"Hello! Sandy Bell" (1981) TV series

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Director:

Hiroshi Shidara

Writers:

Shiro Jinbo (story)
Noboru Shiroyama (writer)

Release Date:

6 March 1981 (Japan)

Plot Keywords:

Anime

Cast

Yuriko Yamamoto	...	Sandybelle (voice)
Kaneto Shiozawa	...	Mark (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Minori Matsushima	...	Narrator (voice)
Jan Alewyn Nel	...	Sean Heyns

Runtime:

24 min (47 episodes)

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Company:

Toei Doga

A Case That Will Deplete All The Nice Words I Know !

"Those were the days my friend" exactly like (Mary Hopkin) sings and means. I watched it in the mid-1980s. Everyday (except Fridays) on the newly born third channel of our national Egyptian TV. Back then, that channel's transmission was locally for the city of Cairo only. After the transmission's beginning at 5:00 PM, I count the minutes patiently till it reaches 5:10. So while the calmness of our neighborhood, and just before the sunset, there was the daily meeting. I was always furious because it lasts for only 24 minutes, and that in a time didn't have any commercials to interrupt any show on air ! I told you earlier.. Those were the days my friend !

That Arabic dubbed version was perfect. Nobody can forget the magical opening and closing credits, the Arabic performer who sang them in a way that beyond-your-imagination beautiful, (sorrowfully they didn't write her name ever !), and surely (Takeo Watanabe)'s melodies OH that was genius. (Sandy Bell) is one of the works that has a special presence in my memory. For the 1980s, the nostalgia to my childhood, the appeal of cartoon I've never watched anything like it afterwards, the adorable time we've had, ..etc. Along with shows at the time like (Magnum, P.I.), (MacGyver), (Falcon Crest), I think (Hello! Sandy Bell) came to make it whole (or should I say holy) to watch, dream, be entertained, and be learned.

The aspect of this series was as its purport : purely wonderful and innocent. It speaks fluently to the goodness inside every one of us, so how about watching it as kid. Its masterly adventures with the tender sentimental sense captured me utterly. Not to mention that direction which was flawless. There were some original moments, especially action and romantic ones, that became a part of my taste as a real measure to define the very good work from the good work. It was too charming all together. The American works can't compete with this, not for a second. I need a huge site to read more about some great Japanese cartoon series because I didn't have any idea that I was watching such a classics while I was just 10 years old or less !

As you see, I nearly ran out of all the lovely adjectives that I know, as I can't find anything wrong about it. Maybe because its powerful passionate effect ? Maybe because it comes from an age where I was watching less conscious, less cultured ? Or maybe because that's the sort of art to form the gustation rightly. Anyhow, I'm lucky to watch that series, at that age.

(Sandy Bell) was spreading the message of love. To love the world and all the people, though when I grew up, I discovered that it's a very hard thing to do.