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Author
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Comment
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RJR4
Registered User
(7/14/06 2:09 pm)
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Magic girl legend?
Can anyone recall an old 'magic girl' Japanese legend that is akin to the 'Magic Knights Rayearth' genre, i.e., an ordinary girl acquires extraordinary abilities? I'm trying to find a specific example of an old cultural root to a current anime genre.
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eien
Unregistered User
(7/14/06 9:07 pm)
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You're looking in the wrong place.
You see, the Magical Girl genre isn't based in Japanese folklore, but rather the popularity of the classic TV series Bewitched. Suprisingly, it was a huge hit when it first aired in Japan, and one manga author, inspired by the series, created "Little Witch Sally", which started the basis of the original Magical Girl formula throughout the 70's and 80's.
Then, Sailor Moon came along, which incorpersted elements from live-action Sentai series, the Magical Girl genre evolved into the more action oriented genre you know today, including series like Magic Knight Rayearth.
So, it's not really deep-rooted in Japanese legend, but rather an new concept inspired by a Western TV series.
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Writerpatrick
Registered User
(7/15/06 5:59 am)
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Re: You're looking in the wrong place.
There is a tradition of witches in Japan different than that of North America and Europe. There they are seen as more respectable and more consistent with religous philosophy. I'm not familiar with Japanese theatre, but that would likely be the place to look for legends regarding the traditional role of witches in Japan.
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Eien
Unregistered User
(7/15/06 12:43 pm)
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Good point.
Ah, yes. I almost forgot that cultural difference. That could also have contributed to the evolution of the Magic Girl genre...
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