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. 4

By David Rasmussen
7th Feb 05

Volume 4 - Double Duty
Episode 15 : The Dream Will Never End
Ah. If only that were true, but it isn't. Dreams end eventually.

The series is going to end shortly (as you can see there are only 2 more DVDs to review after this one), and in this episode you're faced with another "dream" in Ms. Haneishi and how her marriage to her husband came apart one day leaving their one son, Tappei, in the custody of her former husband with her having visitation rights.

Now, mind you, Miho's first meeting with Tappei (as Lala) isn't a good one, to say the least.
While she's on her way from work to observe Hiroya Aikawa doing a recording session (in the same building in which she did her own session), she is "assaulted" by a "gun" (shoots pellets) wielding Tappei that pretty much shocks the hell out of her, and grabs Pigu's tail (they were in their fairy form when he struck). Of course when Miho (as Lala) finds out about Tappei, and the circumstances of his "life," she begins to fear that her own mother/father will get a divorce and leave her alone which weighs down on her severely. Maybe a talk with Tappei might ease her fears - maybe.

Episode 16 : Miho's First Journey Alone
Part 1 of a 3-part story arc taking place in the little village of Amekawa, where Miho's grandfather and grandmother live. In this first episode it's summertime, there's no work for her to do with Lyrical Productions (from what I gathered, since she's leaving Tokyo for a week) and she's going to spend time with her grandparents. That, of course, means she's going to be traveling alone for the first time via train to see them. Easy squeezy thing with Pigu/Mogu, right? And she has this huge laundry list of instructions her dad gave her so she can do it - except for three things.

1. Seems Miho's dad didn't put down any back-up plans (in case there's a hitch along the way), and that was a mistake because she ends up missing a link in the plan and has to improvise which is Mistake #2.

2. Never, ever improvise on a trip! She misses her train (which she needed to get to this stop where she transfers trains to get to where she's going), which happens to be a red train, and decides to hop the next train coming through - a blue one. That is a bad mistake because the train she catches happens to be NOT the Express she wanted (which makes the correct stop), but a Super Express which does NOT make the correct stop! That's bad.

3. Never be too shy to ask for directions, let alone ask for proper directions! She becomes dreadfully shy when trying to ask for help and mumbles her question so much that the poor guy trying to help her gives her the WRONG information by accident, and she gets misdirected to ANOTHER stop.

Mind you, eventually she get to the stop she was originally supposed to get to, and then to the other place she had to go and finally reaches her grandparents, but not before she finds a little time to goof off as Lala (the second stop is secluded and she's the only one there with Pigu/Mogu, so she takes a little time to do some modeling as Lala). Overall? The episode is pretty much a standard cliché of everything that can go wrong when you travel alone and don't think things through.

"Dark Lord of the What?" - We meet an old childhood acquaintance of Miho's in this episode.
His name is Shoichi, nicknamed for a prank he pulled on Miho when she was six, and she has had a very dim view of him as a person for three years. Nickname? The Worm Vader, Emperor of Evil - somebody should tell Miho that Vader worked for an Emperor [you know who], and wasn't Emperor himself.

Episode 17 : The Day the Water Imp Appeared
We're halfway through Miho's adventure in Amekawa, and once again we bring forth the dreaded "Three Ring Media Circus" to the spotlight. Today, however, is the traveling "Supernatural Sideshow" which accompanies the Three Ring Media Circus.

What's that? Well, as you might know, one of the things that networks find particularly interesting
(and worth investing money in to plan specials around) is shows dealing with the investigation of the supernatural and the unknown. Too bad the supernatural and the unknown doesn't work on a schedule, nor do they appear on cue (unless it's faked of course), so they're pretty hard subjects to wrap valuable prime time airtime around. Lest we forget those "Specials" that bombed like those FOX specials on the Pyramids which didn't go anywhere, or the infamous Al Capone's Vault thing!
Anyway why bring this up? Because the sideshow of Supernatural media coverage is about to collide with Miho's vacation head-on, and what should have been a simple travel show is about to be turned into a supernatural monster hunt!

While playing around chasing a grasshopper, Pigu "uncovers" a box (which lands right on top of him no less) containing a small box labeled "Water Imp's Disc." Turns out the disc within is a fraud (her grandfather is a junk collector with a hobby of giving things funny names), but what's a Water Imp (Kappa)? If you read Shonen Jump #3 you saw the notation in it about the Kappa, but here's the gist of it.

Kappa (Water Imp) (Shonen Jump #3, from Page 208's description of Yokai)
"A Kappa, for instance, is a beaked, turtle-like creature with a bowl on its head and an addiction to cucumbers" (means that bowl gets quite a workout if that Kappa ever learns a good cucumber salad recipe). "It may also stick its hand (okay, flipper) up your butt and pull out your internal organs."

