No you are not seeing things, it’s the episode 26 Princess Tutu review, finally. Even though I actually watched this episode way back in July/August and had the draft sitting on my dashboard for a ridiculously long time. Anyway, it’s my last PT-related post. (But Ariana’s going to review the manga apparently, so it won’t be the last on this blog)
In this final episode, Mytho, now having become the Prince once again, must save Rue from her ‘father’. Poor Ahiru is left to fend for herself against the crow people – and in her duck form, no less, having had already given up her necklace for Mytho’s sake. Fakir desperately tries to help her through his writing, but with Drosselmeyer’s hand guiding his, he is unable to control what he is writing and Ahiru suffers more and more. What will save the day?
THE POWER OF LOVE AND INTERPRETATIVE DANCE OF COURSE.
Well, it’s finally over. There actually isn’t a great deal of narrative anime that I’ve seen from start to finish (that have proper endings anyway, not ‘insert sequel here’ or ‘now go finish the manga’), so it’s nice to finally have another one down. And I really have to say something really cliche here: it’s about the journey, not the ending. In other words, this ending seemed rather anticlimactic to me and I had far more fun with the series itself, and found the other episodes stronger. That’s not to say it was a bad ending – in fact I can’t really think of any other way it could have ended. But Prince Mytho and Princess Rue going off in their magical sky carriage to the land of whatever – I know this anime is full of cheesy stuff, but this was one of the only times I’ve actually thought “well gee that’s lame.” What I did really like, though, was the way it didn’t chicken out from Ahiru’s fate. No magical deux ex machina appeared to make her regain a human form so she could live happily ever after in love, she’s stuck as a duck forever, which makes it very bittersweet. For Fakir, too – he now can’t be in a proper relationship with the one he loves. But, they were both happy. And it was just this little thing that made the whole episode worthwhile to me – Mr Prince and Mrs Princess get to be all happy in their magic skywagon while the two I was rooting for end up with the short end of the stick, but they’re cool with that. Because they’re awesome. On that note, all the bits with Ahiru and Fakir in this episode were very emotional – in particular Fakir writing and Ahiru doing her best to dance despite being attacked. There were really powerful scenes and make up for all the ‘lolwut’ with Mytho and Rue.
- The last time we see Ahiru as Princess Tutu, I believe.
- …the whole pink cloud thing was incredibly cheesy, admit it. Also they look so lolquality here, I just wanted a cap of them riding it.
- noooooooo D:
- d’aaaw
- 8| could this be more narmy
Out of 5,
１・２
Final Thoughts:
Princess Tutu was one of those series that I always wanted to watch but could never really be bothered to get around to. Then one day Madman had a 50% off everything sale, meaning I was able to get the complete series for $30, which was the perfect opportunity to finally get it. This was back in early 2009 and since then I’d been watching the series really slowly so it feels like it’s been with me for a while. It’s a series that’s both visually and musically gorgeous (even though I was, admittedly, a little turned off by the funky character designs at first, the more I watched it the more they suited the story)and drew me in for being such a different series. It can be as corny as anything, yet it always has this sweet sincerity that makes it so endearing. Most of all, it’s a series with a Heart that it wears on its sleeve and that’s probably the thing that stands out to me the most. No matter how cheesy it can get, the amount of Heart makes it forgiveable. There are also so many twists and turns in the plot that I was always in some state of suspense – this was a series I really didn’t know all that much about before watching it other than apparently “everything is not as it appears”.
It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but for those it is for it’s simultaneously gentle and thrilling, has one of the most endearing female leads I’ve encountered yet, and has a talking ballet teacher cat, and how is that not awesome. The whole series gets itself out of 5,
1/2
Moeronpan 
Yeah… not many people like the last episode because Rue gets to go to “happy fairy-tale land” with Mytho while Ahiru’s stuck as a duck. Many people also wished that Ahiru had ended up with Mytho instead. But really–could this series have ended any other way?
