Tanoshii Muumin Ikka

Spring has finally arrived in Moomin Valley, giving way to another great adventure for Moomintroll and the rest of its inhabitants. With Snufkin coming home from his winter migration, the locals of the valley finally begin to rise from their hibernation. Finding a mysterious hat, the Moomins cannot bring themselves to throw it away due to its fine quality, instead hoping to eventually find its owner.

While playing games with his friends, Moomin tries to hide in the silk hat. When his friends come looking for him, they are shocked to discover that Moomin has transformed into a hideous creature. Examining himself in the mirror, he is disgusted to find himself completely unrecognizable.

Transforming back to normal after scaring his friends and family, Moomin and Snufkin decide to toss the hat in the river. As it drifts away, they begin to wonder who the hat belonged to and whether its owner will return for their lost possession.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Snufkin Main

Koyasu, Takehito Japanese

Little My Main

Sakuma, Rei Japanese

Moomintroll Main

Takayama, Minami Japanese

Moominpappa Main

Ootsuka, Akio Japanese

Moominmamma Main

Tani, Ikuko Japanese

Sniff Main

Nakao, Ryusei Japanese

Floren Main

Kanai, Mika Japanese

The Groke Supporting

Kataoka, Tomie Japanese

Stinky Supporting

Maruyama, Hiroko Japanese

Hemulen Supporting

Yada, Minoru Japanese

Tamura, Manabu Producer

Kojima, Masayuki Director, Episode Director, Storyboard

Saitou, Hiroshi Director, Storyboard

Oomori, Takahiro Episode Director

Reviews

Nov 5, 2022

Pahatar

Recommended

*English is not my first language! This review will be edited... eventually!*

I think it should only be appropiate of me to give my very first review to the very first anime I've ever seen... and it would be this! Moomins, or Muumilaakson Tarinoita, as it would be called here in Finland, is without an doubt, one of the very best works of anime, that I've ever seen - period. Not necesarily "the best" because of the plot, nor even for the story, but because of the characters, and the world they bring to life, simply just by being there. It's an iconic classic, that's what ... it is!

As a child, I grew up watching this anime, and I didn't even realize it was an anime, before finishing high school, thinking it's just some swedish cartoon - yeah, I was stupid! Now, I'm not really good at reviewing something, that I love, so let me just put it bluntly...

Moomins is a fantastic little slice-of-life story in a fantastic world, full of fantastic creatures and stories, that should belong to any little finns bookshelves - Moomins was originally a bookseries first! Not nescessarily ment for little little children per say, but good stuff nontherless!

The story is... well, there really isn't one! Like I said, it is, down to it's core, just some slice-of-life storytelling, heavy emphasis being on the slice-of-life. No big conflicts, villains or actual from-the-beginning-to-the-end- story arcs, and that alone can be a very heafty negative to many viewers. There are little mini-arcs here and there, but not any big arcs - just feeling the need to clarify that!

But, what's the plot, then? There are these cute little moomins, with their colorful and delightful little friends, and because there's no school, jobs or social insecurity - whatever that is! - they spend their days by just... running around in this ever-so peaceful and beautiful moomin valley, find secrets and solve mysteries, all in a while waiting for ever-looming winter, that will by every coming year, put every singe one of them into a deep sleep, before the next warm summer. It's basically just... life - nothing more, nothing less! Some minor arcs or themes may pop up in every now and then, such as the Lighthouse-arc, with it's themes of isolation and fear of loneliness, the Little Visitors with stranger-danger- warning signs all over, and the King Ruby, with the themes of materialistic obsession, but those aren't even that long to beging with - about two to three episodes - and won't take away that certain sence of travel with no goal, as you move along with the show.