At this point Miho should probably scratch off "Discover the existence of Kappa, trade cucumber recipes" from her "To Do" list, but it seems she had a close encounter with one of these creatures three years ago (last episode also has a flashback to three years ago when she remembers her last trip to the village and the boy she met then who plays a major part in these episodes).
Three years ago, during a rainstorm, she spotted a Kappa in the town's lake, and she's believed in them ever since. But she's not the only want who believes because a camera crew for a Japanese variety show has just arrived in town... and amongst them is another who'd like to believe in things like Kappas.

In this crew, besides idol singers Miki Yumeno and Hiroya Aikawa, is a director who is the Japanese version of reporter/monster basher Kolchak (as in cult horror show Kolchak the Nightstalker which starred the guy who played the father [Darren McGavin] in that movie A Christmas Story [The "You're going to shoot your eye out" dumb kid who sticks his tongue out and freezes it on a flagpole, they show it for 24 hours EVERY Christmas on TNT movie]).

He apparently had been at this game of tracking the unexplainable for awhile directing shows on the Yeti and the Loch Ness Monster, and unfortunately his shows bombed so he's got a fire burning under him to succeed where he failed before - and when, after the topic of the Kappa comes up in mild conversation, Miho tells her story? He becomes obsessed! First he films her story, then he changes the entire format of the show (from Variety to monster hunt) and goes hunting for the Kappa.

Next, according to the book, Miki gets attacked - well, not really. Noticed we're missing somebody? Yeah, Mogu and Pigu are goofing around while Miho watches the filming (she gets to because she's good friends with Miki, and the director is keen on her after she gave him the "4-1-1" on the Kappa in the area). Well, apparently Pigu gets on Mogu's bad side when he "fakes" his own attack at the hands of the Kappa, and they end up chasing through the tall grass near, yes, Miki.

Through a bizarre set of circumstances Pigu somehow runs right into Miki (right into her face no less) and she takes off screaming (with Pigu holding on to her face panicked out of his mind) until she drops into the lake - yeah, Miho's NOT going to be a happy camper about that. Miki? Blames the Kappa which gets the director even more excited, and lands Lala an unexpected job as she now has to stand in for Miki (good thing Miho is with the crew and they're shooting in the town she's vacationing in).
Who believes? Miho/Lala believes, Hiroya doesn't, and as for the director? If it gets him a Pulitzer Prize then he's all for believing (which is why he's more like Kolchak and NOT Fox Mulder (X-Files), by the way, because Mulder believed regardless while the director (like Kolchak) believes - but wouldn't mind a Pulitzer for his hard work either!)

What happens next? That's a surprise, but lots of chaos will ensue both before and after the truth is revealed. As for the truth of the Kappa? Let's just say - it'll all make sense once you see it.

Episode 18 : Lala is a Cupid?
We're wrapping the trip to Amekawa up and - what's this?
First she's Little Girl Lost (because she can't get to town on time).
Then she's Agent Fox Lala (because she wants to believe, dammit!!).
Now she's Lala, host of the Dating Game? (Dating Game music please)...

That's right, Miho is about to "host" her own version of The Dating Game as she realizes that boy we met two episodes ago (nicknamed "Worm Vader") is in fact quite popular with the girls (being aces as a soccer player). And guess what? There's this one girl in particular who has feelings for the former Dark Lord of the Soot, that being a girl named Haruka (no relation to Sailor Uranus).

Seems Haruka is another childhood friend of Shoichi (who we didn't see during flashbacks in the last two episodes), and they become good friends after they realize they share - the same feelings for Shoichi?
Didn't Miho hate him two episodes ago? What's up with that?

Troubles only arise though as she catches him with Miho's alter-ego Lala, and since he's been rather warm on Lala since he met her last episode that can only spell trouble - that is, UNLESS Lala can fix things by playing, yes, Cupid. (Bow and Arrow set not included.)

Oh, and as they send Miho home, granddad tells Miho's father off (because he's still a bit sore about the whole plan debacle from two episodes ago and blamed him for it), so no more intricate "Mission Impossible" style plans for Miho - she's just going home on a wing, prayer and the assurance that the people at Studio Pierrot want to do an Episode 19 so they'll make sure she gets home safe and sound.

Fancy Lala Breakdown the 4th
What's Hot?
You know the drill. This is a nicely done solid little show that I think is a nice little gem for all ages.
It's got a nice story, interesting cast that you can really like, a nice easy-going plot and it's just good!
It's lighter fare and can be viewed by anyone! Nuff said!

What's Not?
Yeah. Yeah. Once again I know that this is not going to be everyone's cup of Cherry Pepsi, but it's still a good show nevertheless, something all ages can get into! Anyway all you really have to remember is that this is a lighter-fare series so it's for someone who either wants something light (or likes the genre), so 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?
The 3 parter is quite memorable!

What to Ignore?
Once again I'll let you discover these little quirks for yourself.

Overall?
You know the drill, but just in case... 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.
And, yes, once 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