World Famous Fairy Tale Series

This article is about the 1975 series. For the 1995 series, see World Fairy Tale Series.
World Famous Fairy Tale Series
8 mm film cover for Thumbelina
世界名作童話 まんがシリーズ
(Sekai meisaku dōwa manga shirīzu)
GenreAdventure, fantasy, romance
Anime film
Directed byTomoharu Katsumata (1), Masamune Ochiai (2), Masayuki Akehi (3), Hiroshi Shidara (4), Yasuo Yamaguchi (5), Osamu Kasai (6, 10), Yoshikatsu Kasai (7), Tsunekiyo Otani (8), Kazukiyo Shigeno (9), Kazumi Fukushima (11), Akinori Orai (12–13), Tokiji Kaburaki (14), Yūgo Serikawa (15), Atsutoshi Umezawa (16), Tadao Okubo (17), Junichi Sato (18), Yukio Kaizawa (19), Hiroyuki Ebata (20)
Produced byYoshihiro Seki (16-20)
Written byMasaki Tsuji (1, 3–4, 6–10), Tadaaki Yamazaki (2, 5), Tomomi Tsutsui (11, 13–15), Junta Fujiwara (12), Michiru Shimada (16–20)
Music byShigeru Miyashita
StudioToei Animation
Licensed byToei Company
Fujifilm
Released October 1975 – February 1983

World Famous Fairy Tale Series (世界名作童話 まんがシリーズ, Sekai Meisaku Dōwa Manga Shirīzu, lit. "World Masterpiece Fairy Tale Manga Series"), also known as Classic Tales Retold, Fairy Tale Classics, Children's Classics or The World's Greatest Fairy Tales, is a Japanese anime series of short films based on fairy tales and classic stories, produced by Toei Animation between 1975 and 1983.

Premise

The series consists of 20 short films, on which many different artists worked over the years, such as Grendizer's directors Masayuki Akehi and Tomoharu Katsumata.[1] Each short runs 10 minutes and is based on a popular fairy tale or a literature classic as in the case of The Wizard of Oz. All of the narration is provided by Kyōko Kishida while Naoko Watanabe sings the opening song.[1]

The films were released in Japan by Toei Company and Fujifilm on Single-8 in three blocks: 10 films in October 1975, 5 in February 1979 and other 5 in February 1983.[2][3][4][5][6]

The shorts later aired on TX Network in April 1988, and in 1991 the series was also released on VHS and Betamax by Toei Video, sometimes under the alternative titles Sekai Meisaku Dōwa-kan (世界名作童話館, lit. "World Masterpiece Children's Fairy Tale Hall") or Anime Meisaku Dōwa (アニメ名作童話, lit. "Anime Masterpiece Fairy Tale").[7][8][9][10]

Some of the stories would be later adapted by Toei in its feature length fairy tale film series Sekai Meisaku Dōwa and in the TV anime series World Fairy Tale Series.

In the United States, the first 10 shorts aired in 1977 on CBS and in syndication in a version produced by Fred Ladd titled Classic Tales Retold. This version was later released on VHS in 1986 by Hi-Tops Video and on DVD in 2005 as The World's Greatest Fairy Tales.[11][12][13] In 1983 Harmony Gold dubbed the second block of 5 shorts, that were released on VHS in the Children's Video Library series under the title Fairy Tale Classics (Children's Classics on the title card).[14] In 1986, 4 shorts from the third block were adapted by Saban Entertainment in its version of Studio Unicorn's My Favorite Fairy Tales (leaving The Red Riding Hood unpublished) and released on VHS by Hi-Tops Video.[15][16][17]

The series was also released in France (Contes Japonais), Italy (Le più famose favole del mondo) and other countries.[18][19]

