"Maya the Bee": What is the appeal of this classic animation that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike?

The Adventures of Maya the Bee: A tale of eternal adventure and friendship

■Overview of the work

Maya the Bee is a Japanese anime series that aired from 1975 to 1976 and is based on the 1912 children's book by German author Weidemar Bonsels. The series follows the growth of a curious honeybee named Maya through her adventures exploring the outside world. Produced jointly by Nippon Animation and Germany's Beta Film, the series vividly depicts the world of insects.

■ Story

Maya is born as a newborn bee and is taught how to fly and collect honey by her instructor, Cassandra. However, one day, all the honey in the area is gone, so Maya leaves the bee kingdom alone to search for a flower field, and embarks on an adventure. Curious about the outside world that she is seeing for the first time, Maya gets her friend Willie, who has followed her on the orders of the queen, involved, and meets friends such as Phillip the grasshopper and the rhinoceros beetle, learning many things from them. As she continues her journey, Maya learns that an army of hornets is targeting her homeland, the bee kingdom.

■Explanation

"Maya the Bee" is based on children's literature by Weidemar Bonsels, and is an animated version of his work, who was also active in poetry and plays. It was jointly produced by Nippon Animation and Germany's Betafilm, and features an original comic character, Willy, as well as appropriate anthropomorphization of Maya and Cassandra. The staff includes a group of talented people, including animation director Toshio Nobe (Urusei Yatsura, etc.) and art director Masahiro Ioka (Heidi, Girl of the Alps, etc.), who vividly depict the world of insects.

■Cast

• Maya: Michiko Nomura
• Philip: Ichiro Nagai
• Willie: Masako Nozawa
• Helga: Noriko Tsukase
• Cassandra Sensei: Miyoko Aso
• Queen: Akiko Tsuboi

■ Main staff

• Original author: W. Bonzels
• Planning: Nippon Animation Co., Ltd.
• Produced by: Koichi Motohashi
• Production management: Mitsuru Takakuwa
• Planning: Shoji Sato
• Music: Shozo Ito
• Director: Hiroshi Saito
• Producer: Ihiro Oba
• Screenplay: Takahashi Futoshi, Kanazawa Hajime, Sasa Hikaru
• Character design: Toshio Nobe
• Animation directors: Toshio Nobe, Takao Ogawa
• Art director: Masahiro Ioka
• Director of photography: Keiichi Kuroki
• Recording Director: Yasuo Urakami
• Color designation: Kaoru Uno
• Video check: Megumi Mizuta
• Illustrations: Anime Room, Top Craft, Modoki Production
• Finishing inspection: Kaoru Uno
• Background: Masayoshi Banno, Seihei Kawamoto, Nobuto Sakamoto
• Photography: Tetsuro Kumase, Toru Hagiwara (Trans Arts)
• Mixer: Tsuguo Nakatogawa
• Effects: Ishida Sound
• Recording studio: Shinsaka Studio
• Photo lab: Tokyo Photo lab
• Edited by Hajime Okayasu
• Storyboard: Fumio Ikeno, Hikaru Sasa, Mitsuo Kobayashi, Katsuhisa Yamada, Shuji Yamazaki, Kazuo Kohana, Susumu Takahashi, Hajime Kikuchi, Michiyo Sakurai
• Director: Hiroshi Saito
• Assistant Directors: Shigeo Koshi, Tsunehisa Kosonoi
• Production desk: Shigeo Endo
• Production management: Tadahiro Ikeda, Akira Demachi, Junichiro Takeuchi, Nobuaki Hosoda, Manabu Tamura, Shoji Koizumi and others
• Production: Nippon Animation/Asahi Broadcasting, Zuiyo Planning, Apollo Films

■Theme song

• OP "The Adventures of Maya the Bee"
• Lyricist: Masami Ise
• Composer: Shozo Ise
• Sung by: Cheetah and the Bee Choir
• Ending Theme: "Goodnight Maya"
• Lyricist: Masami Ise
• Composer: Shozo Ise
• Sung by: Cheetah and the Bee Choir
• ED "Pearl-colored Waltz"
• Lyricist: Haruki Tanko
• Composer: Hayashi Koba
• Vocals: Yoko Maekawa

■ Main Characters

• Maya

The protagonist. Longing for the outside world, he escapes from the bee castle. He is curious and has a strong sense of justice, but is also a bit reckless.

• Willie

He is the one who scolds Maya. He is a little absent-minded, but he is smart. His catchphrase is "According to the deceased..."

• Philip

A mischievous grasshopper who watches over Maya and Willie.

• Cassandra

The anxious teacher at Bee Castle.

• Captain

Worker ants. They always patrol with about six subordinates.

