Tokyo (SCCIJ) – An exhibition in Zurich called “Heidi in Japan” is illuminating the evolution of the Japanese anime series “Heidi” and its role in strengthening the cultural bonds between Japan and Switzerland. The series about the life of a mountain girl in Graubünden helped to jumpstart the animation industry in Japan. At the same time, it solidified the Japanese perception of Switzerland as a beautiful Alpine nation and a romantic holiday destination. The exhibition at the Landesmuseum Zurich will last until October 13.
A positive image of Switzerland
What connects Switzerland with distant Japan? A girl from the mountains called Heidi, the main character of two novels by Johanna Spyri. This connection has to do partly with the idealized Alpine world and partly with the Japanese animated series appearing in 1974.
“Heidi, Girl of the Alps” was dubbed in 20 languages and attracted millions of viewers across the globe. It was especially appealing to the Japanese due to the rapid industrialization of Japan after the Second World War, which caused a longing for nature and tradition.
“Heidi played an important role in helping to shape the positive image that Switzerland enjoys among many Japanese today,” Professor Hans Bjarne Thomsen, Institute of Art History, University of Zurich said. The leading cultural expert on the Japanese perception of Switzerland helped to create the exhibition. Also, a Japanese expert team led by Professors Aki Nishioka and Takashi Kawashima participated in the exhibition preparation.
Research in the Swiss Alps
The 52-part anime was created by four young men, two of whom – Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata – went on to co-found the world-renowned film production company Studio Ghibli. To realistically depict the environment of the novel, they traveled to Switzerland in 1973 and stayed for a month in Heidi’s “home village” Maienfeld in the canton Graubünden.
They absorbed the unspoiled nature, took pictures of houses, huts, and meadows and recorded sounds from the Swiss Alps. Also, they studied Ferdinand Hodler’s landscape painting in Swiss museums. Thanks to their precise research, the anime series succeeded in creating a detailed replica of the Swiss environment, which triggered a real Heidi boom in Japan.
Heidi's Japanese "father" in Zurich
The Japanese animator Yoichi Kotabe contributed to the enormous success of the series with his drawing stroke. As her “spiritual father,” Kotabe changed the image of the traditional Heidi with blond hair and pigtails into a universally appealing girl with short, black hair. He depicted her with those big wide eyes, that became the trademark of the anime and manga culture.
At the end of August, Kotabe himself came to Zurich and discussed with various guests the significance of the Heidi character for Japan, the genesis of the anime genre and the cultural links between Switzerland and Japan. Kotabe used his stay in Switzerland also for a visit to Maienfeld and the theme park “Heididorf”.
Kotabe’s presence was the highlight of a two-day symposium at the University of Zurich. Another highlight was the appearance and performance of the “Familie Schwarz.” Its two musicians Maya Rymann and Fritz Fuchs had recorded the original soundtrack to the cartoon series to give it a “Swiss touch,” but without understanding a word of Japanese.
Text: Martin Fritz for SCCIJ; Pictures: © Landesmuseum Zurich