Magic Knight Rayearth is a popular Japanese manga and anime series created by Clamp. The story revolves around three magical girls who are transported to a fantastical world called Cephiro. One of the central figures in this world is Princess Emeraude. Princess Emeraude is the ruler of Cephiro and possesses immense magical powers. She is known as the Pillar, as her will and emotions directly affect the stability and well-being of the entire kingdom. The purpose of her existence is to pray for Cephiro's continued harmony and balance.

[WIW] Magic Knight Rayearth (1 Viewer)

Hello! This is going to be a bit different from my usual WIWs, in that I've already seen the series in question. Magic Knight Rayearth was one of the first anime I ever saw, in fact, quite a few years ago. It had a pretty big impact on me, and though it might be slightly dated now (it's from the mid-90s), it remains a show that I hold in high regard.

Despite this, I would like to avoid spoilers in this discussion. I might bend this rule occasionally in my posts, particularly when it comes to things like talking about the tone of the series - I'm not going to pretend that I haven't seen it - but I'd like to focus on events as they come instead of opening the floodgates and getting everything all jumbled up. And not everyone reading this will necessarily have seen the whole thing, yet. At the very least, don't go spoiling anything major.

So, what is Rayearth? Among other things, it's both a manga and an anime, both created by CLAMP and produced simultaneously, albeit in two separate parts. The anime is 49 episodes (20/29 for each part), and the manga six volumes (3 for each part). This is mostly going to be about the anime, with occasional notes about how the manga differs from it as things come up. It is a moderately long series, and it takes a while to get to the parts that made me fall in love with it, but I think it's worthwhile.

Things I will probably not be talking about: the OVA, which is totally different, and is kinda the 90s xtreme version - more violence, more sexualization, less story. It's pretty, but not really all that good. Also there are apparently like seven different games? I hardly know anything about those.

In terms of genre, Rayearth is about half magical girl, half "teleported to a fantasy world", with a hefty topping of JRPG for flavor. Or at least, that's how it starts. Actually, since the first opening begins with the opening song right away, I might as well let that speak for me before getting into the episode proper.

We've got a beautiful fantasy world.

Brave heroines. and mecha! I kinda wish the mecha thing were more of a surprise, but no, they just had to show it off right away. Ah well.

They'll meet others, both friends.

There will be fierce battles and strife.

. and they'll have to face a mighty dark lord.

. for the sake of a fair and noble maiden.

Let the show begin!

P.S. Hope you like shoulderpads.

Fae

not sus

The Birth of the Legendary Magic Knights

Sad music plays, bubbles stream up through dark water. what kind of strange place is this? The bubbles are coming from a flower, from a magical sphere in the center, just large enough to hold a single person inside.

Princess Emeraude. She's named after a car. In fact, nearly everyone and everything in this series are named after cars. I don't know anything about cars.

She's pleading - praying? - for aid, for someone to save this world. For the Legendary Magic Knights. The orb on her forehead glows, and a beam shoots upwards.

Now: Tokyo Tower, present day Earth! Or rather, 1994 Earth. It really has been a while. At the time, Tokyo Tower was the tallest tower in Japan, but in 2010 it was surpassed by the Tokyo Skytree. It's still quite an iconic structure.

Inside, the place is bustling with sightseers, including some red-uniformed schoolgirls on a field trip. They think it's kind of a shitty field trip, though. Like, for elementary schoolers, sure, they'd love it, but now that they're older they're above things like that. Right, Hikaru?

Hikaru Shidou. She's actually not a car; her name means Light Lion-Hall.

Say hello to our protagonist! Much to the annoyance of her schoolmates, she has absolutely zero cool detachment, and is totally enjoying herself.

. or she was, until the binoculars she was using ran out of time! And she doesn't have any more money on her! Oh no! Enter:

Fuu Hououji. Wind Phoenix-Shrine.

She's charmed by Hikaru's youthful exuberance, and is happy to give her a few more coins to enjoy herself with. And then she walks on, as Hikaru's awed schoolmates comment about how that green uniform is from a famous private school, known for its academic prowess.

The wheels in Hikaru's head turn, and she rushes off to go thank Fuu, as she was too surprised to do it at the proper moment. But just as she does, a third group of students walks in front of her! This group is dressed in blue, and Hikaru's schoolmates know it too: it's another famous school, known for its high-class students. At the head of the group, there stands a particularly elegant girl.

