Version française
Version française
Annette and Lucien live in Rossinière, a little village in the French speaking part of Switzerland. These long standing friends lead an idyllic existence until the day when Danny (Annette's little brother) gets seriously injured because of Lucien, following an unhappy combination of circumstances. The exact way this happened is obscure, but in everybody's minds, the young boy is the only guilty person. This affair will long poison the lives of both children!
Personal comments:
The overall tone of My Annette is much more serious than those of the previous 80's WMT. This series is a true drama where the psychology of Annette and Lucien, where their relationships have been deeply worked out. The structure of the series is interesting: first, a dozen episodes with a very light hearted atmosphere, whose only role is to set up the context of the story. Then comes the accident and a period of great tension between the characters. One can first see Annette get caught in an intransigent anger faced with a completely desperate Lucien. Then their relationships soften a bit before new developments make the tension increase again (but I don't want to spoil). The psychology and the subtlety their state of mind are described rings impressively true!
It is the first of the 7 (!!!) WMT directed by Kusuba. Although the series isn't as vivid as the best ones, he rather well manages to set up the general atmosphere of the story; as well in the little sequences of everyday life, as when the tension increases. I must say I consider that the intensity reached Annette's best scenes has only been toped in Little Princess Sara. Sadly, besides that, many parts are quite poor. This is definitely the main criticism I make to My Annette: while some scenes are beautiful and very touching, some others go too far and are too melodramatic. The French version is in some parts almost unwatchable due to its awful dialogues. It especially has a narrator that makes you feel she's addressing 5 year old kids. Her contribution is so ridiculous that I sometimes switch the sound off when she begins to speak!!! Many sequences are really spoilt because of the weakness of the script, but I don't know if I have to blame the original version of the French adaptators ...
My Annette's character design is often critisised. I personally find it pretty good. Even if it's lower in quality than the ones of the next series, it is much better than Seki's early 80 WMT's. One trademark of these faces is the caricatured expression they sometimes have. Although this trick is not realistic, it can be funny. Kusuba inserts many other humourous elements as he's used to. This makes this meisaku somehow light hearted, in spite of its quite dark plot.
My Annette is definitely a good series. However, it still gives me a strange aftertaste: the plot is excellent, the characters sound very true, and some sequences are beautiful, but besides that, many parts are quite poor (esp. in the very beginning/ending) It's a bit a pity and the following WMT (until Little Prince Cedie IMO) will be much more solid from this point of view (and also on the technical side).
Watashi no annetto no heya: besides the extensive information and all the pics about the series itself, this beautiful Japanese site contains a great deal of comment about the novel, and many maps or photos of Rossinière and Neighbourhood, where the story takes place. Maintained by Masao Tamenishi
The series arrived in France in 1987, on La 5. It was broadcasted several times there, before being shown on TF1, on TMC in 1997 and on Manga (on the satellite) in early 2000 and in July-August 2001. The French opening is interpreted by Valérie Barouille.
In Germany, the series was shown on RTL2. Last times were in October 97, and in April - May 98, February - March 2000 and September-October 2001. Austrians could watch My Annette on ORF 1 (last time in late 97). The German opening has kept the original pics, but has a new song, on the same music as the French one.
The series has been shown on Italia 1; last times in 1994 and in September 2001.
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Frédéric Goetzinger
(goetz@starnet.fr) Opening date: October 29, 1998 - last update: December 2, 2001