A Little Princess Sara

A Little Princess Sara was produced by Nippon Animation in 1985 as the eleventh entry in the World Masterpiece Theater series. Based on Frances Hodgson Burnett's 1905 novel A Little Princess, the series was commissioned to bring classic Western children's literature to a Japanese television audience, emphasizing high-quality animation and serialized emotional storytelling. The production aimed to capture the Victorian atmosphere of the original text while expanding the narrative to span 46 episodes.

The series was directed by Fumio Kurokawa, who sought to emphasize the resilience and kindness of the protagonist, Sara Crewe, in the face of her sudden transition from wealth to poverty. The character designs were handled by Shunji Saida, who utilized the signature style of the World Masterpiece Theater to create an aesthetic that felt both timeless and accessible. Upon its release, the show was well-received in Japan for its sensitive portrayal of class struggle and hardship, remaining one of the more poignant and enduring adaptations of the source material.