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From The Apennines To The Andes
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Animation - 8.0 |
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Sound - 7.3 |
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Story - 8.0 |
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Character - 8.7 |
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Value - 9.0 |
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Enjoyment - 8.7 |
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Average - 8.3 |
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petran79 |
(2008-01-16 09:14:12) 2007-08-27 09:45:09 |
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| Average |
9.0 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
8 |
| Character |
9 |
| Value |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| The WMT titles are rather neglected because they have nothing to do with the usual fare you see in anime in order to please 15 year olds or viewers whose only experience in animation is limited to low quality commercial titles. Yet most of these WMT titles, excluding the later and more mediocre ones, had something that captivated millions of children and adults worldwide. One of the major reasons back then children's TV and animation had high quality and made both children and adults think and feel. They were for the whole family after all and were based on classic novels instead of cheap mangas and revamped ideas that are regarded as original.
Fortunately I wasnt born later or else I would have been introduced to anime through Pokemon, Naruto, One Piece, Kenshin, FMA and Dragon Ball. Not that they're bad but they pale in comparison to those titles. And you hardly learn anything from them except to buy low quality toys and videogames.
Since the WMT titles were often broadcast on TV and some of them are available on local language DVD they are hardly the target of today's distributors.
But with the advent of fansubs and the net it is a different experience watching them in Japanese. Because the dubbed version usually takes half the enjoyment and only in rare cases (eg Nils no Fushigi no Tabi) is the dub better than the original. Many of those titles were also funded by European broadcasters.
As is the case with most of those titles, they were broadcast before the Internet. So while where I lived I hadnt heard a word about this title, in neighbouring countries this series was a hit. Today with the advent of more commercial titles, such problems are solved.
The review is based on the Japanese cast (includes also good quality English subs that seem a transliteration from the Chinese dub). Since this is based on a popular Italian novel the series would appeal more to Italians (it was very popular in Italy but also in other European countries). But also countries with a long history of immigration will also find something appealing.
As other reviewers have mentioned, not only here, this is one of the best animated TV series not only from Japan but also worldwide.
It takes place in Genoa, then in the ship from Genoa to Rio and from there to Buenos Aires, then somewhere in South Argentina, then again in Buenos Aires and finally to the town Marco expects to find what he's looking for.
The episodes in Italy were by far the best and also the ones Marco travels with the puppet troupe and also the ones he spents with the natives of South America and later with a caravan and where he travels alone with an old donkey. And the final two episodes that were of the best I had the chance to watch in anime.
The puppet theatre scenes were unforgettable, closely resembling live puppets and the various musical instruments accompanying the series ensure another high quality TV series. Though if you like such kind of movies look no further than "The Travelling Players" (released one year earlier).
Watching this title in Spanish or Italian would be a completely different experience but the Japanese cast were also excellent trying to make the characters actually possess the Mediterranean or Latin American temperament and the songs sung in Japanese with Italian or Spanish music were also fit for that.
Only some episodes in the end where Marco travels by himself could have been more interesting.
Animation, backgrounds, settings, character design were excellent, considering this title was made in 1976, production took 1 year and it had 52 episodes. Such high quality standards are unreachable for most anime today.
It is also one of the few animes that has as a topic immigrants and immigration to the Americas. Italians will feel more familiar and touched but I also felt something in the chapters where Marco travels with the immigrants or visits the Italian neighbourhoods in various cities with the puppet troupe. A reminder that immigrants love their country of origin much more than the native dwellers.
As for the characters everyone was memorable and there were quite many of them. Even the white simian pet was funny. It also makes a cameo appearance in the anime movie "Adrift in the Pacific".
Marco sometimes was too much of a crybaby and he turns a little annoying but fortunately that doesnt occur often.
And the final episodes are of the most memorable I've seen.
This was another must watch title and unfortunately it wasnt broadcasted where I live. Still even if you've seen it dubbed, the Japanese cast give it a whole new watching experience. I dont think I'd have liked "Dog of Flanders" that much to have it watched dubbed.
And needless to say, a treasured series and perfect to be watched by younger viewers, most eager to download the latest episode of Naruto and One Piece.
The story is based on an excerpt from the novel Cuore (that was also turned into a Tv series by Nippon Animation in 1981)
I too think the first WMT titles were the best where Takahata and Miyazaki were involved. The gap of these titles and those of today is as wide as the preferences of the older anime fans such as myself and the younger ones. One main reason I turned to animation of other countries because judging from today's anime, there are better ways to spend your free time.
If you havent watched those titles, watch at least one because anime started to become popular with these titles. Back then the ratio quality/quantity was much in favour of the former.
Also Live-evil and C1 fansubs started fansubbing the series again after a 3 year hiatus and they're still at episode 8. Still better than nothing but such series get support only from the older viewers which are a minority. If you cant wait, the Taiwanese version is cheap to get (if you can avoid the custom tolls) and has good quality subs and Japanese/Chinese audio.
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JimKi |
(2004-03-31 03:49:05) 2004-02-13 06:58:14 |
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| Average |
7.2 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
6 |
| Story |
7 |
| Character |
8 |
| Value |
7 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
| Now after 4 episodes we see a little better how things will turn out, the story is quite old and we all know that soon Marco will depart, but you have a tenderness in this serie that you won't find anywhere else.
It's really old, but anyway it's good
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| Average |
8.7 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
9 |
| Character |
9 |
| Value |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
| A TRUE CLASSIC! i searched for ages in ANIMENFO Database for this,but i thaught it was called "3000 leagues in the search of mother"(maybe the admin will see to add this name as "alternative title").Anyway,this show became one of the most famuos cartoons in my country.It was aired at least 20 times (that i remember) and everytime i see it,i'm loving it.
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