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For the past two months, I finally decided to watch whatever was available from the great World Masterpiece Theater (WMT). I've known about this project by Nippon Animation since a few years ago, and even though I knew I was bound to like it (I love the idea of anime adaptions of western classic novels), I never actually watched a single entry of the WMT. That said, I had watched things like Takarajima (Treasure Island) and Ie Naki Ko (Sans Famille), which while not from Nippon Animation, could very well be part of the project.

Anyways, I'll be updating this entry with my progress. There's already some, and I can imagine my top 100 will end up having a good number of these entries.

I'll only watch entries that are fully subbed in english, so if I completed something, it means it is subbed somewhere.

Completed:

Akage no Anne (from Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery)


Maybe the ideal WMT representative. It's the first title under the "World Masterpiece Theater" title (the project had a few other titles before). Anne has become something like an emblem of the WMT. I won't go into detail about it (you can read the entry on my top 100 here if you wish), but I will say it's probably my favorite slice of life in pure slice of life terms. I felt identified a lot of times by watching Anne's experience, and I thought she was one of the most charming and charismatic characters I've ever seen. She was far from a perfect human being, and that made her just better.


Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables (from Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson)


While Akage no Anne is the first entry under the "World Masterpiece Theater", Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gable is the last one (so far, hopefully). The story is nowhere nearly as good as the original novel, and I would've rather seen an adaption of one of the Anne's sequels, but still, Before Green Gables is still a nice story, captures Anne as a character very well (which is a guarantee for success), both by personality (good job Mr.Wilson) and by facial expressions (good job, Nippon Animation). The biggest problem is that I don't feel it actually fits well with Akage no Anne. While Anne had a hard life in this novel, it doesn't sound quite as she describes it in Akage no Anne, starting by the fact that Anne would never forget the good people (and their deeds) she knew before going to Avonlea. All of that said, it's still a very enjoyable series. You can read more about it in the Akage no Anne entry from my top 100 here.


Perrine Monogatari (from En Famille by Hector Malot)
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Oh, Mr.Malot, I don't think I've ever seen someone so capable of writing tragic heroes and such fantastic endings. While Perrine can start a little bit slow, it definitely picks up. Heartwarming story and heartbreaking story at the same time. Watching Perrine go through different difficulties in life is even inspiring. Artstyle is not really good (and not just because it's old), but while it kinda bothered in the first few episodes, halfway through the series I was already completely used to the artstyle and I had even forgotten it bothered me at the beginning.


Romeo no Aoi Sora (from Die schwarzen Brüder by Kurt Held)


I believe this must be the most watched WMT entry. While not my favorite, Romeo no Aoi Sora looks fantastic, has the best opening from the WMT (at least from what I've seen so far) and has a really nice setting in Milan. While I felt it was sometimes a bit too Disney-esque and it felt a bit rushed (had a lot of problems while it aired), it still managed to be a beautiful story about friendship. You can read more about it in my top 100 entry here.


Les Misèrables: Shoujo Cossette (from Les Misèrables by Victor Hugo)


One of the most acclaimed novels in history that even played a big role in french history. Les Misérables is very different to the other entries I've seen in the WMT, showing a lot of more mature stuff more appropiate for an adult audience than a young audience. Politics play a big role here, and the series has a plot that's a bit more complex as it has a lot of point of views and a big number of characters. While this is a bit softened in comparison to the novel, the difference isn't really as big, and while Cossette's point of view is used more than in the novel, it still doesn't forget about the rest. Has some elements that reminds us of things like Rose of Versailles and even elements that reminds us of Monster. So far, this is my favorite WMT entry.


Flanders no Inu (from A Dog of Flanders by Maria Louise Ramé)


Starts as some kind of slice of life show with nothing really big happening. I even felt it was a bit boring at times, but while it takes a lot of time, the series does take off, and the rewards are huge. Nello and Patrasche are names that will most likely be forever engraved in your heads if you watch this series. The drama in this series is just unrivaled.


Shoukoujo Sara (from A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett)


This is pretty much something like a reverse Cinderella story. Sara is pretty much the embodiment of what being a good human being is, and she had quite a lot of money and lived a great life, though eventually everything goes downhill. The story is quite good as it portrays some of the most common and worst sides of human beings, while at the same time it portrays Sara as a character that never surrenders to anything. As a whole, it's a great watch with some great character, but that had an ending that I couldn't really like. Still, it's a very good show overall.


Watashi no Ashinaga Ojisan (from Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster)


It can be a bit polemic nowadays. I was never a fan of the novel, to be honest, so I didn't really expect much from the anime. I probably ended up enjoying the anime more than the novel, and it ended up being a nice watch, but admittedly, my least favorite from the WMT. While I liked Judy as a character, I was not a fan of her development, nor her relationships. On the other hand, I found Julia's development quite interesting.

