The appeal and reputation of Moomin: A must-see classic anime for fans

Moomin: the timeless charm and worldview

Overview

Moomin is a character created by Finnish author Tove Jansson, whose worldview has spread around the world through novels, comics, and animation. The TV animation series "Moomin," which aired from 1969 to 1971, is one of the most beloved works. This animation depicts the adventures and daily lives of Moomin and his friends who live in Moomin Valley, and is popular with a wide range of people, from children to adults.

■Broadcast information

"Moomin" was broadcast on CX (now Fuji TV) from October 2, 1969 to September 30, 1971. It consists of 65 episodes, each 30 minutes long, and is based on a novel and comic book by Tove Jansson. It was directed by Masaaki Okuma up to episode 26, and by Rin Taro from episode 27 to the final episode, and produced by Tokyo Movie and Mushi Production. Copyright belongs to Tove Jansson, Tokyo Movie, Mushi Production, and Fuji TV.

■ Story

Moomin Valley is a beautiful valley at the foot of Lonely Mountain, and is home to many old tales and mysterious legends. Moomin, his girlfriend Nonnon, the mischievous My, and other friends who live there spend their days happily and noisily, encountering all sorts of events and incidents. The story depicts them growing up, sometimes listening to the advice of adults and sometimes solving problems on their own.

■Explanation

"Moomin" is an animated series based on the novel "Moomins" by Tove Jansson and the comic "Moomin Comics" that she created with her brother Lars Jansson, and was broadcast as the second production of "Calpis Manga Theatre". Although it was broadcast in a children's programming slot, the pale colors and tasteful illustrations and story have an appeal that attracts adults as well. The theme song "Moomin's Theme" won the Children's Song category of the 1970 Record Awards, proving its popularity.

■Cast

• Moomin: Kyoko Kishida
• No no: Reiko Muto
• Moominpappa: Hitoshi Takagi
• Moominmamma: Akiko Takamura
• Snoke: Taichiro Hirokawa
• My: Ayako Hori
• Snufkin: Hiroyuki Nishimoto

■ Main staff

• Original story: Tove Jansson
• Planning: Zuiyo Enterprises, Shigeto Takahashi
• Records: Nippon Columbia, Victor Records, Teichiku Records, Elm Records
• Music: Seiichiro Uno
• Art Director: Hideo Chiba (up to episode 26), Katsumi Hando (episodes 27 to the final episode)
• Director: Masaaki Okuma (up to episode 26)
• Chief Director: Rin Taro (Episodes 27 to the final episode)
• Production cooperation: A Production (up to episode 26)
• Production: Tokyo Movie (up to episode 26), Mushi Production (episodes 27 to the final episode)
• Director of photography: Tatsumasa Shimizu (up to episode 26)
• Cinematography: Tsuneo Kobayashi, Akio Bando, and others (Episodes 27 to the final episode)
• Editing: Kazuo Inoue and others (up to episode 26), Masashi Furukawa, Akira Ito (episodes 27 to the final episode)
• Sound Director: Atsumi Tashiro
• Producer: Masami Iwasaki (Episodes 27 to the final episode)
• Theme song: OP & ED "Moomin's Theme"
• Lyricist: Hisashi Inoue
• Composed and arranged by: Seiichiro Uno
• Vocals: Yoshiko Fujita

■ Main Characters

• Moomin: A fairy-like creature resembling a pygmy hippopotamus who grew up in Moomin Valley, receiving lots of love from his parents. A curious but kind-hearted boy.
• Nonnon: Moomin's girlfriend. She lives with her brother Snork. She is a fashionable and smart girl who wears anklets on her ankles.
• Moominpappa: Moomin's father, who was an adventurer in his youth. His trademarks are a top hat and a pipe. He is a wonderful father who feels a strong sense of mission in protecting his family.
• Moominmamma: Moomin's mother, with a gentle personality. She wears a red and white striped apron wrapped around her waist. Her hobby is knitting, and she knits whenever she has free time. She treasures her black handbag and always carries it with her.
• Mii: A creature called a mimra, with hair tied on top of her head like an onion. She is a little girl, but she is a bit cheeky and fearless. She has 35 brothers and sisters.
• Snufkin: Moomin's best friend who heads south before winter comes and returns to Moomin Valley in the spring. A traveler who loves freedom, solitude, and music, he plays the guitar and sings. An intelligent adult, his outlook on life and the world influences Moomin.

