World Fairy Tale Series

This article is about the 1995 series. For the 1975 series, see World Famous Fairy Tale Series.

World Fairy Tale Series (世界名作童話シリーズ・ワ～ォ！メルヘン王国, Sekai meisaku dōwa shirīzu - Wa-o! Meruhen ōkoku; lit. "World Masterpiece Fairy Tale Series - Wow! Fairy Tale Kingdom"; also known as: アニメ世界の童話 Anime sekai no dōwa, lit. "World Fairy Tale Anime") is an Italian-Japanese anime anthology series based on fairy tales and classic stories, produced by Toei Animation, Fuji Eight and Reteitalia in 1995.^[1]

World Fairy Tale Series
Genre	Adventure Fantasy Romance
Directed by	Hiroshi Shidara
Composer	Seiji Yokoyama
Country of origin	Japan
Original language	Japanese
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	26
Production
Producers	Yoshifumi Hatano Shinji Shimizu
Running time	24 minutes
Production companies	Toei Animation Fuji Eight Reteitalia
Original release
Network	Fuji TV
Release	7 April (1995-04-07) – 29 September 1995 (1995-09-29)

Premise

The series consists of 26 episodes, each one adapting a popular fairy tale or a literature classic written by a famous author such as: the Brothers Grimm, Charles Perrault, Hans Christian Andersen, Carlo Collodi, Lewis Carroll, Alexandre Dumas, Howard Pyle, Jonathan Swift, Johanna Spyri, L. Frank Baum, E. T. A. Hoffmann, James Halliwell-Phillipps and Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. Most of the episodes follow quite closely the original source material, with some changes made to alter unhappy endings or to suit the half-hour episode run. Between 1975 and 1983 Toei had already produced a similar series: World Famous Fairy Tale Series. Some of these fairy tales had also been adapted by Toei into feature length films (Arabian Nights: The Adventures of Sinbad, The World of Hans Christian Andersen, The Wonderful World of Puss 'n Boots, Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina and Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp).

A variety of different artists from other Toei's popular series worked on the episodes, such as Sailor Moon's director Junichi Sato and character designer Ikuko Itoh,^[2][1] or Space Pirate Captain Harlock and Saint Seya's composer Seiji Yokoyama.^[2]

The series premiered in France in October 1994 in a collection of VHS, and later aired in December on France 3 (Les Contes les plus célèbres).^[3][4][5] It aired in Italy on Italia 1 from February 4 to March 1, 1995 (Le fiabe più belle),^[6] and in Japan on Fuji TV and other networks from April 7 to September 29 of the same year.^[7] Only 21 episodes were broadcast in Japan, with the last 5 episodes being released on home video. An 8 DVD box containing 24 episodes was released in Japan by Toei Video under the title Sekai Meisaku Mukashi Banashi (世界名作昔ばなし; lit. World Masterpiece Old Tale), skipping episodes 10 and 26.

The Italian dub featured different incidental music composed by Enzo Draghi,^[8] and it served as a basis for the French, Spanish, Polish, Romanian and Greek dubs as well. The series was also popular in the Middle East, airing on Spacetoon.

