'Jorinda and Joringel' is a beautiful story. It is not one of the most very famous Brothers Grimm stories, or one of the ones that everybody knows, but it's one of my favourites of theirs. Due to getting a lot of emotion out of it, some of the most emotion felt from any of their stories and this is me speaking as someone who loves the Brothers Grimm, when it comes to fairy/folk-tales they are among the best and most important authors of them, and their work.
In the late 80s Japan did a series of animated/anime adaptations of much of their work and other fairy/folk-tales called 'Grimm Masterpiece Theater', or known to others as 'Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics'. It is a very charming and enjoyable series well worth checking out, though of course some episodes are better than others (that's the case with a lot of shows/series though) and the music and voice acting are inconsistent in quality throughout. It is a good way of getting familiar with lesser known tales.
'Grimm Masterpiece Theater's' adaptation of 'Jorinda and Joringel' is one of the series' best. It struck an emotional chord with me, one of the series' most powerful episodes in my view, and what can be problems in 'Grimm Masterpiece Theater' are not problems here.
My only complaint really is that occasionally the story feels a little over-explained, we can see what is happening so we don't need to be told it.
The music can be a problem with 'Grimm Masterpiece Theater', but not here. In fact, in this aspect, 'Jorinda and Joringel' is one of the best. It fits better here than other episodes of 'Grimm Masterpiece Theater' and gives off more whimsy and charm and less of the very stuck in the 80s vibe present in most of the series. Mustn't forget Jorinda's song, simply sublime in melody and the words are meaningful and important to the story. Can find the voice acting inconsistent in other episodes, 'Jorinda and Joringel' is again one of the few where all the voices fit the characters and delivered just right. The witch's voice may be an acquired taste and some may find her over the top, personally did find her suitably sinister and it fit the character design. Jorinda and the Grim Reaper (yes you saw right) are the best voiced, as well as the thoughtful narration.
Have no issues with the animation, another one of the best-looking 'Grimm Masterpiece Theater' episodes from personal opinion. Especially with the trees and the Grim Reaper, which made for one of the series' most creepiest scenes ('Bluebeard' still gets my vote as the creepiest episode though). The colours are vibrant, the backgrounds detailed and more meticulous than some other episodes of the series and the character designs are some of the series' most expressive. The intro and outro songs are very charming.
Very rarely have many problems with the writing, don't here. has maturity and entertainment value with enough for both children, without dumbing down or being too juvenile, and adults, without being too complicated. The story is very powerful, with an emotional bond felt between the two titular characters which does make it quite moving. Of the two, Jorinda is the more likeable one (as well as the more sensible one in a way) though Joringel is rootable in particularly towards the end. The witch is a formidable antagonist and the forest is suitably foreboding and mysterious.
Altogether, great and one of the series' best. 9/10
In the late 80s Japan did a series of animated/anime adaptations of much of their work and other fairy/folk-tales called 'Grimm Masterpiece Theater', or known to others as 'Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics'. It is a very charming and enjoyable series well worth checking out, though of course some episodes are better than others (that's the case with a lot of shows/series though) and the music and voice acting are inconsistent in quality throughout. It is a good way of getting familiar with lesser known tales.
'Grimm Masterpiece Theater's' adaptation of 'Jorinda and Joringel' is one of the series' best. It struck an emotional chord with me, one of the series' most powerful episodes in my view, and what can be problems in 'Grimm Masterpiece Theater' are not problems here.
My only complaint really is that occasionally the story feels a little over-explained, we can see what is happening so we don't need to be told it.
The music can be a problem with 'Grimm Masterpiece Theater', but not here. In fact, in this aspect, 'Jorinda and Joringel' is one of the best. It fits better here than other episodes of 'Grimm Masterpiece Theater' and gives off more whimsy and charm and less of the very stuck in the 80s vibe present in most of the series. Mustn't forget Jorinda's song, simply sublime in melody and the words are meaningful and important to the story. Can find the voice acting inconsistent in other episodes, 'Jorinda and Joringel' is again one of the few where all the voices fit the characters and delivered just right. The witch's voice may be an acquired taste and some may find her over the top, personally did find her suitably sinister and it fit the character design. Jorinda and the Grim Reaper (yes you saw right) are the best voiced, as well as the thoughtful narration.
Have no issues with the animation, another one of the best-looking 'Grimm Masterpiece Theater' episodes from personal opinion. Especially with the trees and the Grim Reaper, which made for one of the series' most creepiest scenes ('Bluebeard' still gets my vote as the creepiest episode though). The colours are vibrant, the backgrounds detailed and more meticulous than some other episodes of the series and the character designs are some of the series' most expressive. The intro and outro songs are very charming.
Very rarely have many problems with the writing, don't here. has maturity and entertainment value with enough for both children, without dumbing down or being too juvenile, and adults, without being too complicated. The story is very powerful, with an emotional bond felt between the two titular characters which does make it quite moving. Of the two, Jorinda is the more likeable one (as well as the more sensible one in a way) though Joringel is rootable in particularly towards the end. The witch is a formidable antagonist and the forest is suitably foreboding and mysterious.
Altogether, great and one of the series' best. 9/10