Fancy Lala Recommended

Publisher
US: Bandai
Director
Takahiro Omori
Production
Bandai, TV Osaka, Yomiuri Advertising
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
26 episodes
Year
1998

Fancy Lala V. 3

By David Rasmussen
7th Feb 05

Company - BANDAI
Age - 7-up
Episodes 11-14
English Audio, Japanese Audio, English Subtitles
Optional Extras? - Cover Illustration Commentary
Time 100 minutes
Created by Studio Pierrot
Series Supervisor - Tomomitsu Mochizuki
Art Director - Hitoshi Nagasaki
Character Designer - Akemi Takada
Directed by Takahiro Omori
A Production of TV Osaka, Yomiuri Advertisement Agency & Bandai Visual

Volume 3 - Taking Center Stage
Episode 11 : The Spectacular Pinch Hitter!
Looks like Ms. Haneishi has lined up a job for Lala. Her premiere song "Transparence" is going to be playing as the opening march for the Regional High School Baseball Tournament (flashbacks to her singing in Episode 9 are in the beginning of this one), and she throws out the opening pitch -- but that's all she understands.

She's not a big baseball fan so she knows little about it, and neither do I. However, after the first game (in which she threw out the pitch to an excellent player named Hoshizawa) she meets that player and it turns out he's a fan of hers (bought her CD when it came out and everything). They talk, and she picks up some baseball knowledge and an autograph to boot.

Later, while checking out a copy of her new CD at a local CD store she runs into the owner who happens to be the coach of the local junior team (The Gumbaros) of which Taro (you remember Taro, right?) is a player. And, wouldn't you know it, it looks like she's about to be given a chance to put all that baseball knowledge she learned at the start of the episode to some good use!

Looks like the guy in question wants Miho to come down and cheer the Gumbaros on because they're suffering a bit of a losing slump against cross-town rivals the Blackies coached by a "goggled faced" jerk who is rivals with the Gumbaro's coach both in business and on the playing field.
Of course it doesn‘t help that later on her own friends even try to con Miho into going to the game!
Well, with that kind of pressure it's no wonder she finally relents and agrees to go to the game! Sheesh!

As for Miho's friends? Turns out they're more interested in cheering on the Blackie's pitcher (who is the younger brother of the Hoshizawa Lala met earlier and was told about by same older brother) instead of the Gumbaros. Not good especially since the younger Hoshizawa turns out to be a major jerk!

Now, one thing to note. The pamplet that came with the DVD says that Taro's team is being demolished during this game when that is just not so! They manage to keep the game tight throughout (one point down but still close as hell), and with Miho giving him good advice -- oh, wait, he's not listening. But the coach is listening however, which is why at the end he calls for a pinch hitter -- and yes, you know it's coming, wait for it -- mainly Miho Shinohara!

Expect a hard-played game of B-Ball with a nice satisfying ending with Mr. Shinohara as First Base Umpire and a surprise or two... hint - Miho apparently learned NOTHING from the Kitten Lilu episode because she lets Pigu/Mogu talk her into -- oh, you have to see it! Great episode!

Episode 12 : Who Are You?
? ? ? Huh ? ? ?
I can‘t remember... damn! When I first reviewed this I was reviewing Big O II so... damn!
Now I can't remember what this is about... Wait! I think the episode's about forgetting -- uh -- forgetting something. Lala turned back to Miho and people -- gone -- uh -- wait, there's a new Miho at home -- nobody remembers original -- forget -- memory problems.

Oh, right, there's something wrong with the Memories of Time -- I forget the rest.
Damn you Paradigm City!! (Don't worry, you watching this won't remove your memories -- maybe.)

Episode 13 : The Lala and Hiroya Scandal
Nothing quite says perceived "love" amongst the famous (be it true or not) like a scandal!

Ladies and gentlemen, young and old, I present to you the one and only "Three Ring Media Circus!"
The Three Ring Media Circus! A circus that nobody can quite understand, yet at times can't seem to live without. The Three Ring Media Circus.

Center stage tonight is the Entertainment Troupe with reporters, cameramen, paparazzi and more nonsense than you can stand as they wheel about in their media conveyances chasing another famous person or two for a scoop! Last time you saw their antics it was when they were all over... well, you know who.
Oh, well, regardless of whether it's fact or fiction, they roll about the center ring chasing the "news" and care not what gets in their way, and that's part of the story we're about to convey oh readers!

It seems after a performance by Lala on TV (complete with holograms), of which Hiroya Aikawa was in the audience watching her, she (and Ririka) have to catch a ride with him after the company car breaks down (probably brought from the same dealership that the Weasleys bought their flying Ford Anglina, considering how it always breaks down at the wrong moment) and that's where the scandal takes place.

