Sylvanian Families

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

Template:Infobox Toy

File:Sylvanian families.jpg

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 plush figures, created by 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 and bears. They remain a quintessential part of the 1990s boom in craze (or fad) toys. The word 'sylvan' means 'of the forest'.

Growth[]

File:Shop Window of Sylvanian Families Store, London.PNG

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 a 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.

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!".

1987 animated television series[]

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

Writer[]

Jean Ann Wright Episode one imdb The Wheel Thing/Muddy Waters (1987) segment
Steve Robertson The Wheel Thing/Muddy Waters (1987) segment
John Vornholt The Wheel Thing/Muddy Waters (1987) segment
Phil Harnage The Wheel Thing/Muddy Waters (1987) adaptation

Voice cast[]

Brian Belfry
Len Carlson
Lisa Coristine
Jeri Craden
Diane Fabian
Michael Fantini
Catherine Gallant
Paulina Gillis
Ellen-Ray Hennessey
Jeremiah McCann
Frank Proctor
Chuck Shamata
John Stocker
Tara Strong (credited under maiden name "Charandoff")
Cree Summer
Thick Wilson
Noam Zylberman
Kerry Shale (Only Voices Herb Wildwood)

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

Villains[]

Packbat
Gatorpossum

Human[]

The Woodkeeper

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

Episodes[]

Grace Under Pressure / Cooking Up Trouble
Dam Busters / School Daze
Double Trouble / Outfoxing the Foxes
Know It All / Beauty and The Beast
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

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.^[1]

Episodes[]

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

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

2007 3DCG anime series[]

Sylvanian Families was adapted to three stand-alone OVA episodes of 3DCG anime in 2007. The DVDs feature an English-language track.^[2]

Voice actors[]

References[]

External links[]

Sylvanian Families Official Japanese website (Japanese)
Calico Critters Official US Website
Sylvanian Families Official UK (and ROI) Collectors Club and shop

pl:Leśna Rodzina sv:Skogsfamiljerna

[1] ttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0354787/

[2] ttp://www.cdjapan.co.jp/search3.html?q=Sylvanian&media=&r=any&step=20&order=score

[1]

[2]