Underplayed Gems

Candy Candy (1976)

Candy Candy poster
Original title
キャンディ・キャンディ
Genre
romance anime and manga, drama anime and manga, Drama, Slice of Life
Country
Japan
Length
1 season, 115 episodes
Rated
NR
Rating
8.5 of 10 from 711 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this series is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

An orphan girl named Candy grows up in early 20th century America, facing hardship and bullying with unwavering optimism. The story follows her coming of age through friendships, love, and loss as she moves forward in life.

hopefulmelancholicwhimsicalwarmbittersweetnostalgicgentleemotionalheartfelt

What happens

Candy Candy (キャンディ・キャンディ, Kyandi Kyandi) is a Japanese anime created by Japanese writer Keiko Nagita under the pen name Kyoko Mizuki. It was published as a manga in April 1975 written by Mizuki and illustrated by Yumiko Igarashi, a collaboration which was put together by the Japanese magazine Nakayoshi. The manga series ran for four years, and won the 1st Kodansha Manga Award for shōjo in 1977. The story was adapted into an anime series by Toei Animation. There are also three animated short films. In addition, a three-volume novel was published between 1978 and 1979. To create the story of Candy Candy, its author, Keiko Nagita, drew primary inspiration from novels such as Jean Webster’s Daddy Long Legs and Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables, seeking to explore the trope of the optimistic, cheerful orphan protagonist who faces life head-on and moves forward. In Candy's Secret Revealed!—an interview for the Keizensha Encyclopedia—Nagita says: "I decided to write a story that was neither merely a magical manga nor a conventional tale of an orphan girl searching for her mother, but rather the life of a girl who lives looking toward the future; within that life, I wanted to include three loves. The first is the initial love with Anthony—a fleeting romance, a love composed solely of tenderness with a boy of a special, pure transparency. Then comes the turbulent, youthful love with Terry—a love one must part from, even while still in love. And finally, I wrote of a serene, mature, fated, and enduring love with Albert." (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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