Akage no Anne is is the Japanese adaptation of the 1908 children's novel Anne of Green Gables by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery which happens to be one of my favorite pieces of classic literature. The work is a lovely coming-of-age story about Anne, an orphan full of imagination, as she arrives at her new home and learns about the intricacies of life. The naturalistic characterization of the cast of characters and the use of dialogue in the most profound of ways creates an experience like no other. In essence, Anne of Green Gables is just a piece of narrative excellence which proves that even the simplest concepts can be assembled together in order to create something truly masterful.
[ Introduction to the World Masterpiece Theater ]
To understand this further, I will introduce the World Masterpiece Theater, a long-running series of anime adaptations of classic western literature largely produced by Nippon Animation. Each year the company took a classic novel and adapted it into a series of about 50 episodes. While the series in general is aimed at children and many of the originals that got adapted were children's books, its themes and plots can be surprisingly mature. The franchise used certain pieces of classic literature and adapts it into an anime, in this case being Anne of Green Gables.
[ Setting and character analysis ]
Anne of Green Gables begins its tale in the fictional town of Avonlea on Prince Edwards Island, Canada set during the dawn of the Second Industrial Revolution. Here we are introduced to Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, who soon become the parental figures of Anne as they look to adopt a boy of around 10 to help them with the farm work. However, they are surprised when a young girl was instead given to them by the orphanage. The story is quite literally as the synopsis entails "The story covers Anne's growth from about eleven to seventeen years old as she makes friends, goes to school and studies. At a difficult point in her life, Anne will have to make a hard choice and perhaps find a new dream."
We start the discussion of the characters with our protagonist Anne Shirley who carries many imperfections. For instance, she carries an obdurate hatred of a character simply because he teased her once. However, she is an incredibly realistic and human character and her imperfections are only proof of that. Witnessing the heartfelt relationship between Anne, Matthew and Marilla as they grow together as a family and deal with the tribulations of life is only part of the journey. The build-up started back in the very moment when Anne made her way into Green Gables, culminating with substantial personal and interpersonal developments within the family. Fundamentally, the story revolves around Anne's process of maturation and how it all ties up together.
The adaptation of this anime is simply brilliant with every scene given detail and the scenery described within the novel is given life with an arresting view. Akage no Anne successfully maintains the charm of the original narrative through the stylistic devices it possesses as an anime, therefore delivering an accurate and heartfelt visual reinterpretation of Montgomery’s imaginative vision. The original novel Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery has resonated with millions of people around the globe due to its realistic approach of depicting the magic of everyday life. I also give my utmost respect to the director of this adaptation, Isao Takahata, who has done an amazing job of exploring its full potential.
I cannot recommend this enough to everyone as I believe it is a story everyone can enjoy. Watching everything unfold is truly an experience like no other.