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Urashima to ...
Ugly Duckling
Of a group of ducklings, one doesn't quite fit in, and the others make fun of it. No matter where the little duckling travels, he's called the ugliest of all, and doesn't fit in anywhere he goes. And
he continually seems to be unwanted. At the stories end, the little duckling grows up to discover he was really a baby swan, the most beautiful bird of all.
Duck Prince
By Ai Morinaga. Description from CPM Manga: In reality, an ugly duckling could never become a beautiful swan. However, when a short, ugly boy makes a wish to be reborn beautiful, his wish is granted, and he becomes a gorgeous hunk. All the girls fall for him, but this is just the start of his troubles.
Princess Tutu
From Chris:
You have a duck who transforms into a girl
and transforms into a magic girl. And often she is seen as a swan.
And in the opening sequence it shows the duck transform into a swan.
Undine
The elemental spirit of water. They could assume the form of a snake, fish, or human. Usually female, the mermaid is one form of undine. An undine is summoned in Record of Lodoss War.
Unicorns
Western
In the West, the unicorn has been used in Christian art and symbolism, sometimes representing purity, sometimes as a parallel to
Christ, or as a symbol for strength. One of the few ways to catch a unicorn was by it laying it's head in the lap of a virgin whom
it would be drawn to. The horn of the unicorn was thought to be magical, and to hold curative properties, especially against
poison.
Unico comes from Western lore, and Helios of BSSM in the form of Pegasus bears some characteristics of the
unicorn. The unicorn's horn in legend
contained its power, and only the purity of a virgin could tame and capture
him. Not only does Helios' horn contain his power, but Chibi Usa's purity
draws him to her.
In the Creamy Mami manga there is a side story of a young girl and unicorn. We learn Miya Nakahara wasn't too much older than the heroine Yuu, she's already known as a great painter and talent
at 10 years old. But she had an unlucky life, losing her parents when she was very little. Miya painted the world she would like, essentially creating a dream for herself. It is about this time she meets
a unicorn and the unicorn decides to use his powers to make that world real for her. Time is stopped and within the woods she sketched she won't grow old. And just like in many tales of fairies or
magical places, Miya can't return to the world of humans or else she will begin to age and die. Meanwhile, the unicorn has himself fallen in love with Miya.
In both this story and the one of Helios, the unicorn has power over a world of dreams and the love of a maiden within it. This is a fitting place for them as many little girls grow up loving
unicorns and will think of them within daydreams and at night. The magical horse symbolizing childhood wishes or fantasies, or simply something very beautiful and admired if not loved. In the case of
Creamy Mami, Miya's story also serves to contrast Yuu's as Yuu's magic has a time limit of one year upon it and Yuu essentially lives a long dream as Creamy Mami. But then will have to return to her
life as Yuu, so it is something to enjoy and grow from for a while, but not dwell in forever. For Miya her story is tinged with a hint of sadness as she combined her wish and inherent magic with that of the unicorn
and now is within a perpetual dream that while giving her someplace to be safe and wanted and loved also keeps her from growing to an adult or returning to the human world.
Unico is a little unicorn who was created by Tezuka.
Eastern
The k'i-lin is the unicorn of China. It is considered one of the four fortunate animals (completed by the phoenix, tortoise, and dragon). Before the birth of great leaders (both rulers and spiritual) the k'i-lin
was thought to appear. It was said to appear to Confucius' mother before his birth. He may also appear during a peaceful rule and thus be a sign of prosperity, but he can foretell the ruler's death as he also
appears when he is soon to die. The emperor Fu Hsi according to legend was given their written language by the unicorn when it appeared to him one day and he learned the lines upon the creature's back. In Japan
he is known as the kirin, and was sometimes brought forth by Kau You to help in judgements of innocence or guilt at court.
The first tale of volume 5 of Petshop of Horrors features a kirin who grants power to a young man of his choosing. In the Twelve Kingdoms the kirin chooses who rules over the kingdom, and are able to change both to human form or back to a horned horse. (Note that in China and Japan, the unicorn's appearance differed much from the West.
Sometimes having a more lion-like appearance).
Information on the unicorn taken from the fabulous bookThe Unicorn by Nancy Hathaway, which I highly recommend.
Uranus
His name means heaven. Gaea appeared and gave life to Uranus, who she in turn took as husband. His children he concealed in the darkness of earth, much to Gaea's displeasure. She and Kronos led a rebellion against him, setting up his youngest (Kronos) as ruler of the gods. Sailor Uranus is one of the senshi in Sailor Moon.
Uroborus
The symbol of a snake or serpent devouring its own tail. Can be a symbol of endless cycles or for death and rebirth, or "the sequences for "ends" of the world and restorations of it."**
In the X OAV there's a uroborus image of a dragon of earth and dragon of heaven behind two cloaked figures about to collide in the Final Battle.
**From Dictionary of Symbolism by Biedermann
Utena Car (Adolescence Mokushiroku - Utena Film)
In Ikuhara's commentary he explains that one inspiration for Utena's transformation into the car comes from reversing the Sleeping Beauty role. In Sleeping Beauty the princess is asleep and
the prince must awaken her. In the film Utena has been the prince and Anthy the princess, so in the end the roles are reversed. Utena goes into a kind of sleep, and Anthy must wake
her.