10 Nippon Animation Works to Watch for the Week

From the 70’s to the 2000’s, the anime series from the Nippon Animation studios have garnered quite a bit of popularity, and not just in Japan. Many of their works are mainly recognized for having adapted from Western literature, something that had rarely if never done before the following listed are high recommendations to watch. Many have noted these works not only because they do not take place in Japan, but because of the interesting plots, relatable characters and the overall drama that engages their audience.

The following listed are high recommendations amongst the studio’s works if you’re looking for some good drama, adventure and characters that you can relate too.

10.Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables

Many know the tale of Anne and her adventures in Green Gables, the red headed character is a classic figure in the world of literature and Nippon Animation has even made its own adaptation of the novel. But what about before her time in Green Gables? What was her life as an orphan and what adventures did she get into when she was younger? This series answers that. This is a tale of Anne before the tale of her growth into a young woman.

9. Kazoku Robinson Hyouryuuki: Fushigi na Shima no Flone

Here is a tale of travelling and appreciating the beauty of nature told through the eyes of a young girl. Meet Flone, a very active and tomboyish 10-year-old girl. One day her father receives a letter from his English friends requesting for his presence in Australia die to a shortage in Doctors.

Accepting the request, Flone and her family soon finds themselves leaving their home in Bern and setting off on an adventure by voyage.

8. Marco: Haha wo Tazunete Sanzenri

In Genoa Italy, there lives a young boy named Marco along with his father Pietro. As or Marco’s mother? She had left a year earlier in order to find work in Argentina but sends letters regularly. One day however, the letters suddenly stop coming and in his worry of something having happened to his mother, Marco makes the decision to travel and reunite with his mother.

While his father protests to the idea at first, but eventually allows his son to go when faced with his enthusiasm. This is a tale of a young boy’s journey and how he grows through the meeting off different people and his different experiences.

7. Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari

Derived from the classic tale of the same name, this series focuses on the iconic characters themselves and their lives. There is Meg, faithful and gentle, Jo, independent and energetic, Beth, quiet and shy, Amy, amiable and precocious. Set during a time of Civil War, the four sisters spend their days living the best they can alongside their gentle mother as they await for their father to return from the war while developing themselves and helping one another to grow into wonderful women in the struggles of life.

6. Fantastic Children

For over 500 years, in different times and places in Europe there has been a group enigmatic white-haired children always spotted. Though they may seem like 11-year-olds on the outside, their mature behaviour states otherwise as they show to have never aged and possible have supernatural powers. Apparently, they are seeking for a young girl and the only clue that they have at hand is a picture with a crescent moon.

Years have passed and it’s 2012, a young athletic boy named Tohma soon finds himself dragged in the centuries old mystery.

5. Shoukoushi Cedie

This is a tale of lose and family, focused through the eyes of a young boy named Cedie. Upon the death of his father, Ceddie is made to move with his grandfather, Earl of Dorincourt, as his heir in England. In the beginning when Ceddie meets with his grandfather, he finds him to be a stubborn and selfish old man. But over time with Ceddie’s innocent love begins to thaw the ice around the Earl’s heart and thus the two slowly become a family.

4. Nanatsu no Umi no Tico

This is the story of a young girl named Nanami Simpson and how upon the death of her mother when she was very young, ended up in the care of her marine biologist father Scott Simpson. Aboard his research vessel named Peperonchino, she is brought along his quest in search of a creature known as the glowing whale. But upon discovering the bones of one the creatures he is saddened and instead resolves to preserving and caring for sea life instead.

On the other hand, Nanami was able to befriend an Orca whom she names Tico and has developed a skill to breath underwater to the astonishment of her father. And this is only the beginning of their adventures.

3. Perrine Monogatari

The story begins with a young girl named Perrine and her mother traveling in a cabin drawn by a donkey towards a small village in Northern France where Perrine’s deceased father used to live. The problem? What she doesn’t know is that the village that they are traveling to has in fact a great dislike for her father for having gone off and marry in India against his father’s wishes.

Yet in their journey, trouble strikes as Perrine’s mother falls sick and even after selling everything including her beloved donkey Palikare to purchase medicine, her mother perishes. Before her death she leaves a message for Perrine; and that is to gain her grandfather’s love before he realizes who she truly is. Upon arriving at the village she aims to work under her grandfather’s factory and a way into his heart.

2. Romeo no Aoi Sora

This is a tale of a young boy named Romeo and how in order to earn money to pay a doctor for his father, sells himself as chimney sweep. In his journey to Milan he meets a mysterious boy named Alfredo; he is a runaway attempting to escape the same fate as Milan. However the two end up being separated and sold to new bosses, so the two decide to swear eternal friendship to one another as Romeo faces the challenges of his new job.

During his work, he encounters Angeleletta, a young girl with a heart illness and the daughter of his boss. Due to her illness, she is never allowed to leave her room and thus she pleads to Romeo to bring the blue sky to her. With the help of some friends, Romeo forms a group known as the “Black Brothers” and together they aim to not only help Angeletta but to push through the odds of cruel bosses and street hooligans alongside the leader they would risk their lives for.

1. Future Boy Conan

Welcome to an alternative world wherein humanity faces the danger of extinction in July 2008. Due to use of ultra-magnetic weapons in a war between two major nations, several earthquakes and tidal waves came and resulted in the devastating destruction of five continents.

Though people attempted to make their escape to space, they failed and only one of the spaceships was able to survive and land on an island. The hero of this story is one of the survivors of the ship, a boy named Conan. Years have passed and on what is now known as the Remnant island only Conan and his Grandfather reside. One day, a young girl named Lana washes ashore on the island and thus the story truly begins.