Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables was produced in 1979 by Nippon Animation as part of the World Masterpiece Theater series, a long-running collection of anime adaptations of classic Western literature. The series was directed by Isao Takahata, a co-founder of Studio Ghibli, who sought to capture the emotional depth and pastoral beauty of L.M. Montgomery's original novel. Takahata famously traveled to Prince Edward Island in Canada to conduct extensive research, ensuring the series featured highly accurate depictions of the local landscapes and period architecture.

The visual design of the series was led by Hayao Miyazaki, who worked as the scene planner and layout artist during the early stages of production. His influence is evident in the detailed, naturalistic backgrounds and the grounded character designs that eschewed the exaggerated tropes common in animation at the time. Upon its release in Japan, the series received critical acclaim for its slow-paced, atmospheric storytelling and became a foundational work that helped solidify the reputation of the World Masterpiece Theater brand as a hallmark of quality animation.