Mew Mew Power
Mew Mew Power is the American name given to the dub of the Japanese anime Tokyo Mew Mew.
The show originally aired on 4Kids TV, with the first episode airing on February 19, 2005. The 23rd and final episode of the dub aired on November 12, 2005.
The show was dubbed by 4Kids Entertainment and was heavily criticized for the plot changes, unnecessary censoring, dialogue differences, and "Americanization" of the characters and settings. Further criticism arose when then-4Kids CEO, Al Kahn stated that after the show was dubbed, viewers would not be able to recognize its Japanese roots.
Although the show has 52 episodes, 4Kids only dubbed 26 of them - 23 of which aired in the USA. All 26 dubbed episodes aired in Canada and the United Kingdom.
The show originally aired on 4Kids TV, with the first episode airing on February 19, 2005. The 23rd and final episode of the dub aired on November 12, 2005.
The show was dubbed by 4Kids Entertainment and was heavily criticized for the plot changes, unnecessary censoring, dialogue differences, and "Americanization" of the characters and settings. Further criticism arose when then-4Kids CEO, Al Kahn stated that after the show was dubbed, viewers would not be able to recognize its Japanese roots.
Although the show has 52 episodes, 4Kids only dubbed 26 of them - 23 of which aired in the USA. All 26 dubbed episodes aired in Canada and the United Kingdom.
Characters and Plot
CHARACTERS
(Original Japanese Name - English Dub Name)
Ichigo Momiya - Zoey Hanson
4Kids Character Bio: "... The leader of the Mew Mew team. She is a typical high school student who has a major crush on Mark, the school jock. After a strange incident, she learns she has been merged with the DNA of a rare Wild Mountain cat and has amazing new powers. It's her job to find the other members of the team."
Mint Aizawa - Corina Bucksworth
4Kids Character Bio: "Corina is a rich kid who has a bit of an attitude. She has an older brother named Sergio who she was once close with, but now doesn't have such a great relationship. She is interested in the arts and ballet. She is the second member of the Mew Mew team and has the DNA of a rare Blue Lorikeet."
Lettuce Midorikawa - Bridget Vedant
4Kids Character Bio: "Bridget is a shy girl who goes to Excalibur High, the other school in town. She lacks self-confidence, but is always supportive of others. She loves to cook. Bridget sometimes crushes on different boys but learns it is ok if they don't like her back."
Pudding Fong - Kikki Benjamin
4Kids Character Bio: "Kikki is the comedian of the group and she loves to perform for crowds on the street. She uses the money she makes to help support her family. Kikki is part Tamarind Lion Monkey. She is the youngest member of the Mew Mew team but that doesn't stop her from being the loudest!"
Zakuro Fujiwara - Renee Roberts
4Kids Character Bio: "Renee is a teenage super-model and pop star. She is very worldly and knows five different languages. She is very cool and street-smart. Renee has been infused with the DNA of a rare Gray Wolf."
Ryou Shirogane - Elliott Grant
4Kids Character Bio: "Elliott is one of the Mew Mew Project team leaders. He is 16 and a little rough around the edges. He can be rude sometimes but overall he is dedicated to Zoey and the Mew Mew project."
Keiichiro Akasaka - Wesley J. Coolridge
4Kids Character Bio: "Wesley is the other team leader for the Mew Mew project. He is 17 and is much more refined with the girls. Wesley is a true gentleman who is kind and always impresses the Mew Mews. He has excellent taste and etiquette."
Masha - Mini Mew
4Kids Character Bio: "Mini Mew is a Model R2000 computer who can detect Predasites. He warns the Mew Mews when danger is near. He is pink and fluffy."
Masaya Aoyama - Mark
4Kids Character Bio: "Mark is 16 and one of the most popular boys in school. He is a total jock and champion of the Kendo team. Zoey has a thing for him and it seems that he feels the same way."
Deep Blue - Deep Blue
4Kids Character Bio: "Deep Blue is a mysterious leader who guides the Cyniclons in their quest to take over earth."
Kish - Cyniclons Dren
4Kids Character Bio: "He is evil and conniving and always trying to defeat the Mew Mews. Only problem is that he has a crush on Zoey!"
Pie - Cyniclons Sardon
4Kids Character Bio: "He is the oldest, most reserved member of the Cyniclons. Sardon is a deep thinker who specializes in data analysis and strategy."
Tart - Cyniclons Tarb
4Kids Character Bio: "He is the youngest and loudest member of the Cyniclons. Tarb specializes in Plant Predasites."
***Character Bios Were Archived on this Toonzone.net thread ---> Source
PLOT SUMMARY
The series follows the adventures of five girls whose DNA becomes infused with the DNA of an animal. With the power to transform, the girls can protect Earth from a group of Aliens who attempt to invade the planet.
(Original Japanese Name - English Dub Name)
Ichigo Momiya - Zoey Hanson
4Kids Character Bio: "... The leader of the Mew Mew team. She is a typical high school student who has a major crush on Mark, the school jock. After a strange incident, she learns she has been merged with the DNA of a rare Wild Mountain cat and has amazing new powers. It's her job to find the other members of the team."
