Dog of Flanders (TV series)

Dog of Flanders
Cover art for Kodansha English Library book version of the TV series
フランダースの犬 (Furandāsu no Inu)
Genre	Drama
Created by	Maria Louise Ramé
Anime television series
Directed by	Yoshio Kuroda
Produced by	Junzō Nakajima Shigehito Takahashi Takaji Matsudo
Written by	Hideo Rokushika Isao Matsuki Ryūzō Nakanishi
Music by	Takeo Watanabe
Studio	Zuiyo Eizo (#1–26) Nippon Animation (#27–52)
Original network	FNS (Fuji TV)
Original run	January 5, 1975 – December 28, 1975
Episodes	52
Anime film
The Dog of Flanders
Directed by	Yoshio Kuroda
Produced by	Junzō Nakajima
Written by	Miho Maruo
Music by	Tarō Iwashiro
Studio	Nippon Animation
Licensed by	Geneon USA
Released	15 March 1997 (1997-03-15) (Japan) 7 March 2000 (2000-03-07) (United States)
Runtime	103 minutes

Dog of Flanders (フランダースの犬, Furandāsu no Inu) is a 1975 Japanese anime television series adaptation of Ouida's 1872 novel of the same name, directed by Yoshio Kuroda and produced by Nippon Animation. 52 episodes were produced.^[1] A film version was released in 1997.

The series represents the bond between a boy and his ever so faithful dog living in a 19th century Flanders village near Antwerp. The emotional story shows the boy's struggles in life, and his hopes of becoming a great classical painter.

The anime series is notable for being the first official entry in the World Masterpiece Theater series (Calpis Children's Theater at the time).

In 1875, in the Flemish village of Blacken in Belgium, a young boy named Nello Daas lives with his grandfather Jehan, having lost his parents at an early age. The two earn their living by transporting milk from their village to the nearby city of Antwerp. After finishing their work each day, Nello spends time with his childhood friend Alois, and although their life is poor, they live modestly and contentedly.

One day, while accompanying his grandfather to Antwerp, Nello encounters an elderly large dog that is being forced to pull heavy loads for a hardware merchant. The dog, Patrasche, draws Nello’s concern, and when he later learns that the merchant has abandoned the weakened animal on a riverbank, Nello rescues him and brings him home. Although Patrasche initially shows fear toward humans, he gradually grows trusting in response to the kindness shown by Nello and his grandfather. In time, Patrasche begins to assist with the milk deliveries of his own accord, becoming an irreplaceable presence in the lives of both Nello and Alois.

Nello possesses a great talent for drawing, admires the paintings of Rubens, and deeply wishes to see the great painter’s works displayed in the city’s cathedral—The Elevation of the Cross and The Descent from the Cross—which, however, can be viewed only for a fee that the boy cannot afford.

As Nello deepens his interest in drawing and as Alois discovers her enjoyment of lace-making, it is decided that Alois will study abroad in England. Her father Cogez, a major landowner in the area, disapproves of the closeness developing between his only daughter and Nello. However, the following year Alois is forced to return due to illness and recovers thanks to Nello's closeness.

Some time later, Nello’s grandfather dies, leaving Nello and Patrasche in deep grief. Shortly thereafter, a fire breaks out at the windmill on the Cogez estate. Because of his longstanding dislike of Nello, Cogez begins to suspect him of having caused the fire. The villagers, unable to oppose Cogez, cease to employ Nello for milk deliveries. Following the death of his grandfather, the loss of his livelihood, and his loss in a long-cherished drawing competition, Nello falls into despair and loses the will to live.

At this time, Patrasche finds a purse containing a large sum of money that Cogez has dropped. Nello returns it to the Cogez household. Although Alois and her mother Elina are grateful and attempt to invite him inside, Nello refuses, leaves Patrasche in their care, and returns home, where he departs after leaving behind a note and all of his remaining possessions. When Cogez later learns that the returned purse was delivered by the boy he had long treated harshly, he is filled with remorse and resolves to make amends.

On Christmas night, after hearing from the mill worker Noel that Nello was innocent, Cogez and the villagers set out to apologize to him. A judge from the painting competition also comes to take Nello in. However, Nello has already disappeared. Despite their frantic search, they are unable to find him in time.

Patrasche escapes from the Cogez household and discovers Nello collapsed in the cathedral while gazing at paintings by Rubens. Nello says to him, “Patrasche, you must be tired. I am tired too. Somehow, I feel very sleepy.” They then pass away, departing for heaven, escorted by a host of angels, where Nello’s parents and grandfather await them, and where they are said to live together in eternal peace, free from suffering.

• Michie Kita as Nello Daas - a poor and honest orphan, the main character. Ages 8-9.
• Patrasche - Nello's faithful dog.
• Reiko Katsura, Yōko Asagami (eps 1-2), Yoshiko Matsuo (ep 12) as Alois - a cheerful young girl who is Nello's best friend. Ages 5-7.
• Hirō Oikawa as Grandpa Jehan Daas - Nello's kind grandfather.

