Reviews & Ratings for
"Nobody's Boy Remi" More at IMDbPro »"Rittai anime ie naki ko Remi" (original title)

8 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
Children soap, 12 July 2007

Author: anahisc-1 from United Kingdom

My title is not intended as a derogatory name. I grew up in Mexico in the 80s where soap operas (telenovelas) intended for adults (mainly housewives) were seen by everyone since little satellite TV was available. While my mom saw her soaps, we the children were kept entertained with cartoons on afternoon weekdays. Remi, as we know it in Mexico, is deeply ingrained in me as the first story I truly enjoyed. For a 5-year-old middle class, I didn't know much about poverty or suffering in the world, but learned it through the eyes of Remi. Even remembering some episodes bring back some tears in my eyes. It is a great piece of art and I never questioned it at all. it helped me imagine other worlds, other times. Only until recently I found out this cartoon is based on a french novel widely known. I wish more classics were shown in this way for these and future generations.

6 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
My first Manga., 15 November 2006
Author: Chip_douglas from Rijswijk, ZH, Netherlands

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Very faithful version of Hector Malot's novel "Sans Famille" adapted for animation 99 years after the book's publication, in Japan no less. It tells the unbearably sad tale of Remi, an eight year old French farm boy who finds out he's an orphan when his disgruntles stepfather arrives home and is promptly sold by the man to traveling musician Vitalis, in order to join his band of performers (three dogs and a monkey). For poor little Remi, tragedy seems to be permanently shadowing him, striking each and every time a tiny sparkle of hope or happiness arrives in the boy's life. I must admit, my young mind was not quite prepared to watch a cartoon series like this. First of all, it was a serial, whereas I had grown used to watching children's programs with self contained episodes. Secondly, the animation was quite different from American and European tradition (my parents explained to me the names on the credits were Japanese, which was puzzling seeing as it was a French story). Thirdly, and most importantly, it was simply too depressing. More than half the traveling performers die before the series is half way through, poor Remi has to content with illnesses, poverty, prejudice, cruel work-masters, a flood in a coal mine, a family of thieves, a young girl who can't speak, a boy who can't walk and every character, good or bad, is thrown in jail at some point or another, I'm sorry to say I never did manage to watch all 51 episodes in a row.

The animation was gorgeous and the fact that a special technique had been used to give it a three-dimensional effect was widely publicized at the time of it's first showing on Dutch Television (Avro) between October 1979 and August 1980. Remi looked like your typical Anime boy with the enormous wide eyes and the occasional jerky leg movement, while his mentor Vitalis was portrayed as an enormous, sturdy man, despite the gray beard. Everybody had fashionably long seventies hairdo's. One way in which this adaptation did differ from the original was in giving a larger part to the monkey, Jolli-Coeur (animal sidekicks being necessary in cartoons, no matter where they were produced). The Dutch voice cast was compiled of a great selection of stage and television actors (who can still be heard on the 3 long playing records that were released amongst a slew of merchandising), yet strangely enough, for the video release, the series was reedited to play 80 or 90 minutes, and completely re-dubbed. The only reason I can come up with is that they had to cut out a whole bunch of subplots, making the original voice recording hard to follow. However, when the entire series was repeated by EO television between September 1996 and July 1997, the soundtrack was completely redone once more, including a new, hipper theme tune and a title change from "Remi" to "Alleen op de Wereld". Meanwhile it seems yet another Manga version of Sans Famille was made during the nineties, in which Remi was given a gender swap (but still kept her old 'masculine' name. Poor child. It seems Remi will never get an even break.

8 out of 10

3 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
One my three favourite anime series,but also the greatest., 23 March 2009

Author: cicciocappuccio from United Kingdom

This to me is the greatest anime I ever watched,along with Lady Oscar series and two of Devilman's OAV. I remember the great anime 'Sans Famille' series when I was a child and living in Italy. I could not understand the story much back then,mainly because I rarely saw it with any continuity....my father would always watch the news and when the nice opening for 'Sans Famille' would start on TV, my mom would tell me to do the homework. But hey,now I am 36,and I have had the GREAT pleasure to watch the whole series on DVD, for 3 times!! I just could not get enough,I literally wanted to shut off from the world for 3 weeks,and I did. I have watched the brilliant episodes,enjoyed the dramatic music. I am a music composer too and the soundtrack of this anime to me is pure gold,especially connected to the visuals of the anime....the emotions of sadness,solitude,but also of goodness and hope,really come alive in a very emotional mix between the visuals and the soundtrack. The Italian voice-over actors are great. The voices are mature,and they don't try to convey 'let's do this for children'. It feels more like a series for all ages,and it is!! The story is so emotional and the I love the graphics,the opening and closing themes,in fact I love everything about this great anime. If you want to watch a really gripping anime,this is it!

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