Mint Aizawa - Corina Bucksworth
4Kids Character Bio: "Corina is a rich kid who has a bit of an attitude. She has an older brother named Sergio who she was once close with, but now doesn't have such a great relationship. She is interested in the arts and ballet. She is the second member of the Mew Mew team and has the DNA of a rare Blue Lorikeet."
Lettuce Midorikawa - Bridget Vedant
4Kids Character Bio: "Bridget is a shy girl who goes to Excalibur High, the other school in town. She lacks self-confidence, but is always supportive of others. She loves to cook. Bridget sometimes crushes on different boys but learns it is ok if they don't like her back."
Pudding Fong - Kikki Benjamin
4Kids Character Bio: "Kikki is the comedian of the group and she loves to perform for crowds on the street. She uses the money she makes to help support her family. Kikki is part Tamarind Lion Monkey. She is the youngest member of the Mew Mew team but that doesn't stop her from being the loudest!"
Zakuro Fujiwara - Renee Roberts
4Kids Character Bio: "Renee is a teenage super-model and pop star. She is very worldly and knows five different languages. She is very cool and street-smart. Renee has been infused with the DNA of a rare Gray Wolf."
Ryou Shirogane - Elliott Grant
4Kids Character Bio: "Elliott is one of the Mew Mew Project team leaders. He is 16 and a little rough around the edges. He can be rude sometimes but overall he is dedicated to Zoey and the Mew Mew project."
Keiichiro Akasaka - Wesley J. Coolridge
4Kids Character Bio: "Wesley is the other team leader for the Mew Mew project. He is 17 and is much more refined with the girls. Wesley is a true gentleman who is kind and always impresses the Mew Mews. He has excellent taste and etiquette."
Masha - Mini Mew
4Kids Character Bio: "Mini Mew is a Model R2000 computer who can detect Predasites. He warns the Mew Mews when danger is near. He is pink and fluffy."
Masaya Aoyama - Mark
4Kids Character Bio: "Mark is 16 and one of the most popular boys in school. He is a total jock and champion of the Kendo team. Zoey has a thing for him and it seems that he feels the same way."
Deep Blue - Deep Blue
4Kids Character Bio: "Deep Blue is a mysterious leader who guides the Cyniclons in their quest to take over earth."
Kish - Cyniclons Dren
4Kids Character Bio: "He is evil and conniving and always trying to defeat the Mew Mews. Only problem is that he has a crush on Zoey!"
Pie - Cyniclons Sardon
4Kids Character Bio: "He is the oldest, most reserved member of the Cyniclons. Sardon is a deep thinker who specializes in data analysis and strategy."
Tart - Cyniclons Tarb
4Kids Character Bio: "He is the youngest and loudest member of the Cyniclons. Tarb specializes in Plant Predasites."
***Character Bios Were Archived on this Toonzone.net thread ---> Source
PLOT SUMMARY
The series follows the adventures of five girls whose DNA becomes infused with the DNA of an animal. With the power to transform, the girls can protect Earth from a group of Aliens who attempt to invade the planet.
Episodes
**Note: For an unknown reason, 4Kids chose to air Episode 12 ("The Main Mew's Muse") as the first episode. The following week, Episode 1 was shown, then Episode 2, etc.
**Note2: The following episode list is based off of the titles 4Kids themselves gave to the series. The translated Japanese titles are different from these.
SEASON ONE
2 - Episode 01: The Mew Kid in Town
3 - Episode 02: Mew Two
4 - Episode 03: Pooltergeist
5 - Episode 04: The Lion Thing
6 - Episode 05: Gymewstics
7 - Episode 06: Party 'Til You Mew
8 - Episode 07: Monkey See, Monkey Mew
9 - Episode 08: Spa Blahs!
10 - Episode 09: Do Mew Want to Dance?
11 - Episode 10: Hollywood Mew Mew
12 - Episode 11: The Taming of the Mew
1 - Episode 12: The Main Mew's Muse
13 - Episode 13: Slime and Slime Again
14 - Episode 14: Butterflies Are Freaky
15 - Episode 15: The Hero Lies in Mew
16 - Episode 16: Books Of Love
17 - Episode 17: A Knight to Remember
18 - Episode 18: My Knight In Blue Armor
19 - Episode 19: A Girl With A Porpoise
20 - Episode 20: Daughter Of The Year
21 - Episode 21: One Flew Out Of The Mew Mew's Nest
22 - Episode 22: Buggin'
23 - Episode 23: I've Got A Crush On Mew
24 - Episode 24: Diamonds Are A Girl's Worst Enemy
25 - Episode 25: The Hunt For Blue Aqua
26 - Episode 26: Coo Coo Cocoon
**Note2: The following episode list is based off of the titles 4Kids themselves gave to the series. The translated Japanese titles are different from these.
SEASON ONE
2 - Episode 01: The Mew Kid in Town
3 - Episode 02: Mew Two
4 - Episode 03: Pooltergeist
5 - Episode 04: The Lion Thing
6 - Episode 05: Gymewstics
7 - Episode 06: Party 'Til You Mew
8 - Episode 07: Monkey See, Monkey Mew
9 - Episode 08: Spa Blahs!
