Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
MrBeam
One of the most unique magical girl shows I've watched in a very long time. There's a ton of charm to the characters, the voice acting was easily some of the best I've heard in an anime. The jokes were excellent commentary on love and the struggles to make art, and Ahiru's character expressions were always iconic. Drosselmeyer is the kind of character that would be so easy to screw up and ruin the show with, but here he is executed perfectly! Frankly the entire cast is great, I welcomed every single new addition as the show went on. And there were MANY new additions.
The use of classical/ballet music as the score was nothing short of inspired! I couldn't get enough of it. I felt so immersed in this dreamlike fairytale so quickly. And the conflict scenes which get resolved through dance ar…
Read at the sourceMilanthropist
Mukashi Mukashi~
Once upon a time there was an Ahiru. She was a bridge between 3 worlds: a duck world, a human world, and a magical world of Princess Tutu. This uniqueness makes her special and allows the audience to see an intriguing story. The plot was captivating and made me want to watch more. The characters had depth and were not flat. The visuals were not the best already, but from my perspective this anime is already 24 years old, which excuses the graphic design. Chapter of the Egg was a solid 9/10. But then everything changed. The rest of this anime was oki, but not great. It even destroyed some good and well-established points from earlier. Not to mention the ending which makes little sense and is just downright bad.
In general, I do recommend to give it a watch, but be prepared…
Read at the sourceelumizu
Princess Tutu is a unique and enchanting series that blends magical girl conventions with classical ballet in a fairy-tale world layered with metafictional storytelling. The story follows Ahiru, a duck transformed into a human girl who must recover the shattered heart of a prince, Drosselmeyer, using her magical abilities and the power of dance. Unlike traditional magical girl series, the narrative frequently reflects on its own storybook nature, with characters aware of their roles as “pieces” in a larger tale. This self-awareness adds emotional depth and a bittersweet tone, as characters struggle between fate and free will, blending whimsy with genuine poignancy. Humor arises subtly, often through Ahiru’s awkwardness or the contrast between her earnest efforts and the sometimes absurd ex…
Read at the sourcesillyfunnybug
i actually believe this anime might be perfect. even though at first i didn't really like the design of the protagonist Ahiru, i was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere from the moment i heard the opening song. the story begins so incredibly wholesome, just like a fairy-tale, and when the first half ended it could've been a complete show and i don't think anyone would have had any complaints. but the fact the second half is even better than the first, with the wholesomeness constantly teetering on the edge of darkness while still somehow remaining sweet, is just so incredible to me. the music is perfect, given the fact that it's all classic orchestral pieces, mostly from the Nutcracker, and the opening and ending themes were unskippable! the art style is so unique and the designs are jus…
Read at the sourcethewiru
Princess Tutu is a 2002 anime starring (At the time) fairly new seiyuu, some who would eventually become fairly big in the industry. It existed in the context of the post-1997 anime industry which, due to the massive success of Evangelion, began to bet more into shorter (One to two cour) anime with more experimental stories while also embracing the innovations of digital animation - and in that regard, Princess Tutu's artstyle wouldn't feel out of place were it released five or even ten years later.
This anime is WESTERN, but not western in the sense of "Anime largely based on western cinema ans sensibilities" as one would call anime made by Watanabe Shinichirou, nor western in the sense of "A cowboy story", but western in the sense that it not only is about the western cannon of theater,…
Read at the sourceTitteyMitty
So this anime is pretty much magical girl but what if we combined fairy tales, ballet, classical music. If you like any of the four or love them all, this show is most probably for you. I'll admit that this show wouldn't be for everyone. I enjoyed watching it but I understand why someone wouldn't enjoy it as much as I did.
Like any other show, the shows has its flaws. Maybe it's the demographic but most of the episodes are pretty formulaic. It can be a big turn off but I didn't mind as much until it got into the second half which was pretty repetitive. There is an overarching story but the show doesn't go too deep in the lore which is a bit disappointing. There's a lot of mystery going on with why the world acts that way. My biggest gripe though is really more on Mytho/the prince characte…
Read at the sourceQuaggy
What a whirlwind of complex emotions Princess Tutu was. A show that starts off fairly mundane and ever so consistently spreads its wings to make for a magically enrapturing story. Princess Tutu is genuinely a one of a kind, brilliantly crafted, story about stories. Everything is made with a gentle, elegant touch. Nearly every episode of this series wowed me and kept building up the story as it went on. Piece by piece and I found myself amazed by the plot developments of nearly every episode. Its not the kinda show I was expecting but I am so glad it is the kinda show it is.
