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1As great a work as that is, fantasy doesn't begin and end with ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. In UrbanFantasy, mythical creatures and magical beings walk the streets of major cities, towns and suburbs, and mythical quests and legendary battles are fought not in far-off lands of myth, legend and lore, but in the world that exists outside the reader's window. It's a fascinating and fun genre, and this page is designed to give you some pointers in how you can contribute to it.
2
3Of course, check out [[SoYouWantTo/WriteAStory So You Want To Write A Story]] for all-purpose advice.
4
5----
6!'''Necessary Tropes'''
7
8* Firstly, you'll want some {{Fantasy}}. MagicAndPowers is a good place to start, and you should also check out OurMonstersAreDifferent. The term "Fantasy" is so broad that you might want to concentrate on what you're ''not'' including as much as what you are. Keep in mind that even in Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer, one of the most influential works of this genre, they didn't have {{leprechaun}}s. Do you really want to do a FantasyKitchenSink? If that sounds like too many balls to keep in the air, cut down on the magic. Alternatively, a good approach might be to build up how [[MagicAIsMagicA The Rules]] work one step at a time. So your main character is a [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Vampire]]? Okay! So is this series vampire-specific or are there also, say, [[OurGhostsAreDifferent ghosts]]?
9
10* Next, obviously, the Urban setting. The term "UrbanFantasy" might imply that the story is set in the PresentDay, or perhaps TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture, but there's no reason you shouldn't shake it up and set your story in VictorianLondon or even TheFuture. Not to mention the obvious: your story could be set in any city in the world, or you could even invent your own. If a whole city seems tough, maybe focus on one establishment, such as a high school, hospital, office block, airport, fire station, church...
11
12!'''Choices, Choices'''
13
14There's a lot to think about, but here are some questions you should think about the answers to.
15* Are the supernatural elements of the story being kept behind a {{Masquerade}} or is it common knowledge?
16** If there is a Masquerade, why is the supernatural being treated this way? Is it because TheWorldIsNotReady or just that those who have encountered monsters, witches or fairies just don't think that the authorities would believe them?
17** If there's no {{Masquerade}}, how does magic affect the world? What is the divide between the {{Muggles}} and the witchs?
18
19* What is the tone of the series? Where does it fit on the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism? You can get away with [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools leaning on a few plot elements or character types]] that may seem a little familiar to the reader if you show them in a new light. Are [[BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil good and evil]] distinct forces in your story? Are the characters fighting for a cause, or for themselves?
20
21* How do the supernatural elements of the story affect the characters? Do members of the witchs embrace their powers as part of their identities, or do they [[IJustWantToBeNormal view them as a burden]]? If the world where the story is set is filled to the brim with magic and wonder, how do other {{Muggles}} feel? Are curses and hexes more common than healing magic and lost treasures? How are the relationships of the characters altered by the fantastic? Can a romantic relationship be sustained if one of the partners is turned into a cat, for example?
22
23* Just how much magic are you working in, anyway? Don't make the mistake of thinking that a well thought out, believable setting can only be a FantasyKitchenSink. Increase the Urban and tone down the Fantasy, if you want: you can do great things by having just one or two supernatural elements (or several relatively low-powered ones) and then taking advantage of the ButterflyEffect. It's not about the size of your idea, it's what you do with it, and that your book really explores the main conceit with a lot of depth. There's a story where the only supernatural part was that some characters could [[{{Telepathy}} read minds]], but it worked very well, and was one of the best explored worlds ever written.
24
25* Where does your magic come from? Gods? The Earth? Maybe the mage uses their own life force? Even if it is magic, it has to come from ''somewhere'', and where shapes the use and limits. For example, magic from Gods tends to be dependant on the god granting the request, and can be ridiculously powerful, while spells that draw from the mage's life force are limited in scope if you don't want to end up hurting yourself in the process. You can have magic come from multiple sources, but remember you have to stick to the rules you set down for each type.
