Forum - View topicAnime that are influenced by literature?
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Wrathful
 Posts: 372 |
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Have you seen animes that reminds you of the novel you read or know any that are influenced by other sources of media beside mangas and comic books? I'm talking about the literatures.
A good example that reflects my point would be the anime that was based a book called Count of Monte Cristo. I can't remember the name. The other good one would be Haibane Renmei, it's supposed to be inspired by the book written by Japanese Author. Another one I just remembered Romeo x Juliet. My other question would be what animes that reminded you of book you read. When I watched Kino's Journey, I couldn't help but make similarity of The Little Prince. Forget the main character but the basic plot is about a little prince exploring every planets and discovering different cultures and quirks of the inhabitants. I can't help but think it was kind of cool to see anime like that. Do you know any animes that are loosely based on the literature? |
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walw6pK4Alo
 Posts: 9322 |
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There are tons of anime based off the idea of "The Little Prince". I know someone will absolutely correct me, but Galaxy Express 999 is probably one of the first and most influential, as it follows Tetsuro Hoshino and his willowy beautiful travel partner as they head to several destinations through the galaxy, each unique and vastly different from the next. Some are evil, some good, some neutral.
Kaiba is a more recent example, as the main character spoiler[is the little prince, albeit an evil one with amnesia] must travel to different bizarre worlds to help recover hints as to who he is. Even the design is reminiscent of the book's style. Of course you also have your World Masterpiece Theater anime that have been running since the early 70s, a good many of them based off western literature. Yes, they are definitely anime, but I believe that the spark that makes something feel uniquely Japanese isn't really there. The shows are great, but extremely universal and so non-stylized that if you had watched them dubbed in your youth, you'd probably have no idea that they were anime at all. The more recent additions do have that anime-feel though. And if you want eastern literature, titles such as the Tale of Genji, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and the Journey to the West have been covered and re-adapted too many times to care about. |
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EricDent
 Posts: 997 Location: Georgetown, TX |
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Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo is the anime loosly based on the novel by Dumas.
This could easily turn into a "list" type topic... Ponyo is based on the Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen ETC... There are a TON of anime based on literary works, or drawing plot elements, etc from them. |
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Wrathful
Posts: 372 |
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I watched Galaxy Express 999 but it was when I was very young. Well perhaps it was even before I read the novel, I didn't realise it now. still I remember it had a central villain that was essential to the plot. I think Kaiba seems very promising. I would be very interested in checking it out. |
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vashna
Posts: 1313 |
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Isn't Galaxy Express 999 also largely inspired by the 1934 science fiction novel Night on the Galactic Railroad by Miyazawa Kenji? I believe Leiji Matsumoto's other work, The Galaxy Railways, also shares an inspiration from this book.
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Errinundra
Moderator
 Posts: 6584 Location: Melbourne, Oz |
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The Girl Who Leapt Through Time reminds me very strongly of Jane Austen's Emma. Both are about appealing but unwise young women who meddle in other people's private lives. The meddling only complicates matters and, worst of all, the heroine is unaware that she loves the man who's right under her nose. Thanks to the advice of a mentor figure she realises her errors in time.
I have no idea if Hosoda is consciously taking from Jane Austen and there are obvious differences: time travel for one and spoiler[Makoto Konno's death early on] come to mind. In Emma the mentor figure and love interest are the same person while in TGWLTT they are separate characters: Kazuko Yoshiyama and Chiaki Mamiya. But above all, the tone is good-natured in both, making for very charming works of art. |
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EricDent
Posts: 997 Location: Georgetown, TX |
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Speaking of Emma, there is an anime called Emma: A Victorian Romance, which is most likely based on the Austen novels.
The only "odd" thing about the show is that it is not availible with a dub, despite being set in Victorian London... |
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jcaliff
 Posts: 156 Location: Houston |
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Ochamena Futago is based on Enid Blyton's Twins at Saint Claire's book series. It's not a World Masterpiece Theater series, though it has a similar feel IMHO. And there's the Marple and Poirot series based on Agatha Christie's books - I've only seen a couple of episodes, but I've enjoyed what I've seen and they seemed to be very in-keeping with the original stories despite the addition of the extra character.
Ghibli-wise, Howl's Moving Castle is based on a work of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones. I like the Howl anime, though I wish it had kept closer to the original plot of the book. And then there's the admittedly sad Earthsea movie based on Ursula K. Le Guin's work. :\ Personally, I keep holding out hope for a Prachett-based Discworld anime. |
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Nerv1
 Posts: 601 |
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The Girl who Leapt Through Time is actually based on a Japanese novel and is somewhat of a sequel or remake. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toki_o_Kakeru_Shōjo Also, I think Infinite Ryvius would count also, as it is basically Lord of the Flies in space. |
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Princess_Irene
ANN Associate Editor
 Posts: 2655 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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Emma has more in common with Austen's Mansfield Park, though she wrote 40-odd years before the Victorian era.
Ghibli's new film is based loosely on Mary Norton's The Borrowers. I would also hazard that the Hell Girl series borrows heavily from the Hell Scrolls of Buddhist literature, which are interesting reading if you don't plan to eat or sleep in the near future. |
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TatsuGero23
 Posts: 1277 Location: Sniper Island, USA (It's in your heart!) |
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The new Okamisan has various interpretations of classic fairy tales and fables as well as japanese folk tales. We've seen Little Red Riding Hood, an inversion of The Wolf in Sheeps clothing, Cinderella, Hanstel and Gretel, Tortoise vs the Hare, The Ant and the Grasshopper, Urashima Taro, Momotaro and probably a few more that I missed. Something about a Crane returning favors and that witch lady that goes along with Merlin.
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abunai
Old Regular
 Posts: 5463 Location: 露命 |
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That is correct. Of course, it is entirely possible that Night on the Galactic Railroad was, itself, the inspiration for Saint-Exupéry's book. I'm not sure, but I believe there were translations available in the West before the War.
Just a wild guess: either you haven't seen the anime, or you haven't read the novel.
Actually, the three main characters are the Wolf, the Hunter and Little Red Riding Hood, recast a bit.
Tsuru no Ongaeshi -- also, the repayment of favours is a major theme in the anime. - abunai |
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vashna
Posts: 1313 |
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I've actually very much been looking for this book, though admittedly it's because of the aforementioned Matsumoto tie-in. However, it's very expensive both in English and in Japanese. |
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Aylinn
 Posts: 1684 |
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You can read it legally and for free on the internet.  This book is available here in English and here in Japanese. This site is Japanese counterpart of Project Gutenberg.
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