Line #128 Series/Fantaghiro


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7	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fantaghiro.png]]
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9
10	->''True love is never ridiculous.''
11
12	An Italian live-action series of the 1990s, of romantic fantasy, loosely based on the Italian folktale ''Fanta-Ghiro the Beautiful.''
13
14	Princess Fantaghirò is the third daughter of a king, who bemoans never having had a son. But Fantaghirò (Alessandra Martines) is as if she were his son, actually: she loves fencing and fighting. In the first film, her kingdom is at war against the nearby country. It's resolved when Fantaghirò and Romualdo, the heir of the other kingdom, fall in love. Then in the next movies, Fantaghirò will fight a black queen, a dark sorcerer and his mother, and the emperor of evil. And sometimes, she has to save/find Romualdo.
15
16	Broadcast in several countries (Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Poland, etc.), especially near Christmas.
17
18	Lamberto Bava shoot others TV movies which were also [[FollowTheLeader Romantic Fantasy]]: ''Desideria'', ''The Princess and the Pauper'' and ''Princess Alisea''.
19
20	In 1999, it recieved an [[WesternAnimation/{{Fantaghiro}} animated TV series adaptation.]]
21	----
22	!!''Fantaghirò'' provides examples of:
23
24	%%* ActionGirl: Fantaghirò. She only wears dresses [[TheLadette when she's compelled to.]]
25	%%* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Dear God, Angelica.
26	* AerithAndBob: The three princesses: Caterina, Carolina,...Fantaghirò?
27	* AlliterativeName: Caterina and Carolina. Also Romualdo, Cataldo, and Ivaldo, his best friends.
28	%%* AnimatedAdaptation: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy4hMiJ7dxg Ressemblance is very lousy.]]
29	%%* TheAtoner: [[spoiler:Tarabas, after his HeelFaceTurn.]]
30	* BabiesEverAfter: Kinda subverted with Caterina and Carolina - Cataldo and Ivaldo didn't waste a second to knock them up...if only the series ended at #3...
31	* BewareTheNiceOnes: The White Witch/White Knight is the BigGood of the first two movies, but pissing her off is a REALLY bad idea, as the army general ([[spoiler: who gets TakenForGranite]]) and the Black Witch ([[spoiler: who gets [[LiterallyShatteredLives DISINTEGRATED]]!]]) find out.
32	* BigBad:
33	%%** Film 1: The army general.
34	%%** Film 2: The Black Witch.
35	%%** Film 3: The sorcerer Tarabas and his mother Xellesia.
36	%%** Film 4: EvilOverlord Darken.
37	%%** Film 5: The [[ImAHumanitarian Ogre]] "No Name".
38	%%* BigBreastPride: The Dark Witch, no wonder.
39	* BigBrotherInstinct: [[spoiler: Tarabas develops one for [[TheChosenOne Smeralda]]: By the end of the movie [[TranquilFury God help you if you try to harm that child]]]].
40	%%* BigNo: The King after the Queen's death.
41	%%* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: Carolina, Caterina, and Fantaghirò. They're BeautyBrainsAndBrawn, too. Note that Fantaghirò was a brunette as a child, and her red hair becomes dark when it's cut down.
42	* BlackMagic: [[spoiler: Subversion - Tarabas can still use his extensive dark powers after his HeelFaceTurn, but chooses not to.]]
43	%%* BlackMagicianGirl: The Dark Witch.
44	* BrainlessBeauty: Carolina, who didn't learn how to read. It's a tradition of the reign that females wouldn't be taught to read or write, and even if they were able to, they couldn't unless told so by a man.
45	* BrainyBrunette: Caterina. Her intelligence is her main quality, like good looks for Carolina and rebellious temper for Fantaghirò.
46	%%* BrokenBird: [[spoiler: Xellesia turns out to be one in movie 4]].
47	%%* BrotherSisterTeam: Lightning and Bolt, the Black Witch minions.
48	* BuxomBeautyStandard: In addition to the Black Witch's own BigBreastPride, when her minions construct a rock boy to resurrect her in the third movie, the boy minion makes sure to use the biggest round stones he can find to form her chest.
