the like.
IV) The Story
The story begins with an old man called Drosselmeyer (his name taken from “The Nutcracker”), who wrote children’s stories. This included “The Prince and the Raven”, but in the middle of the story he died, leaving it without an ending and dooming the Raven and Prince to battle for eternity. To get around it, the Raven broke free from the story to the outside world with the Prince close on his talons. In a final effort to dispel the Raven the Prince shattered his own heart with his sword to seal away the Raven.
Since the story stopped, Drosselmeyer, through a “loop-hole in time”, introduces a new character to progress the story toward the grand tragedy that he imagined for the end. Here enters Ahiru (“duck” in English), a ‘duckling’ whose heart is saddened by the unsmiling prince that dances on the mist surface of her lake. Drosselmeyer offers her a chance to make the Prince smile again by finding the pieces of his heart. With the help of the magical pendant that was granted to her by Drosselmeyer himself, she turns into a girl that mimics her duck self, who then turns into the beautiful and graceful Princess Tutu whenever a piece of the Prince’s heart is near.
Throughout most of the series she searches out the pieces of the Prince’s heart, which are locked within the townsfolk feeling intense emotions that reflects the heart piece. She dances with the victims and setting them free from their intense feeling with the power of it. Her only restraint is that she may not confess her love to the Prince, or else she will transform into a speck of light and disappear forever.
V) Performances
Many of the episodes (a majority really) are based off a variety of actual Operas and ballets. A few of which are:
· The Nutcracker (one of the two most prominent)
· Swan Lake (the second of the two most prominent)
· Sleeping Beauty
· Romeo and Juliet
· A Midsummer’s Night Dream
· Coppelia
· Cinderella
· The Dying Swan
VI) Interpretation of the Characters
One of the ways the story is enhanced is in the characters’ realistic struggle against the fates set by their fairy-tale counterparts and the turmoil it forces onto their hearts.
A) Mythos - The Prince
Mythos, struggles with being a sort of “Damsel in Distress” throughout much of the story. Without his heart he is simply quiet and obedient, often leading him into trouble. Then later he has to battle with the inner evil that was planted within him when betrayed by his dark princess. He transforms from the innocent, sweet, and yes, clueless boy into a cold, harsh, dominating entity that even “abuses” the woman closest to him that has loved him through it all; the very woman whose love saves him in the end.
B) Rue - Princess Kraehe
The “dark” princess, as I like to call her sometimes, is the most complex character in the series. She acts out of loneliness and fears losing the Prince’s “love”. From those emotions she opposes Princess Tutu, foiling several attempts to return the pieces of the Prince’s heart and even sullies the Prince’s “Love” with the blood of the Monster Raven. The bottom line is that she wants the Prince’s love for herself and will do anything to keep it that way. Including destroying him.
But alas, she is the saddest character, in my opinion. She was raised by the Monster Raven, after being kidnapped as a baby, to believe that the only people in the world who could love her is the Prince from the story (Mythos) and the Raven himself, obligated by his being her “father”. She fights and fights for the Prince, only realizing too late that her trust in her “father” resulted in the Prince’s twisted Raven form and his imminent death: his newly completed heart eaten by the Monster Raven. In a desperate attempt to save him she offers her own heart in the Prince’s place and is swept away by the Ravens. The Prince is suddenly free of the spell, and realizes who his true princess really is as he remembers past memories of Rue before the story picked up again.
Rue is a girl who only wants to be loved, and is that not what we all want? Everyone in the human race is always on the search for someone to love him or her, as they are. So who’s to say that Rue may not be the image of the human race ruthlessly in search of love?
VII) Influence
I cannot clearly speak for other Princess Tutu fans, but I can say how it influenced me. It wasn’t (completely) the artwork alone, but the actual story and the way it was told. Recently, I’ve begun to base characters on the idea that there is no true side of good and evil. I believe there is a reason behind everything and the actions derived from those reasons are then judged as good or bad. Princess Tutu gave me proof that it is possible to create a realistic character such as Rue.
She is supposedly set as the villainess, the daughter of the Monster Raven himself. She transforms into Princess Kraehe many times to thwart Princess Tutu’s intentions. She lives on the idea that the only people able to love her is the Prince and the Raven and to lose either’s love is to have nothing. But despite everything tat has happened in the series, it is ultimately her love that saves the Prince in the end, making her his true princess.
As you may or may not have noticed I talk about Rue a lot, but that it only because she has so many facets to analyze. Truly she is a bright and inspiring jewel in the anime, even if her role is dark. In the beginning she is cool and confident, in control of herself and even the Prince to some extent. But that all begins to unravel as she witnesses more and more of Tutu’s successes and her Prince begins to wake up, only to fall for Tutu piece by piece. Her emotions build up until, finally and without her knowledge at first, she turns into Princess Kraehe and steals the Prince’s “Love”. To keep hold of her beloved Prince she finally gives in to the allure of the powerful “Black Shoes”, sliding semi-perfectly into her fated role as the opposing force of light: The Daughter of the Raven.