Umi Ryuuzaki. Ocean Dragon-Blossom

The three girls, strangers to each other, happen to turn and look at each other simultaneously. And just as they do. a blinding light appears from outside! While everyone else cowers, a vision of Princess Emeraude speaks to them from within the light, repeating her earlier plea: Save this world! Save Cephiro! The light fades.

. and the three auspiciously-named heroes find themselves in another world.

Actually, that's not quite right. It would be more accurate to say that they find themselves above another world. Apparently Emeraude's summoning spell wasn't too precise about where it placed its targets. Or maybe they just shouldn't have been in such a tall tower when they were summoned.

Fortunately for everyone involved, this is a magical fantasy world, and its menagerie of mythical creatures includes at least one giant flying fish, positioned a short distance below their entry point. Their time in this world will not be as short as it might have been otherwise.

Ah. perhaps it's not fortunate for everyone, really. Through an enchanted mirror, two other figures are watching this scene - one kneeling, one standing:

High Priest Zagato

They are rather displeased by Emeraude's stunt! Although it sounds like that's all she'll be doing - Zagato says that was the last of her power. And he's not really all that bothered: sure, they're legendary and all. but legends are just stories. They're not truth. (It's not like this is a story or anything.) Plus, the ones summoned are just children.

Nevertheless, it would be imprudent to completely ignore them.

But enough of that: back to our heroes! Thanks to that flying fish, they've made it to solid ground with minimal injury. But they have no idea where they are or what's going on other than that this clearly isn't Tokyo!

Hikaru suggests they start with introductions: they're all in eighth grade, 14 years old. This comes as quite a surprise to Fuu and Umi, who had been under the impression that the exuberant little kid was. well, more of a kid. Nope!

Cue wacky hijinks. But then they're interrupted by a newcomer:

Master Mage Clef

It seems he'd summoned the fish to help them! And now he's here to guide them. they can't return home, he says. Not unless they save Cephiro.

While they talk, Zagato is busy. In a room of crystals and waterfalls, a sort of audience chamber with the audience hidden behind the water, Inouva announces that the Magic Knights have been summoned. There are many gasps of surprise from unseen figures, followed by questions.

Zagato does not answer those questions. He just explains the situation - they're with Clef - and calls one name:

To her, he designates the task of snuffing out these fledgling Magic Knights.

Where were we? Ah, yes, Clef had just interrupted their wacky hijinks. He's a master mage, 945 years old. and is also shorter than Hikaru. Okay, the wacky hijinks can continue. At least until Clef gets annoyed enough to smack Umi on the head with his staff.

Some things around here are serious. like the 12-foot-tall spider monster that just clawed its way out of the ground right behind Clef. The girls scream and run, but that Master Mage title isn't just for show:

Lightning Call!

Anyway there's a whole bunch of exposition here, as Clef explains the situation to them. Cephiro wasn't like this before, he says. Not when Princess Emeraude was around. But ever since Zagato imprisoned her, all sorts of monsters have appeared, and death and destruction and random encounters are everywhere. Now, only the Magic Knights can save them!

Hikaru is all fired up! We can be heroes! We can save the world! Let's go!

Umi, not so much. Screw this; I'm out! Send me home right now!

Fuu is quiet and thoughtful.

Clef continues on: most of the powerful warriors and mages of their land have already tried to free Emeraude, and have all been defeated by Zagato. They really have no one else they can turn to: they need the Magic Knights.

And it's not like the prospective knights have a choice, either. as he said before, there's no other way home. They must follow the path he's laying before them, no matter how outraged they (Umi) may be.

See, Princess Emeraude is the Pillar of this world. That's not just a title: the world of Cephiro is entirely dependent upon her will to sustain it. That's why things are falling apart without her. It was her wish that brought them here, and only fulfilling that wish can return them.

To do that, they need to become Magic Knights, and revive the Rune-Gods. (Or the Mashin (魔神). while "Rune-Gods" is the translation I've long been familiar with, now that I know some Japanese, I'm not sure how they got that from the Japanese word. Maybe they just really didn't want to use "demon" or "magic" and went with "rune" as an arbitrary cool-sounding choice instead. That's okay, really.)

(By the way, those are the same kanji as in Miyu's "Shinma", just reversed. How strange.)

That line of thought reminds Clef that he'd better check some basics: can they use magic? What!? They can't? Their equipment looks pretty basic, too. ah, well. He's a master mage, he can fix that stuff! Bestow Magic!

A little bit of anime nudity and colorful swirls later.

They've got some armor! Not much, but it's better than nothing. Unusually for magical girl armor, it goes on top of their regular outfits - but it's okay, their regular outfits were already color-coded.

