P.J. Sparkles



A 1992 animated movie that was released with the doll of the same name, courtesy of Mike Young Productions.

Poor P.J. is a sweet orphan girl who lives in Miss O'Malley's orphanage. Discouraged that everyone she gets close to is adopted, and that she hasn't been adopted herself, she wishes on a star for someone to love. Thanks to this wish, she is transformed into a Magical Girl, gives herself the last name "Sparkles" and soon finds herself in Twinkle Town. There she finds other children who wished for someone to love them, and with The Power of Love, she makes Twinkle Town live up to its name. She is soon summoned to help Peter, a lonely boy on Earth, leaving Twinkle Town open to the machinations of The Cloak and Betty, who prefer things drab and dreary. Will P.J. be able to undo the damage done to Twinkle Town while still helping Peter?

Jodi Benson of The Little Mermaid fame lends her voice to the protagonist, and a few other big stars lent their voices, such as Robby Benson.

Tropes related to the special:
"The Cloak: Well then, everyone's so nasty and upset. Nerve-wracking, isn't it? It brings out a sickly green color in your cheeks. Betty: Why, you old rotting rat head. Oh, you'll turn my head with your sweet talk, not to mention my stomach."
 * Bad Is Good and Good Is Bad: The Cloak and Betty.

"Betty: I think they've made her the mayor. Probably because she's got the horse."
 * The Chosen One: P.J.
 * Cool Horse: Blaze.

"Here comes Cloak and Betty In their vehicle Punching all the lights out Stinking up the world! Yes!"
 * Cross-Dressing Voices: Sparks is voiced by the late Dana Hill.
 * Hair Decorations: The actual doll had a huge red light-up hair bow.
 * Everything's Better with Sparkles
 * Expository Theme Tune: "She closed her eyes and made a wish for people to love and care for, and in a beautiful blinding light, she got everything she asked for!"
 * Gasshole: Betty.
 * Gods Need Prayer Badly: When The Cloak's "Malice Mist" saps all the love from Twinkle Town, P.J. becomes weak, and Blaze turns back into an old horse. Conversely, the love of just one boy is enough to recharge her powers
 * Hair of Gold: Just another hint to P.J.'s pureness.
 * Happily Married: The Cloak and Betty, surprisingly.
 * Helping Would Be Killstealing: Why P.J refuses to use her magic to get Peter some friends.
 * Heartwarming Orphan: P.J.
 * Hostile Show Takeover: After getting rid of P.J. (or so they think), The Cloak and Betty sing their own version of the Theme Tune:

""She's the one who started all this lovey-dovey 'you light up my life' stuff." "We don't need your stinky badges.""
 * I Just Want to Have Friends: Peter.
 * "I Want" Song: "Wishing For Love."
 * I Would Say If I Could Say: Blaze, the horse, comments at one point, "Pardon the expression, but 'Whoa!'"
 * Be Yourself: "You were so desperate to have friends, you tried to be tough and force them to like you, when all you ever had to do was care about them and give them your love."
 * Larynx Dissonance: Betty is voiced by Roger Rees.
 * Mad Scientist: The Cloak. "Crack out the chemistry set, Betty. We have a light to extinguish!"
 * Make a Wish
 * Magical Girl
 * Magical Land: The place Twinkle Town is part of was created by "the light of every star ever wished upon by children."
 * Meaningful Rename
 * Mirror Morality Machine: The "Malice Mist".
 * Orphanage of Love: O'Malley's Home for Orphans.
 * Paint It Black: Everyone sprayed with the Malice Mist instantly becomes paler, and their clothing becomes darker. The heart on P.J.'s dress even turns completely black.
 * Pink Means Feminine
 * The Power of Love: Runs on this trope. P.J. can do almost anything, provided she phrases it "I'd love it if X happened."
 * Power Perversion Potential: A G-Rated version. Seeing P.J.'s power in action, Peter is convinced she can just zap all the kids at school to make them his friends.
 * Sapient Steed: Blaze, after his transformation.
 * Shout-Out:


 * Swiss Army Tears: P.J. starts to die after she is hit with "Malice Mist" by the villains, since she now needs love to survive. Peter's tears, while declaring that he loves her, revive her.
 * Talking Animal: Blaze can talk after his transformation.
 * Unusual Euphemism: After seeing that his evil plot has failed, The Cloak cries out "Oh, spit!"
 * Weakened by the Light: Betty and The Cloak get bad indigestion and headaches (respectively) when exposed to the sun.
 * What Happened to the Mouse?: Mrs O'Malley.