Candy Candy

...this is a cartoon I strongly remember from my childhood. Couldn't have been more than five years old when my parents brought home Candy Candy for the first time. In each episode there's both laughter, crying, love and evil. Candy's originally an orphan found in the snow one day by one of the teachers from the orphanage. She grows up there but get's adopted. This family she gets to isn't such a pleasant family. Well, the father is, but the children and their mother is dreadful. While living with them Candy falls in love with a beautiful stranger that she meets one day in the forrest.

I really loved this cartoon as a child and I still do. Can't wait until I get children of my own so that I can introduce them to the wonderful world of Candy.

For those who liked Candy Candy, I recommend Sandybell, or Hello Sandybell as it is called.

I remember in the early '80s, when we had only two TV stations, both state-run, that there was a great publicity for a Japanese animated series with a lot of episodes, which would be dubbed in Greek and even the title song would be translated. My memory doesn't serve me too well, as I have forgotten the actors and actresses and the singer of the Greek version, but it caused quite a stir.

Compared to other cartoon/anime dubs I've seen, the voice acting was superb and I occasionally see some episodes running on regional channels. It's always very enjoyable, I must say. The anime style of that era happens to be my favorite: detailed, beautiful, hand-drawn landscapes, rather realistic character designs, without the featureless faces seen in modern productions...

It marked my youth. Although many people would say it was a girlie show, lots of boys watched it. Even now, as an adult, I can watch it and get pleasure from it.

Those were the days... Really great anime and cartoon shows, with well-written scenarios and complex character descriptions.

A very heartwarming anime series, even if the plot often goes into a sad territory, with many tragedies happening to the cheerful protagonist; yet somehow she always keeps her optimism and high spirits.

These kind of sad stories, often referred as "traumatizing" by some older viewers, are actually very important to children: Not to make them "more thankful", but in order to empathize with the struggles of much less fortunate people.

Avoiding sadness and harshness in modern fiction actually does a disservice to children, turning everything into a vapid exercise of escapism that might be provide some fun, but ultimately end being an empty experience.

Learning about pain (And also overcoming pain, like Candy often does) is actually a very valuable experience that shouldn't be dismissed.

Shows like this have a timeless quality, disregard of the somewhat dated animation due its beautiful story, filled with both joy and sadness. Both are important, and more complement each other in a wonderful manner.

Such is life, such is childhood.

Most people of my generation watched Candy Candy when they were still children. Howvr, I saw it recently for the first time. Even if I am now an adult, I agree with all the commentaries. Candy, Candy is indeed one of the vest cartoons ever made. I would like to emphasize something few people said. The soundtrack is beautiful and perfectly conveys the different moods and feelings. It was made by Takeo Watanabe.

The story is very beautiful too! A young girl orphan and her adventures in two family mainly, from her birth to her 18 year-old approximatively. The story focuses mainly on her two loves : Anthony, a fair-haired boy, who dies falling from his horse, and Terry, a brown young man. Of course living this love is made difficult by the events, some people (like Eliza) and so on... Th end is a little sad since some characters had died like Anthony, or Allister (Candy's friend whose plane is shot down during WWI) whereas Terry had to marry another girl. However, it is quite optimistic since Candy is still very young and has all her life forward.

There is also an alternative version, the Italian one; In Italy, the official ending was substituted by an Italian one, a happy end with Candy and Terry reuniting. So this is a cartoon for the whole family from 2 to 102.

I remember when I used to watch Candy Candy, I was like 8 years old. I loved it so bad, I would never missed an episode. Al my family will gather at 4 pm to watch it. My sister, my cousins, and I would always talk about it, we were just fascinated with the story. I particularly remember when Candy went to a custom party and she had to dress up as Romeo and Juliet, that was hilarious. I had to admit that I saw the entire series like 3 times, I just liked it a lot, I couldn't help it, and I wouldn't mind watching it again. I would love to see it once again, but I don't think they would transmit it here in the U.S. Even though, Candy Candy, and all its characters will stay in my mind forever, and if I ever get to have the series on DVD, the rest of my dynasty will enjoy it as well. (Btw I am only 21)