is an

anime is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...

series which parodies the

magical girl is a Genre#Subgenre, subgenre of primarily Japanese fantasy media (including anime, manga, light novels, and live-action media) centered on young girls who possess magical abilities, which they typically use through an ideal alter ego into wh ...

genre, particularly ''

Sailor Moon is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoko Takeuchi. It was originally serialized in Kodansha's Shōjo manga, ''shōjo'' manga magazine ''Nakayoshi'' from 1991 to 1997; the 60 individual chapters (later reorganized into ...

'' and ''

Cutie Honey is a Japanese Shōnen manga, shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Go Nagai. First appearing in ''Weekly Shōnen Champion''s 41st issue of 1973, the series ran until April 1974. It follows an android girl named Honey Kisara ...

''. A 24-minute

OVA , abbreviated as OVA and sometimes as OAV (original animation video), are Japanese animated films and special episodes of a series made specially for release in home video formats without prior showings on television or in theaters, though the ...

was released in 2003 followed by a six-episode

TV series A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming platf ...

broadcast Broadcasting is the data distribution, distribution of sound, audio audiovisual content to dispersed audiences via a electronic medium (communication), mass communications medium, typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

in 2006. A

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...

collection containing the OVA and TV series was released in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

in 2010. The origin of this anime series is different from most other anime series' as it is based on an

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...

hoax A hoax (plural: hoaxes) is a widely publicised falsehood created to deceive its audience with false and often astonishing information, with the either malicious or humorous intent of causing shock and interest in as many people as possible. S ...

rather than a previously existing

manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...

series.

History

''Papillon Rose'' started out as a

metafiction Metafiction is a form of fiction that emphasizes its own narrative structure in a way that inherently reminds the audience that they are reading or viewing a fictional work. Metafiction is self-conscious about language, literary form, and story ...

joke on what was claimed to be the website for a new anime project ''Lingerie Fighter Papillon Rose''. The website posted pictures of characters (which were usually copied from scenes in ''

'', with the artwork changed) and a lyrics to opening and ending theme songs. Demand grew due to people finding the page and assuming it was for an actual series. Subsequently, an episode guide for the (non-existent) first series and manga was also made available, as well as a set of

CD-ROM A CD-ROM (, compact disc read-only memory) is a type of read-only memory consisting of a pre-pressed optical compact disc that contains computer data storage, data computers can read, but not write or erase. Some CDs, called enhanced CDs, hold b ...

s containing a 2-minute animated promotional clip, eight tracks (six BGM and two vocal songs), system voice clips for computers, a ''Papillon Rose''

mahjong Mahjong (English pronunciation: ; also transliterated as mah jongg, mah-jongg, and mahjongg) is a tile-based game that was developed in the 19th century in China and has spread throughout the world since the early 20th century. It is played ...

game, and two screen savers. The CDs were only made available for

Comiket , more commonly known as or , is a semiannual Doujinshi convention, ''doujinshi'' convention in Tokyo, Japan. A grassroots market focused on the sale of ''doujin'' (self-published) works, Comiket is a not-for-profit fan convention administered ...

, and were not distributed outside Japan. The project homepage was redesigned and fake

illustrations and notes from the fictional author were added. Amateur

voice actor Voice acting is the art of Acting, performing a character or providing information to an audience with one's voice. Performers are often called voice actors/actresses in addition to other names. Examples of voice work include animation, animated, ...

s and singers were also contacted online to provide sample character voice clips for a handful of the villains and heroines. A 25-episode ONA series was promised in 2001 along with the release of an animated

teaser trailer A teaser trailer, also shortened to teaser, is a short trailer (promotion), trailer and a form of teaser campaign advertising that focuses on film and television programming. It is a videography pre-release film or television show advertisement. Sh ...

