Prétear


Prétear, also called Prétear - The New Legend of Snow White, is a manga series written by Junichi Sato and illustrated by Kaori Naruse. Spanning four volumes, the manga series was originally published in Japan by Kadokawa Shoten from May 2000 through July 2001. It was published in English in North America by ADV Manga.
The series was adapted into a thirteen episode anime series by Hal Film Maker, Kadokawa Shoten, and Rondo Robe. It aired in Japan on WOWOW from April 4, 2001 until June 27, 2001. Geneon released the series episodes across four volumes in Japan in both VHS video and DVD forms. ADV Films had licensed and released the anime series.

Plot

A high school girl named Himeno Awayuki is attempting to adjust to her new life after her widowed father remarries wealthy widow Natsue. While taking a short cut to school, Himeno jumps out of a bush and lands on Hayate, the Knight of Wind. After some arguing Himeno wants to punch Hayate, but he blocks her hand causing a powerful light. Later she meets the other Leafe Knights who tell her that the red snow that has been falling on the town recently is being caused by the Princess of Disaster who is awakening, and that she is using demon larva to absorb Leafe, the essence of all life. They ask Himeno to become the Prétear and help them protect the world. Himeno is initially reluctant, believing they are trying to play a trick on her. When a larva attacks them and begins stealing leafe, Himeno agrees to help. Hayate tells her to take his hand and she merges with him to become the Wind Prétear. After adjusting to her new powers, Himeno is able to defeat the larva.
As the series progresses, Himeno finds herself slowly falling in love with Hayate, who is initially cold and refuses to acknowledge her as the Prétear. Eventually she learns the Princess of Disaster was once a girl named Takako, who was the last Prétear. She had not enjoyed fighting, but did it anyway, also falling in love with Hayate. When he could not return her feelings, her anguish caused her powers to turn to evil, changing her into the Princess of Disaster.
Mawata, one of Himeno's stepsisters, has been overwhelmed with grief since the death of her father and holds herself distant from her family. She and Himeno temporarily connect over their shared feelings, but Mawata is hurt when she sees Himeno with Hayate. Mawata is in love with Sasame, but it is revealed that he was in love with Takako. He throws away his status as a Leafe Knight and joins Takako to become her Knight of Darkness. Takako uses Mawata's love for Sasame to hurt her even more, enabling Takako to use her to fuel the Great Tree of Fenrir.
The town is overrun by the Great Tree. To protect the rest of her family, Himeno reveals her Prétear powers to them, then begs them to escape while she rescues Mawata. Instead, the family refuses to leave Mawata behind and put themselves in great physical danger to rescue her. Hayate and Sasame engage in a battle to the death, and Himeno climbs the Great Tree of Fenrir. Himeno's family starts attacking the bubble holding Mawata, calling to her desperately. Himeno continues up the tree to confront the Princess of Disaster. Mawata is freed and safe in the arms of her family. Takako doesn't want her to go and becomes desperate calling out for Sasame who appears after beating Hayate in battle. Fenrir asks Sasame to kill both Hayate and Himeno, but he is convinced by Himeno not to. Believing that not even Sasame loves her, Takako tries to kill herself, but Sasame shields her and dies. Takako comes back to her true self realizing that she loved Sasame too. Out of control, the tree captures Takako. Himeno tries to save her and she's attacked by the tree. Hayate shields her and then he dies in her arms.
To stop the tree, Himeno by herself becomes the legendary White Prétear and pours out a massive amount of Leafe. The town is restored, the Leafe Knights healed, and Sasame and Hayate are brought back to life. Hayate awakens to find the others crying over Himeno's lifeless body, lying in the grass as if she were sleeping. In agony, he holds her, then kisses her, which restores her life and enables her to awaken. At the end of the series, Himeno and Hayate are a couple, Himeno and her family are closer, Mawata is happier, and Takako is seen quietly sitting with Sasame.

Characters

Awayuki family

Leafe Knights

Other characters

Demons

Forces of darkness eventually controlled by Fenrir that seek to drain the Leafe out of all other life forms similar to parasites. Although this is instantaneous toward plant life, more complicated organisms such as animals take over the course of hours to drain entirely.
Anime director Junichi Satou created Prétear out of his desire to work on a series for women that featured good-looking boys. Wanting to base the story on a fairy tale, he asked himself what Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs would be like if the dwarfs were replaced with cute guys. As the story took shape, Leafe became the symbol of the apple in the story. It can pass on its life force to others, like a regular apple when eaten, or take away life as the poison apple did in the original story. Feeling that the concept of a woman being rescued by "Prince Charming" was old-fashioned and not fitting with modern girls, he decided to make Prétear's "Snow White", Himeno, a more assertive woman.
Though an anime director himself, Satou did not the direct the anime adaptation of Prétear. Kiyoko Sayama directed the series, while Satou provided consultation and checked the scripts and storyboards before they were animated. The anime characters were designed by Akemi Kobayashi, who made changes to the characters for the new story. For example, Hayate's anime version has longer hair tied in a ponytail, while in the manga story, Hayate had cut off his longer hair before the start. The design of Kei is the most drastically changed in the adaptation, with the anime version bearing little resemblance to his manga original.

Media

Manga

Written by Junichi Satou and illustrated by Kaori Naruse, the four volume Prétear manga series was published in Japan by Kadokawa Shoten. The first volume was released on June 1, 2000, and the final was released on July 21, 2001. All four volumes have been published in English in North America by ADV Manga.

Volume list

Anime

, Kadokawa Shoten, and Rondo Robe collaborated to adapt the manga chapters into an anime series that premiered in Japan on WOWOW on April 4, 2001. It ran for 13 episodes until its conclusion on June 27, 2001. Geneon released the series episodes across four volumes in Japan in both VHS video and DVD forms. ADV Films licensed and released the anime series. Funimation Entertainment has re-licensed the series.
The series uses two pieces of theme music. The song "White Destiny", performed by Yoko Ishida, is used for the series opening theme. "Lucky Star", sung by Sayuri Yoshida, is used for its ending theme.

Episode list