Prologue

Magic Knight Rayearth is a fantasy action adventure manga that was first serialized in the shoujo manga magazine Nakayoshi between 1993 and 1996, spanning six volumes divided into two story arcs. Created with new young readers in mind, it includes elements from JRPGs as well as the Magical Girl and Mecha genres – a combination that came about due to CLAMP really wanting to draw robots, but being afraid that robots alone would turn away their target audience, and the subjects in question rising in popularity at the time of MKR’s creation.

Its anime adaptation of two seasons and 49 episodes ran from 1994 to 1995, followed by an OVA of three episodes in 1997. It would seem that both adaptations stray from the original, the first primarily with the inclusion of new subplots, several anime-exclusive characters and different character fates while not going as deeply into Cephiro’s true nature and the circumstances of its creation, the latter with drastically altered plot, setting, characters and relationships.

The Legend

Passed along by word of mouth with no existing record, tradition has it that in times of peril, when something has happened to the Pillar, those summoned from the other world will become the legendary Magic Knights, and, calling upon the powers of the Mashin, fight in the legendary battle to save Cephiro. To wake the Mashin and overcome the many dangers in their way, they shall wield weapons forged from the legendary material Escudo…

￩ Preface Act I ￫