The appeal and reviews of "Little Lord Ceddie": A moving story and deep characters

Revisiting the charm and emotion of "Little Lord Ceddie"

"Little Lord Ceddie," which aired in 1988, is a TV anime series based on the classic novel "Little Lord" by Frances H. Burnett. Co-produced by Nippon Animation and Fuji Television, the series aired a total of 43 episodes from January 10 to December 25, 1988. It aired every Sunday from 7:30 to 8:00 p.m., entertaining viewers in a 30-minute slot. This work is loved by a wide range of people, from children to adults, and is still talked about today as a classic anime that moved many people.

story

Cedie, who lives in New York, moves to England as the heir to the Drincourt family after her father James dies of illness. However, in England, her stubborn and angry grandfather, the Earl of Drincourt, dislikes Cedie's mother Annie, whom he married in a virtual elopement, and Cedie is confused because she cannot live with her mother. Meanwhile, the Earl gradually opens up to Cedie's sincerity, but another successor appears in the Earl's family, and Cedie finds herself in a difficult position.

Commentary

"Little Lord Sadie" is a faithful animated adaptation of the original work by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The character designs were done by veteran Michiyo Sakurai, known for her work on Masterpiece Theatre. The setting book contains more detailed instructions than her other works, and attention is paid to even the smallest details, such as how to tie up the hair and how to ride in a carriage. The theme song is also known as Nishida Hikaru's debut song, and her singing voice helps to further deepen the emotion of the work.

cast

The cast includes Ai Orikasa as Sadie, Takeshi Watanabe as Earl of Drincourt, Tomoko Munegata as Annie, and Yukinori Hori as James. Other voice actors who played unique characters also added excitement to the work, including Toshiya Ueda as Hopps, Hiroyuki Shibamoto as Dick, Osamu Saka as Havisham, Koichi Kitamura as Jefferson, Rei Sakuma as Catherine, Satoshi Shimada as Wilkins, Eiko Yamada as Jane, Mitsuko Horie as Cocky, Naoko Matsui as Bridget, Reiko Kondo as Tom, and Eiko Masuyama as Minna.

Main Staff

Based on the novel "The Little Prince" by Francis H. Burnett, the story is set in the late 19th century in America and England. Produced by Koichi Motohashi, production manager Mitsuru Takakuwa, planning by Shoji Sato, music by Koichi Morita, director Kozo Kusuba, producers Junzo Nakajima and Shigeo Endo, script by Shiro Ishimori, character design by Michiyo Sakurai, animation directors Hideaki Shimada, Ai Kato, Toshiki Yamazaki, Hisatoshi Motoki, Hidemi Maeda, Yuko Fujii, Michiyo Sakurai, art director Nobuo Numai, director of photography Toshiaki Morita, The sound director was Yamada Etsuji, the color director was Koyama Akiko, the animation check was by Sakamoto Yutaka, Hayashi Koichi, Kondo Kumiko, Kato Hiromi, Minowa Hiroko, Enomoto Ayako, Nakata Hirofumi, Iwami Yoshizo, the animation was by OH Pro, Ushigoe Kazuo, Doga Kobo, Thumbtack Kikaku, Narumi Atsuko, Mieno Yoichi, Ishino Kiyoto, Nakagawa Toshiko, the finishing touches were by Studio Robin, Yanagisawa Noriko, Kunii Yoichi, Abe Junko, Yoshida Masako, The backgrounds were by Atelier Roku and Studio Aqua, photography was by Trans Arts, sound production was by Audio Visual System, mixer was Sato Chiaki, effects by Matsuda Akihiko, recording studio was Taihei Studio, developing lab was IMAGICA, titles were by Harada Mitsuo, editors were Kasahara Yoshihiro and Natori Shinichi, negative editing was by Kamitsunori Hidetoshi, storyboards were Kusuba Kozo, Ikeno Fumio, Kuroda Saburo, Saito Hiroshi, Tsuji Shinichi and Suzuki Takayoshi, assistant directors were Matsumi Shinichi, Takagi Jun, Hirakawa Tatsuya, Yamaguchi Takeshi, Sugimura Hiromi, Yamaga Hiroko, Suzuki Takayoshi and Sadowara Takeyuki, production desk was Kozori Shunichi, production assistants were Tanaka Matsumi, Sakai Hiroyuki, Komura Toichi, Yokoi Takashi, Suzuki Takashi, Kitazawa Yuji, Shiraiwa Jun, Tsukamoto Yasunori, Nakanishi Nobuaki and Kobayashi Masahiko, and production was by Nippon Animation and Fuji Television.

