Ranked #1098

Fushigiboshi no Futagohime

i just started watching this and I thought I should try writing a review.
If you obsessed with magical girls and cuteness this is a good one.
The art is cute.
The main characters are dumb and they irritate me. But when you actually come to get used to them they amuse you.

At first this show starts off dumb, boring and simple but for magical girl fangirls you should keep on watching. In the first few episodes I am sticking out my tougue to watch it but when you get deeper into the show you don't want to stop watching.

WARNING IF YOU ARE NOT A MAGICAL GIRL FANGIRL DO NOT WATCH YOULL HATE IT!! read more

Fushigiboshi no Futagohime is a Magical Girl anime for those who enjoy watching a cute, funny show that doesn't take itself too seriously. Keep in mind that that Magical Girl shows are typically made with kids in mind, so if you're looking for depth and darkness, you're watching the wrong show.

=== Story ===

The Mysterious Star/Wonder Planet (depending on the translation, we'll go with the former) is the setting where this story takes place. It's essentially a hollow meteor with the various kingdoms, oceans and mountains lining the inner walls. Floating in the center of them all is the Sunny Kingdom, home of our protagonists. Hyperactive, redheaded glutton Fine and her blue haired, equally hyper romanticist sister Rein are infamously known as "The most unprincess-like princesses in all of the Mysterious Star.

The ecosystem of the Mysterious Star is fueled by a power known as the "Blessing of the Sun". When this power starts to weaken, it causes the Kingdoms to suffer adverse effects, threatening the way of life for all of the star's people. After an encounter with the legendary Princess Grace, Fine, Rein and their mentor mascot, Puumo are tasked with saving the Mysterious Star, and are granted the magical powers of the Prominence. Of course our unprincess-like princesses have quite a ways to go before they can grow into capable saviors of the Mysterious Star, and the only thing put to a greater test then their abilities, is the patience of Puumo.

One fraction of the show's story involves our heroes descending to the many Kingdoms of the Mysterious Star, discovering the various problems sweeping the star and doing what they can to help.

Another reoccurring plot is the Princess Parties, competitions where the princesses from all across the star gather to compete in various activities such as baking and gardening, with the hopes of being crowned Best Princess.

Roughly a quarter into the show however the show takes on a new formula, as villains are introduced, seeking to steal the power of the Prominence and conquer the Mysterious Star. By the halfway point the show shifts into a slightly darker tone, exchanging the absurd story of twin princesses helping others with their personal problems, to a journey around the world via hot air balloon, where our protagonists combat the powers of darkness.

=== Art ===

The art style of Futagohime is color and lively, much like it's brightly dressed protagonists. The animation style is what you'd expect of a cutesy Magical Girl show, with bright eyed girls smiling and lighting up the hearts of the viewers. Nothing particularly spectacular for our current age, but it does well for it's time.

=== Sound ===

The opening and ending of the show are both bouncy and cheerful songs that will get stuck in your head if you're not careful. The BGM is fairly standard, but it's pretty hard to notice when our squeaky voiced heroes are babbling on.

The voice cast do their jobs well enough, with special mention going to Kaori Mizuhashi, who puts all of her talents into the stuck up and irritable Altezza. Some of the voices, particularly Puumo's, might be a bit too squeaky and obnoxious for some viewers, but if cutesy stuff is your forte, you should be able to enjoy them.

One minor thing that chips my enjoyment down (but not enough to affect the numbers) is the recasting of Prince Tio's voice. From his debut in episode 3 to episode 25, Vanilla Yamazaki brought an energetic and adorable charm to the character. Come episode 27 and that gets replaced by the raspy, nasally voice of Shihomi Mizowaki, which Ojamajo Doremi fans would recognize as belonging to Kaori Shimakura, the obnoxious paparazzi girl.

=== Character ===

Like in most Magical Girl shows, the characters are where the show shines brightest. Of course the first step to enjoying them is to not take this show seriously. At all. This show is essentially about Magical Girls with a bad case of ADD, as Puumo and Camelot, the Sunny Castle Princess's tutor learn the hard way as a simply explanation can go completely ignored in favor of the scent of food or fashionable clothes.

I must emphasize, Rein and Fine are probably the most ridiculous characters I have ever had the pleasure of watching. Cheerful and outgoing to a fault, the girls have a hard time dealing with anything that isn't fun or delicious (food for Fine, Prince Bright for Rein), leading to wacky antics and a vast encyclopedia of bizarre dances that will leave you cracking up, cringing, or both.

With such emphasis on princesses, the cast of them doesn't just stop at Rein and Fine. Princesses from all the land come together, from the sweet, timid Lione, to the gluttonous infant, Milky. Probably the most prominent princess is Altezza, a spoiled, haughty girl who has very little tolerance for the antics of the Sunny Princesses, and their inability to take Princess Parties seriously.

Though less prominent than the Princesses, Princes of various Kingdoms play a role in the series, such as Altezza's older brother, the aforementioned object of Rein's affections. Bright is, on the surface everything you'd expect from a Prince Charming, in the wrong place, because the heroes are princesses, and Bright shows he feels very insecure about how little help he can be.

The other most focused prince is Tio of the Flame Kingdom, the show's resident punching bag. Tio shows up every now and again, eager to protect Rein and Fine, but this plucky kid always ends up failing spectacularly.

=== Enjoyment ===

I want to say that this show is completely ridiculous, but that's not the case. Only the first 25 or so episodes are. I really enjoyed the beginning half, rooted in the Cute Witch sub-genre of Magical Girls. It was fun, absurd and upbeat. Once the second half rolled around the show began to take on a darker, more serious atmosphere, reducing it's comedy level and making the once charming antics of the twins stand out as odd when the group is discussing serious threats.

In particular I found the show much more refreshing without villains taking center stage as the cause of superficial problems for the people of the Mysterious Star. Without being the direct cause of villains, these problems could be solved in much more amusing and unconventional manners, rather than simply expelling or disabling threatening entities. This also allowed the emotional develop of the characters to expand more than allowed when a monster or villain threat must take center stage, which honestly are rather generic in nature.

But still, after adoring the cast and watching their various developments, this shift in tone doesn't do all that much to make me not want to follow Rein and Fine's adventures in the Mysterious Star.

=== Overall ===

Fushigiboshi no Futagohime is for those who don't expect much from their anime. It's a fun show with silly characters and silly plots. If you're looking for a much more meaningful and complex show you may enjoy the second half, but not all that much. read more