Moomin (1969 TV series)

Lore & Background

The series was conceived when Calpis Co., Ltd. sought a family-oriented alternative to the sports dramas and slapstick comedies dominating 1960s Japanese TV animation. Producer Shigeto Takahashi met with Jansson, who agreed on condition that no money, machines, or television appear in the series. Director Masaaki Osumi, from a puppet theater background, initially found the source material too static for animation but accepted the role. He based the series on Moomin comic strips rather than the novels, believing their freer plots suited animation. Animation director Yasuo Otsuka emphasized roundness and never used straight lines for characters. Screenwriter Hisashi Inoue, a distinguished novelist and dramatist, contributed to the scripts.

Tensions arose between Takahashi, who wanted fidelity to Jansson's work, and the advertising agency, which pushed for changes like a bullet train in Moomin Valley. After broadcast, Jansson viewed episode 7 and submitted a letter of complaints. Tokyo Movie cited this letter to exit the project after episode 26, though the real reasons were budget overruns and an inability to handle the expanded episode order. Mushi Production took over from episode 27, redesigning characters to match Jansson's drawings and altering plots. However, children complained about the changes, and Calpis expressed dissatisfaction. A subsequent meeting with Jansson led to some elements being reverted to the Tokyo Movie style, provided the series aired only in Japan.

Reader's Guide

The 1969 *Moomin* series holds significance as a contentious adaptation that diverged sharply from Tove Jansson's original books and comic strips. Jansson never approved the series or its 1972 sequel *Shin Muumin*, due to changes such as Moomintroll being portrayed as an ordinary, sometimes ill-tempered boy, the use of firearms, and a scene with characters drinking at a bar. The series saw limited release outside Japan—only in Taiwan and the United Kingdom—and has not been publicly released in principle since 1990, when a new *Moomin* anime with Jansson's full involvement debuted. The production also led to the split of Zuiyo Enterprise in 1975 into Nippon Animation (which continued the World Masterpiece Theater franchise) and Zuiyo Company, Ltd. Despite its controversial legacy, the series was well-liked by the Japanese public as an adventurous and comedic show for boys.

Did You Know?

• The series was the first entry and the first in color in what is now known as World Masterpiece Theater.
• Tove Jansson never approved the series or its 1972 sequel due to dramatic changes in plot, atmosphere, and character personalities.
• After Tokyo Movie exited the project, Mushi Production took over from episode 27 and redesigned characters to match Jansson's drawings.
• Contrary to some claims, the series has seen limited home video releases in Japan and broadcasts after 1990, so it is not accurate to say it has been 'unreleased in principle' since that year.