49	* CardCarryingVillain: The Black Witch, in stark contrast with the slightly more realistic (the army general in the first movie) or nuanced (Tarabas) main villains of the series, is a full-blown cartoon villain on par with the likes of [[Franchise/MastersOfTheUniverse Skeletor]] or [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989 Ursula]], from the pointless nastiness to the hamminess. Hell, in her first appearance she hammily boasts about how evil and nasty and unbearable she is!
50	* TheChosenOne: %%Fantaghirò in ''all'' movies.
51	** [[spoiler: Smeralda in the third is the child fated to destroy Tarabas' evil reign]].
52	** Tarabas is a dark example. [[ItSucksToBeTheChosenOne He's not happy]].
53	%%* CoolSword
54	* DarkIsNotEvil: Even when being called the EvilSorcerer / EvilOverlord of '''EVIL''', Tarabas has a track record of protesting against his mother killing prisoners and {{Mook}}s, trying to earn the trust of children he kidnapped (though conjuring up candy might not have been the best of ideas), saving his adversary several times and falling in love with her in the process, releasing Fantaghirò of her AndNowYouMustMarryMe promise...
55	%%* DeathByChildbirth: Fantaghirò's mother.
56	* DeathIsNotPermanent: At least any magical one. (A good old blade, in contrast, is very permanent - [[spoiler: Tarabas' revival of Smeralda's parents at the end of film 3 is an illusion, and everyone, probably including Smeralda, is aware of that.]])
57	* DeniedFoodAsPunishment: One of Fantaghirò's punishments as a child, together with being put into a well. The King, however, looks very heartwarmed when he discovers Carolina and Caterina giving food to their little sister and doesn't say anything.
58	%%* DistressedDude: In every film, at least once.
59	%%* DontLookAtMe: Fiodor doesn't even want to look at himself.
60	* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: Inverted - Xellesia claims not to love Tarabas, but her first thought after being rescued in the fourth movie is to see if her son's all right.
61	%%* EvilIsHammy: The Dark Witch. Ooh, the Dark Witch.
62	%%* EvilLaugh: The Dark Witch.
63	* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler:Subverted - it seems Prince Parsel was the EvilSorcerer all along... except he just used him as a "means of travel."]]
64	%%* FairyTale
65	* {{Fauxreigner}}: [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/photo-1303847-L_5476.png Princess Angelica's kingdom is made to look like Asia.]] But the actors are Caucasians.
66	%%* FeministFantasy
67	%%* FriendToAllLivingThings: Fantaghirò, and she can't learn dark magic because of that.
68	* TheGirlWhoFitsThisSlipper: Romualdo asks ladies of the kingdom to come, so he can compare their eyes to the eyes of the girl in the forest (the only part of Fantaghirò he has seen).
69	* GoodHurtsEvil: After being forced to commit one act of goodness (via blackmail), the Dark Witch has her BlackMagic powers greatly weakened - for instance, instead of turning her minions into worms, she conjures up vases of flowers. Xellesia tries to convince Tarabas that this trope will apply to him as well.
70	%%* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:Tarabas, Lightning, and Bolt the moment they realized they actually have a choice.]]
71	* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: [[spoiler:The Black Queen. Her power is weaker in films 3 and 4 so she is compelled to follow the heroes but she doesn't want to help them, sometimes betrays them, and regrets her power and villainy. Then in film 5, she sentences Fantaghirò to death.]]
72	* HiddenHeartOfGold: [[spoiler:Tarabas in movie 3, and ''he doesn't know'': he was raised to be the most evil wizard ''ever'' while being a good person all along. He usually [[KickTheDog kicks the dog]] and [[PetTheDog pets the dog]] at the same time]].
73	%%* HorsemenOfTheApocalypse: The four demons on horses at the beginning of film 4.
74	* ImportantHaircut: Fantaghirò did it in the first film in a Joan of Arc style. Later she does it again every time she's going to war. Oddly, her hair is suddenly long again in final scenes, [[AWizardDidit even though they're not flashforwards.]]
75	%%* InadequateInheritor: The King feels his daughters are this because they're females.
76	%%* InvoluntaryShapeshifting: [[spoiler:Tarabas, whenever kissed out of love.]]
77	* ItSucksToBeTheChosenOne: [[spoiler:Smeralda has her parents killed and her kingdom destroyed]], while [[spoiler:Tarabas was raised without any affection and cursed to [[InvoluntaryShapeshifting shift into a monster]] if he tries to kiss his loved ones]].