And, according to Clef, they now have magic. In fact, though he tried to choose useful types of magic for them, the magic itself went ahead and chose them! That is surely an auspicious portent. Hikaru rushes forward, eager to learn, and Clef gladly shows her something she can now feel within herself.

That's enough preparation. Or, well, it had better be enough. Because now the sky suddenly darkens, and lightning rages across the landscape: Clef knows that one of Zagato's minions has come.

Hurriedly, he summons one more thing to help the girls: a gryphon, something faster than that fish. That will help them escape, while he acts all cool and stays behind to hold off their foe alone. Hikaru wants to help fight (Umi and Fuu have to physically restrain her, hehe), but as he says, that's not what he needs from them - he needs them to save Cephiro. And so he sends them off with a smile. Go west! Presea will be waiting in the Forest of Silence! Get weapons there! And Mokona!

They fly off, their quest laid out before them.

Behind Clef, footsteps now sound. Alcyone has arrived, mounted on a pale steed. She greets Clef familiarly. he once taught her magic, after all. But now, with everything that's happened, they find themselves on opposing sides. And she won't let their past hold her back. Icicle Onslaught!

Clef shields himself, blocking Alcyone's attack easily. Can the pupil really defeat the master? No, she knows she can't. but that's not what she's here for, anyway. She summons a monster of her own, some sort of two-headed wolf - and rides off after the girls while it menaces Clef.

It only keeps him busy for a moment, but when he turns back, Alcyone is far away. Perhaps he has no way of catching up with her, now that he's sent the gryphon off? He makes no further move, but he's deeply worried. If Alcyone kills them now, that will be the end of their quest. But if she doesn't, even if they gain power, the true enemy of the Magic Knights makes Alcyone seem like nothing.

Right on cue, Zagato appears, somewhere behind Clef. Looks like he slipped in quietly while Alcyone was making so much noise. Despite that, Clef senses something, and quickly turns and raises his staff-

But not fast enough.

A single gesture from Zagato, an unspoken flesh-to-stone spell, and Clef is out of the picture. I guess it just wouldn't do to have such a powerful mentor figure hanging around, really. Zagato laughs and teleports back out, content in the knowledge that the real threat has been dealt with, leaving Alcyone to mop up the loose ends. He is such a Dark Lord.

And while that was happening, Alcyone caught up with the girls. Spears of ice hurtle past them, as Hikaru tries again to go back for Clef, and Fuu acts as the voice of reason - fortunately, their gryphon is pretty good at danmaku. But it's only so long until Alcyone gets ahead and cuts them off, forcing a confrontation.

She's polite enough to stop and greet them before killing them - it's not like they can do anything to stop her, right? But while they don't have much, what they have is not nothing. And Hikaru won't give up so easily, not when so much is at stake.

Flame Arrow!

Even seeing the flames around Hikaru, Alcyone underestimates what she can do, until the flames catch her. She leaps away in time to save herself, but that mount of hers is burnt to ashes. That should be the end of their pursuit, for now. hopefully, since Hikaru just collapsed, and the other two don't know how to use their magic yet!

It's a subtle thing, but that encounter has an important early indication of one characteristic of this show. That lovely magic flying unicorn is gone. A lot of the time, in magical girl shows in particular, the characters will have access to safely non-lethal forms of combat, so that they can go all-out without worrying about the consequences. Giant energy beams, purifying rituals, goddesses with spiked knuckles, it doesn't matter - no one will actually be injured. Here? That's not the case. Their swords are sharp and their fire burns hot. Of course, that doesn't mean that they will kill everyone they come across, but if they don't want to, they're going to have to be careful about it.

Well, that's not something they're worried about now. Right now, they're just relieved to still be alive.

Umi in particular is uncharacteristically hopeful. because now that they've gotten away from those weird people, and they have a flying mount, maybe they can get it to take them right back to Tokyo?

No, guess not. Things just keep refusing to work out that easily for her.

Though she was mostly quiet earlier, Fuu speaks up with her perspective on things now: she's not entirely trusting of everything she's been told, but she's willing to tentatively accept Clef's words as being true. She did notice that Alcyone called them Magic Knights when she spoke to them, which fits with the story Clef told them. And in this unfamiliar and clearly dangerous world, following the path he set sounds better than stumbling around blindly. If there are lies in what they've been told, they'll surely be revealed in time.

Basically, Fuu is awesome.

Hikaru, of course, is still quite gung-ho. And Umi. well, she can't come up with any better ideas yet, and she's not willing to say no to Hikaru's pouting face. For now, they'll head on together.

