Adapting children’s literature for animated TV series: The case of Heidi

Abstract

Abstract Children’s literature includes some classics that are pervasive, thanks to media adaptations that have made them known worldwide such as, among many, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Carrol 1865), Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (Barrie 1906), and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Dahl 1964). It is not by chance that with each new generation, fresh adaptations of children’s classics appear. The following article will focus on the specifics of writing for animated TV series aimed at a children’s audience, comparing two adaptations of Johanna Spyri’s 1880 Swiss novel Heidi: Arupusu no Shôjo Haiji, Heidi (Heidi, Girl of the Alps) (Fuji TV, 1974) and its 3D reboot Heidi (TF1, 2015). Heidi, Girl of the Alps first appeared in Japan in 1974, marking the beginning of the so-called ‘anime-boom’ that lasted till the mid-1980s. The series, comprised of 52 episodes, was produced by Zuiyo Enterprises. Directed by Isao Takahata, it boasts the drawings of Oscar winner Hayao Miyazaki and can be considered the initiator of the ‘Meisaku’ genre, also known as the World Masterpiece Theatre that showcased animated versions of the most beloved western children’s novels. Heidi 3D, instead, is a CGI animation remake of the 1974 anime adaptation, and was produced by Studio 100 in 39 episodes. In this version, Heidi appears as a modernized, more colourful 3D incarnation of herself. The comparison between the two adaptations will show not only how the original material has changed in the transition from one series to the other, but also how animation affects the way in which a story for television is told and plays a role in keeping classic stories ever-new.