Cast

Short films

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
1"Hansel and Gretel"
Transliteration: "Henzeru to Gureteru" (Japanese: ヘンゼルとグレーテル)		Tomoharu KatsumataMasaki TsujiOctober 1975 (October 1975)
2"Thumbelina" / "Princess Thumb"
Transliteration: "Oyayubi hime" (Japanese: おやゆび姫)		Masamune OchiaiTadaaki YamazakiOctober 1975 (October 1975)
3"Jack and the Beanstalk"
Transliteration: "Jakku to mame no ki" (Japanese: ジャックと豆の木)		Masayuki AkehiMasaki TsujiOctober 1975 (October 1975)
4"The North Wind and the Sun"
Transliteration: "Kitakaze to taiyō" (Japanese: アラジンとふしぎなランプ)		Hiroshi ShidaraMasaki TsujiOctober 1975 (October 1975)
5"Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp" / "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp"
Transliteration: "Arajin to fushigina ranpu" (Japanese: アラジンとふしぎなランプ)		Yasuo YamaguchiTadaaki YamazakiOctober 1975 (October 1975)
6"The Emperor's New Clothes" / "Emperor's New Clothes"
Transliteration: "Hadaka no ōsama" (Japanese: はだかの王様)		Osamu KasaiMasaki TsujiOctober 1975 (October 1975)
7"The Wolf and the Seven Kids" / "The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids"
Transliteration: "Nana hiki no koyagi" (Japanese: 七ひきの子やぎ)		Yoshikatsu KasaiMasaki TsujiOctober 1975 (October 1975)
8"The Wild Swans"
Transliteration: "Hakuchō no ōji" (Japanese: 白鳥の王子)		Tsunekiyo OtaniMasaki TsujiOctober 1975 (October 1975)
9"The Ears of King Midas" / "King Midas"
Transliteration: "Ōsama no mimi wa roba no mimi" (Japanese: 王様の耳はロバの耳)		Kazukiyo ShigenoMasaki TsujiOctober 1975 (October 1975)
10"The Little Match Girl"
Transliteration: "Macchi uri no shōjo" (Japanese: マッチ売りの少女)		Osamu KasaiMasaki TsujiOctober 1975 (October 1975)
11"Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves"
Transliteration: "Ari Baba to 40-nin no tōzoku" (Japanese: アリババと40人の盗賊)		Kazumi FukushimaTomomi TsutsuiFebruary 1979 (February 1979)
12"The Ugly Duckling"
Transliteration: "Minikui ahiru no ko" (Japanese: みにくいあひるの子)		Akinori OraiJunta FujiwaraFebruary 1979 (February 1979)
13"Cinderella"
Transliteration: "Shinderera hime" (Japanese: シンデレラ姫)		Akinori OraiTomomi TsutsuiFebruary 1979 (February 1979)
14"The Red Shoes"
Transliteration: "Akai kutsu" (Japanese: 赤い靴)		Tokiji KaburakiTomomi TsutsuiFebruary 1979 (February 1979)
15"The Bremen Town Musicians" / "The Musical Band of Blumen"
Transliteration: "Burēmen no ongaku tai" (Japanese: ブレーメンの音楽隊)		Yūgo SerikawaTomomi TsutsuiFebruary 1979 (February 1979)
16"The Red Riding Hood"
Transliteration: "Akazukin-chan" (Japanese: 赤ずきんちゃん)		Atsutoshi UmezawaMichiru ShimadaFebruary 1983 (February 1983)
17"The Cobbler and the Elves" / "The Dwarf and the Cobbler"
Transliteration: "Kobito to kutsuya" (Japanese: こびとと靴屋)		Tadao OkuboMichiru ShimadaFebruary 1983 (February 1983)
18"Sleeping Beauty"
Transliteration: "Nemuri hime" (Japanese: ねむり姫)		Junichi SatoMichiru ShimadaFebruary 1983 (February 1983)
19"The Wizard of Oz"
Transliteration: "Ozu no mahōtsukai" (Japanese: オズの魔法使い)		Yukio KaizawaMichiru ShimadaFebruary 1983 (February 1983)
20"The Magic Carpet" / "Magic Carpet"
Transliteration: "Mahō no jūtan" (Japanese: 魔法のじゅうたん)		Hiroyuki EbataMichiru ShimadaFebruary 1983 (February 1983)

