Sylvanian Families (Japanese: シルバニアファミリー, Hepburn: Shirubania famirī) is a 2007 3DCGoriginal video animation series produced by Dyna Method in cooperation with Itochu, Nippon Columbia and Shogakukan, based on the Sylvanian Families toy line by Epoch Co. It is the third adaptation of the Sylvanian Families characters to animation, preceded by the 1987 American animated series Sylvanian Families and the 1988 British stop motion animation Stories of the Sylvanian Families. It was produced by Kōji Kawaguchi and Yumiko Muriai, directed by Akira Takamura and the stories were written by Hiroko Odaka. The OVAs were released on June 20, 2007 on DVD with English-language subtitles.[1]HiT Entertainment has licensed the series outside Japan.
Characters
The Periwinkles (Rabbits) - Alex, Kate, Oliver, Rebecca, Jamie
The Walnuts (Squirrels) - Cedric, Yardley, Ralph, Saffron
Buster Slydale has gone too far with his pranks that his friends Rebecca, Saffron, Dennis, Asparagus and Piers decide to get even with him. They trick Buster into thinking he's invisible. At first the plan seems to backfire, but then Buster does nice things for them. After testing Buster with one more trick, everyone makes up.
2
"Dreaming of Princess" / "The Longingly Princess" "Princess ni Akogarete" (プリンセスにあこがれて)
June 20, 2007 (2007-06-20)
Saffron gets fed up of her father Cedric's inventions. Her friends Shelley and Rebecca encourage her to audition for the school's annual play as a princess. When Saffron gets the part, she gets nervous of stage fright. Cedric and all Saffron's friends help prepare her for the performance. During the dress rehearsal, the stage is destroyed and Saffron breaks her leg. Doctor Slick and Cedric save the performance from going to ruin.
3
"Legend of the Comet" / "The Gift of the Shooting Star" "Nagareboshi no okurimono" (流れ星のおくりもの)
June 20, 2007 (2007-06-20)
There is great talk of a comet passing through Acorn Mountain witnessed by many Sylvanians last night. Rumpus believes it is the legendary Silvery Comet, which can grant wishes. Rumpus goes on an expedition with his friends including a skeptical Gromwell. Inside caves, they run into danger, but the fragments of the Silvery Comet they found magically bring them back to safety.
Music
Koichiro Kameyama, of Project.R fame, was composer of the score for the OVA series.
The OVA's opening song is titled Sylvanian Families (シルバニアファミリー, Shirubania famirī), performed by Hitomi Yoshida and the ending theme is titled Become Tomorrow♪ (明日になぁれ♪, Ashita ni nāre♪) by Tomoko Kawakami, Akiko Hasegawa, Kōki Miyata, Fushigi Yamada, Kaori Mizuhashi and Maya Okamoto.
