Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch is based on a manga series created by Michiko Yokote. The anime was produced by We’ve, Inc., and was directed by Yoshitaka Fujimoto. The fifty-two episodes of Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch aired on TV Aichi from April 5, 2003-March 27, 2004. Thirty-nine episodes of a second series, called Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch Pure, aired on TV Aichi from April 3-December 25, 2004.

The main character of Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch is Lucia, the Mermaid Princess of the North Pacific Ocean. She goes up to the surface to find a shipwrecked boy she had saved seven years earlier. She had entrusted her pink pearl to him, and is now on a mission to get it back. She finds out the boy is Kaito Domoto, who is an avid surfer. However, Lucia’s human form (as Lucia Nanami) bears little resemblance to her mermaid self, so he has no idea that Lucia Nanami and the mermaid who saved him are one and the same. Lucia is accompanied on her quest by Hippo, a blue penguin that is very polite.

Lucia also learns that a group of water creatures has invaded the marine world. She has a mission to gather the other six Mermaid Princesses and their pearls. The Mermaid Princesses must come together in order to summon a legendary goddess named Aqua Regina, who can help stop the water creatures. Lucia joins forces with Hanon and Rina, two other mermaids who have come up to dry land to find the other Mermaid Princesses. With their pearls, they become singing idols and use their voices as a weapon.

Lucia is simple and naive, but has a strong will. She is the keeper of the pink pearl, and her idol form is Pink Pearl Voice. Hanon Hosho is the Mermaid Princess of the South Atlantic Ocean, and is the keeper of the aqua pearl. She is perky and feminine, but is a bit more worldly than Lucia is. Hanon’s idol form is Mizuiro (Aqua) Pearl Voice. Rina Tonin is the Mermaid Princess of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is the keeper of the green pearl. She’s beautiful, yet stern. Her idol form is Green Pearl Voice.

As part of her human form, Lucia has undergone an identity change. Nikora Nanami, a purple mermaid, serves as the manager of a hotel called the Pearl Piari. As part of the ruse, Nikora poses as Lucia’s older sister. Hanon and Rina also work at the hotel.

Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch is a very “cute” anime, and definitely would have appeal for pre-teen and teen girls. Personally, I would recommend this series to anime viewers who are eleven or twelve years of age and older.