Fairy Tail: The Phoenix Priestess (2012) User Reviews (15)

Watch it!!!

[EdWrite · 8/10 · 6 April 2013]

First off I'd like to say that the 2 reviews I've read are very disappointing although the film is definitely NOT. One was a review of the series rather than the film and the other was by an alleged fan who has ADHD or watched another movie altogether.

In this film you are introduced to the guild of Fairy Tail full of lovable eccentric mages. Even if you are not a fan you can pick up the storyline and quickly are given an insight into the rich tapestry of great characters. An earlier criticism from "a fan" was that this effort to introduce the characters and additional scenes could be viewed as filler in the movie. This is not my view, as in reality it was done to ensure this was not just another fanbase movie that only the fans would watch.

Within the first 10 minutes you realise that these characters are larger than life and funny as hell. Happy, Natsu's pet flying cat, always has me laughing with great offhand comments and didn't fail to deliver in the movie. Fairy Tail are guaranteed to bring havoc wherever they go but they have hearts so large you can't help but warm to them.

What Japanese anime does well,and this movie is a good example of, is combine pathos and fatality with comedy to provide a roller coaster of emotions so that you can be crying and laughing within the same breath.

Look at UP, Toy Story and even Wreck it Ralph and you can see how the influence of anime and quality anime such as Fairy Tail has had in this area.

I loved the new characters too, Eclair and Momon's story was loving and poignant and if you watch the prologue which was released after the movie as a 15 min short it just enriches the story of these two. It is referred to as Fairy Tail Movie Prolouge - Hoou no Miko aka "Sunrise" or "The First Morning"

The Fairy Tail mages I felt were a bit under powered from the series but that does happen when you translate onto the big screen. Still their hearts were just as big and the emotions evoked by fully developed characters just as solid. There are a couple of scenes where there is slight nudity for comedic purposes but nothing graphic.

As a fan I'll give it 8/10 as this is a solid example of why after 175 episodes of the series it is still going stronger than ever. Quality never goes out of style and with all the great characters in Fairy Tail there is someone there for everyone.

Mediocre but still cool

[Shad_Critic · 7/10 · 2 October 2015]

As a fan of Fairy Tail, I was interested on seeing this movie. At first, I'm all but amazed. But now I'm not that much of amazed.

For starters, the art and animation looks great, the action scenes are good and that's about it. The story is well... is like your typical Fairy Tail episode. The characters especially the villains are so forgettable and under-developed. So for me, it has two pros and two cons. Don't get me wrong, it's not that bad. If you're a fan of Fairy Tail, you'll probably appreciate this movie.

In conclusion, Fairy Tail: Priestess of the Phoenix is okay. Really is appealing to fans like me. But I guess it's not that good to people that are not a fan of Fairy Tail.

Standard anime movie.

[Benjamin-M-Weilert · 6/10 · 19 May 2019]

Pretty standard anime movie. Nothing spectacular, and nothing more exciting than a standard set of episodes. The animation was pretty good, but not spectacular.

The fans deserve better

[Samiam3 · 8 August 2017]

Nastu Lucy and the gang assist a young Maiden (eclair) in her quest to find and protect a stone that has the power to awaken the destructive Phoenix. Meanwhile an ill minded young monarch of a nearby kingdom is also after the stone.

It's a generic story that happens to have the fairy tail cast in it. There is also a 12 min short film in the DVD package which acts as a prologue to Eclairs tale. These 'deleted scenes' have moments of insight and intimacy that do more for exlairs individuality than her entire screen time actual feature.

As is often the case with anime features The animation is more fluidity than the show. The biggest problem with the film is that it's rushed. The pace is frustrating several times. For example it ends on a strangely abrupt ill timed note, and then, like most franchise films, the end credits roll over a montage that would have made a far better ending as a whole scene

Even as fan service the film is lacking. There is nothing new in the way of comedy or action. It coughs up most of the greatest hits gags of the show (natsu's bottomless stomach, erzas soft spot for fashion), but the delivery has been better in the show.

Phoenix Priestess feels like a mail in. Low on imagination and vision, and relatively bland on eye candy, it adds nothing to the franchise except a new character who probably deserves a better script.

A fresh, upbeat take on an otherwise repetitive medium. With a fair share of it's flaws

[peter-mackie284 · 6/10 · 11 December 2012]

As a youth ,I very much enjoyed anime. Many a night I stayed up late to catch shows such as "Bleach" "Naruto" "Blood+" "Dragon Ball Z (and GT to a lesser extent)". However in the mid to late 2000s, I grew weary of anime. Some of the shows (some being the previously stated) had more than overstayed their welcome and many of the new additions to the anime medium were either more of the same story rehashed with different characters, or downright perverted. On top of that a new wave of "anti heroes" had come into play, not that there's anything wrong with that, I enjoy a good dark hero every once in a while but at that point the medium was plagued by unrelatable and sometimes downright unlikable characters. So naturally I moved on to other story telling mediums to fill the gap that anime had created.