Deep in that dungeon, where the events of this episode began. Emeraude is crying over Clef. Zagato comes to speak with her, telling her to cease her efforts, stop these hopeless games. She pleads with him, begging him to stop instead - he was a priest; doesn't he care what happens to Cephiro?

No. Ominous!

Our heroines fly onward. but that's the end of the first episode.

(The ED, by the way, is a pretty simple thing with chibi figures running back and forth - several of whom we haven't met yet. Not much to comment on there.)

Whew! That sure was a lot of introductions and setup. But most of that is out of the way now. And they even made sure to fit some action in there. Not bad, as first episodes go.

I especially like how our three heroes have such different reactions to what's going on. It's clear right away that they're very distinct individuals.

Soon: Adventure! Supplies! Mokona!

Magic Knight Rayearth Story Synopsis

Hikaru Shido, Umi Ryuzaki, and Fuu Hooji were three ordinary schoolgirls on a field trip to Tokyo Tower. But when a mysterious light engulfed them, they were transported to another world called Cephiro. There, they met Master Mage Clef, who told them that they were summoned to Cephiro by its princess, Emeraude. Emeraude, being the "pillar" of Ceiphiro, held the world together by praying for its peace and well being. But she had been captured and held prisoner by High Priest Zagato. Clef told the girls that in order for them to return to their world and save Cephiro they must rescue Emeraude by becoming Magic Knights. Accompanied by the frisky but helpful creature, Mokona, the girls set out to find the princess and defeat Zagato. Along the way, they must learn to use and enhance their magical powers and become skilled with their weapons in order to defend against the many monsters that roam the collapsing Cephiro. But they also make many friends and allies along the way: the bold swordsman Ferio(and Princess Emeraude's long lost brother), the cunning dancer Caldina, the beast summoner Ascot, and Princess Emeraude's head guard Lafarga. A lot of them were being manipulated by Zagato at first, but the Magic Knights were able to help them see who the real villain was. In order to reach their full potential, the Knights had to find the legendary Rune Gods, animal spirits that could change into powerful robots in battle. The ending of the first series has quite a wicked twist when it's discovered that Princess Emeraude and Zagato were actually in love! The reason Zagato kidnapped Emeraude was because, as the pillar, her only purpose was to pray for the peace of Cephiro. In Cephiro, everything is determined by the will and held together by the positive thoughts of the pillar. So, the pillar is not allowed to have much freedom, especially to fall in love. Zagato, wanting Emeraude more than anything else, deemed this unfair and so captured her even though it meant disaster for Cephiro. After killing Zagato, the Magic Knights think that they have done the right thing. But Emeraude becomes so distraught from Zagato's death that she loses control of herself and starts attacking the Magic Knights with her own Rune God. But there was still a bit of goodness left inside of her which tells the Knights that they must kill her in order to save Cephiro and have a new pillar born. Reluctantly, the Knights fulfill her wish and are returned back to Tokyo, stricken and guilt-ridden.

In the second series, the Knights are mysteriously transported back to Cephiro, which is once again on the verge of destruction. Without a pillar, Cephiro is crumbling and the three kingdoms of Autozam, Farhen, and Cizeta begin to invade the vulnerable world, hoping to take it over by controlling the pillar system. But little do they realize that once they become the pillar, they won't be able to have any freedom of their own. The Magic Knights must get them to realize this before it's too late. Things get really complicated with the arrival of Lantis, Zagato's younger brother, and the appearance of the mysterious girl Nova, who's apparently a "shadow" of Hikaru's guilty and tragic heart. The search for the true pillar ensues, and the three kingdoms must set aside their differences in order to save Cephiro from an even greater enemy.

Manga / Magic Knight Rayearth

This Shoujo series is one of the most popular creations of the creative collective known as CLAMP, blending Magical Girl, Humongous Mecha and Heroic Fantasy into a unique and entertaining mix. It was also the first of CLAMP's works to receive an full anime adaptation.

Three schoolgirls—the boisterous Hikaru Shidou, the graceful Umi Ryuuzaki, and the bookish Fuu Hououji—are visiting Tokyo Tower on a class trip when they are suddenly whisked away to the magical land of Cephiro. There, they discover that they have been summoned to become Magic Knights and go on a grand quest to save Princess Emeraude, whose prayers sustain the peace of Cephiro, from the clutches of High Priest Zagato.

In the grand tradition of Eastern RPGs, the trio must travel across the land seeking out key characters to acquire their weapons, armour, upgrades and Summon Magic. Over the course of their journey, the three strangers gradually learn about each other and forge a true bond of friendship; a bond that is sorely tested as they approach the climax of the ancient prophecy and discover their true purpose as Magic Knights.