26
27
28!'''Pitfalls'''
29
30* Don't use big magic as an excuse for small plots. If you want to work in seven different species of [[OurElvesAreDifferent elf]], that's fine. It doesn't mean your story sucks at all, it just means that, apparently, you really love elves. But please don't just throw in a new species of elf because the Wood Elves are getting boring and you need someone to give your protagonist [[PlotCoupon The Shadow Ruby]] so hey, how about some Shadow Elves, too? If it's that boring to write about the Wood Elves to begin with, then they're probably not much fun to read about either, and if you're only adding the Shadow Elves for the sake of novelty then they'll probably be {{flat character}}s who aren't believable.
31
32* Remember that MagicAIsMagicA and stick to the rules that you set yourself. If you write a story where werewolves are allergic to tomatoes, for example, and PluckyGirl [[MeaningfulName Luna Q. Furfang]] is presented with pasta bolognese by her hunky chef boyfriend, then it's a problem for her to eat it anyway with some rubbish excuse like "the moon isn't full tonight" that isn't going to apply next time she's faced with tomatoes. Maybe she only picks at un-sauced bits of pasta around the edge, and her apparent fussy eating becomes a point of contention in their relationship. Perhaps she's wanted to tell him the truth about her secretly being a werewolf for quite some time now, and this provides her with an excuse to do so. It's a pretty weak excuse, but is that the kind of character she is? If you've already specified that the BigBad can only be killed by exposing it to strawberry jam, but the character with the power of conjuring jam already gave up their powers, don't just {{Handwave}} them back. You could have the FiveManBand forced to cook up massive vats of strawberry jam in order to save the world. There's always a more inventive and interesting way to end something than just [[DeusExMachina giving up]] and declaring AWizardDidIt.[[note]]And now I'm hungry.[[/note]]
33
34* Throwing magic into the mix sometimes has the effect of turning everyone Good or Evil. No RealLife war or conflict had [[BlackAndWhiteMorality one side was unequivocably good and the other was utterly, irredeemably evil]]. Why would magical conflict be any different? Having an [[AlwaysChaoticEvil entire species of evil bastards]] as some kind of DesignatedVillain crew is a cheap way of securing a non-stop supply of enemies for your protagonists to fight, but will your audience really care when one of them is defeated? If WhiteMagic and BlackMagic have the effects of ''turning'' their users good or evil respectively, why don't more people know about these side effects and avoid the evil? Is it because it's more powerful, has wider applications, or [[ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil is addictive]]? Is it simple ignorance, cynical disbelief of "old wives' tales" warning of the effects, or deliberate misinformation being spread by someone for their own purposes? Or do ''both'' forms of magic have consequences? White magic turning the user into a KnightTemplar is a popular choice.
35
36* Remember that [[OurMonstersAreDifferent Your Monsters Can Be Different]]. Then again, it's extremely difficult to reinvent the [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]] or the [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent werewolf]] or some other classic monster, and inventing your own creatures can lack the archetypal significance of something more familiar, like, say, a [[OurZombiesAreDifferent zombie]]. The best approach is probably to look at what you need the monster to do, and add or take away weaknesses, strengths and other traits that we associate with those monsters to make them your own, based around where you want the plot to go. If you want your vampire to be a devout Christian, there's nothing stopping you from discarding the rule about them hating crucifixes. If you're writing a romance story and your werewolf has a silver wedding ring, you could drop the stuff as their KryptoniteFactor. If your protagonists are trying to escape a horde of evil [[OurGoblinsAreDifferent goblins]] and their regular meeting place is a coffee house, maybe the goblins could be [[WeaksauceWeakness allergic to coffee]]? Another option is to [[StarfishAliens defy the standards]] and create a [[EldritchAbomination creature beyond comprehension, laws and physics]], if we understand the nature of the creatures, we do not fear them, but if we don't, the long-lasting sheer horrors can be invoked by how ''wrong'' they are.
