Magical Princess Minky Momo

Magical Princess Minky Momo (魔法のプリンセス ミンキー モモ, Mahō no Purinsesu Minkī Momo) is the title of two different magical-girl anime.

Plot summary

Momo (Gigi in several western dubs) is a princess of Fenarinarsa (フェナリナーサ, Fenarināsa), "the land of dreams in the sky." Fenarinarsa is the dwelling place for fairy tale characters. It was in danger of leaving Earth's orbit and disappearing, because people on the planet lost their dreams and hopes. The king and queen of Fenarinarsa sent their daughter Momo to Earth to help the people regain them. Momo became the daughter of a young childless couple, accompanied by three followers with the appearance of a dog (Sindbook), a monkey (Mocha) and a bird (Pipil). On Earth, Momo takes the appearance of a teenage girl. To help the planet regain its hopes and dreams, Momo transforms into an adult version of herself, with an occupation tailored to fit the situation (airline stewardess,^[1] police officer,^[2] football manager,^[3] veterinarian,^[4] and many more). Each time Momo succeeds in bringing happiness to the person affected, the Fenarinarsa crown shines. When it shines four times, a jewel appears in the crown. Once twelve jewels appear, Fenarinarsa will return to Earth.

Later in the series, however, the task is left incomplete as she loses her magical powers and then her life. She is reincarnated as a baby, the real daughter of the couple on Earth. Now she has her own dream to realize. She also has a pink lizard named Kadzilla who helps her and her allies defeat an evil shadow who had been the source of the troubles of the people she had helped.

The second series has a similar plot. However, this Momo came from "Marinarsa" (マリンナーサ, Marināsa), the "land of dreams in the bottom of the sea." In this series, she was accompanied by Cookbook (dog), Lupipi (bird), and Charmo (monkey) and enjoyed a happy life on the ground. Similar to the previous series, she is adopted by a young childless couple who became her parents on the ground and she used her magic to bring happiness to many people.

Later in the second series, Momo and her family become refugees. She understands that people have few hopes and dreams now. She eventually meets the Momo character from the first series and ultimately decides to save all the remaining hopes and dreams, using her magic against many social issues. Despite her efforts, all magic and fairy tale characters begin to disappear. The King and Queen of Marināsa decide to escape from the Earth. Momo stays behind to fulfill her parents' dream of having a child, believing that hopes and dreams are never really lost.

Production

The first Momo anime TV series, often called Sora Momo ("Sky Momo"), aired in 1982 and had character designs by the late Toyoo Ashida. The second Momo TV series, often called Umi Momo ("Sea Momo"), aired in 1991. They are the first and the third magical-girl anime created by Ashi Productions, respectively. Each of the two Momos consists of two parts.

Two Momos share the same title, except that the official title of the second part of the second Momo is Magical Princess Minky Momo: Embracing the Dream (魔法のプリンセス ミンキー モモ: 夢を抱きしめて, Mahō no Purinsesu Minkī Momo: Yume o Dakishimete).

The protagonist is a magical girl called Minky Momo in both Momos, but they are different persons. (Umi Momo is not a sequel of Sora Momo in an ordinary sense).

While it would be a stretch to compare Minky Momo to the Momotarō of Japanese folklore, it is interesting to note that Momotarō also had, as companions, a bird, a monkey and a dog. The choice of name and companions was almost undoubtably a deliberate reference to Momotarō. "Momo", incidentally, means "peach".

Releases

Four OVAs have been released so far: Magical Princess Minky Momo: Yume no naka no Rondo (1985), Magical Princess Minky Momo: Hitomi no Seiza (1987), Minky Momo: Yume ni Kakeru Hashi (1993) and Minky Momo: Tabidachi no Eki (1994). The latter two were not called Magical Princess Minky Momo but rather just Minky Momo (she is not a magical girl anymore in those stories).

Currently the third Momo exists only as manga (Miracle Dream Minky Momo), and features a Momo from a land-based kingdom. It has not yet been decided, but it is possible that there will be a third Momo anime. Takeshi Shudo is already talking about how the third Momo should go.^[5]

Despite the series' popularity in Japan, Europe and Latin America, only the 1985 OVA, Yume no naka no Rondo, has been released in the United States, in an English dub produced by Harmony Gold and released by Celebrity Home Entertainment, titled Gigi and the Fountain of Youth. Rebecca Forstadt (under the pseudonym Reba West) played Gigi (Momo) in this dub. Like most English language anime during its time, the dub version was heavily edited, with an altered plot, rewritten dialogue, and a changed soundtrack (all of the original Japanese vocal songs were replaced with new English songs).

