World Masterpiece Theater

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World Masterpiece Theater (世界名作劇場, Sekai Meisaku Gekijō^?) was a Japanese TV anime staple that showcased each year an animated version of a different classical book or story, which originally aired from 1969 to 1997. It was produced by Nippon Animation, with it airing primarily on Fuji Television. Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata both worked on several of the series. The World Masterpiece Theater lasted for 23 seasons, from A Dog of Flanders in 1975 to Remi, Nobody's Girl (家なき子レミ, Ie Naki Ko Remi, Sans Famille) in 1997. It is set to be restarted again in 2007 by Nippon Animation with the release of Les Misérables: Shōjo Cosette, which is set to premiere across BS Fuji from 7 January, 2007.

Only a few series were ever dubbed in English for the American market, including Tom Sawyer (1980), Swiss Family Robinson (1981), and Little Women (1987). The anime satellite television network, Animax, who also later aired numerous installments of the series across Japan, also later translated and dubbed numerous of the series' installments into English for broadcast across its English-language networks in Southeast Asia and South Asia, such as Princess Sarah (小公女セーラ, Shōkōjo Sēra), Remi, Nobody's Girl (家なき子レミ, Ie Naki Ko Remi), Little Women (愛の若草物語, 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), and Princess Sarah.

[edit] Productions

• Dororo (どろろ, Dororo) (1969)
• Moomin (ムーミン, Moomin) (1969 - 1970)
• Andersen Stories (アンデルセン物語, Andersen Monogatari) (1971)
• New Moomin (新 ムーミン, Shin Moomin) (1972)
• Fables of the Green Forest (山ねずみ ロッキーチャック, Yama Nezumi Rocky Chuck) (1973)
• Heidi, Girl of the Alps (アルプスの少女ハイジ, Alps no Shoujo Heidi)(1974)
• A Dog of Flanders (フランダースの犬, Furandasu no Inu) (1975)
• From the Apennines to the Andes (母をたずねて三千里, Haha o Tazunete Sanzen Ri) (1976)
• Rascal the Raccoon (あらいぐまラスカル, Araiguma Rascal) (1977)
• The Story of Perrine (ペリーヌ物語, Perīnu Monogatari) (1978)
• Anne of Green Gables (赤毛のアン, Akage no An) (1979)
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (トム・ソーヤーの冒険, Tomu Sōyā no Bōken) (1980)
• Swiss Family Robinson (家族ロビンソン漂流記 ふしぎな島のフローネ, Kazoku Robinson Hyōryūki Fushigi na Shima no Furōne) (1981)
• Lucy of the Southern Rainbow (南の虹のルーシー, Minami no Niji no Rūshī) (1982)
• Alps Stories: My Annette (わたしのアンネット, Watashi no Annetto) (1983)
• Katri, Girl of the Meadows ( 牧場の少女カトリ, Makiba no Shōjo Katori) (1984)
• Princess Sarah (小公女セーラ, Shōkōjo Sēra) (1985)
• Pollyanna Story ( 愛少女ポリアンナ物語, Ai Shōjo Porianna Monogatari) (1986)
• Little Women (愛の若草物語, Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari) (1987)
• Little Lord Fauntleroy (小公子セディ, Shōkōshi Sedi) (1988)
• Adventures of Peter Pan (ピーターパンの冒険, Pītā Pan no Bōken) (1989)
• Daddy Long-Legs (私のあしながおじさん, Watashi no Ashinaga Ojisan) (1990)
• The Sound Of Music ( トラップ一家物語, Torappu Ikka Monogatari) (1991)
• The Bush Baby (大草原の小さな天使 ブッシュベイビー, Daisōgen no Chīsana Tenshi Busshu Beibī) (1992)
• Tale of Young Grass: Nan and Miss Jo (若草物語 ナンとジョー先生, Wakakusa Monogatari Nan to Jōsensei) (1993)
• Tico of the Seven Seas (七つの海のティコ, Nanatsu no Umi no Tico) (1994)
• Romeo and the Black Brothers (ロミオの青い空, Romeo no Aoi Sora) (1995)
• Lassie (名犬ラッシー, Meiken Lassie) (1996)
• Remi, Nobody's Girl (家なき子レミ, Ie Naki Ko Remi), (1996 - 1997)
• Les Misérables: Shōjo Cosette (レ・ミゼラブル 少女コゼット) (2007)