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1!!!''Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha'' is a redirect for the ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' franchise page, (or the [[VideoGame/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAsPortable PSP games page]] if you use ''Video Game/Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha'') not for TheOriginalSeries.
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3[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/movie_1st_20.jpg]]
4[[caption-width-right:350: ''A Whole New Type of Magical Girl. ''[[note]]Clockwise from top right: Lynith, Presea Testarossa, Lindy Harlaown, Chrono Harlaown, Yuuno, Nanoha Takamachi, Fate Testarossa and Alph.[[/note]]]]
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6->''"Because we both have the same goal, there might be no way we can avoid fighting like this. But I want to know! Why does she have such lonely eyes...?"''
7-->-- '''Nanoha Takamachi'''
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9''Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha'' is the first series in the ''[[Franchise/LyricalNanoha Nanoha]]'' franchise.
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11It starts with a typical cookie-cutter plot: twenty-one [[LostTechnology dangerous artifacts of incredible power]] called [[MacGuffin Jewel Seeds]] have fallen to [[InsignificantLittleBluePlanet Earth]] following a cross-dimensional accident. A mage named Yuuno is badly injured while attempting to retrieve them and is discovered half-dead by Nanoha Takamachi, an [[OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent ordinary 9-year-old elementary schooler]].
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13Having no other choice, Yuuno lends his [[{{Magitek}} "Intelligent Device"]] to Nanoha, transforming her into a MagicalGirl so that she can neutralise and [[GottaCatchEmAll collect the Jewel Seeds]] on his behalf.
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15Just as Nanoha is getting used to her new duties, [[WhamEpisode everything changes]] when she is confronted by [[TheRival Fate Testarossa]], a DarkMagicalGirl who is also attempting to capture all the Jewel Seeds. However, Nanoha senses something [[StoicWoobie pained and fragile]] behind Fate's ice-cold exterior, and resolves to discover the truth even if she has to [[DefeatMeansFriendship beat it out of her]].
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17Thus ends the introduction of ''Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha'', one of the most popular modern MagicalGirl anime due to the odd mix of MagicalGirl elements with incredibly flashy fight scenes. The premise of "MagicalGirl [[JustForFun/XMeetsY meets]] Franchise/{{Gundam}}" led to a unique and successful show.
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19A movie titled ''Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha The Movie 1st'' was released in 2010 and retold the original plot, but more in the style of the later seasons. It is treated by sort-of canon as an InUniverse biopic, so it is considered its own continuity. A companion manga titled ''Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Movie 1st The Comics'' was also released at the same time. Initially, it appeared to be a prequel to The Movie, but it was later revealed to be yet another AlternateContinuity. Both the series and the movie have supplementary SliceOfLife Drama [=CDs=] called [[AudioAdaptation Sound Stages]]. From 2013 to 2016 another manga based on the same season was released, titled ''Original Chronicle Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha The 1st'', a more straightforward adaptation with some AllThereInTheManual material reincorporated.
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21The anime was licensed and dubbed in North America by Creator/{{Geneon}}, but is now out of print. After Geneon USA shut down, Creator/FUNimation took over the distribution of the original series and its sequel ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs'' until the licenses for both expired in 2011. In 2023, however, [[https://twitter.com/discotekmedia/status/1714085251360969129 Discotek Media has licensed rescued the original series]] and will be available on Blu-Ray in January 2024. And in 2024, [[https://twitter.com/discotekmedia/status/1744560450833162486 Discotek Media has licensed rescued Nanoha A's, with no release date yet.]]
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23'''NOTE:''' Only general tropes for the series are listed here. For character-specific ones, check out the [[Characters/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha character]] [[Characters/LyricalNanoha sheets.]]
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25----
26!!The original series provides examples of:
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28* AbuseDiscretionShot: Precia is never shown whipping Fate onscreen (though the lead-up and immediate aftermath are). Instead, the scene focuses on Fate's familiar Arf, who is curled up into a TroubledFetalPosition over her inability to stop it while [[ScreamDiscretionShot she's subjected to Fate's screams of pain]].
29* [[ActorAllusion Actress Allusion]]: Nanoha's [[LimitedWardrobe typical attire]] when not wearing her school uniform or barrier jacket is clearly inspired by [[Anime/SCryEd a previous Yukari Tamura role.]]
