World Masterpiece Theater (??????, Sekai Meisaku Gekij?) is a Japanese TV anime staple that showcased an animated version of a different classical book or story each year on 7:30 p.m. on Sunday. It originally aired from 1969 to 1997 then resumed in 2007.
The first several series were produced by Mushi Production and then by Zuiyo Eizo, and then by Zuiyo's successor Nippon Animation, which was officially established in June 1975 during the run of A Dog of Flanders. In both cases, the series originally aired primarily on Fuji Television. Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata both worked on several of the series. World Masterpiece Theater as produced by Nippon Animation lasted for 23 seasons, from A Dog of Flanders in 1975 to Remi, Nobody's Girl (??????, Ie Naki Ko Remi, Sans Famille) in 1997. Nippon Animation restarted the series in 2007 with the release of Les Misérables: Sh?jo Cosette, which premiered on BS Fuji on January 7, 2007, with Porufi no Nagai Tabi (The Long Journey of Porphy) subsequently airing on the same network beginning on January 6, 2008, making it the 25th World Masterpiece Theater series. The most recent and 26th series is Kon'nichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables (lit. Hello Anne ~ Before Green Gables).
To date, only six series were ever dubbed in English for the North American market: Fables of the Green Forest (1973), Tom Sawyer (1980), Swiss Family Robinson (1981), Little Women (1987), The Adventures of Peter Pan (1989), and The Bush Baby (1992). The anime satellite television network, Animax, who also aired numerous installments of the series across Japan, later translated and dubbed many of the series' installments into English for broadcast across its English-language networks in Southeast Asia and South Asia, such as Princess Sarah (??????, Sh?k?jo S?ra), Remi, Nobody's Girl (??????, Ie Naki Ko Remi), Little Women (??????, Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari), and others. The serials also found success in Europe, with Anne of Green Gables (1979, Miyazaki's last work for Nippon Animation before leaving the studio), Heidi, Girl of the Alps as well as the aforementioned Princess Sarah.
The series has been known by various names over the years (as shown below), but "World Masterpiece Theater" is the name most commonly used by viewers. Nippon Animation's official English name for the series is "The Classic Family Theater Series".
Video World Masterpiece Theater
Productions
Before Nippon Animation - Calpis Comic Theater (1969-1974)
- Dororo and Hyakkimaru (???????, Dororo to Hyakimaru, 1969)
- Moomin (????, M?min, 1969 - 1970)
- Andersen Stories (????????, Anderusen Monogatari, 1971): Adapted from several stories of Hans Christian Andersen, the Danish fairy tales writer.
- New Moomin (? ????, Shin M?min, 1972)
- Rocky Chuck the Mountain rat (???? ????????, Yama Nezumi Rokk? Chakku, 1973): Adapted from the stories collection of animal-themed children stories writer, Thornton Burgess.
- Heidi, Girl of the Alps (??????????, Arupusu no Sh?jo Haiji, 1974): Adapted from Johanna Spyri's novel, Heidi.
Nippon Animation - Calpis Children's Theater (1975-1977)
- A Dog of Flanders (????????, Furand?su no Inu, 1975): Adapted from the novel of the same name by Maria Louise Ramé (aka Ouida).
- Marco, 3000 Leagues in Search for Mother (?????????, Haha o Tazunete Sanzen Ri, 1976): Adapted from a small part of Heart, the chapter named From the Apennines to the Andes, written by Italian author Edmondo De Amicis.
- Rascal the Raccoon (?????????, Araiguma Rasukaru, 1977): Adapted from Sterling North's novel, Rascal.
Calpis Family Theater (1978)
- The Story of Perrine (??????, Per?nu Monogatari, 1978): Adapted from Hector Malot's novel, En Famille.
World Masterpiece Theater (1979-1985; no title sponsor)
- Anne of Green Gables (?????, Akage no An, 1979): Adapted from the novel of the same name by Lucy Maud Montgomery.
- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (??????????, Tomu S?y? no B?ken, 1980): Adapted from the novel of the same name by Mark Twain.
- The Swiss Family Robinson: Flone of the Mysterious Island (?????????? ??????????, Kazoku Robinson Hy?ry?ki: Fushigi na Shima no Fur?ne, 1981): Adapted from Johann David Wyss's The Swiss Family Robinson.
- Lucy of the Southern Rainbow (????????, Minami no Niji no R?sh?, 1982): Adapted from an Australian novel Southern Rainbow by Phyllis Piddington.
- Story of the Alps: My Annette (?????????, Watashi no Annetto, 1983): Adapted from the English children book, Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John.
