Hana no Ko Lunlun


Hana no Ko Lunlun is a magical girl manga by Shiro Jinbo, focusing on a theme of flowers in its stories. It was adapted into an anime by Toei Animation in 1979, and the anime was greatly successful in the West -specially in Latin-America- as well as in Japan.

Long ago, plant spirits and fairy-like creatures lived in harmony with mankind, but gradually humans began to rise toward greed and cruelty and the plant spirits immigrated to another world they dubbed the Flower Star. However, their legacy remained in people who truly knew the meaning of love and kindness. A talking dog and cat pair, Nubo and Cato, were sent to Earth to find one such person to find a magical flower, the symbol of the Flower Star's ruling family, so that a new ruler could ascend the throne.

They find her, Lunlun, in France. They travel all over Europe in search of the flower, helping people every step of the way. They are followed by a bumbling pair of villains who want to steal the flower and rule the Flower Star, and a mysterious photographer who gives the people Lunlun helps packets of flower seeds which symbolize the lesson they've learned in the "language of flowers." For instance, thistles, which signify independence, when the son of a farmer vows to follow his own dreams and leave home. These people all send flower seeds to Lunlun's grandfather, and in the end the magical flower is found growing in his garden from the kindness of all the people. The photographer turns out to be the prince of the Flower Star, but secedes the throne to his brother so he can live on Earth and marry Lunlun.

Lunlun is gifted at the start of the series with a magical pin from the King of the Flower Planet. This pin, when a flower is reflected in its mirror gives Lunlun a new outfit fit for the purpose, such as mountain climbing. About halfway through the series, the pin is broken when Lunlun falls from a branch overhanging a waterfall whilst trying to attract attention after being caught in the Dark Wind (The Princesses main form of attack). Whilst she is lost in the river, a new pin is given to her in the shape of the royal crest, with the warning that if it is ever lost of broken, her life on Earth will end and she will be unable to return to the Flower Planet. The words to activate this pin are "Fu Flay Lu Fey Lora"

In ZIV International's feature-length English-dubbed adaptation of the series (titled simply Angel and made up of bits of various episodes) - Angel, Lily (cat), Periwinkle (dog), the villains were Princess Wysteria and Ragweed, and the Prince was Stefan.

In other European dub versions, Lunlun's name was easily Westernized into "Lulu," "Lily" or "Lydia," or other variations thereof.

The largest difference falls between the English Movie and the original series. In the movie, Angel goes to Lumia where she learns she is to marry the prince. The King relents and lets her return to Earth to her family and Stefan -although you see her in the coach with a Prince who doesn't look the same as the one she was supposed to marry. In the original series, the King passes the crown to his eldest son (in the English movie you only ever see one prince), who it emerges is Stefan.


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