Suddenly Princess is a bizarre, gorgeous little 90s OVA about a magical princess obsessed with pudding and her motley crew of friends as they adventure through the intriguing world they inhabit. It's one of those titles that goes to show that anime as a medium is littered with countless little gems that go completely unnoticed, nearly forgotten by time and certainly forgotten by the majority of modern audiences. Beginning with the story, it's a charming setup where a quirky, high-energy magical girl princess gets accidentally transported across the continent, and her and her friends have to find their way backby foot, encountering mysterious strangers and enigmatic towns, helping out with their various problems along the way, often by accident. These episodes are largely self-contained, and exist as their own adventures in the vague context of heading back home. I love this format, as it allows the rich worldbuilding to really shine as a main event all its own. The comedy is generally pretty funny, but some of the jokes occasionally fail to exactly land in quite the right way. Meanwhile, I must emphasize here, above all, that while the world of Suddenly Princess could have definitely been treated as an afterthought, it absolutely wasn't. It is genuinely rich and interesting, feeling like a uniquely creative world all its own that really makes you want to explore all it has got to offer. It doesn't feel shallow, or like a justification for the story at hand, but rather like it exists on its own, enveloping the journey within, which is broadly lighthearted, silly, and comedic.

This brings me to the art, which is the strongest aspect of Suddenly Princess. The world is lavishly detailed, from the masterful character designs, to the extravagantly colored backgrounds, to the architecture in every settled area. It elevates what should be a throwaway slapstick comedy to an honestly breathtaking snapshot of 90s anime and the aesthetics that entails.

The sound generally meets all basic standards for the time, further bolstered by a fun and upbeat OST.

The characters are fun, and while not exactly groundbreaking they are more than simple archetypes, fulfilling their role in the story and its comedy flawlessly. Of them, my favorites have got to be our main heroine the princess Lapis, and her sworn enemy Topaz. Lapis is the perfect main character for this kind of anime, and manages to be a strong driving force for much of the comedy within it, while Topaz is her perfect villain, goofy in her own right while managing to contrast Lapis in such a way that a solid amount of all the comedy that does take place within Suddenly Princess is generated by their ridiculous rivalry. Overall, Suddenly Princess is a fun 90s comedy romp, while also being a fantastic study into 90s fantasy anime and the art that entails. When coupled with its brevity, which I feel is perfect for this anime and essential to preserving its punch, this is a title which is easy for me to recommend.