Follow TV Tropes http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Anime/ShamanicPrincess Our heroine and her "friends", ladies and gentlemen. Left to right: Leon, Japolo, Tiara, Lena, Sara and Kagetsu Shamanic Princess , a six-episode Original Video Animation series from The '90s , is a Darker and Edgier Magical Girl created years before it was cool. It starts with one of the oldest anime character tropes, the Cute Witch , makes a quick stop at Magical Girl Warrior , and heads directly into Psychological Horror territory without looking back. While it is a Shōjo narrative at heart, focused on relationships and personal growth, it caters to the male Periphery Demographic so well that it ceases to seem peripheral. Let's just say that the fight scenes are impressive and the Fanservice is plentiful. The story follows the titular shamanic princess, Tiara — a remarkably capable (and stripperiffic ) Cute Witch who works as a special agent for the Guardian World — as she goes to Earth disguised as an Ordinary High-School Student to recover the Throne of Yord, a mystical artifact stolen from her world. Her mission becomes complicated when she discovers a terrible secret surrounding the artifact — and when some of Tiara's friends and colleagues from her magical world fight her to keep her from retrieving it. As Tiara soon discovers, the Throne of Yord is no mere MacGuffin , but a sentient being bent on making her suffer for its amusement. Those who know of Shamanic Princess remember the OVA for its Mind Screwery and its somewhat-infamous non-linear storytelling (which drops the viewer into the action with little explanation and shows the circumstances that caused it all to occur as a 2 episode prequel after the story's conclusion). 2D Visuals, 3D Effects : The series doesn't use any CGI except for one shot of Tiara and Lena standing in front of a large CGI tree at the end of the opening sequence. Above Good and Evil : The story has strong Gnostic influences — good and evil are two sides of the same coin , god is selfish , and enlightenment is more potent than god . The Throne of Yord is the demiurge, Sara is Sophia. Action Girl : Tiara isn't just a magic user. She's a Full-Contact Magic User. Lena qualifies as well since she uses her magic for combat, but focuses on long range attacks and leaves the physical fighting to her partner Leon. All Love Is Unrequited : There's a lot of UST , and it either stays that way or shifts to angst . Depending on your definition, there could be one happy couple to come out of this show, but it's a Crack Pairing - Sara and the Throne of Yord . In a reversal, Tiara and Kagetsu will start over and try to make it work this time, if the ending is to be trusted. Almost Kiss : In episode 6, after backing Tiara against a book case, Graham brings his face close enough to kiss her. The only thing that stops him is the gem on his forehead shocking him. Anguished Declaration of Love : Implied. In episode 6, the day after Tiara banishes Graham for attempting to kill Kagetsu, she goes to Kagetsu to apologize to him for Graham’s behavior. Kagetsu tries to comfort her but Tiara is still too distraught. Then there’s a moment where she says something to him but the audience doesn’t hear it. Considering that they kiss right after, it’s likely that she confessed her love for him. This also happens in episode 4, after Tiara has a new transformation and stabs Kagetsu after he’s been possessed by the Throne of Yord. She says something to him with tears in her eyes that the audience doesn’t hear, and in the next scene after they return to the real world she’s wearing his jacket . As You Know : The In Medias Res storytelling makes Info Dumping difficult to avoid. It mainly takes the form of Japolo telling an indignant Tiara things she already knows. Bait-and-Switch Credits : The OP video is fluffy, luminous and Moe . The series itself is much darker. The different visual style may be a relic of earlier drafts of the story (when it had more typical magical girl elements,) and were likely related to the staff's decision to use digital animation techniques in the opening, which were still pretty experimental in 1996. Beautiful Void : In episode 6, Sara appears in a placid, vaguely watery void where she is completely alone, struggling with the isolation of being within the Throne of Yord as it sleeps . Her scenes compliment Tiara's punishment of solitary confinement for failing to keep control of Graham. Beauty Equals Goodness : Zig zagged. The main human cast is all good-looking, but nobody is purely good or evil. Big Brother Instinct : Kagetsu's protective instinct toward Sara kicks off the plot. He's willing to put the Guardian World at risk to rescue Sara from the Throne of Yord, forcing the authorities there to send agents to retrieve it. The Big Damn Kiss : In episode 6, after Tiara seemingly confesses her love to Kagetsu, they share a very emotional kiss that brings Tiara to tears while “Festival of Wind” plays. Big Fancy House : Lena and Leon are shown to be living in a large, luxurious mansion on Earth. Meanwhile Tiara, Kagetsu, and Japolo are all living in small, humble apartments. Bittersweet Ending : In the end the heroes fail to free Sara from the Throne of Yord, but she seems to have made peace with her situation, everybody lives, the Throne is returned to the Guardian World, and Tiara and Kagetsu get back together. Blood from the Mouth : Leon, when one of his transformations goes awry. Body Horror : The show has quite a lot of this. The characters often transform in painful, sometimes bloody ways, and the Throne of Yord will use its shapeshifting for this at times. Bound and Gagged : Lena does this to her opponents with her Vine Tentacles . Tiara’s shadow self also physically wraps itself around Graham and gags him. It tries the same thing on Tiara but she overpowers it. Brainwashed and Crazy : The Throne of Yord can manipulate people this way and make them do things they wouldn’t normally do. Bullying a Dragon : Graham should know he is no match for Kagetsu, and that Kagetsu's powers are an off-switch for his entire existence . Yet, Graham impulsively attacks him anyway, unable to cope with his own feelings of powerlessness. Kagetsu no sells his magical attacks, but makes no effort to stop Graham from tackling him or trying to strangle him, as his Guilt Complex seems to have left him with little sense of self-preservation. When he does eventually decide to retaliate against Graham, it's over almost instantly. Casting a Shadow : Tiara’s magic works like this, creating solid objects and even creatures out of darkness. Catch a Falling Star : In episode 4 Leon heroically catches Tiara as she’s falling out of the sky before she can hit the ground. Childhood Friend Romance : Tiara and Kagetsu grew up together and were a couple before the events of episode 1. Cleavage Window : Tiara is a big winner in the Superpower Lottery , and her payout includes chest size. Her stripperific primary costume uses this trope to show it off. Creepy Cathedral : The Throne of Yord creates one in episode 5. It serves as the setting for the climax. Dark Is Not Evil : Tiara's magic is often dark in color, and her Super Mode is pretty demonic-looking, but this is in no way stigmatized. Tiara is just trying to do the right thing. Whatever that is. Demonic Possession : The Throne of Yord, which has been shapeshifting into Tiara’s loved ones to hurt her, decides to go one step further in episode 6. It takes control of Kagetsu’s body and uses him to mock and attack Tiara. Don't Go in the Woods : Episode 2 is titled "Forest", and the forest in question is an expanse of leafless gray trees with twisted branches, where nothing is as it seems. The Throne of Yord is invoking this trope, and created the spooky forest within itself. Double Standard: Abuse, Female on Male : Zig-zagged. Unlike most examples this is not played for laughs. Tiara treats her partner Graham well until she finds out that he attacked Kagetsu, the man she loves. As punishment she angrily forbids Graham from coming near her, which results in a spell that causes Graham pain if he gets too