Anne of Green Gables (1979) aka Akage No An

Anne of Green Gables aka Akage no An (translated to English as "Red-Haired Anne") is a beautifully animated television series that was based on L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables. The plotline closely follows that of the novel and begins when Anne meets Matthew at the train station in Prince Edward Island. The anime series was produced by Nippon Animation in Japan in 1979 as part of the World Masterpiece Theater series (1). The series is 50 episodes long, and it first aired on Fuji Television from January 7, 1979 to December 30, 1979.

Anne of Green Gables was written and directed by the acclaimed screenwriter and director Isao Takahata, who is known for directing Grave of the Fireflies (1988), Only Yesterday (1991), and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013). In 1985, Takahata founded the treasured Studio Ghibli together with Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki. Studio Ghibli is admired for its artistry, creativity, and beauty in storytelling. Hayao Miyazaki created the settings and layouts for episodes 1 to 15 of the Anne of Green Gables anime. Miyazaki is the beloved anime director of Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind (1984), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke (1997), Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), and Spirited Away (2001). In 1990, Takahata edited the first six episodes of Anne of Green Gables into a film for theatrical release (1).

Yoshifumi Kondo was the character designer for the vibrant Anne Shirley. Anne’s voice was portrayed by the Japanese actress Eiko Yamada. She provided the voices of several other characters in the World Masterpiece Theater series, including Jo in Tales of Little Women and Little Women II: Jo's Boys. The opening and closing theme songs (“Kikoeru kashira” and “Samenai yume”) were composed by Akira Miyoshi and sung by Ritsuko Ohwada.

Anne of Green Gables aired in several countries throughout the world. It was broadcast in Canada in the mid-1990s under the title Anne...La maison aux pignons verts by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and dubbed in French (1, 2). In addition, the anime aired as Anna dai capelli rossi in Italy, Ana de las Tejas Verdes in Spain, Ana dos Cabelos Ruivos in Portugal, and Anne mit den roten Haaren in Germany. The series was also dubbed in English and broadcast by the South African Broadcasting Corporation and by Japan Entertainment Television in Taiwan.

In 2009, an anime prequel to Anne of Green Gables (1979) premiered called Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables (translated to English as “Hello Anne: Before Green Gables”).


Image credit:
Drawing of Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables (1979) aka Akage No An. © Nippon Animation

References:
1. Helen McCarthy. Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation. Berkeley: Stone Bridge Press. 1999. 223.
2. Team Ghiblink. Nausicaa.Net http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/wmt/index.html (2001).

Purchase and watch Anne of Green Gables (1979) aka Akage No An (Note: Most official Akage no An Blu-Ray/DVD sets are available for Region 2 (Japan), and they are not officially available in all region formats yet):



Created March 1, 2002. Re-posted online March 4, 2023. Last updated January 20, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Jane of Lantern Hill

L.M. Montgomery wrote Jane of Lantern Hill late in her career. Published in 1937, the novel tells the story of Jane Victoria Stuart. Jane is 11 years old and lives in Toronto, Ontario with her mother Robin and her strict grandmother. Jane believes that her father is dead until she is age 10 when she learns that her mother left her father when she was three years old. She discovers that her father Andrew is actually alive and well and living on Prince Edward Island. When Jane is invited to visit her father on P.E.I. for the summer, they have a chance to develop a relationship, and Jane begins to dream that her parents will one day reunite.

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Created February 24, 2002. Last updated March 10, 2021.
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The Watchman and Other Poems

L.M. Montgomery published a volume of poetry titled The Watchman and Other Poems in 1916 by McClelland, Goodchild & Stewart. The book is named for the introductory poem, entitled “The Watchman.” This poem is followed by three thematic groups of poems: Songs of Sea, Songs of the Hills and Woods, and Miscellaneous.

All of the poems included in The Watchman and Other Poems had been previously published in magazines according to John Robert Sorfleet [1]. In her acknowledgements, L.M. Montgomery thanked the following publishers and magazines for granting permission to republish her poetry: The Youth's Companion, Forward, East and West, MacLean's Magazine, The Sunday School Times, Zion's Herald, The Outlook, Munsey's Magazine, The New Idea Woman's Magazine, Smart Set, The Ladies' World, The Canadian Magazine, St. Nicholas, The Congregationalist and Christian World, Everybody's Magazine, The Christian Endeavor World, The American Messenger, The Delineator, and Smith's Magazine.

L.M. Montgomery dedicated The Watchman and Other Poems to the soldiers who fought in WWI:

"To the memory of the gallant
Canadian soldiers who have laid
down their lives for their
country and their empire."

I took the photograph pictured above of a 1916 volume of The Watchman and Other Poems that I read from the University of Texas at Austin library.

Reference:
[1] Sorfleet, John. R. "L. M. Montgomery: Canadian Authoress." in L. M. Montgomery: An Assessment. Ed. John Robert Sorfleet. Guelph: Canadian Children's Press, 1976. pages 42–49.

Purchase and read The Watchman and Other Poems and The Poetry Of Lucy Maud Montgomery:



Created February 17, 2002. Re-posted online January 23, 2022. Last updated January 23, 2022.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Emily of New Moon Word Search

Enjoy this Emily of New Moon word search. You can print the image below or download a PDF version of the word search.



