Proof that the remaining 10% is worth turning into a speck of light for.
These are recommendations made by tropers for Princess Tutu fanfics, all of which have to be signed to stay on the page. Feel free to add a fanfic of your own to the list, but remember to use the template found here.
You can also add to the current recommendations if you want. Refrain from posting Conversation in the Main Page though; that goes in the discussion page.
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General Fics
Stories focused on the family and the friendly relationships of the cast. Plot-focused stories or light day-in-the-life stories. Pretty much anything that isn't focused on romance.
Could Not Erase It
by Kali Cephiroth
- Recommended by: Mint Pearl Voice
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A short angstfic focusing on Rue's life.
Add ReviewFour Weddings and an Apocalypse by Elektra3
- Recommended by: Mint Pearl Voice
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: In which Lilie gets married, and causes World War III. More or less in that order.
- Comments: Sidesplittingly funny, and one of the most famous pieces of PT fanfiction ever written.
Ancestry by LunaSphere
- Recommended by: Timmah
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: The life and times of Drosselmeyer's lover, the matriarch of the dynasty of Spinners.
- Notes: This is a side story to Princess Tutu OVA: Chapter of the Girl, which also has a sequel, Reactions: A Tale of Unmitigated Sap.
- Comments: A dark take on where the family tree of Story Spinners branches from. Interesting look at Drosselmyer's wife, if somewhat in need of an editor in places.
The Heart of Everything by gemkazoni
- Recommended by: Coppelia Martyrdom, Moo 92
- Status: Dead
- Synopsis: Medieval AU. In which the characters are intertwined with a town's fate and its last hope: the royal line.
- Comments: The best Tutu fic I have ever read (of course, I'm biased on account that I'm the beta editor). Excellent characterization and use of the Princess Tutu canon to create something original, emotional, and just wonderfully written. It'll have you on the edge of your seat. I highly recommend it!
- Moo 92: This story is beautiful, lovely imagery, and very captivating. I hope this does not end up a dead fic for that would be very unfortunate for this story to go to waste.
- Willowleaf: Even though I realize this phrase is thrown around like confetti on the fanfic rec pages, "this is the best fanfiction I have ever read" would not be an overstatement. I've been reading fanfiction for years, have come across some incredible stories, and have a bizarrely high standard for writing. This fanfiction though? It's written in a gorgeous, well-woven fairy tale-esque style that is reminiscent of the tales that inspired its anime. The plot is well thought out with several chilling mysteries and questions that have yet to be answered. The character's development and interactions are in character and develop in ways that parallel the original universe. There is so much more about this story that has been left unsaid, but trust me when I say, most definitely not lightly, that this IS the best fanfiction I have ever read. It may be the best fan written story I had ever read, be it for a fandom or not. Read it. Why are you still looking at this silly recommendation?
Grace by LunaSphere
- Recommended by: Timmah
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Rue ruminates on the nature of names and meanings throughout the history of her life.
- Comments: LunaSphere hits another one out of the park. Another fitting work.
An Uncommon Witness by Mangaka-chan (link)
- Recommended by: technicolortardis
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A Historical AU set in New York during The Roaring '20s with copious amounts of Film Noir. Duck Stannus lived a perfectly ordinary life until witnessing a murder by a mysterious white-haired mobster known only as Principe. Soon her life is thrown into unbalance, with the Hardboiled Detective Fakir Romeiras watching over her as he pursues Principe and the Corvo Family.
- Comments: Very well-researched into the 1920s, as well as having befittingly meaningful surnames granted to them. It's very, very well written and the characters fit the Film Noir setting perfectly, and each role they've been assigned suits them to a tee, from Rue the Mafia Princess Femme Fatale to Mytho the young heir to the Corvo Family's name to Charon the police captain and Raestel (here called Rachel for reasons explained in the story) the opera singer. The pacing is done amazingly well, and at times, it's easy to forget you're reading a story.
