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Zakuro Fuijwara (藤原　ざくろ, Fujiwara Zakuro) is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Tokyo Mew Mew.

Zakuro is known as Renée Roberts in Mew Mew Power, and in As Super Gatinhas, as Estelle Roberts in the french version of Mew Mew Power, Pam Fujiwara in Mew Mew: Amiche Vincenti (Italian version) and Shuu Liu in 東京喵喵 (Dong Jing Miao Miao).

History

Manga

Tokyo Mew Mew

Zakuro is first seen at the museum, where she stops three girls who go to Okumura Daifuzuku Junior High from bullying Lettuce Midorikawa, by holding the girl's arm who was attempting to throw coffee at Pudding in a rather painful position.

In volume two, Ryou says that Ichigo, Mint and Lettuce will go to the audition, to find out if Zakuro is a Mew. He knows Zakuro is a Mew, but doesn't tell the girls. At the audition Mint is the first to audition, and is rather good, most likely due to ballet and dance training. Ichigo is second, but is too nervous. She awkwardly does her walk, and is commented by the judges that her walk needs work. Lettuce is third, but due to her being rather clumsy, trips on the judges' table, so is not being able to do her audition. Pudding then shows up, though Ryou didn't say she was to go to the audition. Most likely not knowing what to the audition is about, she does numerous performances (twirling plates on sticks, hitting a gong and fire eating). One of the judges named MacGregor gets angry and cancels the audition. Zakuro then comes in, wondering what is going on, speaking to the judges in a different language. It is not known which language, but the girls watching her say she can speak English, French, German, Chinese and Spanish. After talking to the Mr. MacGregor, Zakuro says the audition will continue if she shows the walk.

During Zakuro showing the walk, Ichigo then realizes that she needs to find her mark. While she is trying to find her Mew Mark, a flock of crows then shatter the windows, entering the audition room. Mint then transforms to save Zakuro, but she then transforms (and looks rather surprised she did) and fights off the crow Chimera Animas. After defeating them with no help from Mint, and then walks off, but then Ichigo, Mint, Lettuce, and Pudding say they have found their final Mew. Zakuro looks surprised to what they are saying, but then says she works alone and will not join the team, telling them to "Get lost", leaving the girls rather hurt.

Later, while the girls are working at Café Mew Mew, Mint seems rather depressed about what Zakuro said, not even drinking tea at the usual hour (3:00), and mistaking a vase for a tea kettle.

Later, the girls go to where Zakuro is appearing as a guest, called the "Anime Animal Hour". A guard stops them from entering, but Pudding uses an incense, saying "Fong Sian Ten Huan!", which puts the guard to sleep. The girls then dress up in costumes (and looking rather like playboy bunnies except Pudding dressed up like a panda), to not be noticed. Fooling one of the directors (who calls them extras), they go to where Zakuro is. The animals (a cheetah and a couple of birds) then turn into Chimera Animas. Kish then reveals himself, presumbly how the animals turned into Chimera Animas. Ichigo then transforms into Mew Ichigo, reverting the animals back to normal, but Kish fuses the jellyfish parasites into one, calling it a "Parasite Anima". When it almost attacks her, the other girls transform (excluding Zakuro). They all attack the Parasite Anima all at once, but it is ineffective. It attacks all of them, but then constricts Ichigo. She is about to be killed, but Zakuro transforms, attacks the Parasite Anima realeasing Ichigo. All of the Mew's weapons resonate, combing with Ichigo's weapon, making the "Stawberry Bell Bell Version Up", defeating the Parasite Anima. This entire time the girls were on live television. After being asked who they are by the press, Ichigo says they are Tokyo Mew Mew. Zakuro then leads the girls through a back door, to conceal their identity. Though Zakuro says she doesn't join groups, she says she will join the girls.

Tokyo Mew Mew à la Mode

While Ichigo is in London with Masaya, the rest of the Mews are left to fight the Chimera Animas. Mint is mad that she and the rest of the Mews are more busy defeating the Chimera Anima since Ichigo left. All of the Mews agree, but they are not angry like Mint.

After Ichigo returned from England, Zakuro and the others (Ichigo, Mint, Lettuce, and Pudding) meet Berry Shirayuki, the newest Mew. But soon they face a new challenge called the Saint Rose Crusaders. They all transfer schools to Berry's to keep an eye out for the Crusaders. Later, the Crusaders brainwash the people who are fans of Tokyo Mew Mew, to believe Berry was the evil Mew Mew, ruining Tokyo Mew Mew. However, the other Mew members stand by her side.