The "story" itself is not even that hard to follow, and that's only to be expected from a show, made for (nordic/melancholic) kids. As a child, you can just let yourself enjoy all the fun adventures, all the lovable characters, and their antics, as well as have a few frights and sad tears here and there - I swear, that Groke still gives me the shivers! But, just because Moomins was originally intented to entertain children - in my mindset, anyway - it still doesn't mean that it can't age well, or be even more relevant to us adults! As an adult, you can still enjoy all the same things, as you did as a child, but this time, the innocence of a child replaced by the experience of an adult helps you marvel the subtle philosophies, wisdoms and lessons, that either did scar you for life as a child, or give you now that little spark of hope as an adult, when winter seems to just go on, and on, and the warm days of summer seem ever so distant, and gray. Moomins remainds me - an adult, only by the definition of a word - that not all good things in the world come with a pricetag, and sometimes, it's okay to just be who you are, flaws and all, and just sometimes, the world itself is way too big and mysterious place, to try to even comprehend it. Moomins feed that little child in me, and I simply love it!

The characters in moomin valley are the force, that keeps this show alive and real. Every single character is like a someone, who you know, used to know, or would like to know, in real life. You want to be hugged by a mama moomin, you want to listen papa moomin's stories, and have all these crazy adventures with him - or not, if you want to hold your booze *wink*. You want to watch stars with Snuffkin, and wonder, what life even is, and what is it for. You want to play all day with Moomin trollen and pals, and kick Stincky's ass, when he's teasing and bullying poor little Ninni - am I spelling it right? None of them are completely morally black or white, and that's what makes them realistic, and... well, alive, like real people. They may not be the deepest, most multi-dimentional characters you've ever seen in terms of a storytelling or characterization, be it in anime or in any other story or media you might know and love, and none of them really change in any meaningful way, but they all feel like real people, and that's exactly what I wanted as a child, and expecially now, as an adult - real, lovable and colorful people, with realistic personalities, that are just simple enought, that you feel like you know them good enough, but feel like there's still something beneath them... something secret, and maybe even a little bit darker, than you'd expect.

That said, Moomins sertainly isn't for everybody. Some of the stories, themes, situations and characters may indeed scare some of the smallest in the family, and some may not be able to get ovet the fact, that there really isn't any big picture/lead/red string in the story, or that the characters never really change - they are, what they are, and that's that - finding the overall show either lacking, overly simple, stupid, even, or just plain boring. Like already said above, there are some little arcs here and there, like The Exploits of Moominpappa, Moominsummer Madness, and Moominland Midwinter, based on the original books by Tove Jansson, but that's about it - no big plot twists or revelations of bigger scale. There's also no actual villain/s, nor big threat/s or conflict/s, and in the end... pretty sad ending too, with two best friends departing, and never seeing each other again - one of the biggest tear-jerkers of my childhood/anime-life!

The original books are also way more darker, and gloomier, with all-so-subtle references on booze, drugs, and even heavier philosophies and darker themes like death, suicide and abandonment, but that's just us finns for ya! Little bit dark, mixed with a little bit of cuteness! Also, although this series was drawn in Japan, I'll be damned if anyone can find this in its entirety (26 episodes is NOT a COMPLETE series of Moomins! There are 76 episodes + season 2!) in any other languages than finnish, swedish or japanese, which can also be a big turn-off for some!

All in all, I would warmily recommend this series with a full heart, and not just for kids... or just for finns/swedish. It's a fantastic world, with fantastic characters, and cute yet meaningful stories and themes, that I for one haven't yet found from anywhere else, from any other franchise. I've always known, that if we all could live even just one year in a place like Moomin valley, we all would possibly be... maybe not better, but changed people, and that thought alone, makes me wanna travel that far away distant place time, and time again.

Story: 10
Art: 9
Sound: 10
Characters: 10
Enjoyment: 10
Overall: 10

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Dec 17, 2013

Keitaro004

Recommended

Having watched every episode there is of this show the three past months, I can safely say that the Moomins will fit everyone with a sense of adventure. It's calm, it's exciting, and most of all, the characters are lovable.

The series follows the basic formula of nearly every other Anime. Something happens, the Moomin family must fix it and everything turns out well. However, the series isn't completely episodic. There is a handful of episodes which introduces new characters, while others add background history, giving more depth to the main characters. The best way to watch this is in chronological order.

