# Princess Sarah (1985)

> A wealthy man's daughter at a London boarding school is cast down into servitude after sudden family tragedy and must keep her dignity intact.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/32722

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 46
- Episode runtime: 25 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: animation, drama, family
- Created by: Fumio Kurokawa
- Network: Fuji TV
- Cast: Sumi Shimamoto, Eiko Yamada, Taeko Nakanishi, Yuri Nashiwa, Teiyu Ichiryusai, Chika Sakamoto, Maki Yaosaha, Naoko Watanabe
- TMDB rating: 7.8/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0168375/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: wistful, sincere, gentle, hopeful, melancholic

## What critics say

Audience reception is positive, with viewers praising the emotional heart of Sarah's story and its faithful adaptation of the source novel's warmth.

## Synopsis

Princess Sarah (1985) is a Japanese animated drama series created by Fumio Kurokawa for Fuji TV, produced by Nippon Animation as part of its World Masterpiece Theater tradition. Sumi Shimamoto voices Sarah Crewe, the young daughter of a wealthy Englishman in India who begins attending a prestigious London boarding school, only to be reduced to a maid after a run of sudden tragedies. The engine of the series is her steadfast refusal to let hardship strip her of kindness and pride, as she navigates the cruelty of headmistress Maria Minchin (Taeko Nakanishi) and the scheming of her proud classmate Lavinia Herbert (Eiko Yamada). Each episode turns on small humiliations, quiet friendships and the hope of a reversal in fortune. Told as a single 46-episode run of 25-minute installments, it is a self-contained story with a clear arc rather than a case-of-the-week format. Set in Victorian London, the series carries a wistful, sincere atmosphere, with gentle melancholy softened by warmth and imaginative resilience. Fans of Heidi, Girl of the Alps, Anne of Green Gables and A Little Princess will find resonance in its classic literary sensibility and heartfelt heroine.

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