"Stars of the Seine" review: A moving story and beautiful animation

"Stars of the Seine": The appeal of this girls' anime depicting the turbulent period of the French Revolution

■Overview of the work

"The Stars of La Seine" is a 39-episode anime TV series that aired on Fuji TV from April 4, 1974 to December 26, 1975. The anime is based on an original story and was produced by Fuji TV, Unimax, and Soeisha. It is directed by Masaaki Osumi, with Masaaki Okuma as chief director and Masaaki Okuma and Yoshiyuki Tomino as general directors. The copyright is owned by Fuji TV and MK.

■ Story

Set in the turbulent period of the 18th century French Revolution, the story follows Simone, who disguises herself as the "Star of the Seine" and begins her fight against the evil nobles and security police to help citizens suffering under the tyranny of the nobles. Simone is the poster girl for a flower shop, and has a history of her parents being killed in a feud between the nobles, so she hates the nobles. She learns fencing from Duke de Forges and decides to use her skills to help the citizens. She is Marie Antoinette's half-sister, but this fact is not known to her.

■Explanation

"The Stars of La Seine" is a work that depicts the French Revolution from the perspective of its citizens, set against the backdrop of the turbulent period of the 18th century French Revolution. It was produced as an anime for girls, incorporating concepts from "The Rose of Versailles" and "Ribbon no Kishi," which were popular at the time. It also attracted attention for featuring real people from the time of the French Revolution in the story. In particular, historical figures such as Marie Antoinette and Danton appear, giving the work a sense of historical realism, while also having appeal as fiction.

■Cast

• Simone: Terumi Niki
• Robert: Taichiro Hirokawa
• Duke de Forges: Mikio Terashima
• Danton: Masako Nozawa
• Marie Antoinette: Reiko Muto
• Zaraar: Kiyoshi Kobayashi

■ Main staff

• Planning: Unimax
• Original author: MK (Mitsuru Kaneko)
• Chief Director: Masaaki Okuma (Episodes 1-26)
• Assistant Director: Tetsu Dezaki (Episodes 1-26)
• General Director: Masaaki Okuma (episodes 27-39)
• Director: Yoshiyuki Tomino (episodes 27-39)
• Art director: Seiji Miyamoto
• Character design: Akio Sugino
• Music: Shunsuke Kikuchi
• Edited by Tomoaki Tsurubuchi
• Producers: Koji Bessho, Ryosuke Nakamura, Eiichi Kubota, Masami Iwasaki
• Production manager: Toru Komori

■Theme song

Opening theme "Star of La Seine"

• Lyricist: Yasutomi Yasugo
• Composition and Arrangement: Shunsuke Kikuchi
• Sung by: Arene, Columbia Yurikagokai (Horie Mitsuko only in episodes 1 and 2)
• Record company: Columbia Records

Ending theme "I am Simone"

• Lyricist: Yasutomi Yasugo
• Composition and Arrangement: Shunsuke Kikuchi
• Sung by: Arene, Columbia Yurikagokai (Horie Mitsuko only in episodes 1 and 2)
• Record company: Columbia Records

■ Main Characters

Simone: The protagonist of the story, she is the poster girl for a flower shop. Her parents were killed in a feud between nobles, and she hates the nobles. She receives fencing training from Duke de Forges, and decides to use her skills as the "Star of La Seine" to help the suffering citizens. She is Marie Antoinette's half-sister, but this fact is not known to her.

Robert: Son of Duke de Forges. Calling himself "The Black Tulip", he secretly fights for the citizens. He has feelings for Simone.

Marie Antoinette: Queen of France. Simone's parents were harassed and murdered by the nobles because they collected roses from all over Paris for the sake of appearances.