close her. Which is exactly what Graham does, until he has her backed up against a bookshelf, because he’s developed a very unhealthy attachment to her and can’t bear to be away from her. He’s finally forced to leave her, only reuniting with her again on the day of the Festival of Wind, when she makes up with him. However Graham’s jealousy of Kagetsu gets the better of him again and the latter is forced to kill him in self defense. Dramatic High Perching : The heroines can actually generate their own tall, thin objects to stand on while fighting. Duality Motif : In episode 4 when Tiara realizes that the Throne of Yord and Sara are the same being, she calls on Sara for the power to defeat the Throne. Tiara then transforms into a form that represents the balance between light and dark, with one half of her body clothed in black with spiky black hair and a bat like wing, and the other half clothed on white with blonde wavy hair and an angelic white wing. Eaten Alive : The Throne of Yord eats both Leon and Japolo alive. However they are alive again at the end of the next episode . Eye Motifs : If the Throne of Yord had a form, it would be an eye. There are numerous stylized eye images used to represent it, from a giant, multi-colored, eye-shaped stained glass window to a primitive stone carving. There’s also recurring instances of a character being reflected in another character’s eye , likely for Rule of Symbolism . Fantastic Caste System : Suggestions of this trope with the way Partners are treated. They are Familiars that border on a Servant Race - sapient beings that aren't given the same amount of social worth as the magic users that summon them. In fact, they're highly expendable (that is, unless a magic user treats his/her companion as a true friend. ) Fearful Symmetry : In the final confrontation, Tiara-merged-with-Sara and Kagetsu-merged-with-the-Throne-of-Yord stab one another through the heart at the exact same moment , canceling each other out and restoring order. The Throne returns to its form as a painting and is placed back in its sanctuary, now with Sara as its companion . Fictional Board Game : There is a recurring image of a marble that changes colors from black to white . The origins episodes reveal the significance of the symbol when characters are seen playing a tabletop game on a vertical board using black and white marbles as game pieces. The mechanics seem similar to Go or Othello in that the pieces switch between black and white. Fictional Holiday : In episode 6 the Guardian World has the Festival of Wind, which takes place near the Throne of Yord’s shrine. It's also the same day that Kagetsu steals the Throne of Yord and kills Graham. Fighting Spirit : Tiara, Lena and Kagetsu can shape their powers into shadowy creatures which they pit against each other. Forceful Kiss : Tiara's shadow self does this to her, and it's made more uncomfortable by the fact that Tiara is a child and her shadow self looks like an adult. Foreshadowing : Episode 5 has retroactive references to Sara's fate and how she appears in episodes 1-4. Sara brings Tiara and Kagetsu to the same pond that appears in the Throne of Yord's painting. Tiara dreams of meeting Sara at this pond Once per Episode in the initial story arc. Sara meets the Throne of Yord in her dreams, and afterward she reacts as if she knows that this means she will be bound to it forever. She watches a soaring bird from her window as a Single Tear flows down her cheek. Freudian Trio : Tiara, Lena, and Sara’s personalities fit this. Tiara is the Id with her passionate and assertive nature. Lena is the Superego who is calm and rational. Sara is the Ego who keeps balance between Tiara and Lena, and her disappearance creates a rift between the two. Full Moon Silhouette : In episode 1 after Tiara transforms she dances and poses in front of the full moon. Fusion Dance : The final Super Mode - a combination of Tiara and Sara that annihilates itself to set everything right . Gigantic Moon : The moon is drawn selectively huge. Gratuitous English : The Japanese voices say "Gaadian Waarudo (Guardian World)" instead of "Kōken'nin no sekai". Green-Eyed Monster : Envy is a major theme. Tiara and Lena both envy each other so much that it drives them to violence, and the same thing happens with Kagetsu and Graham. However while Tiara and Lena are able to make amends and work together, Kagetsu and Graham do not. Grey-and-Gray Morality : Tiara doesn't really have any real enemies , more like friends with differing goals at different times. Helping Would Be Killstealing : The figures who observe young Tiara's partner summoning provide no assistance as she struggles to connect with her newly summoned partner Graham and control her own powers, leaving her to figure it out on her own. Her Boyfriend's Jacket : After Sara frees everyone from the Throne, Tiara can be seen wearing Kagetsu’s jacket . Homoerotic Subtext : Tiara's muggle friends suggest that the attention she pays to Lena is the result of romantic longing. She also shares quite a bit of romantic tension with Sara. Horned Humanoid : Tiara’s Fighting Spirit is a large demonic looking creature with horns. Hunter of Monsters : In episode 6 Tiara and Graham are shown on Earth trying to capture a monster that escaped from the Guardian World. It’s implied that this their main job as agents of the Guardian World. Lena later gets sent on her first assignment to Earth with Leon, presumably on a similar monster hunting mission. Image Song : Tiara gets one on the official soundtrack called “FAKE MOON” sung by her voice actress Sayuri Yamauchi . In Medias Res : The first episode takes place after Kagetsu takes the Throne of Yord to Earth, with Lena, Tiara, and their respective partners pursuing him. Episodes 5 and 6 are prequels that expand on the characters lives and relationships before they left the Guardian World, introduces Tiara’s first partner Graham, and shows the events leading up to Kagetsu stealing the Throne of Yord. Incest Subtext : The Throne of Yord kisses Kagetsu while in the shape of his sister Sara. Kagetsu doesn’t enjoy it and it’s likely the Throne did it just to mess with his head. Then it’s revealed Sara and the Throne are the same entity, implying that Sara really did have incestuous feelings for her brother. Inconsistent Coloring : The opening sequence uses a brighter color palette than the show itself typically does, which causes Tiara to appear as a blonde instead of a redhead, and Lena's hair is bright blue instead of deep teal. This appears to be a deliberate choice since the opening also uses simplified, pop art-inspired versions of the character designs. Intimate Healing : Downplayed and subverted. While Tiara is trying to bond with a frightened Graham she tries to heal his injured right arm by kissing it. While she succeeds in healing him, this only frightens Graham even more and he lashes out at her, scratching her face. This scares her enough to release her shadow self, which makes things even worse. Invisible Parents : The main cast appear to be young enough that the audience may expect them to have parental involvement in their lives, yet they all seem to live on their own. In an apparent invocation of The Law of Conservation of Detail , the topic of parents never comes up. Intertwined Fingers : Tiara and Sara do this at one point. In the Style of : The style of the character design frequently makes viewers think CLAMP was involved in the production of this show, when in fact they weren't. However, the character designer, Atsuko Ishida , had previously worked as the character designer of the anime adaptation of Magic Knight Rayearth . Lady and Knight : Lena and Leon are a downplayed example of this trope. Lena is of a higher status than Leon, who is sworn to serve and protect her, but she isn’t exactly helpless. Liquid Darkness : When Tiara summons her Fighting Spirit she creates a shadowy black substance that behaves like liquid, and controls the entity via a black string attached to a black ball. Lotus-Eater Machine : Tiara passes out from shock after seeing a Throne of Yord-corrupted Kagetsu threaten to kill her , and