# World 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.

## 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, or Space Pirate Captain Harlock and Saint Seya's composer Seiji Yokoyama.
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). It aired in Italy on Italia 1 from February 4 to March 1, 1995 (Le fiabe più belle), and in Japan on Fuji TV and other networks from April 7 to September 29 of the same year. 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, 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 |