37
38* Avoid making magical powers limitless. Magic, to work as a plot element, requires [[MagicAIsMagicA rules]], and it requires [[EquivalentExchange limits]] - there should be some things that your characters, even with magic, should not be able to do, or are only able to do with [[ShootTheDog great difficulty]] and [[HeroicSacrifice extreme sacrifice]] on their part. Limitless magic tends to lead to DeusExMachina or literal HandWave resolutions where everything that has gone wrong can be undone with a flick of the wrist - readers tend to find that [[InvincibleHero boring and a bit of a simplistic cheat]].
39** If magic or the supernatural cannot be defeated by non-magical means, or can only be defeated with magic, you need to explain why your wizards or other beings haven't taken over the setting.
40** For more extensive thoughts on this, we highly recommend checking out episodes [[http://www.writingexcuses.com/podpress_trac/web/25/0/Writing_Excuses_Episode14.mp3 14]] and [[http://www.writingexcuses.com/podpress_trac/web/26/0/Writing_Excuses_Episode15.mp3 15]] of the ''Podcast/WritingExcuses'' podcast, which discuss in depth the use of magic as a plot device.
41
42* If you're giving your main characters any kind of supernatural powers, then you may find it interesting to explore how they may be CursedWithAwesome or BlessedWithSuck. Whilst this can present an interesting opportunity to explore how magical powers would work and what effects they would have on those possessing them in a "realistic" context, try to avoid making it an overly-convenient crutch for angst, and maintain a balance between the awesomeness of the abilities and the suckiness of the consequences of possessing them. Most fantasy is sometimes WishFulfillment - many readers will approach your text wishing that they could do the things that your characters can do, and if you have constructed a situation where your character possesses amazing and enviable skills and abilities with few negative drawbacks, and yet spends [[{{Wangst}} all their time whining about them]], this will risk irritating your reader. In a similar vein, {{Wangst}}y immortals (including vampires) are dime-a-dozen - just check out WhoWantsToLiveForever - and there's a bit of a 'been there, done that' feeling to them; [[LivingForeverIsAWesome try and focus on the positives as well]], or at least make them stick out.
43
44* Explain where your [[OurMonstersAreDifferent monsters]] come from. Despite many Urban Fantasies being filled with [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampires]], [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]], [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent werewolves]], and more, few stories makes an attempt to explain where these creatures come from. They just pop out fully formed like Athena from Zeus' head. Since Urban Fantasies are supposed to take place in the real world, you need to explain how your creatures fit into evolution and natural history. Not only does this make your creatures seem more realistic, but it provides excellent opportunity for plot growth. Are vampires souped up bats using magic to disguise themselves as human? [[TheVirus Are they just humans infected with a symbiotic microorganism?]] Or is the mortal theory of evolution flawed or completely wrong? If you want to do some InterspeciesRomance (wolf demon+human=instant werewolf) you need to do some serious [[JustifiedTrope justification]] to make it work. How about one of your characters is involved with FantasticScience and can explain how the supernatural-gene thing works?
45
46
47!'''[[PlayingWithATrope Potential Ways to Play]]'''
48
49* Supernatural plot elements are often used as a [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotSymbolic metaphor for something more mundane]]. The plot of the original ''Literature/{{Frankenstein}}'' novel can be seen as a metaphor for childbirth - isn't the idea of creating something evil a terrifying prospect? ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' was originally based upon the idea that HighSchool is hellish, by filling Sunnydale High with ''real'' demons that themselves often represented fears such as peer pressure and relationships. Be creative, this is a very flexible way of enriching your story. Don't make it too {{Anvilicious}}, and keep in mind that GenreSavvy readers will recognize what you're doing.