• Tamio Ōki as Baas Cogez - Alois' proud father, the rich landowner of the village, who despises Nello's poverty.
• Taeko Nakanishi as Elina - Alois' gentle mother who supports her friendship with Nello.
• Yasuo Muramatsu as Hans - Cogez's petty servant who uses Nello as a scapegoat.
• Chieko Ichikawa as Greta - Hans' wife.
• Sumiko Shirakawa as Andre - Hans' good but cowardly son.
• Dax - Andre's dachshund.
• Haru Endō as Nulette - an elderly lady who is a neighbor and is fond of Nello.
• Kuro - Nulette's duck.
• Tetsuo Mizutori as Jestas - a kind farmer for whom Nello sells milk.
• Reiko Suzuki as Isabel - Jestas' wife.
• Takeshi Nakamura as Helmond - an opportunistic farmer who refuses Nello's work for a cheaper service.
• Kōji Yada as Sergio - a vegetable vendor who inadvertently replaces Nello's work.

• Kuriko Komamura as George - a lively 12-year-old boy who is a friend of Nello.
• Masako Sugaya as Paul - George’s 6-year-old brother.
• Toku Nishio as Milk Delivery Person
• Yoko Yamaoka as Stephan - the son of a rich man who wins the drawing prize instead of Nello.
• Art supply store owner

• Masashi Amenomori as Michele - a woodcutter friend of Nello.
• Ichirō Nagai as Noel - a windmill craftsman.
• Donkey Duke - Noel's donkey.
• Shōzō Iizuka as Ansor - the cruel former owner of Patrasche.
• Haruko Kitahama as Lady - a rich woman who befriends Nello and tells him about Rubens' paintings.
• Yoshiko Fuita as Mylene - Nulette's daughter.
• Kei Tomiyama as Claude - Mylene's husband.
• Sophia - Cogez's elegant younger sister.
• Mari Okamoto as Annie - Sofia's snobbish daughter and Alois' cousin.
• Teiji Ōmiya as Danton - Cogez's business colleague.
• Kinto Tamura as Bertrand - the doctor who treats Alois when she returns sick from England.
• Iemasa Kayumi as Hendrick Ray - a drawing competition judge, who gives drawing advice to Nello. He claims that Nello wins the prize but is overwhelmed by the other judges and then decides to tutor him.
• Nello's mother - died when he was two, appears in flashbacks.
• Judges of the drawing competition

The animators conducted extensive research on 19th century Flanders, although it has to be said that a lot of features in the series are not Flemish but typically Dutch. The buildings depicted in the series were modeled after the Bokrijk open-air museum. Although there have been some changes from the original story by Marie Louise de la Ramée, it has been faithful in keeping the storyline accurate.

Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki also worked on the series, respectively as storyboard artist and key animator for episode 15.

Dog of Flanders aired on Fuji TV between January 5 and December 28, 1975. Having gone into production before Zuiyo Eizo and Nippon Animation division, episodes #1–26 of the anime were still originally credited to Zuiyo and broadcast in the Calpis Comic Theater series. In subsequent DVD releases Calpis Children's Theater title card was kept in all 52 episodes.^[2][3]

• "Yoake-no Michi" (よあけのみち), opening theme (and ending theme in episodes 1-8), lyrics written by Eriko Kishida, music by Takeo Watanabe, arrangements by Yushi Matsuyama, sung by Kumiko Ōsugi.
• "Dokomademo arukou ne" (どこまでもあるこうね), ending theme (from episode 9), lyrics written by Eriko Kishida, music by Takeo Watanabe, arrangements by Yushi Matsuyama, sung by Kumiko Ōsugi.

The series was aired in several countries and regions, including South Korea (on TBC from August to November 1976, later on KBS1TV from September 1981 to January 1982 and again from January to April 1982, and on EBS in 2007), Hong Kong (on TVB in July 1977), Taiwan (on CTV in 1979), Spain (on TVE beginning 17 October 1977^[4], with a redub by Telecinco in November 1991^[5]), Germany (on Sat.1 from April 1984 to May 1985^[6]), Italy (on Rai 1 from June to September 1984^[7]), and Austria (on ORF in 1986^[6]). It also aired in parts of the Arab world and the Philippines, achieving particular success across Asia.^[8][9][10] However, it was never broadcast in Belgium, where the story is set, nor in the UK or the US, despite English being the language of the original novel.

