Maple Town Story: Reevaluating a classic anime

Maple Town Story - The charm and full story of this nostalgic fairy tale anime

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

January 19, 1986 to January 11, 1987 Every Sunday 8:30 to 9:00

■Broadcasting station

A.B.C.

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 52

■ Director

・Direction: Junichi Sato

■ Production

Produced by ABC, Asahi Tsushinsha, Toei (animation)

■ Story

In the primeval forests of the north country, there is a small town run by animals, for animals. That is Maple Town. Maple Town is a town lined with simple, warm houses, such as Bear's General Store and Raccoon's Dry Cleaning Shop. Patty, the second daughter of the Hope Rabbit family, who moved to the post office, becomes good friends with Bobby the bear, Diana the fox lady, and Johnny the brilliant dog boy. Although she sometimes gets caught up in the trouble caused by the foolish villain Gretel the wolf, she is still having fun and full of energy today.

■Explanation

An original fairy tale anime. It features a large number of characters, with over 80 animal characters designed by Tsuneo Ninomiya before the show began. It was Junichi Sato's first series as director.

■Cast

Patty/Maya Okamoto・Bobby/Tsubasa Shioya・Gretel/Yusaku Yara・Mama/Reiko Muto・Dad/Hideyuki Tanaka・Ann/Keiko Hata・Diana/Mayumi Sho・Puripurin/Satoko Yamano・Judy/Chisato Nakajima・Mayor/Joji Yanami・Police officer/Kouzo Shioya

■ Main staff

・Planning: Yasuo Yamaguchi, Shinji Nabeshima, Azuma Kasuga ・Production: Saburo Yokoi ・Screenplay: Senhitsu Asakura, Shigeru Yanagawa, Tomoko Konparu, and others ・Series Director: Junichi Sato ・Direction: Takashi Hisaoka, Hiroshi Shitara, Yukio Kaizawa, and others ・Character Design: Tsuneo Ninomiya ・Art Design: Yuko Kobayashi, Kazuko Arikawa ・Music: Akiko Kosaka

■ Theme songs and music

・OP
・Maple Town Story ・Lyrics by Akiko Kosaka ・Music by Akiko Kosaka ・Arrangement by Kazuo Shinada ・Singer by Satoko Yamano

・ED
・Patty's Sunday ・Lyrics by Akiko Kosaka ・Music by Akiko Kosaka ・Arrangement by Kazuo Shinoda and Satoko Yamano

The charm and full picture of Maple Town Story

"Maple Town Story," which aired from 1986 to 1987, is a fairy tale anime beloved by many children. The story is set in Maple Town, a small town where animals live, and depicts the daily lives of the main character, Patty, and her friends. Here, we will take a deeper look at the charm and details of the show.

Maple Town's World

Maple Town is a town of animals in the primeval forest of the north country. There are many simple and warm shops run by animals, such as the bear's general store and the coon's dry cleaning shop. The charm of this town is its atmosphere filled with warmth and kindness. The townspeople help each other and spend their days happily, even though they sometimes get caught up in the trouble caused by the villain Gretel.

The world of Maple Town not only gives children dreams and hope, but also provides nostalgia and healing to adults. In particular, the sight of animals living in a natural environment has a calming effect away from the hustle and bustle of the city. This world view is loved not only by viewers at the time, but by many people even today.

Character Appeal

The charm of Maple Town Story lies above all in its characters. The main character, Patty, is the second daughter of the Hope Rabbit family who run the post office, and is a lively rabbit girl. Although she has just moved to the town, she quickly makes friends in the town and embarks on various adventures. Patty's friends include Bobby the bear boy, Diana the fox lady, and Johnny the brilliant dog boy. Each character has their own unique personality and is loved by viewers.

And let's not forget the villain, the wolf Gretel, who is a bit of a fool and often plots evil but ends up failing in the end. Characters like this provide laughs for children and add humor to the story.

The appeal of the story

The story of Maple Town begins with small everyday events. There are many scenes of Patty and her friends playing together and participating in town events. However, sometimes they get caught up in Gretel's mischief or have small troubles with their friends. These episodes teach children the importance of friendship and helping each other.

In addition, each episode is independent, so you can start watching from any episode. In particular, episodes depicting seasonal events and festivals allow viewers to feel the change of seasons and provide heartwarming moments.

Production background and staff

Maple Town Story was produced as an original anime work. This was the directorial debut of series director Junichi Sato, and it had a major impact on his subsequent career. In addition, character designer Tsuneo Ninomiya designed over 80 animal characters before the show began, enriching the worldview of the work.

The music was composed by Akiko Kosaka, whose gentle melodies add color to the story. In particular, the opening theme "Maple Town Story" and the ending theme "Patty's Sunday" were loved by many viewers and are still fondly remembered today.

Audience reaction and impact

Maple Town Story has been loved by many viewers since it was first broadcast. Children in particular were fascinated by the adventures of Patty and Bobby, and felt as if they were part of Maple Town. Adults were also comforted by the warmth and kindness of the show, and it was a fun show for the whole family.

This work not only taught viewers the importance of friendship and mutual help, but also conveyed the beauty of living in harmony with nature. Its impact was great, and many people were able to feel spiritual richness through Maple Town Story.

Current Ratings and Recommendations

Even today, Maple Town Story is loved by many fans. For adults who crave nostalgia, it is a treasured work that reminds them of their childhood. It has also reached a new generation of children, and is highly regarded as a work that the whole family can enjoy.

The reasons why we recommend Maple Town Story are its warm and kind worldview, its unique and charming characters, and its story that teaches children the importance of friendship and helping each other. Watching it with the family will help deepen communication between parents and children. It is also recommended as part of environmental education, as it allows viewers to feel the wonder of living in harmony with nature.

Related Products and Events

Many related products have been released since the airing of Maple Town Story. In particular, figures and stuffed toys of Patty and Bobby were popular among children and were displayed in many homes. Picture books and DVDs were also released, allowing viewers to enjoy the story at any time.

In addition, Maple Town Story fan events were also held, providing an opportunity for viewers to interact with each other. These events included talk shows with the cast and staff, and exhibits that recreated the world of Maple Town, making it a special time for fans.

Conclusion

Maple Town Story is a fairy tale anime that aired from 1986 to 1987. It was loved by many viewers for its warm and gentle worldview, its unique and charming characters, and its story that teaches children the importance of friendship and helping each other. Its appeal has not faded even today, and it is supported by many fans. Watching it with the family will deepen communication between parents and children and make you feel the wonderfulness of a life that coexists with nature. Maple Town Story is a heartwarming work that can be enjoyed by both children and adults.