World Masterpiece Theater
This is probably one of the few privileges (I believe) people born from the mid-70's to the early 90's got: the Golden Age of TV animation, which we owe for a significant part to Japan, and more specifically the ambitious World Masterpiece Theater anthology, a proof, if ever needed, that Japanese animation wasn't just about sport-themed cartoons or interstellar robotic battles.
This ambitious and epic three-decade project from Nippon Animation consisted on adapting every year popular and classic literature children's books from all over the world, which resulted in unforgettable quality anime such as "Heidi", "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" or the tear-jerker "Princess Sarah". Many of these stories have been made into movies but movies could never do justice to their richness and density.
Now, which of these animated series would you be the most interested to discover or to watch again?
or
If you think you're too old for cartoons (is anyone?) then which one would you rather show to your kids or younger relatives?
Discuss the list here
For more information about the World Masterpiece Theater click here, and if I may give a personal opinion, these series were really good, you'd be right to think that watching a cartoon can't replace the experience of reading a book, but have we ever said that about Walt Disney animated features?
This ambitious and epic three-decade project from Nippon Animation consisted on adapting every year popular and classic literature children's books from all over the world, which resulted in unforgettable quality anime such as "Heidi", "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" or the tear-jerker "Princess Sarah". Many of these stories have been made into movies but movies could never do justice to their richness and density.
Now, which of these animated series would you be the most interested to discover or to watch again?
or
If you think you're too old for cartoons (is anyone?) then which one would you rather show to your kids or younger relatives?
Discuss the list here
For more information about the World Masterpiece Theater click here, and if I may give a personal opinion, these series were really good, you'd be right to think that watching a cartoon can't replace the experience of reading a book, but have we ever said that about Walt Disney animated features?
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- StarsGorô NayaMinori MatsushimaJunpei TakiguchiA samurai must retrieve his 48 body parts that were stolen from him when he was a baby so he can defeat the 48 demons that were made from his body parts.Dororo and Hyakkimaru
- StarsKyôko KishidaHitoshi TakagiReiko MutôThe adventures of Moomintroll and his associates in the fictional valley of Moominvalley.Moomin
- StarsEiko MasuyamaYasuo YamadaMichiko HiraiThe pixies Candy and Zukko appear in Andersen's fairy tales to try to change the endings for the better.Andersen Stories from several stories of Hans Christian Andersen, the Danish fairy tales writer
- StarsKyôko KishidaHitoshi TakagiJunko HoriNew Moomin
- StarsIchirô NagaiEiko MasuyamaKei TomiyamaBased on the books of Thornton W Burgess, the animals of the Green Forest live together and stay away from predators and humans. They have to find food, shelter, and deal with new animals that are passing through or that decide to stay.Fables of the Green Forest from the stories collection of animal-themed children stories writer, Thornton Burgess
- CreatorSean JaraStarsVic PerrinRandi KigerKazuko SugiyamaThis animation series follows the childhood "adventures" of a girl named Heidi, who lives with her grandfather somewhere on the Alps.Heidi, Girl of the Alps from Johanna Spyri's novel, Heidi
- StarsMichie KitaReiko KatsuraHirô OyokawaIn Victorian Flanders, a newly orphaned boy named Nello rescues an abandoned dog who becomes his best friend.A Dog of Flanders from the novel of the same name by Maria Louise Ramé (aka Ouida)
- StarsRocío GarcelYoshiko MatsuoKazuyuki SogabeAn Italian child goes on a journey to find his mother in Argentina.Marco’s novel 3000 Leagues in Search for Mother from a small part of Heart, the chapter named From the Apennines to the Andes, written by Italian author Edmondo De Amicis
- StarsToshihiko UtsumiMasato YamanouchiAkiko TsuboiAn eleven year boy, Sterling North and his friend live in Wisconsin and hear a gunshot, the mother of a raccoon was shot and Sterling takes the baby Racoon home and heals it, naming him Rascal.Rascal the Raccoon from Sterling North's novel, Rascal