78	* ItWillNeverCatchOn: The two witches invent the FlyingBroomstick in lack of a better transportation idea, and the Black Witch bitches they'll become the laughing stock of witchhood.
79	%%* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: In the end, Angelica and Romualdo [[spoiler:end up not having to do it.]]
80	%%* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: The King in the first movie.
81	%%* KissOfLife: What all the women in the kingdom try to do for Romualdo after he turns into a statue and Fantaghirò fails to cure him this way. It actually takes [[spoiler:''Tarabas''']] kiss to save him.
82	%%* LoveAtFirstSight: Romualdo and Fantaghirò. Also, {{Beta Couple}}s Catherina/Cataldo and Carolina/Ivaldo.
83	* LoveBeforeFirstSight: Angelica falls in love with Tarabas based on the books she reads about him - you know, those describing him as the [[EvilSorcerer Darkest of Wizards, Ultimate Evil, etc.]] She purposely tries to have a MeetCute moment with him, encourages him to use BlackMagic whenever possible, wants to be his DarkMistress and tries to pull a MurderTheHypotenuse when Fantaghirò arrives. [[{{Yandere}} She then searches the world for him despite hearing from the man himself that he doesn't love her]] (she gets better). [[spoiler:Eventually, she quite happily agrees to wait to be his SecondLove.]]
84	* LoveRedeems: [[spoiler: His feelings for Fantaghiro leed to Tarabas' HeelFaceTurn.]]
85	* LukeIAmYourFather:
86	** At the end of film 2, [[spoiler:Fantaghirò realises that under the "Black King" helmet and loud voice, it's her {{Brainwashed}} dad.]]
87	** At the end of film 4, [[spoiler:Tarabas and Darken are sword duelling, and Darken shows that his younger self looked like Tarabas. Then Xellesia enters and yells the reason: "Don't kill him, he's your father!"]]
88	%%* MagicContractRomance: What Tarabas hopes to do in movie 3.
89	%%* MeetCute: The White Witch arranges one for Fantaghirò and Romualdo.
90	%%* MrFanservice: Kim Rossi Stuart [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/romualdo05_7917.jpg (Romualdo)]] and Nicholas Rogers [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tarabas1_7363.jpg (Tarabas)]]. The female viewers were divided between [[OlderThanTheyThink Team Tarabas and Team Romualdo]].
91	%%* MyBelovedSmother: Xellesia to Tarabas, in movie 3.
92	%%* NonHumanSidekick: [[TalkingAnimal The horse, the goose]], and the stone.
93	%%* NoNameGiven:
94	%%** The film 5 BigBad.
95	%%** The King.
96	%%** The Dark Witch.
97	%%** The White Witch.
98	* OrcusOnHisThrone: Subverted in the fact that Tarabas has no interest in decimating the good guys and couldn't care less about them before he hears one of them has sworn vengeance against him for reasons unknown to him. Then he goes off to defy the trope.
99	* PairTheSpares: Done rather well, actually - Angelica's childish love for Tarabas develops into a genuine desire for him to be happy, even if not with her, while Tarabas learns to distinguish between positive emotions and lets go of his unrequited love for Fantaghirò. We don't see if they do... but they're on their way.
100	* PropheciesAreAlwaysRight: Film 5, "The Eater will be eaten." [[spoiler: Meet [[ChekhovsGunman Chekhovs Woodworm.]] ]]
101	%%* ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything: TakeOurWordForIt, Tarabas is evil. Like, really evil. (As if his WalkingSpoiler-ish look didn't tell you...)
102	%%* PrinceCharming: Romualdo.
103	%%* PrincessClassic: Caterina, Carolina, and Angelica.
104	%%* PrincessesPreferPink: Angelica.
105	%%* PutOnABus: Smeralda in the fourth movie. The ''whole freaking cast'' (except Fantaghirò) in the fifth.
106	* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: All mages are said to be old and immortal.
107	* RebelliousPrincess: Fantaghirò (It's even the title of the first movie). And Smeralda, as well: she often uses a slingshot and wears trousers like Fantaghirò. Both are TomboyPrincess.
108	* RedemptionEqualsDeath: [[spoiler:Xellesia. In the fourth film, she confesses that she has always loved Tarabas but has had to keep her love hidden from him. She proves this by sacrificing herself so that Tarabas can escape to safety.]]
