Mutya

The 2011 Philippine television series Mutya is kicked off with a forbidden love affair between Cordelia, a human woman, and Irvin, a merman prince. Irvin disappears from Cordelia's life when he gets swept up in a war between his people and the black-tailed merfolk led by the sorceress Octopina. Because of this, Irvin doesn't know that he left Cordelia pregnant, and that she eventually gives birth to his child. Cordelia's mother, Delilah, is horrified by the baby's fused legs. She orders her employee Tonyo to destroy it, and tells Cordelia that the baby died. But Tonyo and his wife secretly raise the baby as their own, and name her Mutya.

Mutya grows up into a sweet child, beloved by her parents and older brother Aries. But life has many twists and turns, as Mutya's condition makes her a target of superstitious villagers, and later their parents are lost at sea, which force Aries and Mutya to rely on themselves to survive. When Mutya's legs finally take their proper form as a mermaid tail, she realizes her own connection to the sea.

Meanwhile, Mutya's birth parents each deal with their own problems: Cordelia and her money-minded mother, and Irvin with an enchantment placed upon him by Princess Nerissa, who has claimed him as her husband. Eventually both Cordelia and Irvin individually cross paths with Mutya, and have no clue (at first) that she is their daughter.

Mutya Orquia plays Mutya with adorable zest, and although she does understandably struggle with the swimming scenes (she was so young!) there are plenty of merfolk community scenes and underwater scenes with the adults in this 68-episode show (including fight scenes), complete with a sorceress who is totally inspired by Ursula. Also shoutout of appreciation to Amy Nobleza who plays Princess Chabita, Mutya's foil and rival, with delightful overwrought camp. Plus she sings the opening theme! The special effects aren't very slick and the audio mixing is all over the place, but the show has its own charm. This series also has music! Mutya's singing is a plot point plus an outright magical ability that comes into play a few times.