Cast

• Mami Koyama as the Narrator (all episodes)
• Aya Hisakawa as Beauty (ep. 3), Morgiana (ep. 15)
• Bin Shimada as The Talking Cricket (ep. 7), The White Rabbit (ep. 14), Scarecrow (ep. 21)
• Chie Satō as Stepsister (ep. 2), 3rd Kid (ep. 13)
• Chiyoko Kawashima as Queen (ep. 11)
• Daisuke Gōri as Lamp Genie (ep. 1), Head Thief (ep. 15), M. de Treville (ep. 19)
• Daisuke Sakaguchi as Much (ep. 10), Fritz (ep. 20)
• Eiko Masuyama as Evil Queen (ep. 8)
• Hikaru Midorikawa as Prince (ep. 2), Robin Hood, Swallow (ep. 16), Prince (ep. 24)
• Hirohiko Kakegawa as Beauty's Father (ep. 3), Santa Claus (ep. 5), Friar Tuck (ep. 10), Porthos (ep. 19)
• Hiroko Emori as the Blue Fairy (ep. 7), the Duchess, the Good Witch of the North (ep. 21)
• Hisako Kyōda as Grandma (ep. 17)
• Hisao Egawa as Farmer (ep. 4), Dwarf C (ep. 8), Guy of Gisborne (ep. 10), Thief B (ep. 15)
• Ikuya Sawaki as Ogre (ep. 4), King (ep. 11), Emperor of Lilliput (ep. 18)
• Joji Yanami as Geppetto (ep. 7), Donkey (ep. 23)
• Jun'ichi Kanemaru as Prince (ep. 11)
• Junko Hagimori as Lampwick (ep. 7), Good Fairy (ep. 11), Constance (ep. 19)
• Kazue Komiya as the Queen of Hearts (ep. 14)
• Kazumi Tanaka as Father (ep. 5), Dwarf A (ep. 8), Skinny Man (ep. 12), Locksmith (ep. 15), The Tin Man (ep. 21)
• Kazunari Tanaka as Prince John (ep. 10), Cheshire Cat (ep. 14), Athos (ep. 19)
• Keiko Yamamoto as First Pig (ep. 9), Cat (ep. 23)
• Ken Yamaguchi as Cassim (ep. 15)
• Kohei Miyauchi as Drosselmeyer (ep. 20)
• Koji Totani as Magician (ep. 1), Wolf (ep. 13)
• Konami Yoshida as 7th Kid (ep. 13)
• Kōzō Shioya as King (ep. 4), Little John (ep. 10), Mouse King (ep. 20)
• Kyoko Terase as Milady de Winter (ep. 19)
• Mariko Kouda as Gretel
• Masaharu Satō as Sultan (ep. 1), King (ep. 12), King of Hearts (ep. 14), Finance Minister (ep. 18), Louis XIII (ep. 19)
• Masako Katsuki as the Wicked Witch of the West (ep. 21)
• Masato Hirano as Owner (ep. 7), Secretary (ep. 10), Prime Minister (ep. 18), Jussac (ep. 19)
• Minami Takayama as Pinocchio
• Naoki Tatsuta as Cat (ep. 7), Mad Hatter (ep. 14)
• Nobutoshi Canna as Prince (ep. 8), Aramis (ep. 19)
• Osamu Saka as Admiral (ep. 18)
• Rumi Kasahara as Alice
• Ryōtarō Okiayu as Aladdin
• Shigeru Nakahara as the March Hare
• Shinichiro Ohta as Servant A (ep. 11), Ali Baba, Rooster (ep. 23)
• Takaya Hashi as Gulliver
• Takeshi Aono as Cardinal Richelieu (ep. 19), Dog (ep. 23)
• Tesshō Genda as Wolf (ep. 17)
• Tomiko Suzuki as Hansel
• Tomoko Maruo as Miller's Son (ep. 4), 1st Kid (ep. 13), Cassim's Wife (ep. 15)
• Toshihiko Seki as D'Artagnan (ep. 19)
• Tsutomu Kashiwakura as 2nd Son (ep. 12), Nutcracker (ep. 20)
• Wakana Yamazaki as Beauty's Sister (ep. 3), Thumbelina, Princess Annabella (ep. 24)
• Yasuhiko Kawazu as Servant (ep. 2), Dwarf D (ep. 8), Big Bad Wolf (ep. 9), Hunter (ep. 17)
• Yasuhiro Takato as Puss in Boots
• Yoku Shioya as 3rd Son (ep. 12)
• Yūji Machi as Ring Genie (ep. 1), Magic Mirror (ep. 14)
• Yuka Koyama as Princess (ep. 1), Dorothy (ep. 21), Princess Lina (ep. 24)
• Yūko Minaguchi as Cinderella
• Yumi Tōma as The Little Match Girl
• Yuri Amano as Snow White
• Yuri Shiratori as Sleeping Beauty
• Yusaku Yara as the Beast (ep. 3), The Wizard (ep. 21)

