Cinderella (TV series)
A retelling of Cinderella with a roguish prince and talking animals.
A 1996 Japanese anime adaptation of the classic fairy tale, this 26-episode series was produced by Tatsunoko Production and aired from April 4 to October 3. It draws on the versions by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Adventure
- Drama
- Fantasy
- Romance
- Based on
- Cinderella, Charles Perrault
- Director
- Hiroshi Sasagawa (chief)
- Executive producers
- Kenji Yoshida; Ippei Kuri
- Producer
- Shuji Uchiyama; Masatoshi Yui
- Company
- Tatsunoko Production; Marubeni
- Network
- NHK-BS2
- Country
- Japan
Facts from the source article.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cenerentola | 1:30 |
| 2 | Il Carillon | 1:05 |
| 3 | Il Sogno | 1:06 |
| 4 | La Tristezza Di Cenerentola | 2:30 |
| 5 | Promenade | 2:12 |
| 6 | Le Pulizie Di Casa | 2:01 |
| 7 | La Festa Del Paese | 1:16 |
| 8 | Tema Cenerentola | 1:42 |
| 9 | Il Castello Del Principe | 1:46 |
| 10 | Il Concorso Di Bellezza | 2:55 |
| 11 | Il Principe In Incognito | 4:44 |
| 12 | Madame Paulette. La Fatina | 0:47 |
| 13 | La Matrigna | 1:30 |
| 14 | Cenerentola Innamorata | 2:20 |
| 15 | L'Arte Di Zore Il Malvagio | 2:33 |
| 16 | Cenerentola In Pericolo | 4:43 |
| 17 | La Foresta Incantata | 3:35 |
| 18 | Zaral, Il Cattivo, È Il Re! | 1:55 |
| 19 | Zaral Sconfitto | 2:47 |
| 20 | Cenerentola Resta A Casa | 2:12 |
| 21 | Corri Al Ballo Del Principe | 4:00 |
| 22 | Il Valtzer Con Il Principe | 1:33 |
| 23 | È Mezzanotte! | 2:02 |
| 24 | Il Ricordo Del Ballo | 1:55 |
| 25 | La Scarpetta Di Cristallo | 0:40 |
| 26 | Cenerentola Principessa | 2:03 |
| Total length | 57:22 | |
Track listing from the source article.
Summary
The Story of Cinderella begins when Cinderella's widower father departs on a business trip, after which her stepmother moves her own daughters into Cinderella's room, discards her belongings, gives her a servant's dress, and forces her into harsh labor. The series follows Cinderella's struggles to adapt to her new life while enduring abuse from her stepfamily. Her fairy godmother, Paulette, secretly observes and tries to improve Cinderella's situation without her knowledge, first by granting speech to several household animals: the dog Patch, mice Chuchu and Bingo, and a bird named Pappy. These companions help with chores and provide company. A major twist is that Cinderella meets Prince Charles early, though he disguises himself as a commoner and initially causes misunderstandings. The two become friends and share adventures, while the villainous Duke Zaral plots against the royal family, sometimes involving Cinderella. The story culminates in the ball with a unique twist.
Plot
Cinderella is the only daughter of a rich, widowed duke. Her mother died when she was young, leaving only keepsakes. The duke remarried, giving Cinderella a stepmother and two stepsisters. When her father leaves on a long business trip, her stepfamily forces her into the attic and makes her do all household chores. Her fairy godmother Paulette secretly gives four animals the power of speech: the dog Patch, mice Chuchu and Bingo, and a bird Pappy, who help Cinderella and monitor her well-being. One day, Cinderella meets a pageboy claiming to serve the prince of the Emerald Castle; she calls him a liar, unaware he is Prince Charles in disguise, who sneaks out to escape boring duties. Her stepmother tries to exploit this connection to marry a daughter to the prince, but the ploy fails, and Cinderella forgives Charles. Their friendship deepens into romance as Charles learns the value of his duties. Meanwhile, Duke Zaral schemes to marry his daughter Isabel to Charles, but Isabel eventually elopes with a childhood friend. Cinderella and Charles uncover Zaral's plot to overthrow the king and queen; Charles stops the coup with Cinderella's help but reveals his identity. Heartbroken, Cinderella ends their friendship, believing a prince would never marry a servant who called him a liar.
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