Oh, book in the DVD blames Yoshio for the problem but it's not his fault! Car breaks down and he was just about to start fixing it when Hiroya came into the picture so give the guy a break! He does more than enough stupid things already without having to be blamed for things that aren't his fault! Have some mercy on the poor guy!

Meanwhile, it seems Hiroya brought something more than his ride to the show, that being in the form of one "tail" (paparazzi) who tails them and takes a "compromising" photo of Lala/Hiroya together as Lala trips and he catches her (nice guy). Miho? She's not a happy camper when Akiru shows her the photo. And, well really, do you blame her for being put off by the media's hounding of her alter-ego?

Meanwhile the offices of Lyrical Productions resembles a small-scale version of the Battle of Helm's Deep with reporters laying siege to the building (both inside and out) attempting to "storm" the "castle", while the phones are ringing off the hook with more reporters and irrate fans of Hiroya, which is not enough to drive Ms. Haneishi over the edge -- a call from her hated rival at Five Sta, however, is enough to push her last button but good.

Now, mind you, Miho/Lala has nothing to be ashamed of because nothing happened, but the reporters are like buzzards looking for something to munch on and today's menu calls for Fresh Lala (served with a side order of scandal).

How they cope with it? I'll leave that for you to discover.
(In the "Things Put In Their Place" category? Miho accidentally runs into that reporter who snapped the picture in the first place, and with the help of Pigu/Mogu they put him in his proper place -- with the rest of the trash, where "people" like him belong.)

Episode 14 : Miho in Toyland!
When caught in a rainstorm while playing outside, Miho, Taro and Akiru seek shelter in a shabby-looking house which in fact contains signs of life, and the setting of a toy hospital.

The gentleman living within is a "toy doctor" and mends broken toys brought by children. However this visit triggers memories in Miho of a beloved childhood toy she had when she was young (first episode which flashes back to Miho when she was 2 years old which is something that'll happen again later in the series) which was thrown away by her mom, and she becomes zombie-like stuck in her memories on the way home.

Bad idea. She takes a large dose of the rain while standing around in her memories and when she comes home (and changes into Lala) her power not only ages her, but (in my opinion) speeds up the slowly developing cold/fever she would have caught days later from standing in the rain as she did.

As she hits her form as Lala, the fever strikes her down. Her powers kick off though, so she loses her clothes and changes back to Miho just as her sister walks in -- but still, it's not a good sign to come home and see your little sister collapse in a dead heap (naked) on the floor.

And, yes, it's an all-ages show so don't ask if you see anything because I'll feel rather offended!

What happens next? The book says she has a strange dream and a huge stuffed bear has her save a princess. That is pretty much the gist of the "dream", but why is this so important? Because Miho reverts to being 2 years old again, and has one "final" adventure with her beloved stuffed bear (who oddly enough sounds like Taro).

They must save the Prince (who looks like Hiroya Aikawa), gets help from a giant (big sister accidentally, while sitting by Miho's bedside, falls into her [touching] and briefly enters her dream), and saves the princess (Lala) from an evil force (you have to see it to believe it) with the help of a kind scientist (the toy doctor).

This episode is to bring closure to Miho's feelings of separation with her childhood toy (and memories) and give them a fitting parting (instead of the way they were separated in reality). Ok. Truth be told it's not as good at the Kitten Lilu episode, but it's a good one.

Region 1 Optional Extras
Volume 3 - Cover Illustration Commentaries by Akemi Takada
Another behind-the-scenes read on Fancy Lala with Akemi Takada (with nice illustrations to boot)

Fancy Lala Breakdown the 3rd
What's Hot?
Well, you know the drill by now.
I think this is one of the best of the "all ages" series I've reviewed to date.
It's a nice solid show with an interesting cast that you can really like, a nice easy-going plot, it can be viewed by anyone, and it's just the greatest. Of course it being one of the few All Ages series I can recommend? That's just another plus point in a whole list of plus points!

What's Not?
Okay. Truth be told not everyone is fascinated by the Magical Girl series. I happen to be a fan of the genre (among other anime/manga genres) so I liked it a lot, but you might not have the same reaction to it.

Remember, it's a lighter-fare series so it's for someone who either wants something light (or likes the genre). If you have any doubts, rent it and give it a test spin to see what you think of it, and if it works for you or not.

Moments to Remember?
Lots and lots and lots. All six volumes are just packed to go with memories, of which I'll look over one at a time.

What to Ignore?
There are some things but I'm going to let you discover them.
Hint for starters? Let's see... I know! Stalking one's teachers, or celebrities, or classmates, or something is bad. There, that's a good start.

Overall?
If you're a fan of the Magical Girl genre, or just wanting to put something into your collection for a lighter taste of anime in your set, this is something to consider. But, again, if there's doubt then rent it out and see what you think of it before you buy.

-- David Rasmussen 7th Feb 05

Fancy Lala Images