The World of Hans Christian Andersen

The World of Hans Christian Andersen (アンデルセン物語) is a 1968 Japanese animated fantasy film produced by Toei Doga, based on the works of Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. Theatrically released in Japan on March 19, 1968, the film was licensed in North America by United Artists in 1971.

Synopsis
A young Hans Christian Andersen, while seeking an opera ticket, suddenly discovers the inspirations and talents he will later have for his fairy tales.

Release
The World of Hans Christian Andersen was released by Toei on March 19, 1968, three years prior to Andersen Stories (Anderusen Monogatari, 1971), an eponymous and thematically similar series produced by Zuiyo Enterprise and Mushi Production. The film and the series also have in common composer Seiichirō Uno, screenwriters Hisashi Inoue and Morihisa Yamamoto, and voice actress Eiko Masuyama. The film was dubbed for U.S. audiences by Hal Roach, who hired Chuck McCann and Al Kilgore to assist him; this was one of his last efforts before his studio closed down. In February 1971, United Artists announced its partnership with Hal Roach Studios to distribute this edit, which opened in theaters on March 1. Toei will continue to adapt Andersen's works in feature length movies such as: Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid (1975), The Wild Swans (1977) and Thumbelina (1978), and in the TV series World Fairy Tale Series.

Additional English Voices

 * Corinne Orr (Little Boy, Match Girl, Mouse)
 * Frances Russell (Mouse)
 * Jim Yoham (Mouse)
 * Ruth Bailew (Grandmother)
 * Earl Hammond (Ducks, Theater Manager)

Reception
In his Family Guide to Movies on Video, Henry Herx wrote that "the animation is colorful and creative, though stylistically comparable to Saturday morning TV shows. It provides a wonderful world of fantasy to absorb the small fry at a matinee." The writers of Jerry Beck's Animated Movie Guide gave it three stars out of four; as contributor Fred Patten commented, the film "is pleasant children's fare; a stereotypical and clichéd 'fun for the whole family' animated feature."

Home media
The World of Hans Christian Andersen was first released to VHS by RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video in the 1980s. In 2004, Digiview Productions released it on DVD