Happy 40th Anniversary to the Anne of Green Gables Miniseries

Forty years ago today, Anne of Green Gables first aired on CBC Television. The miniseries was adapted for the screen by Kevin Sullivan from the novel by L.M. Montgomery. The first part of the two-part, made-for-television miniseries aired on December 1, 1985, and the second part aired the next day on December 2, 1985. Starring Megan Follows as the unforgettable Anne Shirley, the television film was directed and produced by Kevin Sullivan.

The miniseries was highly rated on Canadian television, and it was later distributed internationally to acclaim around the world. The film re-introduced L.M. Montgomery's stories and Anne Shirley to a new generation.

As a child, who watched the miniseries when it first aired, the film had a profound impact on my life. I watched it again and again with my family each year. When I moved to another country, the miniseries was an essential and important part of my Canadian identity. The story shaped my worldview and my belief in friendship and kindred spirits, and it reinforced my love of nature.

I'm grateful to have grown up with Kevin Sullivan's enduring production and to have had the story play a lasting role in my life.

Image credit:
Photograph of Megan Follows as Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables © Sullivan Entertainment.

External link:
Anne of Green Gables: The Official Website

Created December 1, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Megan Follows, Star of Anne of Green Gables, Will Play Lucy Maud Montgomery

Megan Follows, star of the beloved Canadian series Anne of Green Green Gables (1985), will play Anne's creator L.M. Montgomery in an upcoming series called Lucy. Maud. Known for her moving and unforgettable portrayal of Anne Shirley, Megan Follows is producing a new television series based on Lucy Maud Montgomery's life.

Speaking to Variety, Megan Follows explained, "I’ve always been incredibly grateful to be introduced, as a young woman, to the power of a character who was a central figure in her own story. One thing I share with the writers [of the show] is that our lives were greatly influenced by Anne. She defined us as artists, as writers, me as an actor."

Megan Follows will play L.M. Montgomery alongside other actresses. She explains to Variety, "I will play Maud, as that was her preferred name, from her forties through the end of her life. But we will also go on a wonderful journey with a young Maud and Maud in her 20s. There are multiple timelines we are discovering and experiencing with her."

The series will be the first dramatic depiction of L.M. Montgomery's life and will delve into her "passionate affairs, literary stardom and vivid imagination." The team optioned L.M. Montgomery's biography The Gift of Wings by Mary Rubio, a scholar who co-edited L.M. Montgomery's journals, as the source material for the series. Megan Follows elaborated, telling Variety, "It has been our extraordinarily rich source material, as well as many novels which have recently come into the public domain. We believe our project is really the first dramatic adaptation of this life story."

In the 1980s, when Megan Follows was playing Anne, she would take Montgomery's journals with her. Megan Follows told Variety, "I used to carry them around, because I could see there was so much more to this woman writing, at times very subversively, and exposing the world with a wicked sense of humor. She was extraordinarily intelligent, witty, observant. She had passionate affairs and lived in a time of great social upheaval and change. She’s a woman who speaks to our times."

Megan Follows went on to say, "Examples of really intelligent, creative, powerful women are worth celebrating and introducing to newer generations." The project has been in the works for some time. Megan Follows previously mentioned developing this project with the CBC in December 2023.

Produced by Story Girls Productions, the limited series will be eight episodes long, and each episode will be 60 minutes in length. Megan Follows will direct and star in the series. Susan Coyne is the creator of the series and its showrunner. Previously, Coyne wrote the screenplays for L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables (2016), L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables: Fire and Dew (2017) and an episode of Daisy Jones & The Six. The writers for Lucy. Maud include Susan Coyne and Rosa Laborde. The series is produced by Megan Follows, Edwina Follows, and Mary Young Leckie.

Producer Edwina Follows spoke to Variety about the series saying, “It’s a compelling drama about a powerful woman whose life experience remains relatable to this day.” Megan Follows elaborated on the production, telling Variety that it will appeal to L.M. Montgomery's fans as well as those unfamiliar with her work: "They can watch a show about the power of creativity as a saving grace and as a means of exploring the world and finding your voice. Even when you’re up against extraordinary odds. She fought and fought for that recognition, and fought for young people around the world. She understood what it was like to be on the outside."

Story Girls Productions is currently at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) Co-Production Market to secure financing, presales, and international distributions for the series, which aims to shoot in 2025.

Info on the Series:

Story Girls Productions, Canada

Writers: Susan Coyne, Rosa Laborde

Director: Megan Follows

Producers: Edwina Follows, Mary Young Leckie, Megan Follows

With pilot script and second episode ready, this Canadian show is about to introduce a wider audience to writer Lucy Maud Montgomery, forgotten force behind such classics as “Anne of Green Gables.” As well as her personal life, her passionate affairs, turbulent marriage, the pressures of fame, her ongoing struggle with mental illness and the solace she found in her writing. Supported by Canadian Media Fund.

I haven't been this excited about an L.M. Montgomery-related production since back in 1999/2000 when I was awaiting Sullivan Entertainment's Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story (aka Anne3). I hope Lucy. Maud will be distributed worldwide, so all L.M. Montgomery fans have a chance to see it. Let's hope that Story Girls Productions has great success in Berlin.


Image credit:
Photograph of Megan Follows.

References:

Balaga, Marta. (February 18, 2025). ‘Anne of Green Gables’ Star Megan Follows to Play Its Author Lucy Maud Montgomery in Series ‘Lucy. Maud’ (EXCLUSIVE). Variety. Retrieved from: https://variety.com/2025/tv/global/anne-of-green-gables-megan-follows-lucy-maud-1236311127/.

Balaga, Marta. (February 18, 2025). Berlin’s Co-Pro Series Welcomes Skateboarders, Drug Kingpins and Fernando Meirelles. Variety. Retrieved from: https://variety.com/2025/tv/global/fernando-meirelles-berlinale-series-market-co-pro-series-1236311488/.

Megan Follows: Playing Anne in Anne of Green Gables and bringing the story to a new generation. (December 15, 2023). Q with Tom Power. CBC Arts & Entertainment. Retrieved from: https://podcasts.apple.com/ro/podcast/megan-follows-playing-anne-in-anne-of-green-gables/id256943801?i=1000638664483.

Created February 19, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

New Anne of Green Gables Anime Series Will Air in April 2025

Anne Shirley, a new anime series based on the Anne of Green Gables novels will be released next year. The series will be broadcast on NHK Educational TV in Japan beginning in April 2025. Anne Shirley is being produced by Answer Studio, which previously produced Suzume, Golgo 13, and Your Name.