■Subtitle

• Episode 1: The Girl in the Wind
• Episode 2: The Road to Versailles
• Episode 3: Mysterious Fencing
• Episode 4: The Black Rose of San Fa
• Episode 5: The Birth of the Star of La Seine
• Episode 6: Goodbye Milan
• Episode 7: Simone's Secret
• Episode 8: The Beauty of Versailles
• Episode 9: A Sad and Beautiful Friend
• Episode 10: Crozier's Dark Trap
• Episode 11: The Secret of the Music Box
• Episode 12: The Vanished Melody
• Episode 13: The Ball at Versailles
• Episode 14: The Sword of Love on the Cross
• Episode 15: Fly, Balloon, into the Parisian Sky
• Episode 16: The Holy Girl of the Flower Festival
• Episode 17: The Secret of the Missing Bread
• Episode 18: The Old Knight of the Alps
• Episode 19: Symphony of Love "Paris"
• Episode 20: Paris Symphony of Love, 2nd Movement
• Episode 21: Safadeh Burns on the Border
• Episode 22: As long as there is life
• Episode 23: Angel's Black Arrow
• Episode 24: The Fallen Mask
• Episode 25: The Red Flower of Corsica
• Episode 26: Robert Returns
• Episode 27: Two Orleans
• Episode 28: Nostalgic Milan
• Episode 29: The Struggle for Freedom
• Episode 30: Challenge to Congress
• Episode 31: Burning Bastille
• Episode 32: An Unexpected Trap
• Episode 33: Queen Marie's loneliness
• Episode 34: The truth in the storm
• Episode 35: The Crisis of Versailles
• Episode 36: The Credentials of Fate
• Episode 37: Run for your life
• Episode 38: Love and Pride
• Episode 39: Farewell to Paris

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"The Stars of La Seine" is a work that skillfully incorporates the historical background of the French Revolution while maximizing its appeal as a girls' anime. The story carefully depicts the growth and struggles of the main character Simone, as well as the relationships surrounding her, and is characterized by storytelling that draws the viewer in. Also, unusually for girls' anime of the time, the inclusion of historical figures maintains an excellent balance between reality and fiction.

In particular, Simone's character is portrayed as a heroine with both strong will and kindness, which has resonated with many viewers. Her fencing scenes and her disguise as she fights evil are visually very appealing. Her romance with Robert also added depth to the story and captured the hearts of viewers.

Music is also an important element in enhancing the appeal of the work, and the opening and ending theme songs composed by Shunsuke Kikuchi are memorable to viewers. In particular, the opening theme "La Seine no Hoshi" is impressive with its powerful melody that symbolizes Simone's courage and determination.

■ Background and influences

"The Stars of La Seine" was produced during the boom of girls' anime at the time. In particular, following the success of "The Rose of Versailles" and "Ribbon no Kishi," girls' anime that made use of historical backgrounds began to attract attention. "The Stars of La Seine" followed this trend, captivating viewers with its unique story and characters.

The production staff was also impressive, including famous directors such as Masaaki Okuma and Yoshiyuki Tomino. Thanks to their skills, the work maintained a high level of quality and moved viewers. The beautiful character designs by Akio Sugino, who was in charge of character design, also added to the appeal of the work.

This work made a huge impact on the history of girls' anime. Although it dealt with the profound theme of the French Revolution, it was praised for its entertainment value as a girls' anime, and was loved by many viewers. Furthermore, the strong heroine Simone had a major influence on later girls' anime.

■ Recommendations and how to watch

"Les Stars de La Seine" is recommended for those who enjoy a fascinating story where history and fiction intersect, and who want to be moved by the exploits of a strong heroine, but it will also provide an interesting perspective for those interested in the background of the 18th century French Revolution.

As for how to watch it, you can purchase the DVD and Blu-ray and enjoy them. It is also available on some video distribution services, so you can use those. Especially for those who are watching it for the first time, it will be a good opportunity to learn about the history of the French Revolution while following Simone's growth and struggles.

■ Summary

"The Stars of La Seine" is a work that depicts the struggle and growth of Simone, a strong-willed girl, against the backdrop of the 18th century French Revolution. It is full of many charms, such as the appearance of historical figures, beautiful character designs, and powerful music. Be sure to watch this work that will make its mark in the history of girls' anime.