- StarsHiromi TsuruMasako IkedaKinshirô IwaoA young girl "Perrine" and her mother start a wonderful journey from India to France by a carriage.The Story of Perrine from Hector Malot's novel, En Famille
- StarsEiko YamadaFumie KitaharaMichio HazamaBased on the books by Lucy Maud Montgomery, this 50 episode series tells the story of Anne Shirley, a young orphan living in 19th century Canada.Anne of Green Gables from the novel of the same name by Lucy Maud Montgomery
- StarsIkuo NishikawaIchirô NagaiYoshiko MatsuoTom Sawyer is a young boy growing up along the Mississippi River in the mid 1800s. Along with his best friend Huckleberry Finn, he spends his days ditching school, fishing, climbing trees and having adventures.The Adventures of Tom Sawyer from the novel of the same name by Mark Twain
- StarsWendee LeeMichael McConnohieArdwight ChamberlainWhen the Robinsons plan to go to start a new life in Australia, they run into a storm that completely changes their lives.The Swiss Family Robinson: Flone of the Mysterious Island from Johann David Wyss's The Swiss Family Robinson
- StarsMinori MatsushimaRihoko YoshidaKatsunosuke HoriA family of English immigrants overcomes many hardships in order to fulfill their dream of starting their own farm in South Australia.Lucy of the Southern Rainbow from an Australian novel Southern Rainbow by Phyllis Piddingto
- StarsKeiko HanEiko YamadaOsamu KobayashiLittle Swiss girl Annette's relationship with her best friend Lucien hits the rocks when he is accused of hurting her brother.Story of the Alps: My Annette from the English children book, Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John.
- StarsHitomi OikawaReiko MutôYoku ShioyaIt has been three years since little Katri's mother left for Germany leaving her daughter behind in Finland, where she now lives with her grandparents. With Finland still under Russian domination, the inhabitants of these lands have had little or no news from the outside and no one knows if little Katri will again see her mother. To make matters worse, things in the Katri's grandparents' farm are not going well, the harvest had been a small one, their only cow had been killed by a bear and the family confronts great monetary problems. Katri wants to help and finds work in a neighboring farm; for a girl of hardly nine years of age the work of a farm is hard and tiring even with all of her enthusiasm and good moods, which is what keeps her standing.Katri novel’s Girl of the Meadows from the Finnish novel, Paimen, piika ja emäntä, the author is Auni Nuolivaara.
- StarsSumi ShimamotoTaeko NakanishiYukiko NashiwaAnime adaption of 1905's children's novel 'A Little Princess'. Sara Crewe arrives in London with her wealthy father to enter Miss Minchin's boarding school for young ladies. Despite an unhappy incident which makes Miss Minchin vexed with her, she leads a contented life until one day, her birthday, the news of the sudden death of her father plunges her into poverty. She is forced to do lowly work for the Seminary and in her situation, she is a welcome target to Miss Minchin and her former fellow pupil Lavinia, who once envied her wealth. But with the help of her friends she made and her own will-power she finds the strength to never give up.Princess Sarah from Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel, A Little Princess.
- StarsMitsuko HorieTaeko NakanishiMasako NozawaBased on the two "Glad Books" by Eleanor H. Porter, Pollyanna is a newly orphaned girl sent to live with her strict Aunt Polly in the town of Beldingsville. With her love for gladness, Pollyanna manages to cheer up the depressed, the lonely and the sick. The day in which she is involved in a terrible accident, not even the little girl knows if she'll be able to ever be glad for anything again.The Story of Pollyanna, Girl of Love from Pollyanna and Pollyanna Grows Up, both were written by Eleanor H. Porter.
- StarsKeiko HanEiko YamadaMayumi ShôLouisa May Alcott's autobiographical account of her life with her three sisters in Concord, Massachusetts in the 1860s. With their father fighting in the American Civil War, sisters Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth are at home with their mother, a very outspoken women for her time. The story tells of how the sisters grow up, find love and find their place in the world.Little Women from Louisa May Alcott's Little Women.
