The appeal and reviews of "Fairy King": Exploring the depths of the fantasy world

"Fairy King": A night of fantasy

The OVA "Fairy King", released by CBS Sony on December 21, 1988, is based on the manga of the same name by shojo manga artist Yamagishi Ryoko. It was directed by Yamada Katsuhisa, produced by Madhouse, and produced and written by Kadokawa Shoten and CBS Sony. Each episode is 60 minutes long and depicts a world of fantasy and adventure.

story

The story begins when a young boy named Shinobu Kai travels from Tokyo to Hokkaido to recuperate from an illness and has a mysterious experience. Cuchulainn saves him from a nightmare and tells him that he is the reincarnation of Prince Guin, who died before ascending to the throne as the Fairy King. He passes through the Moonlit Window and wanders into the fairyland of Nymphidea. There, he and his fawn (deer spirit) Pukku continue their journey to the castle of Queen Mab, the queen of the dark elves, who is trying to destroy the peaceful Nymphidea. On his journey to find the Water Ring, Jaku meets a variety of characters, including Cuchulainn, the Fairy King's first servant, the mysterious man Ibika, the sea fairy Melijene, the wind fairy Sylphid, and the Harpies. It is said that when the Water Ring shines, lost words are revived. What trials and tribulations await him on his journey?

Commentary

"Fairy King" is an OVA animated version of a manga by Ryoko Yamagishi. In order to make the most of the delicate lines of the original work, the characters' movements are kept to a minimum, and the composition is consciously designed to capture the atmosphere of the original frames, making the production unique in that it places great importance on the imagery of the original work. This type of direction makes the work familiar to fans of the original work. It also contains a wealth of fantasy elements, making it appealing for its visual beauty and depth of story.

cast

The cast of this film is as follows:

• Shinobi Kaisha/Yuji Mitsuya
• Guin/Yuji Mitsuya
• Cu Chulainn / Kei Toyama
• Queen Mab / Masako Ikeda
• Ibing Lu/Masashi Hironaka
• Pukku/Maya Okamoto
• Elspeth (Elizabeth) / Yoshino Takamori
• Merigene/Mari Yokoo
• Harpy (Okipeta) / Asami Mukaidono
• Harpy (Aero)/Yuko Sasaki
• Harpy (Sereno) / Kuniko Oguchi
• Yuna/Yumiko Shibata
• Sylphid/Naoko Watanabe

In particular, Mitsuya Yuji's two roles as Shinobi Kaisha and Guin play important roles as central characters in the story. Toyama Kei's Cu Chulainn and Ikeda Masako's Queen Mab also deliver impressive performances, and the powerful performances of the voice actors add excitement to the story.

Main Staff

The main staff of this work are as follows:

• Produced by Haruki Kadokawa and Ryuzo Shirakawa
• Planning: Takeshi Tamiya, Mitsuhisa Hida
• Producers: Noriaki Ikeda, Tomiyo Hiruta, Masao Maruyama
• Original story by Ryoko Yamagishi
• Director: Katsuhisa Yamada
• Assistant Director: Fukushima Hiroyuki
• Screenplay by Tomoko Kaneharu
• Character design and animation director: Takuo Noda
• Art Director: Satoshi Matsuoka
• Director of photography: Kinichi Ishikawa
• Sound Director: Yasunori Honda
• Music by Yuriko Nakamura
• Sound Producer/Norihiro Tsuru
• Edited by Harutoshi Ogata
• Produced by Madhouse
• Cooperation: Kadokawa Shoten Asuka Editorial Department
• Produced and written by Kadokawa Shoten, SME Visual Works

Director Katsuhisa Yamada has faithfully recreated the worldview of the original work while incorporating the unique expressions of anime to pursue visual beauty. The detailed drawings by Takuo Noda, who was in charge of character design and animation direction, also enhance the charm of this work. Yuriko Nakamura, who was in charge of music, provides beautiful melodies that color the fantasy world and liven up the atmosphere of the story.

Ratings and Recommendations

"Fairy King" is a work that is rich in fantasy and adventure elements, and its visual beauty and depth of story are its attractions. Fans of the original work will especially find the screen design that emphasizes the image of the original work familiar and satisfying. In addition, the characters are full of personality, and the powerful performances of the voice actors add excitement to the story.

This work is highly recommended for those who like fantasy works and those who are interested in Ryoko Yamagishi's original work. Since it is composed of one episode of 60 minutes, you can enjoy it all at once without worrying about time. It is also recommended for those who want to enjoy beautiful images and music. "Fairy King" will provide you with an evening of enchantment in the world of fantasy.

Additional Information

The original manga for "Fairy King" was serialized in "Monthly Asuka" by Ryoko Yamagishi from 1986 to 1988. The original manga is three volumes long, detailing the background of the story and the characters in detail. The OVA version condenses the essence of the original work, so even those who have read the original work will find something new to discover.

Madhouse, the studio behind the OVA, is a producer of many classic anime, and their technical and expressive capabilities are utilized in this work. In particular, the drawings by Takuo Noda, who was in charge of character design and animation direction, faithfully reproduce the fine lines of the original work while adding movements unique to anime, in pursuit of visual beauty.

Yuriko Nakamura, who composed the music, provided beautiful melodies that colored the fantasy world and enhanced the atmosphere of the story. The music, especially in the scene where the Water Ring shines, combined with the visual beauty, has the power to draw the viewer into the world of the story.

"Fairy King" is a work that is rich in fantasy and adventure elements, and its visual beauty and depth of story are its attractions. Fans of the original work will especially find the screen design that emphasizes the image of the original work familiar and satisfying. In addition, the characters are full of personality, and the powerful performances of the voice actors add excitement to the story.

This work is highly recommended for those who like fantasy works and those who are interested in Ryoko Yamagishi's original work. Since it is composed of one episode of 60 minutes, you can enjoy it all at once without worrying about time. It is also recommended for those who want to enjoy beautiful images and music. "Fairy King" will provide you with an evening of enchantment in the world of fantasy.