A lot of people didn’t like that Rue got the “better half” of the bargain, but if you look back at the past 25 episodes, the girl really deserve it; (her “father” having lied to her all her life; having to constantly obey his every will; being hated just because she’s the daughter of a crow, etc.)
A lot of people also didn’t like Ahiru staying a duck, because (as you said) it’s really bittersweet. However, Ahiru was a duck to begin with, simply given a human form because Drosseylmeyer willed it. So when the story ends, Ahiru has to return to what she was before. The fact that Fakir chooses to stay with her despite this makes it all the more endearing (imo).
To end, the ending may not be “happy” for everyone, but this series has been like this throughout every episode, so the last one is no exception. (And… I’d better stop before I right a whole essay in the comments section, whoops.)
I really don’t agree with all the pity people have for Rue, because despite how awful her past might have been, even before she regained her memories she wasn’t the nicest, and was very arrogant. And the way Rue treated the people Mytho cared about! especially with episode 13, in trying to kill off Fakir and Princess Tutu. (who btw she knew by then was Duck, her only friend) I don’t particularly care for Fakir either, because his ‘protection’ of Mytho = abuse in the real world. But I do think that the heart-ache and support people have for Duck and Fakir in the ending makes it a memorable series – a neat, happy wrap-up is not as memorable and won’t stick with the viewer.
First of all, it’s so great to see the final Princess Tutu review! I agree that the journey is what is beautiful about this series and that the ending was–well, bittersweet is a mild word for it, really. I like it because it upholds the integrity of the series and does not pull out a sugary, cheesy deus-ex-machina Hollywood ending. (On a side note, probably because my suspension of disbelief is ridiculously high, or so I’ve been told, I took the ballet skeletons extremely seriously; they’re all that’s left of the damned souls forever trying to dance away their despair after the rest of their body has completely rotted away). Bottom line: great series, great review, wish it didn’t have to end here!
Most people I know that actually watch Princess Tutu agree that the ending is not what they had hoped, or expected. I’ve only seen the end once, and I’m just going to pretend it never happened.
But overall the story was epic! I must admit that the title of the series is really lame. But regardless of the title and the end, it was totally epicly amazing!
~Epicness
The whole series was epic! But, I am going to pretend that the end didn’t happen so I can reassure myself that Ahiru will turn human again. I personally am really happy that Ahiru did not get Mytho. She and Fakir should be anime’s number one couple if you ask me. But its really sad that nobody ever does another episode as an “epilogue.” I mean, one kiss scene with Ahiru and Fakir is not much to ask for. But in my dream, fakir writes her a permanent human body. The fact that Fakir agreed to stay with her when she was in duck form is touching, but I still dream of a human Ahiru to love fakir. And fakir does have drosselmeyer’s power…SO WHY NOT????? sorry, I have a strict idea of anime romance. the fact that it is over makes me want to cry!
After 4 days of watching this series, I’ve finally come to an end and I have concluded that this series is one heck of an anime. I wouldn’t change a thing about its story. Its not just some cheesy romances like Twilight (its just icing on a cupcake, I’m serious!) and I wouldn’t even dare think of adding another epilogue or sequels (even though I feel like the ending is missing something…) But anyways, I think this anime had really given its lessons that every audience should pick-up upon watching it. Its about accepting what you are. Its about not giving up (yeah, the last episode might have pushed that lesson to much, right?)Its about having free-will. Its about fate: whether you accept it or try to change it. And what really matters is the journey, which I truly enjoyed.
Though, I accept that it has ended, I could help thinking that would it hurt the writers to do something more about Fakir and Ahiru? But anyways, their dance in the lake of despair sorta satisfied me already.
All in all; great ending, awesome review, epic series and I’m really glad I found some people that enjoyed Princess Tutu like I did!
For me, the series ended at episode 13….
Ahiru wins, they dance around all lovey dovey,
THE END
none of this she stays a duck stuff…..
i really wanted her to at least get with Fakir
Why has Princess Tutù finished so bad?!
It didn’t finish so! I think Tutù be married Mytho, and Fakir be married Rue! That’s not Justice!!!!
Tutù is so pretty, and Mytho, too…