|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Transformations
Sometimes a transformation may occur as a signifier of identity or realization of truth. In the Utena movie, at the very end of the film Anthy vows to go to the outside world and make a life
for herself, leaving behind the illusions of Ohtori. At this point as she and Utena break through Akio who stands in their way as a symbol of all the illusions and excuses of their past life, Anthy
transforms out of her Rose Bride costume and Utena back to herself from a car. Towards the end of Spirited Away, after Chihiro gives Haku his identity back by revealing his name and past
to him, he detransforms from a dragon to his shape as a boy. His identity is his own again, and the stripping away of scales around Chihiro during his detransformation much like the detransformation
in the Utena film. Only one's identity and Self is left.
These are also common motifs:
transformation, animal to human, human to animal. And
within that these are several themes. For instance, there is the
folktale/myth/fairy tale aspect that includes tales of
humans cursed so that they take on the form of an
animal or the characteristics of an animal. There's
the tale of the princess who flees her monstrous
husband by hiding within the skin of a bear and then
living in a prince's court as a bear until she is free
to reveal herself to him. There are stories of animals
given human-like qualities such as speech or
cleverness. Puss in Boots is a great example of this.
And of course these kinds of stories are world wide
and in each culture. There are also the stories that
cross from folk belief into ritualistic. For instance,
shamans, medicine men, etc. might go into a trance or
themselves take the form of an animal as they'd say.
Some dances in old societies were performed to channel
wishes for a good hunt to the animal or to endow the
essence of the animal to the warrior. There are totem
animals and how some people say they have a connection
to that animal. Or people who frequently dream of an
animal and feel they have a kinship or spiritual tie
to that creature. There are also old stories and even
trials in Europe that talked about people accused of
being werewolves or witches who turned into cats or
some other kind of familiar. And closer to what you
see a lot of in anime, trickster animals. The fox in
Japan has countless tales of taking the form of a
human for one reason or another. So this is why it's
so common to find characters like in Kenshin (Kaoru
and Megumi) or the common cat-girl who have
personalities tied with an animal. Or stories like
Fruits Basket or Tokyo Mew Mew or Ranma 1/2 or Helios
in Sailor Moon which follow old tale traditions like
the above.
In the Unico movies, Unico can transform from a baby unicorn into a beautiful winged unicorn after someone proves their love for him. Ultimately, Katy does get the transformation
she longs for, but it's through friendship and
kindness, and Katy's fulfillment to be a human girl
comes from her heart with Unico's help. In the movies, the
fulfillment of wishes through magic and transformation comes from the power of the character's heart and from the friendship the characters share.
The transformations for Tira and Chocolate in Sorcerer Hunters are influenced by the mahou shoujo genre, but done with a parody twist. On one hand, the ultra-sexy and s&m maiden persona represents
the strength the two girls want in themselves, and when these personas come out it shows their dominant heart. At the same time, it's a tongue-in-cheek transformation. While most heroines
might turn into a superhero or have super powers, these girls instead wield whips and can put down any enemy or male before them, in particular the amorous Carrot.
The transformations in Ranma 1/2 are very well-known. The Ranma 1/2 characters fall into cursed pools in China, and the person takes the shape of whatever died in the
water. Ranma's father becomes a panda, Ranma a human girl, and Ryoga a pig to name a few. When they come in contact with cold water they transform into their alternate
form, and with hot back into their normal self.
From Grace: Parts of the curse and Ranma's character could be influenced by the legend of Hermaphroditus.
In some versions of the myth men who bathe there are said to be cursed to have the same fate as Hermaphroditus
and others just to lose their virility... however I've also heard the loss of virility be described as being
'Half a Man' too.