The appeal and reputation of "Alice in Wonderland": A thorough analysis of the deep world view and appeal of the characters

"Alice in Wonderland": Adventure into a mysterious world and its charm

■Overview of the work

"Alice in Wonderland" is a TV anime series based on Lewis Carroll's classic fairy tale "Alice in Wonderland." It was broadcast on TV Osaka (TV Tokyo) from October 10, 1983 to March 26, 1984. A total of 26 episodes were produced, but episodes 25 and 26 were not initially broadcast and were only shown during reruns in the Tokyo area. The series aired every Monday from 7:30 to 8:00 p.m., with each episode lasting 30 minutes.

■ Story

One day, Alice, a lively girl living in London, buys a strange top hat at an antique shop in town. Inside is a talking rabbit named Benny. Alice quickly becomes close to him and follows the newly-appeared large rabbit who claims to be Benny's uncle into a cave in her mansion. She arrives at a world inhabited by strange people she has never seen before.

■Explanation

This animated version of Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" is different from the original in that the protagonist can travel between the real world and Wonderland. Another notable point is that while Alice in Disney wears blue costumes, the Alice in this animation wears red costumes. A total of 26 episodes were produced, but two episodes were not aired at the time.

■Cast

The cast features a number of impressive voice actors, including TARAKO as Alice, Masako Nozawa as Benny, Akio Nojima as the father, Yoshiko Matsuo as the mother, Kumiko Mizukura as Celia, Noriko Murakami as the Queen of Hearts, Shozo Iizuka as Humpty Humpty, Kyoko Tonmiya and Asami Mukaidono as Teeddledy, Kyoko Tonmiya as the cook, and Kenichi Ogata as the White Rabbit.

■ Main staff

The story is based on Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and is set in England. Produced by Motohashi Koichi, production management by Takakuwa Mitsuru, planning by Sato Shoji, music by Koroku Reijiro, director Sugiyama Taku, producers Endo Shigeo and Tanaka Eiko, script by Takahashi Futoshi, character design by Kumada Isamu, animation character design by Miwa Takateru, animation directors Ogawa Takao and Handa Teruo, layout supervision by Mori Koji, scene design by Nakamura Kazuko, art director Matsudaira Satoshi, cinematography by Morita Toshiaki, sound director Tanaka Hideyuki, color design by Koyama Akiko, animation check by Takeuchi Kei and Shinkai Eriko, animation by Takeuchi Tomekichi, Motofuji Ikuko, Kimura Keiichiro, Noguchi Kinomi, Studio Look, Kusama Art, Anime Romance, Neomedia, Kitamura Takushi, Misumi Masako, Iizuka Yoko, Kawana Kumiko, Tsukui Akiko, Ito Koji, Shirae Tetsunori, Doshida Kazuyuki, Sakai Kazumi The cast included Handa Teruo, Takeuchi Kei, Naganuma Kazuko, Mukai Nakano Yoshio, Ito Mitsuo, Matsumoto Tomoyuki, and others, finishing touches by Studio Kiry, backgrounds by Artland, Akaenpitsu, Koizumi Sohei, Watanabe Sadao, Studio Pop, Shimokawa Tadami, Ohno Shizue, Saki Studio, Kamezaki Keiji, Kato Yoshiaki, Kubo Akihiko, and others, cinematography by Trans Arts, recording and production by Audio Visual System, mixer by Sato Mamoru, effects by Matsuda Akihiko, recording studio by Taihei Studio, developing lab by Tokyo Developing Lab, title by Michikawa Akira, editing by Nishide Eiko, storyboard by Sugiyama Taku, director's assistants Matsumi Shinichi and Hirakawa Tatsuya, production desk by Chiba Shinya, production managers Ichikawa Yukihiko, Kawabata Toshiyuki, Ueda Shinichi, Furusato Hisatake, and production by Nippon Animation, TV Osaka, and Apollo Films.

