Akage no An

"Akage no an" is simply the best piece of 'book to film' adaptation you will ever encounter. No other movie or television show even compares to this enchanting masterpiece. Why this has never been properly released in the states is beyond comprehension, but a captioned box set can be found online at Japanese and anime DVD sites.

The exquisite animation and drawings are truly works of art, much better than the computer generated graphics of today. Each character and setting is drawn to perfection will all of LM Montgomery's small subtleties incorporated into picture.

Each episode is nearly a page by page account of the actual book and 99% of everything is here. Every character, every special moment, all the tragedy, comedy, romance, and relationships are played out just as Montgomery would have intended.

"Akage no An" is an 1979 anime adaption of Lucy Maud Montgomery's novel "Anne of Green Gables". This anime series was directed by Isao Takahata and produced by Nippon Animation, and consists of 50 episodes.

Basic plot: This anime focuses on Anne Shirley, an orphan girl who gets sent to Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. The problem is, Marilla and Matthew originally requested a boy to be the new member of the family, leading to one problem after another in the beginning...

I normally don't read books, but I have heard people telling about this anime being just so true to the book, compared to many other movie/series adaptions of the same novel. Having watched this series a few years ago, I can say this anime altogether is realistic made, dramatic, beautiful, and sometimes moving. I was even about to almost cry in at least one of the episodes. I could have go on telling you about scenes having been pretty well made, some of them including Anne's relationship with Gilbert Blythe and her great friendship with Diana.

As I have said earlier, I normally don't read books. But if you have read the book and wanna watch a good movie/series adaption, I highly recommend you find this animated series. Sadly, this anime doesn't seem to exist in Norway at all. Believe me, you won't regret one second of this.

It is also interesting to know that, not only the anime itself, but the novel it is based on is pretty much beloved in Japan.

Some of the other notable works from Isao Takahata to be mentioned include: "Horus: Prince of the Sun" (1968), "Only Yesterday" (1991) and "My Neighbors the Yamadas" (1999).

I never realized that this animation was made in 1979. I watched this series, every single episode, when I was ten. And let me just say that this animated series is incredible. It captures every emotion the novel delivers, from Anne's first depth of despair to last bend around the corner. Anne's chatters, Marilla's scornful love, Matthew's unconditional love, the rivalry romance between Anne and Gilbert, they are all there. It does not miss out anything, and I do mean anything. It is truly a masterpiece. The characters are drew beautifully, especially Anne and Gilbert. And the sceneries are breathtaking. You would never imagine this was made in 1979 if you saw it for yourself. And the music. Oh, the music is also just incomparable. The music will be remembered for such a long time. This series is incomparable to Anne of Green Gables animation series that's being made these days. If you have access to this animation, give it a chance. Just one episode and you'll fall in love with it forever.

I've been a fan of the 1985 Anne of Green Gables series, loving it as a child and watching it on PBS growing up, and reading the books. Recently I stumbled upon this gem, thanks to the internet.

The drawings are excellent, and one is not even bothered by the subtitles. The story is so faithful to the books that you get swept up with the story. My heart just about broke watching Anne so upset and heartbroken at the thought of leaving Green Gables. I just wanted to hug her so badly, and it's anime! I laughed, cried, smiled my way through this charming series, and highly recommend it to any Anne of Green Gables fan.

I don't know how to describe this anime, it was so beautiful and makes me know myself better, because Anne's character was somehow similiar to mine.

The art was wonderful & it looks like it is new even when it is showed in 70's. The design of the characters was very cute and It matches the author's description in the novel. The backgrounds like nature and houses in the anime was very beautiful & comvy, and I don't beleive that japan could draw these in '70s.

The massages that I learned from this anime was very deep, and it taught me many lessons of life, I learned that the human will change someday as Anne, She was a funny girl with great imagination, but she commit many mistakes by her overimagination and unrealism,she commit many mistakes in her life. She learned and learned until she could control herself and her imagination to become a perfect and self-posessed girl .

I love this beautiful anime so so much with all my heart, and I am so happy that I know Anne of Green Gables.