- Katri, Girl of the Meadows (????????, Makiba no Sh?jo Katori, 1984): Adapted from the Finnish novel, Paimen, piika ja emäntä, the author is Auni Nuolivaara.
- Princess Sarah (??????, Sh?k?jo S?ra, 1985): Adapted from Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel, A Little Princess.
House Foods World Masterpiece Theater (1986-1993)
- The Story of Pollyanna, Girl of Love (??????????, Ai Sh?jo Porianna Monogatari, 1986): Adapted from Pollyanna and Pollyanna Grows Up, both were written by Eleanor H. Porter.
- Little Women: Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari (Love Story of the Young Grass) (??????, Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari, 1987): Adapted from Louisa May Alcott's Little Women.
- Little Prince Cedie (??????, Sh?k?shi Sedi, 1988): Adapted from Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel, Little Lord Fauntleroy.
- The Adventures of Peter Pan (?????????, P?t? Pan no B?ken, 1989): Adapted from Peter Pan, the famous story by J. M. Barrie.
- My Daddy Long Legs (??????????, Watashi no Ashinaga Ojisan, 1990): Adapted from Jean Webster's Daddy-Long-Legs.
- Trapp Family Story (????????, Torappu Ikka Monogatari, 1991): Adapted 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.
- The Bush Baby (????????? ????????, Dais?gen no Chiisana Tenshi Busshu Beib?, 1992): Adapted from William Stevenson's story The Bushbabies
- Little Women II: Jo's Boys (Tale of Young Grass: Nan and Miss Jo) (???? ????????, Wakakusa Monogatari: Nan to J?sensei, 1993): Adapted from Little Women's sequel, Louisa May Alcott's Little Men.
World Masterpiece Theater (1994-1997; no title sponsor)
- Tico of the Seven Seas (????????, Nanatsu no Umi no Tiko, 1994)
- Romeo's Blue Skies (???????, Romio no Aoi Sora, 1995): Adapted from Die schwarzen Brüder by Kurt Held (published under the name of his wife Lisa Tetzner).
- Famous Dog Lassie (??????, Meiken Rassh?, 1996): Adapted from the short story Lassie Come-Home, the author is Eric Knight.
- Remi, Nobody's Girl (??????, Ie Naki Ko Remi, 1996 - 1997): Adapted from Hector Malot's novel, Sans Famille.
House Foods World Masterpiece Theater (2007-2009)
- Les Misérables: Girl Cosette (??????? ??????, Re Mizeraburu Sh?jo Kozetto, 2007): Adapted from Victor Hugo's novel, Les Misérables.
- The Long Journey of Porphy (????????, Porufi no Nagai Tabi, 2008): Adapted from Paul-Jacques Bonzon's The orphans of Simitra.
- Kon'nichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables (????? ??, lit. Hello Anne ~ Before Green Gables, 2009): Adapted from the Anne of Green Gables prequel, Budge Wilson's Before Green Gables.
Maps World Masterpiece Theater
Series length
- Moomin - 65 episodes
- Andersen Monogatari - 52 episodes
- Moomin (1972) - 52 episodes
- Fables of the Green Forest - 52 episodes
- Heidi, Girl of the Alps - 52 episodes
- Dog of Flanders - 52 episodes
- 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother - 52 episodes
- Rascal the Raccoon - 52 episodes
- The Story of Perrine - 53 episodes
- Anne of Green Gables - 50 episodes
- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - 49 episodes
- The Swiss Family Robinson: Flone of the Mysterious Island - 50 episodes
- Lucy of the Southern Rainbow - 50 episodes
- Story of the Alps: My Annette - 48 episodes
- Katri, Girl of the Meadows - 49 episodes
- Princess Sarah - 46 episodes
- The Story of Pollyanna, Girl of Love - 51 episodes
- Little Women - 48 episodes
- Little Lord Fauntleroy - 43 episodes
- The Adventures of Peter Pan - 41 episodes
- My Daddy Long Legs - 40 episodes
- Trapp Family Story - 40 episodes
- The Bush Baby - 40 episodes
- Little Women II: Jo's Boys - 40 episodes
- Tico of the Seven Seas - 39 episodes
- Romeo's Blue Skies - 33 episodes
- Dororo - 26 episodes
- Famous Dog Lassie - 26 episodes
- Remi, Nobody's Girl - 26 episodes
- Les Misérables: Sh?jo Cosette - 52 episodes
- Porphy no Nagai Tabi - 52 episodes
- Hello Anne - Before Green Gables - 50 episodes
See also
- Animated Classics of Japanese Literature
- Hallmark Hall of Fame
- Walt Disney anthology television series
References
External links
- World Masterpiece Theater (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
- Official Facebook Page
Source of article : Wikipedia
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