Magical Princess Minky Momo

Magical Princess Minky Momo (魔法のプリンセス ミンキー モモ) is a Japanese magical girl anime franchise by Ashi Productions. The original series ran between 1982 and 1983 on TV Tokyo and inspired three OVAs between 1985 and 1987. A second television series, titled Magical Princess Minky Momo: Hold on to Your Dreams (魔法のプリンセスミンキーモモ 夢を抱きしめて), ran on NTV between 1991 and 1992, and like the original, it spawned home video follow-ups. A third Momo series began in 2004, this time as a manga titled Miracle Dream Minky Momo (みらくる・ドリーム ミンキーモモ) in Shogakukan's Shōgaku Ninensei magazine.

In 2006, writer Takeshi Shudo expressed interest in making a third Momo anime television series. In 2009, Ashi Productions announced a new Momo production, but it has not yet surfaced, likely due to Shudo's death in 2010.

Plot
Momo is a princess of Fenarinarsa (フェナリナーサ), "the land of dreams in the sky". Fenarinarsa is a 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, police officer, football manager, veterinarian, 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, the task is left incomplete as Momo loses her magical powers and is soon thereafter killed by a collision with a truck full of toys. She is reincarnated as a baby, the real daughter of the couple on Earth.

1982 TV series
The first anime television series, Magical Princess Minky Momo, premiered on March 18, 1982 and concluded on May 26, 1983 on NTV after 63 episodes. The series inspired a crossover short film with Studio Pierrot's Creamy Mami, the Magic Angel called Long Goodbye: Magical Angel Creamy Mami VS Magical Princess Minky Momo Decisive Theatrical Battle (魔法のプリンセスミンキーモモVS魔法の天使クリィミーマミ 劇場の大決戦) that was released on June 15, 1985, attached to the latter's theatrical film. The following month, a Peter Pan-themed OVA named Magical Princess Minky Momo: La Ronde in my Dream (魔法のプリンセスミンキーモモ 夢の中の輪舞) was released in Japan. On January 21, 1987, Ashi released an animated music video titled Magical Princess Minky Momo: Hitomi no Seiza Minky Momo Song Special (魔法のプリンセスミンキーモモ 瞳の星座ミンキーモモSONGスペシャル). The second season, she against Evil Shadow in the dream.

1991 TV series
A second television series, produced by Ashi Productions and sharing the same title as the original, premiered on NTV on October 2, 1991. After 38 episodes, the series changed its subtitle to Magical Princess Minky Momo: Hold on to Your Dreams (魔法のプリンセスミンキーモモ 夢を抱きしめて) and ended on December 23, 1992.

International releases
In 1984, Harmony Gold acquired the rights to the original Minky Momo anime television series and repackaged it into the 52-episode The Magical World of Gigi. The English dubbed version was broadcast in Australia on Network Ten, Malaysia on RTM1 and RTM2, Singapore, Kuwait, Zimbabwe, Trinidad and Tobago, Indonesia, Kenya, Brunei and Israel.

Despite international distribution, North American audiences initially only received the 1985 OVA, Yume no naka no Rondo. The English dub release was produced by Harmony Gold and distributed on VHS by Celebrity Home Entertainment in 1987, titled Gigi and the Fountain of Youth. In 2015, William Winckler Productions released Harmony Gold's English dub of the original series in 13 compilation films through Amazon Instant Video. Crunchyroll licenses the original series under the title Fairy Princess Minky Momo.

Impact and influence
While aimed at young girls with the goal of selling toys, the original series attracted a considerable number of older male fans and alongside Creamy Mami, the Magic Angel, is credited as one of the originators of the lolicon otaku subculture. Though this unintended audience allegedly disgusted Ashi Productions founder Sato Toshihiko, it helped the show gain a strong 10% viewer share, leading to its run being extended from 50 episodes to 63.

Episode 46 of the original series has become infamous due to its depiction of Momo dying after being hit by a truck carrying toys. In an issue of Japanese anime magazine OUT, series writer Takeshi Shudo explained that this was due to the toy sponsor Popy pulling their funding due to poor merchandise sales, despite strong ratings. Furious with this decision, Ashi Productions revolted and killed the character off at the end of the episode. While the character's death was only temporary, the sequence was seen as a trailblazer that allowed later magical-girl productions to deal with darker themes. The episode, alongside the last, later inspired a Japanese urban legend linking the series to natural disasters.

In 1993, Hiroshi Takada won JASRAC's International Award for his work on the first TV series.

The original series ranked 70th in TV Asahi's 2005 poll of the most popular anime.

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


 * BGM MANIAC LIBRARY 3 Mahou no Princess Minky Momo Mihappyou BGM Shuu (1986)
 * (LP) Victor Entertainment, JBX-7003
 * (Cassette) Victor Entertainment, VSK-20003


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


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