According to the press release, the anime will adapt the first three novels in the Anne of Green Gables series written by Lucy Maud Montgomery and translated to Japanese by Hanako Muraoka. It will adapt Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne of the Island.

The official website for the new adaptation launched this week with four stills from the new series. An image of Anne Shirley and her bosom friend Diana Barry is shown above. Below is an image of Anne waiting at the station.



Here's another image of Anne Shirley.



Lastly, here is a still of Gilbert Blythe and Anne Shirley. Isn't Gilbert's hair a bit too close to red?



I'm so excited about this new adaptation of Anne's story, and I hope it ends up covering the entire series. I also wonder how it will compare to the 1979 Anne of Green Gables anime series.

Official Website:
Anne Shirley

Image Credit:
Stills from the upcoming Anne Shirley anime.

References:

Anne of Green Gables is Getting an Anime, Animated Series Anne Shirley is Planned to Air on NHK E-Tele in April 2025. (November 20, 2024). Anime News Network. Retrieved from: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2024-11-20/anne-of-green-gables-is-getting-an-anime-animated-series-anne-shirley-is-planned-to-air-on-nhk-e-/.218092.

Cayanan, Joanna. (November 20, 2024). Anne of Green Gables Novels Get New Anime by Answer Studio Next Spring. Anime News Network. Retrieved from: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-11-20/anne-of-green-gables-novels-get-new-anime-by-answer-studio-next-spring/.218070.

Komatsu, Mikikazu. (November 19, 2024). Anne of Green Gables Novel Gets New TV Anime Adaptation in April 2025. Crunchyroll News. Retrieved from: https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2024/11/20/anne-of-green-gables-new-tv-anime-adaptation-april-2025.

Tan, Melvyn. (November 19, 2024). New Anne of Green Gables Anime To Begin in April 2025. Anime Trending. Retrieved from: https://anitrendz.net/news/2024/11/19/new-anne-of-green-gables-anime-to-begin-in-april-2025/.


Created November 21, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Patterns and Puffed Sleeves - Celebrating Costume Design through Anne of Green Gables

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of L.M. Montgomery's birth, The Toronto Reference Library is presenting a special exhibit called "Patterns and Puffed Sleeves – Celebrating Costume Design through Anne of Green Gables."

The exhibit highlights costume designs from four screen and stage productions of L.M. Montgomery's most famous story Anne of Green Gables. Designs are featured from Sullivan Entertainment’s Anne of Green Gables (1985) and Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987). Costume designs are also displayed from the 1994 production of Anne of Green Gables by Theatre Calgary and the 1974 production of The Charlottetown Festival’s Anne of Green Gables: The Musical. The exhibit features the work of award-winning costume designers Martha Mann and Marie Day. Along with viewing their hand-drawn designs, visitors can view the final costumes themselves, as well as photographs and memorabilia from the productions.


Here is the description of the exhibit from the Toronto Public Library:

Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Lucy Maud Montgomery!

Lucy Maud Montgomery is an iconic Canadian author whose works are popular world-wide. In celebration of the anniversary of her birth we are exploring one of her most notable pieces of literature — Anne of Green Gables.

This exhibition features original costume designs, from both stage and screen, by designers Martha Mann and Marie Day from TPL's Special Collections in the Arts. These designs were used in Sullivan Entertainment’s Emmy award-winning Anne of Green Gables series, Theatre Calgary’s 1994 production and Charlottetown Festival’s long-running Anne of Green Gables musical.

Explore the world of Anne of Green Gables through the lens of a costume designer! See how they use fashion to bring the story to theatrical life!

Do not miss out seeing actual garments from the 1985 Sullivan Entertainment production of Anne of Green Gables in the entrance window to the Toronto Reference Library.

Special thanks

Sullivan Entertainment Inc. for sponsoring the exhibit through loans of costumes and photographs from their productions of Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel.

Theatre Calgary for providing a program and images of their 1994 production of Anne of Green Gables.

The "Patterns and Puffed Sleeves" exhibit opened on October 5, 2024 and will continue through January 12, 2025. It is located in the TD Gallery at The Toronto Reference Library on 789 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4W 2G8. Entry to the exhibit is free, and free guided tours will take place on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. during the exhibit's run.


Official Website:
Patterns and Puffed Sleeves - Celebrating Costume Design through Anne of Green Gables Exhibit at The Toronto Reference Library

Image Credit:
Images from Patterns and Puffed Sleeves - Celebrating Costume Design through Anne of Green Gables Exhibit at The Toronto Reference Library.

Reference:
Patterns and Puffed Sleeves: Celebrating Costume Design through Anne of Green Gables. (2024, October). Toronto Public Library. Retrieved from: https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/programs-and-classes/exhibits/patterns-and-puffed-sleeves.jsp.

Created October 7, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Studio 100 International to Remaster Anne of Green Gables Anime Series

AnimationXpress reported today that a German company called Studio 100 International is currently "remastering" the Anne of Green Gables (1979) anime using AI-assisted technologies to transform these series to full HD with a 16:9 widescreen format. The company specializes in entertainment for children and families. According to a press release from the company, it is undertaking the initiative as part of its "Heroes of Childhood" licensing campaign to breath "new life into its iconic classic series." Along with remastering Anne of Green Gables, they plan to remaster several other classic animated series from the 1970s, including Alice in Wonderland, Sinbad, Vic the Viking, Pinocchio, Nils Holgersson, Heidi, Marco (3000 Leagues in Search of Mother), and Maya the Bee.

By using AI-assisted technologies, Studio 100 International aims to create visual information needed to adapt the animated content to a widescreen format. They explain that the scenes will then be refined manually to maintain the integrity of the original. The audio for each series will be reconstructed to support different language versions for global distribution.

Studio 100 International will present the first remastered episodes for this project at MIPCOM in Cannes, which takes place from October 21–24, 2024.

Tampering with the early productions of Hayao Miyazaki and the late Isao Takahata, who went on to establish the beloved Studio Ghibli, has caused outcry in the anime community according to an article by Paris Geolas at CBR. Geolas writes, "The usage of AI in Studio Ghibli works in particular has been strongly objected to given Hayao Miyazaki’s clear disapproval of the medium when it comes to animation. Many animation studios now use CGI and sometimes AI to enhance the animation or increase output within tight deadlines, but Studio Ghibli has always been faithful to using hand-drawn frames, contributing to the studio’s unique and beloved art style."