Anime

Tokyo Mew Mew

Zakuro appears in episode ten of Tokyo Mew Mew, titled "Saigo no Nakama, Maboroshi no Ippiki Ookami" (The Final Member, The Legendary Lone Wolf), and her introduction continues into episode 11, titled "Shinjiru Kokoro, Gonin Sorotte Toukyou Myuu Myuu" (Believing Hearts, The Five Together are Tokyo Mew Mew). The difference from the manga is that Ichigo never meets her or any of her other comrades at the beginning of the series. On an interesting note, Zakuro is the only member of the team who is shown in Mew Mew form before meeting Ichigo and the others - the girls were able to find out her identity because Mint recognized her figure in the newspaper article with the photo of the mysterious girl.

Mew Mew Power

In Mew Mew Power, Renee is a bit more antisocial, grouchy, and sarcastic. What was changed is that when the agent speaks in episode ten, he speaks French, and when Renee speaks to him, she speaks French as well.

Personality

Zakuro is a beautiful model who seems cruel and cold on the outside, but is helpful and intelligent when she feels she needs to be. At Café Mew Mew, Zakuro is cold and antisocial to the customers. She is very shrewd and insightful. She is curious about the aliens reason for coming here and of how they really feel. She is always willing to test the virtues and commitment of the other Mews, whether they believe it to be cruel or not. She is also a very quiet girl, like Lettuce, but her actions speak louder than her words. She always is ready to help people in trouble.

Zakuro is suspected of being a Christian, as she wears cross necklaces, her weapon is shaped like a cross, and she is often seen at a church. This is notable because in Japan, Christianity is a minority religion.

Romanization

In the Japanese version of the manga, Zakuro's name is written in katakana and hiragana. When she is in Mew form, her name is written in katakana, and when she is "normal", her name is written in hiragana. This was most likely done so that she can hide her identity as Mew Zakuro, and for emphasis, as it is common to write Japanese words in katakana. Due to the difference being different writing systems, this was omitted in the English version of the manga, as English has only one writing system. Because of this, fans who have only seen the English version could find it odd how no one found out her identity.

Profile

• Name Translation: "ざくろ Zakuro"=Pomegranate, "藤 Fuji"=Wisteria , "原 wara"=meadow, original, primitive, field, plain, prairie, tundra, wilderness
• Name Pronunciation: Zah-koo-rou Foo-jee-wah-rah
• Alias: Mew Zakuro (ミュウ・ザクロ Myū Zakuro)
• Signature Color: Purple
• Age: 15-16 as she ages, but her age isn't said later in the series (17 in Mew Mew Power).
• Birthday: September 6th (December 3rd in Mew Mew Power)
• Grade: 10th grade, 1st year of high school by Japanese standards (10th in Mew Mew Power)
• Zodiac sign: Virgo (Sagittarius in Mew Mew Power)
• Hair Color: Purple, light purple in Mew form
• Eye Color: Dark blue, purple in Mew form
• Height: 5 feet, 6 inches (6 feet, 1 inch in Mew Mew Power)
• Weight: 108 pounds (130 lbs in Mew Mew Power)
• Body Mass Index: 17.4
• Likes: Internet, reading books
• Fears: Bugs (insects, arachnids, etc.)
• Favorite foods: cheese cake
• Least favorite food: Natto (fermented soybeans)
• Blood Type: AB
• Transformation saying: "Mew Mew Zakuro Metamorphosis!" (ミュウミュウザクロ メタモルフォーゼ!) in Tokyo Mew Mew, "Power Pendant, Activate!" in the "premiere" episode of Mew Mew Power (she doesn't say anything in later episodes), "Mew Pam, metamorfosi!" (Mew Pam, metamorphosis!) in Mew Mew: Amiche Vincenti.
• Mew Mark: Two wolves around her navel, colored purple (pink in the anime)
• Animal: Gray wolf
• Love Interest: Zakuro has no offcially stated love interest in the manga and anime.

Weapons and abilities

Her DNA is infused with the Gray Wolf. When she transforms she develops lavender wolf ears and a wolf tail. She is the 5th and last member of the team to join. Her emotion-fueled power is unknown, but its speculated that it is related to fire because there are flames in her transformation. It should be noted that Zakuro is probably as strong as Ichigo, considering that she has defeated numerous Chimera Animas instantly and without the need for Ichigo's finishing move.

Tokyo Mew Mew

• Weapon: Zakuro Cross Whip / ZaCross Whip (ザクロスホイップ Zakurosu Hoippu)
• Attack: Reborn, Zacross Pure (リボーンザクロスピュア Ribōn Zakurosu Pyua)

• Weapon (manga only): Mew Aqua Rod (ミュウアクアロッド Myū Akua Roddo)
• Attack (manga only): Reborn, Aqua Drop (リボーンアクアドロップ Ribōn Akua Doroppu)

• Weapon: Zakuro Whip / ZaCross Whip
• Attack: Mew Power Extension! (ミュウパワーエクステンション Myū Pawā Ekusutenshon)

this attack is only used in volume seven with Mint, Lettuce, and Pudding to give time for Ichigo to battle Deep Blue.