The animation is fantastic and ... superior compared with the second series, "Tanoshii Muumin Ikka Bouken Nikki". Everything is fluid, nothing is crudely drawn and the backgrounds are beautiful. The music is a masterpiece in itself and will stick itself to your brain for months. The same goes for the opening and ending. Season 3 introduces some new music which isn't as great as the prior, but it still fits the series.

No matter what age you are, you should give this a try. This is a smash hit in scandinavian countries (and, of course, Japan), and with good reason. Every episode will make you feel like home. The enviroments are beautiful and there will be many instances where you wish you lived in the moomin valley: not having to worry about getting a job, going to school or any criminals (Stinky isn't really dangerous anyways). This is a perfect, peaceful life, where only their own mistakes and curiosity makes each adventure possible. This is the life of the Moomins.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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May 14, 2022

Fotsuan

Recommended

Tanoshii Muumin Ikka is a 1990 TV show that is mostly aimed at kids - but not only. It is one of the best animated works in existence, and that is because it is created by a combination of admirable people. Tove Jansson, the original creator of the Moomin books; Akira Miyazaki, the famous World Masterpiece Theater scriptwriter; an exceptional voice acting cast; great animators. Many episodes are just playful and childish, but you will be astonished by how meaningful some of them might be, or relatable for adults.


The first thing that must be mentioned about this series is Tove Jansson’s philosophical approach and the ... main messages she wanted to convey while writing her Moomin books. Aside from a cute-looking and colorful group of friends, the main characters have a unique, carefree lifestyle, close to nature, and are far from daily obligations. The spirit of the Moomin Valley can be characterized as “cottagecore”: emphasizing simplicity, tranquility, and peacefulness; far away from the modern world, basically rural life. Also, the way that short, calming stories happen in the same place in every episode is enough reason to call Muumin an “iyashikei” anime, though there are some dramatical and stressful episodes out there too.


Here, I consider it important to mention that Tove Jansson lived as a queer woman in an age when being LGBTQ+ was illegal in Finland. Sometimes, she tried to portray "gay" people metaphorically in her books. For example, Thingumy and Bob were a couple inspired by her relationship with the girlfriend she had, back then. But what's more important for the series, is that Moomintroll's relationship with Snufkin was implied to be something more than pure friendship. They spend romantic time with each other, and their bond is much stronger than any other friendly bond in the series.


Tanoshii Muumin Ikka was not the first Moomin anime out there. Moomin became famous in Japan in 1969, with “Muumin”; another adaptation of the classic novels. Japanese people seemed to like it, but sadly, it was heavily inspired by western animation and used guns and violence as comedy. This was something disappointing for Tove Jansson because it did not fit well the novel themes and failed to convey the main messages. Thankfully, the 1990 series was a huge success. Among all Moomin adaptations, Japanese or not, it is known that Tanoshii Muumin Ikka was Tove Jansson’s most beloved one! Other older adaptations include Mumintrollet (1969, Swedish production), Shin Muumin (1972), and The Moomins (1977, Polish production).


So, what is the reason this was the most successful adaptation? Studio Telescreen and Akira Miyazaki tried to carry the spirit of the Moomins, but also to give it some new, original color. What was special about it, was that despite the fact there were a few changes, it followed precisely the “spirit” of the Moomin Valley Tove Jansson had created in her novels and picture books. There were some differences in the characters; for example, studio Telescreen decided to name Snork Maiden “Floren”, which made her name sound cuter. There were a few character additions too, which I will mention later. But overall, the general concept and meaning remained the same.


In most episodes, the main characters meet each other at the Moomins’ house, or somewhere within the Moomin Valley and set on a new adventure. This makes the episode building easier, and the feeling more nostalgic. You know that everything starts from the Moomin Valley; it’s something like Central Perk or MacLaren’s Pub. But the valley holds many mysteries, and as the show progresses there is great world building. There’s the cave, the Lonely Mountains, the boathouse… and the Hattifatteners island, which is a mysterious neighboring land. There’s always something to explore while watching Tanoshii Muumin Ikka.