Image Credit:
Screencapture from Anne of Green Gables (1979) Anime.

References:
AnimationXpress Team. (2024, September 24). Studio 100 International to present remastered classic series like ‘Pinocchio’ and ‘Heidi’ at MIPCOM. AnimationXpress.com. Retrieved from: https://www.animationxpress.com/animation/studio-100-international-to-present-remastered-classic-series-like-pinocchio-and-heidi-at-mipcom/.

Geolas, Paris. (2024, October 2). Studio Ghibli Founders' Earliest Anime Works Get "Cutting-Edge AI" Remasters. CBR. Retrieved from: https://www.cbr.com/studio-ghibli-first-anime-ai-remaster-controversy/.

Studio 100 International Remasters Classic TV Series in Full-HD and 16:9 for the First Time. (2024, 24 September). Press Release. Studio 100 International. Retrieved from: https://media.studio100international.com/media/sites/2/2024/09/d30fc09701-240924_pressrelease_s100int_classics-remastering_final.pdf.

Studio 100 International Unveils Full-HD and 16:9 Remasters of Beloved Classic TV Series. (2024, September 24). FormatBiz. Retrieved from: https://www.formatbiz.it/dettNews.aspx?id=11905.


Created September 24, 2024. Last updated October 3, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne with an E (2017-2019)

Anne with an E (2017–2019) is a compelling Canadian television series that adapted L.M. Montgomery's classic story Anne of Green Gables for the screen. Starring Amybeth McNulty as Anne Shirley, the series was created by Moira Walley-Beckett, known for her Emmy-winning work on Breaking Bad. Walley-Beckett's adaptation brought a fresh and bold perspective to the classic tale. Anne with an E premiered in March 2017 on CBC in Canada, where it was initially titled Anne, before expanding its reach globally through Netflix.

The series is a coming-of-age story about a spirited young orphan named Anne Shirley, who dreams of finding love, acceptance, and her place in the world. Over the course of its three seasons and 27 episodes, Anne with an E captivated audiences with its exploration of socially relevant issues, such as racism, classism, and gender inequity—giving the period drama a modern twist. The production aimed for a documentary-like feel and sense of realism, adding depth to the storytelling.

The cast featured Geraldine James as the stern but loving Marilla Cuthbert, R.H. Thomson as the gentle Matthew Cuthbert, Dalila Bela as Anne's true friend Diana Barry, Lucas Jade Zumann as Gilbert Blythe, and Miranda McKeon as Josie Pye. The show's executive producers were Moira Walley-Beckett and Miranda de Pencier. Notably, de Pencier played Josie Pye in Sullivan Entertainment's Anne of Green Gables back in 1985. The series was mainly filmed in Southern Ontario with some filming on Prince Edward Island.

Anne with an E garnered critical acclaim, winning the Canadian Screen Award for Best Dramatic Series in 2017 and 2018. Amybeth McNulty's portrayal of Anne Shirley earned her the Canadian Screen Award for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2019 and an ACTRA Award for Outstanding Performance–Female that same year. Despite this acclaim and the show's passionate fanbase, the series was cancelled in 2019, sparking an outcry from its devoted fans who launched campaigns in hopes of saving the show.


Image credit:
Image of Amybeth McNulty as Anne Shirley from Anne with an E. © CBC and Netflix.

Purchase or stream Anne with an E online:


Purchase the complete Anne with an E series on DVD:


Created January 15, 2020. Last updated October 24, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables: Fire and Dew (2017)

L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables: Fire and Dew is a TV movie adaption of L.M. Montgomery's novel that was produced by Breakthrough Entertainment. It is the third TV movie in a trilogy beginning with L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables and continuing with L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables: The Good Stars.

The movie stars Ella Ballentine as Anne Shirley, Sara Botsford as Marilla Cuthbert, and Martin Sheen as Matthew Cuthbert. It tells the story of how Anne adjusts after she moves away from Green Gables to study to be a teacher.

The 88-minute long TV movie premiered on YTV in Canada on July 1, 2017. The adaptation was directed by John Kent Harrison, and the screenplay was written by Susan Coyne. The film had several executive producers: Nat Abraham, Ramon Estevez, Joan Lambur, Ira Levy, Kate Macdonald Butler (L.M. Montgomery's granddaughter), and Peter Williamson. Its music was composed by Lawrence Shragge.

Here is the film's description:

Anne Shirley heads to school in the city, and Matthew and Marilla face an emptiness in their lives. Overwhelmed by competition - especially from Gilbert Blythe - will Anne find that the dark cloud over her life does have a silver lining?

Image credit:
Poster for L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables: Fire and Dew. © Breakthrough Entertainment

Reference:
Anne of Green Gables: Fire and Dew. IMDb. Retrieved from: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6490538/


Purchase and watch L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables: Fire and Dew:


Created July 16, 2017. Last updated November 23, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables: The Good Stars (2017)

L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables: The Good Stars is a TV movie adaption of L.M. Montgomery's novel that was produced by Breakthrough Entertainment. It is the sequel to L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables. The movie stars Ella Ballentine as Anne Shirley, Sara Botsford as Marilla Cuthbert, and Martin Sheen as Matthew Cuthbert. The adaptation continues the story of thirteen-year-old Anne Shirley who tries to be sensible, but ends up having mishaps.

The 88-minute long film was written and directed by John Kent Harrison and premiered on YTV in Canada on February 20, 2017. The adaptation had several executive producers: Nat Abraham, Ramon Estevez, Joan Lambur, Ira Levy, Kate Macdonald Butler (L.M. Montgomery's granddaughter), Michael McGuigan, and Peter Williamson. Its music was composed by Lawrence Shragge.

The movie is the second in a trilogy, and is preceded by L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables and followed by L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables: Fire and Dew.

Here is the film's description:

Anne Shirley is thirteen years old and finds that life in Avonlea is never simple. Torn between her free-spirited nature and her own perceived need to become sensible, Anne finds that the journey toward her goal is fraught with confusion and more than a few unfortunate yet amusing mishaps.