For the European release, the distribution rights were acquired by the German company Taurus Film in 1977. The series underwent several modifications: the original Japanese soundtrack was completely replaced with new music composed by Otto K. Reppert, and character names were altered—Nello and Alois were renamed Niklaas and Aneka in the German version,^[6] while in the 1991 Spanish redub they became Nicolás and Marta.^[5] The finale was also significantly edited, with scenes such as Alois running in terror, presaging the imminent death of her friend, her desperate cry, the cathedral candles going out, and the descent of angels symbolizing Nello and Patrasche’s death removed; the ending was reworked as a dream, suggesting that the protagonists lived happily upon waking.^[5] The Italian broadcast, imported from the German version but retaining the original Japanese music and most character names, was aired only once, and it is unclear whether it included the European edits to the final episode.^[7]

The series enjoyed great popularity in Japan. The final scene in particular is remembered by viewers as one of the most moving in the history of television.^[11] According to data from Video Research, the final episode recorded a 30.1% audience rating in the Kantō region, the highest figure ever achieved within the World Masterpiece Theater series. In the period leading up to the conclusion, the broadcaster Fuji TV also received an exceptionally large number of responses from viewers: more than one thousand letters were sent following the broadcast of episode 44, expressing sympathy over the death of Nello’s grandfather; and ahead of the final episode, aired on 28 December 1975, many viewers who were familiar with the ending of the original novel sent appeals requesting that Nello and Patrasche be spared.^[12] In response to these reactions, the network’s public relations department stated its intention to “ensure an ending that could give dreams to children,” while still having to decide whether to adhere to the novel’s conclusion.^[12] Ultimately, the position of Calpis president Fujio Dochakura — a devout Christian — prevailed; according to his view, death does not represent an end but rather a triumphant return to heaven. This perspective led to the scene in which Nello and Patrasche are welcomed by angels.^[13]

Hayao Miyazaki, who was marginally involved in the production of the series, later expressed a critical view of the work, stating: “Despite having achieved good ratings, I consider it a work of little value.”^[14]

The main opening theme song has always been popular in Japan since the series' debut. It was featured in a daydream sequence in the live action adaptation of Nodame Cantabile, starring Juri Ueno and Hiroshi Tamaki, with the character of Nodame singing the song while taking a bath. It was also used in the anime adaptation of Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World- as protagonist Subaru Natsuki's ringtone.^[15]

A series of trailers for the 2023 video game Resident Evil 4 that parodied Dog of Flanders were released to coincide with the game's release.^[16]

A feature film remake of the series, titled The Dog of Flanders or The Dog of Flanders: The Movie (劇場版 フランダースの犬, Gekijōban Furandāsu no Inu) was released in March 1997, distributed by Shochiku. Like the TV series, it is directed by Yoshio Kuroda and produced by Nippon Animation. The film was released on VHS in 1999 and later released on DVD in March 2000.

In producing the theatrical film, the creators largely retained the setting of the previously mentioned television series, while introducing original adaptations and directorial choices, such as a memoir-like narrative structure in which Nello’s childhood friend Alois reflects on the past after reaching adulthood. Differences are also evident in the depiction of the final moments of Nello and Patrasche, and the film does not employ narration. The ending portrays the adult Alois hearing Nello’s voice within a vision and renewing her resolve for the future. The lyrics of the ending theme likewise function as an epilogue from Alois’ perspective. These changes were reportedly made in reflection on the comparatively limited development of Alois’ character in the latter part of the television series.^[17]

The music and visuals were also renewed, and the scenery was depicted in a manner closer to that of Flanders at the time. Computer-generated imagery was used in some scenes. The voice cast was changed as well.

Alois, now grown and having become a nun, visits Antwerp Cathedral and reflects on her memories from twenty years earlier—from the time she became close to Nello and Patrasche through to their deaths.

• Makoto Tsumura/Brady Bluhm as Nello Daas
• Sakura Tange/Debi Derryberry as Alois
• Kousei Yagi/Robert Loggia as Grandpa Jehan Daas
• Honami Suzuki/Sean Young as the adult/Sister Alois
• Katsumi Toriumi/Richard Cansino as the adult Paul
• Yuriko Fuchizaki/Lara Cody as the young Paul
• Masato Hirano/Randy Montgomery as Hans
• Toshiyuki Morikawa/Scott Menville as the adult George
• Yoshiko Kamei/Ryan O'Donohue as the young George
• Yuko Sasaki as Nello's mother
• Bob Papenbrook as Ansole
• Sherry Lynn as Elina
• Michael McConnohie as Cogez
• Matt K. Miller as Mr. Ike
• Chris Carroll as Art Store Owner
• Louise Chamis as Mrs. Nulette
• Brianne Siddall as Stephen
• Paul St. Peter as Art Judge #1
• Cliff Wells as Art Judge #2
• Mari Devon as Mrs. Jestas

Voices for orphan children provided by Jessica Evans, Dylan Hart, Sophie Lechken, Alex Mandelberg, Bryce Papenbrook.

It grossed ¥243,543,645 at the box office.

• My Patrasche, Tokyo Movie Shinsha's adaptation of Marie Louise de la Ramée's novel

• Dog of Flanders (TV) at Nippon Animation's English website via Internet Archive
• The Dog of Flanders (film) at Nippon Animation's English website via Internet Archive
• The Dog of Flanders (film) at Nippon Animation (in Japanese) via Internet Archive
• Dog of Flanders (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Dog of Flanders (TV) at IMDb
• The Dog of Flanders (film) at IMDb