Princess Tutu genuinely surprised me with how complex and deep the characters became as the story went on. These characters are genuinely excellent and act in a very relatable and human way while still exploring the de…
Read at the sourcePanda_Roll
Princess Tutu is one of those rare shows that can be classified as "hidden talons".
One that looks benign on the surface and then grabs you in it's claws when when you're not expecting it.
For it's age the art is surprisingly beautiful and the animation fluid, the music plays a huge part in this show... I mean it is about ballet so that's hardly a surprise.
Two things you should know about this. The darkest hour, is pitch black. Practically a blackhole!
Secondly, while it presents it's self as swan lake... it's actually another fairytale. I won't spoil it because this one hits hard but lets just say it's one of the unhappy ones.
Read at the sourceorihihc
Princess Tutu is a masterpiece. (If you love ballet, fairy tales, and classical music this show is for you)
The series opens with a duck who, in love with a boy (who turns out to be “Prince Mytho”) and wanting to save him, becomes the storybook character “Princess Tutu” fated to never profess her love to him.
These “characters” belong to the fairy tale The Prince and the Raven, written by the dead author, Drosselmeyer, and Duck has unknowingly stepped into the fairy tale that has enveloped the town. But a duck becoming a human isn’t the strangest thing you’ll see in this town; as the town includes a cat dance teacher and an assortment of other animals that live side by side with fellow humans.
What I love about this show are the characters, Duck is an enjoyable mess, who in her human…
Read at the sourceTeramol
The author is the one who decides how a story goes, their will is absolute. But what happens when a seemingly insignificant part of the story is given an important role by a sudden twist of fate? That is the story of an innocent little duck. Princess Tutu explores a very unique way of telling a story among stories where the line between fiction and reality is blurred and where not even the author themselves has control over the ending.
The series follows the narrative of an in-universe story titled The Prince and the Raven. A classic fairy tale about a battle between the good prince and the evil raven. However, the author of the story never managed to finish it before dying and it's up to the characters to reach the ending they desire. Thus begins the journey of Ahiru, also known as Duck…
Read at the sourceLuxuriousHeart
I highly recommend this anime. This anime is a meta commentary that flips the ending of fairy tale stories, while also being a parody of those who are thirsty for a tragic ending. I'll have some spoilers, but only at the end. So just read the first part of my review, and skip the spoiler part.
Plot: the plot is about a duck who can transform into a girl and Princess Tutu. She falls in love with the prince, but notices that he looks lonely. The reason is, the prince shattered his own heart to seal the raven. So Princess Tutu wants to restore his heart to him. What makes this interesting is that they're all characters from a book, written by Drosselmeyer. Drosselmeyer seems keen on a tragic ending, and he's the one with the power to write the story.
I will say how it flipped the ending and…
Read at the sourceeightyuh
This show is delicious. I have not been able to set aside my inner critic and just enjoy getting swept up in a good story for quite a long time. Princess Tutu is rooted in thorough storytelling intention, and upon finishing I have so much praise for it.
The beginning has such a simple presentation. As each episode opens with a storyteller narrating a tale seemingly unrelated, it wets your appetite for the events about to unfold in the show's plot. Though the cards are set before you, they are not played in the way you imagine them to be. Even with this method of foreshadowing, upon watching, I found myself unable to predict anything that would happen next.
Where it differs from a traditional Mahou Shojo, the confrontations are presented less like ‘I have 2 basic attacks and a pretty weap…
Read at the sourceRachelCop
The main story is about Princess Tutu trying to collect all the heart shards for the Prince who stabbed his heart out.
Duck is a great character and the first episode does a good job wondering if she's actually a girl or not.. it makes the audience wanting more!
The transformations and characters are easily one of the best parts about it, can't get enough of it.
Wasn't sure how to feel about Fakir, so I'm glad they dove more into his character. Don't want too much away, but I'll for sure recommend it if you don't mind something girly and cutesy!
Read at the sourceVeiledEdge
Princess Tutu may well be one of the best classical-style stories ever told. I wasn’t really sure what I was getting myself into when I started Princess Tutu. It had been recommended to me in the same light as things like Revolutionary Girl Utena so I had some expectations going in but Princess Tutu did not disappoint.
Without any spoilers, I want to use this review to talk about the literary progression of the series. I want to talk about what impressions each of the three major arcs left on me.