30* AllThereInTheManual: As would become a tradition for the rest of the franchise, this season has three [[AudioAdaptation Sound Stages]] which go into more detail on the world of ''Nanoha''. While the first, and arguably the third, aren't too important, and don't have many details that you can't figure out yourself, the second Sound Stage is another matter as it deals with Precia's {{familiar}} Linith, who was the one that created Bardiche and taught Fate magic. It also explains Fate's relationship with Arf in more detail, so not having that available to anime-only fans is more than a little frustrating.
31* AnimationBump: The first episode has an infamous scene in which the animation gets suddenly incredibly detailed and fluid. The strange thing is that the scene really isn't that important, it's just Nanoha and her family having dinner and Nanoha asking if she can keep Yuuno, so the whole shot looks strange despite being well animated.
32* ByThePowerOfGreyskull: Averted for the most part. In the first episode, Yuno tells Nanoha a password she needs to say to activate Raising Heart but after that she doesn't need it.
33* CollapsingLair: The Garden of Time, as a result of Precia's failed attempt to use the Jewel Seeds.
34* ContinuityNod: The scars from Nanoha's father's "old job", Miyuki practicing her sword-fighting technique, and other references to ''VisualNovel/TriangleHeart3SweetSongsForever''.
35* CoolStarship: The TSAB L-class cruise patrol warship "Arthra". The {{Fan Sub}}s called it [[SpellMyNameWithAnS "Asura"]], which many fans prefer over the official spelling.
36* CuteGiant: One episode had a kitten come into contact with one of the Jewel Seeds, which granted its wish of wanting to grow up... and grow it did, becoming as tall as the trees. Despite being giant, it still acted like a kitten, not aggressive at all. Provided the page image for MegaNeko.
37* DefeatMeansFriendship: It's basically a meme that "befriend" is another word for "blast into submission", as a result of Nanoha making friends by defeating them in combat over the course of the franchise, starting with Nanoha slapping Alisa for bullying Suzuka when they were younger.
38* DemotedToExtra:
39** Before ''Lyrical Nanoha'', there was a VisualNovel called ''Lyrical Toy Box'' (which was a SpinOff of the visual novel ''VisualNovel/TriangleHeart3SweetSongsForever''). In ''Lyrical Toy Box'', Nanoha's magical companion was Lindy and the villain was Chrono. In this anime, Lindy and Chrono are reduced to side characters as their original roles are respectively replaced by Yuuno and Fate.
40** Several characters from ''Triangle Heart 3'', such as Nanoha's family and their supporting casts, are drastically reduced into being bit players here.
41* DiscoveringYourOwnDeadBody: In episode 11, [[spoiler:Fate]] sees what appears to be her own body [[PeopleJars in a jar]] and finds out that it's actually [[spoiler:Alicia, her mother Precia's original daughter whom she was cloned from]]. Worse, [[spoiler:Precia considers Fate to be a failure and willingly dies with the original Alicia's body even when Fate tries to save her]].
42* DisobeyedOrdersNotPunished: In episode 9, when Fate rashly activates six jewel seeds all at once, Nanoha disobeys Admiral Harlaown's orders not to intervene and leaves the spaceship to help Fate seal the seeds. While this was risky since Fate was still technically an enemy in addition to the danger posed by the seeds themselves, the seeds are successfully sealed with Nanoha also collecting three of them. The Admiral gives her a lecture afterward, but Nanoha escapes punishment thanks to her "magnificent results."
43* DramaticWind: Used to great effect during Nanoha and Fate's talk on the bridge.
44* DrivingQuestion: Why does Fate have such sad, lonely eyes? This evolved into "Will you be my friend?"
45* DungeonBypass: Chrono does one in the finale, apparently because he couldn't find the door to Precia's inner sanctum.
46* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness:
47** The first few episodes of the original series were a standard MagicalGirl show, and it wasn't until ''A's'' that it truly became a Franchise/{{Gundam}}-[[RecycledInSpace in-a-schoolgirl-skirt]] show.
48** In a similar vein, we have Arf threatening to swallow Nanoha whole if she gets in their way too much. Nothing comes of this, it is promptly forgotten about when Arf next appears, and no mention is ever made of it again.
