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TV Series
by Hayao Miyazaki (and Takahata)

     

World Masterpiece Theater

Contents
 

Q: What is World Masterpiece Theater?

Sekai Meisaku Gekijo (World Masterpiece Theater) has been the jewel of Japanese TV animation for more than 20 years. It's a TV animation series based on classic children's literature, animated by Nippon Animation. Takahata and Miyazaki started this series with "Heidi", in 1974 (at that time, Nippon Animation was called Zuiyo Enterprise). Usually, a series based on one book takes one year to complete (50+ episodes), and a new series starts in the following year. To know more about WMT, visit WMT Web Page by Ben Ettinger.

Q: Which WMT did Miyazaki and Takahata do?

Takahata directed and Miyazaki did layouts for "Heidi", "3000 Miles in Search of Mother", and "Anne of Green Gables". Takahata also directed and Miyazaki did key animation for one episode in "The Dog of Flanders" (#15), and Takahata wrote storyboards for two episodes of "Perrine's Story" (#3 & #6). Miyazaki also did key animation for 20 episodes of "Rascal the Raccoon".

Q: What is "Heidi"?

Based on a novel by Johanna Spyri, "Alps no Shojo Heidi (Heidi)" was directed by Takahata. Miyazaki did all the layouts of every episode, which is something only a superhuman can do. It was the first of the Masterpiece Theater series, and was a big success. It blew the competition, "Space Battleship Yamato", out of the water (or shot them down). Its depiction of Heidi's daily life in every detail was revolutionary as a "TV manga for kids" at that time, and established Takahata's realistic directing style.

Availabity in Japanese:

Q: What is "3000 ri"?

Based on a short story by Edmondo de Amicis, "Haha wo Tazunete 3000ri" (3000 Miles in Search of Mother) is a story about an Italian boy, Marco, and his journey in search of his mother. Italy was in a deep depression, so to support her family, Marco's mother went to Argentina to work as a domestic (Like Piccolo's sons went to America to work in "Porco Rosso"). But after she wrote to her family that she was sick, her letters stopped coming. So, Marco decided to go to Argentina to look for her, only to find she was no longer at the address Marco had. Marco had to travel across Argentina to find her, meeing many wonderful people, encountering many adventures in the process.

Takahata directed "3000ri", and Miyazaki did layout. This anime might be the distant ancestor of "Porco Rosso". Not only was the hero's name Marco (from Genova, as Porco is), but also the heroine's name was Fiolina. Marco took a ship named "Folgore" to Argentina. "Folgore", which means lightning, was the name of Porco's new engine in the movie, and the name of Porco's plane in the manga.

Availability in Japanese:

Q: What is "Rascal"?

Based on a novel by Sterling North, "Araiguma Rascal (Rascal the Raccoon)" is a story of a friendship between a boy, Sterling, and a raccoon, Rascal, set in early 20th Century America. Rascal is still a very popular character in Japan. Miyazaki did key animation for episodes #4-6, 10, 12-22, & 24-28.

     

Availablity in Japanese:

Q: What is "Anne"?

Based on a novel by Lucy Maude Montgomery, "Akage no Anne (Anne of Green Gables)", a story about an orphan girl who came to live in Green Gables, was directed by Takahata. Miyazaki did layouts up to the 15th episode, but he left Nippon Animation for Tokyo Movie Shinsha to make "Lupin III, The Castle of Cagliostro". The animation director was Yoshifumi Kondo, the director of "Whisper of the Heart". Takahata later edited the episodes up to #6 into a film, which was released in 1990. French-dubbed "Anne" was broadcast on French CBC in Canada recently.

Availability in Japanese:


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