Maya the Bee
- Original title: Mitsubishi Maya no Boken
- Release year: 1975
- Animation studio: Nippon Animation
What is it about? The animated series of Maya the Bee is based on the novel by German author Waldemar Bonsels from 1912. However, the plot was extremely softened and made child-friendly for the series. The original was much more militaristic and nationalistic.
Maya is born in a beehive but immediately stands out due to her curiosity and uniqueness. She did not fit into the otherwise strict collective of the bees. Instead of fulfilling a bee’s tasks and collecting honey, Maya leaves the hive to explore the big meadow.
Accompanying her is her loyal companion Willy, who was invented specifically for the series and does not appear in the original book. He is the humorous counterbalance to Maya. Additionally, there’s her mentor Flip, a grasshopper.
In the series, Maya learns about nature and different creatures. However, there are also dangers like the spider Thekla. There’s even a grand finale: Maya returns to the hive when her colony is attacked by a hornet’s nest, saves it, and becomes the advisor to the queen.
What’s exciting to know? The voice actor Eberhard Storeck became Willy by chance, as he reveals in a TV show (available on YouTube). Originally, a child was supposed to voice Willy, but on that day, the child couldn’t produce any sound. Storeck held his nose and showed the child how to speak. The producers liked it so much that Storeck ended up taking over the role.
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