Petite Princess Yucie: Episode 2 Commentary
A Rival? Yucie Goes to School
This seems to be Yucie’s first time going to a school. She was probably home schooled while growing up.
I’m glad they kept the gate saying “Gate” often in his speech. This is the sort of thing dubs and translations often cut out.
While many anime use a magical brooch for a character to transform, the way it’s handled in Yucie seems to fit the world nicely. By focusing ones thoughts and heart, the pendant magically transforms their outfit. The transformation scene is simple, nothing extravagant.
More of the personalities of characters are coming out. Yucie is cheerful, able to laugh at her own embarrassing mistakes. Cube, while worrysome over Yucie, is carefree when it comes to communication with others. You have to be to greet armed guards so casually. And Ercell seems like a quite spaced-out queen.
Lady Glenda, the princess of the demon world with elegant beauty and fantastic magical powers, appears to be Yucie’s rival. She’s a demon princess with magic, and she’s not afraid to use it. And by her side is her own attendant, Mr. Gaga, who’s served as a steward for 1,000 years.
Extra points to the producers of this episode for putting the elephant in the background while Cube’s being tickled. When Mr. Gaga’s long talk puts Cube to sleep, prompting Gaga to shout to wake him up, it’s hard to stifle ones laugh as the elephant is also woken up. It’s twice as funny the second time around.
I must be getting soft as I watch more series like this one. I almost wanted to cry as Yucie watched on as the fairies watched their flower garden, their homes, dying away. Yucie’s decision to let Glenda win shows Yucie as a compassionate person, willing to give up her goals to save others. Glenda is obviously impressed. Being from the demon world, she probably only knows lies and deceit. (Wait, that’s just the kind of stereotype Glenda’s trying to avoid by helping the flowers with rain rather than tearing them out.)
Glenda’s true goal is also revealed: to become an adult as well. She, like Yucie, is trapped in a ten-year old’s body, perhaps also 17 years old. Everyone else in the Petite Princess Academy is probably really about ten years old, as Yucie and Glenda are the only two Platinum Princess Candidates. One question, though: If Glenda and Cube are both demons, why does Cube have pointed ears and Glenda does not? Is this something that grows later in life? Another question: If Cube is older than Yucie’s real age (at least 20 years old, if not older), and he looks to be a pre-teen himself, then how old should Glenda appear? Or are Glenda and Cube different kinds of demon?
With the Crystal Flower in hand, Queen Ercell places it on a strange contraption which shows room for four more. What is this eerie looking thing, and why does Ercell show such sorrow as the Crystal Flower goes onto it? Will calm, scatter-brained Ercell be the villain of this story? Can she be, if she already has the Eternal Tiara in her possession?
Introduced in this episode are the school uniforms for Petite Princesses. Glenda manages to wear a different color of uniform without being scolded. Is this allowed within school rules, or does she get to sneak by some rules because she’s the Demon World princess? I’ll refrain from commenting on Glenda’s choice in out-of-school clothing, except to say that while Yucie’s outfit is very conservative, Gleda appears to be going for the opposite look.
