Thank Heidi for anime and Super Mario taking off in Japan – 1970s animation of Swiss girl’s story sparked a revolution

An animated series based on the 19th-century children’s book character Heidi played an unlikely role in the launch of Japan’s booming anime industry

Yoichi Kotabe, who created the Heidi anime and helped redesign Super Mario, talks about sketching in Switzerland and why Heidi’s hair was short

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Japanese animator and creator of Heidi, Daughter of the Alps, the cartoon that kick-started Japan’s anime revolution. Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP

Published: 5:30am, 28 Sep 2019Updated: 9:04pm, 29 Sep 2019

Heidi and Super Mario may not seem to have much in common, but anime and video game aficionados can see the signature style of Japanese character designer Yoichi Kotabe in both.

Far from the Swiss Alps, the cherished 19th-century storybook character Heidi has played an unlikely role in the creation of Japan’s now booming anime industry.

The story of the little orphan girl who goes to live with her gruff grandfather in the mountains took Japan by storm in the 1970s with the animation series Alps no Shoujo Heidi (Heidi: Girl of the Alps). The 52-part TV series, which became a worldwide hit, marked a turning point in the careers of its creators, including Kotabe.

He was subsequently recruited by video game pioneer Nintendo to redesign a host of characters in Mario.

A still from Grave of the Fireflies (1988) directed by Isao Takahata. Photo: Alamy

Heidi also boosted the standing of director Isao Takahata, best known for the animated war film Grave of the Fireflies , and Hayao Miyazaki, creator of films Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro .

Thank Heidi for anime and Super Mario taking off in Japan – 1970s animation of Swiss girl’s story sparked a revolution

An animated series based on the 19th-century children’s book character Heidi played an unlikely role in the launch of Japan’s booming anime industry Yoichi Kotabe, who created the Heidi anime and helped redesign Super Mario, talks about sketching in Switzerland and why Heidi’s hair was short

An animated series based on the 19th-century children’s book character Heidi played an unlikely role in the launch of Japan’s booming anime industry

Yoichi Kotabe, who created the Heidi anime and helped redesign Super Mario, talks about sketching in Switzerland and why Heidi’s hair was short