Candy Candy

Candy Candy is a Japanese novel, manga, and anime series. The main character, Candice "Candy" White Ardlay is a blonde American girl with freckles, large emerald green eyes and long, curly hair, worn in pigtails with bows. Candy Candy first appeared in a prose novel by famed Japanese writer Kyoko Mizuki in April 1975. When Mizuki joined forces with manga artist Yumiko Igarashi, the Japanese magazine Nakayoshi became interested in Candy Candy. The series was serialized as a manga series in the magazine for four years and won the 1st Kodansha Manga Award for shōjo in 1977. The story was adapted into an anime series by Toei animation. There are also several Candy Candy movies which were never released outside of Japan.
Candy Candy reached great heights of popularity for several years in a row, with different types of Candy Candy toys for sale in the Japanese market. These toys included dolls, girls' watches, and other items. In 1976 after the manga had become so popular among Japanese girls, a Japanese anime series was produced for NET (now known as TV Asahi). In 1978, one animated feature film about Candy Candy and her friends was released in Japanese cinemas. Another one would be released in 1992.
Candy Candy reached international fame throughout the early- and mid-1980s among children in places such as Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Candy Candy toys were also sold in these areas.