Let's Talk About: Power Puff Girls Z

Japan: Taking your childhood and improving it since 1983

 

 

Yeah, I watched Power Puff Girls when I was younger big whoop wanna fight about it?

Isn't he fabulous?

All joking aside it is/was a decent cartoon. A simple premise, interesting stories and villains from the iconic Mojo Jojo to the demonic flamboyant Him.

Power Puff Girls Z is a dramatic re-imagining of the characters from the original, while the art style change is drastic the character design stays very true to the original. The new design makes the show a bit more serious, at least as serious as Magical Girl anime can get.

Presumably from cultural differences Power Puff Girls Z is a bit more mature in regards to the way the characters act. The "Rowdy Rough Boys" are potential love interests rather than gender contrasting antagonists and the characters have more definition to them.

However this character development comes from the change in story. Rather than being the result of some Frankenstein-esque experiment to create children (which looking back is really creepy) people were exposed to something called "Z-Rays" which are a far cry from but similar to the mysterious Chemical X.



The Power Puff Girls are also more "developed" *cough* in the regard that their personality traits create a more interesting dynamic and are less of a stereotype. By all means the tomboy attitude of Buttercup, the ditziness of Bubbles, and the heroism of Blossom are defining characteristics for the characters but the more mature tone of the show allows for more reflection on this social dynamic. Also since they are not sisters in Power Puff Girls Z their interaction takes a different tone as they're a bit more impersonal with each other and aren't "obligated" to love each other.

Honestly it's a great take on the show if you watched the original Power Puff Girls and a lighthearted Magical Girl Anime in its own right.

Buttercup is a badass.