■Subtitle

Episode 1 "Alice and Benny" (10/10/1983), Episode 2 "Rabbit Hole" (17/10/1983), Episode 3 "Caucus Race" (24/10/1983), Episode 4 "Big Alice" (31/10/1983), Episode 5 "Alice in the Sea of ​​Tears" (07/11/1983), Episode 6 "Humpty Humpty" (14/11/1983), Episode 7 "Big Puppy" (1983/ 11/21), 8 "The Nameless Forest" (11/28/1983), 9 "The Crow Pirates" (12/05/1983), 10 "The Caterpillar's Advice" (12/12/1983), 11 "Tall Alice" (12/19/1983), 12 "Surprise Baby" (12/26/1983), 13 "The Crybaby Turtle" (unaired), 14 "The Great Duel Between Di and Dam" (19 1984/01/09), 15 "The Lion vs. the Unicorn" (1984/01/16), 16 "Queen's Croquet Tournament" (1984/01/23), 17 "The Cheshire Cat" (1984/01/30), 18 "The Strange Tea Party" (1984/02/06), 19 "The Great Escape of the Oysters" (1984/02/13), 20 "Callidor the Shrimp" (1984/02/20), 21 "The Wonderful Circus Land" (1984/02/27), 22 "Jack the Gourmet" (1984/03/05), 23 "The Headstand Parade" (1984/03/12), 24 "The Missing Bennie" (1984/03/19), 25 "The Secret of Greenland" (unaired), 26 "Mirror Mirror" (1984/03/26)

■ Theme songs and music

The opening theme is "Yume Miru Wonderland" (Dreaming Wonderland), with lyrics by Shima Erina, music and arrangement by Kobayashi Izumi, and singing by TARAKO (Canyon Records). The ending theme is "Nazo Nazo Yume no Kuni" (Nazo Nazo Dream Country), with lyrics by Shima Erina, music and arrangement by Kobayashi Izumi, and singing by TARAKO (Canyon Records).

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Alice in Wonderland" is a work that faithfully reproduces the original story by Lewis Carroll, but adds a unique interpretation and direction that only animation can provide. In particular, the setting of traveling between the real world and Wonderland creates a new charm that is not found in the original story. In addition, Alice's red costume creates a visual impact and differentiates it from the Disney version.

While the story is based on the original episodes, the anime adds original characters and episodes, so viewers won't get bored. For example, the presence of Benny and his uncle, a big rabbit, add new color to Alice's adventures. The subtitles for each episode also cleverly incorporate episodes from the original, allowing viewers to enjoy the anime's own unique development.

The cast is also impressive, with TARAKO playing Alice playing an especially important role in her career as a voice actress. The voice actors for each character, such as Masako Nozawa as Benny and Noriko Murakami as the Queen of Hearts, are also perfect for their roles, enhancing the appeal of the work.

The main staff is also a star-studded bunch, with professionals from various fields gathering together, including director Taku Sugiyama, character designer Isamu Kumada, and composer Reijiro Koroku. Music is a particularly important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work, and Reijiro Koroku's music further enhances Alice's adventure.

The theme songs are also memorable, with the opening "Dreaming Wonderland" and the ending "Nazo Nazo Dreamland" being songs that will stay in the viewers' minds along with TARAKO's singing voice. These songs symbolize the worldview of the work and are an important element in allowing viewers to enjoy the adventure to the wonderland.

■ Recommendation points

"Alice in Wonderland" is a work that can be enjoyed not only by fans of Lewis Carroll's original work, but also as an animated work. In particular, the setting of going back and forth between the real world and Wonderland provides viewers with a new perspective and helps them understand the story more deeply. In addition, Alice's red costume and the original characters for the anime, including Benny, add new color to the visual appeal and development of the story.

Furthermore, the high quality of the production by the stellar cast and staff is not to be missed. TARAKO's talent as a voice actress and the performances of such great actors as Masako Nozawa and Noriko Murakami enhance the appeal of the work. The work also features a gathering of professionals from various fields, such as director Taku Sugiyama, character designer Isamu Kumada, and composer Reijiro Koroku, resulting in a work that is both visually and aurally satisfying.

The theme songs "Dreaming Wonderland" and "Nazo Nazo Dreamland" are also songs that symbolize the worldview of the work and will be deeply engraved in the hearts of viewers. These songs are important elements that allow viewers to enjoy the adventure to the wonderland, and they enhance the appeal of the work as a whole.

As mentioned above, "Alice in Wonderland" is a work that can be enjoyed not only by fans of the original work, but also as an animated work. It is full of many charms, such as the setting that travels between the real world and Wonderland, Alice's red costume, the luxurious cast and staff, and the memorable theme song. Please watch this work and enjoy the adventure into a mysterious world.