Heidi, Girl of the Alps: Reevaluating the Charm and Emotions of the Mountain Children

Heidi, Girl of the Alps [Mountain Children] - The appeal of the film and its background

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

novel

■ Release date

March 15, 1975 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Toho

■ Eirin Number

23829

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Johanna Spyri

■ Production

Zuiyo

■ Story

Heidi and Peter plan to take Clara, who has a disability, up to the mountains. Peter carries Clara on his back and climbs up to the flower fields on the farm, but Clara's butler, Rottenmeyer, worries that something might happen to her. He takes out his anger on Heidi's grandfather, Alm-Onji.

■Explanation

This is a blow-up of episode 45 of the TV anime series "Heidi, Girl of the Alps" for theatrical release, and was shown as one of the films at the "Toho Champion Festival," which screens several films aimed at boys and girls. The TV anime version of "Heidi, Girl of the Alps" is a masterpiece that depicts the heartfelt exchanges between Heidi, a slightly stubborn but cheerful girl, Peter the goatherd, Clara, the daughter of a wealthy man who is disabled in her legs, Heidi's grandfather Alm-Onji, and the people of the village, set against the backdrop of the Swiss countryside. It is known for its careful production method, with the animation staff conducting extensive location scouting in Switzerland, where the story is set, before the airing of the series, and it remains well-known even in 2014, about 40 years after the series first aired.

■Cast

Heidi / Kazuko Sugiyama Alm-Onji / Kohei Miyauchi Peter / Noriko Obara Clara Sesemann / Rihoko Yoshida

■ Main staff

・Planning/Zuiyo Enterprises・Series Composition/Isao Matsuki・Music/Takeo Watanabe・Scene Setting/Composition/Hayao Miyazaki・Character Design/Animation Director/Yoichi Kotabe・Toyo Ashida・Director/Isao Takahata・Art Director/Masahiro Ioka・Director of Photography/Keichi Kuroki・Sound Recording Director/Yasuo Urakami・Production Manager/Ryuji Matsudo・Producer in Charge/Junzo Nakajima・Producer/Shigeto Takahashi

・Theme song・Opening theme
・"Tell me"
Lyrics by Eriko Kishida
・Composer: Takeo Watanabe
・Arrangement: Yuji Matsuyama
・Song: Kayoko Iju & Nelly Schwartz (yodel)

・ED
・"Just wait and see"
Lyrics by Eriko Kishida
・Composer: Takeo Watanabe
・Arrangement: Yuji Matsuyama
・Singer: Kumiko Osugi & Nelly Schwartz (yodel)

■ Main Characters

Heidi is the main character. A lively 8-year-old girl. She lost her parents at a young age and was left in the care of Alm-Onji's mountain hut when she turned 5. She spends happy days in the Alps with her friends Peter and Clara, who are the same age as her, and the animals of the Alps.

Alm-oji is a stubborn old man who hates people, but is kind to Heidi. He lives alone in a mountain hut far from the village, but gradually opens up to the people of the village through living with Heidi.

Peter Heidi's first friend, a goat herder. His daily routine is to gather the goats from the village and take them to the mountain pasture. He is six years older than Heidi. I like him.

Clara is the daughter of the wealthy Sesemann family, 12 years old, four years older than Heidi. She is disabled and uses a wheelchair.

■ Related works

・TV anime "Heidi, Girl of the Alps" (1974)
・Theatrical animation "Heidi, Girl of the Alps" (released in 1974)
・Theatrical animation "Heidi, Girl of the Alps" (released March 17, 1979)
-OVA "Heidi, Girl of the Alps: Alm Mountain Edition" (1996)
-OVA "Heidi, Girl of the Alps: Heidi and Clara" (1996)

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・"Tell me"
Lyrics by Eriko Kishida
・Composer: Takeo Watanabe
・Arrangement: Yuji Matsuyama
・Song: Kayoko Iju & Nelly Schwartz (yodel)

・ED1
・"Just wait and see"
Lyrics by Eriko Kishida
・Composer: Takeo Watanabe
・Arrangement: Yuji Matsuyama
・Singer: Kumiko Osugi & Nelly Schwartz (yodel)

Appeal and evaluation of the movie "Heidi, Girl of the Alps [Mountain Children]"

The film "Heidi, Girl of the Alps [Mountain Children]" was released in 1975 and is a blow-up of the 45th episode of the TV anime "Heidi, Girl of the Alps" for the theater. This film was shown as part of the "Toho Champion Festival" and was very popular with children. Below, we will explain in detail the appeal and evaluation of this film.

