Sylvanian Families

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Sylvanian Families
SylvanianFamiliesLogo.PNG
Type Figures
Company Epoch
Country Japan
Availability 1985–
Official website
Sylvanian Families scene

Sylvanian Families (シルバニアファミリー Shirubania famirii?) is the name of a line of video games and anthropomorphic collectible toy flocked plastic figures, created by the Japanese company Epoch in 1985 and distributed worldwide by a number of companies. The characters, grouped into families, feature woodland creatures such as beavers, hedgehogs, mice, rabbits and bears, although in recent years, they have expanded to other animals such as cats, dogs, penguins, monkeys, koalas and meerkats. They remain a quintessential part of the 1990s boom in craze (or fad) toys. The word 'sylvan' means 'of the forest'.

Contents

[edit] Growth

Shop window of the Sylvanian Families store in London

At the beginning of production, in 1985, Sylvanian Families were released in both Japan and North America, albeit with different packaging and minor differences to the characters themselves. In 1987, the success in these markets led to expansion into Western Europe. By 1988, Sylvanian Families had become a major success around the world, spawning an animated series, and winning the British Association of Toy Retailers award for "Toy of the Year" three years consecutively, in 1987, 1988 and 1989. There was also an animated series shown in the 80s that was popular in Spain and the UK and was also shown in the early 1990s in the US on Nick Jr.

In 1993, Tomy, who had been distributing the toys worldwide, lost the rights to the name "Sylvanian Families" in Canada and the USA.[citation needed] Tomy reintroduced the line under the new name Calico Critters.

The Calico Critters line is currently distributed in the US and Canada by International Playthings, LLC.

[edit] Decline and reinvention

By the end of the 1990s, Sylvanian Families had been discontinued in the UK, although they have since been reintroduced by Flair. Subsequently, Sylvanian families have been reintroduced in Australia and are becoming more widely available. Tomy stopped selling Calico Critters, but a new company, International Playthings, picked up the line.

In 2007, Sylvanian Families in the UK celebrated their 20th anniversary with a selected number of new items. The best selling was an Otter boat, and a reintroduced Dalmatian Family who now wore party hats that read "Happy 20th!".

[edit] 1987 animated television series

Sylvanian Families
Genre Animated television series
Country of origin USA/France/Japan
Language(s) English
No. of episodes 13
Production
Producer(s) DIC Enterprises, Inc.
Running time 30 mins
Distributor Coca-Cola Telecommunications (now Sony Pictures Television)
Broadcast
Original channel First-run syndication
Original airing 1987

Sylvanian Families is an American animated television series, co-produced in France and Japan.

[edit] Writer

[edit] Voice cast

[edit] Characters

  • The Evergreens-Forrest, Honeysuckle, Ernest, Primrose, Preston, Ashley, Dusty and Poppy
  • The Babblebrooks-Rocky, Crystal, Cliff, Pearl, Bubba, Breezy, Sandy and Coral
  • The Thistlethorns-Chester, Willow, Lester, Prissy, Barry and Heather
  • The Chestnuts-Durwood, Pansy, Grover, Myrtle, Hoss and Charity
  • The Wildwoods-Herb, Ginger, Smokey, Flora, Rusty, Hollie, Barkley and Juniper
  • The Slydales-Slick, Velvette, Buster, Scarlett, Skitter and Lindy
  • The Timbertops-Taylor, Rose, Gruff, Fern, Bud, Daisy, Burl and Blossom
  • The Waters'-Wade, Nancy, Roger, Misty, Bucky and Bubbles

[edit] Villains

  • Packbat
  • Gatorpossum

[edit] Human

  • The Woodkeeper

[edit] Children

  • Grace
  • Bridget
  • Donny
  • Jonathan
  • Katie
  • Joey
  • Jack
  • Lisa
  • Charlie
  • Maria
  • Jessica
  • Penny
  • Chrissie
  • Robby
  • Sara
  • Sid
  • Jamie
  • Tracy
  • Diane (Di)
  • Jerry & Susan
  • Amelia
  • Mikey
  • Lori
  • Evan
  • Andy
  • Debra

&makayla

[edit] Episodes

  • Grace Under Pressure / Cooking Up Trouble
  • Dam Busters / School Daze
  • Double Trouble / Outfoxing the Foxes
  • Know It All / Beauty and The Beasts
  • The Bear Facts / Fraidy Cats
  • Daddy's Little Girl / Fool's Gold
  • The Wheel Thing / Muddy Waters
  • There's No Place Like Home / Tough Enough
  • Hip to Be Bear / Feud for Thought
  • Stand by Your Dad / My Brother's Keeper
  • Really Amelia / Boy's Intuition
  • Here Come the Brides / Hoppily Ever After
  • Founders Keepers / Little Ms. Woodkeeper

[edit] 1988 stop-motion animated series

Stories of the Sylvanian Families is a British stop motion animated series and four stories narrated by Bernard Cribbins, from 1988.[2]

[edit] Episodes

  • The Lucky Mascot
  • Lucky Clover
  • Fun at the Fair
  • The Camping Holiday

[edit] Characters

These characters appear in the stop motion animated series but not the animated series.

  • The Treefellows-Aristotle, Arabella, Winky, Blinky and Grumpy
  • The McBurrows-Digger, Heidi, Muddy, Molly, Monty and, Mo
  • The Oakwoods-Ollie, Betsy, Barnaby, Bluebell, Abbie and Acorn

[edit] 2007 3DCG anime series

Sylvanian Families
シルバニアファミリー
Original video animation
Directed by Akira Takamura
Studio Epoch
Columbia Music Entertainment
Shogakukan
Released 2007
Episodes 3
Anime and Manga Portal

Sylvanian Families was adapted to three stand-alone OVA episodes of 3DCG anime in 2007. The DVDs feature an English-language track.[3]

[edit] Voice actors

[edit] References

  1. ^ Damian Inwood. "Pi Theatre, Independent Vancouver Theatre >> The Baroness and the Pig". http://pitheatre.com/the-baroness-and-the-pig/. Retrieved October 30, 2011. "That’s what Vancouver actresses Diane Brown and Tabitha St. Germain do with the delightful black comedy, The Baroness and the Pig. (...) St. Germain – better known to Vancouver audiences as Paulina Gillis – plays the Baroness as a naïve gentlewoman, full of prissy mannerisms and twittering, bird-like movements." 
  2. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0354787/
  3. ^ http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/search3.html?q=Sylvanian&media=&r=any&step=20&order=score

[edit] External links

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