Princess Tutu is as classical of a story as it gets. There’s princes, princesses, good and evil, knights, some hero’s journey elements, the whole shebang. And it doesn’t try to be more than that, ever. It’s not like Revolutionary Girl Utena where they have a fairy tale style of story as a means…
Read at the sourcebrillante
So, let me begin by saying that half of my life was dedicated to strict classical ballet training, complete with pointe and partnering instruction. As an avid fan of dancing for as long as I can remember, I’ve had high expectations for Princess Tutu ever since I found out that this anime existed. I’m proud to say that those expectations were met and surpassed - this show is a magical experience.
Princess Tutu’s plot is deceptively simple. Each episode contains a fairytale-inspired prelude that sets up what will happen. The first half is then dedicated to the four main characters - Duck, Mythos, Rue, and Fakir - as they go through daily life. The last half is dedicated to the supernatural, the magical girl transformation sequences, and balletic dramatization. All of this is observed by Dro…
Read at the sourceliteraturenerd
Time for another Re-review. Princess Tutu was an anime I first watched in 2015 and couldn't really appreciate due to my stressful living situation at that time. If you're in a foul mood and want to watch a Junichi Sato anime, I would probably recommend one of his other works like Aria or Kaleido Star. Princess Tutu is a fairly unusual show and does require a little patience. However, with the right mindset this is a very enjoyable anime that's also genuinely brilliant.
My previous review for Tutu was extremely sloppy and I have no desire to just summarize the full plot again. So instead, I'm going to break down the show into pros and cons so people can decide if they want to try this one out.
Pros:
1. Princess Tutu despite its silly sounding name is actually very well written. Tutu isn…
Read at the sourceAngeK98
I first watched Princess Tutu when I was fifteen. I was very much (still am!) a lover of the magical girl genre, but I also harboured a love for fantasy and I consumed as many stories about knights, princesses, witches, wizards and gods as often as I could. (I still do that too!).
I found a list of essential anime to watch online. After going through Madoka Magica, Sailor Moon, Evangelion, Escaflowne, TTGL and many others, finally, I was onto Princess Tutu. This was not only an anime, but a story that seemed as if it was written just for me. Something that appealed to all of my interests, all of things I never knew I needed, all wrapped up tightly in a 38 episode anime. So much so, that even on my fourth re-watch, I still find myself on the edge of my seat, trying to find things I never r…
Read at the sourceastrid_diaz01
If you like the art of ballet, classical music, a little bit of mystery, and comedy, I highly suggest this anime for you. Princess Tutu has small ballet stories throughout the anime, but Swan Lake and The Nutcracker ballet stories do play a bigger role here since Tutu is playing as the white swan. There's no need to know the ballet stories of Swan Lake and/or The Nutcracker to understand this anime, but it is fun to connect the dots as you're watching. The amazing music by Tchaikovsky (famous ballet musical composer) is played in this anime. So once again, if you are a musician or someone that admires instrumental music, you will enjoy its soundtracks. The manga and anime do have different endings. The anime ends as most ballet stories end, so if you don't like that I suggest the manga ins…
Read at the sourceLotus_Reviewer
This anime, which I watched in dub, was recommended by a very good friend of mine. It was all about changing your fate, not being controlled by anyone. It was about showing how anyone can play multiple roles and, while hard, accepting that sometimes you are not the person you think you are. The plot itself was genuinely interesting with many moments leaving the watcher in the dark, not revealing anything until the last moment, until they want to be revealed. And the amount of depth this anime goes not only for the characters involved but a more philosophical sense overall is simply amazing. The amount of times where you went from loving to hating a character was strenuous. With any anime, a character and their development is a major aspect. I can honestly say that this is one of the greate…
Read at the sourceMaddie-rose
Though a show going by the name of Princess Tutu sounds like the girliest thing imaginable, and the cover art doesn't help one's initial judgment either, this anime manages to weave together fairytales and ballets to create an engaging story with a cast full of unsuspecting characters.
Inspired by Romantic-Era Ballets (like Coppelia and Giselle), along with Brother Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson fairytales, the story centres on Ahiru, a duck who is turned into a girl by the mysterious Drosselmeyer. From there, she can become Princess Tutu, a magical girl tasked with tracking down the heart shards of Prince Mytho, the subject of her admirations, and returning them to him.
Alongside Fakir, the stubborn companion of Mytho, and Rue, Mytho's girlfriend, Ahiru finds herself being written…
Read at the source
