Review of "Animal Village Story": A perfect balance of healing and adventure

"Animal Village Story": The charm of an anime that combines nostalgia and freshness

■Overview of the work

"Animal Village Story" is a TV anime series that aired in 1970, based on an original anime story. It was broadcast from March 30th to July 21st, 1970, in a 15-minute slot from 7:40 to 7:55 every Monday to Thursday, with a total of 100 episodes. It was broadcast on the NET network (now TV Asahi), and consisted of 64 black and white episodes and 36 color episodes. This work was produced by Otogi Production, headed by manga artist and animation creator Ryuichi Yokoyama, and TCJ Doga Center (now Eiken), and the copyright belongs to Ryuichi Yokoyama and Eiken.

■ Story

A variety of animals live in Animal Village, from herbivores to carnivores. Every day, fun and sometimes slightly scary events occur, and the animals' lives are depicted. The animals' daily lives, adventures, friendships, and overcoming difficulties provide viewers with moving and funny stories.

■Explanation

"Animal Village Story" is a television adaptation of the short animation "Gomanbiki," which took four years to produce by Otogi Production, headed by Yokoyama Ryuichi. Many animals appear in the film, but the film succeeds in expressing their rich emotions through only Fuyumi Shiraishi's narration, the animated movements of the animals, and Shohei Ooka's music. The main animals are designed to be cute and humorous, and the colorful coloring also left a joyful impression on the viewers' hearts. After this work, Yokoyama Ryuichi teamed up with Eiken again for "Ryuichi Manga Theater Onbu Obake," which achieved even greater success.

■Cast

The narration was done by Fuyumi Shiraishi. Her warm voice brings out the animal stories even more.

■ Main staff

The project, original story, script, direction and character design were handled by Ryuichi Yokoyama (Otogi Pro), the producer was Takafumi Yokoyama, the distribution was by Broadcast Program Center, and the production was by Otogi Production and TCJ Doga Center (now Eiken). The multi-talented talents of Ryuichi Yokoyama are the backbone of this work.

■ Theme songs and music

The music was composed by Shohei Ooka, whose music helps to express the emotions of the animals in a rich way.

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Animal Village Story" is a work that symbolizes the dawn of Japanese animation in the 1970s, and its unique charm and reputation are still talked about today. Below, we will explain in detail the charm and reputation of the work.

■ A fusion of nostalgia and freshness

"Animal Village Story" was broadcast in both black and white and color, making it a work that combines nostalgia and freshness in visual terms. In the black and white episodes, simple lines and shadows emphasized the expressions and movements of the animals, leaving a deep impression on viewers. Meanwhile, in the color episodes, vivid colors brought out the animals' personalities and provided visual enjoyment. The intersection of these two styles allowed viewers to feel both nostalgia and freshness.

■ Animals' personalities and emotional expressions

The greatest appeal of this work lies in the individuality and emotional expression of the animals. Yokoyama Ryuichi's character designs portray the animals in a cute and humorous way. In particular, the animals' expressions and movements succeed in conveying their rich emotions without the use of words. With the addition of Shiraishi Fuyumi's narration and Ooka Shohei's music, the emotions of the animals are conveyed even more deeply to the viewer. This richness of emotional expression evokes empathy and emotion in the viewer, enhancing the appeal of the work.

■ Diversity of stories

During its long broadcast of 100 episodes, "Animal Village Story" depicted a variety of stories. Diverse themes were covered, including the daily lives and adventures of animals, friendships, and overcoming difficulties. In particular, episodes in which animals work together to solve problems and deepen friendships provided viewers with emotion and laughter. At times, slightly scary events were also depicted, providing viewers with thrills and excitement. This variety of stories keeps viewers from getting bored and enhances the appeal of the show.

■ Background and influences

"Dobutsu Mura Monogatari" is a television adaptation of the short animated film "Gomanbiki," which took four years to produce by Otogi Productions, a company headed by Yokoyama Ryuichi. This production background speaks to the high quality of the work. This work also demonstrates Yokoyama Ryuichi's versatility and had a major impact on his later career. In particular, the fact that he teamed up with Eiken again after this work for "Ryuichi Manga Gekijo Onbu Obake" proves that Yokoyama Ryuichi's production style and Eiken's production ability are a good match. This production background and influence are one of the factors that have increased the work's acclaim.

■ Recommendation points

"Animal Village Story" is an animated work that combines nostalgia and freshness, and has many charms, such as the animals' personalities and emotional expressions, the diversity of the story, the production background and influences, etc. Below, we will explain the recommended points in detail.

■ Fun for the whole family

"Animal Village Story" is a work that can be enjoyed by both children and adults. The cute designs and humorous movements of the animals will bring a smile to children's faces. Meanwhile, the emotional expressions of the animals and the depth of the story will also move adults. Also, by watching it with the whole family, you can learn about the friendship and spirit of cooperation between animals. This family-friendly aspect is one of the recommended points of the work.

■ Learn about the history of animation

"Animal Village Story" is a work that symbolizes the dawn of Japanese animation in the 1970s. By learning about the background of the production of this work, such as the fact that it was broadcast in both black and white and color and that Ryuichi Yokoyama's versatile talents were poured into it, you can learn about the history of animation. Also, by learning about the influence this work had on Ryuichi Yokoyama's later career, you can feel his growth as an animator. Knowing this history of animation is one of the reasons why this work is recommended.

■ Providing excitement and laughter

"Animal Village Story" provides viewers with emotion and laughter through the animals' personalities, emotional expressions, and the diversity of the storylines. In particular, episodes in which the animals work together to solve problems and deepen their friendships leave viewers with deep emotions. Also, the animals' humorous movements and expressions bring a smile to the viewers' faces. These emotional and humorous aspects are what make this show a recommended recommendation.

■ Summary

"Animal Village Story" is an animated work that combines nostalgia and freshness, and has many charms, such as the animals' personalities and emotional expressions, the diversity of the story, and the production background and influences. There are many recommended points, such as the fact that it can be enjoyed by the whole family, that it teaches the history of animation, and that it provides emotion and laughter. Please watch this work and experience the story of animals.