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A Little Snow Fairy Sugar

Volume #1: Sweet Mischief

AKA: Tiny Snow Fairy Sugar; Chicchana Yukitsukai Sugar (Japanese)

English Dubbed & Subbed Version

Released: 2003

Version: DVD (Pioneer)

Approx. Rated: G

Length: Approx. 100 minutes (25 minutes per episode)

English Cast: Michelle Ruff (as Saga), Reba West (as Sugar),  Ian Hawk (as Salt), Jane Alan (as Anne), Jennifer Sekiguchi (as Greta), Lara Curci (as Pepper), Steve Cannon (as Phil)

Japanese Cast: Masumi Asano (as Saga), Tomoko Kawakami (as Sugar), Akiko Nakagawa (as Anne), Asami Sanada (as Phil), Chinami Nishimura (as Gretta)

Synopsis:

An obsessive girl named Saga finds a Season Fairy. She's the only one that can see it and she doesn't like it. The fairy's name is Sugar, and she is a Snow Fairy Apprentice. She has to find a Twinkle and do other fairy things to become a full-fledged Season Fairy.

Basically, Sugar just annoys Saga and messes with her head until they become friends. Weird huh?

The Review:

This show just oozes cuteness. There's nothing objectionable in it, unless you think bubble baths are sick. You can't see anything in those sequences, so it's fine for any viewer. The story follows a girl of indeterminate age that likes making plans. She knows what she's going to do at all times, so when she stumbles upon Sugar, the Snow Fairy, it pretty much messes up her life. Can you say, "Angst?"

The first episode introduces us to all the characters in the show. There's Greta, a self-obsessed girl that's always trying to show off and is Saga's "enemy," Saga's friends, Norma and Ann, and a kid inventor named Phil.

After we find out about each of the human characters, Saga finds Sugar and takes her home. Sugar drives Saga up the wall by constantly yakking. This continues into the beginning of the 2nd episode too. This one introduces us to Sugar's two friends, Salt and Pepper. They are apprentice Sun and Wind fairies, respectively.

The plot of this episode is the planting of some fairy seed and Sugar visiting Saga's school as well as having Saga come unglued in front of her friends. Saga gets in trouble for her behavior and on it goes. Probably the funniest thing in this episode is where Sugar licks some salt and goes bonkers. Maybe there's something wrong with me though.

The 3rd and 4th episode detail the fairys' search for the elusive "Twinkle." They also chat with a full=fledged Rain Fairy. They never find the Twinkle, but they do bug Saga less and I think their friendship is getting stronger. The fairies have various adventures with a cat and a crow, which seem to be able to see the fairies. Pepper can actually talk to them to some degree, as she does in the 4th episode when she finds out about a possible Twinkle sighting from some pigeons. (She also tries to talk to the cat, but that cat won't have none of it)

I watched this disc all the way through in English and one episode in Japanese. The dub is quite good. I think the voice work is done quite well and fits the characters to a 'T'. Unfortunately, Sugar can get on your nerves if you let her. The sub was easy to read, font-wise, however because Sugar and Saga would talk at the same time, it was nearly impossible to catch everything that was said. The subbers were oddly inconsistent in that they would sometimes stick some of the stuff said at the top of the screen and some at the bottom. I think that maybe the stuff that was printed at the top was supposed to be background talk that was less important, but I'm not sure. 

Animation and art are also very good. They even mix in some CGI stuff that fits pretty well. And the soundtrack is enjoyable too. I liked the intro. song sung by Yoko Ishida.

My disc wouldn't play the extras, so I don't know what they looked like, but they don't sound all that interesting from the titles and most Pioneer DVDs don't have true previews, but rather just stills with text. So that wasn't a real big loss. Just be sure to test yours out thoroughly.

The Good Stuff:

The Bad Stuff:

I like this show. It's not for everyone, but I think anyone that likes fairies will find this show interesting. Don't expect a fast-paced action show, because this is not what this is. Definitely something you can watch with your children.

OVERALL SCORE: 1/2