But then, fairly recently, this little story caught my eye on the Funimation channel.I decided, despite my previous experience, to give this one a fair chance, and it surely did not disappoint! The characters are three dimensional and likable, the story (while containing some elements from animes past) was original and interesting. That being said the show is certainly not perfect, suffering from an abundance of clichés that sometimes detract from an otherwise wonderful plot, and the featuring of the occasional villain that you've sworn you've seen at least thirty times before in other shows. But that by no means does a bad anime make, and to the shows credit, the jokes are actually very clever and funny, which due to the cultural barrier that is often difficult to translate in anime, is a rarity.

What makes this a good anime id simply this, you like the characters. You want to see them succeed and you can often relate to the feelings that they have during their struggles. The characters in the Fairy Tail guild look out for each other, you actually believe that they would be friends in any given scenario. The rivalries are believable and the villains (while sometimes cheesy) have sufficient motivation at all times. To conclude, I would recommend this show to current and prior anime fans, there's something in it for everyone.

Ugh men

[Sh31kh_H0kv5 · 7/10 · 20 August 2022]

Wats d deal that got mi here anyway, fire a fire eating maniac a Talking cat wit wings like that's not enough a girl wearing skimpy skirt that wat ever happens i dont get 2 c her panties, more or less if u're not going 2 giv d audience a great show pls don't even dare.

It has a completely new story arc that has never appeared before in the manga or the anime itself

[hayashimegumi · 8/10 · 26 November 2014]

As a long time fan of Hiro Mashima's works such as Rave Masters and Fairy Tail, I won't deny that I am really fond of the characters and this one easily becomes one of my favorite but honestly that doesn't mean I'll only write praises for the movie because I can be quite critical.

Let's begin with what I don't like about Fairy Tail the Movie: Phoenix Priestess (2012). There is not much really, but I prefer to be honest; I am not comfortable with some of the character's design, particularly or rather, especially the designs of some of the female Fairy Tail guild members. It's really mean if I say they look not as pretty as in the manga and anime series but it is quite noticeable that they look different.

Sometimes in the movie, I find them weird. It's a little like plastic surgery done to their faces. Mind you, there is nothing wrong with alterations, it's their choice but the point is, it is like an unsuccessful plastic surgery which makes people feel uncomfortable looking at them. So whose fault? In this case, maybe the "surgeon"?! :/

(Seriously, what have you done to my favorite Erza and Mira-nee!! Luckily my favorite exceed Carla still as adorable!!) T-T

Enough with whining. Good news is, despite that flaw, this movie is still one of the nicest anime adaptation I have ever seen! Truly, I am not exaggerating. It has a completely new story arc that has never appeared before in the manga or the anime itself, with new characters and setting or location introduced. It is truly a pleasure unlike some of the other animated features which are usually just a summary version of the anime, which is boring or a major let down.

That reason alone is already good enough to why you should watch this Fairy Tail the Movie: Phoenix Priestess (2012). Besides, it also have a great story which is also touching. If you are easily moved, you may find yourself crying at least twice. No joke.

To those who are new to Fairy Tail universe, it is not a fairy tale. It sets in a magical world called Earth Land, featuring not one or two or three but tens to hundreds of different characters with unique backstory from time to time. Most times it is funny and at times it is mysterious but most significantly, it has plenty of valuable life lessons which are always uplifting!

Therefore, I would say Fairy Tail is an exceptional and sensible work of art. If I have to rank my favorite manga and anime of all time, it would be certainly my #3 favorite, just right behind the Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama and Rave Master by the same mangaka who also create Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima.

In brief, true, I may appear to be a little biased as it easily becomes one of my favorite but no, I won't simply list any movie without reasons into my favorite list, alright? If you need some anime movie suggestion, this would certainly be one of it! ^_^

A very good film

[caiollig · 10/10 · 4 November 2015]

The film Fairy Tail: Priestess of the phoenix is a amazing eye catching film that kazams the hell out of your mind. I think that this film is one of the best of its year and definitely beats all the other anime films except pokémon. Thanks for reading <3 At the beginning when you see the phoenix priestess it is a big confusing to get your head around as it happens so fast... although when you get your head around it you can feel the determination of the girl trying to escape the attack.

