The Magical Girl Mirror: Reflections and Transcultural Transformations of Euro-American Fairy Tales in the Mahō Shōjo Genre

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

In chapter three, Sarah Jessica Darley’s “The Magical Girl Mirror: Reflections and Transcultural Transformations of Euro-American Fairy Tales in the Mahō Shōjo Genre” examines how the mahō shōjo, or magical girl genre, in Japan subverts fairy tale archetypes and tales. These works often intersect with romance and fantasy, overtly engaging with the Western fairy tale intertextual web. Darley examines the ways magical girls subvert archetypal passivity and how they are forced into necessary action, often being tasked with saving the world from an apocalyptic fate. She analyzes CLAMP’s Cardcaptor Sakura (1996-2000), Aya Shouoto’s Kiss of The Rose Princess (2008-14), considering how each uses the known narrative of an existent fairy tale in their narratives, drawing contrast between reader’s expectations and the actions of their heroines. Darley considers how the protagonists of these texts are located within mirrors of their reality in contemporary Japan, and that they can self-consciously engage, interact with, and critique the fairy tale plots and conventions that shape their lives as magical girls.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationCross-Cultural Influences between Japanese and American Pop Cultures
Subtitle of host publicationPowers of Pop
EditorsKendra N. Sheehan
PublisherCambridge Scholars Publishing
Chapter3
Pages69-111
Number of pages405
ISBN (Print)978-1-5275-1281-8
Publication statusPublished - 15 Jun 2023

Keywords

  • Japan
  • America
  • Pop culture
  • cross-cultural
  • transculturism
  • manga
  • fairy tales
  • magical girls

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