Image credit:
Poster for L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables: The Good Stars. © Breakthrough Entertainment

Reference:
L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables: The Good Stars. IMDb. Retrieved from: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6360810/

Purchase and watch L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables: The Good Stars:


Created March 10, 2017. Last updated November 23, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables (2016)

L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables is a TV movie adaption of L.M. Montgomery's novel that was developed and produced by Breakthrough Entertainment. Starring Ella Ballentine as Anne Shirley, Sara Botsford as Marilla Cuthbert, and Martin Sheen as Matthew Cuthbert, the film tells the story of how a young orphan named Anne Shirley finds her home at Green Gables.

The adaptation was filmed in Canada and directed by John Kent Harrison. The screenplay was written by Susan Coyne. The film had several executive producers: Nat Abraham, Ramon Estevez, Joan Lambur, Ira Levy, Kate Macdonald Butler (L.M. Montgomery's granddaughter), Michael McGuigan, and Peter Williamson. The music for the film was composed by Richard Pell and Lawrence Shragge.

The 90-minute long movie aired on YTV in Canada on February 15, 2016. Subsequently, the film was broadcast and distributed in several counties and regions worldwide, including Germany, Australia, Central Europe, the UK, the United States, and Japan.

The movie is the first in a trilogy and is followed by L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables: The Good Stars and L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables: Fire and Dew.

Here is the film's description:

It’s 1907 on Canada’s beautiful Prince Edward Island, where brother and sister Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert are hoping to adopt a boy to help on their farm, Green Gables. But instead of a boy, the irrepressible and imaginative Anne Shirley arrives by mistake. Will Anne find a way to stay at Green Gables?

Image credit:
Poster for L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables. © Breakthrough Entertainment

Reference:
Anne of Green Gables. IMDb. Retrieved from: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4820224/


Purchase and watch L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables:


Created March 12, 2016. Last updated November 23, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Forty Years of Nippon Animation Exhibition

The Suginami Animation Museum in Tokyo, Japan is holding an exhibition called "Forty Years of Nippon Animation," which features displays on many memorable anime produced by the studio, including Anne of Green Gables (Akage no An). The exhibition opened on January 27, 2016 and will extend through April 17, 2016.

Nippon Animation is the studio responsible for creating the beloved World Masterpiece Theater and Chibi Maruko-chan. In 2015, the studio celebrated its 40th anniversary. The Suginami Animation Museum is celebrating this milestone with an exhibition on the studio's history. The exhibition spotlights the World Masterpiece Theater, the long-running Japanese television anime series based on classic children's stories. These beloved stories included Anne of Green Gables (Akage no An), A Dog of Flanders, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Swiss Family Robinson, Princess Sara (based on A Little Princess), 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother, and Rascal the Raccoon.

The exhibition includes a chronology of the World Masterpiece Theater and presentations of clips and episodes from many of the series. Photographs of the real locations in Europe, Canada, and the US where several stories were set are on display. These photographs were used to model the animated settings in the series, including Anne of Green Gables, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, A Little Princess, and Romeo and the Black Brothers.

The Suginami Animation Museum is open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day (closed on Mondays). The museum is located at 3F Suginami Kaikan, 3-29-5 Kamiogi, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 167-0043.

Image credit:
Poster advertising the Forty Years of Nippon Animation Exhibition at the Suginami Animation Museum.

Websites and References:
Suginami Animation Museum
"Forty Years of Nippon Animation" Exhibition at Tokyo Art Beat
Japan Journal, Part 4: Animation Museums in Tokyo: Suginami - A review of the exhibit at Brian Camp's Film and Anime Blog

Created January 30, 2016. Last updated October 3, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Astroboy and Anne of Green Gables

Today, I read a thoughtful article called "How animé conquered the world" written by S.B. Zulueta, a lecturer-technologist who works in the Animation Department at College Central, Singapore. Published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the article discusses key points in the history of animé and mentions the 1979 Anne of Green Gables animé.

In the article, Zulueta describes how TV audiences initially viewed Japanese animation as "crude and corny." These opinions began to change in 1963, when Osamu Tezuka created an animated series featuring his popular manga character Mighty Atom (aka "Astroboy"). Astroboy was the first Japanese animated TV series. Tezuka had a limited budget, so Zulueta explains that he compensated for the lack of drawings and movement by applying a cinematic approach with "interesting layouts and camera movements."

This cinematic approach is Tezuka lasting legacy. During the robot animation fad of the 1970s, others used Tezuka's approach to create animation TV series quickly and cheaply and then sell toys based on the series.

Zulueta writes that, "Only Team Takahata and Miyazaki, later to form Ghibli Studio, tried to buck the system by doing better-quality TV series of Western classics such as "Heidi, Girl of the Alps," and "Anne of Green Gables." When all the other ’70s TV series had faded into obscurity, those Takahata-Miyazaki TV series remain watchable today because of the care that went into them."

According to Zulueta, the rest of the world began to appreciate animé with the release of Katsuhiro Otomo's “Akira” (1988), Mamoru Oshii’s “Ghost in the Shell” (1995), and Hayao Miyazaki’s stunning feature films.

Zulueta describes the two most important factors that have helped animé develop. The first is the strength of the manga industry, which provides source material for many popular animé adaptations for television and film. The second is the ability of animé "to absorb world stories and repackage them as its own. Indeed, the Anne of Green Gables animé is an example of the latter. As Zulueta concludes, "good stories know no borders."

Image Credit:
Drawings of Astroboy and Anne of Green Gables.

Reference:
Zulueta, S.B. How animé conquered the world. (September 20, 2010). Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved from: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/artsandbooks/artsandbooks/view/20100920-293216/How-anim-conquered-the-world (archived).

Created September 21, 2010. Last updated November 27, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

World Masterpiece Theater Exhibition

The Suginami Animation Museum in Tokyo, Japan is holding an exhibition called "World Masterpiece Theater," which spotlights beloved anime from the long-running television series, including Anne of Green Gables (Akage no An). The exhibition opened on May 26, 2009 and will continue through August 23, 2009.

The World Masterpiece Theater is a long-running Japanese television anime series based on classic children's stories. The series included Anne of Green Gables, A Dog of Flanders, Princess Sara (based on A Little Princess), 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother, Rascal the Raccoon, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and Swiss Family Robinson. The most recent World Masterpiece Theater anime series titled Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables aka Hello Anne: Before Green Gables is currently airing. It is based on the Anne of Green Gables prequel novel, Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson.

