The Legend of Snow White

***The Legend of Snow White*** (白雪姫の伝説 *Shirayuki Hime no Densetsu*, lit. *The Legend of Princess Snow White*) is an Italian-Japanese anime series produced by Tatsunoko Production and based on the European fairy tale. Directed by Tsuneo Ninomiya and using a screenplay written by Jinzō Toriumi, the series premiered on NHK on April 6, 1994 and ran for 52-episodes until its conclusion on March 29, 1995 and it was also distributed by Mondo TV.

## Theme Songs

The series uses two pieces of theme music: one opening theme, "Heart no mori e tsuretette" by Miki Sakai with Red Dolphins, and one ending theme, "Folk Dance" (フォークダンス Foku Dansu?) by Mebae Miyahara.

## Summary

After the death of his wife, King Conrad decides to remarry for the sake of his only child, the beautiful Snow White. However, during her husband’s absence, the King’s new wife soon proves her cruelty. Known and feared by the
name of “Lady Chrystel”, the dark queen uses black magic in attempt to eliminate Snow White with a poison apple. After a terrible night of wondering through the woods, the princess discovers a cosy little cottage. The meeting with the inhabitants of the house – seven
kind and gentle dwarves – is at first a bit frightening, but a meaningful and enduring friendship will in the end blossom.

Among the friends of Snow White there is Jack, an orphan child who wants to Help Snow White with her adventure and misadventure... one day Snow White discovers Jack as the king of the wood, he can talk with the animals and the trees.

Snow White’s mother is deceased. King Conrad, called upon to defend his country, has left the castle, leaving in charge the girl’s wicked queen stepmother. Jealous of the love, Snow White has for Richard of Albertville, the stepmother hatches the most vile and sinister traps to hinder the young girl, and the discovery that Richard’s feelings are mutual for Snow White makes her all the more furious! To make matters worse, the magic mirror used by the Queen to tell the “fairest of them all” soon confirms that Snow White is indeed the most beautiful girl in the kingdom.

## Plot

The story starts with the birth of a beautiful princess whose skin was as white as snow, hair like ebony and lips like the red color of the roses. Her parents, King and Queen of the Emerald Valley, name her Snow White. The little girl grows happy and healthy, and when her fourth birthday arrives, her parents give her three delightful pets for her presents which is a puppy, a cat and a dove.

Soon, Queen Rosebud falls ill and dies, after which the villainous and wicked Lady Chrystal takes her place, who turns out to be not only an evil, selfish, ambitious woman, she also indulges in the Black Arts of witchcraft possibly known as her black magic.

After the king's departure and the first Queen's death, she makes life so difficult for poor Snow White. Later, when the evil Queen makes an attempt to kill Snow White due to her famed beauty, the little girl ends up in a cozy little cottage, the house to the seven little dwarfs who eventually befriend her and conjure to protect her from all harms inflicted by her mean and wicked stepmother.

Queen Chrystal tried to take the life of Snow White several times: once by a poisoned ribbon, another time with an enchanted comb, times at which the dwarfs saved her with help from their Book of Knowledge. But during the Queen's last attempt, she finally succeeds to put her in an enchanted sleep - by means of a poisoned apple - in order to take over her body, for hers is aging rapidly due to use of sorcery against a pure soul.

## Episodes

*Main article: List of The Legend of Snow White episodes*