Anne Shirley (2025 TV series)

Plot

Eleven-year-old orphan Anne Shirley is adopted by Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert of Prince Edward Island, who had requested a boy. Matthew welcomes her, but Marilla initially wants her returned. Over time, Marilla warms to Anne and lets her stay at Green Gables. Anne faces personal challenges, makes lifelong friends like Diana Barry, and rivals like Gilbert Blythe, growing up through love, happiness, friendship, sadness, and loss.

Characters

Anne Shirley is an 11-year-old orphan with a vivid imagination who adapts to life at Green Gables. She has a temper, especially when mocked for her red hair, but matures into a confident woman, becoming a teacher and attending college. Marilla Cuthbert, the adoptive mother, is initially cold after expecting a boy but grows to love Anne's vivacity. Stern and strict, she instills discipline yet holds progressive views, motivating Anne's education and career.

Matthew Cuthbert, the adoptive father, quickly adores Anne and indulges her with clothes and shoes, tempering Marilla's reactions. He dies of a heart attack in Episode 10 after learning the bank closed; Anne later visits his grave when distressed. Diana Barry is Anne's bosom friend, met early at Green Gables. Though lacking Anne's imagination, she remains loyal and inseparable from Anne in childhood, professing love constantly.

They stay best friends into adulthood, with Diana later accepting an engagement proposal, upsetting Anne. Gilbert Blythe is also mentioned.

Media

A manga drawn by Akane Hoshikubo, itself based on Hanako Muraoka’s 1952 translation, started running in Enterbrain’s B’s Log Comic online magazine on January 5, 2025. The anime was revealed in November 2024, made by The Answer Studio and helmed by Hiroshi Kawamata, with Kenichi Tsuchiya on character design and Michiru Ōshima composing the music. It ran for 24 episodes on NHK Educational TV from April 5 to September 27, 2025. Starting with episode three, Tota performs the opening theme, while Laura Day Romance sings the ending theme “Heart.” Crunchyroll handled the stream, and Medialink licensed it for Southeast Asia on Ani-One Asia’s YouTube channel. The show splits into three arcs, each matching a novel: Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne of the Island.

Reception

The series was well received. Anime Feminist called it a 'gorgeous new take' with 'feminist potential,' honoring prior adaptations while welcoming newcomers, concerned with children's autonomy and celebrating the 'odd little girl protagonist.' Vrai Kaiser noted Anne of Green Gables' popularity in Japan, its integration into school curricula, and the 1979 TV anime, seeing traces of Anne in shoujo and yuri evolution, with some describing Anne and Diana's friendship as fitting the Class-S tradition.

Kaiser called the premiere 'beautiful, lovingly made,' indebted to the previous adaptation, praised composer Takahashi Natsuko and the storytelling, said Marilla may have less time due to shorter runtime, and described the series as about a character finding joy in a society built to devalue young girls. Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network, while having a special place for the original anime, said she was not incredibly excited about this adaptation, noting many modern heroines owe roots to Anne.

She said teasers and trailers take inspiration from Yoshifumi Kondō's 1977 designs with a 'charmingly old-fashioned, pastoral feel,' concluding that if the series pulls off even half the charm of its source material, it should be special.