Therefore, anything is possible once you put your mind to it. And overall, Princess Tutu is a welcome inspiration in this new age of worldwide animation.
And I finished the project and now I get to post it for you guys like I promised. (At least I think I promised...)
Anyways here it is behind the cut. ^^
And once again, thanks for all the helpful suggestions! Although to be honest I ended up using more internet sources, but I did learn alot more stuff about anime from those books!
And one more thing.. T T It may suck, but I did my best for my first college research paper... I think.. But I don't mind critiques.. Feel free to offer.
The Magic of Ikuko Itoh’s Princess Tutu
(Withdrawing my Name)
MA11OA, FA07
November 15, 2007
I) Topic
This project is based on the original creation of Ikuko Itoh: “Princess Tutu”. This anime spans for 38 episodes (26 once combined on the American DVD), created in 2001 and aired in most of Asia from August 16, 2002 to June 28, 2003. Even though the series is classified as a Magical Shojo (girl) anime such as Sailor Moon or Card captor Sakura, it transcends that world by becoming a fairy tale and twisting the common structures of storytelling. Inside that story plays the drama of four people fighting to defy the fates that were set for them in the story.
Works Cited
“Princess Tutu.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 3 Nov. 2007. 13 Nov. 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/princess_tutu>.
“Ikuko Itoh.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 19 June 2007. 13 Nov. 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ikuko_itoh>.
“Princess Tutu.” King Records. 13 Nov. 2007 <http://www.kingrecords.co.jp/scr_catalog/011.html>.
(LJ) wmchichiri. “Ikuko Itoh At Ushicon Q&A and Other Fun.” Live Journal Community Princess Tutu. 1 Feb. 2006. 25 Oct. 2007 <http://community.livejournal.com/princesstutu/57459.html>.
II) Thesis Statement
Even though Princess Tutu is still considered new, I value it as a classic like Sailor Moon or Dragon Ball Z. There are so many moments in Princess Tutu where things can get just as intense with emotions and fierce battling. Everything in the anime seems to jump out at me and even now sticks to my mind. It only urges me to treasure the series even more because it has the power to stay with you even after several points have passed after watching the series. It still surprises me how I could call up the vivid scenes that are kept in my heart.
Even now I can see the beautiful artwork of the characters, the town’s scenery, the dancing… I admire the wonderfully fluid movements of various characters communicating their personalities and feelings through their dancing. I adore the way the story was told, leading you down a common path only to throw something new at you when you least expect it, therefore throwing you off your usual thinking of how a character in a fictional story operates. I feel that the anime agrees with m own mild belief that there is no true line between good and evil. There is a reason behind everything that happens in the world and everyone does something for a reason, no matter how great or bad a reason as it may seem to either you or I. Rue and her alter ego, Princess Kraehe, are very good examples, but more about that later.
III) Origin
Princess Tutu came into Ikuko Itoh’s mind while she was in-between working on Sailor Moon for Toei and character designs for “Magic User’s Club” or “Mahou Tsukai Tai”. She caught herself drawing ballerinas and finally succumbed to the growing idea of “Princess Tutu”. She shared thoughts and ideas for the story with fellow Toei co-workers and many agreed rather sincerely that it was a good idea, but on the sense of ‘good luck with that’. Even though she knew how difficult it might be to go ahead she pursued the idea anyway.
Itoh’s attraction to ballet began, from my impression of interviews, in her childhood. When she was a little girl she would sit with her father and listen to ballet music. But whenever she would ask what the story was behind the music, her father wouldn’t explain. Since he found it too bothersome to tell the story, she would imagine her own stories.
As she grew older she attended many ballet performances including, of course, The Nutcracker. Along with that, her many trips to Europe also influenced the scenery that surrounds the town of “Princess Tutu”. It surprised me though that she had never taken any ballet lessons prior to working on Princess Tutu. In order to gain a better understanding of the many poses and movements in ballet, Itoh dragged along with her the director and animators. Many ballet performances were also referred to in research for the anime in the making, as well as photographs of their instructor in action. Specific music for the series was already made known by Itoh for her animators to draw the storyboards around. All of these were used to construct the dancing sequences of Princess Tutu, both those based off actual performances as well as those original to Princess Tutu itself. It was made very clear that the characters were not drawn overlaying a real performer in a reference photo, paused video, or anything else of the like.
IV) The Story
The story begins with an old man called Drosselmeyer (his name taken from “The Nutcracker”), who wrote children’s stories. This included “The Prince and the Raven”, but in the middle of the story he died, leaving it without an ending and dooming the Raven and Prince to battle for eternity. To get around it, the Raven broke free from the story to the outside world with the Prince close on his talons. In a final effort to dispel the Raven the Prince shattered his own heart with his sword to seal away the Raven.
