Sylvanian Families -Flare's Happy Diary- Review: A soothing anime depicting family ties and everyday joys

Sylvanian Families -Flare's Happy Diary- Review and Recommendation

Overview

Sylvanian Families -Flare's Happy Diary- is a TV anime series based on Epoch's popular toy series "Sylvanian Families". The 13 episodes will be broadcast from October 6 to December 29, 2022, depicting the daily lives and small adventures of the residents of Sylvanian Village. The story revolves around the themes of friendship, family love, and growth, particularly around the chocolate rabbit girl Flare.

■Broadcast information

This anime was broadcast on TOKYO MX and Sun TV. TOKYO MX aired it every Thursday from 19:22 to 19:34, and Sun TV aired it every Sunday from 17:00 to 17:15. It was also streamed online on d Anime Store, d Anime Store for Prime Video, and d Anime Store Niconico Branch, and was updated every Thursday from 19:35.

■ Story

Sylvanian Village is a warm and happy world surrounded by lush mountains and deep forests. The main character, Flare Chocolate, is a cheerful and imaginative chocolate rabbit girl who loves to draw. Her friends, Lila Persian the Persian cat, who is good at tinkering with machines, and Ralph Walnut the squirrel, an active boy who dreams of becoming a ninja. The story revolves around these three friends from Sylvanian Village, and depicts the little incidents and adventures they go through in their daily lives.

■ Characters

Flare Chocolate is a curious character who takes on any challenge with courage. Her younger sister, Clem Chocolate, is smart and precocious, but is often bossed around by her innocent older sister, Flare. Lyra Persian is usually calm, but when she is engrossed in her research, she can lose sight of her surroundings. Ralph Walnut is full of energy, good at climbing trees, and never misses his ninja training every day. Melinda Cakebread is a reliable girl who thinks Ralph is kind of cool.

■ Episode

Each episode depicts the daily life and little adventures of the residents of Sylvanian Village. Episode 1, "Flare Chocolate Magic," tells the story of Flare using magic to help her friends. Episode 2, "Open! Forest Children's Bakery," shows the children opening a bakery, and Episode 3, "My Best Friend, Lyra Persian," shows Flare and Lyra's friendship deepening. Episode 4, "Welcome to the Haunted House," shows the children trying out a haunted house, and Episode 5, "Ralph Walnut's Summer Day," tells the story of Ralph's summer memories. Episode 6, "The Great Reconciliation Strategy," shows Flare and friends helping their friends make up, and Episode 7, "Here Comes the Dream-Colored Amusement Park," shows the children having fun at the amusement park. Episode 8, "Baby Baby Talk," focuses on conversations between babies, Episode 9, "The Violin of Mystery," shows Flare learning to play the violin, and Episode 10, "The Mysterious Flower," tells the story of a mysterious flower that appears in Sylvanian Village. Episodes 11 and 12, "Shine! Sylvanian Village (Part 1 and Part 2)," depict the efforts of the villagers to liven up the festival, and the special episode, "Birthday Present," features an episode celebrating Flare's birthday.

■ Production staff

The anime was directed by Kawahara Masaaki and produced by LandQ Studios. It was written and planned by Epoch, and the series was composed by Suzumori Yumi and Miura Ariko. The screenplay was written by Miura Ariko, Suzumori Yumi, and Shinozuka Tomoko, and the storyboards were by Furuya Keiichiro and Seki Kazuya. The CG director was Umeno Daisuke, the assistant 3DCG directors were Takano Hinata and Iwata Kaito, and the music was by Nonaka "Masa" Yuichi. Sound effects were done by Tan Ai, recording by Takeoka Hiroki, sound mixer by Miyazawa Kenta, sound director by Kodama Takami, and sound production by HEAD OFF. Acting administration was handled by Goto Makoto (Aoni Production), producers were Sasaki Rui and Kanai Yasunori, organizer was Okuda Yoshihiro, and executive producer was Maeda Michihiro.

■Cast

Flare was played by Ayaka Yamane, Lyra by Saya Tanaka, and Ralph by Madoka Murakami. Other voice actors include Eriko Kadokura as Melinda, Misaki Watada as Clem, and Naomi Ozora as Coco.

■ Related works

Sylvanian Families -Flare's Happy Diary- is also linked to other animated series of Sylvanian Families, such as Sylvanian Families Mini Story (Season 1), Sylvanian Families Mini Story Ivy (Season 2), Sylvanian Families Mini Story Clover (Season 3), Sylvanian Families Mini Story Peony (Season 4), Sylvanian Families Web Anime 1-3, etc. These works also depict the daily lives of the residents of Sylvanian Village, and are a series that fans should not miss.

■Review

Sylvanian Families - Flare's Happy Diary - is an anime that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. The three characters Flare, Lyra, and Ralph are particularly charming, and the story of their friendship and growth is heartwarming. Although each episode is short, it carefully depicts the daily lives and small adventures of the residents of Sylvanian Village, making it heartwarming to watch. Another highlight is the beautiful CG images, which realistically recreate the natural scenery of Sylvanian Village. The music is also pleasant and helps to liven up the story.

■Recommendation

Sylvanian Families - Flare's Happy Diary - is a great anime to watch with the whole family. Children will empathize with the adventures of Flare, Lyra, and Ralph, and adults will be moved by their growth and friendship. In addition, fans of the Sylvanian Families can enjoy the world of the original even more deeply. Please come and visit the warm and happy world of Sylvanian Village.