Wayback Series - Magical Stage Fancy Lala

I would recommend this classic to some future artists who loves to draw.

Long before Yui Nanase (from Go! Princess PreCure) takes up the notes for her aspiring dream to become a children's book author, drawing random stuff is a girl thing, as well as boys too. But if you are dreaming of becoming a fashion designer, you need to draw some designs for the dress. Well, done with that, because we're about to take the world of Fancy Lala.

Known in Japan as 'Fancy Lala, the Magic Stage (魔法のステージ・ファンシーララ)', it was the fifth, and last of Studio Pierrot's mahou shoujo (magical girl) series that is produced in 1998 directed by Takahiro Omori, and aired on TXN (TV Osaka) from April 5th, 1998 to September 27th of the same year, with a total of 26 episodes. Shueisha published a manga written by Rurika Kasuga that ran in Ribon magazine from May to November of 1998, with a total of two volumes. There is also a 48-minute OAV that is directed by Motosuke Takahashi and it's produced by the same studio on March 11th, 1988.

Left: A 11 year-old Miho (the blue haired one)
Right: The 16 year-old Lala (the blonde haired one when she is transformed by the fairies)

Before I get into the world of Lala, there is another Lala. The 48-minute OAV, called Harbor Light Monogatari - Fashion Lala yori, tells the story of a 11 year-old Miho, who dreams to be a fashion designer, and eagers to make a dress for Shuri, her little sister, in order her to win the Dancing Queen contest. But tragedy occurs when her stupid aunt ruins and destroys the dress, two fairies from Fanland hear Miho's prayers, and transforms into a 16 year-old Lala, a top fashion designer.

Left: Miho Shinohara
Right: Lala (the blue haired one) with the fairies Mogu and Pigu

Okay, now let's go to the other Lala. We get to meet Miho Shinohara, a 9 year-old carefree third-grader, and she's an aspiring manga artist. One day when she goes to a toy store, she encounters Mogu and Pigu, who are lost fairies disguised as stuffed animals, but thanks to the mystery man, she takes the fairies home. In exchange for staying at Miho's home until they find a way to return to their homeworld, Mogu and Pigu gives Miho a magical special sketchpad and a pen, that enables her to magically create real objects (e.g. clothes) from what she draws. With the power of the pen, Miho can also transformed into a blue-haired beautiful teenage girl created from her manga art named Lala. As Lala, she is later discovered by a talent agency, and so she starts her adventures from an ordinary schoolgirl to a model and a idol.

The talented Reiko Omori, plays the role of Miho/Lala, she is also the one who performed both the opening and the ending of the anime. Omori also plays Julie in Kaleido Star. The fairies who accompanied Miho, Mogu and Pigu are voiced by Michiko Neya and Shinobu Adachi respectively (Chrono Crusade's Satella Harvenheit and Mobile Suit Victory Gundam's Kate Bush). Michiko is also voiced Ririka Kawaguchi, who is Lala's manager. The Mystery Man, who gave the fairies to Miho, and often advises the girl, is voiced by Ryusuke Obayashi, who is known for his famed role as Soun Tendo in Ranma ½ and Captain Kiichi Goto in Patlabor. Miho's love-interest, Lala's mentor, and a popular idol, Hiroya Ishikawa is voiced by Hideo Ishikawa, who is known for his roles in Tales of Destiny (as Pierre de Chaltier), Bleach (as Jushiro Ukitate), Naruto (as Itachi Uchiha), and Final Fantasy X (as Auron). The one who represent Lala, once married to Kishi and had a son named Teppei, and the president of Lyrical Productions, Yumi Haneishi is voiced by Atsuko Tanaka, who is known for voicing Trish in Devil May Cry anime, Wilmit Zenam in Gundam Reconguista in G, and Takao no Kami in Shōnen Onmyōji. One of Miho's classmates/neighbor and the cousin of Miki Yumeno (Lala's rival), Taro Yoshida is voiced by Kappei Yamaguchi, who is practically known for his roles in The Law of Ueki (as Hideyoshi Soya), Eyeshield 21 (as Raimon 'Monta' Taro), and Death Note (as L). And finally, Lala's rival, Miki Yumeno, is voiced by Fumie Kusachi, who is apparently known in roles in Demon Fighter Kocho OVA (as Koran Enoki) and Idol Defense Force Hummingbird OVA (as Uzuki Toreishi).

Other voice actors are starred in the series including Mitsuru Miyamoto, Eiko Kanazawa, Ken Narita, Mayumi Iizuka, Mifuyu Hiiragi, Yoshiko Sakakibara, Noboru Hoshino, Yuji Ueda, and Omi Minami.

Enter the magical stage that is Fancy Lala!