Ai Shoujo Pollyanna Monogatari (from Pollyanna and Pollyanna Grows up by Eleanor H. Porter)


While Pollyanna can come as overly optimistic at some points, there's a valuable lesson to be learned from this series. It's important to, whatever your situation is or whatever you're doing, to always look for the good things of them. You always need to look for things to be glad about, as it will help you enjoy life a lot more. Pollyanna has a lot of great characters and it's really good at sending that message. A really nice story.

Trapp Ikka no Monogatari (from The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta von Trapp)


A fantastic family story about creating bonds and keeping them. Heartwarming, and very real. Actually the story is based in real life. Characters really did exist and in the grand scheme, every event did happen. When the final episodes kick in, the historical elements takes a step forward. May have the best depiction of the Nazi annexing Austria, and how the world work under the Nazi rule. A fantastic story with some great characters.

Alps Monogatari: Watashi no Annette (from Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John)


This is a story that's mostly human relationships, and it treats them quite well, without actually getting overdramatic. The first thing that can be seen a lot is friendship and family bonds, but the series goes one step further with that friendship and it's mostly about fixing relationships. Certain events break a big friendship, and both sides will have to do a lot to fix a very valuable bond. For me the biggest lesson here is the courage displayed. It's important to never try to evade the problems, you have to confront them, you have to tell the truth even if sometimes can be very difficult.

Alps no Shoujo Heidi (from Heidi by Johanna Spyri)


The WMT probably wouldn't have been what it is if not for Heidi. This series sets the blueprint to follow. Heidi doesn't have as much drama as some of the WMT entries that would follow (especially considering the following WMT was Flanders no Inu) but it shows a story with lots of characters that feel very real, their emotions feel real. The series can be a bit slow, but it definitely picks up. Heidi's relationship with the different people in the series is something to behold, especially the friendship she forges with Clara. With good reason, Heidi has managed to become more than a WMT classic, more than an anime classic... Heidi is a classic pretty much everyone knows of. The opening is a song that pretty much everyone knows.

Kazoku Robinson Hyouryuuki: Fushigi na Shima no Flone (from The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss)


The Swiss Family Robinson is all about two things: family relationships and survival. The idea of being stranded on an island is surprisingly uncommon as a main plot for anime. It's pretty much a trope for single episodes (usually with couples), but Kazoku Robinson makes it the main plot line. Okay, this family is way too good at surviving (super dad) and the series could've been shorter, as most of the series really does take place on the island, and it's not just about trying to escape the island, but surviving in it. I personally thought it was really entertaining and I actually learned a few tips here and there. Watching this family live their daily life on this island and little by little get used to it was a really good experience. The book is a huge classic, and the anime pays good tribute to it.

Makiba no Shoujo Katri (from Paimen, piika ja emäntä by Auni Nuolivaara)


Katri has a strong case for being the second best WMT young heroine behind Anne. She is charismatic, smart, a really hard worker and a really nice person. She's an example to follow and the story about a couple of years of her life is just entertaining and exemplary. While its novel is one of the most unknown in the WMT (at least I didn't know about its existance until knowing about the WMT... I don't know about its popularity in Finland), the story is very appropiate for the WMT and doesn't fall short in comparison to the other works in any way. An very enjoyable series.

Porphy no Nagai Tabi (from The Orphans of Simitra by Paul-Jacques Bonzon)


The second to last installment of the WMT (and arguably the last since the actual last one is very linked to another one) was by no means worst than the rest of the WMT, and in fact, it probably stands above the average. The series follows to siblings that end up separated for various reasons, and it's mainly the journey of Porphy, the older brother, to find his sister Mina, which was by no means an easy task. As always with the WMT, the series is really good at portraying very human characters and it becomes hard not to sympathize with Porphy through his journey, where he meets a lot of hardships, but also gets to know a lot of great people.

Ie Naki Ko Remy (from Sans Famille by Hector Malot)


While, as most people who have watched both will tell, Ie Naki Ko Remy is the inferior version in comparison to Dezaki's 1977 Ie Naki Ko, Remy is a series that really shines by its own. Contrary to most WMT series, Remy is not very faithful to the book, but it really does make a great job by its own, becoming something of a blend between Oliver Twist and Sans Famille. While it's inevitable to some degree, this is a series better watched without comparing it with the original. Filled with heartwarming and heartwrenching moments, Remy is another great WMT series.