The exhibition includes a chronology of the World Masterpiece Theater, informative displays on 26 anime series, and rare production items, including animation cel drawings and scripts. The museum will host special workshops and events about World Masterpiece Theater. In addition, the exhibition will screen episodes from Anne of Green Gables, A Dog of Flanders, 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother, Rascal the Raccoon, Perrine's Story, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Romeo's Blue Skies, as well as the first episode of Hello Anne: Before Green Gables in the anime theater on weekends.

The Suginami Animation Museum is open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day (closed on Mondays). The museum is located at 3F Suginami Kaikan, 3-29-5 Kamiogi, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 167-0043.

Image credit:
Poster advertising the World Masterpiece Theater Exhibition at the Suginami Animation Museum.

Websites and References:
Suginami Animation Museum
"World Masterpiece Theater" Exhibition at Tokyo Art Beat

Created June 1, 2009. Last updated October 3, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables (2009)

Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables (aka Hello Anne: Before Green Gables) is an anime series produced by Nippon Animation as the 26th title in the celebrated World Masterpiece Theatre series. It is the prequel to the beloved anime series Anne of Green Gables (aka Akage No An), which was one of the first classic novels adapted for the World Masterpiece Theater series in 1979. Notably, the prequel anime marks the 30th anniversary of this original anime adaptation.

The storyline of Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables is based on Budge Wilson's book Before Green Gables, which was published in 2008 as a prequel to L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables. Wilson's prequel was written to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the publication of Anne of Green Gables. The prequel was translated into Japanese and titled Konnichiwa Anne (Hello Anne) by Akiko Usagawa.

Rina Hidaka portrayed Anne Shirley's voice in Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables. Takayo Nishimura served as the chief animation director for the production. As a special touch, the series was narrated by Eiko Hisamura (née Yamada), who portrayed Anne Shirley in the original Akage no An back in 1979.

The series was directed by Katsuyoshi Yatabe, produced by Kōichi Motohashi, and written by Michiru Shimada. Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables features delightful music by Yasuharu Takanashi, Hiromi Mizutani, and Kenji Fujisawa. The opening and closing theme songs, "The Seed of Light" and "Alright March," were sung by Azumi Inoue, who is best known for singing the theme songs of My Neighbor Totoro.

Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables tells the story of Anne Shirley's early life as an orphan before she was adopted by Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert in Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. It begins when Anne Shirley is six years old and living with foster families in Nova Scotia, Canada.

The series is 39 episodes long, and each episode is approximately 20 minutes in length. The series premiered on BS Fuji on April 5, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. and aired each Sunday evening through December 27, 2009.


Image credit:
Drawing of Anne Shirley from Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables (2009) © Nippon Animation

Official Website:
Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables at Nippon Animation

References:
Before Green Gables (TV). Anime News Network. Retrieved from: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10550

Loo, Egan. (July 7, 2008). Before Green Gables Prequel Animation to Anne Novels Green-Lit. Anime News Network. Retrieved from: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-07-07/before-green-gables-prequel-animation-to-anne-novels-green-lit

An Attempt to Hype Konnichiwa Anne: The Upcoming 26th World Masterpiece Theatre Series. (December 3, 2008). Star-Crossed Anime Blog. Retrieved from: http://psgels.blogsome.com/2008/12/03/an-attempt-to-hype-konnichiwa-anne-the-upcoming-26th-world-masterpiece-theatre-series/ (archived).

Created December 4, 2008. Last updated December 16, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Who is Your Fictional Crush?

Might it be Gilbert Blythe or Anne Shirley?

I read a fun article on literary crushes by Alison Flood at The Guardian today that mentions Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables. Flood describes a petition that was launched in Japan to legalize marriages between humans and cartoon characters. Flood writes, "it made me wonder which fictional character I'd marry, legal niceties permitting. As a teenager I'd have plumped for any of the Georgette Heyer heroes (particularly the Earl of Rule), or Jilly Cooper's Rupert Campbell-Black, or Rhett Butler. Before those days I had quite a crush on Gilbert from Anne of Green Gables and Laurie from Little Women."

Do you have a fictional crush? If so, who is it? L.M. Montgomery's Gilbert Blythe is surely on my list. And I know from my many years on the Anne of Green Gables Forum that Jonathan Crombie's Gilbert makes many women swoon. We joked for years there about solid chocolate Gilbert dolls.


Reference:
Flood, Alison. (2008, October 30). Who is your literary crush? The Guardian. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2008/oct/30/literary-crush-alison-flood

Image credit:
Photograph of Jonathan Crombie as Gilbert Blythe and Megan Follows as Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel © Sullivan Entertainment

Created October 31, 2008. Last updated April 19, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning (2008)

Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning is a television film that made its world premiere at the Boston Film Festival on September 15, 2008. It then made its television premiere on CTV on December 14, 2008, airing from 7:00-10:00 p.m. The movie serves as both a prequel and sequel that bookends Sullivan Entertainment's Anne of Green Gables miniseries trilogy: Anne of Green Gables (1985), Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987), and Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story (2000). Set in 1945, the film's plot diverges from L.M. Montgomery's Anne series and re-imagines Anne Shirley's life.

Kevin Sullivan, who produced, directed, and wrote the film, explained, "I wanted to create a film that would offer a rare insight into Anne Shirley's personality. I tried to imagine what Anne would have become if she had grown up to be an author like Montgomery herself; a gifted storyteller who was haunted by her childhood her whole life."

Emmy and Golden-Globe winner Barbara Hershey plays Anne Shirley in her 50s during World War II, and Hannah Endicott-Douglas, a 12-year-old Toronto native, plays Anne Shirley as a child. Hannah Endicott-Douglas was chosen to play young Anne Shirley after a three-month search, including an open casting call on YouTube and auditions that took place across Canada. Her elder sister Vivien Endicott-Douglas co-stars in the film and plays Violetta. Rachel Blanchard plays Louisa Thomas, and Jayne Eastwood returns as Mrs. Hammond.

Patricia Hamilton, who appeared in the original Anne of Green Gables miniseries trilogy, reprises the role of Rachel Lynde, and her son Ben Carlson plays Anne's father Walter Shirley. In an interview with The Calgary Herald, Hamilton spoke about her family's involvement in the film: "We've just finished a new movie, you know"..."'I'm in it for a day in a wheelchair, looking like I'm 110,' Hamilton says, good-naturedly. 'But my son (Ben), who's a wonderful actor who's at the Stratford Festival this summer -- he's playing Hamlet -- plays Anne's original father.'" As a side note, Leslie Carlson, Hamilton's ex-husband and Ben Carlson's father, appeared as Mr. Lawson in Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987).

