However, what’s so remarkable about the intro is how its meaning changes over the course of the series, and its relationship to the world and characters.Ī good way into the show, Heidi is forced to leave her home in the Alps and move to the city of Frankfurt, where she ends up staying for many episodes. (Supposedly animated by Toei Doga legend Yasuji Mori, based on footage he shot of Yoichi Kotabe and Hayao Miyazaki dancing in the parking lot. Otherwise, the only noteworthy aspect about it is perhaps the shot where Heidi and Peter dance as the seasons pass. It seems to be a standard opening sequence, with surreal imagery such as Heidi swinging in the sky that’s more representative of the series’ mood than anything literal. While the intro does a great job at establishing the breezy, joyful tone of the show, I don’t blame anyone who doesn’t really see what’s so special about it. Where were we? Oh yes, the opening sequence to Heidi and why it stands out so much. Thank you, Goats of Context, for… Oh, they’ve gone. Thankfully the series has long since been fansubbed into English and can easily be found if you know where to look, and its overall success has ensured home video releases are regularly in print and easily obtainable. However, it doesn’t seem to be that well-known in English speaking countries, perhaps due to the lack of an English localization (with the exception of an obscure dub produced for a fascinating compilation movie that the writer may examine in the future). It’s been broadcast in thirty countries and dubbed into twenty different languages around the world, and may very well be Takahata’s most famous work. Its success led to the World Masterpiece Theatre, a beloved anthology series that would adapt children’s books for the next 20 years (two shows were later directed by Takahata 1976’s Marco, 3000 Leagues in Search for Mother and 1979’s Anne of Green Gables). Among other shows like Yamato, it helped bring a greater understanding of the wide audience that animation attracts in Japan. In its day, Heidi was an incredibly popular series which scored ratings too high to have been only watched by kids. And lastly, the layouts were handled in each and every episode by none other than Hayao Miyazaki. The character designs and animation direction was done by Yoichi Kotabe, who most will recognize for his work on the characters and 2D artwork in the Super Mario Bros. The majority of the series’ episodes were storyboarded by Yoshiyuki Tomino, the man responsible for Mobile Suit Gundam, Space Runaway Ideon, and a whole host of other renowned mecha shows. In fact, a fair chunk of Heidi’s major creative staff is comprised of industry legends. It was produced in 1974-5 and directed by Isao Takahata – the same Isao Takahata responsible for Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday, the 1982 adaptation of Gauche the Cellist, and many more works. Heidi: Girl of the Alps is a Japanese adaptation of the classic children’s book written by Swiss author Johanna Spyri.
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