wakes up on a sunny hillside with her muggle friends. They chat about their pleasant, mundane hopes for the future, then Tiara wakes in her bed in the middle of the night. And that's not all. It goes at least another layer deeper before Tiara realizes what's going on . Love Dodecahedron : Tiara and Lena are both in love with Kagetsu, who only loves Tiara. Tiara’s partner Graham was also in love with her and hated Kagetsu enough to attempt to kill him . Likewise Lena’s partner Leon is in love with her, but he never shows any jealousy towards Kagetsu. Love Makes You Crazy : Graham adores Tiara — she is the center of his world. His literal reason for existing is to eliminate anyone or anything that threatens or hinders her, and he is merciless to Tiara's enemies. The trouble is that Graham's definition of "threat" is broad enough to include Kagetsu. Love Triangle : Tiara is at the intersection of three overlapping ones: Tiara/Kagetsu/Graham, Tiara/Kagetsu/Lena, and Tiara/Lena/Sara. Lovecraft Lite : The Throne of Yord, operates on a level beyond human understanding and is completely impossible for the protagonists to overcome. It throws Tiara into a gauntlet of Mind Screws just because it thinks she's interesting — and what measure is the suffering of a mortal to a sentient fount of eternal magical energy, anyway? Fortunately for Tiara, the story has significant gnostic influences which level the playing field between human and Eldritch Abomination , making outcomes besides madness or death possible. Magical Girl : The heroines fall under the Cute Witch subtrope, made Hotter and Sexier and Darker and Edgier . Tiara's royal lineage is a nod to how in many Cute Witch works, the heroine is a princess on a Magical Girl Queenliness Test and her familiar is a talking animal in a nod to Mentor Mascots . However, Tiara is more mature, much more given to Fanservice , and her relationship to her powers is more like a profession than a test of character. Magical Incantation : There are a variety, with transformation spells being the longest. Magical Land : The Guardian World is very similar to Earth, except it is populated by mages who worship an Eldritch Abomination . Magic Contract Romance : Subverted . The fact that beautiful young women are summoning sometimes handsome young men to be their "Partners" which, despite the name, are distinctly subservient to them doesn't always work out too well. Magic Music : As opposed to Tiara's full-contact method of fighting, Lena uses a flute that manipulates a plant-like substance in battle. It's also used in invoking Leon's transformation. The Magocracy : The Guardian World seems to be ruled by mages with the Elder (who gives Lena and later Tiara their missions) being at the top of the hierarchy. Marked Change : Tiara, Lena, and Leon all get facial markings when they shift into their Super Mode . Maybe Ever After : It’s stated in the epilogue that Tiara and Kagetsu got back together . Meaningful Echo : In episode 2 Sara tells Tiara in a dream “What you look for is in your hand, Tiara. But it may not be real.” This line returns in episode 4 when Tiara finally realizes the Throne of Yord’s true nature. Mind Rape : The Throne of Yord has a knack for the horrifying and likes pushing people to their limits. For example, when it assumes Tiara's form, then tells her about her personality flaws . Or when it tells Tiara it's in love with her and feels her up in the form of her ex-boyfriend . Mind Screw : Episodes 3 and 4 become this and it starts getting confusing as to what’s really happening or what’s an illusion. Mirror Match : On two occasions, the Throne of Yord manifests as a duplicate of Tiara to fight her. Once in her normal form, and again in her Super Mode . Multiple Demographic Appeal : As noted above, the narrative tone is pure Shōjo , full of complex emotions and romance, but there's also a ton of Fanservice and magical combat to appeal to males . Music Video Syndrome : The opening sequence uses composition techniques that are commonly seen in music videos. The characters move in time to the rhythm of the opening theme, even lip-syncing along to the song lyrics in a few shots. The visuals reflect the lyrics. In time with the lyrics "morning light shining through clouds", Tiara shifts her head so the sun appears from behind her, producing a Lens Flare . When the lyrics are "how many mornings of prayer must I repeat", Lena stands in a prayerful posture with her hands clasped. Nice Day, Deadly Night : Most of the action takes place at night. It’s also when the Throne of Yord is most active. Nightmare Face : Once, when Sara's face splits open, leaving a black gash running from forehead to ground and a vertically oriented eye appears in the gulf. Again, when Tiara smashes her Doppelgänger 's face. No Theme Tune : Episodes 5 and 6 don’t have an opening theme song. Non-Indicative Name : The Throne of Yord is not a chair, it's a painting — of a landscape with a pond. No thrones in sight. And there's more to it than that: the Throne is the all-powerful source of all magic, creator of the Guardian World. Noodle People : The characters all have very long and thin arms and legs. Not Quite Flight : Tiara and Lena use elemental magic to propel themselves through the air. Tiara’s spell looks like spiraling winds and Lena’s spell looks like vines. Not Really a Birth Scene : Graham's summoning in episode 5 is basically childbirth via magical portal, as he emerges head-first and nude, with blood smeared on his body. Older Alter Ego : As a child after Tiara fuses with her shadow self for the first time she becomes an adult. Ordinary High-School Student : Inverted. Tiara, Lena, and Leon are all magical beings from the Guardian World who go undercover as normal students when they’re on Earth. Painful Transformation : Transformations appear to cause physical pain by default. Parallel Conflict Sequence : Episode 6 has Kagetsu and Graham’s fight happening at the same time as Tiara performing a battle scene at the Festival of Wind. Kagetsu wins his fight by killing Graham, Tiara wins her fight by killing the costumed monster in the show. Platonic Cave : The cave is Tiara's perception of her friends. As the show gets into exploring the nature of the "true self," and it becomes increasingly difficult to tell who is an illusion , who is under outside influence , who's being forced to try to kill her , and who is "genuine". There are multiple exchanges that go more or less like this: Tiara: "Are you the real character name here ?" Other character: "I am me." Platonic Declaration of Love : Sara's voice can be heard whispering "I love you" to Tiara just before she enables their Fusion Dance . Poppies of Sleep : There’s a flashback scene from Tiara, Lena, and Sara’s childhoods where they are all picking flowers in a field of red and white poppies. At one point a strong wind blows and a wall of flying poppy petals nearly obscures Sara from Tiara’s vision. This foreshadows Sara’s future “death” as she’s offered to the Throne of Yord, and the dreams through which she communicates with Tiara . Punishment Box : In episode 6 Graham kills a creature he and Tiara were supposed to capture and return to the Guardian World alive. Instead of punishing Graham the Elder punishes Tiara for not stopping him, and she is imprisoned in a magic orb for an unknown amount of time. Red Oni, Blue Oni : Tiara is the assertive and combative Red Oni and Lena calm and refined Blue Oni. Reflective Eyes : Imagery of a character (or an object) reflected in another character's eyes is a widely-used motif, with examples in each episode. Religion Is Magic : The people of the Guardian World worship the Throne of Yord, who created their world and is the source of their magic. However, the Throne of Yord itself mentions that use of magic has become more complex since the creation of the Guardian World and there are now magical bloodlines and divisions of labor among magic users that it did not foresee . The practice of magic generally involves the invocation of lesser beings than the Throne of Yord itself, and how this relates to worship is not made clear. Rescued from the Underworld : Subverted. All the characters fail to rescue Sara from the Throne of Yord. She cannot be saved and does not need saving. The Reveal : In the climax Tiara realizes that Sara and the Throne of Yord are the same being . Rivals Team Up : Tiara and Lena join forces against the Throne of Yord, and even have a heart-to-heart in which they admit that the bad blood between them is fueled by mutual envy . Satellite Love Interest : This happens to both Leon and Graham. Both of them are partners to Lena and Tiara respectively and don’t get much character development beyond their one-sided affections for them. This somewhat justified since they’re not really supposed to have a life outside of their partners. However while Leon seems content with his limited existence, Graham is unable to accept that Tiara doesn’t love him back. Scenery Porn : The highly detailed watercolor backgrounds throughout the show. Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right! : Kagetsu is the first to do this by stealing the Throne of Yord from the Guardian World in order to save Sara. Then Lena teams up with him to save Sara instead of taking the Throne back. Finally Tiara gets sent to do the job Lena was supposed to do, but also decides saving Sara is more important. Screw Yourself : While Tiara, as a child, is trying to tame Graham, her "evil" self manifests as a red-skinned (and naked) version of her powered-up form as an adult. It proceeds to grab her and give her a deep kiss . Shadow Archetype : A literal example. When summoning Graham goes awry, Tiara’s fear manifests as her shadow self, embodying all her negative traits. She’s unable to defeat it until she learns that it’s a part of herself, and now she’s able to access its power to transform into a more powerful form. Shipper on Deck : Sara seems to ship Tiara and Kagetsu, giving them time alone and smiling when she sees them together. Significant Double Casting : In the Japanese version, Tiara's two partners are both voiced by Rica Matsumoto . The two characters are very different in appearance and temperament, but noticing that Tiara's second Partner carries over at least one trait from her tragic first one makes for a bittersweet realization. The Elder and the Throne of Yord are both voiced by Rokurō Naya in the Japanese version, with the effect that the Throne of Yord speaks with a voice of experience and authority, making it difficult for the characters (and the audience) to see through its rhetorical tricks. Silence Is Golden : During the climax of Episode 4, Tiara says something to Kagetsu but the audience doesn’t hear it, right after she delivers the finishing blow that frees him from the Throne of Yord’s influence . The Mouth Flaps are highly detailed, matching the pronunciation of "aishiteru", or "I love you", and it marks a positive turning point in their relationship. Averted in the English dub, where Tiara says "now is the time" aloud during this scene. Shout-Out : In episode 2 the teacher of Tiara and Lena’s class gives a lesson about the Greek myth of Apollo and Daphne . Sinister Suffocation : Characters often try to strangle each other during battles. Tiara does it to Leon, Leon does it to Tiara, and Lena does it to Tiara with her Vine Tentacles . Smart People Play Chess : In episodes 5 and 6 the characters are seen playing a fictional game with black and white pieces that requires strategy and forethought. Tiara isn’t good at planning ahead and loses to Sara, but Lena has no trouble beating Sara multiple times. Lena also says she’s beaten Kagetsu only once. Smoking Is Cool : Leon smokes and looks cool while doing so. Lena admonishes him for it , but simply because it's illegal for people his age to smoke in the world where they're staying. Snow Means Love : It's snowing in Tiara's memories of when she and Kagetsu were together. Solemn Ending Theme : Episodes 1-4 and 6 have “Forest of Memories”, Episodes 5 has “Festival of the Wind”. Both songs are in a minor key and have melancholic lyrics. Soundtrack Dissonance : The scene in which Sara curb stomps Japolo is accompanied by a sort of lullaby, whose bilingual French/Japanese lyrics read like a Yandere love poem . Source Music : The background music is part of the scene when Lena plays her flute. Split-Personality Merge : In episode 5, Tiara's uncontrolled magic manifests as a shadowy, seductive Enemy Without which attempts to dominate her. Eventually Tiara realizes its power is a result of her fear, so she asserts herself and shows it who's boss . It merges into Tiara, giving her access to her Super Mode for the first time. Stock Footage : The animation of spell casting and transformation sequences gets reused several times. Swallowed Whole : Leon and Japolo are making a good effort at defending their partners against the Throne of Yord , then it just shoots out some mouth-tentacles and eats them. And they're gone. Without a trace. Talking in Your Dreams : Tiara has several cryptic conversations with Sara in her dreams. Tears of Blood : Lena cries a bucket-load of blood when she loses her transformation in episode 3. Before that, in that same episode, Leon shed a few. Third Eye : Tiara’s transformations both have a third eye drawn on her forehead. Time Stands Still : Partners have the ability to freeze time so their masters can engage in magical battles without attracting muggle attention. There Are No Adults : The main cast are supposedly older teens and none of their parents ever appear. There are few adults in general. Trapped in Another World : Inverted. Tiara and the others go to Earth from the Guardian World by choice and seem capable of coming and going between the two worlds as they please. Episode 6 confirms that agents of the Guardian World go to Earth any time something from their world gets out, as shown when Tiara and Graham chase a monster through a city. Vague Age : The main characters’ ages are never made clear. The only clues are that Tiara, Lena, and Leon are posing as students in the same grade at a college, and Lena tells Leon he’s too young to be smoking. Also Tiara, Lena, and Sara grew up together and look about the same age, and Kagetsu is Sara’s older brother who acts as a Parental Substitute . Most likely everyone is in their late teens except Kagetsu, who could be in his twenties. Versus Title : Magic User's Club vs. Shamanic Princess is the title of the bonus video that was only offered to those who purchased every episode of both of the OVA series. Despite the title, it does not involve a conflict between the two works and comes no closer to a Crossover than showing the heroines wearing each other's outfits. Villains Act, Heroes React : The plot begins when the Throne of Yord claims Sara as a human sacrifice. This leads to Kagetsu stealing the Throne and taking it to Earth in order to save Sara, leading to Lena, Tiara, and their partners to follow him. When Tiara accidentally wakes up the Throne it begins terrorizing everyone, and all they can do is respond to its attacks. Vitriolic Best Buds : Tiara and Japolo are partners who bicker a lot, but they still look out for each other and show concern for each other’s well being. The Watchers : The masked Ancient Ones who guide Tiara through summoning her first partner Graham are quite creepy and apathetic about Graham’s pain and Tiara’s fear. While they give advice and block outside interference to the summoning, they do absolutely nothing to help when Tiara’s shadow-self gets out of control. We Used to Be Friends : At home, Tiara and Lena are friends. Now, they are enemies. After everything's fixed, they become friends again. 