Magical Girl Lalabel (魔法少女ララベル) is a Magical Girl series directed by Hiroshi Shidara. Masaki Tsuji, Hirohisa Soda, Noboru Shiroyama, Tomoko Konparu and Toyohiro Ando made up the writing staff. The anime ran from 15 February, 1980 to 27 February, 1981, ending at 49 episodes. A few months after it's ending, parent company Toei Animation would release a 15-minute short film commemorating it's success, Magical Girl Lalabel: The Sea Calls for a Summer Vacation (魔法少女ララベル 海が呼ぶ夏休み).
The story centers around Lalabel, a Magical Girl living happily in the magic world. One day she catches the thief Biscus stealing her magic tools. Startled by her sudden appearance, Biscus swings his magic wand around and accidentally transports the two of them into the human world. Lalabel is taken in by an elderly couple, the Tachibanas, and she attends school with their granddaughter, Teko, learning about human beings and their world in the process, while continuing to chase after Biscus and foil his further attempts to swindle people.
It was also the last Magical Girl series made by Toei Animation until the 1988 remake of Himitsu no Akko-chan, as other studios (most notably Studio Pierrot) picked up the slack during the eighties.
Magical Girl Lalabel provides examples of the following tropes:
- Adjective Noun Fred: Magical Girl Lalabel.
- Bowdlerise: In the Italian edition of the anime, one episode was cut, so only 48 episodes in total were shown.
- Brought Down to Normal: Lalabel and Biscus lose their magical powers and become human in the final episode.
- Cats Are Mean: Biscus has a grey cat who's just as nasty as him.
- The Cameo:
- Hana from Hana no Ko Lunlun makes a few appearances here and there; from a photo in Teko's suitcase and as an action figure in episode 21.
- Candy from Candy♡Candy appears on a box in Sakiko's bag.
- Both Hana and Candy appear on book covers seen in episode 24.
- Cute Witch: Lalabel is a very cute-looking girl with magical powers.
- Cute Kitten: Lalabel has a pet kitten named Vanilla.
- Dastardly Whiplash: Biscus definitely has the look and attitude, although he's fatter than most examples.
- Does Not Like Magic:
- Grandpa Tachiban starts the story disapproving of magic. He does get used to Lalabel's antics, however. It probably helps that she used magic to save him from drowning during their first meeting.
- Toko's parents, who are intellectuals, don't believe in magic.
- Fat Bastard: Biscus is plus-size, and the main villain of the story. He also loves to eat noodles.
- Fish out of Water: As a magical girl, Lalabel takes some time adjusting to the human world.
- Granny Classic:
- Granny Tachiban. She's the sweetest lady in the show, and actually made Lalabel's pink dress.
- She likes playing volleyball and tennis with the girls, however.
- Heel–Face Turn: Biscus and Hokiba become good at the end of the series.
- Magic Wand: Lalabel has one that resembles a toy, and is one of the first magical girls to actually use a wand.
- Muggle Best Friend: Toko and Teko have no powers, and are Lalabel's dear friends.
- Muggle Foster Parents: The Tachibanas, who have no magic, allow Lalabel to stay with them and live alongside their granddaughter Teko.
- Pink Means Feminine: Lalabel's main dress is pink, as are most of the clothes she wears.
- Raised by Grandparents: Teko's parents work overseas, so she lives with her grandparents.
- Short Film: Magical Girl Lalabel: the Sea Calls for a Summer Vacation, which is only 15 minutes long.
- Sidekick: Hokiba, a noodle cart owner Biscus meets in the first episode, eagerly works for Biscus and is just as nasty and greedy as the man himself.
- Tertiary Sexual Characteristics: Lalabel's kitten wears a pink hairbow.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: Toko is a girly girl who wears her hair in pigtails and likes animals, and Teko dresses as a boy and has Boyish Short Hair.
- Trapped in Another World: Lalabel and Biscus get stuck in the human world and are unable to return home.