Academy-award winner Shirley MacLaine plays matriarch Amelia Thomas, a powerful, rich, and unlikable widow, who runs a flourishing lumber town called Marysville. Kevin Sullivan glowingly issued the following statement when he announced that MacLaine had joined the cast: "Shirley MacLaine is a screen legend. To be able to cast her unique personality in the role of Amelia Thomas promises to bring both humour and pathos to this production, in a grand style that only a movie star of her stature can elicit."

Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning was filmed in Scarborough Valley, Toronto, Hamilton, Dundas, and Rockwood in Ontario, Canada from October 10 to November 15, 2007. The film's executive producer was Trudy Grant. The production features costumes by Martha Mann and music composed by Peter Breiner. The movie is 144 minutes in length.

In Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning, Anne's history is not what it seems. Kevin Sullivan elaborated on his vision for retelling Anne's story, saying:

"I began to envisage what Anne would be doing if she were actually Montgomery herself, because Montgomery really wrote about her own childhood. She created Anne of Green Gables, partly due to the loneliness and estrangement that she felt from her own father. Her father deserted her when she was a child. Montgomery was brought up by very strict grandparents, and she created the characters of ‘Marilla Cuthbert’ and ‘Matthew Cuthbert,’ who were certainly loving parents. The issues with her father affected her life well into middle age. Her father remarried and had an entirely different family. It was out of all this that she imagined Anne as an alter-ego.

With the new film, I tell a story about Anne prior to Green Gables. In the new film we learn that Anne made up stories all her life. Anne, as an adult, learns that her father is still alive. She finds a letter under the floor boards of Green Gables. It was never revealed to anyone that her father tried to communicate with her. It is quite an emotional story."

Kevin Sullivan wrote a book based on his original screenplay for the television film entitled Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning, which was published in 2008.


Image credit:
Photograph of Hannah Endicott-Douglas as Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning. © Sullivan Entertainment

Official Website:
Anne of Green Gables: The Official Website

References:

A new Anne lands at CTV. thestar.com. (October 16, 2007). Retrieved from: http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/267180. (archived).

Anne 4 News. Sullivan Entertainment. Retrieved from: http://www.sullivanmovies.com/anne4news.html. (archived).

Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning starring Hannah Endicott-Douglas. CTV's blog. (October 16, 2007). Retrieved from: http://www.tvthrong.ca/movies/anne-of-green-gables-a-new-beginning-starring-hannah-endicott-douglas. (archived).

Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning premieres Sunday, Dec. 14. CTV. Retrieved from: https://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/show/CTVShows/20081113/anne_announced_081113/20081113. (archived).

CTV announces plans for new 'Anne of Green Gables' miniseries to air next year. The Canadian Press. (October 16, 2007). Retrieved from: http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hcboATqgH6JW7l5gSZS1FueGvf6A. (archived).

Hunt, Stephen. Avonlea star takes chilly road to Calgary: Patricia Hamilton hits city stage. Calgary Herald. (February 21, 2008). Retrieved from: http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/entertainment/story.html?id=abd68d38-83a4-45fb-8809-66adf9a0dec3. (archived).

Kubacki, Maria. 12-year-old blond to play Anne Shirley in TV movie. The Ottawa Citizen. (October 16, 2007). Retrieved from: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/arts/story.html?id=f65fed17-bc60-4147-bbd0-9970b7a958c6.

McRanor, Graeme. Anne old story gets fresh legs. Vancouver 24 Hours. (October 16, 2007). Retrieved from: https://web.archive.org/web/20071023184403/http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/Entertainment/2007/10/16/4579591-sun.html. (archived).

New 'Anne' prequel planned. The StarPhoenix. (October 16, 2007). Retrieved from: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/lifestyle/story.html?id=ec45b404-9d52-4ec0-9166-a1e98737a5f7.

Shirley MacLaine joins Green Gables movie. The Canadian Press. thestar.com. (October 23, 2007). Retrieved from: http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/269536. (archived).

Shirley of Greene Gables. The Globe and Mail. (October 24, 2007). Retrieved from: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071024.wbuzzout24/BNStory/Entertainment/home. (archived).

Wheeler, Katrina-Kasey. An Interview with Kevin Sullivan. Pop Media Examiner. (October 9, 2008). Retrieved from: http://www.examiner.com/x-704-Entertainment-Examiner%7Ey2008m10d9-An-Interview-with-Kevin-Sullivan.

Purchase and watch Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning:


Created October 16, 2007. Last updated December 4, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne (2007)

Anne is a television series created by the award-winning director Nalaka Swarnathilaka that was broadcast on Swarnavahini TV in Sri Lanka in 2007. The tele drama was based upon L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables, which was translated into Sinhala by Shanika Dulani Kumanayake.

Vinuri Ramanayake played the younger version of the title role of Anne Shirley, and Poorni Kamaladiwela played the older Anne. The younger and older versions of Anne's best friend Diana Barry were played by Piyumi Gamage and Buddhika Wimalasekara, respectively. The series had a large cast, including more than 50 people. Students from Sri Lankan schools played many roles in the series, which was filmed during a school vacation period in Diyatalawa, Bandarawela, and at the Elphinstone Theatre in Colombo.

In addition to directing the adaptation, Nalaka Swarnathilaka wrote the script for the series. The tele drama was produced by Ruchira Liyanaarachchi for R.S. Video. Anne was 28-episodes long and was telecast on Swarnavahini on Sundays at 8:30 p.m.

Director Nalaka Swarnathilaka recognized the need for children's programming in Sri Lanka. In his directorial debut, he created Danga Malla, a television drama based on Enid Blyton's novel The Naughtiest Girl in the School. The series was broadcast three times in one year due to its popularity. As a follow-up to this debut, he brought the story Anne of Green Gables to the screen.

Swarnathilaka reflected on the story Anne of Green Gables in an interview with Daily Mirror Life saying, “I always had a penchant for children’s stories, especially the stories outside our country. Even our children like stories and that’s why Harry Potter is so popular. This story will also definitely attract not only children but also adults because the theme is such. I hope people will see it and talk about the creation.”