2D Visuals, 3D Effects : The series doesn't use any CGI except for one shot of Tiara and Lena standing in front of a large CGI tree at the end of the opening sequence. Above Good and Evil : The story has strong Gnostic influences — good and evil are two sides of the same coin , god is selfish , and enlightenment is more potent than god . The Throne of Yord is the demiurge, Sara is Sophia. The story has strong Gnostic influences — good and evil are two sides of the same coin , god is selfish , and enlightenment is more potent than god . The Throne of Yord is the demiurge, Sara is Sophia. Action Girl : Tiara isn't just a magic user. She's a Full-Contact Magic User. Lena qualifies as well since she uses her magic for combat, but focuses on long range attacks and leaves the physical fighting to her partner Leon. All Love Is Unrequited : There's a lot of UST , and it either stays that way or shifts to angst . Depending on your definition, there could be one happy couple to come out of this show, but it's a Crack Pairing - Sara and the Throne of Yord . In a reversal, Tiara and Kagetsu will start over and try to make it work this time, if the ending is to be trusted. Almost Kiss : In episode 6, after backing Tiara against a book case, Graham brings his face close enough to kiss her. The only thing that stops him is the gem on his forehead shocking him. Anguished Declaration of Love : Implied. In episode 6, the day after Tiara banishes Graham for attempting to kill Kagetsu, she goes to Kagetsu to apologize to him for Graham’s behavior. Kagetsu tries to comfort her but Tiara is still too distraught. Then there’s a moment where she says something to him but the audience doesn’t hear it. Considering that they kiss right after, it’s likely that she confessed her love for him. This also happens in episode 4, after Tiara has a new transformation and stabs Kagetsu after he’s been possessed by the Throne of Yord. She says something to him with tears in her eyes that the audience doesn’t hear, and in the next scene after they return to the real world she’s wearing his jacket . In episode 6, the day after Tiara banishes Graham for attempting to kill Kagetsu, she goes to Kagetsu to apologize to him for Graham’s behavior. Kagetsu tries to comfort her but Tiara is still too distraught. Then there’s a moment where she says something to him but the audience doesn’t hear it. Considering that they kiss right after, it’s likely that she confessed her love for him. This also happens in episode 4, after Tiara has a new transformation and stabs Kagetsu after he’s been possessed by the Throne of Yord. She says something to him with tears in her eyes that the audience doesn’t hear, and in the next scene after they return to the real world she’s wearing his jacket . As You Know : The In Medias Res storytelling makes Info Dumping difficult to avoid. It mainly takes the form of Japolo telling an indignant Tiara things she already knows. Bait-and-Switch Credits : The OP video is fluffy, luminous and Moe . The series itself is much darker. The different visual style may be a relic of earlier drafts of the story (when it had more typical magical girl elements,) and were likely related to the staff's decision to use digital animation techniques in the opening, which were still pretty experimental in 1996. Beautiful Void : In episode 6, Sara appears in a placid, vaguely watery void where she is completely alone, struggling with the isolation of being within the Throne of Yord as it sleeps . Her scenes compliment Tiara's punishment of solitary confinement for failing to keep control of Graham. Beauty Equals Goodness : Zig zagged. The main human cast is all good-looking, but nobody is purely good or evil. Big Brother Instinct : Kagetsu's protective instinct toward Sara kicks off the plot. He's willing to put the Guardian World at risk to rescue Sara from the Throne of Yord, forcing the authorities there to send agents to retrieve it. The Big Damn Kiss : In episode 6, after Tiara seemingly confesses her love to Kagetsu, they share a very emotional kiss that brings Tiara to tears while “Festival of Wind” plays. Big Fancy House : Lena and Leon are shown to be living in a large, luxurious mansion on Earth. Meanwhile Tiara, Kagetsu, and Japolo are all living in small, humble apartments. Bittersweet Ending : In the end the heroes fail to free Sara from the Throne of Yord, but she seems to have made peace with her situation, everybody lives, the Throne is returned to the Guardian World, and Tiara and Kagetsu get back together. Blood from the Mouth : Leon, when one of his transformations goes awry. Body Horror : The show has quite a lot of this. The characters often transform in painful, sometimes bloody ways, and the Throne of Yord will use its shapeshifting for this at times. Bound and Gagged : Lena does this to her opponents with her Vine Tentacles . Tiara’s shadow self also physically wraps itself around Graham and gags him. It tries the same thing on Tiara but she overpowers it. Brainwashed and Crazy : The Throne of Yord can manipulate people this way and make them do things they wouldn’t normally do. Bullying a Dragon : Graham should know he is no match for Kagetsu, and that Kagetsu's powers are an off-switch for his entire existence . Yet, Graham impulsively attacks him anyway, unable to cope with his own feelings of powerlessness. Kagetsu no sells his magical attacks, but makes no effort to stop Graham from tackling him or trying to strangle him, as his Guilt Complex seems to have left him with little sense of self-preservation. When he does eventually decide to retaliate against Graham, it's over almost instantly. Casting a Shadow : Tiara’s magic works like this, creating solid objects and even creatures out of darkness. Catch a Falling Star : In episode 4 Leon heroically catches Tiara as she’s falling out of the sky before she can hit the ground. Childhood Friend Romance : Tiara and Kagetsu grew up together and were a couple before the events of episode 1. Cleavage Window : Tiara is a big winner in the Superpower Lottery , and her payout includes chest size. Her stripperific primary costume uses this trope to show it off. Creepy Cathedral : The Throne of Yord creates one in episode 5. It serves as the setting for the climax. Dark Is Not Evil : Tiara's magic is often dark in color, and her Super Mode is pretty demonic-looking, but this is in no way stigmatized. Tiara is just trying to do the right thing. Whatever that is. Demonic Possession : The Throne of Yord, which has been shapeshifting into Tiara’s loved ones to hurt her, decides to go one step further in episode 6. It takes control of Kagetsu’s body and uses him to mock and attack Tiara. Don't Go in the Woods : Episode 2 is titled "Forest", and the forest in question is an expanse of leafless gray trees with twisted branches, where nothing is as it seems. The Throne of Yord is invoking this trope, and created the spooky forest within itself. Double Standard: Abuse, Female on Male : Zig-zagged. Unlike most examples this is not played for laughs. Tiara treats her partner Graham well until she finds out that he attacked Kagetsu, the man she loves. As punishment she angrily forbids Graham from coming near her, which results in a spell that causes Graham pain if he gets too close her. Which is exactly what Graham does, until he has her backed up against a bookshelf, because he’s developed a very unhealthy attachment to her and can’t bear to be away from her. He’s finally forced to leave her, only reuniting with her again on the day of the Festival of Wind, when she makes up with him. However Graham’s jealousy of Kagetsu gets the better of him again and the latter is forced to kill him in self defense. Dramatic High Perching : The heroines can actually generate their own tall, thin objects to stand on while fighting. Duality Motif : In episode 4 when Tiara realizes that the Throne of Yord and Sara are the same being, she calls on Sara for the power to defeat the Throne. Tiara then transforms into a form that represents the balance between light and dark, with one half of her body clothed in black with spiky black hair and a bat like wing, and the other half clothed on white with blonde wavy hair and an angelic white wing. Eaten Alive : The Throne of Yord eats both Leon and Japolo alive. However they are alive again at the end of the next episode . Eye Motifs : If the Throne of Yord had a form, it would be an eye. There are numerous stylized eye images used to represent it, from a giant, multi-colored, eye-shaped stained glass window to a primitive stone carving. There’s also recurring instances of a character being reflected in another character’s eye , likely for