References

  1. ^ a b "「世界名作童話 まんがシリーズ」リスト – 知られぬアニメーション：楽天ブログ". 楽天ブログ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-07-16.
  2. ^ aucfan. "昭和 8ミリ テープ 8ミリ映画 東映 世界名作童話 アリババと40人の盗賊「中古」の落札価格｜8ミリ｜ヤフオク！落札相場- オークファン（aucfan.com）". 買うときも売るときも オークファン -ヤフオク!などオークションの情報が満載 | 新品から中古まであらゆる商品の最安値を徹底比較！ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  3. ^ "東映 8ミリ映画劇場 世界名作童話 ヘンゼルとグレーテル". jp.mercari.com. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  4. ^ aucfan. "80: 世界名作童話/FUJI FILM/AUTO REEL/8ミリ映画劇場 マンガ 童話シリーズ/カセットテープ付き/10本/動作未確認「中古」の落札価格｜8ミリ｜ヤフオク！ 落札相場- オークファン（aucfan.com）". 買うときも売るときも オークファン -ヤフオク!などオークションの情報が満載 | 新品から中古まであらゆる商品の最安値を徹底比較！ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-02-28.
  5. ^ 東京都古書籍商業協同組合. 8ミリ映画劇場 おやゆび姫 / 古本、中古本、古書籍の通販は「日本の古本屋」 (in Japanese).
  6. ^ aucfan. "映画チラシ アニメーション 世界名作童話まんがシリーズ 漫画映画 昭和レトロ グリム童話 アラビアンナイト 東映 教育映像 定形外120円「中古」の落札価格｜その他｜Yahoo!オークション(旧ヤフオク!) 落札相場- オークファン（aucfan.com）". 買うときも売るときも オークファン -Yahoo!オークション(旧ヤフオク!)などオークションの情報が満載 | 新品から中古まであらゆる商品の最安値を徹底比較！ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  7. ^ "世界名作童話まんがシリーズ – アニメ詳細データ – ◇テレビドラマデータベース◇". テレビドラマデータベース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-03-19.
  8. ^ "世界名作童話 まんがシリーズ オズの魔法使い/ ねむり姫 (1975) director: | VHS | Toei Video (japan)". www.videospace.fi. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  9. ^ "世界名作童話 まんがシリーズ 魔法のじゅうたん (1975) director: | VHS | Toei Video (japan)". www.videospace.fi. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  10. ^ "世界名作童話 まんがシリーズ アラジンとふしぎなランプ / おやゆび姫 (1975) director: | VHS | Toei Video (japan)". www.videospace.fi. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  11. ^ Toei Animation/BFA Educational Media/Hi-Tops Video (1986-12-08), Classic Tales Retold (Full VHS), retrieved 2023-03-04
  12. ^ World's Greatest Fairy Tales, St. Clair Vision, 2005-10-25, retrieved 2023-03-04
  13. ^ Toei Animation (1978), The World's Greatest Fairy Tales (English dub of "Sekai Meisaku Dōwa Manga Series" by Toei Animation), retrieved 2022-10-02
  14. ^ Fairy Tale Classics, Children's Video Library, retrieved 2022-07-16
  15. ^ My Favorite Fairy Tales Volume 4, ASIN 6303855296
  16. ^ "My Favorite Fairy Tales, Volume 3: Featuring Sleeping Beauty | VHSCollector.com". vhscollector.com. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  17. ^ My Favorite Fairy Tales Featuring Snow White, Volume 5, retrieved 2022-10-03
  18. ^ "Planète Jeunesse – Contes Japonais". www.planete-jeunesse.com. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  19. ^ "CosmoJ9 HomePage: VHS ITB". cosmoj9.altervista.org. Retrieved 2022-10-02.