Dororo to Hyakkimaru (from Dororo by Osamu Tezuka)


The very first entry of the WMT from 1969. This one was done in black and white and was not really an adaption from a classic novel, but an adaption from what is now a classic manga, though at the time was a fairly new manga by the "father of manga" Osamu Tezuka. I felt Dororo was fairly well animated for an anime that's still from the 60s and tells a story that at times could be very interesting even showing how crude the age of samurais could be in Japan. The series really shines the most during its first half when subplots lasted for a couple epiisodes, and sadly got worse in the later half when it became way to episodic with a monster of the week format. Still, Dororo to Hyakkimaru is worth a watch as a classic and to see a bit of history in anime. Also, while I haven't watched it yet myself (I'll be sure to edit this when I do), there's a big chance you'll be better off watching the 2019 edition of this series that is airing as I write this.

Meiken Lassie (from Lassie Come-Home by Eric Knight)


This might actually be one of the most well-known titles, though one of the least seen series in the WMT. Lassie probably more famous as a TV star than as a novel protagonist, since the novel has been adapted a lot of times into movies and series. This is probably not among the best WMT series, but it definitely captures the essence of the WMT perfectly well. This is a heartwarming story about John and its dog without much of the drama some other WMT series have. A really nice watch that you will more than like enjoy if you've enjoyed some other series of the World Masterpiece Theater.


Pending:

- Moomin (no subs available that I'm aware of)
- Andersen Monogatari (no subs available that I'm aware of)
- Shin Moomin (no subs available that I'm aware of)
- Yama Nezumi Rocky Chuck (no subs available that I'm aware of)
- Haha o Tazunete Sanzenri (Available, but I might wait for the Live-Evil subs)
- Araiguma Rascal (no subs available that I'm aware of)
- Tom Sawyer no Bouken (no subs available that I'm aware of)
- Minami no Niji no Lucy (no subs available that I'm aware of. Not sure if Licca Subs is still working on it)
- Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari (Really want to watch this, but there's only dubs available)
- Shoukoushi Cedie (no subs available. Live-Evil is working on it)
- Peter Pan no Bouken (Available by C1 Fansub, though it's my last priority between available stuff)
- Daisougen no Chiisana Tenshi Bush Baby (no subs available. Live-Evil is working on it)
- Wakakusa Monogatari: Nan to Jou Sensei (Available by Licca Fansubs, but I still dream with subs for the first series, which is why I haven't watched this one)
- Nanatsu no Umi no Tico (no subs available. A guys supposedly subbed this at the WMT club, but those subs haven't worked for anyone, including myself, that I'm aware of)

I really encourage everyone to watch some of the WMT entries. Besides having the opportunity to watch some great anime, you might learn a bit of history as these are all really old novels that usually depict the way of life at the time, sometimes very well done. Besides that, if you're not a good reader, you'll have the chance to know some very famous novels that are considered classics. If you are a good reader, then there's a good chance that you've read a number of these, in which case, you get to see an animated version of what you read!

This is a very unique project that's obviously not that popular nowadays, but I really recommend it as a hidden jewel in the anime world.

Updates:

11/12/2015: Downloaded Kazoku Robinson Hyouryuuki: Fushigi na Shima no Flone.
22/12/2015: Finished Ai Shoujo Pollyanna. Downloaded Alps Monogatari: Watashi no Annette and Trap Ikka Monogatari.
27/3/2016: Finished Trapp Ikka no Monogatari. Began watching Alps Monogatari: Watashi no Annette.
03/4/2016: Downloaded Alps no Shoujo Heidi.
07/4/2016: Finished Alps Monogatari: Watashi no Annette (I actually finished it a couple of days ago).
06/12/2016: Finished Alps no Shoujo Heidi.
22/12/2016: Finished Kazoku Robinson Hyouryuuki: Fushigi na Shima no Flone.
26/7/2017: Downloaded Makiba no Shoujo Katri and Nanatsu no Umi no Tico.
27/7/2017: Subs for Makiba no Shoujo Katri and Nanatsu no Umi no Tico are now available, plus other small updates on the pending list. Also fixed some images.
06/8/2017: Finished Makiba no Shoujo Katri.
12/9/2017: Finished Porphy no Nagai Tabi
15/9/2017: Images link to the corresponding series MAL page
22/4/2018: Finished Ie Naki Ko Remy
07/5/2018: Updated availabilities on my pending list
25/4/2019: Finished Dororo to Hyakkimaru
28/6/2019: Updated Meiken Lassie status (now in process of being subbed)
28/12/2019: Updated Meiken Lassie status (now subbed)
07/12/2020: Finished Meiken Lassie. Also fixed Perrine Monogatari image