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Tokyo Mew Mew (東京ミュウミュウ, Tōkyō Myū Myū?), also known as Mew Mew Power, is a Japanese shōjo manga series written by Reiko Yoshida and illustrated by Mia Ikumi. It was originally serialized in Nakayoshi from September 2000 to February 2003, and later published in seven tankōbon volumes by Kodansha from April 2003 to May 2004. It focuses on five girls infused with the DNA of rare animals that gives them special powers and allows them to transform into "Mew Mews". Led by Ichigo Momomiya, the girls protect the earth from aliens who wish to "reclaim" it.
The series was quickly adapted into a fifty-two episode anime series by Studio Pierrot. It debuted in Japan on April 6, 2002, on both TV Aichi and TV Tokyo; the final episode aired on March 29, 2003. A two-volume sequel to the manga, Tokyo Mew Mew a la Mode, was serialized in Nakayoshi from April 2003 to February 2004. The sequel introduces a new Mew Mew, Berry Shirayuki, who becomes the temporary leader of the Mew Mews. Two video games were also created for the series: a puzzle adventure game for the Game Boy Advance system and a role-playing game for the PlayStation.
Tokyopop licensed the manga series for English-language publication in North America and released the complete original series as well as the sequel. 4Kids Entertainment licensed the anime series for North American broadcast. Heavily edited and dubbed, 23 episodes of Mew Mew Power aired on the 4Kids TV channel in the United States and 26 episodes aired on YTV in Canada. 4Kids Entertainment was unable to license the remaining 26 episodes of the series, thus were unable to complete its broadcast. They have not released the series to home video.
Well received by English-language readers, several volumes of the manga series appeared in the Top 50 sales lists for graphic novels in their months of release. Critics praised the manga as a cute and entertaining series with free-flowing style and character designs. A la mode received praise as a good continuation of the series, but was also criticized for offering nothing new. The anime adaptation received high ratings while airing in Japan, resulting in numerous marketing tie-ins. Despite criticism for extensive editing that removed most of the Japanese elements, the Mew Mew Power dub became the highest rated 4Kids show during its broadcast. It was licensed for regional release in several other countries instead of the original Japanese series.
Plot
See also: List of Tokyo Mew Mew charactersAt the start of the series, a young girl named Ichigo Momomiya attends an endangered species exhibit with her 'crush' and future boyfriend, Masaya Aoyama. After an earthquake, Ichigo and four other girls are bathed in a strange light. A cat appears before Ichigo, then merges with her. The next day she begins acting like a cat and, after meeting Ryou Shirogane and Keiichiro Akasaka, learns that she was infused with the DNA of the Iriomote Cat. Ryou and Keiichiro explain that this allows her to transform into Mew Ichigo, a powerful heroic cat girl. She is ordered to defeat chimera animas—alien parasites—which infect animals and turn them into monsters. Ryou and Keiichiro instruct Ichigo to find the four other girls from the exhibit—the remaining Mew Mews. They are Mint Aizawa, a spoiled, wealthy girl who is infused with the genes of the Ultramarine Lorikeet; Lettuce Midorikawa, a meek girl who endures constant bullying and absorbs the genes of the Finless Porpoise; young Pudding Fong, who receives the genes of the Golden Lion Tamarin; and Zakuro Fujiwara, a professional model infused with the genes of the Gray Wolf.
The five Mew Mews battle the chimera animas and their alien controllers, Kish, Pie and Tart. Kish claims to be in love with Ichigo; he tries to gain her love despite the fact that he is trying to eliminate the other Mew Mews. Two more aliens, Pie and Tart, later join Kish in trying to destroy the Mew Mews.
As the fighting intensifies, the Mew Mews are tasked with finding "mew aqua," a material created from pure water that contains immense power for combating the alien attacks. During a battle with Kish at an aquarium, Ichigo is in danger of losing when the mysterious Blue Knight appears and rescues her. He returns periodically throughout the series, protecting Ichigo from various dangers; it is later revealed that the Blue Knight is in fact Masaya. Shortly after this discovery, Masaya collapses and transforms again, into Deep Blue—the alien leader who wants to destroy humanity. After explaining to Ichigo that Masaya was a false form for temporary use, Deep Blue attacks the Mew Mews. Masaya's personality briefly reappears and he uses a nearby mew aqua drop to destroy Deep Blue, killing himself in the process. Crying over his body, Ichigo pours her power into Masaya to save his life, losing her own in the process. Masaya kisses her, changing her back to a human, and revives her. Ryou gives Pie the remaining mew aqua to save the aliens' world, after which Kish, Pie and Tart say their goodbyes and return to their own world.