Rule of Symbolism . If the Throne of Yord had a form, it would be an eye. There are numerous stylized eye images used to represent it, from a giant, multi-colored, eye-shaped stained glass window to a primitive stone carving. There’s also recurring instances of a character being reflected in another character’s eye , likely for Rule of Symbolism . Fantastic Caste System : Suggestions of this trope with the way Partners are treated. They are Familiars that border on a Servant Race - sapient beings that aren't given the same amount of social worth as the magic users that summon them. In fact, they're highly expendable (that is, unless a magic user treats his/her companion as a true friend. ) Fearful Symmetry : In the final confrontation, Tiara-merged-with-Sara and Kagetsu-merged-with-the-Throne-of-Yord stab one another through the heart at the exact same moment , canceling each other out and restoring order. The Throne returns to its form as a painting and is placed back in its sanctuary, now with Sara as its companion . Fictional Board Game : There is a recurring image of a marble that changes colors from black to white . The origins episodes reveal the significance of the symbol when characters are seen playing a tabletop game on a vertical board using black and white marbles as game pieces. The mechanics seem similar to Go or Othello in that the pieces switch between black and white. Fictional Holiday : In episode 6 the Guardian World has the Festival of Wind, which takes place near the Throne of Yord’s shrine. It's also the same day that Kagetsu steals the Throne of Yord and kills Graham. Fighting Spirit : Tiara, Lena and Kagetsu can shape their powers into shadowy creatures which they pit against each other. Forceful Kiss : Tiara's shadow self does this to her, and it's made more uncomfortable by the fact that Tiara is a child and her shadow self looks like an adult. Foreshadowing : Episode 5 has retroactive references to Sara's fate and how she appears in episodes 1-4. Sara brings Tiara and Kagetsu to the same pond that appears in the Throne of Yord's painting. Tiara dreams of meeting Sara at this pond Once per Episode in the initial story arc. Sara meets the Throne of Yord in her dreams, and afterward she reacts as if she knows that this means she will be bound to it forever. She watches a soaring bird from her window as a Single Tear flows down her cheek. Sara brings Tiara and Kagetsu to the same pond that appears in the Throne of Yord's painting. Tiara dreams of meeting Sara at this pond Once per Episode in the initial story arc. Sara meets the Throne of Yord in her dreams, and afterward she reacts as if she knows that this means she will be bound to it forever. She watches a soaring bird from her window as a Single Tear flows down her cheek. Freudian Trio : Tiara, Lena, and Sara’s personalities fit this. Tiara is the Id with her passionate and assertive nature. Lena is the Superego who is calm and rational. Sara is the Ego who keeps balance between Tiara and Lena, and her disappearance creates a rift between the two. Full Moon Silhouette : In episode 1 after Tiara transforms she dances and poses in front of the full moon. Fusion Dance : The final Super Mode - a combination of Tiara and Sara that annihilates itself to set everything right . Gigantic Moon : The moon is drawn selectively huge. Gratuitous English : The Japanese voices say "Gaadian Waarudo (Guardian World)" instead of "Kōken'nin no sekai". Green-Eyed Monster : Envy is a major theme. Tiara and Lena both envy each other so much that it drives them to violence, and the same thing happens with Kagetsu and Graham. However while Tiara and Lena are able to make amends and work together, Kagetsu and Graham do not. Grey-and-Gray Morality : Tiara doesn't really have any real enemies , more like friends with differing goals at different times. Helping Would Be Killstealing : The figures who observe young Tiara's partner summoning provide no assistance as she struggles to connect with her newly summoned partner Graham and control her own powers, leaving her to figure it out on her own. Her Boyfriend's Jacket : After Sara frees everyone from the Throne, Tiara can be seen wearing Kagetsu’s jacket . Homoerotic Subtext : Tiara's muggle friends suggest that the attention she pays to Lena is the result of romantic longing. She also shares quite a bit of romantic tension with Sara. Horned Humanoid : Tiara’s Fighting Spirit is a large demonic looking creature with horns. Hunter of Monsters : In episode 6 Tiara and Graham are shown on Earth trying to capture a monster that escaped from the Guardian World. It’s implied that this their main job as agents of the Guardian World. Lena later gets sent on her first assignment to Earth with Leon, presumably on a similar monster hunting mission. Image Song : Tiara gets one on the official soundtrack called “FAKE MOON” sung by her voice actress Sayuri Yamauchi . In Medias Res : The first episode takes place after Kagetsu takes the Throne of Yord to Earth, with Lena, Tiara, and their respective partners pursuing him. Episodes 5 and 6 are prequels that expand on the characters lives and relationships before they left the Guardian World, introduces Tiara’s first partner Graham, and shows the events leading up to Kagetsu stealing the Throne of Yord. Incest Subtext : The Throne of Yord kisses Kagetsu while in the shape of his sister Sara. Kagetsu doesn’t enjoy it and it’s likely the Throne did it just to mess with his head. Then it’s revealed Sara and the Throne are the same entity, implying that Sara really did have incestuous feelings for her brother. Inconsistent Coloring : The opening sequence uses a brighter color palette than the show itself typically does, which causes Tiara to appear as a blonde instead of a redhead, and Lena's hair is bright blue instead of deep teal. This appears to be a deliberate choice since the opening also uses simplified, pop art-inspired versions of the character designs. Intimate Healing : Downplayed and subverted. While Tiara is trying to bond with a frightened Graham she tries to heal his injured right arm by kissing it. While she succeeds in healing him, this only frightens Graham even more and he lashes out at her, scratching her face. This scares her enough to release her shadow self, which makes things even worse. Invisible Parents : The main cast appear to be young enough that the audience may expect them to have parental involvement in their lives, yet they all seem to live on their own. In an apparent invocation of The Law of Conservation of Detail , the topic of parents never comes up. Intertwined Fingers : Tiara and Sara do this at one point. In the Style of : The style of the character design frequently makes viewers think CLAMP was involved in the production of this show, when in fact they weren't. However, the character designer, Atsuko Ishida , had previously worked as the character designer of the anime adaptation of Magic Knight Rayearth . Lady and Knight : Lena and Leon are a downplayed example of this trope. Lena is of a higher status than Leon, who is sworn to serve and protect her, but she isn’t exactly helpless. Liquid Darkness : When Tiara summons her Fighting Spirit she creates a shadowy black substance that behaves like liquid, and controls the entity via a black string attached to a black ball. Lotus-Eater Machine : Tiara passes out from shock after seeing a Throne of Yord-corrupted Kagetsu threaten to kill her , and wakes up on a sunny hillside with her muggle friends. They chat about their pleasant, mundane hopes for the future, then Tiara wakes in her bed in the middle of the night. And that's not all. It goes at least another layer deeper before Tiara realizes what's going on . Love Dodecahedron : Tiara and Lena are both in love with Kagetsu, who only loves Tiara. Tiara’s partner Graham was also in love with her and hated Kagetsu enough to attempt to kill him . Likewise Lena’s partner Leon is in love with her, but he never shows any jealousy towards Kagetsu. Love Makes You Crazy : Graham adores Tiara — she is the center of his world. His literal reason for existing is to eliminate anyone or