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	"Aladdin and the Magic Lamp" Transliteration: "Arajin to mahō no ranpu" (Japanese: アラジンと魔法のランプ)	Hiroshi Shidara	Etsuo Suzuki	7 April 1995 (1995-04-07)
2	"Cinderella" Transliteration: "Shinderera" (Japanese: シンデレラ)	Hiroki Shibata	Aya Matsui	14 April 1995 (1995-04-14)
3	"Beauty and the Beast" Transliteration: "Bijo to yajū" (Japanese: 美女と野獣)	Ryo Tachiba	Yumi Kageyama	21 April 1995 (1995-04-21)
4	"Puss in Boots" Transliteration: "Nagagutsu wohaita neko" (Japanese: 靴をはいた猫)	Toru Yamada	Yasunori Yamada	28 April 1995 (1995-04-28)
5	"Hansel and Gretel" Transliteration: "Henzeru to Gureteru" (Japanese: ヘンゼルとグレーテル)	Kiyoko Sayama	Yumi Kageyama	12 May 1995 (1995-05-12)
6	"The Little Match Girl" Transliteration: "Macchi uri no shōjo" (Japanese: マッチ売りの少女)	Tomohara Katsumata	Yumi Kageyama	19 May 1995 (1995-05-19)
7	"Pinocchio" Transliteration: "Pinokio" (Japanese: ピノキオ)	Atsutoshi Umezawa	Etsuo Suzuki	26 May 1995 (1995-05-26)
8	"Snow White" Transliteration: "Shirayukihime" (Japanese: 白雪姫)	Michihiro Kanayama	Yoshimasa Takahashi	2 June 1995 (1995-06-02)
9	"The Three Little Pigs" Transliteration: "Sanbiki nokobuta" (Japanese: 三匹のこぶた)	Jōji Shimura	Aya Matsui	9 June 1995 (1995-06-09)
10	"Robin Hood" Transliteration: "Robin Fuddo" (Japanese: ロビンフッド)	Tsunekiyo Otani	Yasunori Yamada	16 June 1995 (1995-06-16)
11	"Sleeping Beauty" Transliteration: "Nemure ru mori no bijo" (Japanese: 眠れる森の美女)	Masayuki Akehi	Yumi Kageyama	23 June 1995 (1995-06-23)
12	"The Golden Goose" Transliteration: "Kin nogachō" (Japanese: 金のがちょう)	Takashi Kobayashi	Etsuo Suzuki	7 July 1995 (1995-07-07)
13	"The Wolf and the Seven Young Goats" Transliteration: "Ookami to nanahiki no ko yagi" (Japanese: 狼と七匹の子やぎ)	Yûji Endô	Yasunori Yamada	14 July 1995 (1995-07-14)
14	"Alice in Wonderland" Transliteration: "Fushigi no kuni no Arisu" (Japanese: 不思議の国のアリス)	Hiroki Shibata	Yumi Kageyama	21 July 1995 (1995-07-21)
15	"Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves" Transliteration: "Ari Baba to 40 nin no tōzoku" (Japanese: アリババと40人の盗賊)	Yasuo Ishikawa	Etsuo Suzuki	28 July 1995 (1995-07-28)
16	"Thumbelina" Transliteration: "Oyayubi hime" (Japanese: おやゆび姫)	Junichi Sato	Yumi Kageyama	11 August 1995 (1995-08-11)
17	"Little Red Riding Hood" Transliteration: "Aka Zukin" (Japanese: 赤ずきん)	Takao Yoshizawa	Yumi Kageyama	18 August 1995 (1995-08-18)
18	"Gulliver's Travels" Transliteration: "Gariba ryokōki" (Japanese: ガリバー旅行記)	Ryo Tachiba	Yoshimasa Takahashi	25 August 1995 (1995-08-25)
19	"The Three Musketeers" Transliteration: "Sanjūshi" (Japanese: 三銃士)	Toshihiko Arisako	Yasunori Yamada	1 September 1995 (1995-09-01)
20	"The Nutcracker" Transliteration: "Kurumi wari ningyō" (Japanese: くるみ割り人形)	Tsunekiyo Otani	Aya Matsui	8 September 1995 (1995-09-08)
21	"The Wizard of Oz" Transliteration: "Ozu no mahōtsukai" (Japanese: オズの魔法使い)	Yasuo Ishikawa	Yumi Kageyama	29 September 1995 (1995-09-29)
22	"The Emperor's New Clothes" Transliteration: "Hadakano ōsama" (Japanese: はだかの王様)	Toru Yamada	Etsuo Suzuki	N/A
23	"Town Musicians of Bremen" Transliteration: "Buremen no ongakutai" (Japanese: ブレーメンの音楽隊)	Jōji Shimura	Yasunori Yamada	N/A
24	"The Little Mermaid" Transliteration: "Ningyohime" (Japanese: 人魚姫)	Yukio Kaizawa	Yumi Kageyama	N/A
25	"Sindbad the Sailor" Transliteration: "Shindobaddo no bōken" (Japanese: シンドバッドの冒険)	Michihiro Kanayama	Etsuo Suzuki	N/A
26	"Heidi" Transliteration: "Haiji" (Japanese: ハイジ)	Hiroshi Shidara	Aya Matsui	N/A