Lucy-May of the Southern Rainbow

Lucy-May of the Southern Rainbow, known in Japan as Minami no Niji no Lucy, was produced by Nippon Animation in 1982 as part of the long-running World Masterpiece Theater series. This series was renowned for adapting classic Western literature into anime, and this particular installment was based on the 1977 Australian novel Southern Rainbow by Phyllis Piddington. The story follows a young girl who emigrates from England to Australia in the 1830s with her family, capturing the hardships and adjustments of life in a new colonial environment.

The series was directed by Hiroshi Saitō, a veteran of the studio who sought to balance the harsh realities of colonial life with the earnest, hopeful perspective of a child. While the series maintains the warm, illustrative aesthetic characteristic of early 1980s Nippon Animation, it is noted for its focus on environmental and social challenges rather than the whimsical fantasy elements found in other anime of the era. It remains a significant entry in the studio's portfolio for its deliberate pacing and its attempt to humanize the historical migration experience for a young audience.