■Subtitle

• Episode 1: The Secret of the Top Hat
• Episode 2: Aim for the Devil's Heart!
• Episode 3: Rain! Storm! Flood!!!
• Episode 4: Where is the mysterious spring?
• Episode 5: Dad's memorable rifle
• Episode 6: Nonnon is back
• Episode 7: Goodbye Gaogao
• Episode 8: No No, It's Dangerous
• Episode 9: The Great Moominvalley Train Robbery
• Episode 10: The Mysterious Dwarf
• Episode 11: The missing collection
• Episode 12: Christmas in Moomin Valley
• Episode 13: My Dad is a Best-Selling Author
• Episode 14: The Last Day of Moomin Valley
• Episode 15: Raise the Sails! Moomin
• Episode 16: The Mysterious Professor Gnoss
• Episode 17: Where's Baby?
• Episode 18: I want to be a beggar
• Episode 19: Moon landing OK!
• Episode 20: Hustle on skis!
• Episode 21: The Mysterious Homeless Child
• Episode 22: I'm a mountain man, yay!
• Episode 23: Little Me's Big Plan
• Episode 24: The Gunman of Lonely Mountain
• Episode 25: Congratulations Snoke
• Episode 26: No no, look this way
• Episode 27: Garlic with no face
• Episode 28: A Little Big Adventure
• Episode 29: The Flying Demon Appears
• Episode 30: A gift from heaven
• Episode 31: Sorry Stinky
• Episode 32: The Haunted House in the Forest
• Story 33: The Cowardly Bean Thief
• Episode 34: Golden Horse, Silver Horse
• Episode 35: Summer Festival Aurora
• Episode 36: Moominpappa's Notebook
• Episode 37: The Little Ugly Pet
• Episode 38: Hello Mermaid
• Episode 39: Who's at home?
• Episode 40: The Secret of Hattifatteners
• Episode 41: Catch a Mameruku!
• Episode 42: A big, big present
• Episode 43: Stormy Monster Island
• Episode 44: Where are the sea stars?
• Episode 45: Devil's Island has arrived
• Episode 46: The Lost Pendant
• Episode 47: Find snow in midsummer!
• Episode 48: The Echo That Walked
• Episode 49: I hate the piano
• Episode 50: Breaking out of the sleep cycle
• Episode 51: Fall is Sentimental
• Episode 52: Dolls Dancing in the Moonlight
• Episode 53: The Kite Knew
• Episode 54: Goodbye Migratory Birds
• Episode 55: Pigeons don't fly
• Episode 56: Moomin Valley Carnival
• Episode 57: Grandma's Secret
• Episode 58: Nonnon disappears
• Episode 59: There's a secret to the magic
• Episode 60: A lonely winter
• Episode 61: The Missing Snow Rabbit
• Episode 62: The Ice Princess' Prank
• Episode 63: Princess for a Day
• Episode 64: I'm not afraid of shadows
• Episode 65: Goodnight Moomin

■ Related works

• Sequel
  • "Moomin" (1972)
  • "The Moomins" (1990)
  • "Moomin Adventure Diary" (1991)
• Theatrical Productions
  • "Moomin" released on March 17, 1971
  • "Moomin" released on March 18, 1972
  • "Moomin Puppet Animation: Moominvalley Summer Festival" released in 2003 (a re-edited version was released in the summer of 2009)
  • "Moomin Valley Comet" (Moominland movie version) Released on August 8, 1992

■ Evaluation and impact

"Moomin" has won many fans since its broadcast to the present day, thanks to its unique worldview and the charm of its characters. In particular, the natural scenery of Moomin Valley and the friendship and adventures of the Moomins have deeply touched viewers. In addition, the theme song "Moomin's Theme" is extremely popular among children, and its influence is immeasurable, having won the Children's Song category of the 1970 Record Awards.

Tokyo Movie was in charge of animation for the first 26 episodes, and Mushi Production took over for the 39th episode. Due to this change in production company, there are some differences in the drawings and direction, but each style enriches the world of Moomin. In particular, the second half of the series, directed by Rin Taro, featured a deeper story development that captivated viewers.

■Charm of the characters

Moomin is a curious and kind-hearted boy, and his coming-of-age story struck a chord with many viewers. Nonnon leaves an impression as Moomin's girlfriend, accompanying him on his adventures. Moominpappa and Moominmamma are portrayed as valuing family ties, giving viewers a sense of security. Little My's cheeky and fearless personality created comical scenes that entertained viewers. Snufkin, a traveler who loves freedom and solitude, played an important role in teaching Moomin about his outlook on life and the world.

■ The appeal of the story

The story of "Moomin" begins with everyday life in Moominvalley and unfolds through various adventures and incidents. For example, in episode 1, "The Secret of the Top Hat," the secret hidden in Moominpappa's top hat is revealed, and episode 12, "Christmas in Moominvalley," the Moomins are shown celebrating Christmas. Episode 24, "The Gunman of Lonely Mountain," is a tense episode in which the Moomins face off against a gunman, and episode 65, "Goodnight, Moomin," depicts a moving tale of separation and reunion for the Moomins. These episodes have the power to evoke a variety of emotions in viewers and draw them into the world of Moominvalley.

■ The appeal of music

The music of "Moomin" is characterized by the compositions and arrangements by Seiichiro Uno. In particular, the theme song "Moomin's Theme", with lyrics by Hisashi Inoue and sung by Yoshiko Fujita, left a deep impression on viewers. This song expressed the beautiful scenery of Moomin Valley and the feelings of the characters, moving viewers. The background music for each episode was also used skillfully to match the development of the story, enhancing the emotions of the viewers.

■ Related works and their influence

Many Moomin-related works have been produced as sequels and theatrical productions. The 1972 film Moomins delved deeper into the worldview of the original story, while the 1990 film Moomins depicted the adventures of the Moomins from a more modern perspective. The 1991 film Moomins: A New Adventure depicted the new adventures of the Moomins, providing fresh excitement to viewers. Theatrical productions include the 1971 and 1972 films Moomins: Summer Festival in Moominvalley, released in 2003, and Comet in Moominvalley, released in 1992. These works expanded the worldview of Moomin even further, providing new attractions to viewers.

■ Recommendations and how to watch

With its timeless charm and profound worldview, "Moomin" is a work that can be recommended to a wide range of people, from children to adults. In particular, watching it with the family will deepen family bonds through the friendship and adventures of the Moomins. In addition, the beautiful scenery of Moomin Valley and the music that depicts the characters' feelings have a soothing effect on the viewer's heart.

"Moomin" can be viewed on DVD and Blu-ray. It is also available on streaming services, so you can watch it easily. In addition, there are many Moomin-related books and goods for sale, allowing you to enjoy the world of Moomin Valley even more.

Conclusion

"Moomin" is a work that deeply moves viewers with its unique worldview and charming characters. Through adventures and incidents that begin with the daily life in Moomin Valley, viewers can learn the importance of friendship and family ties. In addition, the beautiful scenery and music soothe the hearts of viewers and have an eternal charm. Please watch "Moomin" and experience its world.