Series synopsis
Princess Tutu, also known as プリンセスチュチュ is a Japanese animation drama mystery sci-fi & fantasy television series that premiered on Kids Station on August 16, 2002. It ended on May 23, 2003. It stars Nanae Kato, Takahiro Sakurai, Naoki Yanagi and Nana Mizuki.
Princess Tutu follows Duck, a duck who was transformed into a young girl and takes ballet at a private school. She becomes enamoured of her mysterious schoolmate Mytho, and transforms into Princess Tutu to restore his shattered heart. Mytho's girlfriend Rue transforms into Princess Kraehe to frustrate Tutu's efforts, and Mytho's protective friend Fakir discourages Mytho's burgeoning emotions. When it becomes apparent that Duck, Rue, Mytho, and Fakir are meant to play out the characters in a stor ...
Premise
Princess Tutu follows Duck, a duck who was transformed into a young girl and takes ballet at a private school. She becomes enamoured of her mysterious schoolmate Mytho, and transforms into Princess Tutu to restore his shattered heart. Mytho's girlfriend Rue transforms into Princess Kraehe to frustrate Tutu's efforts, and Mytho's protective friend Fakir discourages Mytho's burgeoning emotions. When it becomes apparent that Duck, Rue, Mytho, and Fakir are meant to play out the characters in a story by a long-dead writer named Drosselmeyer, they resist their assigned fates and fight to keep the story from becoming a tragedy.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Nanae Kato as Duck / Princess Tutu (voice)
- Takahiro Sakurai as Fakir (voice)
- Naoki Yanagi as Mythos (voice)
- Nana Mizuki as Princess Kraehe (voice)
- Akiko Hiramatsu as Edel (voice)
- Erino Hazuki as Uzura (voice)
- Kyôko Kishida as Narrator (voice)
- Noboru Mitani as Drosselmeyer (voice)
Supporting cast
- Sachi Matsumoto as Pike (voice)
- Takayuki Sugo as The Raven (voice)
- Yasunori Matsumoto as Mr. Cat (voice)
- Yuri Shiratori as Lilie (voice)
- Yuu Urata as Autor (voice)
- Mugihito as Karon (voice)
- Papaya Suzuki as Femio (voice)
- Rie Ishizuka as Ebine (voice)
Episodes
This series spans 3 seasons with 42 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 4 | December 27, 2002 | May 16, 2003 |
| Season 1 | 38 | August 16, 2002 | May 23, 2003 |
| Season 2 | 0 | November 15, 2002 | May 23, 2003 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mr. Cat's Love Lesson | December 27, 2002 |
| 2 | Suite of the Egg | January 3, 2003 |
| 3 | Vorfinale | May 16, 2003 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Act 1 - Chapter of the Egg: The Duck and the Prince ~ Der Nußknacker: Blumenwalzer Duck awakes from a dream in which she is a duckling, watching a handsome prince dance ballet. Later, she walks early into class and discovers Mytho, an advanced class student, dancing alone. When she trips, he dives to catch her, twisting his ankle in the process. Duck wants to apologize to him but is prevented from doing so by Mytho's controlling roommate, Fakir. The next morning, Duck resolves to apologize to Mytho, and spies canary chicks beginning to fly. One of the hatchlings hesitates and is forced to jump when a crow tries to attack it. Mytho leaps to catch it and falls as well. To save him, Duck transforms into Princess Tutu. Mytho asks who she is. Tutu/Duck remembers that she is a duck, and runs away. |
August 16, 2002 |
| 2 |
Act 2 - Chapter of the Egg: Pieces of the Heart ~ Schwanensee: Scène finale The next day, Duck wakes up to realize that she is just a duck. Drosselmeyer appears to tell her that she is also the legendary Princess Tutu; her task is to return the pieces of heart to the Prince, Mytho. Longing to one day see Mytho smile, she decides to take up the challenge. Drosselmeyer gives back the pendant that changes her into a girl, as well as Princess Tutu.\n\nAn Anteater-girl, who is bitter and jealous of Rue for her superior dancing skills, sets her eyes on Mytho. She and Mytho have a dance-off with Rue. Rue chooses Duck as her partner and they win. Duck discovers that the anteater is being influenced by a shard of Mytho's heart—the feeling of bitterness. She transforms into Princess Tutu and convinces the heart shard to return to him. Mytho regains a feeling, which worries Fakir. |
August 23, 2002 |
| 3 |
Act 3 - Chapter of the Egg: A Princess's Oath ~ Dornröschen: Panorama Duck learns about the book The Prince and the Raven. She discovers that its author is Drosselmeyer, and that he died a long time ago. She bumps into Mytho, who is retrieving water for Rue, while he and Rue were on a picnic. Duck uses up the water to clean a cut Mytho got, and while on a search for more water, the two stumble upon a restaurant. Inside, a woman, Ebine, serves them cold food and Duck discovers that she has another piece of Mytho’s heart: the feeling of loneliness. She retrieves it and afterwards Rue (and Fakir, who had been looking for him) discuss Princess Tutu, and her fate. The audience learns that if Princess Tutu confesses her love to the Prince, she will turn into a speck of light. |
August 30, 2002 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monster Raven - Blumenwalzer (Part 1) | November 15, 2002 |
| 2 | Monster Raven - Blumenwalzer (Part 2) | November 22, 2002 |
| 3 | Coppelia (Part 1) | November 29, 2002 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | Kids Station |
|---|---|
| First aired | August 16, 2002 |
| Last aired | May 23, 2003 |
| Runtime | 17 minutes |
| Status | Ended |