Magic Knight Rayearth, despite its deceptively simple "schoolgirls on a quest" appearance, is a story with layers of motivation and Backstory behind the events of Cephiro's crisis. What seems at first to be a simple, straight-line adventure/quest plot turns out to be darker and far more complicated, and the final revelation of the prophecy's true meaning forces Hikaru, Umi and Fuu to make mature, grown-up choices that belie the earlier impression of "fairytale fun".

The first half of the manga ran from 1993 to 1995 in Nakayoshi. The manga would later receive a sequel that ran from 1995 to 1996, which deals primarily with the aftermath of the Magic Knights' action in the first half. The anime, directed by Toshiki Hirano note at the time of this series' production, he was going by his real name, Toshihiro Hirano, but later started going by his current stage name and produced by TMS Entertainment and airing from 1994 to 1995 on Nippon Television, is split into two seasons, with the second season deviating more from the manga than the first.

Other media include Rayearth OVA, a Super Famicom game and two Game Boy games developed by Tomy, and a Sega Saturn version also developed by Sega and released in the United States by Working Designs. The latter version is noteworthy not so much for the actual game, but for the Development Hell that it went through - it was delayed for so long that it ended up as the final title ever released for the Saturn in the U.S. In 2019, it would become the first Magical Girl/Shōjo series to embrace the Super Robot Wars series (that isn't Super Robot Wars X-Ω) via Super Robot Wars T.

The purpose of her existence is to pray for Cephiro's continued harmony and balance. However, an unfortunate turn of events arises when Princess Emeraude is captured and imprisoned by the high priest Zagato. In captivity, she is unable to fulfill her duty of praying for Cephiro's balance and is forced to call upon the three protagonists, Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu, to become the Magic Knights and save her.

This work provides examples of:

