The Appeal and Evaluation of Video Picture Books: A New Form of Animation for Children

Comprehensive evaluation and recommendation of video picture books - Video Ehon

overview

Video Ehon (Video Picture Book) is an original animation series released by Walker's Company on May 1, 1988. It is an original anime series produced by WC and Mushi Productions. The series, which consists of 50 episodes, features many famous stories animated in short episodes of 12 minutes each. Narrated by Yoshiko Ota and Mayumi Tanaka, it is enjoyable for both children and adults.

Background

Video picture books, or Video Ehon, were produced against the backdrop of the expansion of the video market at the time. From the late 1980s to the early 1990s, the spread of home video decks increased, and the demand for educational and entertainment content for children increased. Under these circumstances, Walker's Company aimed to provide stories in a form that was easy for children to understand by turning existing picture books and fairy tales into animation. In addition, the collaboration between two production companies, WC and Mushi Production, allowed them to achieve high-quality animation.

Story and subtitle

Video picture books - videoehon - are animated versions of different famous stories for each episode. Below is a list of subtitles.

• Episode 25: Pinocchio
• Episode 26: A Little Princess
• Episode 27: The Prince and the Beggar
• Episode 28: The Wizard of Oz
• Episode 29: Little Women
• Episode 30: A Dog of Flanders
• Episode 31: The Emperor's New Clothes
• Episode 32: The Dwarf and the Shoemaker
• Episode 33: The Swan Prince
• Episode 34: Aesop's Fables 2
• Episode 35: The Bremen Town Musicians
• Episode 36: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
• Episode 37: Red Shoes
• Episode 38: The Adventures of Sinbad
• Episode 39: Searching for Mother
• Episode 40: The King Has Donkey Ears
• Episode 41: The Secret Garden
• Episode 42: The Adventures of Robin Hood
• Episode 43: The Little Prince
• Episode 44: The Frog and the Princess
• Episode 45: My Long Legged Daddy
• Episode 46: The Three Musketeers
• Episode 47: Aesop's Fables 3
• Episode 48: Suzu's Guard
• Episode 49: The Story of Perrine
• Episode 50: The Adventures of 15 Years

Characters and cast

Although the characters in video picture books are different for each story, they all have a common narrator. The narrators are Yoshiko Ota and Mayumi Tanaka, and their warm voices bring out the story. Yoshiko Ota has worked in many children's anime and educational programs, and her gentle voice is well-known to children. Meanwhile, Mayumi Tanaka has appeared in numerous productions as a voice actress, and her expressive narration adds depth to the story.

Animation and Art

The animation for the video picture book was produced in collaboration between WC and Mushi Production. Mushi Production is an animation production company founded by Osamu Tezuka, and is highly regarded for its technical and artistic skills. In order to depict a different worldview for each story, the backgrounds and characters were designed with great care. The colorful art stimulates children's imagination and enhances their immersion in the story.

Music and Sound

The music for the video picture books is created to match a different theme for each story. A wide range of music genres, from classical music to nursery rhymes, are used to enhance the atmosphere of the story. Sound effects are also used skillfully in line with the progression of the story, playing a role in enhancing the emotions of the viewer. In particular, the narration by Yoshiko Ota and Mayumi Tanaka works in harmony with the music and sound to richly depict the world of the story.

Ratings and Recommendations

Video Ehon is a highly acclaimed animated work for children. By animating a different famous story for each episode, it has been possible to convey diverse cultures and values ​​to children. In addition, the narration by Yoshiko Ota and Mayumi Tanaka is familiar to children and plays a role in deepening their understanding of the story. Furthermore, the collaboration between WC and Mushi Production has resulted in high-quality animation, which has been praised for its visual beauty.

This work is enjoyable not only for children but also for adults. By turning nostalgic stories into animation, parents can reminisce about the picture books and fairy tales they read as children and watch the whole family together. Also, because each episode deals with a different theme, viewers can choose one based on their interests, making it a work that can be recommended to a wide range of people.

Further information and recommendations

Detailed information and recommendations for video picture books are listed below.

Further information

• Release Media : OVA
• Original media : Anime original
• Release date : May 1, 1988
• Released and sold by : Walkers Company
• Time : 12 minutes
• Number of episodes : 50
• Production : WC, Mushi Production
• cast :
  • Narration: Yoshiko Ota
  • Narration: Mayumi Tanaka
• subtitle :
  • Episode 25: Pinocchio
  • Episode 26: A Little Princess
  • Episode 27: The Prince and the Beggar
  • Episode 28: The Wizard of Oz
  • Episode 29: Little Women
  • Episode 30: A Dog of Flanders
  • Episode 31: The Emperor's New Clothes
  • Episode 32: The Dwarf and the Shoemaker
  • Episode 33: The Swan Prince
  • Episode 34: Aesop's Fables 2
  • Episode 35: The Bremen Town Musicians
  • Episode 36: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
  • Episode 37: Red Shoes
  • Episode 38: The Adventures of Sinbad
  • Episode 39: Searching for Mother
  • Episode 40: The King Has Donkey Ears
  • Episode 41: The Secret Garden
  • Episode 42: The Adventures of Robin Hood
  • Episode 43: The Little Prince
  • Episode 44: The Frog and the Princess
  • Episode 45: My Long Legged Daddy
  • Episode 46: The Three Musketeers
  • Episode 47: Aesop's Fables 3
  • Episode 48: Suzu's Guard
  • Episode 49: The Story of Perrine
  • Episode 50: The Adventures of 15 Years

Recommendation

I recommend video picture books as an animated work for children, especially for families with children and educators, for the following reasons:

• Diverse stories : Each episode animates a different famous story, which can teach children about diverse cultures and values. Also, each episode has a different theme, so viewers can choose according to their interests and concerns.
• High-quality animation : WC and Mushi Productions have worked together to create high-quality animation. The colorful art and detailed character designs will stimulate children's imaginations and make them feel immersed in the story.
• Excellent storytelling : Yoshiko Ota and Mayumi Tanaka's narration is accessible to children and helps them understand the story better. Their warm voices evoke emotions in the audience and create a rich story world.
• Fun for the whole family : The nostalgic stories are animated, so you can remember the picture books and fairy tales that your parents read when they were children. Watching them together as a family can deepen communication between parents and children.

Conclusion

Video Ehon is a highly acclaimed children's animation. By animating a different famous story in each episode, it has been possible to convey diverse cultures and values ​​to children. In addition, the narration by Yoshiko Ota and Mayumi Tanaka is familiar to children and helps them to deepen their understanding of the story. Furthermore, the collaboration between WC and Mushi Production has resulted in high-quality animation, which has been praised for its visual beauty. This work is enjoyable not only for children but also for adults, so it is recommended that families watch it together.