50
51* A lot of urban fantasy focuses on the TrueCompanions, such as ''Buffy'' and ''ComicBook/{{Hellboy}}''; ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' and ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'' focus on families. The characterization is often a much-loved feature about this sort of show, as the {{Masquerade}} tends to force the few who are in the know about the world's magical secrets in together. Perhaps your story could explore working relationships that are magically influenced, such as a hospital or veterinary practice for magical beings, a secret post office for magical messages, a special branch of the army for those with PsychicPowers or a sanitarium for werewolves? Or perhaps you can play with this expectation... the group is [[TeethClenchedTeamwork not made up of True Companions]], or even [[EnemyMine enemies forced to work together to survive]].
52
53* What about using magic for crime? What potions would you brew if you wanted to rob a bank? Could an [[SuccubiAndIncubi incubus]] walk into a shop and [[CharmPerson charm]] the girl at the checkout into giving over all the money in the till? If you could see the future, would you become addicted to gambling, or avoid it as boringly predictable? Do vampires show up on security cameras?
54
55* Consider turning the story around, and telling it from the perspective of a [[{{Muggle}} character who can't use or completely understand magic]] observing another character who can use it very well, thank you. The story can degenerate into a sort of "find the Kryptonite" sequence, while the non-magic-using heroes try to figure out what the evil magic-user cannot do, but it can be a useful visualization and writing exercise.
56
57* While it's tempting to [[MagicVersusScience pit magic and science against each other]], you can do more to pull readers (who, by and large, come from a background where they know at least a little bit about science, as opposed to almost nothing at all about magic) into the story by using one to influence the other. For example, one of the Dresden Files novels has Harry casting a very large, classic fireball spell, but incorporating the laws of thermodynamics to produce a sheet of nearly frictionless ice as a side-effect of the fireball spell.
58
59* Magic also doesn't have to be all dusty tomes, Latin spells and arcane rituals. Consider PostModernMagik - how might modern technologies and practices be incorporated into magic and fantasy? The hideous monster might have been immune to all weapons that existed hundreds of years ago, but does that mean it's ImmuneToBullets? Perhaps the dark rituals needed to summon the Elder Gods from their ancient tomb might be found on Google? Do the vampires wear stakeproof torso armor? Do vampire hunters wear neck protectors?
60
61* Start with a garden variety ChangelingFantasy then subvert it. The protagonist's real family/species may be not too nice, and instead the protagonist considers their MuggleFosterParents to be their "true" family, and treats their foster parents and siblings as anyone would their own family. Perhaps even taking it upon themselves to defend them from the various [[OurMonstersAreDifferent supernasties]], {{Mooks}}, and [[BigBad Big Bads]] that inhabit the universe. Bonus points if the protagonist has a [[SuperPoweredEvilSide Super Powered Evil Side persona]] that results from their [[EnemyWithin family or species' heritage]], or if the protagonist was whisked away from their biological parents because they are [[AntiAntiChrist the harbringer of doom]].
62
63* Consider even the setting. Particularly in works set in the modern day, many creators set their works in major urban centres like New York, Paris, London, Sydney, etc; the obvious advantage here is that these are immensely large, influential and powerful urban centres with large areas and populations (convenient for mystical creatures to hide in plain sight) and which, owing to cultural and social prominence, are easily recogniseable and iconic. However, for ironic value you could consider setting your story in a city or locale that the reader might not expect, [[AliensInCardiff particularly if it is a smaller city or one with a less glamourous or more mundane reputation]]. This is especially effective if you live in a smaller place like this and can draw effectively on local landmarks and areas -- think about the world outside ''your'' window as well.
64
65* Take a city, remove the peaceful, cosmopolitan, globalized aspects (with [=McDonald=]'s and Internet), and put your city into the aftermath of a war, global crisis or a similar event. What would happen if your protagonists had to cope not just with vampires and fairies, but also had to cope with the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the London Blitz, the Siege of Leningrad, the Los Angeles Riots or something similar going on at the same time?
66
67* Typically, it's [[FurAgainstFang vampires and werewolves]] as the typical protagonists and antagonists, and they're more or less relegated to being royalty. How about having an [[OurOgresAreDifferent Ogre (or even an Oni)]] who [[SelfMadeMan worked his way to the top and now runs a globally famous company]] while having to juggle on his FamilyVersusCareer, with a son (or a [[ChasteToons younger brother who's kind of like one]]) who's always asking "WhenYouComingHomeDad"?