Art and animation are breathtaking. Even if, at first glance, the character designs look weird to you, they are lovely and you’ll get used to them soon. Studio Telescreen made a great effort to adapt the designs in an animated work, and the few changes from Tove Jansson’s picture books were only for the better. For example, Mr. Brisk appears as a hemulen (I will explain later what kind of species a hemulen is) and teaches Moomintroll how to ski.


The music is one of the strongest parts of Tanoshii Muumin Ikka. Sumio Shiratori and his wife, Emiko Shiratori, did an amazing job making the soundtrack. Sumio composed the OST and Emiko performed the first opening and both ending songs. Here I will have to mention that Emiko Shiratori’s presence gave bonus points to the anime itself, as her opening song performance is heartwarming, and her first ending song performance is soothing and beautiful. This pair of OP-ED songs was used for episodes 1-52, and in my opinion, it was a great combination. In episodes 53-78, the theme songs changed. The opening song was sung by the voice acting cast, and it had a more playful and kid-friendly vibe into it. The second ending song, too, had a happier tone. Emiko Shiratori also did an exceptional job as the narrator of the show, with her tender voice. That’s one of the main reasons I definitely recommend the Japanese version to the English dub. The English dub is not bad, but the original one is something else!


The voice actors play an important role, too, in why the Japanese version is so good. There, we have Takehito Koyasu (Dio, Zeke, Roswaal) in his youngest voice acting era. In my opinion, he was incomparable back then – his performance as Snufkin is one of my top 10 voice acting performances of all time. But it doesn’t end here; all the cast is exceptional. There’s even Akio Ootsuka (Iskandar, Ekubo, Blackbeard) as Moominpappa, and if you ask me, Minami Takayaka’s performance as Moomintroll, Ikuko Tani’s performance as Moominmamma and Hiroko Maruyama’s performance as Stinky were all equally fantastic.


Now, I will be talking about the (main) characters.


Moomintroll is the protagonist of the series. A playful and innocent child Moomin, whose main interests include exploring new things and spending time with his friends. He likes gazing at the sea, dreaming, and going on new adventures. Unlike his best friend, Snufkin, his biggest discomfort is solitude. Moomintroll becomes sad when Snufkin leaves on vacation, and his best moments are when Snufkin returns.


Moominpappa is the father of Moomintroll; a lovely father figure, who loves his family and appreciates little things in life. He still dreams of becoming a writer and he writes books or theatre scripts. He is a goofy character and sometimes he might handle situations in a bad way, but his intentions are always kind, even if he lacks manners. One of my favorite scenes includes Moominpappa sliding down a slide, falling, and eventually hurting his back. That’s the kind of man he is, and he’s proof that everyone has a childish side to them, even when they grow older.


Well, especially men. Because Moominmamma is different on that part. She is skillful when it comes to housework and cooking, and always takes care of her family and their friends. She looks more mature, and everyone can rely on her in hard times. Moominmamma always holds a handbag with her, carrying all the important things, so that she can help her family and friends under any unexpected circumstances. Another trait of hers is that she trusts her son and even lets him participate in dangerous activities, without worrying or panicking.


Aside from Moomins, there are also Snorks in the Moomin Valley. Snorks resemble Moomins but their main difference is that they have hair. The only Snorks we know are Floren – who is also a main character - and her brother, whose name is Snork. Floren is a friend of Moomintroll and seems to have a crush on him. There are some romantic scenes between them, like gazing at sceneries or sleeping together on a hammock. Snork is quite different from the Snork we know in the books, and his main purpose in life is to create an aircraft. He studies all day to achieve this.


Snufkin is a mysterious Mumrik (different from Moomins and Snorks, Mumriks resemble tiny humans) who is quite a philosopher and thinker. He might have a strong bond with Moomintroll, but in fact, he has another best friend: solitude. His main hobbies include playing the harmonica and fishing. He loves wandering around, and in winter, he always leaves the Moomin Valley and goes south. His departure is always saddening, then he enjoys visiting new places, and when he returns to the Moomin Valley he is overjoyed.