Sequel
In the two-volume sequel, Tokyo Mew Mew a La Mode, Ichigo and Masaya move to England to study endangered species. The remaining Mew Mews continue to eliminate the chimera animals left behind by the aliens. They also face a new threat, the Saint Rose Crusaders: humans with special powers who desire to conquer the world and create an utopia. Berry Shirayuki becomes the sixth Mew Mew and temporarily takes Ichigo's place as the leader. Berry is the first Mew Mew to be infused with the DNA of two endangered species, the Andean Mountain Cat and the Amami Rabbit. As one of the strongest Mew Mews, Berry is targeted by two of the Crusaders, who attack her at school. Ichigo returns to provide assistance during this battle. For the their final attack, two Crusaders hypnotize the citizens of Tokyo and set them against the Mew Mews. Berry and her childhood friend Tasuku Meguro use their new-found feelings of love to reverse the hypnoses and cause a change of heart in the Crusaders.
Production
Mia Ikumi spent a year designing the Tokyo Mew Mew manga before the release of the first volume in February 2001. The story she originally presented to her editors, Tokyo Black Cat Girl, featured a heroine named Princess Azumi. An intergalactic police officer named Masha gave her the ability to transform into a cat-girl and asked her to aid him in defeating alien invaders called the Baku. After the production team decided to focus on five female superheroes, Ikumi was asked to reconstruct the lead character. She had reservations about the changes, as the character was originally designed for a more dramatic series.
As Tokyo Mew Mew became a viable project, Kodansha hired Reiko Yoshida to be the series' scenario writer and story supervisor. Yoshida and two other editors determined each volume's plot, created a scenario by adding stage directions and dialogue, and presented it to Ikumi. Ikumi added her own ideas and changes, creating the manuscript's first draft, which was taken to the publishers for final review and approval. This differs from most manga series, in which the manga writer also creates the scenarios and stories before submitting to their editor for approval.
After the first volume's release, a two-day Tokyo Mew Mew festival was held during the Golden Week holiday—a week long span in late April and early May during which four public holidays occur—to promote the series. Events included a Tokyo Mew Mew art gallery and the release of new merchandise. Ikumi, the series' artist, created a special poster for the event, featuring all twelve characters. She also cosplayed as characters from the series, as Mint Aizawa on one day and Lettuce Midorikawa on the other.
Media
Manga
Main article: List of Tokyo Mew Mew chaptersWritten by Reiko Yoshida and illustrated by Mia Ikumi, Tokyo Mew Mew was first serialized in Nakayoshi magazine between September 2000 and February 2003. The twenty-nine chapters were then compiled into seven tankōbon volumes by Kodansha. The first volume was released on February 1, 2001, with the final volume released April 4, 2003. In April 2003, a sequel called Tokyo Mew Mew a la Mode premiered in Nakayoshi. Running until February 2004 and written solely by Mia Ikumi, the sequel was published as two volumes.
Tokyo Mew Mew and Tokyo Mew Mew a la Mode are licensed for an English-language release in North America by Tokyopop. The first volume of the main series was released on April 8, 2003, with volumes released every other month until the seventh volume was published on May 11, 2004. The two volumes of Tokyo Mew Mew a la Mode were published the following year, with the first volume released on June 7, 2005 and the second on December 8, 2006. Unlike the Japanese releases, each Tokyopop chapter is named. The main series is licensed for an English language release in Singapore by Chuang Yi. Carlsen Comics has licensed the series, through its regional divisions, and released the series in German, Danish and Swedish. The series is also licensed for regional language releases in French by Pika Édition and in Polish by Japonica Polonica Fantastica. Tokyo Mew Mew was one of the first manga series released in Spanish in North America by Public Square Books.
Anime
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