10 - Episode 09: Do Mew Want to Dance?
11 - Episode 10: Hollywood Mew Mew
12 - Episode 11: The Taming of the Mew
1 - Episode 12: The Main Mew's Muse
13 - Episode 13: Slime and Slime Again
14 - Episode 14: Butterflies Are Freaky
15 - Episode 15: The Hero Lies in Mew
16 - Episode 16: Books Of Love
17 - Episode 17: A Knight to Remember
18 - Episode 18: My Knight In Blue Armor
19 - Episode 19: A Girl With A Porpoise
20 - Episode 20: Daughter Of The Year
21 - Episode 21: One Flew Out Of The Mew Mew's Nest
22 - Episode 22: Buggin'
23 - Episode 23: I've Got A Crush On Mew
24 - Episode 24: Diamonds Are A Girl's Worst Enemy
25 - Episode 25: The Hunt For Blue Aqua
26 - Episode 26: Coo Coo Cocoon
Ratings and Reception
RATINGS
"The Hero Lies In Mew," which was 15th episode of the first season and aired on September 17, 2005, was the highest rated original show on 4Kids TV. The episode garnered a 1.7/9 (rating/share) and beat its ABC Kids competition. (Source)
"Daughter of the Year" - October 22, 2005 - 1.2/6 (Source)
"One Flew Out Of The Mew Mew's Nest" - October 29, 2005 - 1.7 (Source)
"Coo Coo Cocoon" - November 12, 2005 - 1.7 (Source)
** All ratings are for the Kids 6-11 demo.
RECEPTION
- Fan Campaign: Fans who were not happy with the dub of the anime, launched hollywoodmewmew.com, a fan site created to convince 4Kids to release an uncut version of the show for American fans.
- Not Disappointing But...: Fans were not as disappointed as they thought they would be after watching previews of the show. Still, the "Americanization" of the show prompted the creation of The Mew Mew Alliance, a fan site created to convince 4Kids to release multi-language, un-edited versions of the show on DVD.
"The Hero Lies In Mew," which was 15th episode of the first season and aired on September 17, 2005, was the highest rated original show on 4Kids TV. The episode garnered a 1.7/9 (rating/share) and beat its ABC Kids competition. (Source)
"Daughter of the Year" - October 22, 2005 - 1.2/6 (Source)
"One Flew Out Of The Mew Mew's Nest" - October 29, 2005 - 1.7 (Source)
"Coo Coo Cocoon" - November 12, 2005 - 1.7 (Source)
** All ratings are for the Kids 6-11 demo.
RECEPTION
- Fan Campaign: Fans who were not happy with the dub of the anime, launched hollywoodmewmew.com, a fan site created to convince 4Kids to release an uncut version of the show for American fans.
- Not Disappointing But...: Fans were not as disappointed as they thought they would be after watching previews of the show. Still, the "Americanization" of the show prompted the creation of The Mew Mew Alliance, a fan site created to convince 4Kids to release multi-language, un-edited versions of the show on DVD.
Cancellation (End of the Dub)
The dubbed version of the show was cancelled due to 4Kids being unable to buy the remaining 26 episodes. (Source)
4Kids Editing
The show received criticism by fans for the edits made by 4Kids. The following videos showcase some of the edits done by 4Kids, which included:
- censoring of minor nudity
- removal of Japanese text
- re-arranging episodes
- changing plots
Press Releases
According to an an Animation World Network (AWN) article about the 2004 tv season, 4Kids Entertainment has licensed Tokyo Mew Mew and will be airing the show during the Fox Box programming block on Fox. North American children will, however, not be introduced to Tokyo Mew Mew, but rather Hollywood Mew Mew. Regarding the process of localization, 4Kids CEO Al Kahn stated, "By the time we localize the programs kids don't even know they're from Japan any more." The statement was exclusively in reference to children's programming, Kahn stated that he felt that labels such as "Anime" are for adults and mean nothing to children.
According to Kahn, Tokyo Mew Mew, along with another show called Winx Club, is an attempt to attract a more female demographic to Fox Box. “Most people seem to have taken a boys' action, or a neuter position. It's obvious our business is not only entertainment but merchandising as well, and we think there's a real void in what's available for girls. It's an area where there's a lack of product in the U.S. We're going to be adding a couple of those types of shows to the FOX BOX in 04.” He explains that Tokyo Mew Mew is meant to attract viewers of both sexes by providing girls with empowered female heroines and, at the same time, entertaining boys with "cute babes" and lots of action. Although it is aimed at a significantly older demographic, Kahn points to Xena as an example of a show that attracts both men and women.
AWN also asked Kahn if, with his company's goal of attracting a larger audience of girls, he will also look to gain an older audinece by importing "more challenging" titles aimed at an older demographic. While not stating that 4Kids will import titles aimed at an older demographic, he did forecast that such titles would become available in the appropriate timeslots and he stated that 4Kids is looking to "expand our programming opportunities in order to do different things at different times.”
The entire 10-page article, 2003 TV Wrap-Up, What's in Store for 2004, can be read here.