Magic Knight Rayearth Vol. 1: Daybreak (1994)
Production: Clamp, Tokyo Movie Shinsha Co. LTD
Episodes: 49
By Kamui Shiro

Introduction

Probably the most recognized creation of manga artists, Clamp, Magic Knight Rayearth seems to be a simple straight-forward tale of good versus evil and while that’s exactly what is at its core, the appeal of the show itself has made it a fan-favorite in Japan and the United States.

The Story

The series opens with a mysterious young girl who is being held captive in some strange underwater prison. She is Princess Emeraude, the ruler of the other-dimensional realm of Cephiro. As the Pillar of this beleaguered world, Emeraude is the only one who can maintain the peace and unity of Cephiro through her constant prayer and inner strength. However, with her imprisonment at the hands of her high priest, Zagato, her most trusted Guardian, Cephiro is slowly sliding towards ruin. In an act of desperation and using the last of her powers, Princess Emeraude summons three girls to Cephiro in hopes of saving it from destruction.

The scene shifts to Tokyo Tower where there are several groups of schools girls on field trips. A few of the girls are expressing their disdain for the choice of location, with the exception of the enthusiastic Hikaru Shido, who's taking in the view through a coin-op telescope. However, her enjoyment is cut short when the time on it runs out. Finding herself short of money, a polite young girl in green graciously offers her some of her own money. Moved by the gesture, Hikaru goes after the girl to say thank you, but her way is blocked by a another group of girls, but the one who catches her attention is an extremely attractive girl with long blue hair. At that moment, the three girls become aware of one another, but before they can put any meaning to the strange feeling, a blast of light ignites outside the tower, blinding everyone within except for them.Seconds later, an image of Princess Emeraude appears before them, pleading to them, "Please help save Cephiro! Legendary Magic Knights!" The girls, naturally are shocked by this, but before they can recover, they find themselves plunging through the air, only to find their fall stopped abruptly by landing on the back of a flying fish. Taking in their surroundings--volcanoes and floating islands not the least among them--, they quickly realize that they are no longer in Tokyo. But the question remains: If they aren’t in Tokyo…where are they?

After the other girls introduce themselves as Umi Ryuuzaki and Fuu Hououji, they are met by the diminutive Clef, Cephiro’s master sorcerer. He informs them why they have been summoned to Cephiro, and they cannot return home until their mission is completed. Cephiro itself is a magical world which materializes from the will power of its inhabitants. A strong will is power in Cephiro and when Princess Emeraude prays for Cephiro to be a place of peace and tranquility, it is her will power which transforms Cephiro into the paradise it is. But when she is abducted by Zagato and held captive, the inhabitants of Cephiro become worried and afraid. It is this fear which creates and unleashes evil forces upon this once idyllic Garden of Eden.

The girl’s mission, as the Legendary Magic Knights, is to save Princess Emeraude from Zagato by awakening the Mashin (Rune Gods) and restore Cephiro to its former glory. Clef tries to imbue each of the girls with the power to wield magical powers, but the magic itself chooses them, and empowers them with magical spells that best fit their personalities. But before he can explain to them how to use these powers, they are attacked by Zagato's sorceress, Alcyone. Before sending them off on their mission, Clef tells them that only by using their inner strength will they be able to protect themselves against the evil forces that threaten Cephiro. He also instructs them to travel to the Forest of Silence where they can find suitable weapons for their quest. Clef and Alcyone do battle, but Clef‘s magic it too powerful for her to overcome directly. Finally managing to get past him, Alcyone pursues the girls, and seconds later, Clef is turned to stone by Zagato’s magic.

Finally catching up to Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu, Alcyone attempts to finish them off, but in that instant, Hikaru, driven by her desire to truly become a Magic Knight awakens the magic Clef gave her, and unleashes it against Alcyone, driving her off.

Uncertain as to what lies ahead of them now, the three girls boldly carry on with their mission. Each episode shows the girls growing up as they meet and overcome each new challenge, their friendship growing as time goes on. With each victory, their armor and magical powers gain strength, preparing them to fight the greatest enemy of all, Zagato.

Review

Magic Knight Rayearth, despite constantly being compared to and likened to Sailor Moon, isn’t at all like the former. The only similarity is the Magical Girl theme, but the similarities end there.

While the plot is standard good battling evil, Rayearth excels in developing the depth of its cast of characters. This series might be thought of as appeaingl only to young girls, but the fact is that it's targeted at a broad spectrum of viewers. Just as in the manga, there is an excellent use of the super-deformed art style to emphasize/exaggerate various comedic and dramatic parts of the story. There's also a great deal of action and magic to back up the character interaction and development. The story incorporates many different popular fantasy themes, with the characters' abilities growing and changing throughout.

If there's one thing Rayearth has in spades, it's great visual style. The CLAMP character designs are striking on their own, and they're only enhanced by Atsuko Ishida's brilliant character designs, not to mention Tsutomu Ishigaki's impeccable color design. The fight sequences are terse and dynamic, courtesy of director Toshihiro Hirano, and the plot flows well from volume to volume. Although it seems rather simplistic at first glance, the greater depth of the plot is revealed as time goes on.

The following episodes are on Vol. 1: Daybreak

Episode 1: "The Birth of the Legendary Magic Knights"
Episode 2: "Presea, the Master Smith in the Forest of Silence"
Episode 3: "Ferio, the Handsome and Mysterious Swordsman"
Episode 4: "Alcyone, the Vengeful Sorceress"

DVD Extras include Art Galleries, Spell Index, an Interview with Julie Maddalena, (Hikaru in the English version), and Character Profiles (accompanied by voice-overs by the English cast).

Conclusion

Magic Knight Rayearth is Magical Girl action at its best, but its appeal transcends simple shojo-entertainment by blending action, drama, comedy, and even some impressive Super Robot elements as well. Rayearth pulls the viewer into its universe and presents them with characters and storytelling that hooks them from the beginning and keeps them well entertained throughout. A must-have for all shojo fans.

Kamui Shiro