anything that threatens or hinders her, and he is merciless to Tiara's enemies. The trouble is that Graham's definition of "threat" is broad enough to include Kagetsu. Love Triangle : Tiara is at the intersection of three overlapping ones: Tiara/Kagetsu/Graham, Tiara/Kagetsu/Lena, and Tiara/Lena/Sara. Lovecraft Lite : The Throne of Yord, operates on a level beyond human understanding and is completely impossible for the protagonists to overcome. It throws Tiara into a gauntlet of Mind Screws just because it thinks she's interesting — and what measure is the suffering of a mortal to a sentient fount of eternal magical energy, anyway? Fortunately for Tiara, the story has significant gnostic influences which level the playing field between human and Eldritch Abomination , making outcomes besides madness or death possible. Magical Girl : The heroines fall under the Cute Witch subtrope, made Hotter and Sexier and Darker and Edgier . Tiara's royal lineage is a nod to how in many Cute Witch works, the heroine is a princess on a Magical Girl Queenliness Test and her familiar is a talking animal in a nod to Mentor Mascots . However, Tiara is more mature, much more given to Fanservice , and her relationship to her powers is more like a profession than a test of character. Magical Incantation : There are a variety, with transformation spells being the longest. Magical Land : The Guardian World is very similar to Earth, except it is populated by mages who worship an Eldritch Abomination . Magic Contract Romance : Subverted . The fact that beautiful young women are summoning sometimes handsome young men to be their "Partners" which, despite the name, are distinctly subservient to them doesn't always work out too well. Magic Music : As opposed to Tiara's full-contact method of fighting, Lena uses a flute that manipulates a plant-like substance in battle. It's also used in invoking Leon's transformation. The Magocracy : The Guardian World seems to be ruled by mages with the Elder (who gives Lena and later Tiara their missions) being at the top of the hierarchy. Marked Change : Tiara, Lena, and Leon all get facial markings when they shift into their Super Mode . Maybe Ever After : It’s stated in the epilogue that Tiara and Kagetsu got back together . Meaningful Echo : In episode 2 Sara tells Tiara in a dream “What you look for is in your hand, Tiara. But it may not be real.” This line returns in episode 4 when Tiara finally realizes the Throne of Yord’s true nature. Mind Rape : The Throne of Yord has a knack for the horrifying and likes pushing people to their limits. For example, when it assumes Tiara's form, then tells her about her personality flaws . Or when it tells Tiara it's in love with her and feels her up in the form of her ex-boyfriend . Mind Screw : Episodes 3 and 4 become this and it starts getting confusing as to what’s really happening or what’s an illusion. Mirror Match : On two occasions, the Throne of Yord manifests as a duplicate of Tiara to fight her. Once in her normal form, and again in her Super Mode . Multiple Demographic Appeal : As noted above, the narrative tone is pure Shōjo , full of complex emotions and romance, but there's also a ton of Fanservice and magical combat to appeal to males . Music Video Syndrome : The opening sequence uses composition techniques that are commonly seen in music videos. The characters move in time to the rhythm of the opening theme, even lip-syncing along to the song lyrics in a few shots. The visuals reflect the lyrics. In time with the lyrics "morning light shining through clouds", Tiara shifts her head so the sun appears from behind her, producing a Lens Flare . When the lyrics are "how many mornings of prayer must I repeat", Lena stands in a prayerful posture with her hands clasped. The characters move in time to the rhythm of the opening theme, even lip-syncing along to the song lyrics in a few shots. The visuals reflect the lyrics. In time with the lyrics "morning light shining through clouds", Tiara shifts her head so the sun appears from behind her, producing a Lens Flare . When the lyrics are "how many mornings of prayer must I repeat", Lena stands in a prayerful posture with her hands clasped. Nice Day, Deadly Night : Most of the action takes place at night. It’s also when the Throne of Yord is most active. Nightmare Face : Once, when Sara's face splits open, leaving a black gash running from forehead to ground and a vertically oriented eye appears in the gulf. Again, when Tiara smashes her Doppelgänger 's face. Once, when Sara's face splits open, leaving a black gash running from forehead to ground and a vertically oriented eye appears in the gulf.

Again, when Tiara smashes her Doppelgänger 's face. No Theme Tune : Episodes 5 and 6 don’t have an opening theme song. Non-Indicative Name : The Throne of Yord is not a chair, it's a painting — of a landscape with a pond. No thrones in sight. And there's more to it than that: the Throne is the all-powerful source of all magic, creator of the Guardian World. Noodle People : The characters all have very long and thin arms and legs. Not Quite Flight : Tiara and Lena use elemental magic to propel themselves through the air. Tiara’s spell looks like spiraling winds and Lena’s spell looks like vines. Not Really a Birth Scene : Graham's summoning in episode 5 is basically childbirth via magical portal, as he emerges head-first and nude, with blood smeared on his body. Older Alter Ego : As a child after Tiara fuses with her shadow self for the first time she becomes an adult. Ordinary High-School Student : Inverted. Tiara, Lena, and Leon are all magical beings from the Guardian World who go undercover as normal students when they’re on Earth. Painful Transformation : Transformations appear to cause physical pain by default. Parallel Conflict Sequence : Episode 6 has Kagetsu and Graham’s fight happening at the same time as Tiara performing a battle scene at the Festival of Wind. Kagetsu wins his fight by killing Graham, Tiara wins her fight by killing the costumed monster in the show. Platonic Cave : The cave is Tiara's perception of her friends. As the show gets into exploring the nature of the "true self," and it becomes increasingly difficult to tell who is an illusion , who is under outside influence , who's being forced to try to kill her , and who is "genuine". There are multiple exchanges that go more or less like this: Tiara: "Are you the real character name here ?" Other character: "I am me." Platonic Declaration of Love : Sara's voice can be heard whispering "I love you" to Tiara just before she enables their Fusion Dance . Poppies of Sleep : There’s a flashback scene from Tiara, Lena, and Sara’s childhoods where they are all picking flowers in a field of red and white poppies. At one point a strong wind blows and a wall of flying poppy petals nearly obscures Sara from Tiara’s vision. This foreshadows Sara’s future “death” as she’s offered to the Throne of Yord, and the dreams through which she communicates with Tiara . Punishment Box : In episode 6 Graham kills a creature he and Tiara were supposed to capture and return to the Guardian World alive. Instead of punishing Graham the Elder punishes Tiara for not stopping him, and she is imprisoned in a magic orb for an unknown amount of time. Red Oni, Blue Oni : Tiara is the assertive and combative Red Oni and Lena calm and refined Blue Oni. Reflective Eyes : Imagery of a character (or an object) reflected in another character's eyes is a widely-used motif, with examples in each episode. Religion Is Magic : The people of the Guardian World worship the Throne of Yord, who created their world and is the source of their magic. However, the Throne of Yord itself mentions that use of magic has become more complex since the creation of the Guardian World and there are now magical bloodlines and divisions of labor among magic users that it did not foresee . The practice of magic generally involves the invocation of lesser beings than the Throne of Yord itself, and how this relates to worship is not made clear. Rescued from the Underworld : Subverted. All the characters fail to rescue Sara from the Throne of Yord. She cannot be saved and does not need saving. The Reveal : In the climax Tiara realizes that Sara and the Throne of Yord are the same being . Rivals Team Up : Tiara and Lena join forces against the Throne of Yord, and even have a heart-to-heart in which they admit that the bad blood between them is fueled by mutual envy . Satellite Love Interest : This happens to both Leon and Graham. Both of them are partners to Lena and Tiara respectively and don’t get much character development beyond their one-sided affections for them. This somewhat justified since they’re not really supposed to have a life outside of their partners. However while Leon seems content with his limited existence, Graham is unable to accept that Tiara doesn’t love him back. Scenery Porn : The highly detailed watercolor backgrounds throughout the show. Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right! : Kagetsu is the first to do this by stealing the Throne of Yord from the Guardian World in order to save Sara. Then Lena teams up with him to save Sara instead of taking the Throne back. Finally Tiara gets sent to do the job Lena was supposed to do, but also decides saving Sara is more important. Screw Yourself : While Tiara, as a child, is trying to tame Graham, her "evil" self manifests as a red-skinned (and naked) version of her powered-up form as an adult. It proceeds to grab her and give her a deep kiss . Shadow Archetype : A literal example. When summoning Graham goes awry, Tiara’s fear manifests as her shadow self, embodying all her negative traits. She’s unable to defeat it until she learns that it’s a part of herself, and now she’s able to access its power to transform into a more powerful form. Shipper on Deck : Sara seems to ship Tiara and Kagetsu, giving them time alone and smiling when she sees them together. Significant Double Casting : In the Japanese version, Tiara's two partners are both voiced by Rica Matsumoto . The two characters are very different in appearance and temperament, but noticing that Tiara's second Partner carries over at least one trait from her tragic first one makes for a bittersweet realization. The Elder and the Throne of Yord are both voiced by Rokurō Naya in the Japanese version, with the effect that the Throne of Yord speaks with a voice of experience and authority, making it difficult for the characters (and the audience) to see through its rhetorical tricks. In the Japanese version, Tiara's two partners are both voiced by Rica Matsumoto . The two characters are very different in appearance and temperament, but noticing that Tiara's second Partner carries over at least one trait from her tragic first one makes for a bittersweet realization. The Elder and the Throne of Yord are both voiced by Rokurō Naya in the Japanese version, with the effect that the Throne of Yord speaks with a voice of experience and authority, making it difficult for the characters (and the audience) to see through its rhetorical tricks. Silence Is Golden : During the climax of Episode 4, Tiara says something to Kagetsu but the audience doesn’t hear it, right after she delivers the finishing blow that frees him from the Throne of Yord’s influence . The Mouth Flaps are highly detailed, matching the pronunciation of "aishiteru", or "I love you", and it marks a positive turning point in their relationship. Averted in the English dub, where Tiara says "now is the time" aloud during this scene. Shout-Out : In episode 2 the teacher of Tiara and Lena’s class gives a lesson about the Greek myth of Apollo and Daphne . Sinister Suffocation : Characters often try to strangle each other during battles. Tiara does it to Leon, Leon does it to Tiara, and Lena does it to Tiara with her Vine Tentacles . Smart People Play Chess : In episodes 5 and 6 the characters are seen playing a fictional game with black and white pieces that requires strategy and forethought. Tiara isn’t good at planning ahead and loses to Sara, but Lena has no trouble beating Sara multiple times. Lena also says she’s beaten Kagetsu only once. Smoking Is Cool : Leon smokes and looks cool while doing so. Lena admonishes him for it , but simply because it's illegal for people his age to smoke in the world where they're staying. Snow Means Love : It's snowing in Tiara's memories of when she and Kagetsu were together. Solemn Ending Theme : Episodes 1-4 and 6 have “Forest of Memories”, Episodes 5 has “Festival of the Wind”. Both songs are in a minor key and have melancholic lyrics. Soundtrack Dissonance : The scene in which Sara curb stomps Japolo is accompanied by a sort of lullaby, whose bilingual French/Japanese lyrics read like a Yandere love poem . Source Music : The background music is part of the scene when Lena plays her flute. Split-Personality Merge : In episode 5, Tiara's uncontrolled magic manifests as a shadowy, seductive Enemy Without which attempts to dominate her. Eventually Tiara realizes its power is a result of her fear, so she asserts herself and shows it who's boss . It merges into Tiara, giving her access to her Super Mode for the first time. Stock Footage : The animation of spell casting and transformation sequences gets reused several times. Swallowed Whole : Leon and Japolo are making a good effort at defending their partners against the Throne of Yord , then it just shoots out some mouth-tentacles and eats them. And they're gone. Without a trace. Talking in Your Dreams : Tiara has several cryptic conversations with Sara in her dreams. Tears of Blood : Lena cries a bucket-load of blood when she loses her transformation in episode 3. Before that, in that same episode, Leon shed a few. Third Eye : Tiara’s transformations both have a third eye drawn on her forehead. Time Stands Still : Partners have the ability to freeze time so their masters can engage in magical battles without attracting muggle attention. There Are No Adults : The main cast are supposedly older teens and none of their parents ever appear. There are few adults in general. Trapped in Another World : Inverted. Tiara and the others go to Earth from the Guardian World by choice and seem capable of coming and going between the two worlds as they please. Episode 6 confirms that agents of the Guardian World go to Earth any time something from their world gets out, as shown when Tiara and Graham chase a monster through a city. Vague Age : The main characters’ ages are never made clear. The only clues are that Tiara, Lena, and Leon are posing as students in the same grade at a college, and Lena tells Leon he’s too young to be smoking. Also Tiara, Lena, and Sara grew up together and look about the same age, and Kagetsu is Sara’s older brother who acts as a Parental Substitute . Most likely everyone is in their late teens except Kagetsu, who could be in his twenties. Versus Title : Magic User's Club vs. Shamanic Princess is the title of the bonus video that was only offered to those who purchased every episode of both of the OVA series. Despite the title, it does not involve a conflict between the two works and comes no closer to a Crossover than showing the heroines wearing each other's outfits. Villains Act, Heroes React : The plot begins when the Throne of Yord claims Sara as a human sacrifice. This leads to Kagetsu stealing the Throne and taking it to Earth in order to save Sara, leading to Lena, Tiara, and their partners to follow him. When Tiara accidentally wakes up the Throne it begins terrorizing everyone, and all they can do is respond to its attacks. Vitriolic Best Buds : Tiara and Japolo are partners who bicker a lot, but they still look out for each other and show concern for each other’s well being. The Watchers : The masked Ancient Ones who guide Tiara through summoning her first partner Graham are quite creepy and apathetic about Graham’s pain and Tiara’s fear. While they give advice and block outside interference to the summoning, they do absolutely nothing to help when Tiara’s shadow-self gets out of control. We Used to Be Friends : At home, Tiara and Lena are friends. Now, they are enemies. After everything's fixed, they become friends again. 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