After Netflix suddenly canceled the Canadian series “Anne with an E” after the release of Season 3 in 2019, fans of the show and the original Anne of Green Gables books by Lisa Maud Montgomery were left disappointed and flocked to the internet to create change.org petitions and social media campaigns in order to renew Anne with an E for Season 4.
Given the show’s acclaim and loyal fanbase, the hashtag #renewannewithanE began trending on X (formerly Twitter). 5 years later, an animation studio by the name of “The Answer Studio” heard the overwhelming demand for a genuine adaptation of the classic novel series, Anne of Green Gables, and decided to announce something that made fans jump for joy.
Anne of Green Gables anime adaptation by the Answer Studio confirmed
As reported by Crunchyroll, the Answer Studio has announced to make an anime adaptation of Anne of Green Gables titled “Anne Shirley” and it is set to premiere on NHK Educational TV in Japan in April 2025.
Anne of Green Gables has previously been turned into two TV anime series in Japan: the first in 1979, directed by Isao Takahata, and the second in 2009, directed by Katsuyoshi Watabe. Both were animated by Nippon Animation as part of the World Masterpiece Theater series.
Originally, Anne of Green Gables was a singular novel in 1908 but based on the popularity of her first book, Montgomery wrote a series of sequels to continue the story of her heroine Anne Shirley. The new anime series, Anne Shirley, will use the first 3 novels of the series as the source material, namely, Anne of Green Gables (1908), Anne of Avonlea (1909), and Anne of the Island (1915).
Anne of Green Gables follows the story of Anne (Amybeth McNulty), a 13-year-old orphan girl who just wishes to belong and finds herself mistakenly sent to Prince Edward Island, where she is taken in by two siblings, Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. There, Anne discovers her identity and how she fits into the world.
Since its Japanese translation edition was published in Japan in 1952, the novel has been a timeless classic that has been loved for more than 70 years. If fans have any skepticism regarding the Answer Studio, let it be known that they have films such as Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name and Suzume under their belt.
Why Netflix canceled Anne with an E
The primary reason for Anne with an E’s cancellation was revealed by CBC’s general manager of programming, Sally Catto, in 2019. Even though the series was a favorite amongst younger viewers, the Netflix viewership numbers didn’t reflect a strong fanbase amongst older CBC and Netflix viewers in the 25 to 54 age range. Catto noted that:
They [viewership numbers] unfortunately didn’t lift enough… They just weren’t reaching our specific target.
To clarify this further, the show’s producer, Moria Walley-Beckett, wrote in an Instagram post:
Please know that we fought. We tried to change their minds. We tried to find a new home. We tried for a finale movie … We tried our best […] Art and Commerce is never an easy marriage. I often find it inexplicable. This is one of those times. But it’s impossible to argue with words like Economics, Algorithms, Demographics, etc., etc. But those words and others like them are the reason why the Networks don’t want to continue.
Netflix has provided a link to Anne with an E fans who want to make a renewal pitch; however, some believe that X bots were responsible for much of the original cancellation backlash. The fans were quite disappointed, as the show was very popular during its run, a certified Netflix original hit.
Even big shots like Ryan Reynolds pleaded with Netflix to keep the show going. But this new anime adaptation can bring back fans of the TV show and unite them with the novel fans.
Anne with an E Seasons 1-3 is now available to watch on Netflix.