• Abdicate the Throne: Hikaru in part 2, the moment she gets it.
• Accent Adaptation: The Swedish translation gave Fuu a speech pattern that hadn't been used since the 1940's to emphasize her excessive politeness.
• Actionized Adaptation: The anime added many battles not in the manga, as well as extending existing action sequences.
• Adaptational Angst Upgrade: Not so much as in the OVA, but Hikaru is somewhat more melancholic in the second season of the anime series than in the manga, to the point that her personal issues became a major plot point.
• Adaptation Expansion: There's a lot of new content in the anime compared to the manga, where the girls progress in a straight line from weapons to Mashin to final battle. The anime shows the girls' travel in more detail, which is used to develop them and the people of Cephiro. The Sega game takes it even further, with multiple characters and villages added for mini-quests. The SNES game, while mostly sticking with the manga's plot, also adds new towns, expands upon the locations visited in the manga (adding new events, larger dungeons, etc) and most notably gives the Magic Knights many new spells that never existed in any other incarnation of the story.
• Adaptive Ability: The monster Atalante from the anime can adapt to different attacks and abilities. After learning this, and it's adapted to many things, the girls try overwhelming force, which makes it even stronger.
• Adjective Noun Fred: This is the title's format, which is kept fairly intact in the English translation.
• Aesop Amnesia: At the start of the Season 2, Clef is sincerely guilty over having deceived the girls about their true purpose and says he should have told them the truth from the beginning . But at the same time he concocts a new lie that Presea was resurrected, when it's really her twin sister. His reasoning? That doing otherwise would somehow break their hearts more, even though they had no reason to think Presea wouldn't still be dead and he could just tell them before they went in that she had an identical twin. The lie was for Ascot's benefit too, as his creatures killed Presea, but it it still goes against the lesson and hurts Sierra badly, not to mention he isn't happy about it either. .
• After Boss Recovery: However bloody the preceding battle, the girls are usually restored afterwards (after the Spring of Eterna, for example).
• After the End: The second half of the story. Without a Pillar, Cephiro has been reduced to a lifeless wasteland with dark skies. The only reason there's anyone still alive is because Clef created a crystal castle to hold all of Cephiro's inhabitants. Things get worse as the time passes, as the world degrades and falls apart, making the final chapters/episodes a Race Against the Clock to stop Debonair (anime only) and choose a new Pillar before Cephiro dies completely and takes its people with it.
• A God Am I:
  • Subverted. Hikaru actually becomes the Pillar of Cephiro, but immediately uses her powers to get rid of her status and the Pillar System, and allow Cephiro to be shaped by all its inhabitants instead of one person .
  • Could be played straight with Debonair, though.
  • Justified with Debonair because she is the manifestation of Cephiro's fear, sorrow, and despair after Emeraude's death .
  • Umi's worry over missing a fencing tournament becomes a plot point in episode 9.
  • Early in season 1, Hikaru saves a young girl but all the other villagers are too terrified to thank her. In season 2, Hikaru meets the little girl again—she finally thanks Hikaru for saving her and gushes over how strong and brave she is.
  • Autozam has the NSX, which is a standard space battleship with missiles and Humongous Mecha on board.
  • Fahren has the Dreamchild, an enormous dragon-shaped vessel.
  • Chizeta has the Bravada, which is shaped like a genie's lamp and has gardens on its deck.
  • The Saturn game kills off several characters. It also depicts only the first half, though the ending is somewhat different of the one from the first season of the anime series .
  • The second half of the story, where Cephiro is mostly falling apart and there are invasion forces from another world, and each of them are not exactly cookie-cutter Monster of the Week, instead having their own justified reasons why they wanted to invade (mostly for the betterment of their own homelands). The anime version ups the darkness by adding the sadistic villains Nova and Debonair (Which didn't exist in the manga), causing more moments of angst and despair for Hikaru. The anime version also showed scenes of innocent civilians in danger, including small children and even kills off Eagle Vision .
  • Of course, the first season already has a few moments that were darker than anything in the first manga series such as Alcyone manipulating and betraying Ascot even though they are on the same side, and Caldina trying to force an entire village to kill the Magic Knights.
  • The O.V.A. is also darker than both the manga and anime. Has its own page for more details
  • In the anime, Presea dies shortly into the first season as a Sacrificial Lamb, and the second season has Eagle killed by Debonair.
  • In the Saturn game, every minor villain the girls face ends up dead , sometimes as a You Have Failed Me punishment from Innova.
  • In the anime, all of the English dubbed songs are performed by Sandy Fox, the voice of Aska.
  • As for the video game, Jennifer Stigile (aka Umi Ryuzaki) sings the opening song.
  • Eviler than Thou: Season 2 of the anime has the invading nations battling each other for control of Cephiro, Anti Villains though they may be, and they're all overshadowed by Debonair.
  • Evil Minions: Zagato has a small troupe of them and sends them out one at a time. (In the anime, they team up a few times on their own.)
  • Evolving Weapon: As the girls grow in skill and awake the Mashin, their weapons and armor also evolve.
  • Exact Words: Princess Emeraude, Clef, Presea, and the Rune Gods repeatedly insist to our summoned heroes that they need to "Save Cephiro." None of them say anything about "saving Emeraude."
  • Expansion Pack World: Rayearth II not only deals with the fallout of Rayearth I, it also reveals that Cephiro is one of several planet-countries previously separated by the Pillar's barrier.
  • Facial Markings: Lafarga has tattoos on his face. They're a tool of hypnotic control and gone in part two.
  • Family Theme Naming: Hikaru and her brothers Satoru, Masaru and Kakeru; also Fuu and her sister Kuu.
  • Fantasy Counterpart Culture: Autozam is the United States of America, Chizeta is India (and/or the Middle East), Fahren is China.
  • Feminist Fantasy: Mainly by way of having many female characters in powerful/important roles, like the protagonists themselves, their Ultimate Blacksmith, and Princess Emeraude .
  • Fetch Quest: The search for Escudo.
  • Fire, Water, Wind: The heroines' powers. Hikaru has the power of fire, Umi has the power of water, and Fuu has the power of wind. Earth is only lightly represented through Land, Sea, Sky overlap — Hikaru and her mecha Rayearth's powers are drawn from volcanoes.
  • First Church of Mecha: It's unclear to what (if any) extend the Mashin/Rune Gods are regarded as such, but they occupy isolated shrines and figure prominently in the legends.