Soundtracks

Singles

Mahou no Princess Minky Momo: Yume no Naka no Rondo (1985)

sung by Mariko Shiga, EP, Victor Entertainment, KV-3068

Mahou no Princess Minky Momo: Yumemiru Heart (1991)

(CD) STAR CHILD, KIDA 31

Mahou no Princess Minky Momo: Yume wo Dakishimete (1992)

(CD) STAR CHILD, KIDA 42

Mahou no Princess Minky Momo: LOVE CALL (1993)

(CD) STAR CHILD, 8SSX 69

Albums

Magical Princess Minky Momo: Yume no Naka no Rondo Ongakuhen (1985)

(LP) Victor Entertainment, JBX-25066

(CD) Victor Entertainment, VDR-1073

Magical Princess Minky Momo: Fenarinarsa Song Festival (1985)

(CD) Victor Entertainment, VDR-1085

Mahou no Princess Minky Momo: DaBaDaBa DaBaDa (1992)

(CD) King Records KICA-79

Mahou no Princess Minky Momo: Yuki ga Yandara (1992)

(CD) King Records, KICA-109

Mahou no Princess Minky Momo: Utau Fairy Tale! (1992)

(CD) King Records, KICA-120

Mahou no Princess Minky Momo: LOVE STAGE (1993)

(CD) King Records, KICA-131

Mahou no Princess Minky Momo: Yume ni Kakeru Hashi (1993)

(CD) King Records, KICA-146

Mahou no Princess Minky Momo: Someday My Prince Will Come (1994)

(CD) Victor Entertainment, VICL-23060 (also released on LP)

Mahou no Princess Minky Momo: Tabidachi no Eki (1994)

(CD) King Records, KICA-196

Mahou no Princess Minky Momo: Someday My Prince Will Come TV/OVA (1994)

(CD) Victor Entertainment, VICL-23060

Dendō Twin Series Magical Princess Minky Momo TV-ban OVA-ban (1999)

(CD) Victor Entertainment, VICL-60419/20

Compilations

These albums have songs from multiple shows. The applicable tracks are in bold.

Emotion 20th Anniversary Theme Collection - OVA & Movie

(CD) Victor Entertainment, VICL-60938

Disc 1

1. Dallos no Theme (Horn Spectrum, from Dallos)
2. Yume no Naka no Rondo (Mariko Shiga, from La Ronde in My Dream)
3. Active Heart (Noriko Sakai, from Gunbuster)
4. Try Again... (Noriko Sakai, from Gunbuster)
5. The Winner (Miki Matsubara, from Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory)
6. Magic (Jacob Wheeler, from Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory)
7. Just Fallin' Love: Ikustu mo no Setsunai Yoru no Naka de (Ayako Udagawa, from Dominion)
8. Kaze no Tsubasa (Hitomi Mieno, from Haou Taikei Ryuu Knight: Adeu's Legend)
9. Point 1 (Yumiko Takahashi, from Haou Taikei Ryuu Knight: Adeu's Legend)
10. Toketeiku Yume no Hate ni (Yayoi Gotō, from Iria: Zeiram the Animation)
11. 100mph no Yūki (Sakiko Tamagawa and Akiko Hiramatsu, from You're Under Arrest)
12. Arittake no Jōnetsu de (Sakiko Tamagawa and Akiko Hiramatsu, from You're Under Arrest)
13. After, in the Dark: Torch Song (Mai Yamane and Gabriela Robin, from Macross Plus)
14. Inori no Asa (Miwako Saitō, from Shamanic Princess)
15. Omoide no Mori (Miwako Saitō, from Shamanic Princess)
16. Future Shock (cherry, from Birdy the Mighty)

Disc 2

1. Ai, Oboete Imasu ka (long version) (Mari Iijima, from The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love?)
2. Tenshi no Enogu (Mari Iijima, from The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love?)
3. Akira no Theme (Geinoh Yamashirogumi, from Akira)
4. Voices (Akino Arai, from Macross Plus (movie eidtion))
5. Heart & Soul (Emilia with Basara Nekki, from Macross 7: The Galaxy Is Calling Me!)
6. In Yer Memory (Takkyū Ishino, from Memories)
7. Calling (Nitro, from You're Under Arrest: The Movie)
8. Tōi Kono Machi de (Naomi Kaitani, from Cardcaptor Sakura)
9. Ashita e no Melody (Chaka, from Cardcaptor Sakura)
10. Yubiwa (single version) (Maaya Sakamoto, from The Vision of Escaflowne)
11. Grace - Jinroh Main Theme - Omega (Hajime Mizoguchi, from Jin-Roh)
12. Ask DNA (The Seatbelts, from Cowboy Bebop: The Movie)

See also

• List of Minky Momo 1982 episodes
• List of Minky Momo 1991 episodes

References

External links

• Fairy Princess Minky Momo aka Magical Princess Gigi (1982 TV series, 63 episodes) (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia

• Yume no Naka no Rondo (La ronde in my dream aka Gigi and the Fountain of Youth) 1985 OVA (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Mahou no Princess Minky Momo: Yume wo Dakishimete (Hold on to Your Dreams) 1991 TV series, 65 episodes (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia (62 main episodes, plus special episodes 46.5, 53.5 and 58.5)

• Minky Momo in Yume ni Kakeru Hashi (The Bridge Over Dreams) 1993 OVA) (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia

• Minky Momo in Tabidachi no Eki (The Station of Your Memories) 1994 OVA) (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia

• Mahô no purinsesu Minkî Momo (1982) at the Internet Movie Database
• Mahô no purinsesu Minkî Momo (1991) at the Internet Movie Database
• A feature on the American dub of Minky Momo titled Gigi & the Fountain of Youth