Meanwhile, in Prince Edward Island, Canada; life follows its course as if unaware of the changes around the globe. Rural lifestyles without much commotion characterize the people of Avonlea, a fictional town that the characters of this story call home. Somewhere in town, Matthew Cuthbert is heading out in his carriage for a rare appearance outdoors. It turns out a male orphan was adopted, and the grizzled man was on his way to pick up the boy at the train station. In the days of old, the idea of raising an unknown child was frowned upon by many on account of the risks that came along with it. But Matthew's younger sister, Marilla Cuthbert, understands that change is necessary. As years went by, the ceaseless march of time began to slowly take its toll on the elder's body, which is with each passing day having more and more difficulties in dealing with the heavy workload of the farm. But now, with an easier lifestyle guaranteed, the closing stages of Matthew's journey seem certain to follow a calm final course. However, as he approaches the station, some sort of grave mistake seems to have occurred. Why, for what sort of reason is there a red-haired girl instead of a boy waiting for his arrival…?
And thus begins the coming of age story of Anne Shirley of Green Gables. An orphan since her infancy, Anne wandered from place to place for most of her life without the care of a true family. Due to this precarious lifestyle, an intense longing for a place to call home grew with the passing of time. With almost no one to rely on or receive a proper upbringing from, she would often find solace in the world of books and her imagination as means to keep herself in high spirits. As a form of escapism, Anne's love for literature and the imaginary would slowly begin to mold her dynamic and radiant persona.
The child who arrived at Green Gables, though only eleven years old, was more mature than her age would suggest. Anne's early childhood, while truly difficult, contributed to developing a certain degree of self-dependence. Often under emotional pressure and dealing with heavy workloads, she was forced to adapt to the conditions imposed by the unfavorable environment. But beyond that, they also created a deep sense of humility and inner strength within her—rather than becoming downhearted, Anne learned to find happiness amidst pain. As someone able to enjoy the littlest things in life, even an ordinary day feels splendid to her. Despite showing slight signs of vanity, this immense gratitude towards the world is what keeps Anne from being a spoilt and selfish child. In face of this, Marilla, even if entirely against the idea of adoption at first, slowly develops a profound appreciation for the girl's sincerity and gumption.
Anne's subsequent endeavors, through honest mistakes and awkward scrapes, are both genuine and amusing, playing an essential role in her growth as a person. Intertwined with her coming of age, various branches explore the cracks and corners of childhood. Be it with the little girl who longs for life-long friendships, or the diligent student who strives for excellence in every undertaken task, or the matured teenager who is conflicted due to the bigger responsibilities that come with age; there's always aspects one can easily relate to. With each passing episode, the viewer gradually gets to know more about the apprehensions, aspirations and fancies that inhabit the young protagonist's mind. And in similar pace, the audience witnesses the flow of time that so pervades human life.
Time: an ever-changing and constant stream of events that shapes and changes everything around civilization, from the world's landscapes and oceans to a person's personality and appearance. In the same manner that it brings good things, it also takes away. In Akage no Anne, this concept is conveyed through Anne's growth and the changes within the environment after her arrival. Conceptually, the very premise of the story is rooted deep in the notion that life is subject to time and chance. Matthew, who's in his sixties, is with each passing day showing more symptoms of age, and he is no longer is able to keep up with the tiring farm work as he once did. Marilla, although still not short of vigor, is already past the midpoint of her life's journey, and her eyes no longer work as well as in the past. Ever since the siblings' parents died, only the two of them have been living in the house, and as they grew older and older, the place took on a silent and solemn atmosphere. The orphan's arrival at their abode, however, marks the beginning of a new era. Anne's grateful and vivacious nature brings a vitality and color long lost in the house, acting as a catalyst for mutual growth between the residents that gradually starts resembling that of a unified family.
However, 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. Beyond the basic premise, Akage no Anne is a subtle yet insightful look into the etiquettes, norms and principles that form the foundation for the identity of the inhabitants of Avonlea. Similarly to the home environment, institutions like school play a critical role in shaping the mindsets of people. Understated in nature, this theme is explored simply through the daily doings and interactions of the cast—something easily discerned by an attentive viewing.