  • Fisher King: The Pillar. The state of her heart is reflected in Cephiro. The Deconstruction starts happening when it's revealed that the Pillar is not some sort of immortal goddess but a fallible human with real emotions.
  • Floating Continent: Windam's shrine is a single airborne mountain.
  • Fluffy the Terrible: Used as a disguise by one of Ascot's monsters.
  • Foreshadowing:
    • In the anime, an illusion of Princess Emeraude tries to kill the girls . Also, in Episode 20 of the second season, there's a scene that shifts between shots of Hikaru, Eagle, and the changing Proof of the Pillar several times.
    • Bucketloads in the Rayearth II manga. Pay attention to Mokona's facial expression. And the paneling whenever Hikaru talks about the Pillar System.
    • In Part I, Alcyone and Innouva follow Zagato out of love, Ascot because Zagato promised his monsters would no longer be persecuted, and Caldina for money. Zagato himself is trying to prevent Emeraude's death at the hands of the Magic Knights, which is why he's trying to kill them despite their young age . Clef, while a good guy, obscures the truth about Emeraude's situation and the girls are left shattered when they're forced to kill her .
    • In Part II, the invaders have understandable motives. Eagle wants to transplant the Pillar System to his polluted country and save Lantis from killing himself by trying to end the Pillar System . Tarta and Tatra want to colonize Cephiro because their country has no room. Aska is a capricious child who thinks Cephiro would be a great toy. None of them (barring Eagle) understand the full implications of becoming the Pillar, but they still do things that hurt each other and the Magic Knights. The only truly evil character is the anime-only Debonair, who is a personification of Cephiro's despair .
    • The Mashin have good wings—Seles has dragon wings, Windam has bird wings, and Rayearth has fire wings. Their combined form has bird and bat wings.
    • The Mashin used by Emeraude has demonic wings, as does Nova's Regalia in the anime.
    • This causes a nasty positive feedback loop in one episode: people are frightened, so monsters appear in the castle, so people get more frightened, and even more monsters show up.
    • In the first part, it's after the girls kill Zagato. They fly on to the dungeon, assuming that the only thing left to do is rescue the princess. It's not.
    • In the anime's second season, rescuing Lantis and defeating Nova. Things are looking up, right? No, now Eagle is dead and Debonair is ready to claim Cephiro as her own.
    • The male and female cast all lined up together makes it clear how blatant this setup is in Rayearth.◊
    • Fuu tries to reach Hikaru and Umi when Caldina hypnotizes them into attacking her and implores them to dodge when Caldina starts puppetmastering Fuu. It doesn't work, but she manages to break it by attacking Caldina herself.
    • The Final Battle against Princess Emeraude is like this. Emeraude is in there, somewhere, but she implores the girls to finish it now before that part of her vanishes into her grief for Zagato .
    • Princess Emeraude and Alcyone, both for the same person.
    • Zagato too, for that matter. Sending vicious assassins after teenagers isn't going to win the Good Guy of the Year award.
    • The Mashin (a Punny Name that can mean both "demon-god" and "machine", rendered as Rune God in the anime). They're living beings, but entirely controlled by what the girls do.
    • Subverted with Autozam's mecha: they're simply called FTO and GTO, and Fuu calls them robots when comparing 'em with both of Chizeta's Djinn.
    • Downer Ending: Zagato and Emeraude are killed and the three girls are transported back to Tokyo Tower, only for them to be too shocked and Hikaru insisting that they have to go back to Cephiro.
    • Bittersweet Ending: Zagato and Emeraude are killed and the girls are teleported to Emeraude's palace. There, they apologize to Clef and Presea, as well as Ferio who reveals himself to be the prince. While the girls are torn with grief, Emeraude and Zagato's spirits appear in front of them and thanking them for allowing them to be together now, before transporting the girls home with less guilt. This ending was only available if the player managed to get certain items from theGuest Star Party Members.
    • Lampshaded in Rayearth II, when Eagle reminds Zazu that just because Hikaru looks his age doesn't mean she really is.
    • Umi's in the hands of another will melt into water before reforming once it's out of their hands.
    • Fuu's in the hands of another becomes so heavy that it can't even be held, creating a sword-shaped crater in the ground.
    • Hikaru's in the hands of another sets the violator ablaze. It also has the side effect of dispeling brainwashing magic. Lafarga learns this the hard way.
    • Autozam: Dedicated to high-technology based on mental power. Its primary exports are Humongous Mecha, interstellar warships, and ultra-advancedweaponry. Stands for the USA.
    • Fahren: An entire world dedicated to Chinese motifs and mythology, with a few concessions to Japanese Onmyōdō. Makes abundant use of the Asia Rune Chant, magic circles, and paper doll summoning. And, for some reason, ninja. Stands for China.
    • Chizeta: An oddly-shaped world with a teeny-tiny habitable biosphere, inspired by Arabian Nights motifs. Even the Princessess' starship is shaped like an oil lamp, and, true to form, two muscular and unsettling djinn burst from its spout at their masters' command. Stands for the Middle East.
    • All Rune Gods change into Humongous Mecha forms with themed wings. The Knights, who had traversed the whole of Cephiro on foot, even comment on how this allows them to reach the Very Definitely Final Dungeon at the end of the first season.
    • The Creator also gains angelic wings (and a halo) when it reveals itself to the cast.
    • The English dub of the anime "cleans up" most of the profanity used in the subtitled version, but there were two specific exceptions in the second season. The first was in episode 35 when Tarta still calls Umi a "jackass" and the second was in episode 47 when Geo shouted, "Are you trying to piss me off or something!?"
    • At one point in the Saturn game, Hikaru called Innouva a "bastard" after he killed Caldina .
    • In the anime, Selece tells that to Umi as well, to save herself from a monster that broke out of Ascot's command, and again, she too refuses and is again confirmed worthy of Magic Knighthood.
    • Spared by the Adaptation: And some were killed in the manga but not in the anime. Until much later.
    • Hikaru Shidou: Light of the Lion Shrine.
    • Umi Ryuuzaki: Sea of the Dragon Blossom.
    • Fuu Hououji: Wind of the Phoenix Temple.
    • An embarrassed Hikaru becomes a Cat Girl.
    • Umi attempts to punish Mokona with a Hyperspace Mallet.
    • Fuu switches to Nerd Glasses mode, or has a flash of Scary Shiny Glasses when making an uncharacteristically snarky comment.
    • Fuu's battle in the Spring of Eterna involves this, since her opponent is a doppleganger—the injuries it inflicts on her are reflected on itself, and vice-versa.
    • The Mashin reflect the movements of their Knights. Any damage the Mashin incurs will be reflected on the girl inside—and if the Mashin's giant version of the Escudo sword is broken, so is the normal-sized one.
    