68
69----
70!'''Writers' Lounge'''
71
72!!'''Suggested Themes, Plots, and Aesops'''
73
74* When the story focuses on magic that the protagonists of your story can use, [[MagicAIsMagicA the magic must have rules]]. Maybe the magical process requires a lot of concentration (on the order of running PERL code in your head), maybe it requires them to injure themselves or otherwise sacrifice something to power it. Your best bet is to use magic as a symbol for a form of power (money, influence, knowledge, etc.) that you understand, then use the rules for that kind of power to shape how magic works. For example, magical energy might be gathered in particular ways (like earning money on a job) and can be stolen if the holder isn't careful; how would a magical "stock market" or "bank" work?
75
76* If there is no {{Masquerade}} and magic is out in the open, think about the kind of effects magic would have on established society, including law enforcement, art, [[{{Magitek}} technology]], and culture overall. Would magical proficiency be a common skill, something to be envied, or the profession of the elite. Or perhaps you'd explore the effects magic would have on society the way ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'' explores the effects [[SuperHero superheroes]] would have on society. Milieu is very important in all kinds of fantasy and science fiction; society is an important part of milieu.
77
78* Try mixing fantasy elements with aspects of urban culture. Creator/EmmaBull was the first to combine elves with rock bands and now we have the ElvishPresley trope. How about having different werewolf clans opening salons for different hairstyles? Or telepaths having their own mental social network, with a "close friends" feature whose deeper thoughts and memories they can access? Would ghosts have fashion trends for possessing people, complete with a continually-changing "hot or not" list? Are there fancy designer wands for witches and wizards? What about [[TheFairFolk fairies]] who run night clubs that allow their guests to fly while dancing via pixie dust (you could even write that as a metaphor for party drugs, if you so wish)?
79
80
81!!'''Potential Motifs'''
82
83* For some reason, series of this genre love their ArcWords.
84
85
86----
87!'''Departments'''
88
89!!'''Set Designer / Location Scout'''
90
91* [[TheCity Cities]], obviously, it's there in the title. But is it a CityNoir or a QuirkyTown? Is it a major urban centre like UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, UsefulNotes/{{Paris}} or UsefulNotes/{{London}}, [[AliensInCardiff or a smaller city or township]]?
92
93* Consider also the ways in which societies are linked -- roads and highways, with big rigs, bikers and hitchhikers, offer a nice way to create a link between the modern urban environment (with it's many forms of mass communication and mass-transit), and the wild, fantastical, mysterious spaces where a lot of the beings that inhabit fantasy novels might dwell. The GhibliHills might also offer potential for a contrast between the typically rural settings of fantasy and the rapidly encroaching spread of modernity and urban sprawl, but be careful with this one -- the name "Urban Fantasy" suggests, if not demands, at least some kind of connection to a fairly large urban environment.
94
95* Also, consider the historical era. The genre lends itself to almost any time period in which humanity had cities, though the most common examples to date have focused on the turn of the 20th (steampunk) or 21st centuries. The Shadowrun franchise is set in the (relatively) near future, and the "7th Sea" CCG/tabletop RPG setting is lifted from most of the 17th century. Do some research, with particular emphasis on periods where society changed significantly, such as the shift from the Republic of Rome to the Empire, or the American Revolution.
96
97
98!!'''Props Department'''
99
100Expect to find a lot of modernised updates of traditional magical iconography. Think vacuum cleaners instead of broomsticks to fly through the air; mobile phones that have cameras can be used to identify vampires (who won't show up in the picture); potions can be carried around in hipflasks.
