Harbor Light Monogatari Fashion Lala yori

Single OVA, debut in 1988

Fashion Lala was a short OVA produced by Studio Pierrot in the 80s. Supposedly it didn't do as well as expected and the project wasn't taken up again until the 90s when the story was completely redone as an entirely different TV series titled Fancy Lala. In fact, the only elements that were kept was to keep the name Miho for the protagonist and to make the helpful fairies little dinosaurs. After seeing both, I'd say they both have their charm and are worth watching.

Fashion Lala is another Cinderella retelling, this time set in a small town in the 1980s. I get the feeling though it's not Japan, but somewhere in perhaps England or the US. The story opens with an 80s style dance number, complete with sexy silhouettes and laser lights. This is the 80s dream for kids and teens, dancing and freedom to be themselves. With the opening finished, we are introduced to Miho, our protagonist, a little girl who lives with her aunt and three cousins who run a dress boutique. Either from job stress or a just plain bad attitude about being stuck raising Miho after her father left, she isn't nice to the little girl at all and hardly has time for her. She's excited though because there is going to be a dance contest for the Disco Dance Queen (in place of the traditional Cinderella ball). And while Miho herself is too young to enter (contestants must be 15) her dream is that one of the dresses she designs will enter (she's an aspiring designer herself). Everyone's gearing up for the big event of course; everyone but the mayor's son, a rebel named Kid who's against his father's use of politics and the fact his father probably rigged the event. We learn the mayor has a mistress who is going to be entering the contest the mayor himself is sponsoring (our twist on the prince who doesn't like the idea of the ball). So while Miho has her big dreams, Kid plots to wreak the event utterly. The two have a few chance meetings, notably you get the impression Kid is charmed by Miho's sincere belief in her dreams and honesty and innocence. Kid of course is older and seen too much by being on the streets and has serious issues with authority. But somehow a mutual understanding and friendship is between them. She tells him at one point she earnestly believes a "goddess of dreams" will show up at the contest, something he can't imagine happening in their town.

While Miho's aunt scoffs at her designs and is working on dresses for the girls in town for the big night and for her own daughters, the kindest daughter, Shuri, comes to Miho in secret and asks her to design her dress. Miho gratefully accepts and works her hardest to design a fine dress. When the night is arrived, she comes home to find Shuri in tears and to learn her aunt has cut the dress and ripped it to shreds once learning of it (the ruination of Cinderella's gown before the ball). Shuri of course will still wear the dress her mother designed for her, we assume. But the dress and all her work and design embodied her dreams she wanted to take to the dance and see shine.

Earlier in the movie, Miho had found a dusty book, but thought nothing of it. Now the two fairies (her fairy godmother in essence) on the cover, seeing her cry, feel sorry for the kind girl and decide to help her. They transform her into Fashion Lala for one night. She becomes a blond beauty of 15, wearing a beautiful gown Miho herself sketched. The magic will last only for one night they tell her. With this, she's sent to the dance (which by now has been ruined by Kid and his gang of bikers). But Lala takes the stage and sings and dances with great feeling. During her number, Lala magically changes into different outfits, all of which were designed by Miho. For her this is her dream, simply to be at the dance in what she's created. For Kid, Lala upon the stage, embodies a "goddess of dreams." Someone who did find what they wanted, purely, and has no impure intentions coming from their heart.

The story ends with Miho waking the next morning and her father arriving home (probably a serviceman) for her.