109	%%* RedemptionQuest: End of movie 3 for [[spoiler:Tarabas.]]
110	%%* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething
111	* RuleOfSymbolism: ''Everything'' in the first movie. Even the pets (the loyal Carolina likes dogs, the intelligent Caterina likes cats, and the goose befriended by Fantaghirò is sacred to Juno, ''queen'' of the gods) and the clothing (the King and Fantaghirò, his future heir, both dress in the same tonality of blue).
112	* SacrificedBasicSkillForAwesomeTraining: Lampshaded in the fourth movie: thanks to his training in dark magic Tarabas doesn't even know the difference between friendship and love.
113	%%* SapientSteed: Golden Hair, the talking horse.
114	* SelfFulfillingProphecy: [[NiceJobBreakingItHerod A royal child under the age of ten shall]] [[ExactWords defeat Tarabas's evil kingdom.]]
115	* {{Shapeshifting}}: The white witch (turns into a goose, a knight, an old guy, a hot chick, an old lady...). And the black witch as well (an eagle, roses, cristal, Fantaghirò look alike...). Tarabas turns into an eagle.
116	* ShoutOut: A chinese princess named Angelica in an Italian production...[[Literature/OrlandoFurioso now where did we meet one, NamesTheSame...]]
117	* SpellMyNameWithAnS: It's pronounced 'Fantagaro' in French. And the title was Cavern of the golden rose, referring to the beginning of film 1.
118	* SpikesOfVillainy: Romualdo's father's ancestral armor looks like the lovechild of a porcupine and a needle cushion. [[DefiedTrope This trope is defied]], though - in his very first appearance, Romualdo points out how horribly useless and uncomfortable the armor is.
119	%%* SpoiledBrat: Angelica, but she gets better.
120	* SquishyWizard: [[spoiler: Tarabas]] has some trouble fighting after renouncing BlackMagic. Fantaghirò exaggerates it a bit, though, as he somehow managed to learn a bit of swordfighting in-between movies.
121	* StalkerWithACrush: Played with. Tarabas tries to find out who Fantaghirò is and accidentally ends up accompanying her and Smeralda for a while. In about a day, it's LoveAtFirstSight for him - but in an inversion, he doesn't want to know her name or see her ever again, partly due to WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove and knowing that the sentiment won't be returned.
122	* StayInTheKitchen: The King's disappointment worsens when Fantaghirò grows up refusing to be meek and obedient as all women in his kingdom are expected to be.
123	%%* SugarAndIcePersonality: [[spoiler:Tarabas.]]
124	* SweetPollyOliver:
125	** The three princesses in the first film, who are going to war as "knights" disguised in full armours. (Luckily, Caterina and Carolina think this is a [[IncrediblyLamePun drag]] and go home soon - going against Ivaldo and Cataldo probably would have ended as CurbStompBattle at best and OneHitKill at worst.)
126	** Fantaghirò continues this in later films, wearing short hair and men's outfits. She's often mistaken for a guy. Surprisingly, children can tell her gender better than adults.
127	* TalkingAnimal: They all can, and stones, flowers or food can be very chatty as well.
128	%%* VainSorceress: The best way to convince the Dark Witch to cooperate is to bank on this trope.
129	* VillainDecay: The Black Witch. Because she does help Fantaghirò in the third film, albeit reluctantly, her evil powers are weakened. In the fourth and fifth films, she constantly tries to get back at Fantaghirò so she can be all-powerful again.
130	* WeaksauceWeakness: Tarabas' warriors are completely useless when they get wet.
131	%%* WhatBeautifulEyes: How Romualdo falls in love with Fantaghirò.
132	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Lightning and Bolt just disappear in the fourth movie. Also, we never learn the fate of Prince Parsel.
133	* WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove: Boy, does Tarabas not get it at all. Friendship? Stop inventing new words! [[RaisedByWolves Love is love, right?]]
134	%%* WhyCouldntYouBeDifferent: The King to Fantaghirò in the first movie.
135	%%* {{Yandere}}: Angelica comes across as this at first, hoping to become an [[AscendedFanboy ascended fangirl]] of Tarabas.
136	%%* YoungestChildWins: Fantaghirò.

Context Series / Fantaghiro