In an exclusive interview with The European Animation Journal at Annecy 2025, Producer Yoshiko Nakayama from Fuji Creative Corporation, along with Yukari Kiso, Co-Founder of The Answer Studio, and Kyosuke Sawada, responsible for Animation Production, shared insights into the creative journey behind this new retelling.
This conversation was made possible thanks to François Grosjean, Deputy Director for Global Business at Fuji Creative Corporation, who kindly provided his expertise in the Japanese language and served as the interpreter.
How did you come up with this project, and how do you think it resonates now with both new audiences and those familiar with Anne Shirley’s story through the animated series and movie from the 80s?
Yoshiko Nakayama: I was a huge fan of the novels by Lucy Maud Montgomery when I was in middle school, and I started thinking about this project when I began to work in the content industry. Five years ago, I submitted a project about all eleven volumes of the series to a competition held internally, and I won. Our CEO initially asked me to focus on developing an adaptation for the first season, and we decided to encompass the first three volumes, adapted into 24 episodes. We aim to fully explore the story, since the previous adaptations only covered the first volume.
Concerning audiences, we need to consider that target and genre reception in Japan is quite different from overseas. This title, for example, is regarded as shojo overseas, making it primarily a product aimed at girls, but this is not the case in Japan, where audiences of all ages watch the series. We even received feedback from a viewer in his 20s who is watching the anime with his mother – increasing the involvement of adult audiences, which isn’t always straightforward. While the original book series is mainly enjoyed by girls or women in the West, I believe this adaptation has the potential to appeal to a broader audience.
How is the production process going on and what are you finding most challenging?
Y. N.: The most difficult aspect has been finding the right animation studio for our production. I have no experience in animation production, as my background is in distribution. However, from the distribution perspective, I had a clear vision: I have been distributing animation for many years and understand the network of foreign distributors to collaborate with, as well as how foreign audiences and buyers are likely to respond to the new animation.
Other than a planned full exploration of the 11-volume storyline, what’s the added value of this production if compared with previous adaptations?
Yukari Kiso: First of all, it has a more modern approach. The original adaptation covered the first volume in 51 episodes, providing detailed and thorough storytelling. This new series consists of 24 episodes that adapt the first 3 volumes, resulting in a faster-paced narrative, without changing the storyline or the characters. While we aimed to stay true to the original story as told in the books, we wanted to create a series that would appeal to young audiences today.
From the production side, which assets convinced you to support this project?
Y. K.: When Yoshiko presented the project, we were truly impressed by her passion and dedication. Furthermore, we were searching for projects with long-term potential, something that people would continue to enjoy for many years. Anne of Green Gables perfectly fits this model and it is well-positioned to become a lasting animation.
The series is going to be featured on the Crunchyroll platform – a huge milestone in terms of visibility and distribution. What does it mean for you to have a project featured on a huge platform with such a strong fanbase?
Y. N.: Crunchyroll has a very strong community indeed, but the content they typically stream is mainly related to action or adventure genres. This project is quite different from their usual offerings. We made a strong effort to be featured in it, and we are thrilled with the positive outcome.
Our team is working hard to support Crunchyroll from a marketing perspective, suggesting promotion actions to reach audiences beyond the core anime fanbase – people who may appreciate the 19th-century fashion style and setting of the series, as well as fans of the original book series. 
Compared to the previous adaptations, how did the visual style change?
Kyosuke Sawada: Kenichi Tsuchiya, our Character Designer, was familiar with the previous designs, but he chose to stop watching the old adaptations and reset his mindset to develop a new style for the series. When working on the storyboard, he had extensive discussions with Director Hiroshi Kawamata to refine the style and create something utterly new and innovative.