The appeal of the story

The story of the film begins with Heidi and Peter planning to take Clara, who has a disability, up to the mountains. The scene where Peter carries Clara on his back and climbs up to the flower fields of the mountain farm is visually moving, and the development of the story in which Clara's butler, Rottenmeyer, expresses his concern and anger towards Heidi's grandfather, Uncle Alm, depicts the complexity and warmth of human relationships. The story is based on themes of friendship, family love, and respect for nature, and will move a wide range of audiences, from children to adults.

Character Appeal

Heidi is a lively eight-year-old girl whose cheerfulness and purity give hope to the audience. Alm-Onji is a stubborn but kind old man, and it is moving to see him grow through his life with Heidi. Peter is Heidi's friend and is portrayed as a goat herder, whose pure heart and friendship for Heidi enrich the story. Clara is a girl with a disability, but her strong will and friendship with Heidi are at the heart of the story. Each of these characters is unique and leaves a deep impression on the audience.

The appeal of video and music

The film's visuals are carefully drawn against the backdrop of the vast Swiss countryside, and the animation staff conducted long-term location scouting to recreate the beautiful, realistic scenery. The depictions of the Alps and the flower fields on the farms in particular allow the audience to feel the beauty of nature. Music also plays an important role, with the theme songs "Oshiete" and "Matte Goran", composed by Takeo Watanabe, deepening the emotion of the story and capturing the hearts of the audience. The beautiful sound of the yodeling is also impressive, adding to the atmosphere of the film.

Background of the production and evaluation of the staff

The film Heidi, Girl of the Alps [Children of the Mountain] was produced by Zuiyo and is based on a novel by Johanna Spyri. The production staff included future core members of Studio Ghibli, such as Miyazaki Hayao and Takahata Isao, and their talents are reflected in this work. Miyazaki Hayao's scene settings and screen composition in particular bring out the charm of the story to the fullest. Takahata Isao's direction also portrays the emotions of the characters in detail, deeply moving the audience. The efforts and talents of these staff members have made this film into a masterpiece of animation.

Related Works and Their Influence

The movie "Heidi, Girl of the Alps [Mountain Children]" is based on some episodes of the TV anime "Heidi, Girl of the Alps," but there are many other related works. These include the TV anime version broadcast in 1974, the theatrical anime versions released in 1974 and 1979, and the OVAs "Heidi, Girl of the Alps: Alm Mountain Edition" and "Heidi, Girl of the Alps: Heidi and Clara Edition" released in 1996. These works depict Heidi's story from various angles, providing new perspectives for the audience. These works also show the universal appeal of Heidi's character and story, and are still highly regarded even now, more than 40 years later.

Audience reaction and evaluation

The film "Heidi, Girl of the Alps [Mountain Children]" is extremely popular among children, and was even shown as part of the "Toho Champion Festival," where it was enjoyed by many audiences. In particular, Heidi's cheerfulness and purity, the kindness of the Alm-Uncle, and the friendship between Peter and Clara deeply moved audiences. The film's beautiful visuals and music were also highly praised, and many fans love the work. Even today, the film continues to be highly regarded as a masterpiece anime, and is loved by many people.

Recommendations and how to watch

The movie "Heidi, Girl of the Alps [Mountain Children]" is a work that can be recommended to a wide range of people, from children to adults. It is especially recommended for those who like stories with themes of the beauty of nature, friendship, and family love. The movie is also available on DVD and streaming services, so please give it a watch. Heidi's story will give hope and inspiration to the audience, and will warm their hearts.

Conclusion

The movie "Heidi, Girl of the Alps [Mountain Children]" is a moving work that depicts Heidi's cheerfulness and purity, the kindness of the Alm-Uncle, and her friendship with Peter and Clara. With beautiful images and music, and the efforts of a talented staff, this movie has been highly praised as a masterpiece of animation. There are many related works, so Heidi's story can be enjoyed from various angles. Please watch this movie and feel the beauty of nature and the warmth of humanity through Heidi's story.