Lalabel, the Magical Girl

Lalabel
Cover of the first DVD box
魔法少女ララベル
(Mahō Shōjo Raraberu)
GenreMagical girl
Created byEiko Fujiwara
Anime television series
Directed byHiroshi Shidara (chief director)
Music byTaku Izumi
StudioToei Animation
Original networkANN (TV Asahi)
Original run February 15, 1980 – February 27, 1981
Episodes49
Anime television film
Magical Girl Lalabel: The Sea Calls for a Summer Vacation
Directed byHiroshi Shidara
StudioToei Animation
ReleasedJuly 12, 1980
Runtime15 minutes

Lalabel, The Magical Girl (魔法少女ララベル, Mahō Shōjo Raraberu) is a magical girl anime television series by Toei Animation. It aired from 15 February 1980 to 27 February 1981 on TV Asahi.

A 15-minute film called Magical Girl Lalabel: The Sea Calls for a Summer Vacation (魔法少女ララベル 海が呼ぶ夏休み, Mahō Shōjo Raraberu: Umi ga Yobu Natsuyatsumi) was released in Japan on July 12, 1980.

Plot

Lalabel, a magical girl from a magical world, accidentally falls into the human world after encountering a thief named Biscus who steals magical tools. She is found by an elderly couple who take her in, allowing her to live amongst humans while secretly battling Biscus to retrieve the stolen magic items, all while writing proverbs in her diary to reflect on her experiences and growing understanding of human life. Eventually, through her actions, Biscus reforms and both Lalabel and Biscus lose their magical powers, becoming fully human.

Characters

Voiced by: Mitsuko Horie
Lalabel is the main character and a magical girl from the magic world. One night, while she is sleeping, her magical items wake her up, and she sees Biscus stealing two magical briefcases. After being pulled to Earth by Biscus, she is adopted by the Tachibanas and decides to stay until she returns home.
Voiced by: Banjō Ginga
Biscus is a fat thief and the main antagonist. He stole two magical briefcases from the magical realm where Lalabel lived in, but after being surprised by Lalabel, he transports the two of them to Earth, losing one of the briefcases in the process. While on Earth, he shacks up with a ramen stand owner, Ochiba, who is as greedy and nasty as himself. He tries to swindle people with his (stolen) magic powers while trying to steal Lalabel's briefcase. He has a grey cat, who is nasty and horrid as himself.
Voiced by: Jōji Yanami, Keiko Miyazaki
Sakuzo and Ume are a kind elderly couple who let Lalabel stay with them. Ume is the typical kindly grandmother figure and she made Lalabel's signature pink dress. Sakuzo is cynical and does not like magic, but after Lalabel saves him from drowning, he starts to warm up to her and her magic. He is the one who comes up with the proverbs that Lalabel writes.
Voiced by: Noriko Tsukase
Teruko is the granddaughter of the Tachibanas. She is a friend of Lalabel, who lives with her grandparents due to her parents working overseas.
Voiced by: Minori Matsushima
Toshiko is one of Lalabel and Teko's friends.
Voiced by: Shigeru Tsuji
Biscus' sidekick.
Voiced by: Yumi Nakatani
Tsubomi is the rich girl in Lalabel, Teko, and Toko's class. She has a snobbish attitude towards Teko and Toko and uses her privilege to get her way. Lalabel saved her from being hit by her father's construction vehicles that were ignoring a sidewalk Lalabel and her friends use to get to school.

Theme songs

The opening theme Hello Lalabel and the ending theme Mahou Shōjo Lalabel are sung by Mitsuko Horie.

References

  1. ↑ 魔法少女ララベル(1980~1981). Allcinema (in Japanese). Stingray. Retrieved 27 April 2015.