. Nothing other than the trailers were ever released online or elsewhere. In January 2002, a second season concept was introduced, named ''Lingerie Soldier Papillon Rose R'', aiming to be released as an artbook on Comiket. In April 2004, a movie finale concept was introduced as well, named ''Lingerie Soldier Papillon Rose G''. Subsequently, all of the project websites were either taken down or replaced with a blank page with the former content removed. There is no evidence that any fan-submitted material was ever used for either the OVA episode or the TV series. In the fall of 2014, a blog was opened featuring new artwork for what claimed to be a new version of the ''Papillon Rose'' series, a rebuild of the original idea as a film trilogy. A new website was opened a few days afterwards, advertising a ''Papillon Rose'' booth in the 2015 Comiket. A new doujinshi artbook was released together with two pencil boards, featuring new artwork for the characters and a similar storyline to the original incarnation of the web series.

''Lingerie Soldier Papillon Rose'' OVA 2003

was released as a single 24-minute OVA episode. This one-episode OVA was distributed on VHS and DVD formats by Pink company and Office F&O in 2003. This OVA episode is included in the 2010 North American DVD release with the six-episode ''Papillon Rose: The New Season'' TV series.

''Papillon Rose: The New Season'' TV series (2006)

A six-episode TV series titled ''Papillon Rose: The New Season'' was broadcast in Japan in 2006. The TV series images and dialog are toned down considerably from the 2003 OVA. The series takes place a year after the events of the OVA, but presented as a sequel series to a weekly program continuing its story into a new season.

Plot summary

After the events of ''Lingerie Soldier Papillon Rose'', the girls have no recollection of their secret identities and can no longer transform. Tsubomi is approached by Rama, whom, at first, she does not understand. The Earth, specifically the

otaku is a Japanese word that describes people with consuming interests, such as anime, manga, video games, computers or other highly enthusiastic hobbies. Its contemporary use originated with a 1983 essay by Akio Nakamori in '' Manga Burikko''. ...

district of Akiba, is under attack by a trio of powerful alien women along with their minions. The explosions around Tsubomi restore her memories and she reassembles the rest of the Papillon team to defend the town. The Papillon team is reassembled and the enemies are won over by the team's magical-girl powers and their "charms".

North American releases

In March 2010,

Section23 Films SXION 23 LLC, doing business as Section23 Films, is an American multimedia distributor based in Houston, Texas specializing in releasing anime and Japanese films. Established in 2009, Section23 is one of five successors to ADV Films; alongside ...

announced plans to release the six-episode TV series and the OVA on DVD for North America on behalf of

Maiden Japan ''Maiden Japan'', released as ''Heavy Metal Army'' in Japan, is a live EP by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. The title is a pun of Deep Purple's live album '' Made in Japan''. Release There are at least two different versions of ...

. The collection was released on June 8, 2010, on a single DVD titled "Papillon Rose." This title was the first

license A license (American English) or licence (Commonwealth English) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another part ...

d by Maiden Japan for release in North America. It is in the Japanese language with English subtitles. In January 2014 the six episodes of the TV series and the single OVA episode were posted on the

Anime Network Anime Network was an American video on demand (VOD) network dedicated to anime owned by AMC Networks. History The network was launched in North America in late 2002 and is marketed to multi system operators (MSOs) as both a free and subscr ...

website for online streaming.

Reception

The North American DVD release was reviewed by Chris Beveridge on the popular media blo
Mania.com
and given an overall grade of B. He summarizes his review:

″Papillon Rose serves up just the right kind of parody of the Sailor Moon and magical girl world with this release. I do admittedly prefer the OVA more than the TV series because it's concise and has a much dirtier mindset to it. The TV series tones things down for obvious reason but it still has a good deal of fun and manages to get dirty in its own way. This was the kind of show where its reputation certainly it and you always fear it may not live up to expectations. With the broadcast version of the TV series here, that's a definitely downside. But for what we do get, it's a lot of fun and a good way to spend an evening watching pretty anime girls doling out justice in a slight smutty way with smiles on their faces. It's a title for discerning tastes, to say the least.″

Notes

References

External links

Anime Network - Watch - Papillon Rose
*
パピヨンローゼ New Season
Tokyo Metropolitan Television Broadcasting corp. * {{anime News Network, anime, 904, title=Papillon Rose (OVA) 2003 anime OVAs 2006 anime television series debuts Anime with original screenplays Maiden Japan Magical girl anime and manga Parody anime and manga Sex comedy anime and manga Magical girl parodies Hentai anime and manga