is a 1968 Japanese-American

animated Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most ani ...

fantasy film produced by Toei Doga, based on the works of Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. Theatrically released in Japan on March 19, 1968, the film was licensed in North America by

United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stud ...

in 1971.

Synopsis

A young Hans Christian Andersen, while seeking an opera ticket, suddenly discovers the inspirations and talents he will later have for his fairy tales.

Release

''The World of Hans Christian Andersen'' was released by Toei on March 19, 1968, three years prior to '' Andersen Stories'' (''Anderusen Monogatari'', 1971), an eponymous and thematically similar series produced by Zuiyo Enterprise and Mushi Production. The film and the series also have in common composer Seiichirō Uno, screenwriters

Hisashi Inoue was a leading Japanese playwright and writer of comic fiction. From 1961 to 1986, he used the pen name of Uchiyama Hisashi. Early life Inoue was born in what is now part of Kawanishi in Yamagata Prefecture, where his father was a pharmacis ...

and Morihisa Yamamoto, and voice actress

Eiko Masuyama is a Japanese actress and narrator. She works for Aoni Production. She is most known for originating the roles of Fujiko Mine ('' Lupin III''), Honey Kisaragi ('' Cutie Honey''), and Bakabon's Mama ('' Tensai Bakabon''). Early life Eiko Masuya ...

. The film was dubbed for U.S. audiences by

Hal Roach Harry Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr. Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director, and screenwriter, ...

, who hired Chuck McCann and

Al Kilgore Alfred R. Kilgore (December 19, 1927 - August 15, 1983), who signed his work Al Kilgore, was an American artist who worked as a cartoonist and filmmaker. Born in Newark, New Jersey, Kilgore attended Andrew Jackson High School where he played ba ...

to assist him; this was one of his last efforts before his studio closed down. In February 1971,

announced its partnership with Hal Roach Studios to distribute this edit, which opened in theaters on March 1. Toei will continue to adapt Andersen's works in feature length movies such as: ''

Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid is a Japanese anime film based on Hans Christian Andersen's 1837 fairy tale, released in 1975 by Toei Animation. Unlike the Disney adaptation released 14 years later, this film is closer to Andersen's story, notably in its preservation of the ...

'' (1975), ''

The Wild Swans The Wild Swans ( Danish: ''De vilde svaner'') is a literary fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen about a princess who rescues her 11 brothers from a spell cast by an evil queen. The tale was first published on 2 October 1838 in Andersen's ...

'' (1977) and ''

Thumbelina Thumbelina (; da, Tommelise) is a literary fairy tale written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen first published by C. A. Reitzel on 16 December 1835 in Copenhagen, Denmark, with "The Naughty Boy" and "The Travelling Companion" in ...

'' (1978), and in the TV series ''

World Fairy Tale Series ''World Fairy Tale Series'' (世界名作童話シリーズ・ワ～ォ！メルヘン王国 ''Sekai meisaku dōwa shirīzu - Wa-o! Meruhen ōkoku''?, lit. "World Masterpiece Fairy Tale Series - Wow! Fairy Tale Kingdom"; also known as: アニメ ...

''.

Cast

Reception

In his ''Family Guide to Movies on Video'', Henry Herx wrote that "the animation is colorful and creative, though stylistically comparable to Saturday morning TV shows. It provides a wonderful world of fantasy to absorb the small fry at a matinee." The writers of Jerry Beck's ''Animated Movie Guide'' gave it three stars out of four; as contributor

Fred Patten Frederick Walter Patten (December 11, 1940 – November 12, 2018) was an American writer and historian known for his work in the science fiction, fantasy, anime, manga, and furry fandoms, where he gained great distinction through a substantial c ...

commented, the film "is pleasant children's fare; a stereotypical and clichéd 'fun for the whole family' animated feature."

Home media

The World of Hans Christian Andersen was first released to VHS by RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video in the 1980s. In 2004, Digiview Productions released it on DVD

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:World Of Hans Christian Andersen, The 1968 films 1968 anime films 1960s fantasy films United Artists animated films 1960s children's fantasy films Films based on fairy tales Films based on works by Hans Christian Andersen Films based on The Little Match Girl Toei Animation films Toei Company films Anime and manga based on fairy tales Japanese animated fantasy films United Artists films 1960s children's animated films Films directed by Kimio Yabuki 1960s American films 1970s American films ja:アンデルセン物語