Created June 27, 2001. Re-posted online October 28, 2022. Last updated October 28, 2022.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Pat of Silver Bush Word Search

Enjoy this Pat of Silver Bush word search. You can print the image below or download a PDF version of the word search.



Created April 24, 2001. Re-posted online October 25, 2022. Last updated October 25, 2022.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story (2000)

Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story is a television miniseries that first aired on CBC in March 2000. It was the third miniseries film about the life of Anne Shirley that was produced by Sullivan Entertainment, and it follows Anne of Green Gables (1985) and Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987).

The miniseries starred Megan Follows who returned to play Anne Shirley. Jonathan Crombie resumed the role of Anne’s true love Gilbert Blythe. In addition, Schuyler Grant and Patricia Hamilton returned to play Diana Barry and Rachel Lynde, respectively. Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story also introduced new characters, including Jack Garrison Jr. played by Cameron Daddo. The miniseries was directed by Stefan Scaini, and the music was by Peter Breiner. Kevin Sullivan and Laurie Pearson wrote the screenplay for Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story. Its storyline diverges from L.M. Montgomery's Anne series.

The story begins when Anne returns home to Avonlea after years teaching while Gilbert has been in medical school. When Gilbert gets a job offer at a hospital in New York City, he asks Anne to move there with him. In New York, Anne works as an editor in a publishing house where she meets a writer named Jack Garrison. Jack is interested in Anne and her talent and convinces her to let him edit and submit a manuscript she is writing. Jack ends up stealing Anne’s work. Meanwhile, Gilbert is disappointed by the politics of working in a big city hospital.

Eventually, Anne and Gilbert return home to Avonlea and get married. The first World War begins, and Gilbert enlists as a medical officer and leaves for Europe. When Gilbert is declared missing, Anne joins the Red Cross and heads to Europe where she encounters danger and intrigue as she searches for Gilbert.

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

External link:
Anne of Green Gables: The Official Website

Purchase and watch Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story:



Created April 24, 2001. Re-posted online May 4, 2022. Last updated May 4, 2022.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987) aka Anne of Avonlea

Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (also known as Anne of Avonlea) is a television miniseries that first aired on the Disney Channel and CBC in 1987. It was broadcast on PBS the next year. Sullivan Entertainment produced this sequel to follow its acclaimed Anne of Green Gables (1985) miniseries.

Kevin Sullivan wrote and directed Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel. The miniseries starred Megan Follows, who returned to play the beloved Anne Shirley. Several other actors returned to play their Anne of Green Gables (1985) roles, including Colleen Dewhurst as Marilla Cuthbert, Jonathan Crombie as Gilbert Blythe, Schuyler Grant as Diana Barry, Patricia Hamilton as Rachel Lynde, and Marilyn Lightstone as Miss Stacey. Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel introduced several new characters as well, including Morgan Harris played by Frank Converse, Mrs. Harris played Dame Wendy Hiller, Emmeline Harris played by Genevieve Appleton, and Katherine Brooke played by Rosemary Dunsmore.

The storyline in Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel combines elements from three novels in L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series, namely: Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, and Anne of Windy Poplars. The story begins with Anne in Avonlea, teaching at the Avonlea school and dreaming of becoming a successful writer. After turning down a proposal from Gilbert, Anne takes a job as a teacher at Kingsport Ladies' College where she faces challenges from the Pringle family and the mean-spirited principal Katherine Brooke. Anne must navigate these difficulties to find her place and learn what she truly wants in life.

As with the earlier miniseries, Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel was filmed in Ontario and Prince Edward Island, Canada. Its memorable music was composed by Hagood Hardy. The miniseries earned six Gemini awards in 1988, with Kevin Sullivan winning for Best Dramatic Mini-Series, Megan Follows winning for Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series, and Colleen Dewhurst winning for Best Performance by a Supporting Actress.

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

External link:
Anne of Green Gables: The Official Website

Purchase and watch Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel:



Created April 22, 2001. Re-posted online May 2, 2022. Last updated May 2, 2022.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables (1985)

Anne of Green Gables is a made-for-television miniseries that first aired on CBC TV in 1985. Sullivan Entertainment loyally adapted L.M. Montgomery's novel of the same name for the screen.

Directed by Kevin Sullivan, Anne of Green Gables starred Megan Follows as Anne Shirley, Colleen Dewhurst and Richard Farnsworth as siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, Jonathan Crombie as Anne's rival Gilbert Blythe, and Schuyler Grant as Anne's bosom friend Diana Barry. The film's music, composed by Hagood Hardy, is distinctive and memorable. Filmed in both Ontario and on Prince Edward Island, the beauty of the Canadian scenery is candy for the eyes.

The movie was highly acclaimed for its script, cast, and loyalty to the novel's character. The Toronto Star glowingly described Anne of Green Gables as, "Cult phenomenon. Cultural ambassador. Canadian heroine."
 
The miniseries earned countless awards in 1986, including nine Gemini Awards and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program. Kevin Sullivan received the George Peabody Award for Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting for his work in bringing the film to 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

Purchase and watch Anne of Green Gables:

Created April 17, 2001. Re-posted online March 18, 2021. Last updated March 18, 2021.
© worldofanneshirley.com