Swan Siren by SoSaysL
- Recommended by: Tsukiyo
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: "Our story may seem lighthearted at first," Drosselmeyer murmured, "but soon it shall become dark, dangerous, and devastatingly gorgeous." His tragedy would be a perfect one, filled with something for every taste: romance and drama, comedy, subtle horror, and heartwrenching sacrifice. But the only question is, do the characters have other plans?
- Comments: A Princess Tutu AU. After the failure with "The Prince and The Raven", Drosselmeyer plans a new tragic story for the characters. Ahiru is now a normal girl instead of a duck, Mytho has his heart and is more expressive, Fakir is barely less of a jerk (with a thing for putting stamps in his man card) and Rue is pretty much the same. But everything starts to change after the two girls accept the power of mysterious beings, only known as Odette and Svanna. Divided in five Acts with a good amount of "scenes", the story goes from adorable romance/comedy to drama/tragedy at the end of the 3rd Act. Instead of the threat of The Raven, Fakir now must protect Mytho's heart of a mysterious swan princess, but his doubts on those close to him may be his downfall, specially with a more sadistic and careful Drosselmayer watching over, like a vulture, in order to prevent any trace of hope. 51 chapters and the story is complete and well written, the pacing is excellent and Femio returns, more flamboyant than ever!
Princess Tutu: Chapter of the Bird by Tomoyo Ichijouji
- Recommended by: Kitchenprincess
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: After the Raven was vanquished and the town of Kinkan returned to normal, the resulting short-lived peace is disturbed by news of raven attacks in a neighboring town. What could be behind them? Are the people of Kinkan Town truly free from the strings of its dark past, or do remnants of it still haunt their supposedly happy endings?
- Comments: This story is beautifully done and the chapters are written as if they are actual episodes with a part a and b including listed background music running for specific time periods in each scene, episode previews, and even the show's signature end cue with Drosselmeyer laughing as he commands all children who love stories to gather 'round and listen. It is complete at 26 chapters (translating to 13 episodes) and includes some well thought out ideas, and delves into into intersting implications of the original. Mytho was prince from a story, right? So he must have a backstory...
Simply A Backstory by Ranoko
- Recommended by: Tsukiyo
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Princess Tutu only had a few lines in the original "The Prince and The Raven". But when Fakir needs a subject to write about, there's not a lot of options that will motivate him enough to get through a story. So he investigates Princess Tutu. However, even stories that are already over can be influential...
- Comments: Fakir decides to write down the story of Princess Tutu before her fateful demise in "The Prince and The Raven". Who was she? From where she came from? How she got her powers? The story is very good, and really is a good interpretation of the original Tutu.
Le Royaume des Oiseaux: The Kingdom of Birds by kirramagic
- Recommended by: Tsukiyo
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: It is 3 months later after the story and all is at peace. Until a strange girl appears and makes Ahiru human again! But now Ahiru has no memories of Fakir or anything about the story! And what is this about the kingdom of birds?
- Comments: What if Drosselmeyer "imported" Ahiru from another story, one with its own curse to be resolve? What if Ahiru is called back and forgets all her experiences in Gold Crown Town, including Fakir? Of course he won't let her go so easily. And his stumbburness will get him cursed, in more than a way.
Inscribed on Glass Plaques by readersofaph
- Recommended by: Synchronicity
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Half a century later, D. Autor bequeaths The Princess Tutu Collection to the Gold Crown Museum of Fine and Performing Arts. The story is continued in the museum plaques describing the pieces.
- Comments: Completely masterful. The Magic Realism in the anime translates perfectly to the museum collection — especially with the knowledge that it's going on in the early twentieth century — and the curators are just unreliable enough for the endings to be incredibly ambiguous yet completely heartwrenching no matter what.
Toccata and Fugue by snowcloud8
- Recommended by: roseadagio
- Status: Dormant
- Synopsis: AU. Because of Drosselmeyer, Duck remembered she was a bird, Rue became Kraehe, Mytho realized he needed his heart back, and Fakir became a story spinner. But what if the author had never interfered? What if the story remained stopped at the beginning? Puppets that were forced into roles are now cut free of their strings left to their own devices. Will they still get a happy ending?
