Belle and Sebastian is an anime adaption of the 1965 novel Belle et Sébastien by French author Cécile Aubry. The series ran on the Japanese network NHK from April 7, 1981–June 22, 1982. It consists of 52 episodes and was a co-production of MK Company, Visual 80 Productions and Toho Company, Ltd. Toshiyuki Kashiwakura was the head writer and character designs were by Shuichi Seki. The show was broadcast on French and Japanese television in 1981, with American cable networkNickelodeon picking it up in 1984. In the United Kingdom, it aired on Children's BBC in 1989 and 1990. This anime used many staffers from Nippon Animation's World Masterpiece Theater franchise, thus the look and feel is similar to that of a WMT production even though Nippon Animation itself was not involved with this series. The series has been aired in many countries outside Japan and has been dubbed and subtitled in English and numerous other languages. The English-language script was written by Eileen Opatut, and the series was dubbed into English by Synchro-Quebec in Montreal.
Plot
The series is about the mountain-based adventures of a young boy named Sebastian and his Pyrenean mountain dog, Belle, who live in a small village in Southern France. He has no friends because he is teased by the other children for not having a mother. But one day, he meets a gentle white dog who has been falsely accused of attacking people. He names her Belle and they become the best of friends. To save her from being put down, he leaves his adoptive family and flees to Spain with her and his little dog, Poochie. They have many adventures as they elude the police and search for his long-lost mother.
Characters
; Sebastian ; Belle ; Poochie ; Cecil ; Anne-Marie ; Paul ; Isabel ; Sarah During the course of the series, a romantic bond forms between Sebastian and Sarah, and it is strongly implied that the two of them married when they grew up and lived happily ever after, with Belle still at their side. ; Doctor Alexander Phillips ; Mister Albert His love for his daughter ensures his willingness to aid the fugitives, if only for her sake. We later discover he is in fact a long term fan and admirer of Isabel, admitting to her that he was the man who sent her red roses in Barcelona. It is implied that a romantic attachment meant is growing between the couple and that their respective children approve! ; Robert and Maria ; The Carlos Company ; Hernandez and Fernandez ; Oscar and Johnny ; Inspector Garcia ; Officer Martin ; Commander Costello
