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Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics

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Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics
Company typeAnime television series
IndustryAnimation, Entertainment
FoundedOctober 21, 1987; 39 years ago (1987-10-21)
FounderNippon Animation
Headquarters
Osaka
,
Japan
Area served
Japan, United States, Europe, Latin America, Philippines, Israel, Arab countries, New Zealand, Australia
ProductsAnime television series
ParentNippon Animation, Asahi Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)

Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics, also recognized as Grimm Masterpiece Theater (グリム名作劇場 Gurimu meisaku gekijō) in Japan and titled The Grimm's Fairy Tales in Australia and New Zealand, is a Japanese anime anthology series created by Nippon Animation that draws its inspiration from the Grimms' Fairy Tales.

Premise

Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics presents adaptations of both well-known and lesser-known fairy tales, occasionally incorporating modifications. Some narratives such as Puss in Boots, Bluebeard, and Beauty and the Beast, which are not part of the Brothers Grimm's original collection, were omitted from subsequent editions. For instance, The Worn-Out Dancing Shoes is derived from a Brothers Grimm variant featured in the initial release. While most stories are contained within a single episode, several from the first season extend across two to four episodes, culminating in a total of 41 fairy tales. A green-haired female pixie acts as a framing element, introducing each story without participating in the narrative.

The series is divided into two seasons: the first, titled , aired between October 21, 1987, and March 30, 1988, comprising 24 episodes; the second season, , was broadcast from October 2, 1988, to March 26, 1989, consisting of 23 episodes. Both seasons were produced by Nippon Animation in partnership with Asahi Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) based in Osaka. The series was adapted for English-speaking audiences under its English title.

Broadcast territories included the United States (via Nickelodeon), Europe, Latin America, the Philippines, Israel, Arab countries, New Zealand, and Australia.

Series 1

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Series 2

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Japanese cast

... [Additional voice actors contribute to numerous supporting characters throughout the production]

English cast

  • Theodore Lehmann - Narrator
  • Stephen Apostolina - Chamberlain ("The Coat of Many Colors"), George ("The Four Skillful Brothers"), Tailor ("The Brave Little Tailor")
  • Robert Axelrod - Rooster ("The Traveling Musicians of Bremen"), Hunter ("The Six Who Went Too Far"), Bluebeard's Herald ("Bluebeard"), Messenger and Prince ("The Worn Out Dancing Shoes"), Hare ("The Hare and the Hedgehog")
  • Arlene Banas - Mother of Little Red Riding Hood, Mother of Snow-White and Rose-Red, Evil Queen ("Snow White"), Mother Holle
  • Robert V. Barron - Shoemaker, Guards, Sorcerer, Peasants ("Puss in Boots"), Farmer ("The Six Who Went Too Far"), Nobleman ("The Worn-Out Dancing Shoes"), Mr. Fox ("The Wedding of Mrs. Fox"), Florist ("Beauty and the Beast"), Old Man ("The Magic Heart"), Servant ("Brother and Sister"), Miller: Gretchen's Father ("Rumpelstiltskin")
  • Bill Capizzi - Cook ("King Grizzlebeard," "The Man of Iron"), Rabbit ("Mother Holle"), Soldier ("Brother and Sister"), King ("The Iron Stove"), Crab ("The Hare and the Hedgehog"), Rumpelstiltskin
  • Frank Catalano - Prince Alexander ("The Coat of Many Colors")
  • Ardwight Chamberlain - Franz ("The Four Skillful Brothers"), Johan ("Bearskin")
  • Louise Chamis - Wife of Peasant ("The Traveling Musicians of Bremen")
  • Cheryl Chase
  • Tony Clay - Enchanted Tree ("Cinderella")
  • Lara Cody - Jorinde, Princess Briar Rose, Cinderella, Maria, Rapunzel, Hildegard, various Princesses, Rudolf, Chambermaid
  • Mari Devon - Servant ("Bluebeard"), Nixie ("The Water Nixie")
  • Richard Epcar - Frosty, Young Man ("The Six Who Went Too Far"), Evil Spirit ("The Water of Life"), King Turner, Demon #2, Guards, Iron Hans, Blacksmith, Soldier
  • Michael Forest - King in several stories, Beast ("Beauty and the Beast"), John the Woodcutter, Death ("The Godfather of Death")
  • Rebecca Forstadt - Gretel, Rose-Red, Princess Louise, Hanna, Rosa, Little Girl
  • Eddie Frierson - Speedy, Peter, Algernon, Prince William
  • Barbara Goodson - Helga's Sisters, Farmer's Wife, Madam Pompadour, Mrs. Fox, Elaine, Mrs. Hedgehog, Queen
  • Melora Harte - Good Witches, Lily, Mosquito
  • Milton James - Donkey, King's Chamberlain, King Grizzlebeard, Devil, Frogs, Demon
  • Alexandra Kenworthy - Queen ("Cinderella")
  • Steve Kramer - Lead Thief; Father; Henry; Big Bad Wolf; Priest/Guard/Puss in Boots/Army General/Old Cat/Customer/Devil/Shopkeeper/Priest/Wolf/Prince/Servant/Cook/Hedgehog/Fisherman/Soldier/Captain/Villager/King in various tales
  • Christina Lange - Little Red Riding Hood
  • Doug Lee - Magic Mirror
  • Wendee Lee - Princess Leonora, Helga, Princess Genevieve, Christina
  • Morgan Lofting - Good Witch
  • Julie Maddalena - Variations of Snow-White and princess roles; Heidi
  • Melanie MacQueen
  • Kerrigan Mahan - Multiple roles including Peasant, Hunter, Monday (Seven Dwarfs), Prince Franz and others across stories
  • Dave Mallow - Guards; Bear/Prince variants; Hero roles; Chemist; King Grizzlebeard; Demons; Various animal and human characters throughout tales
  • Edward Mannix - King roles; Market Man; Maria's Father
  • Michael McConnohie - Cat/Dog/Woodcutter/King/Trader/Innkeeper/General Bear/Spirit of Justice roles across stories
  • Lisa Michelson - Nana Doris; Josephine; Princess Alea
  • Edie Mirman - Witch characters including Queen and Stepmother; Various elderly female roles in different stories
  • Tony Oliver - Altar Boy; Klaus; Princes; Sebastian; Foxes; Deer; Knight roles
  • Simon Prescott - Kings such as Bartholomew and Bluebeard in multiple narratives
  • Mike Reynolds - Kings; Huntsman; Army General; Old Wolf; Beelzebub; Goblin Bandit; Landlord; Giant; Wolf; Chamberlain in various tales
  • Ron Rolek - Hansel; Max; Joringel; Nicholas; Peter; Frederick; Junior; Doctor roles
  • Philece Sampler - Helga's Sisters
  • Brianne Siddall - Princesses and child characters including Rapunzel’s Son and Wren Prince variants
  • Michael Sorich - Dog; Seven Dwarfs (Friday); Muscles; Old Woodsman; Brother #1; Old Man; Second Prince; Frogs; Farmer; General #2 roles
  • Melodee Spevack - Peasant's Wife; Evil Queen
  • Marbry Steward - Princess Elena; Gwendolyn
  • Barry Stigler - Tuesday (Seven Dwarfs); Puffer; Brother #2
  • Doug Stone - Waiter; King Franz and other princes/kings/guards/knights in multiple tales
  • Kirk Thornton - Rapunzel’s Father; General #1
  • Clifton Wells - Sunday (Seven Dwarfs); Hans Müller; Miller
  • Jeff Winkless - Lackey; Old Man roles including Innkeeper and Knight in various stories
  • Dan Woren - Frog Prince and numerous prince/soldier/king parts
  • Tom Wyner - Hans’ Father and Pharmacist parts along with various kings and attendants across narratives