49** A minor example, but Nanoha introduces her Starlight Breaker as a variation on Divine Buster. It's later established that the two attacks are very different and work on completely different mechanisms. Notably, the movie removes this line and instead replaces it with Nanoha explaining how Starlight Breaker works.
50* {{Engrish}}: Raising Heart and Bardiche's English will sometimes have a bit of this mixed in. While their voice actors were both native speakers, presumably the writers were not.
51* EvilPlan: At first, there isn't one; Yuuno just needed help recovering artifacts scattered by an accident. Then Fate shows up, and eventually it's revealed that [[spoiler: Precia wanted the jewel seeds to revive her real daughter and go back to the way things used to be.]]
52* FaceFault: Nanoha gets one in the first episode, when her father asks what a ferret is.
53* FalseCameraEffects: Episode 1 includes a brief sequence of Nanoha running that is made to look like it was filmed with a hand-held camera. There's also a scene during the final battle where it gets splashed with water.
54* FatalFireworks: Inverted in the third sound stage. In celebration of the anniversary of Fate and Arf's familiar contract, Nanoha sets off [[WaveMotionGun Starlight Breaker]] as fireworks.
55* GenreShift: Within the course of the original thirteen episodes, the series shifts from typical MagicalGirl fare to something more dramatic as well as becoming more action-oriented in the process. By the end of the season, the action and drama aspects have become central to the series.
56* HeroicBSOD: When Precia tells Fate that [[spoiler:Fate really isn't her daughter, that her memories are really those of Precia's real daughter Alicia, and that Precia has always hated her]]. Fate stands stunned for a while and then collapses into unconsciousness.
57* HotSpringsEpisode: Episode 5. It's the final time that there would be genuine {{fanservice}} outside of Sound Stages and the manga (at least until the ''[=ViVid=]'' anime).
58* HumongousMecha: Precia deploys a variety of robots that clearly fall into this category to defend her lair in the finale. Nanoha proceeds to smack them down like she was an escaped SuperPrototype from a ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' show.
59* ImperfectRitual: Precia Testarossa needs all 21 Jewel Seeds to open a portal to Al-Hazard, but only ends up in possession of 9, "thanks" to the title character and the Bureau's efforts. At the end of the series, she decides to go through with the incomplete ritual and [[spoiler:goes MIA. Her ultimate fate is still a major mystery of the series]].
60* InnocuouslyImportantEpisode: Episode 3 seems like a standard MonsterOfTheWeek episode, but it's the first time that Nanoha uses Raising Heart's [[WaveMotionGun Shooting Mode]] and it introduces several plot points that will be important come ''[=StrikerS=]'' (mainly [[spoiler:Nanoha's habit of pushing herself to the point of exhaustion and the [[ChekhovsSkill Area Search]] spell]]).
61* MechaMooks: Precia's robotic army.
62* MegaNeko: One of the kittens at Suzuka's mansion gets a hold of a Jewel Seed in episode 4 that makes it grow to a massive size. It provides page image.
63* ModestyTowel: Present on every character during the HotSpringsEpisode, though this is averted during the {{Furo|Scene}} and {{Shower Scene}}s.
64* MonsterOfTheWeek: In the first four episodes.
65* MoodWhiplash: [[spoiler:Precia whipping Fate rapidly converts most viewers from enjoying the somewhat humorous tone and subversiveness of the series to "PRECIA TESTAROSSA MUST DIE"]].
66* MythologyGag: Lindy's fairy wings, Chrono's SpikesOfVillainy, and other references to [[TheAnimeOfTheGame the original Nanoha game]].
67* OminousFloatingCastle: The Garden of Time, Precia's fortress.
68* OneTrueSequence: After the first 5 or so Jewel Seeds are individually fought over, both the TSAB and Fate focus on getting the closest ones that the other isn't pursuing. The plot jumps ahead to after each side has collected all the ones available.
69%%* TheOriginalSeries
70* PeopleJars: Precia had a few. One contains [[spoiler:the body of her dead daughter, Alicia, whom Fate was cloned from; the rest contain failed clones.]]
71* PlotBasedPhotographObfuscation: The photograph of Fate and her mother in episode four. Interesting because the secret isn't what Precia looks like -- she's shown in episode seven -- but that [[spoiler:she's smiling: the photo was taken before she went insane. Also, it's not really Fate in the photo, but her [[ParentalFavoritism sister]]/original, although Fate has no clue.]]