The Prince and the Raven by Waifine
- Recommended by: roseadagio
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Once upon a time there was a fair Prince with a pure heart, who sought to protect all. He and his gallant knight lived in a Kingdom of perpetual peace. That is, until the day when a Monster Raven appeared and laid waste to the land. The cities crumbled, the people suffered, and in the face of this colossus the Prince took up his sword. A reconstruction of the story of "The Prince and the Raven", from the fragments given in Princess Tutu.
Forgotten Stories Left Untold by seasaltmemories
- Recommended by: roseadagio
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A one-shots collection.
If a Bullet Hit a Bird by Disguise of Carnivorism
- Recommended by: Lyra_Dhani
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: It is said that in the center of the labyrinth you can sometimes find the minotaur. Fakir and Duck are more likely to just get very, very lost.
Swanheart by the1koolkitty
- Recommended by: Astraea 802
- Status: Complete
- Synposis: Once upon a time, there was a tale of a prince and a Monster Raven. By combining their power, a writer and a duck gave the prince and his princess a happy ending… but can the young writer give the duck and himself one as well?
- Comments: Borrowing some elements from Swan Lake and the animated Anastasia, the author weaves a lot of the existing Princess Tutu lore (Fakir as Lohengrin's reincarnation, Tutu sharing powers with Mytho/Prince Siegfried, Tutu being a separate character from Ahriu before the anime takes place) into something new and lovely, drawing powerful connections between characters. Also gives Fakir some badass Storyspinner moments near the end. The author also has a Youtube channel with some incredible Princess Tutu fan videos worth checking out, even though they're older now.
Princess Tutu Zwei by nocturnal-impala
- Recommended by: roseadagio
- Status: Ongoing
- Synopsis: An animated sequel to Princess Tutu featuring Duck and Fakir along with a new cast of OCs. With a new tale started by another story spinner, Duck and Fakir must work together to collect flower fairies and stop the mysterious force from claiming the powerful Firebird egg.
Shipping Fics
Stories focused on the romantic relationships between the cast.
This Pendent Heart by LunaSphere (link)
- Recommended by: Mint Pearl Voice, Timmah, sardns, GoldenDragon326, CelestialPuppet, Tannim, A Fuzzy Warm Blanket, Flairina
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: When Ahiru begins to forget that she was ever human, Fakir writes her back into a girl. But his actions have unintended consequences. Will The Power of Love be enough to stop an Evil!Fakir?
- Pairing: Ahiru/Fakir
- Notes: The version found here comes with illustrations.
- Comments: Featuring the world's greatest Heartwarming Moments and Moment of Awesome. This troper cried.
- Timmah : Consistent characterization and solid plotting make this work. I recommend this to fans of the series who wish to see the fairy tale motifs continue to be explored.
- sardns: This sequel fic is so good it's a crying shame it isn't canon.
- It should be canon.
- GoldenDragon326: Beautifully written with a darkish theme complete with a few cute moments concerning the two central pairings; it's hard to read just once. This troper's only complaint was that the story called her 'Duck,' instead of 'Ahiru.' Easily ignored, however, insight of its terrific-ness.
- CelestialPuppet: I adored this fic. Absolutely adored it. It was heartbreaking, deep, complex—absolutely gorgeous. It's very rare to find this kind of quality, fanfiction or original works. I can see that a lot of thought was put into it. This should be season three of Princess Tutu.
Of Kisses and Quotes by Manda_chan
- Recommended by: Zephyr77
- Status: Dead
- Synopsis: Collection of written themes for the 101 Kisses and 50 Lovequotes LJ communities.
- Pairing: Ahiru/Fakir
- Comments: Each little drabble/oneshot are just amazing. They can easily flip from W.A.F.F. to angst to sexy. And yet all of them portray an important aspect to Fakir and Ahiru's relationship.
evening of sevens by Memphis Lupine
- Recommended by: BlueJazz
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A few years after, a boy and a girl board a train.