101
102Incorporating magic into modern technology (such as [[DepletedPhlebotinumShells forging "cold iron" into bullets]] against [[TheFairFolk Fae]] opponents) is very much a hit-or-miss proposition, as there is more involved than just physics. Symbolism can either boost or hinder the effects. Ray Bradbury in ''Literature/SomethingWickedThisWayComes'' had one human character kill a supernatural being by carving a sort of crescent shape into a wax bullet. The bullet itself evaporated upon being fired, but the target still died because the human ''[[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve believed]]'' that the crescent-shape was his smile, a symbol of happiness, wielded against a creature of misery. By contrast, some of the werewolves in the ''Dresden Files'' book "Fool Moon" were only vulnerable to ''inherited'' silver; thus, wandering down to the local photography supply store to pick up a gallon of silver nitrate solution wouldn't work.
103
104!!'''Costume Designer'''
105
106For some reason, the popular image of urban magic-users incorporates BadassLongcoat fairly often. The subtle touch works nicely, such as a single item of jewelry (usually silver) to display a pentagram or other magical symbol. Depending on how certain the character is in their power, they may go so far as to include other "classic" fantasy elements into their outfit, such as pointed hats or odd neckware.
107
108!!'''Stunt Department'''
109
110----
111!'''Extra Credit'''
112
113* Urban Fantasy and Horror author Charles Phipps talks about ''[[http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/2012/06/why-i-like-urban-fantasy.html Why I Like To Write Urban Fantasy]]'' a bit here at the Blog/TheUnitedFederationOfCharles.
114
115!!'''The Greats'''
116
117[[AC: Anime and Manga]]
118* The entire ''{{Franchise/Nasuverse}}''.
119* The works of Creator/NaritaRyohgo are great examples of Urban Fantasy where only few fantasy elements are involved in the main stories. ''Baccano!'' mixes 1920s Prohibition Era with Italian mafia and immortality-via-alchemy, while one of the main cast of ''Durarara!!'' hails from Celtic mythology.
120* Almost any of the classic MagicalGirl series fits this as well. Especially ''Franchise/SailorMoon'', ''Anime/MagicalPrincessMinkyMomo'', and the Creator/StudioPierrot magical girls of the 1980s.
121
122[[AC: Comic Books]]
123* ''ComicBook/{{Hellboy}}''
124* ''ComicBook/{{Preacher}}''
125* The shortlived Creator/MarvelComics series ''Nightside'', with [[http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/nsothers.htm The Others]], several races of [[OurMonstersAreDifferent different monsters]] living the {{Masquerade}} and organized like [[TheMafia crime families]].
126* ''ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}}'' is a DC Comics series about exorcist and OccultDetective [[BlueCollarWarlock John Constantine]] set in Thatcher's Britain, which takes heavy ideological and aesthetic inspiration from the British punk movement; it does a great job of blending spooky traditional occultism with 20th century politics, [[PostModernMagic technology]] and sensibilities.
127* ''The Coffee Achievers'' is an Urban Fantasy webcomic by Mitch Clem of ''Webcomic/NothingNiceToSay''. It includes cool details such as a mixtape that allows the listener to fly.
128* ''ComicBook/{{Phonogram}}'' is an Urban Fantasy about a coven of magicians who draw power from their love of pop music, with the more obscure music granting them more power (yes, they're also a bunch of insufferable music snobs as well).
129
130[[AC: Literature]]
131* Some parts of ''Literature/HarryPotter'', mostly the bits set in London.
132** It's common for more plot-heavy {{fanfic}} to play up the UrbanFantasy elements of the setting, but [[SturgeonsLaw caveat lector]].
133* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles''
134* The ''Literature/{{Ambergris}}'' books by Jeff [=VanderMeer=]. Not set in a slightly altered real world, but to an entirely original fantasy world developed enough to have motor vehicles and telephones.
135* [[Creator/CharlesDeLint Charles de Lint]]'s ''Newford'' books
136* ''Literature/AmericanGods''
137* ''Literature/{{Neverwhere}}''
138* ''Literature/RepairmanJack''
139* The ''Wizard of 4th Street'' series, set TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture, but with a strong retro feel and {{Magitek}} replacing high-tech.
