Robin Hood (1990 TV series)
Pre-teen Robin and allies flee to Sherwood Forest.
Robin Hood is an anime series co-produced by Tatsunoko Production, Mondo TV, and NHK. It adapts Alexandre Dumas’ translations of Pierce Egan the Younger’s 1838 novel Robin Hood and Little John. The show features Robin and his companions as mostly pre-teens.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Kōichi Mashimo
- Producer
- Ippei Kuri
- Kouki Narushima
- Masaaki Motomura
- Executive producers
- Kenichi Murakami; Hideo Ihara
- Music
- Yasunori Iwasaki
- Animator
- Tatsunoko Production
- Company
- NHK; Mondo TV
- Country
- Japan; Italy
- Language
- Japanese
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Robin's palace is burned by order of Alwyn, the Baron of Nottingham. Robin and his cousins Will, Winifred and Jenny flee into Sherwood Forest, where they meet bandits led by Little John, who dubs himself Big John early in the series. Together they must stop Baron Alwyn's persecutions and greed, and prevent Bishop Hartford from adopting (marrying, in the Japanese version) Marian Lancaster to obtain her family's wealth.
Characters
Robert Huntington, aka Robin Hood, is the heir to the noble Huntington family. He flees to Sherwood Forest after his home is burnt and his parents assassinated. He is an archer; twice he shoots an apple from a long distance, and in most episodes a showy scene shows him arming and drawing his bow for a decisive shot whose outcome ranges from spectacular embarrassment to epic success. Robin is not particularly bright, and the series often uses deus ex machina to help him. Marian Lancaster, descendant of the Lancaster family, is to be adopted by Bishop Hartford. She wears a golden cross-shaped pendant bearing her family symbol, which often precipitates supernatural phenomena, and she is notable for her character development. Will Scarlet is Robin's sidekick who has two sisters. Friar Tuck, an old monk living on the edge of Sherwood Forest, helps Robin meagerly; a recurring gag involves his failed attempts at inventing flying machines. Little John leads a group of bandits hiding from forced labor and has a love interest in Winifred; he is not a reliable ally due to his temperament. Much is Little John's right-hand man. Winifred Scarlet is Robin's cousin and Will's older sister. Jenny Scarlet (Barbara in the Japanese version) is Robin's cousin and Will's younger sister. King Richard the Lionheart is the king of England. The 1990 edition has flipping antagonists into Robin's supporters.
Music
The Japanese version uses two theme songs: the opening "Wood Walker" and the ending "Hoshizora no Labirinsu", both sung by Satoko Shimonari. Two English opening songs exist: "Robin of the Forest" and an instrumental of "Wood Walker" used for Interfilm's video dub. The Italian dub features an opening theme with words by Alessandra Valeri Manera and music by Carmelo "Ninni" Carucci, sung by Cristina D'Avena; the French dub uses the same tune sung by Alexis Tomassian. All opening animations are the same, but the ending animation differs by international version: the Japanese ending is completely original, while the German dub shows scenes from the series to a shortened instrumental of their composed opening.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which network aired Robin Hood (1990 TV series)?
Robin Hood aired on NHK-BS2 (Japan).
When did Robin Hood (1990 TV series) first air?
Robin Hood first aired on 28 July 1990.
When did Robin Hood (1990 TV series) end?
Robin Hood last aired on 28 October 1991.
More in Italian Children's Animated Fantasy Television Series
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced