Mahou no Stage Fancy Lala

Studio Pierrot returns to their roots with Magical Stage Fancy Lala. This animation studio was the king of the mahou shoujo (magical girl) genre back in the early 80's first with Mahou no Tenshi Creamy Mami, and then following up with Mahou no Yousei Pelsia, Mahou no Star Magical Emi, and Mahou no Idol Pastel Yumi. These fit under the traditional mahou shoujo theme of a girl discovering she has a gift, and then learning to live with it. This is before Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon introduced sentai (superhero) elements and had magical girls fighting for truth and justice.

Fancy Lala has a familiar story. Nine-year old Miho dreams of being famous, either as a manga artist or even as an idol star. But unlike most kids, Miho actually gets her wish. True to mahou shoujo conventions, Miho encounters two "mascot characters" that resemble small dinosaurs. These creatures, Pigu and Mogu, grant her the power to control her own time - that is, Miho can transform into 15 year old Lala. In addition, they give her a magical pen. After chanting a spell, any clothes she draws with that pen magically appears. This becomes significant because as 15 yr old Lala, she is soon recruited into a model agency.

While this story may sound rather girly, the truth is... well... it is. But the series is far more than just its feminine appearance. It's a story of a teenage girl who is trying to make it in the idol industry. It's a story about a young girl who's learning about growing up as she interacts with her family and classmates in elementary school. Yet these two girls are actually the same person. You are able to see her life from two different points of view, and they reveal not only about herself, but how people perceive her depending on who and how old she is. As much as Miho/Lala is central to the plot, the show places a heavy emphasis on characterization. By the end of the series, you will have gotten to know a bit about all the characters, whether it's her school friends, parents, or her coworkers.

Fancy Lala isn't about weaving an intricate plot or vocalizing a heavy message to dwell on. Instead, it captures life. The characters are the focus. The genuineness in their interactions brings an immediate connection to the viewer. I have found myself in tears watching some of the episodes. Mahou no Stage Fancy Lala is a bundle of warmth. You can't help but feel touched after watching it. You will leave happier than you came. There's no better testimony than that.

Ima, Soko ni Iru Boku

Perhaps the most dramatic show I've ever seen, Ima, Soko ni Iru Boku is full of shock. Also called Now and Then, Here and There, enter a world where a mad dictator rules a kingdom by fear, where males are forced into his army upon penalty of death, and where females are raped in order to bear children for the kingdom. Now imagine that the bulk of the characters in the show are kids. It's not pretty. It can get quite sickening seeing and imagining the situations these children get themselves in. The main character, Shu, is beaten almost to the point of death on several occasions. Other characters fair out a lot worse.

But nevertheless, it's almost because of these horrible acts that the show is so good. Yes, it is downright disgusting to see how evil one man can be. But what I enjoyed most was seeing how people react and transform to the situations they're dealt. You see some characters reluctantly doing evil for fear of their own death. You see others genuinely come to love the violent acts they perform. Still others result to evil means to achieve what they believe is a good purpose. It's almost like an exposition of how man can be, if placed in the proper situations.

Now and Then is really a hard show to watch. With so many scenes of violence and cruelty, many will stop watching it. These powerful scenes remain in your mind long after you've finished watching. The things that happen are a tragedy in every sense of the word. But yet, if you're willing to stomach it, it's an incredible journey to see how people are transformed, either good or bad, by everything that's happening. Perhaps the most disturbing part of it all is that you know that the things in this series could very well happen... and probably have happened in the past. It's intense real drama.