Copyright © Shochiku/Nippon Animation

Way back when I wrote about ROMEO'S BLUE SKIES in issue 2.3, I mentioned that the venerable World Masterpiece Theater television series had come to an end. Instead, they had turned their attention to re-making their classics into films; the first such attempt is THE DOG OF FLANDERS.
Pioneer has chosen to release this under their Family Entertainment label rather than their anime label, which will probably make a lot of people very wary. However, this is primarily a film aimed at families—the goal of the World Masterpiece Theater Movies was to create films that parents who had grown up watching these shows could take their children too, after all. So it all makes sense. Just don't worry about the label and watch this movie.
It comes in two versions—dubbed and edited, and uncut with English subtitles. For the edited version, some of the slower parts have been edited out to make the movie more in line with American pacing. However, this review is of the subtitled version, which shows the entire film uncut from start to finish.
Nello is a young boy who dreams of being an artist. He lives with his grandfather and his dog, Patrasch. They are poor but content as they struggle to make a living by delivering milk to the local towns. But nothing stays the same, and soon Nello and Patrasch must struggle together for their very survival.
Since this is based on a classic Flemish novel by Ou'ida, Nello, Patrasch and Grandfather don't have an easy life. (Literary classics aren't happy stories, for the most part). But it is because of this that when they do experience happiness, it feels so much more real. The first time I saw this film was a couple years ago at an animation festival. The audience was composed entirely of adults, and at the end, as cliched as it sounds, there was not a dry eye in the house. The story is that powerful.
The animation, too, is beautiful and will immediately conjure comparisons to Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. The colors are rich and full, and the motion is smooth. The character designs may at first appear somewhat simplistic, but like Ghibli's works, that is part of their charm.
Certainly, although not as moving perhaps as GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES, THE DOG OF FLANDERS is a warm, entertaining story about a boy and his dog, and what it means to truly care for someone and to have dreams.
Although anime fans may find this hard to believe, THE DOG OF FLANDERS is certainly one of the better anime titles available today. While it may not have the flash or style of some of the other more current "hits," it has story and a lot of heart. Pioneer deserves a lot of credit for making this title available to both anime fans and families in the United States. Don't expect the subtitled edition on DVD, though. Since the film was edited for the dub, a dual language DVD is impossible, and at this time Pioneer has no plans of doing a subtitled-only DVD.

Released in N. America by Pioneer Entertainment (USA) L.P
VHS, 65 minutes
English Subtitled: PINA-0001S $19.98
Available now in the USA
Where to buy