Pun of Zakuro's weapon

The pun of her weapon in the Japanese version is quite vague; it comes out to something between "zakuro" and "cross" (クロス kurosu), making it "Zakurosu-hoippu" (ザクロスホイップ) which roughly translates to "Zacross Whip", or Zakuro Cross Whip. This can also be taken to mean "Zakuro's Whip".

Correct translations of Zakuro's attack

The translation of Zakuro's attack name (リボーンザクロスピュア Ribōn Zakurosu Pyua) is somewhat confusing.

Throughout the English version of the manga, the translation of Zakuro's attack name varies between "Ribbon, Zakuros Pure" , "Ribbon, Zakuro's Pure", and "Ribbon, Zakuro Pure", making it confusing which, or what is the correct translation. As it varies so much, some fans (usually who have not seen the Japanese version of the manga) write it out as リボーンザクロスピア Ribōn Zakuro Supia, removing "supyua", as the most likely think it is the katakana equivalent of "spear", or do not know what that translates to as well.

The reason for the English manga mistranslation is mostly likely how "pure" is written in katakana (ピュア pyua), and the company who translated the manga (Tokyopop) most likely assumed the "su" part is supposed to be an apostrophe "s" ('s).

The correct translation of Zakuro's attack name is "Reborn ZaCross Pure", making it similar to "ZaCross Whip", which may be a reference to Zakuro being possibly Christian, as is seen in a church, she wears a cross, and her weapon is cross-shaped.

Mew Mew Power

• Weapon: Purple Dagger.
• Attack: She remains silent while attacking.

Renee's weapon is edited to not look like a cross, although this edit is inconsistent, as pictures of the unedited weapon can be seen on the 4Kids website. Oddly, in the 4Kids market section of the website, the "Purple Dagger" item is shown as the unedited weapon, which is strange because 4Kids draws the items themselves. Her weapon was changed to a dagger is because when editing anime, religious references are removed, as her weapon is cross-shaped originally.

Mew Mew: Amiche Vincenti

• Weapon: Fiocco di Pam (Pam's ribbon)
• Attack: Fiocco d'energia (Ribbon of energy)

東京喵喵 (Dong Jing Miao Miao)

• Weapon:Shuu Liu Cross Whip
• Attack:Ribbon Shuu Liu Pure

Voice actresses

• In Tokyo Mew Mew, her seiyū is Junko Noda.
• In Mew Mew Power, her voice actress is Mollie Weaver.
• In Miau Miau Power, her voice actress is Rocio Bermúdez.
• In Mew Mew: Amiche Vincenti, her voice actress is Patrizia Scianca.
• In As Super Gatinhas, her voice actress is Tatiane Keplermaier.

Character songs

Zakuro has two character songs performed Junko Noda, Zakuro's voice actress.

• Do Bi Dancin' Night Played in episode 35
• Don't Cry Played in episode 24

Both can be found on Mew Zakuro no CD okiki nasai! (Mew Zakuro's CD). They are also included in the CDs Character songs megamix, Super best hits-Cafe Mew Mew side, and Super best hits-Tokyo Mew Mew side.

Trivia

• The animation/artwork underwent several changes around the later episodes of season 2 (mainly around episodes 40-52); the characters start to look more detailed and more bishōjo/bishōnen. For example, the style for Zakuro Fujiwara drastically changed in the later episodes. The animation style experienced other minor changes during the series, but this is the most noticeable.
• In Mew Mew Power, Renée could possibly be named after Renee Roberts (actress), or from the two actresses Renée Zellweger (first name) and Julia Roberts (last name).

Source notes

1. ^ "Character Bios", by Kari, Mew Mew Power Uncensored, retrieved May 27, 2007
2. "Episode 10 Comparison" by Kari, Mew Mew Power Uncensored, retrieved May 27, 2007
3. Full Kanji Summary Index page: Number 1657
4. Full Kanji Summary Index page: Number 1589
5. Ikumi, Mia; Yoshida, Reiko. Tokyo Mew Mew volume 3, page 122 (English translation). Tokyopop. ISBN 1591822386.
6. Ikumi, Mia; Yoshida, Reiko. Tokyo Mew Mew volume 2, page 74 (English translation). Tokyopop. ISBN 1591822378.
7. Tokyo Mew Mew (TV), by Anime News Network, retrieved May 27, 2007
8. "CD's", by Lai Tsua, SAIKOU NI HAPPY!, retrieved May 27, 2007

Content notes

Reborn translation error

^"Reborn" was incorrectly translated as "Ribbon" in the English version of the manga. In the Japanese manga it was written as リボーン ribōn, which is "reborn". But, to an English native speaker, it roughly looks like "ribbon", so Tokyopop assumed it was "ribbon" which is seen throughout the entire manga series. However, many fans still call it "ribbon," as do fansubs and fandubs, as a vast majority of fans do not know the correct translation.

External links

• Bio: Fujiwara Zakuro
• Absolute Anime

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