■Subtitle

• Episode 1: Maya is Born (1975/04/01)
• Episode 2: A Promise with a Dream (1975/04/08)
• Episode 3: First Flight (1975/04/15)
• Episode 4: Leaving Home (1975/04/22)
• Episode 5: Roses have thorns and nectar (1975/05/06)
• Episode 6: Dragonfly Schnook (1975/05/20)
• Episode 7: The Housefly Book (1975/05/27)
• Episode 8: The Spider and the Lullaby (1975/06/03)
• Episode 9: Sheltering from the Rain (1975/06/10)
• Episode 10: Poem of Departure (1975/06/17)
• Episode 11: Worms are Worms (1975/06/23)
• Episode 12: The Lost Child (1975/07/08)
• Episode 13: Willie the Ant (1975/07/15)
• Episode 14: The Scissor Bug Family (1975/07/22)
• Episode 15: Maya's Promise (1975/07/29)
• Episode 16: Philip in big trouble (1975/08/12)
• Episode 17: 100 Hearts and 100 Legs (1975/08/19)
• Episode 18: The Failure of the Tree Frog (1975/08/26)
• Episode 19: Avoiding the Wind (1975/09/02)
• Episode 20: Friends in the Earth (1975/09/09)
• Episode 21: The Troublesome Old Lady (1975/09/16)
• Episode 22: Maya's Captain for a Day (1975/09/23)
• Episode 23: Jump! Philip (1975/09/30)
• Episode 24: The Cicada Song (1975/10/07)
• Episode 25: Ant Child No. 6 (1975/10/14)
• Episode 26: Cricket's Melody (1975/10/21)
• Episode 27: A Life-threatening Journey (1975/10/28)
• Episode 28: Beware of Fakes (1975/11/04)
• Episode 29: The Locusts Come (11/11/1975)
• Episode 30: Maya's Request (1975/11/18)
• Episode 31: I Want to Grow Big (1975/11/25)
• Episode 32: The Pumpkin Patch (1975/12/02)
• Episode 33: Run, Run (1975/12/09)
• Episode 34: I Want a House (1975/12/16)
• Episode 35: Friends in the Water (1975/12/23)
• Episode 36: Maya Becomes a Mother (1975/12/30)
• Episode 37: Big Big Willard (1976/01/06)
• Episode 38: Two Philips (1976/01/13)
• Episode 39: Kitty the Flea (1976/01/20)
• Episode 40: Maya in the Snow (1976/01/27)
• Episode 41: Spring Has Come (1976/02/03)
• Episode 42: Jack the Moth (1976/02/10)
• Episode 43: Ant Farm (1976/02/17)
• Episode 44: Maya's Hole-in-the-Wall Strategy (1976/02/24)
• Episode 45: The liar cockroach (1976/03/02)
• Episode 46: New Friend (1976/03/09)
• Episode 47: The Lonely Champion (1976/03/16)
• Episode 48: The Fly Egg Incident (1976/03/23)
• Episode 49: Bird the Bee (1976/03/30)
• Episode 50: Anthony the Ant (1976/04/06)
• Episode 51: The Wasp's Trap (1976/04/13)
• Episode 52: Welcome Back Maya (1976/04/20)

■ Related works

Maya the Bee

■ Theme songs and music

• OP "The Adventures of Maya the Bee"
• Lyricist: Masami Ise
• Composer: Shozo Ise
• Sung by: Cheetah and the Bee Choir
• ED1 "Goodnight Maya"
• Lyricist: Masami Ise
• Composer: Shozo Ise
• Sung by: Cheetah and the Bee Choir
• ED2 "Pearl-colored Waltz"
• Lyricist: Haruki Tanko
• Composer: Hayashi Koba
• Vocals: Yoko Maekawa

■ Evaluation and impressions

"Maya the Bee" is a wonderful work that teaches children the importance of nature and friendship. Maya's story of adventure and growth is inspiring and teaches many lessons to the audience. The animation quality is also high, depicting the world of insects realistically. In particular, the drawings by Toshio Nobe and the art by Masahiro Ioka highlight the visual beauty of the work. Also, the addition of original characters such as Willie adds a comedic element to the story, making it even more enjoyable.

■ Recommendation points

• As a children's anime, it is packed with educational content that teaches the importance of nature and friendship.
• The beautiful animation depicts the world of insects in a realistic way.
• The addition of original characters adds comedy and doubles the fun.
• Maya's coming-of-age story is an inspiring one and offers many lessons to the viewers.

■How to watch

Maya the Bee is available to purchase on DVD and Blu-ray, and is also available on some streaming services. It's a great family-friendly show, especially since it's educational for kids.

■ Related Products

• DVD/Blu-ray
• Soundtrack
• Character goods (stuffed toys, figures, etc.)

■ Summary

"Maya the Bee" is a wonderful animated film that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. Maya's story of adventure and friendship will inspire and teach viewers a lesson, reminding them of the importance of nature and friendship. The beautiful animation and comedy elements make it a worthwhile watch. Be sure to watch it with your family and enjoy it.