72* PowerLevels: Nanoha's average magical power is given to be 1.27 ''million'', while Fate's is 1.43 million. All other mentions use letter rankings.
73* ThePowerOfFriendship: Saved Fate's life arguably. Of course, given the definition of "befriend" in use by the Nanoha fandom, it can also be employed to ''blow you up''.
74* RedEyesTakeWarning
75** In the first episode, Nanoha is attacked by a large evil cloud-like monster with red eyes.
76** Subverted with Fate. The red-eyed Fate Testarossa is introduced as an adversary and an apparent villain, but it quickly becomes apparent that she's the enemy more by circumstance than choice, and she undergoes a HeelFaceTurn near the end.
77* SayMyName: According to Nanoha, the first step to becoming friends (apart from firing massive lasers) is to simply say the other person's name.
78* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: After Fate forcibly activates the remaining Jewel Seeds, rather than wait for Fate to exhaust herself and potentially get hurt for biting off more than she could chew, Nanoha defies orders to help Fate.
79* SeriesFauxnale: This was the very first TV anime of Seven Arcs and was TheAnimeOfTheGame to boot, so it ends in a rather final way with the BigBad dead, the {{MacGuffin}}s safely secured, Fate having a tearful farewell with Nanoha, the last scenes showing everything going back to the way they were, and... whoops, looks like Seven Arcs' first attempt at a series was successful enough to kickstart a franchise! Contrast the finales of the subsequent seasons, whose {{Where Are They Now Epilogue}}s are unambiguous in their intent of setting things up for the next season.
80* ShoulderCannon: When Nanoha and Fate team up inside Precia's castle, they are attacked by a {{Mecha Mook|s}} robot with two energy cannons on its shoulders.
81* SpoilerOpening: Fate and Arf are shown in the intro right off the bat, despite not appearing until Episode 4, and changing the tone of the series dramatically once they do.
82* StockFootage: Compared to later seasons, the usage of stock footage {{Transformation Sequence}}s is JustForFun/{{egregious}}ly high.
83* StormingTheCastle: The season's climax is the storming of the Garden of Time.
84* ThemeMusicPowerUp: "Take A Shot" for both Fate and Nanoha.
85* TransformationIsAFreeAction: DoubleSubverted. Early on a monster tries to attack Nanoha while she's transforming, only to be flung back by a barrier.
86* WhamEpisode: Mostly related to Fate.
87** Episode 4 - Fate's introduction. Prior to this, the series followed a fairly standard MonsterOfTheWeek formula. Then Fate shows up, [[CurbStompBattle curb-stomps]] the MonsterOfTheWeek ''and'' Nanoha in short order, and takes the [[PlotCoupon Jewel Seed]] for herself. From this point onwards, Nanoha starts struggling and the story shifts to focus more on her relationship with Fate.
88** Episode 7 - Nanoha and Fate's last battle attracts the attention of the Time-Space Administration Bureau, introducing us to the larger setting and more "Magical Girl meets Gundam" elements. However, the real wham is when Fate reports back to her mother [[spoiler: only to be whipped for not bringing enough Jewel Seeds.]]
89** Episode 11 - Nanoha [[DefeatMeansFriendship "befriends"]] Fate with her first use of the Starlight Breaker. However, Precia decides to go through with her plan anyway, with the TSAB tracking her down to her doorstep. However, the TSAB squadron finds [[spoiler: a girl in stasis that looks exactly like Fate. This girl is Alicia, Precia's real daughter. Fate is actually [[ReplacementGoldfish a clone made to replace her]]. Precia never saw Fate as a human let alone as a daughter. The last revelation [[HeroicBSOD breaks Fate]].]]
90* WithholdingTheBigGood: [[TheCaptain Lindy Harlaown]] doesn't show up until [[WhamEpisode episode 7]]. Until then, the story had been a simple MagicalGirl vs DarkMagicalGirl tale, so her introduction (and by extension, the introduction of [[TheFederation the TSAB]]) gives the audience the idea of a much larger setting.
91* XanatosGambit: Nanoha and Fate's final battle is one for the Time and Space Administration: Nanoha's victory or defeat is irrelevant. They would prefer she won (and thereby arrest Fate and recover the jewel seeds) but if she doesn't Chrono will step in and finish off the worn-out Fate. If nothing else, the battle will allow them to track Precia's location.