Music

For the Japanese broadcast, both seasons featured two theme tracks performed by Ushio Hashimoto: the opening song titled The Rainbow Bridge (虹の橋, Niji no Hashi) and the closing theme, My Town's Merry-Go-Round (私の町はメリーゴーランド, Watashi no Machi wa Merī Gorando). The incidental score for the Japanese edition was composed by Hideo Shimazu. In contrast, the English-language adaptation's soundtrack was created by Haim Saban and Shuki Levy, primarily repurposing music from the earlier VHS collection My Favorite Fairy Tales.

Releases

A limited number of episodes were issued on NTSC VHS format by Saban International and distributed through Starmaker Entertainment Inc., Hi-Tops Video/Fisher-Price in 1990, followed by Video Treasures/HGV Video Productions in 1992. These releases included titles such as Beauty and the Beast, Hansel & Gretel, Briar Rose, The Frog Prince, Snow White, and Cinderella.

In 2004, a selection of episodes was compiled on a single Region 2 DVD named "Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics - Volume One," released by Fox Kids and Maximum Entertainment Ltd. This collection featured Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, The Golden Goose, Snow White And Rose Red, and Beauty and the Beast.

Promotional DVDs containing episodes like Snow White, Bluebeard, Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, Cinderella, Puss N' Boots, among others, were distributed by British newspapers Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror. Additionally, the original Japanese series was made available as a five-disc Region 2 DVD set encompassing 10 episodes.

Although there was considerable cult enthusiasm for the series, English-dubbed DVD releases in Region 1 remained scarce for many years. Between 2005 and 2006, rights to the English dub reverted from The Walt Disney Company back to Nippon Animation.

Discotek Media later secured distribution rights for SD-BD formats and released Season 1 on May 25, 2021, followed by Season 2 on August 31, 2021. These editions included both the original Japanese audio versions alongside English dubs reconstructed from Japanese video sources and dub audio masters. Season 1 contained alternate English versions for certain episodes; Season 2 featured English dubs of episodes that had never been broadcast in North America such as The Crystal Ball, Mother Holle, and The Six Swans. It is worth noting that in this release, Season 1's episode titled The Six Who Went Far is mistakenly labeled as The Six Who Went Too Far.

Additionally, Season 1 of the English dub is accessible for streaming on Amazon Prime within the United States.

Title translations

  • Baśnie Braci Grimm (Polish)
  • Cuentos de los hermanos Grimm (Spanish, Latin America)
  • Videocuentos Infantiles (Spanish, Spain)
  • Soñar con los ojos abiertos (Spanish, Spain)
  • Grimm Masterpiece Theater (English)
  • Grimm Meisaku Gekijō (Japanese)
  • Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics (English)
  • Le Fiabe son Fantasia (Italian)
  • Raconte moi une Histoire (French)
  • فى جعبتى حكاية (Arabic)
  • グリム名作劇場 (Japanese)
  • 格林童話劇場 (Chinese)
  • Grimm legszebb meséi (Hungarian)
  • Grimms Märchen (German)
  • Os Teus Contos Clássicos (Portuguese; released only on DVD and VHS)
  • Бајке браће Грим (Serbian)
  • אגדות האחים גרים (Hebrew)
  • Сказки братьев Гримм (Russian)
  • Приказките на Братя Грим (Bulgarian)
  • Aka-uka Grimm ertaklari (Uzbek)
  • Grimmove pravljice (Slovenian)
  • Grimmove bajke (Croatian)
  • Pohádky bratří Grimmů (Czech)

External links

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