Princess Tutu
A duck becomes a ballerina to save a prince's heart.
Princess Tutu (Japanese: プリンセスチュチュ, Hepburn: Purinsesu Chuchu) is an anime television series from Japan, created by Ikuko Itoh and helmed by directors Junichi Sato and Shogo Koumoto. Drawing inspiration from ballet and classic fairy tales—most notably *The Ugly Duckling* and *Swan Lake*—the narrative centers on a duck that gains the ability to become the legendary ballerina Princess Tutu. Her mission is to restore the broken heart of a prince who stepped out of a storybook. The show ran from August 2002 through May 2003, totaling 26 episodes split into two seasons. A manga adaptation, spanning two volumes, was also released.
The plot begins with Drosselmeyer, a writer whose stories could become real. He died before finishing his last tale, *The Prince and the Raven*, leaving its heroes locked in endless conflict. Eventually, the Raven escaped into the real world, and the prince, Siegfried, followed. To trap the Raven’s evil, Siegfried shattered his own heart with a sword, losing all memory and emotion. Drosselmeyer, having written himself into the story to preserve his consciousness, grew frustrated that the tale had stalled and wished to turn it into an eternal tragedy. He found a way to restart events through a duck who had fallen for Mytho—the empty shell of Siegfried. Drosselmeyer gave the duck a magical pendant that let her transform first into a human girl, then into Princess Tutu, a character from the story. As Tutu, the duck (named Duck) had to locate the scattered pieces of Mytho’s heart and return them.
Not everyone wanted Mytho to regain his feelings. Rue, the Raven’s daughter reborn as a human, also loved Mytho and feared he might not love her back if he had a heart. Her wish to stop him awakened her power to become Princess Kraehe, Tutu’s dark mirror. Fakir, a boy who had found and cared for Mytho after he left the story, also tried to block Tutu, worried that advancing the tale would bring the Raven back and force Mytho to risk his life again. Duck learned that Princess Tutu could never confess her love to Mytho, or she would dissolve into light. Still, once it became clear Mytho wanted his heart restored, she kept going despite interference from Fakir and Kraehe.
Eventually, Fakir accepted Mytho’s choice and began helping Tutu, even learning she was really a duck and befriending her. He discovered he was a descendant of Drosselmeyer and cou
- Creator
- Ikuko Itoh
- Directors
- Junichi Sato and Shogo Koumoto
- Original Run
- August 16, 2002 – May 23, 2003
- Episodes
- 26
- Seasons
- 2
- Genre
- Magical girl, fairy tale, ballet
- Production Companies
- Hal Film Maker, TUTU (King Records, IMAGICA Imageworks, Dentsu, Marvelous Entertainment, Memory-Tech)
Lore & Background
The story begins with a writer named Drosselmeyer, who had the power to make his stories come to life. He died before finishing his final tale, The Prince and the Raven, leaving its titular characters locked in an eternal battle. The Raven escaped into the real world, and the Prince, Siegfried, pursued him. To seal away the Raven's evil, Siegfried shattered his heart with his sword, losing his memories and emotions. Drosselmeyer, having written himself into the tale to preserve his consciousness, laments the story's standstill and seeks to make it a never-ending tragedy. He gives a magical pendant to a duck who has fallen in love with Mytho, the empty remainder of Siegfried, allowing her to transform into a human girl and then into the ballerina Princess Tutu. As Tutu, Duck is tasked with finding the scattered shards of Mytho's heart and returning them to him.
Reader's Guide
Princess Tutu is significant for its unique blend of ballet, fairy tale motifs, and magical girl elements, with a narrative that emphasizes dance and emotional resolution over violence. The series explores themes of love, sacrifice, and the power of storytelling, as characters like Fakir, a descendant of Drosselmeyer, learn to write reality. English-language reviews have been very positive, noting its 'surprisingly effective emotional appeal' and its departure from typical magical girl conventions. The series was licensed in North America by ADV Films in 2004, later by AEsir Holdings, and received a Blu-ray release from Sentai Filmworks in 2018. Its legacy endures through its critical acclaim and continued availability on streaming platforms like Hidive.
Did You Know?
- The series was inspired by ballet and fairy tales, particularly The Ugly Duckling and Swan Lake.
- The anime aired in two seasons: 'Kapitel des Eies' (Chapter of the Egg) and 'Kapitel des Junges' (Chapter of the Fledgling) in R2 DVDs.
- The English version of the manga uses the untranslated Japanese name 'Ahiru' rather than 'Duck'.
- The series was conceptualized by Ikuko Itoh, who also designed the characters.
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