Maple Town

Maple Town
Cover of the first DVD box set released in Japan.
メイプルタウン物語
(Maple Town Monogatari)
GenreAdventure, Slice of life
Anime television series
Directed byJunichi Sato
Produced byShinji Nabeshima (Asahi Broadcasting)
Azuma Kasuga (Asatsu Inc.)
Yasuo Yamaguchi[1]
Written byShigeru Yanagawa
Music byAkiko Kosaka
StudioToei Animation
Asatsu
Asahi Broadcasting Corporation[1]
Licensed by
Original networkANN (ABC, TV Asahi[1])
English network
Original run January 19, 1986 (1986-01-19) January 11, 1987 (1987-01-11)
Episodes52 (List of episodes)
Anime film
Maple Town Monogatari
Directed byJunichi Sato
StudioToei Animation
ReleasedJuly 12, 1986 (1986-07-12)
Runtime30 minutes
Anime television series
New Maple Town Stories: Palm Town Chapter
Directed byHiroshi Shidara
StudioToei Animation
Original networkTV Asahi
Original run January 18 December 27, 1987 (1987-12-27)
Episodes50 (List of episodes)
Anime film
New Maple Town Stories: Home Town Collection
Directed byHiroshi Shidara
StudioToei Animation
ReleasedMarch 14, 1987 (1987-03-14)
Runtime30 minutes

Maple Town, also known as Maple Town Stories (Japanese: メイプルタウン物語, Hepburn: Meipuru Taun Monogatari), is a 1986 Japanese anime series created by Chifude Asakura and directed by Junichi Sato. The series, animated by Toei Animation, consists of 52 half-hour episodes, which aired on ABC in Japan from January 19, 1986, to January 11, 1987.[1]

The show focuses on the adventures of Patty Rabbit, Bobby Bear and their families, in a small anthropomorphic city named Maple Town. The series was followed by a 50-episode sequel, New Maple Town Stories: Palm Town Chapter, which retained only Patty Rabbit (and her voice actor, Maya Okamoto) from both series, although Maple Town's citizens made cameos from time to time. To date, this has not had an official English release.

The show was dubbed into English and syndicated in the United States in 1987.[7] The program spawned collectable figurines with changeable clothing, as well as houses, furniture and vehicles. Tonka was the US licensee and manufacturer.[8]

VHS compilations of Maple Town appeared in North America, Europe and Japan during the late 1980s and early 1990s. As of 2013, official DVDs of the show had surfaced in Japan, Spain[9] and Hungary,[10] with no release plans announced for other territories.

  1. ^ a b c d "Maple Town (メイプルタウン物語) cast and crew information". marumegane.com (in Japanese). Takashi Murakami. Archived from the original on November 11, 2019. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  2. ^ "INTERNATIONAL SERIES & MINI SERIES". The Kushner-Locke Company. Retrieved December 10, 2009.
  3. ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 through 2003 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. pp. 542–545. ISBN 0786420995.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference tv-age was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Daytime listings". The News-Messenger. September 22, 1989. p. 23. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  7. ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 524–525. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  8. ^ Weiss, Barbara (October 20, 1986). "No blockbusters in sight to boost holiday toy sales". Drug Topics. 130. Copyright Medical Economics Company: 46.
  9. ^ "La Aldea del Arce – Serie Completa DVD" (in Spanish). ZONADVD.com. February 21, 2007. Retrieved December 10, 2009.
  10. ^ "AnimeAddicts – Ismertetők – Anime: Maple Town Monogatari / メイプルタウン物語" (in Hungarian). Animeaddicts.hu. February 16, 2007. Retrieved December 10, 2009.