In an interview with Susitha R. Fernando for The Sunday Times Online, Nalaka Swarnathilaka explained that Anne's story "makes you think about children and their world" in a serious way, and he feels that, "Adults should know that there are many lessons we can learn from children." When he was asked whether Sri Lankans would identify with Anne's Western setting, Swarnathilaka reflected on the common aspects, saying: "'Anne' is a story set in a rural village" involving "nature, family lives and children who were left alone" in the world. "The story is filled with local flavour and I hope it would suit our society as well."

Nalaka recounted the memorable moment when he discovered young Anne. He explained that "Vinuri Ramanayake who plays little Anne was just sitting in a classroom alone when I came across her at Visakha Vidyalaya. She had never acted and from the first audition I realized she was the ideal person for the role."

Synopsis (from Daily Mirror, April 30, 2007):

"Miss Marilla Cuthbert and Mr. Matthew Cuthbert, middle-aged siblings who live together at Green Gables, a farm in Avonlea, on Prince Edward Island, decide to adopt an orphan boy from the asylum as a helper on their farm. Through a series of mishaps, what ends up under their roof is a precocious girl of eleven named Anne Shirley. Anne is bright and quick, eager to please but dissatisfied with her name, her pale countenance dotted with freckles, and with her long braids of red hair. Being a child of imagination, however, Anne takes much joy in life, and adapts quickly, thriving in the environment of Prince Edward Island.

The rest of the story recounts her continued education at school, where she excels in studies very quickly, her budding literary ambitions and her friendships with people such as Diana Barry (her best friend), Jane Andrews and Ruby Gillis and her rivalry with Gilbert Blythe, who teased her about her red hair and for that acquired her hatred, although he apologised many times."

The following credits and cast for the television series were listed in an article by The Daily Mirror:

Credits:

Director and Script Writer: Nalaka Swarnathilake
Based on Translation by: Shanika Dulani Kumanayake
Producer: Ruchira Liyanaarachchi (RS Video)
Camera: Thrishula Deepa Thambawita
Music Director: Nuwan Vithanage
Art Director: Dinesh Jayashantha
Editor: Pujitha Kanchana Amaratunge
Make Up: Sameera Madhu Kindelpitiya
Dance Choreography: Harshika Rathnayake
Assistant Director: Asiri Priyani
Costumes: Tharanga Anthani
Vocals: Natasha Perera, Poorni Kamaldiwala
Lyrics: Amitha Rabbidigala, Nuwan Katugampola

Cast:

Vinuri Ramanayake - Anne Shirley (younger)
Poorni Kamaladiwela - Anne Shirley (older)
Piyumi Gamage - Diana Barry (younger)
Buddhika Wimalasekara - Diana Barry (older)
Kusum Renu
Athula Liyanage
Nilmini Sigera
Athula Pathirana
Malkanthi Jayasinghe
Maureen Charuni
Rebecca Nirmali
Chitra Warakagoda
Manel Wanaguru
Chaminda Jayasuriya
Wijeratne Warakagoda
Nilmini Buwaneka
Lanka Bandaranayake
Udayashantha Liyanage
Kumara Abeywardhana
Lakshman Rajapakshe
Tiran Gurusinghe
Nuwan Wijesinghe
Harshi Seneviratne
Sathya Gurusinghe
Tharuka Abeyratne
Kanchana Hewawitharana
Rebecca Hugebert
Ravishanka Alikewela
Chamitha Perera
Hasangi Minusha
Nisal Deelaka
Aparna Fernando
Navindu Yasas
Dulanjali Kumari Herath
Kavishka Dilshan
Ovini de Silva
Vishva Vidanagamage
Madusha Erandi Weeraddane
Amila Virajith
Sharon Hugerbert
Hasitha Herath
Chamalka Perera
Yesith Randula Abeysinghe
Poorni Shehara
Suwimali Dissanayake
Thidas Nimnaka Abeysinghe
Vinuri de Silva
Christein Deshapriya


This production is another wonderful example of how Anne of Green Gables appeals to audiences around the world. I hope to watch this series one day.


Image credit:
Photograph of Vinuri Ramanayake playing Anne Shirley in Anne (2007). © Swarnavahini

References:
Anne in the making... (April 30, 2007). Daily Mirror Life, Daily Mirror. Retrieved from: http://archives.dailymirror.lk/2007/04/30/life/6.asp.

Anne: A tale of playful girl. (September 16, 2007). The TV Times. The Sunday Times Online. Vol. 42, No. 16. Retrieved from: http://sundaytimes.lk/070916/TV/tv-times000021.html.

'ANNE' loved by children. (September 2, 2007). Daily Mirror. Retrieved from: http://archives.dailymirror.lk/2007/09/03/life/01.asp. (archived).

Fernando, Susitha R. (September 16, 2007). Nalaka's cause for the children. The TV Times. The Sunday Times Online. Vol. 42, No. 16. Retrieved from: http://sundaytimes.lk/070916/TV/tv-times000021.html.

Jayashan, Anjana. (February 15, 2010). Sri Lankan Celebrity: Vinuri, the school girl who shot to fame in one night. The Asian Tribune. Retrieved from: http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2010/02/15/sri-lankan-celebrity-vinuri-school-girl-who-shot-fame-one-night. (archived).

Created September 12, 2007. Last updated November 5, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Emily of New Moon (2007) aka Kaze no Shoujo Emily

Emily of New Moon aka Kaze no Shoujo Emily (translated to English as "Emily, the Wind Girl") is an animated television series that was based on L.M. Montgomery's Emily of New Moon trilogy.

The Emily of New Moon anime series was a single season with 26 episodes. Each episode was roughly 25 minutes in length. The series was produced by Hideaki Miyamoto, and the series music was by Akira Miyagawa. The series aired on NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) Educational TV from April 7, 2007 to September 29, 2007.

The protagonist Emily Byrd Starr was voiced by actress Tomoko Kawakami. The anime's plot primarily follows that of the novel Emily of New Moon with some scenes from Emily Climbs and Emily's Quest. Set on Prince Edward Island, Canada, the series follows the growth of a young girl Emily Starr. The story begins with Emily, who lives alone with her father. When her father dies, Emily is adopted by her strict Aunt Elizabeth and moves to New Moon Farm. Facing loneliness and isolation, Emily writes letters to her dead father. Emily meets and becomes close friends with Ilse Burnley, Teddy Kent, and Perry Miller. Each of the friends has a special talent. Emily loves to write and dreams of becoming a novelist.