Since the story stopped, Drosselmeyer, through a “loop-hole in time”, introduces a new character to progress the story toward the grand tragedy that he imagined for the end. Here enters Ahiru (“duck” in English), a ‘duckling’ whose heart is saddened by the unsmiling prince that dances on the mist surface of her lake. Drosselmeyer offers her a chance to make the Prince smile again by finding the pieces of his heart. With the help of the magical pendant that was granted to her by Drosselmeyer himself, she turns into a girl that mimics her duck self, who then turns into the beautiful and graceful Princess Tutu whenever a piece of the Prince’s heart is near.
Throughout most of the series she searches out the pieces of the Prince’s heart, which are locked within the townsfolk feeling intense emotions that reflects the heart piece. She dances with the victims and setting them free from their intense feeling with the power of it. Her only restraint is that she may not confess her love to the Prince, or else she will transform into a speck of light and disappear forever.
V) Performances
Many of the episodes (a majority really) are based off a variety of actual Operas and ballets. A few of which are:
· The Nutcracker (one of the two most prominent)
· Swan Lake (the second of the two most prominent)
· Sleeping Beauty
· Romeo and Juliet
· A Midsummer’s Night Dream
· Coppelia
· Cinderella
· The Dying Swan
VI) Interpretation of the Characters
One of the ways the story is enhanced is in the characters’ realistic struggle against the fates set by their fairy-tale counterparts and the turmoil it forces onto their hearts.
A) Mythos - The Prince
Mythos, struggles with being a sort of “Damsel in Distress” throughout much of the story. Without his heart he is simply quiet and obedient, often leading him into trouble. Then later he has to battle with the inner evil that was planted within him when betrayed by his dark princess. He transforms from the innocent, sweet, and yes, clueless boy into a cold, harsh, dominating entity that even “abuses” the woman closest to him that has loved him through it all; the very woman whose love saves him in the end.
B) Rue - Princess Kraehe
The “dark” princess, as I like to call her sometimes, is the most complex character in the series. She acts out of loneliness and fears losing the Prince’s “love”. From those emotions she opposes Princess Tutu, foiling several attempts to return the pieces of the Prince’s heart and even sullies the Prince’s “Love” with the blood of the Monster Raven. The bottom line is that she wants the Prince’s love for herself and will do anything to keep it that way. Including destroying him.
But alas, she is the saddest character, in my opinion. She was raised by the Monster Raven, after being kidnapped as a baby, to believe that the only people in the world who could love her is the Prince from the story (Mythos) and the Raven himself, obligated by his being her “father”. She fights and fights for the Prince, only realizing too late that her trust in her “father” resulted in the Prince’s twisted Raven form and his imminent death: his newly completed heart eaten by the Monster Raven. In a desperate attempt to save him she offers her own heart in the Prince’s place and is swept away by the Ravens. The Prince is suddenly free of the spell, and realizes who his true princess really is as he remembers past memories of Rue before the story picked up again.
Rue is a girl who only wants to be loved, and is that not what we all want? Everyone in the human race is always on the search for someone to love him or her, as they are. So who’s to say that Rue may not be the image of the human race ruthlessly in search of love?
VII) Influence
I cannot clearly speak for other Princess Tutu fans, but I can say how it influenced me. It wasn’t (completely) the artwork alone, but the actual story and the way it was told. Recently, I’ve begun to base characters on the idea that there is no true side of good and evil. I believe there is a reason behind everything and the actions derived from those reasons are then judged as good or bad. Princess Tutu gave me proof that it is possible to create a realistic character such as Rue.
She is supposedly set as the villainess, the daughter of the Monster Raven himself. She transforms into Princess Kraehe many times to thwart Princess Tutu’s intentions. She lives on the idea that the only people able to love her is the Prince and the Raven and to lose either’s love is to have nothing. But despite everything tat has happened in the series, it is ultimately her love that saves the Prince in the end, making her his true princess.
As you may or may not have noticed I talk about Rue a lot, but that it only because she has so many facets to analyze. Truly she is a bright and inspiring jewel in the anime, even if her role is dark. In the beginning she is cool and confident, in control of herself and even the Prince to some extent. But that all begins to unravel as she witnesses more and more of Tutu’s successes and her Prince begins to wake up, only to fall for Tutu piece by piece. Her emotions build up until, finally and without her knowledge at first, she turns into Princess Kraehe and steals the Prince’s “Love”. To keep hold of her beloved Prince she finally gives in to the allure of the powerful “Black Shoes”, sliding semi-perfectly into her fated role as the opposing force of light: The Daughter of the Raven.
Therefore, anything is possible once you put your mind to it. And overall, Princess Tutu is a welcome inspiration in this new age of worldwide animation.