The appeal and reviews of Susie and Marvy: Exploring the unique characters and depth of the story

Suzie and Marvy: The charm of children's animation filled with nostalgia and fantasy

■ Introduction

"Susie Chan and Marvy," which aired on NHK Educational TV from 1999 to 2000, is a charming animation that has captured the hearts of children. The work is based on the original manga "Susie Chan and Marvy," and Sabe Anoma's unique worldview is reproduced in the form of animation. The series aired from April 5, 1999 to March 30, 2000, with short 5-minute episodes aired every Monday to Thursday on "Tensai Terebi-kun Wide." With a total of 104 episodes, the story unfolds as a mix of children's everyday life and fantasy.

■ Story

The main characters, Susie, are a 10-year-old girl and her brother Marvy, a 1.5-year-old boy. The two get along very well, and embark on various adventures with their inventor dog, Dr. Peebney. In a world that seems like a real-life version of children's "make-believe" games, the story features a fashionable lifestyle and fantastical tales that rival those of adults. The world we dreamed of as children, but have almost forgotten, is packed into this story.

■Explanation

The original manga began serialization in the September 1994 issue of Ohisama (a kindergarten special edition at the time). The secret to its popularity is that it somehow evokes feelings of nostalgia, and that the story is comforting to everyone. In adapting it into an anime, each staff member, including character designer and art director, did their best to bring out the best in the original manga. In particular, the adorable character designs by character designer Aramaki Sonomi are loved by both children and adults alike.

■Cast

Susie is voiced by Manami Nakayama, Marvy by Mika Kanai, Professor Peebney by Naoki Takita, Ineko by Rei Sakuma, and Mugiko by Atsuko Enomoto. These voice actors brought out the best in each character, creating characters that are loved by viewers. In particular, Manami Nakayama's voice for Susie fully expresses the charm of a reliable yet dreamy girl.

■ Main staff

The series was written by Toshihisa Arakawa, the character designer was Sonomi Aramaki, the prop designer was Makoto Uno, the art director was Chitose Asakura, the color designer was Hiromi Aoki, the cinematographer was Hiroshi Kubo, the editor was Tsuyoshi Imai, the sound director was Toru Nakano, the music was Kan Sawada, the technical supervisor was Shuichi Kakesu, the producers were Toshihiro Nakazawa and Shinao Shimoji, and the animation producer was Nobuyoshi Habara. These staff members worked together to create the world of "Susie and Marvy."

■ Main Characters

Susie is a 10-year-old, reliable older sister, but on the other hand, she is also a romantic, dreamy girl who dreams of fairyland castles and princesses. She loves fashion and is good at cooking. Her younger brother, Marvy, is 1.5 years old, clumsy and a big eater. He is very cute when he runs around on his big butt, and he is the most adorable when he hides and plays pranks on Susie. Dr. Peebney is a genius inventor with a dachshund, even though he is a pet dog, and has an underground laboratory in the garden. Aunt Nana is a friendly aunt in the neighborhood who goes on picnics with Susie and her friends, and lives with her dog Hana. She is also a master at making pumpkin pie. Hana is a golden retriever girl, and a very reliable and gentle dog in times of emergency. Ineko is the same age as Susie and is a good friend of hers in the neighborhood. She is a little precocious, but she is very curious. Mugiko is a blonde, blue-eyed, mischievous girl who is Ineko's younger sister and the same age as Marvy.

■Subtitle

The 104 episodes in the series feature stories that intertwine children's everyday lives with fantasy. For example, the first episode, "A Special Full Course Bath," shows Suzie and Marvy having fun in the bath. The second episode, "Stuck in the Jar?" shows Marvy getting stuck in a jar. The third episode, "The Doctor's Seven-Color Toothpaste," features the seven-color toothpaste invented by Dr. Peebney. The fourth episode, "Who Wet the Bed?" shows Suzie and Marvy searching for the culprit behind their bedwetting. These episodes depict the little events and adventures that happen in children's daily lives, providing entertainment to viewers.

■ Theme songs and music

The opening theme is "Happy Stew Time" from episodes 1 to 44, "Happy Stew Time ~Special~" from episodes 45 to 60, "Colorful Parade" from episodes 61 to 88 and 93 to 104, and "Milky White Christmas" from episodes 89 to 92. The lyrics for these songs are by Mitsuko Shiramine, the music is by Toshiaki Matsumoto and Motoyoshi Iwasaki, the arrangements are by Kan Sawada and Motoyoshi Iwasaki, and the song is by Juri Iwata. The ending theme is "Hikari no Wonderland" with lyrics by Mitsuko Shiramine, music and arrangement by Motoyoshi Iwasaki, and song by Manami Nakayama. This song is only included in the video version. These songs further enrich the worldview of the anime and provide enjoyment for the viewers.

■ Evaluation and recommendation

"Susie and Marvy" is a fascinating animated work with a story where children's everyday lives intersect with fantasy. The charm of the original work was maximized, and the efforts of each staff member, including character designer and art director, resulted in a work that is loved not only by children but also by adults. In particular, the love between Susie and Marvy and the adventures of Dr. Peebney's inventions will move and entertain viewers. The subtitles and theme songs of each episode also further enrich the worldview of the animation, providing enjoyment to viewers. Please watch this work and enjoy the world of Susie and Marvy.