    What sets Princess Emeraude apart is her role as the embodiment of hope and salvation for Cephiro. Despite her helplessness, she never loses faith and strongly believes in the power of the Magic Knights to rescue her and restore the kingdom's equilibrium. Throughout the series, the Magic Knights encounter numerous challenges and obstacles, but Princess Emeraude's unwavering optimism and belief in their abilities guide them towards their ultimate goal. Her character is portrayed as gentle, wise, and compassionate, making her a central figure and inspiration to the main characters. Princess Emeraude's relation with Zagato, while complicated, highlights her inner strength and resilience. Although she cares deeply for Zagato, her imprisonment causes her to question his actions, leading to a conflict between her love for him and her loyalty to Cephiro. The eventual liberation of Princess Emeraude plays a significant role in the resolution of the story. Once free, she is able to fulfill her duty as the Pillar and restore balance to Cephiro. Her sacrifice further exemplifies her selflessness and dedication to her people. In conclusion, Princess Emeraude is a key character in Magic Knight Rayearth, representing hope, determination, and love for her kingdom. Through her imprisonment and subsequent liberation, she serves as a driving force for the Magic Knights, providing them with the motivation to fulfill their quest and save Cephiro from its impending doom..

    Reviews for "Understanding Princess Emeraude's Motivations in Magic Knight Rayearth"

    1. Allison - 2/5 - I was really excited to watch "Magic Knight Rayearth: Princess Emeraude," but I must say it was a huge disappointment. The storyline felt rushed and underdeveloped, leaving me confused about what was happening and why. The characters lacked depth and their actions didn't always make sense. Additionally, the animation quality was subpar, with minimal details, and the fight scenes were poorly choreographed. Overall, I found it hard to connect to the story or the characters and wouldn't recommend it.

    2. Greg - 1/5 - "Magic Knight Rayearth: Princess Emeraude" was a complete waste of time for me. The plot was predictable and uninspiring, with no real surprises or unique elements. The voice acting was off and didn't match the personalities of the characters, making it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. The animation was dated and lacked the vibrant colors and fluid movements I expect from an anime. I struggled to find any redeeming qualities in this series and regretted wasting my time on it.

    3. Sarah - 2/5 - I had high expectations for "Magic Knight Rayearth: Princess Emeraude," but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The plot felt disjointed and lacked coherence, leaving many unanswered questions. The character development was limited, and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. The art style was outdated, and the animation was choppy at times. While I appreciated the fantasy setting, the execution was poorly done. Overall, I found it difficult to stay engaged and would not recommend it to others.

    4. Benjamin - 3/5 - "Magic Knight Rayearth: Princess Emeraude" was an average watch for me. The story had potential, but it failed to fully captivate my interest. The pacing was inconsistent, with slow moments and rushed resolutions. The animation was decent, but nothing exceptional. The characters had some depth, but their development felt lacking. While it might be enjoyable for some casual viewers, I found it forgettable and not worth watching again.

    Discovering Princess Emeraude's True Identity in Magic Knight Rayearth