Late last night, TMS released a teaser for something special on their YouTube channel. Anime “Magic Knight Rayearth” series turns 30 this year, and to celebrate the anniversary, they’ve decided to refresh the franchise. Many fans of anime in the 90’s coveted this story and owned it on VHS. Those who didn’t have it would find friends who did so that they could watch it.
(And it had one of the most iconic into songs of all time!)
What we know about the new project
The creators of the series, in alliance with TMS Entertainment, revealed a brand new “Magic Knight Rayearth” anime is coming! The announcement included a teaser using old footage from the previous anime, and visuals from the original manga. Unfortunately, further specifics such as the release date, creative team, and cast have not been announced.
About “Magic Knight Rayearth“
“Magic Knight Rayearth” is a remarkable Japanese manga series, known for its captivating storytelling and unique art style. It was originally conceived and brought to life by the highly acclaimed all-female Japanese manga artist group, CLAMP. The group, which consisted of Satsuki Igarashi, Nanase Ohkawa, Tsubaki Nekoi, and Mokona, truly outdid themselves with this one.
The manga first appeared as a serial in the highly popular Japanese manga magazine, Nakayoshi. Its initial run in Nakayoshi spanned from November 1993 to February 1995. During this period, readers were introduced to the fantastical world of “Magic Knight Rayearth,” and the compelling journey of its protagonists — three teenage girls who must save a parallel universe.
The individual chapters of “Magic Knight Rayearth” were later compiled into three bound volumes, published by Kodansha, one of Japan’s largest publishing companies. The volumes provided readers an opportunity to dive into the enchanting narrative arc and the intricate character developments all at once. These volumes were released from July 1994 to March 1995. The second part of the story made its first appearance in the March 1995 issue of Nakayoshi and continued until the April 1996 issue.
The story centers on three teen girls in the eighth grade, hailing from contemporary Japan. Unexpectedly, they are whisked away to an enchanted realm where they are bestowed with the daunting task of liberating a captive princess. The groundbreaking series combined elements from the ‘magical girl’ and ‘mecha’ anime genres, mixed with a parallel world fantasy. The manga was reimagined into two distinctive anime series in 1994, followed by an original video animation (OVA) in 1997.
Where to watch
You can watch the original 1994 series in it’s entirety on Crunchyroll right now! They have both the subbed version and the English dub. They will also likely host the new anime series once it premiers.
Check out the special teaser now:
