The Story of Jean Valjean: A moving human drama and its reviews

The Story of Jean Valjean - The Story of Jean Valjean

overview

The Story of Jean Valjean is a TV anime series based on Victor Hugo's classic novel Les Miserables. It began broadcasting on September 15, 1979, with only one episode broadcast on CX (now Fuji TV). It was directed by Takashi Hisaoka and produced by CX and Toei (Digital Animation). This anime aims to condense the epic story of the original and move viewers.

story

The Story of Jean Valjean is centered around the life of Jean Valjean. He was imprisoned for 19 years for stealing bread, and even after his release, he lived a difficult life shunned by society. However, he had a change of heart after meeting Bishop Myriel, and began a new life. The story depicts his efforts to take in the orphan Cosette and protect her. It also depicts his conflict with Inspector Javert and his struggle against the absurdity of society.

character

Jean Valjean

The protagonist. He is imprisoned for stealing bread, and is shunned by society after his release, but he changes his ways after meeting Bishop Myriel. He takes in the orphan Cosette and does his best to protect her.

Cosette

An orphan who Jean Valjean takes in. Her presence has a major impact on Jean Valjean's life.

Javert

A police inspector who continues to pursue Jean Valjean, but comes into contact with his humanity and begins to feel his own beliefs shaken.

Bishop Myriel

The man who shows mercy to Jean Valjean and changes his life.

Background

"The Story of Jean Valjean" was a grand challenge to animate Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables". The big challenge was how to express the deep themes and human drama of the original work in the medium of animation. Director Takashi Hisaoka extracted the essence of the original work and reconstructed the story so that viewers could understand it in a short time. This work was also made possible by combining the technical capabilities of Toei (animation) and the broadcasting capabilities of CX.

Evaluation and impact

Although "The Story of Jean Valjean" was broadcast for a short period of time with only one episode, it was highly praised for its depth of content and moving story development. In particular, the portrayal of Jean Valjean's humanity and the absurdity of the society he faces left a strong impression on viewers. This work also played a role in introducing Victor Hugo's work to a new generation through the medium of animation. However, some people feel that the fact that it was only broadcast in one episode meant that it did not fully depict the original work.

Viewers' reactions

The audience response was very positive, with particularly strong empathy for the character of Jean Valjean. In addition, the scenes depicting his meeting with Bishop Myriel and his bond with Cosette touched many viewers. However, as only one episode was broadcast, many viewers expressed a desire to see more.

Recommended points

"The Story of Jean Valjean" is an outstanding work depicting a human drama. In particular, the absurdity of society depicted through the life of Jean Valjean, as well as his growth and change as a human being, deeply move viewers. For fans of the original "Les Miserables," it is also a rare opportunity to experience that world through the new medium of animation. Furthermore, the challenge of completing the story in the short time of one episode has been brilliantly successful, leaving a strong impression on viewers.

Related Titles

"The Story of Jean Valjean" is based on Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables". Therefore, it is recommended that you enjoy the original novel and other film adaptations as well. In particular, the movie "Les Miserables" and the musical "Les Miserables" are useful for gaining a deeper understanding of the world of the original work. It is also a good idea to look for other animated works that depict the absurdity of society and human drama.

summary

"The Story of Jean Valjean" is an animated adaptation of Victor Hugo's masterpiece "Les Miserables," and has been highly praised for its profound content and moving story development. The absurdity of society and the growth and change as a human being depicted through the life of Jean Valjean deeply move viewers. Although it was only broadcast for a short period of one episode, the richness of the content and the reaction of the viewers make it a very valuable work. It is highly recommended not only for fans of the original work, but also for viewers who want to enjoy a human drama.