Magical girl transformations have come a long way from the hand-drawn elegance of sailor moon to the high-energy, CG-enhanced sequences in Precure and the deconstructed approach in Madoka Magica. Do modern transformations still hold the same emotional weight, or have they become more about spectacle? How do these changes reflect shifts in animation techniques, audience expectations, and the magical girl genre itself? |
that one is dear to me who runs not after the pleasant or away from the painful, grieves not, lusts not, but lets things come and go as they happen. |
| I always got the impression that transformation sequences started out as a cost-saving measure: convenient stock footage to reuse and fill episode runtime. So they were always about spectacle. Transformations in the Sailor Moon manga are near instantaneous. Though there is some merit in saying they represent changing into a more idealized version of oneself. Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master had a proto-Sailor Moon transformation sequence of sorts which had the main character put on a more aggressive, confident outfit to fight Freddy, and people would absolutely perceive it as a magical girl parody had the movie come out after Sailor Moon. |
 ♪Strong from the inside, you're still my lifeline! I feel you wherever you are!♪ |
| I've never timed them, but the Pretty Cure transformations seem to take the longest. |
| その目だれの目？ |
They got progressively more scantily clad over the years. |
Reply to Lucifrost
I've never timed them, but the Pretty Cure transformations seem to take the longest.
| @Lucifrost Cure Felice's transformation is probably the longest. @tchitchouan Yeah, it's my favorite magical girl transformation. :) |
SerafosMar 12, 10:13 PM
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Reply to Serafos
@Lucifrost Cure Felice's transformation is probably the longest.
@tchitchouan Yeah, it's my favorite magical girl transformation. :)
@tchitchouan Yeah, it's my favorite magical girl transformation. :)
| @Serafos wow a whole minute and a half for transformation sequence,on that's like 7% of the episode for the transformation alone. |
Reply to Serafos
@Lucifrost Cure Felice's transformation is probably the longest.
@tchitchouan Yeah, it's my favorite magical girl transformation. :)
@tchitchouan Yeah, it's my favorite magical girl transformation. :)
| @Serafos Yeah, i can clearly see why, it's beautiful. |
Reply to Lucifrost
@Serafos
I prefer the transformations of Star Twinkle, because they are accompanied by singing.
I'm surprised this innovation didn't stick around.
I prefer the transformations of Star Twinkle, because they are accompanied by singing.
I'm surprised this innovation didn't stick around.
| @Lucifrost Yeah, I also like them a lot. It's my favorite Pretty Cure season. |
|
Reply to MelodyOfMemory
I always got the impression that transformation sequences started out as a cost-saving measure: convenient stock footage to reuse and fill episode runtime. So they were always about spectacle. Transformations in the Sailor Moon manga are near instantaneous.
Though there is some merit in saying they represent changing into a more idealized version of oneself. Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master had a proto-Sailor Moon transformation sequence of sorts which had the main character put on a more aggressive, confident outfit to fight Freddy, and people would absolutely perceive it as a magical girl parody had the movie come out after Sailor Moon.
Though there is some merit in saying they represent changing into a more idealized version of oneself. Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master had a proto-Sailor Moon transformation sequence of sorts which had the main character put on a more aggressive, confident outfit to fight Freddy, and people would absolutely perceive it as a magical girl parody had the movie come out after Sailor Moon.
MelodyOfMemory said: I always got the impression that transformation sequences started out as a cost-saving measure: convenient stock footage to reuse and fill episode runtime. They did. Same applies to OP's and ED's. Same applies to those sequences in Mecha anime. |
| Well, the most obvious change is that they used to be mostly about turning into an older girl or a woman, but then they started being mostly about adopting a battle form or persona. Which we can blame/credit Sailor Moon for, I think. Goes closely with the shift from 'cute witch' to 'magic girl warrior' types being predominant. @tchitchouan tchitchouan said: They got progressively more scantily clad over the years. Minky Momo is nude in hers early 80s, so I'm not sure about that. |
| Does it matter how it has changed? Somethings never change. |
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