- Pairing: Ahiru/Fakir
- Comments: This is one of the first Princess Tutu fanfics that I read and to this day it is still a favorite of mine. It's bittersweet, well written, and a unique take on what could happen after the show. Worth a read!
Better Endings by Lacewood
- Recommended by: amatakamata
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Living in a story was one thing. Writing an ending, Fakir realised, was another matter entirely.
- Pairing: Ahiru/Fakir
Rosemary by Thyme In Her Eyes
- Recommended by: Lady Yuki
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Rue struggles with the role of Giselle, as the story she's lived for so long begins to unravel.
- Pairing: Rue/Mytho
- Comments: This author does a fantastic job at breathing life into the narrative and the characters, particularly Rue. This story builds up to the events of the fourth episode, so there may be some slight spoilers.
Curse of the Dragon: Dance with Fate by BluSakura
- Recommended by: goingmerry27
- Status: Dormant
- Synopsis: AU. Ahiru is a noble with an arranged marriage to Prince Mytho. Everything she knows (and wants) is changed, however, when she is kidnapped by the Dragon Clan and drawn into a tale of curses, war, and love.
- Pairing: Ahiru/Fakir
- Comments: This author is brilliant in general but Curse of the Dragon is a complete and utter jewel. Description is perfectly balanced with action and the pace is wonderful; brimming with homages to the original canon, this troper can't recommend it enough.
An Offer of a Lifetime by doragon no mizu
- Recommended by: roseadagio
- Status: Ongoing (last updated Jun 25, 2022)
- Synopsis: Two years have passed since the story came to an end and Ahiru finds herself discontent. In her desperation she accepts an offer from Drosselmeyer to become Princess Tutu again. The catch: she'll die in one year.
- Pairing: Ahiru/Fakir
Paper Hearts by BluSakura
- Recommended by: roseadagio
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: There's a tradition at Kinkan Academy—on a special day, students offer their paper hearts to the person they love.
- Pairing: Ahiru/Fakir
Shades of Green by Xx Clear Dawnlight xX
- Recommended by: roseadagio
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: If you had asked anyone at Kinkan Academy what Ahiru's favourite colour was, they would have said that it was yellow.
- Pairing: Ahiru/Fakir
Frame Story by jibrailis
- Recommended by: Lyra_Dhani
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Becoming a girl was easy. Staying a girl, ah! Now that was the hard part.
- Pairing: Ahiru/Fakir
Crossovers
The Knight's Weapon by deskclutter
- Recommended by: Andy Zero
- Status: Complete
- Crossover with: Fables
- Synopsis: The forces of the Adversary have come for Gold Crown Town. However, are they a match for those who know the flow of the Story?
With No Companion by sutaretagaisce
- Recommended by: Timmah
- Status: Complete
- Crossover with: Revolutionary Girl Utena
- Synopsis: Pre-Utena Anthy wanders the world and encounters Mytho and Rue. A fleshing out of fairytale archetypes ensues.
- Comments: Interesting exploration of the characters of Anthy and Rue. Comparison between both characters sheds light onto some of the weirder parts of Utena. Both Anthy and Rue are trapped in their roles in their stories, and each character tries to make sense of their existential imprisonment.
history of the rose by Esmenet
- Recommended by: Dame-Amaryllis
- Status: Complete
- Crossover with: Revolutionary Girl Utena
- Synopsis: The Tale of the Rose. A small volume, bound in fine red cloth. Five authors are listed, four credited only with annotations.
And a Pale Moon is Rising by Kali Cepheriot
- Recommended by: ScrewySqrl
- Status: Complete
- Crossover with The Last Unicorn
- Synopsis: Post both stories. Molly and Schmendrik run into Fakir and Duck and have a discussion on the nature of Stories once they End.
The Seas Between Worlds by thatzodiacsky
- Recommended by: Lyra_Dhani
- Status: Complete
- Crossover with Madoka Magica, Utena, Sailor Moon.
- Synopsis: As the duck dreams, she dances with strangers. A fairy tale for those past happy endings.