- StarsAi OrikasaTomoko MunakataMitsuko HorieLittle Prince Cedie from Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel, Little Lord Fauntleroy
- StarsNoriko HidakaNaoko MatsuiKyôko HamuraWhile in search of his own shadow, Peter arrives in London of our world, where he meets little Wendy and her brothers Michael and John. He takes his new friends back home to Neverland, where they participate in staggering adventures, and must confront Captain Hook and an even darker threat.The Adventures of Peter Pan from Peter Pan, the famous story by J. M. Barrie
- StarsMitsuko HorieChie SatôYuri AmanoIt's an anime series based on the original novel of "Daddy Long Legs" written by Jean Webster. It takes you through the high school life of Judy Abbot and her mysterious benefactor called John Smith.My Daddy Long Legs from Jean Webster’s story Daddy-Long-Legs
- StarsMasako KatsukiKatsunosuke HoriEiko YamadaA nun is tasked to take care of a war veterans seven childrenTrapp Family Story from the book The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta von Trapp, which also inspired the musical “The Sound of Music” and its film version
- StarsMaya OkamotoKumiko TakizawaJun'ichi KanemaruThis japanese anime is about a 12 years old girl, who moved from Britain to Kenya since childhood and her adventures in the Savanna's.The Bush Baby from William Stevenson's story The Bushbabies
- StarsRikako AikawaKeiko HanEiko YamadaThe adventures and misadventures of Jo Bhaer and her pupils at their new Plumfield school-house.Little Women II: Jo's Boys (Tale of Young Grass: Nan and Miss Jo) from Little Women's sequel, Louisa May Alcott's Little Men
- StarsMegumi HayashibaraShûichi IkedaKen'ichi OgataAn eleven year old girls befriends a orca whale.Tico of the Seven Seas
- StarsAi OrikasaToshiko FujitaAya IshizuThe adventures of a young Swiss boy working as a chimney sweeper in Milan.Romeo's Blue Skies from Die schwarzen Brüder by Kurt Held (published under the name of his wife Lisa Tetzner)
- StarsMayumi TanakaAkio ÔtsukaTakumi YamazakiA Japanese animated version of the famous American TV series about a family of farmers and their dog, Lassie. In each episode, someone in the family manages to get into some kind of trouble, but luckily for them the faithful, loving and intelligent Lassie is there to save the day.Famous Dog Lassie from the short story Lassie Come-Home, the author is Eric Knight
- StarsMitsuko HorieShinobu AdachiFubito YamanoRemi, Nobody's Girl tells the story of Remi, a cheerful and tender-hearted girl, who is an excellent singer and lives in the French country town of Chavanon with her mother. One day her father returns to the town after a long period working in a city. She discovers that she was a "foundling" or an abandoned child and was adopted by Mother Barberin. Her stepfather Jerome leaves to work in Paris and expects Mother Barberin to send Remi to the workhouse. He returns 10 years later, finds that Remi is still there, and becomes furious and Remi is almost sold to an evil slave traderRemi, Nobody's Girl from Hector Malot's novel, Sans Famille
- StarsMiyuki SawashiroAtsuko TanakaHiroshi NakaThe classic novel by Victor Hugo returns to the world of Japanese anime in Nippon Animation's 52-episode adaptation "Les Misérables: Shoujo Cosette". The plot shifts its focus to include the story of Cosette, the illegitimate daughter of Fantine, from her early days with the Thénardiers while her mother works in another town. At the same time, the enigmatic Monsieur Madeleine, who is secretly the ex-convict Jean Valjean, is trying to live an honest life as the beneficent mayor of the same town Fantine works in. Both Valjean and Cosette's lives drastically change as the Thénardiers show their true colors and Inspector Javert arrives in town, posing a potential threat to Madeleine's freedom. This adaptation follows Hugo's story with relative faithfulness, given its young audience, limited running time and moments of artistic license.Les Misérables: Girl Cosette from Victor Hugo's novel, Les Misérables
- StarsAyumi FujimuraYuki KaidaToshiyuki ToyonagaThe story is of a Greek boy, Porphyras and his sister Mina, who have been orphaned after a devastating earthquake. Rather than staying in a foster home, they decide to travel across all of Europe, and thus their adventures begin.The Long Journey of Porphy from Paul-Jacques Bonzon's The orphans of Simitra.
- StarsRina HidakaMasako IkedaSeiko TamuraThe story of what happened to Anne Shirley as orphan during her childhood.Hello Anne ~ Before Green Gables from the Anne of Green Gables prequel, Budge Wilson's Before Green Gables.