Naoko Yamada Directs Anne Shirley OP/ED

Comments from Director Naoko Yamada

Naoko Yamada Directs OP & ED for “Anne Shirley” Starting Episode 3, Airing April 19

It has been announced that renowned director Naoko Yamada, known for her work on K-On! and The Color of You, is in charge of the storyboards and direction for the opening and ending sequences of the currently airing TV anime “Anne Shirley.” Her contributions will be featured starting from Episode 3, titled “Looking forward to something is half the joy of it,” which airs on April 19.

The anime is a new adaptation of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s classic Anne of Green Gables series. Set on Prince Edward Island, the story follows Anne, a spirited orphan girl adopted by elderly siblings Marilla and Matthew, as she brings change and warmth to those around her with her vivid imagination. The series will cover three volumes from the original novels—Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne of the Island—across 24 episodes.

Directed by Hiroshi Kawamata (Shimajiro: Wow! The Movie!), the animation is produced by Answer Studio. The series currently airs every Saturday at 6:25 PM on NHK Educational TV.

[Comment from Naoko Yamada – Director of Opening & Ending Sequences]

“I was invited into the world of Green Gables envisioned by Director Kawamata and had the pleasure of working on the opening and ending sequences for Anne Shirley. I brought along some lovely wildflowers as a gift and quickly found myself falling in love with Anne’s world.

As a child, I simply admired Anne’s dreamy eyes. But as I grew up, I came to resonate more deeply with the gentle gazes of Matthew and Marilla. Now, I find myself once again captivated by Anne, who continues to forge her own path with every step she takes.

I believe every viewer will discover something unique and heartfelt in this beautiful series, at their own pace. Please enjoy it.”