92
93----
94!!The movie provides examples of:
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96* AdaptationDistillation: It fixes many of the pacing and writing problems of the first season, and in general alters things to be more consistent with later seasons. It also animates some of the AllThereInTheManual material, largely about Precia, painting a clearer picture overall.
97* AscendedMeme: The Movie [[AudioAdaptation Sound Stage]] ''Side F'' gives the popular meme known as "[[DefeatMeansFriendship Befriending]]" amongst English-speakers a nod, as [[{{Familiar}} Arf]] jokingly explains to an increasingly worried Erio and Caro that the only way to make life-long friends is to blow them up first.
98* DemotedToExtra
99** Nanoha's family has no speaking roles in the movie, and her friends Alisa and Suzuka are just her {{Muggle Best Friend}}s without any depths.
100** Yuuno never gets the opportunity to be a potential love interest to Nanoha, and Chrono's battle against the MechaMooks is barely seen.
101* GroupPictureEnding: The very last shot before the credits roll is a photo sitting on Nanoha's desk of her and Fate right after they exchanged their hair ribbons.
102* IgnoredExpert: The people in charge care more about meeting deadlines than making sure that the power plants they built were safe to operate, to the point of ignoring legitimate concerns raised by their own engineers. [[spoiler:One of said engineers being the still-sane Precia Testarossa.]]
103* LastEpisodeThemeReprise: Nanoha and Fate saying goodbye at the end of the movie features a cover of the season's ending theme, "Little Wish, Lyrical Step".
104* OrchestralBombing: The movie version of Starlight Breaker's {{Leitmotif}}, which is prefaced by a passage which sounds very much like it was inspired by Music/GustavHolst's ''Mars, The Bringer Of War''.
105* PanUpToTheSkyEnding: The movie manages to do this ''twice''. Once for the end of the movie proper, and again at the end of the epilogue (with a GroupPictureEnding thrown in for good measure).
106* PantheraAwesome: The little kitten that encounters a Jewel Seed in the movie, instead of a MegaNeko, turns into a giant, demonic, black panther, which sprouts large bat wings.
107* TheParalyzer: Nanoha explicitly sets Raising Heart to stun. Presumably, RH's default setting is "befriend".
108* ProductPlacement: [[http://safebooru.org/index.php?page=post&s=view&id=70718 Pizza Hut supports the befriending!]]
109* RecursiveCanon: Though in classic ''Nanoha'' style you won't know it [[AllThereInTheManual unless you listened to the sound stages]].
110* ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: The ''Starlight Breaker'' is enhanced. This is probably one of the reasons why only three of Fate's limbs are locked instead of four, giving her a chance to cast shields to defend herself (the other reason is that Fate has no other option than to block Nanoha's ''Divine Buster'').
111* ThemeMusicPowerUp: "Don't Be Long", replacing "Take A Shot" in the same scene from the original.
112* VoodooShark: The first season had a few minor plot points that were later RetConned. For example, in the original series Nanoha was the one who thought up Raising Heart's staff and cannon modes herself, but after season one all new devices have predetermined forms and require hardware upgrades for new ones. Naturally, when they remade the first season for the movie, they made sure it was consistent with the later seasons. However, this opened up a new PlotHole. While Raising Heart having its staff and cannon modes pre-loaded makes sense, it's never explained why Yuuno didn't try using either mode before handing the device over to Nanoha.
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114----
115!!The movie manga provides examples of:
116%% zce * AdaptationalAngstUpgrade
117* TakeMyHand: After their final fight, Nanoha falls off a rooftop and Fate catches her. First, she grabs her by the hand and then holds her with both arms Superman style. They were both too tired and beaten up to fly so they had an emergency water landing shortly after. Still a great rescue, especially since Fate jumped after her so fast the stretcher she was on ''disintegrated''.
118* WhamEpisode: The fifth chapter of is especially shocking, when you consider the first four chapters were [[AllThereInTheManual a manual]]. It ''summarizes the entire movie'' in 21 pages. Minus Fate's and Nanoha's final big fight, which here takes place after the main conflict and is a lot more prolonged, continuing through the entire second volume.

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