140* The [[TwoLinesNoWaiting sidestory]] in John [=DeChancie's=] ''Literature/CastlePerilous'' novel ''Castle Murders'' has King Incarnadine visiting an Aspect based on FilmNoir, complete with demon gangsters and transparent [[CaptainErsatz Captain Ersatzes]] of 1920-30s celebrities.
141* ''Literature/TheCornersvilleTraceMythos''
142* ''Literature/NightWatchSeries''. The epic battle of Good and Evil set in the modern-day Russian Federation, mostly Moscow.
143* The ''Literature/SkulduggeryPleasant'' series is about a snarky teenage girl and a skeleton detective mage who fight crime in Ireland.
144* ''Literature/WarForTheOaks'' by Creator/EmmaBull is considered one of the defining works of modern UrbanFantasy, and quite possibly the first work to mix elves with rock-and-roll.
145* The ''Literature/{{Bordertown}}'' shared universe series.
146* ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians''. It's almost entirely set in the real modern world, and features plenty of monsters and magic from the Greek myths blended seamlessly with the 21st-century. It is basically the embodiment of urban fantasy.
147* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' slowly transitions into this as it moves away from parody, even though it started as a HeroicFantasy. Notably, there's a telegraph system that gets most of its efficiency from the employment of gargoyles, and movement for the rights of golems.
148
149[[AC: Live Action Films]]
150* ''Film/CastADeadlySpell'', urban fantasy with a '30s hard-boiled detective FilmNoir twist. Also its sequel, ''Film/WitchHunt''.
151* ''Film/{{Ghostbusters 1984}}'' does a very good job of mixing creepy paranormal and supernatural myth with off-the-wall comedy and MadScience.
152
153[[AC: Live Action TV]]
154* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', one of the seminal works in the genre.
155* ''Series/{{Being|Human UK}} [[Series/BeingHumanUS Human]]'', both versions of which revolve around supernatural monsters trying to [[IJustWantToBeNormal reclaim their old human lives]]. Magic exists in both settings, but aside from the curses the protagonists are afflicted with it is very much in the background. The UK version notably has a suburban setting.
156
157[[AC: Video Games]]
158* The ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'' series, which tells the stories of [[OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent high school students]] with the ability to summon a ''[[FightingSpirit Persona]],'' which allows them to use magic.
159
160[[AC: Western Animation]]
161* ''{{WesternAnimation/Gargoyles}}'' is famous for its complicated storyline, melodramatic tone, and three-dimensional characters.
162* ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'' is a simplistic yet entertaining mixture of action-adventure, modern fantasy, and slapstick comedy.
163* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' is hailed as one of the best Western animation series of the new millennium. If you want to do an urban fantasy story set in a [[QuirkyTown Quirky]] TownWithADarkSecret, no better example exists.
164* ''WesternAnimation/SabrinaTheAnimatedSeries'' is a great example of mixing this genre with teen romance.
165
166!!'''The Epic Fails'''
167* Later series of ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'' seemed to suffer from PowerIncontinence and introduced [[CreatorsPet a character]] with the power of "[[ImaginationBasedSuperpower projection]]" which basically meant "[[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands do anything]]". More and more magic was being thrown at the script without additional characterization and non-formula plot.
168* ''Film/{{Bright}}'' is a [[BuddyCopShow Buddy Cop Movie]] set in an alternate version of 21st century Los Angeles where fantasy races coexist with humans; the protagonist are two partners, a human NobleBigotWithABadge and the TokenHeroicOrc. ''Bright'' has been commonly reviewed as being a very conventional "prevent the bad guys to get the MacGuffin" story in which the Urban Fantasy setting and its backstory seem intriguing but are underutilized. Also, the movie got flak for handling FantasticRacism as a very clumsy metaphor for real life racism, with Orcs (portrayed as strong and with clannic loyalty, but also violent and dumb, and treated as second-class citizens) standing for African-Americans.

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