Under Marilla's supervision, Anne is taught important societal norms and values. Being a woman whose entire life was built around a set of principles, her main objective is to thoroughly instill these values into Anne. The child's constant lack of concentration and understanding of social norms is seen by Marilla as a big problem that needs fixing. However, contrary to her stern image, the 52-year-old doesn't adopt a needlessly stringent method of teaching, instead allowing Anne to experience a joyful childhood free of unnecessary restrictions.
Considering the importance of education in the story's context, school is seen as an integral part of the community's culture and one's development. Fairly unfamiliar to Anne prior to coming to Green Gables, school becomes a pivotal environment in her growth as a young girl. A nurturing place of learning, it is in there where Anne's mind flourishes intellectually. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Anne's teacher, Mrs. Stacy, was a godsend to her. Being one of the very few adults to ever encourage the girl's creative mind and intense use of imagination, she becomes an invaluable role model for the impressionable Anne. Of immense importance over time, school opens a multitude of doors for the diligent student. But among everything, the greatest thing it awarded was an important goal in life: the possibility of attending college and graduating.
Anne's process of maturation—subtly perceptible in its early stage, and immense in the long run—is slow and nuanced. As life unfolds, Anne gains size, becomes more self-dependent and responsible, prioritizes more 'grown-up' activities, and develops more lady-like manners. She starts becoming more of a socially respectable person, blossoming into a teenager with a number of aspirations...
And so the little Anne grows up. The talkative redhead who used to constantly indulge in her flights of fancy and get into the most unusual situations, experiences a new stage in life where ambitions and life goals reside. However, her worldview, albeit more seasoned, remains fundamentally the same. Anne's gratitude for the smallest of things in life and her explosive imagination are inherent qualities, and will remain ingrained in her psyche for as long as she lives. As the protagonist herself says later in the story, even if grown up physically and mentally, the vivid and imaginative little Anne will always be there. And this, indeed, is what makes Anne Shirley such an extraordinary personality.
Subtle too, is the way how Marilla, through the daily contact with Anne, begins to cultivate a maternal sense dormant within her dutiful shell. The rigid and stern house-owner gradually gives way to a more lenient and mellow person. However, Anne has also changed. When the once hard-hearted woman is confronted with the matured teenager, reality hits like a rock. The overemotional and talkative Anne she once learned to love vanishes, and gives place to a self-composed youngster. Despite still loving the girl as much as when she was just a little child, Marilla finds herself unable to shrug off this queer, sorrowful sense of loss. Life never stops moving forward, and sooner or later, everyone stands at the crossroads of life, and what is loved won't be around anymore. Seemingly simple at first glance, it is quotidian situations like this in Akage no Anne that most richly convey the nuances of human life. The more grown-up Anne embodies the transition between childhood and adolescence, and all the small joys and little mistakes that molded her into a stronger person for the first time demonstrate their true significance. Marilla's conflicting, bittersweet emotions illustrate not only the reluctance of a parent seeing their child moving into a new life stage, losing some of the innocent charm in the process, but one who wholeheartedly embraces the blossoming youth. Here, it is displayed the natural method through which Akage no Anne's narrative conveys introspection and character development. In this case, 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.
The resplendent mosaic of Akage no Anne—solid in its individual pieces, brilliant in its entirety—is proof that even the simplest concepts can be assembled together in order to create something truly masterful. All serving a common purpose, both the small and big pieces of Anne's life story mean something in the grand scheme of things, coalescing into a cohesive whole that is undoubtedly far greater than the sum of the parts. The laid-back storytelling, as if inviting the audience to experience the lives of the characters, is slow and meticulous in exploring the trivialities and intricacies of daily life—it is a casual, and above everything, sincere method of characterization and development of themes that go beyond time and place. The unfolding of the cast's lives and routines is the form by which Akage no Anne's storytelling so naturally conveys its messages. Through the slow build-up of routine, the audience truly gets to know Anne, those closely related to her, their individual worlds, and how they change and mold each other through the passing of time. They are dynamic personalities, and more importantly, something more than mere narrative devices. And this, consequently, is what makes Akage no Anne's cast so believably human through their joys and struggles, and its themes so universal. People grow, people live, and people change. And so does Green Gables and its residents.