Cast:
Tomoko Kawakami as Emily Byrd Starr
Akemi Okamura as Perry Miller
Kôki Miyata as Teddy Kent
Sachiko Kojima as Ilse Burnley
Emi Shinohara as Kaze no Oba-san (Mrs. Wind) (narration)
Masako Ikeda as Laura Murray
Rokuro Naya as Jimmy Murray
Toshiko Fujita as Elizabeth Murray
Akio Ohtsuka as Mr Carpenter
Atsuko Enomoto as Rhoda Stuart
Aya Hisakawa as Aileen Kent
Chiemi Ishimatsu as Jennie Strang
Kiyoyuki Yanada as Allan Burnley
Misaki Sekiyama as Carrie Strang
Niina Kumagaya as Miss Brownell
Shigenori Sôya as Douglas Starr
Touko Aoyama as Grace and Saucy Sal
Youko Matsuoka as Aunt Ruth

External Link:
Official Emily of New Moon (2007) Website

Image credit:
Drawing of Emily Bryd Starr from Emily of New Moon (2007) aka Kaze no Shoujo Emily. © NHK

Created December 11, 2006. Last updated April 23, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series in Jordan

When my fiancé was traveling in Jordan for work earlier this month, he turned on the television and was surprised to see Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series (aka Annetoon) on TV. The show was dubbed in Arabic. He took a few photographs for me.

Here's a photograph of a talking willow tree:


Here's a photograph of Gilbert Blythe in Annetoon:


It's more evidence that Anne of Green Gables is everywhere.


Image credits:
Photographs of Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series on TV in Jordan taken by my fiancé.

Created March 29, 2006. Last updated November 9, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Emily of New Moon (1998-2000) Television Series Episode List

Here is the list of episodes from Emily of New Moon, the television series based on L.M. Montgomery's Emily trilogy. The series starred Martha MacIsaac as Emily Byrd Starr and aired from 1998 to 2000. Emily of New Moon ran for four seasons and had 46 total episodes. Seasons 1, 2, and 3 had 13 episodes each, and Season 4 had 7 episodes.

Season 1

1. "The Eye of Heaven"
2. "Storms of the Heart"
3. "The Book of Yesterday"
4. "The Disappointed House"
5. "Paradise Lost"
6. "The Enchanted Doll"
7. "Falling Angels"
8. "The Tale of Duncan McHugh"
9. " Wild Rover"
10. "The Ghost of Wyther Grange"
11. "A Child Shall Lead Them"
12. "A Winter's Tale"
13. "The Sound of Silence"

Season 2

1. "Summer of Sorrows"
2. "And So Shall They Reap"
3. "A Shadow in His Dream"
4. "Where Angels Fear to Tread"
5. "The Curse of the Poppet"
6. "Rivers of Babylon"
7. "A Time to Heal"
8. "The Devil's Punchbowl"
9. "Pins & Needles"
10. "Crown of Thorns"
11. "When the Bough Breaks"
12. "Love Knots"
13. "The Book of Hours"

Season 3

1. "Ask Me No Questions, I'll Tell You No Lies"
2. "The Return of Maida Flynn"
3. "Under the Wishing Moon"
4. "Bridge of Dreams"
5. "Bred in the Bone"
6. "The Return of Malcolm Murray"
7. "In the Valley of the Shadow of Death"
8. "Had a Wife and Couldn't Keep Her"
9. "A Fall From Grace"
10. "The Bequest"
11. "Command Performance"
12. "A Man May Work from Sun to Sun But a Woman's Work is Never Done"
13. "A Weaver of Dreams"

Season 4

1. "Rites of Passage"
2. "The Taming of Ilse Burnley"
3. "A Bill of Divorcement"
4. "Too Close to the Sun"
5. "The Weight of the World"
6. "Away"
7. "A Seller of Dreams"

Image credit:
Screencapture of Martha MacIsaac starring as Emily Starr in Emily of New Moon. © Salter Street Films and CINAR Films

Purchase and stream Emily of New Moon online:



Created July 13, 2005. Last updated October 23, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Emily of New Moon (1998-2000)

Emily of New Moon (1998–2000) is an intriguing Canadian television series that brought L.M. Montgomery's beloved Emily trilogy to life on the screen. Developed by Marlene Matthews, who also penned several episodes, the show was co-produced by Salter Street Films and CINAR Films. It aired on CBC in Canada and on WAM in the United States, with its popularity extending to 26 countries around the world. Over its four seasons and 46 episodes, Emily of New Moon enchanted audiences with its heartwarming yet sometimes dark storytelling.

At the center of the series is Martha MacIsaac, a Prince Edward Island native, who starred as the imaginative and strong-willed Emily Byrd Starr. Emily is sent to live with her strict relatives at New Moon farm after her father’s death, and the show follows her journey as she navigates loss, family tensions, and her unstoppable creative spirit. Sheila McCarthy portrayed Emily's gentle Aunt Laura, while her stern Aunt Elizabeth was brought to life by Susan Clark. Stephen McHattie played the kind but unusual Cousin Jimmy.

Emily's world is also filled with a dynamic group of friends. Jessica Pellerin played the fiery Ilse Burnley, Kris Lemche portrayed the dynamic Perry Miller, and Shawn Roberts was cast as the artistic Teddy Kent. Together, these charismatic young actors added layers of charm and depth to Emily's adventures.

The series earned critical acclaim, with Sheila McCarthy winning a Gemini Award in 1998 for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role. That same year, Kris Lemche took home the Gemini for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series. In 1999, Martha Henry was awarded a Gemini for Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role in a Dramatic Series.

The heart of Emily of New Moon lies in Emily Starr's resilience and passion. Orphaned and thrust into a strict and stifling environment at New Moon, Emily clings to her vivid imagination and her dream of becoming a writer. Despite Aunt Elizabeth’s ban on reading anything beyond schoolbooks, Emily secretly pours her thoughts into letters to her late father and writes poetry. Through her close friendships with Ilse, Perry, and Teddy, Emily finds adventure and inspiration.

Fully filmed on Prince Edward Island, Emily of New Moon captivated viewers not only with its dark and mysterious storytelling but also with the Island’s stunning natural beauty. The show received widespread acclaim for both its mesmerizing scenery and the fine performances that brought L.M. Montgomery's world to life.

Image credit:
Screencapture of Martha MacIsaac playing Emily Starr in Emily of New Moon. © Salter Street Films and CINAR Films.

Purchase or stream Emily of New Moon online:



Created July 12, 2005. Last updated October 22, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com