The little girl with them, Charlotte, is probably the author's self-insert, since she's the one who reimagines what all the tales we see, supposedly.
Before I go much in detail, I want to preface that this anthology was more successful in making me search and know the original folktales than what it offered. I'm not familiar with the all the folktales (same as some of you) but a quick Google search should summarize the content.
Your knowledge and connection regarding the folktales will definitely decide your experience with this anthology.
"Little Red Riding Hood" is by far the lowest this show ever got. It had a strong opening with introducing the "Wolf" but whatever sci-fi shit they wanted to cook feels incomplete to say the least. Yet it spends half an episode explaining it's own lore, to tell how they reimagined it, when all that was never utilized. As with the story, it's another "turning the table" situation (as you might have guessed with my title) that doesn't add anything, not even entertainment. It's pretentious, I'd even say the original folktale was more fucked up than what this show did.
Note:- "Little Red Riding Hood" had many interpretations but I believe you know what the most fucked is.
At this point, I had this idea that I can jumble between the episodes, since there's no rule to follow exactly as the episodes listed. And that really made me enjoy "The Town Musicians of Bremen" episode. While the setting is yet again, unoriginal, but the journey was good. So; a Dog, a Donkey, a Cat, & a Rooster walk into a bar and blows it into smithereens. That's all. It's straightforward, definitely the least grim out of all, but arguably the most fun I had. The character designs are appealing, the fights were half decent, and the conclusion was good.
Something better than death we can find anywhere.
"Hansel and Gretel" is a good mystery and a good story as well. You have a Promised Neverland-ish setup with kids dwindling in numbers unsuspectingly, two redhead siblings venturing out of their space, Isabella's twin sister, and a witch. It got a bit of suspense, a small adventure/mystery, with an out-of-the-blue but decent bitter-sweet ending.
The whole candy opening the doors is similar to the kids in folktale, where the kids use the pebbles to work their way back to their home, implying those candy were taking them home. Not a bad way to reference.
"Pied Piper of Hamelin" is a bit unique episode, and works on a core idea of the original folktale, that art manipulates the immature. Probably the best and the only episode that has something to offer; in terms of story and visuals as well.
In a village devoid from the outside where any form of art is considered filthy, a teacher finds a photo to lure his student. But the student's imagination is far beyond than what they can comprehend.
Art makes people follow their free will, which disrupts order.
This episode mainly speaks how art and order controls humanity, even if they're a result of our ideas (We could debate on this). Grand code, the town's head grandma, who's really just a dictator fears that art makes people unpredictable. She also made it a rule that no one can enter or leave the town. And that the most intelligent are those who can supress their emotions. Maria fits this bill, but there's a spark in Maria that everyone fears, the spark of adventure and to see what's outside. There's also something terrifying with how mature she can be for her age, which eventually brings despair to the teacher and freedom for Maria.
The animation, especially when Maria embraces the piper is Ghibli-esque. The backgrounds are top notch, the character design is a bit generic but distinct enough to fit the characters.
Probably the best episode.
"Elves and Shoemaker" has planted an unease that I didn't had before.
I actually wrote a few short stories, and think a lot about what to write.
But I never write.
The most I did was to just write a dialogue or scene that I imaged, in my notepad, and rot it in my digital memory. I neither had any motivation to sit & write, or at least try to write for hours. Nor had I took any inspiration from anyone or anything. I write to sing in my little long words and dance with the sounds & taps & vibrations my phone makes as I print these letters.
But this guy is different. Mr. N is born and celebrated for his juvenile talent but his legacy ended before it began. He is seen lightly by his neighbors, editors, random uncles, and even the deity of literature. Yet he basks in his superior understanding and rejects the modern literature, just like he was rejected by the world.
Until one night, when everything changed. His hand has written a story of 20 pages while he's unconscious. He thinks it's him who have written and yet, it's also not him. This short story was like a comeback for him. But he found nothing in that work, he understands nothing and he doesn't understand even more about all these people liking his work.
But who cares? Editors lineup for his next work, his ego is satisfied, and more than anything, now he gained an audience. But he later realizes that they are not his audience, but rather they are the audience of his work. His honest work was never appreciated. And with an amazing short story, his editor worried if he had become sick when he compared his honest work with his amazing work. For a man who worked hard well into his 30s and 40s as a writer, to be called amateurish, was devastating. He agonizes and sleeps once again, only for another long novel to appear at his desk, again it's a work that's his and not his. Which was again, celebrated more than his honest and conscious effort. At this point he gave up.
"Fine I'll be your puppet", he thought.
"I'll lend my hand at night
You fill your lines out of my sight
On these squares from right to left
Until I'm nothing left
But I enjoy the fruits of your work
Sorry... My Work
For I like pleasure more than pain
For I live with this unending shame
I'm the celebrated
The honored and the revered Mr. N
The Man of the day
The Ghost of the night".
But as with everything, his life comes to an end. However, he was encountered by a little girl who trashed his honest work, once again.
"Did you finish it?" she asked, "Your story about a teenage murderer?".
"Who cares? I gave up on it", he sighs.
"But I wanted to see that. I'm interested in you, because I thought you would change your work, work for a better story. Not bask in my blessings", she says.
The fear of losing pleasure kicks in and Mr. N finally acknowledges that he is nothing. He deceives himself, victimizes himself, that he only wanted a place to belong, that he wanted to fit in. And to all his anguish, the girl replies;
"You are not honest, and I have no interest with dishonest people. Farewell".
Oh how tragic it is. That a writer don't want to write. That all he imagines, inspires, and wants to be on the paper needs an honest physical and mental effort. How truly tragic it is to have a mind that wants to write but have a hand that wants to sleeps.
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