Little My (pronounced “mee”) is a Mymble; another human-like species from the Moomin Valley, which resembles Mumriks. She is a tiny girl with orange hair, full of energy and living her life to the fullest. Sometimes she causes trouble for the Moomins because her actions might put her in a dangerous position, but she is loved by them and always welcomed into their house.


Sniff’s appearance is unique; looking like a kangaroo-dog, he is quite the mascot character. He loves going on adventures but he is always scared and lazy, so eventually, he starts whining and falls back. He is a character that either gets loved or hated, depending on the watcher. To me, he’s a fun addition to the group.


Last but not least, I want to add Hemulen-san to this list. Not many consider him an important character, but I personally love his character. He is an old man who tries to find a romantic meaning in life and collects stamps. When he completes his collection, he sets for a new adventure: to collect flowers, that is. His character design and reactions fit his goofy character perfectly, and he’s fun to watch. Originally, in Tove Jansson’s books, the Hemulens are more and they share the traits Hemulen-san has, but in Tanoshii Muumin Ikka, he represents the species by himself.


There are no villains in the Moomin Valley. Even the valley’s police officer is living a 100% peaceful and calm life, and there was a hilarious episode where he almost lost his job because he wouldn’t bring any criminals to the prison, outside of the valley. But there are two creatures whose roles are somehow close to that of a villain.


Stinky is the first one. He is a bug-looking creature whose main hobby is playing pranks on the main characters. He is supposedly not bad, but that is the way he tries to get Moomin and his friends’ attention. Some of the pranks are terrifying, and there were a few times some of the main characters almost faced death. Still, he is supposed to be a humoristic character. Stinky lives under a rock, all alone. He is usually not invited to parties or events due to his irritating behavior, but he likes showing up out of the blue.


The other one is Moran / “The Groke”. Moran’s character includes heavy symbolism, and she is something like an incarnation of loneliness and terror. She looks like a big ghost with a… duckface. Every resident of the Moomin Valley is frightened at the sight of Moran, and no one likes her. Moomintroll pities her because she is always lonely and sad. Moran appears uninvited and she does not talk, but her negative energy freezes the ground around her. Sometimes, she may cause destruction. The Groke is probably too scary for kids, due to her intimidating appearance and the vibes she radiates.


The most important character additions in Tanoshii Muumin Ikka are Alisha and her grandmother. They both firstly appear 30+ episodes in, and then they become part of the Moomin Valley. Alisha is a young girl who wants to hang out with the Moomins, but her grandmother, who is a witch, does not let her do so. That is because the witchcraft studies are more important in her mind, and she wants her granddaughter to succeed. Hanging out with friends would leave her behind. But Alisha learns to appreciate friendship and meets a new lifestyle; that of having both friends and studying.

Details I loved:

~Moomintroll’s dreams. They were all colorful, adventurous, and surrealistic. As dreams are in our world, well, at least to me.
~Snufkin’s departures and arrivals to the Moomin Valley. The atmosphere was always melancholic at the departure, and when he returned it was heart-melting.
~Hemulen’s house, or other places that were not important but were animated perfectly.
~Moominpappa’s backstory. It added color to the Moomin world and it was wonderful seeing him recite his old stories.


Conclusion


Tanoshii Muumin Ikka creates a beautiful world, full of color and fun adventures, away from daily responsibilities. It is a great watch for kids, but I am sure their parents would appreciate it even more. If I were a father, I would definitely watch this with my kids, and both sides would be satisfied. Watching Tanoshii Muumin Ikka feels like home; and that is thanks to its peaceful, tranquil and comforting vibe.

With this review, I express my satisfaction and congratulate both Tove Jansson for her great books, and Telescreen’s staff that produced such an amazing adaptation. It is clearly one of the best TV shows out there. Thank you for sharing this show with us!

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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