Main Characters

Cedie is a 7-year-old cheerful and obedient boy who is liked by everyone and loves baseball. Annie is Cedie's mother, 28 years old, an American who eloped with James. Earl of Drincourt is Cedie's grandfather and James' father. He is a British aristocrat who is strict and dislikes Americans, but gradually opens up to Cedie. James is Cedie's father, and although he is the heir to the earldom, he married Annie, who is of low status, and worked at a newspaper company in New York, but died of heart disease. Cokie is an original character for the anime, the granddaughter of Annie's maid, Katie, a lively and playful girl who calls Cedie ``big brother.'' Jane is Cedie's personal maid, and is both a guardian and an older sister figure. Minna is the ex-wife of James' older brother, Bevis, and uses her son to get her hands on the earldom's assets.

subtitle

The subtitles for each episode are as follows:

• Episode 1: New York is my town! (1988/01/10)
• Episode 2: I Had a Grandfather!! (1988/01/17)
• Episode 3: Is the old man a bad person? (1988/01/24)
• Episode 4: I Didn't Know Anything! (1988/01/31)
• Episode 5: Don't die, Dad!
• Episode 6: Mom, I won't cry!
• Episode 7: I will protect my mother.
• Episode 8: Mom is definitely not at fault!
• Episode 9: Mom... Collapses!
• Episode 10: No!! I don't want to go to England
• Episode 11: That's a lie!! I'm going to become a noble!
• Episode 12: Goodbye!! My Town, New York!
• Episode 13: Why are you living away from your mother?!
• Episode 14: The Fierce Dog Dugal is My Friend!!
• Episode 15: Don't say anything bad about my mother!!
• Episode 16: Cocchi is a playful girl!!
• Episode 17: I'm so happy! I can finally meet my grandpa!!
• Episode 18: Grandpa! I'm Cedie!!
• Episode 19: It's so wonderful to ride a horse!
• Episode 20: Is it delicious? A gift from a fishing master!
• Episode 21: The courage given by the four-leaf clover!
• Episode 22: The miracle that Cedie created!!
• Episode 23: Don't ever let him meet his mother!!
• Episode 24: A letter from an American that Grandpa hates
• Episode 25: The future great king, Cedi, has his first job!
• Episode 26: Falling off a horse! Serious injury! It's my fault!
• Episode 27: One day I will become Earl of Drinkot!
• Episode 28: Play ball! Count vs. Cedie!
• Episode 29: The Count is Angry! Call Newick!!
• Episode 30: I'll cure mom's illness!
• Episode 31: My Grandfather Isn't a Demon Count!
• Episode 32: It's true! This is Mom's carriage!
• Episode 33: Miracle! Whim? The Earl's Decision!
• Episode 34: Cocchi - Danger! Falling bricks!!
• Episode 35: Help Cedi! The Mystery of the Missing Cocchi!
• Episode 36: Take me to the Circus! Village Harvest Festival
• Episode 37: I had a grandmother! Is she on my mother's side?
• Episode 38: Cedie is in danger! News from London!!
• Episode 39: Am I a fake? Another young lord appears!
• Episode 40: I'm Not a Little Prince!
• Episode 41: Is Cedi being targeted?! The evil Minna's plot!
• Episode 42: Everyone's secret! A telegram from America!
• Episode 43: Congratulations! You are the Little Prince!

Related Titles

A work related to "Little Princess Ceddie" is "Little Princess Sara," also based on a novel by Frances H. Burnett, and gained popularity as a story about a young girl's growth and overcoming difficulties.

Theme songs and music

The opening theme is "Bokura no Sedi" (Our Cedi), with lyrics by Michio Yamagami, music by Koichi Morita, arrangement by Kazuo Otani, and singing by Hikaru Nishida (Canyon). The ending theme is "Dareka wo Aishitemu" (To Love Someone), with lyrics by Michio Yamagami, music by Koichi Morita, arrangement by Kazuo Otani, and singing by Hikaru Nishida (Canyon). These songs are important elements that further deepen the emotion of the work.

The charm and emotion of "Little Lord Ceddie"

"Little Prince Ceddie" is a touching story about the growth of a boy named Ceddie and his love for his family. Ceddie's pure heart and kindness warmed the hearts of viewers and made him a beloved character. In particular, the process in which Ceddie bonded with his grandfather, Earl of Drincourt, was both moving and hopeful, leaving a deep impression on viewers.

The story is set in the late 19th century in America and Britain, and depicts the social background and culture of the time in great detail. The production team's attention to detail and love can be seen in the character designs and detailed instructions in the setting manual. In particular, Michiyo Sakurai's character designs vividly portrayed characters such as Sadie, Annie, and Earl of Drincourt, leaving a strong impression on viewers.

Furthermore, the performances of the stellar voice actors also enhanced the appeal of the work. Orikasa Ai as Cedie, Watanabe Takeshi as Earl Drincourt, and Munegata Tomoko as Annie, all expressed the emotions of each character realistically, evoking deep empathy from the viewers. Nishida Hikaru's theme song also helped to further deepen the impact of the work. Her crystal clear singing voice seemed to symbolize Cedie's pure heart, and struck a strong chord with the viewers.

Evaluation and recommendation of "Little Lord Ceddie"

"Little Lord Ceddie" has been highly praised since it was first broadcast, and is still loved by many fans today. In particular, the story of Ceddie's pure heart and love for his family deeply touched viewers and influenced many people. In addition, the detailed depiction set in late 19th century America and Britain, the performances of the stellar voice actors, and the theme song by Nishida Hikaru also add to the appeal of the work.

The reason I recommend this work is that many elements will deeply move viewers, such as the touching story of Sadie's growth and family love, the detailed character design and setting, the performances of the gorgeous voice actors, and the theme song by Hikaru Nishida. I would especially recommend this work to those who like stories about family love and growth, those who are interested in American and British culture in the late 19th century, and those looking for a moving anime.

"Little Prince Cedie" is a masterpiece that gives viewers inspiration and hope, and will continue to be loved by many people in the future. Please watch this work and experience Cedie's pure heart and love for his family.