Furthermore, later in the film we meet the 4 evil wizards who have tremendous powers that work for the king to get the phoenix stones to unlock immortal life. When you get to the end of the film you see the " phoenix" although i think they could have done a better job designing it as it looks like a dancing Mexican.

Huge Waste of Time

[yokoyakamori · 2/10 · 30 April 2017]

Back when I liked Fairy Tail, I stumbled across this movie...and oh my God, it was absolutely terrible. It basically makes the series look worse by comparison. So where do I start:

The silent context-less prologue: The beginning of the movie has no dialogue, meaning you have to assume you know what's going on. Not a good way to start a story.

The story in general: The story felt so formulaic and predictable that if you watch the series, you know how it will all end.

The characters: My biggest beef against this film ere the characters. You have cookie cutter one-dimensional villains shouting the most generic villain dialogue ever...and then you have Lucy. Lucy does ABSOLUTELY nothing in this film, unless you count crying like a stupid baby for most of the film as something. The fact that this film centers around her and her relationship with Eclair, she doesn't add anything to the plot. She is also portrayed to a degree as useless, when I remember that she has keys to summon celestial spirits to aid her.

Overall, this movie is not worth watching at all.

Fairy Tail

[sambitmesengupta · 10/10 · 9 September 2020]

This fairy tail movie is very emotional to me There are a lot of people who hate Fairy Tail and it's fine because individuals have their own likings but I personally like Fairy Tail Now I watched Dragon Cry before this one and the animation in Dragon Cry was better but the plot was a little loose But Phoenix Priestess has a very unique plot The movie is really sad and emotional and happy at the same time Watch it

Its a spoiler because im moaning, not giving away storyline.

[calbum_garrick · 1/10 · 8 March 2013]

Hello, (This is a negative review, but no spoilers contained other than spoling your expectations) Well I'm a big fan of Anime's and have enjoyed quite a few anime films, out of that lot I do enjoy Fairy Tail the series and so watched the film as any fan would, I was not expecting a lot as this is their first film (And the anime series show they are still learning) But gave it a try, and they disappointed my low expectations.

Generally I would give this film around 3/10, maybe 4/10 as it is a watchable film, it gives screen time to the whole guild and they will all pull off some moves to keep ya happy (And Happy happy) during the film.

But i'm giving it 1/10, my worste rating ever, this is because of a few reasons which I would apply to any film so i'm not being biast:

Darkness - The film is VERY VERY dark, half of the film you will just see a black screen with faces moving around and the occasional fireball or something, this goes for all the battles and chases and bits inbetween, this point ruins any film, the other thing I enjoy about Anime's is the amazing worlds people create, and beautiful scenery, this film looks like it decided to skip background imagery and just make it all dark, they will have light scenes, but they will lack my next point.

Script - You will notice this issue within around 10 seconds of the film starting and this will continue to the end, lack of dialogue, lack of explanation, the film starts with a 'silent movie'(With music), so unless you've read multiple descriptions of the storyline you will have no idea what is going on, this will not get any better during the rest of the film, I didn't actually laugh once during the film :S (If you leave the sound on but look away from the screen, you won't be missing much)

Storyline - Weak, I won't go into this for spoiler sake, but it is weak. If you wanted to, there is a short 20ish min episode which explains a little more into the film's main characters, but again lacking (Plus not part of the film?!?!).

If they took this film, cut it into 5 parts and released it as episodes within the series (Labled as fillers) a lot of people would be complaining and skipping it :P I feel cheated :P And they didn't even do much fan sub... tho lucy is always a winner ;)

I enjoyed it.

[jimhaney-12224 · 8/10 · 3 January 2021]

If you like the show, you'll like the movie too. A short arc to be expected of an anime-movie but its the same Fairy Tail.

Pretty good animation on the fight scenes and throughout the movie, nice clean transitions and ambiance.

They did a good job

[martin_merelesc · 10/10 · 7 April 2022]

The movie was fantastic. I wanted to watch this movie for a while, and it was totally worth the wait. There were so many epic fighting scenes. So many explosions! I love the new characters too, they had such cool and interesting abilities! The art was amazing! The plot for this was great! The ending was awesome and quite different from the show. Some of you might like this so much, you might like it even more than the show itself.

Boring movie but, okay if your around 8 year old

[missshello · 1/10 · 21 May 2020]

To much fanservice The hero's got a downgrade which made no scense whatsover if you followed the manga or anime The story line is predictable and it's basicly good VS bad And the main cast is a Naruto knock off

Those fight scenes tho were lit

[alexhayes-07714 · 10/10 · 5 October 2020]

This was amazing and sad :( rip Elclair and her pet birb:(