What are the World Masterpiece Theater ?

The  World Masterpiece Theater  (sekai meisaku gekijoo or shortly meisaku) are yearly animated series, made between 1974 and 1997 by the studio Nippon Animation, and that used to be broadcasted on Sunday evening at 7.30 pm on the channel "Fuji TV". All of them (except one) are based on western novel, mostly classics of juvenile literature, and they therefore form a particular genre in Japanese animation. Even if these series are denigrated by some anime fans, who (wrongly) consider them to be just for kids show, many have become classics: just think, Heidi, the first WMT (which was produced by Zuiyo Enterprises, the predecessor of Nippon Animation), was directed by I. Takahata, who was helped by Y. Miyazaki. For the uninitiated, these animators are considered to be the "crème de la crème" of Japanese animation. Before leaving Nippon Animation and founding the Studios Ghibli with Miyazaki, Takahata directed two others WMT (3000 Leagues in Search of Mother and Anne of Green Gables). But what makes the interest of these series is not IMO the involvement of this or this great animator, but their general quality, far above the average. Let's see what can be said about the "WMT style".

One of the characteristics of the meisakus is the realism of their setting: these animes try to bring the characters alive, to show them in their daily surroundings, living real lives. They are therefore full of little details of everyday's life, and cultural elements, whose role is to show the historical and social context of the story (the WMT take place in various places and ages). The characters themselves, their personalities, their relationships are shown with realism and subtlety, much more than in most of the other animes.

The other characteristic of the WMT is the high quality of their realization: they all have been made (as far as possible for TV series) with high artistic ambitions. They have beautiful backgrounds, the characters are animated with finesse, especially the facial expression, whose artwork reaches the highest standard. Contrary to what people often think, making an anime like a WMT isn't an easy task. The scenes of everyday's life are very difficult to animate, because you have to take care to every details, and each imperfection is easy to notice. One of the strength of the meisakus is precisely the artwork on these little scenes, and the ability to make them natural and vivid.

The end of the WMT

On March 23, 1997 was shown on Fuji TV the last episode of ie naki ko remi , the last World Masterpiece Theater in the History. After more than 20 years, the WMT disappeared, because of financial restrictions and low ratings. These series have indeed always been expensive (compared to the average animated series), and from the end of the eighties, Fuji TV has reduced the budget dedicated to them. The number of episodes has gradually decreased.

As far as I know, everything began in 1988, with Little Prince Cedie. Until then, the WMT had about 50 episodes (52, ie one per week for the very first ones). But in 1988, Nippon animation had to content itself with a 43 episodes long series. Moreover, many elements in its production me think it didn't have the same budget as the previous ones (see my presentation of Little Prince Cedie to know more about it). The following year,  Peter Pan had only 41 episodes, and was very different from the previous meisakus (as far as the story and the design are concerned).

I do not say Nippon animation has stopped producing quality series after 1988. But from the end of the eighties, commercial criteria have become more important than artistic ones. For Fuji TV, the important wasn't to show quality series any more, but not to pay them too much.

Things sped up in 1995: Romio no aoi sora  (Romeo's Blue Sky) had only 33 episodes; the following year, Meiken Rashi  (adapting the story of Lassie) was hastily stopped in September after only 25 episodes. It was replaced by  ie naki ko remi  (Remi, the Homeless Girl), the last WMT in the History (23 episodes).

To know more about the end of the WMT, see the web page of Ben Ettinger, who lived and related these events "live".

The future:

The WMT fans have quickly reacted, and asked Nippon Animation to resume them. There is even a petition online (be careful, last time I went there, it was only in Japanese). But the problem doesn't come from Nippon Animation, who actually wants to resume the meisakus, but from the TV channels. None of them seems to agree to buy the WMT succesors.

Nippon Animation, anticipating FUJI TV's decision (?) has decided to re-adapt for the big screen some series that had been very successful: A Dog of Flanders was released in March 97. It was followed by a remake of 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother in April 1999. I haven't seen these films yet, and I cannot say many things about them (oh, yes A Dog of Flanders was the 10th anime in the 1997 Japanese box office). I just hope they will reach the WMT in quality, the end of which has let a gaping void in the little world of animation.

Opening date: March 23, 1998 - last update: June 4, 2000