Cutie Honey/Cutie Honey Flash
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| Cutie Honey Flash | |
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Cutie Honey FlashキューティーハニーKyūtī Hanī | |
| Genre | Magical girl, Shōjo, Shōnen |
| Anime series: Cutie Honey Flash | |
| Directed by | |
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| Original run |
February 15, 1997 — January 31, 1998 |
| No. of episodes |
39 |
Cutie Honey (キューティーハニー, Kyūtī Hanī; also spelled Cutey Honey) is a Japanese media franchise created by Go Nagai. Cutie Honey first appears in volume 41 of the 1973 edition of Shōnen Champion. The titular character of Honey is considered the prototype for the transforming magical girl.
Nagai's inspiration for the character of Honey comes from two classic tokusatsu superhero shows, 7-Color Mask (1959) and Rainbowman (1972). Both, creations of Yasunori Kawauchi, featured superheroes with seven different forms. Another Kawauchi creation, "Gekko Kamen", is parodied in Go Nagai's Kekko Kamen. Honey is notable for being mischievous for a Japanese female hero, often teasing her male friends and mocking her enemies in combat. When transforming into Cutie Honey, she gives a brief rundown of the forms she has previously taken in that particular episode, and then declares, "But my true identity is..." before yelling "HONEY FLASH!" and transforming.
The franchise spans two animated TV series, two OVA series, numerous manga series, a drama CD, and two live action adaptations.
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[edit] General plot synopsis
In 1997, a new shoujo version of Cutie Honey assumed the timeslot of the long-running Sailor Moon series and used many of the same animation staff, as well as featuring very similar character designs. Cutie Honey Flash (also known as Cutie Honey F) fits the more traditional mold of magical girl series, aimed at the Sailor Moon demographic. Cutie Honey Flash was also broadcast in Germany and achieved a loyal fan base there.
The series introduces Cutie Honey's sister and rival: Misty Honey (not to be confused with Kisaragi Honey's singer persona from the original TV series who was also known as "Misty Honey"). Misty Honey, unlike Cutie Honey, cannot turn into anyone she wants; she can only change to Misty Honey. She has a band around her leg that resembles Honey's choker, which she uses to transform with the words "Honey Flash." She can even be seen as a negative version of Cutie Honey, since Misty Honey has long blue hair and a less revealing outfit, while Cutie Honey has short pink hair and a more revealing outfit. Her alter ego is Seira Hazuki.
Again, Honey has a seemingly endless array of transformations in this series, but her most common personae include:
- Scoop Honey (Paparazzi). A woman who is ready with her film and camera acting as a reporter.
- Stage Honey. (Singer). A woman who has her microphone and her formal dress ready for an audience.
- Nurse Honey. (Nurse). A woman who knows all medical needs necessary.
- Elegance Honey. (Bride). A woman who wears a beautiful white wedding dress. The bouquet is used when she's in danger.
- Hurricane Honey (Biker). A woman who is "cool" with her motorcycle. Anytime she needs to escape.
- Escort Honey (Tour guide). A woman who is always there when needed. A disguise as a flight attendant.
- Cutie Honey. (Heroine). A woman who has a perfect body and saves the day.
Like New Cutie Honey before it, Cutie Honey Flash makes references to other Go Nagai series: Gorgon Claw is a female version of Archduke Gorgon of Mazinger Z, Freddy Claw is a female version of Dr. Hell and Commander Brocken from Mazinger Z and three boys from Honey's school are based on pilots from Getter Robo and Gettter Robo Go. Early on in the series Great Mazinger briefly appears on a TV screen.
[edit] Staff
- Director: Noriyo Sasaki
- Script: Ryota Yamauchi
- Character Design: Miho Shimagasa
- Music: Toshihiko Sahashi
- Animation Director: Katsumi Tamegai, Ken Ueno, Masaki Hosoyama, Masami Suda, Michiaki Sugimoto, Miho Shimagasa, Minako Ito, Shigetaka Kiyoyama, Takahiro Kagami, Tomohiro Koyama, Yoshihiro Kitano
- Production: Toei Animation Co., Ltd. / Dynamic Planning / TV Asahi
- Japanese Cast: Ai Nagano (Honey), Akiko Hiramatsu (Seira Hazuki/Misty Honey), Akira Kamiya (Dr. Kisaragi), Chiho Ohkawa (Sister Jill), Makiko Ohmoto (Natsuko), Rumi Watanabe (Panther Zora), Susumu Chiba (Seiji), Ginzo Matsuo (Danbei)
[edit] Theme song
The Cutie Honey theme song appears through out all the anime incarnations of the character. In the original 1973 television series, it was performed by Yoko Maekawa. In Cutie Honey Flash, it is performed by SALIA. In the New Cutie Honey OVA, the original song is performed by les-5-4-3-2-1, and the English language version by mayukiss. Koda Kumi performed it for the Re:Cutie Honey OVA and its live-action adaptation. In Cutie Honey The Live, the theme is sung by Minami Kuribayashi as part of Wild 3-Nin Musume. The only other anime theme songs to have been used so consistently are Theme of Lupin III, which has been used continuously on Lupin III animated features since the 70s, and the GeGeGe no Kitaro theme song, used since the 60s.
Other artists have also covered the song, including GO!GO!7188 for their Tora no Ana album, Okui Masami in the Masami Kobushi album, a version by TWO-MIX and a Korean language version by Ahyoomee. Animetal also did a cover of the song for their Animetal Lady album, with the lyrics sung by Mitsuyo Nemoto of the Japanese pop group Pink Lady (band)|Pink Lady.
The song can also be heard during an episode of the 1974 magical girl TV series Majokko Megu-chan, when the main character watches Honey, in her pop idol persona (Misty Honey), perform it on TV; and in the seventh episode of the 2006 series Princess Princess, when the Princesses perform it. The show ends with Mikoto declaring "I'm going to change now" (Kawaru wa yo!), Honey's signature phrase.
[edit] Trivia
In the OVA adaptation of Kekko Kamen, Cutie Honey appears as a student. Her lesbian teacher from the 70's series, Alphonne also makes two brief appearances.
[edit] External links
- Cutie Honey F (anime) at Toei Animation (Japanese)
- Cutie Honey/Cutie Honey Flash at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia.
| Genre | Magical girl +, Shōjo +, and Shōnen + |
| Series name | Cutie Honey Flash + |
