TV · Fall 1976 · 115 episodes · 25 min · Finished · Toei Animation
DramaSlice of Life
This story is about a girl, Candy, who is a orphan. She is a nice and optimistic girl and she has a warm heart. When she was a child, she lived in an orphanage called Pony's Home. She had a good friend called Ann. And she met the "handsome boy on the hill" who is a important person in her life, on the hill behind the orphanage.
She was adopted by the Loka's family. What's awaiting her are the bad-hearted Leo and his sister, Eliza. One day, in the rose garden, she met a boy, who is identical to the "handsome boy on the hill" who she had met in her childhood. The boy is called Antony. Thereafter, a fantastic story that she has never expected begins.
(Source: AnimeNfo)
At Pony's Home, an old church and orphanage run by Miss Pony and Sister Mary, young Tom discovers that something is amiss outside. When Miss Pony and Sister Mary go outside to investigate, they find two abandoned babies, Annie and Candy White. Over the next decade, the girls become best friends who try to sabotage visits from possible future parents in order not to be adopted. Meanwhile Candy and Tom often get into verbal and physical fights. While the dark-haired Annie grows up into a docile girl, the blond-haired Candy has become an incorrigible tomboy who climbs in trees, loves mischief and has an excellent lasso throwing skill. The nuns have to scold Candy regularly for her recklessness. When the wealthy farmer Steve adopts Tom, the two girls are reminded of the danger of being separated if either one is adopted. Gradually, Candy also realizes that she will miss Tom. On his emotional farewell day, Miss Pony and Sister Mary reveal to Annie and Candy that it was Tom who had first noticed them all those many years ago. This prompts the girls to see Tom off from atop a cliff, and the episode ends with Anny confessing to Candy in tears that she would like to have parents of her own, but not at the cost of being separated from Candy.
2
Take Off! Adventuring Together
Oct 7, 1976 · 25 min
Annie's desire to have parents makes her melancholic, and Candy decides on a plan to lift Annie's spirits: a countryside picnic. They leave on their little adventure, the next morning, leaving a letter for Miss Pony and Sister Mary to inform them about Candy's plan. Candy and Annie enjoy their first taste of wine, slide of hillsides and chase a fawn into the forest. Tomboy Candy takes the initiative and Annie follows. To appease Annie's concern, Candy rigs a rope to a tree branch across the river when they wade in the refreshing water of a stream with a strong current. But the current is still too strong, and they are swept away once the branch breaks off. Luckily Mr. Brighton and his farmhand discover and rescue the girls while they are hunting. At the impressive Brighton hunting lodge they get dry, rich clothes, are welcomed to a barbecue and invited to ride the horse. Annie behaves well in front of these friendly strangers, while Candy is her cheeky self. During the horse riding, Annie suggests Candy they could ask Mr. Brighton to adopt them both so they can stay together forever. The idea of leaving Pony's Home angers Candy. The two girls fight and argue and Candy runs off back to Pony's Home, where she comes upon Sister Mary searching for little John who has disappeared during Annie's and Candy's absence. Candy discovers him sleeping up in the big Pony tree where he waited to be the first to see Annie and Candy return from their outing. While Annie stays the night at the Brighton estate, both girls are unable to sleep, missing each other. Annie returns the next morning, bringing Candy's favorite candy from the Brighton estate. Happy to be together again, they swear never to be separated.
3
A Good Bye from the Carriege
Oct 14, 1976 · 25 min
When Mr. Brighton visits Pony's Home to hold a barbecue in the garden for all the orphans, Annie realizes Mr. Brighton has ulterior motives. Mr. Brighton warmed to Candy's lively, generous nature and hopes to convince his wife Jane to adopt Candy on his next visit to the orphanage. Candy makes sure she will not be separated from Annie: when Mr. Brighton introduces Candy to his wife, Candy pretends she wets her bed every night. Meanwhile the quiet and polite Annie has caught Mrs. Brighton's eye, and the Brightons choose to adopt Annie. Feeling betrayed, Candy runs off at night, but Annie searches her and apologizes for having been envious. When Annie asks Candy's permission to go and live with the Brightons, Candy gives her blessing and promises to take care of Annie's pet raccoon Klint, since Mrs. Brighton does not like animals.
4
You're Cute When You Smile!
Oct 21, 1976 · 25 min
Annie is happy at her new rich home; she feels as if living a dream and hopes to invite Candy to her new home. But Mrs. Brighton does not want people to know Annie lived at Pony's Home and Annie has to break all contact. After Annie's final goodbye letter, Candy runs off into the hills and forest where she meets a handsome "prince", dressed in a kilt, who plays her a song on his bagpipes to make her smile again. He tells her she is prettier when she smiles than when she cries. But he vanishes into thin air soon after. Solely the pendant with a small bell that he dropped is evidence of his existence. Back at Pony's Home a representative of the Leagan family from Lakewood visits to convey the Leagans wish to adopt Candy as a playmate for their daughter. Lakewood is close to Jasper, where Annie lives, and the representative's car has the same sign as the prince's pendant. When Candy learns that the Leagans have a seventeen-year-old son, she agrees to the adoption.
5
From Today, I'll Be a Princess?
Oct 28, 1976 · 25 min
Candy departs for Lakeweood together with her raccoon Klint. She hitches a ride with Tom and his father Mr. Steave on their wagon. Mr. Steave expresses his doubts about the Leagans and advises Candy to be strong and never cry. From the very moment of her arrival, Candy is the victim of the nasty pranks by the Leagan children, Neil and Eliza. Neil is not the blonde prince and Mrs. Leagan tells Candy she is Miss Eliza's playmate, not a sister, nor her daughter. Mr. Leagan is kinder and convinced that Candy is exactly the friend his children need. However, he is often absent and lets his wife deal with the children. Meanwhile the servant girl Dorothy is too afraid to back up Candy's version of events against Neil's twisted versions. Candy has all the motivation to run back for Pony's home. But when she discovers a portrait of her prince in the attic where she sleeps, and learns from Dorothy that he spends his holidays in the area, she decides to stay.
6
The Person I Met at the Rose Gates
Nov 4, 1976 · 25 min
When Klint gets into a fight with the cat Sylvia and Mrs. Leagan discovers Candy doing voluntarily chores, she reminds Candy that she is to be Eliza's playmate and banishes Klint. Candy cannot bear to leave him in the forest and hides him in the barn. When Neil and Eliza witness Klint following Candy out of the stables, they pester her to the brink of tears by taking away her prince's pendant, threatening to tell their mother about Klint. After taking back the pendant, Candy runs off, her course set for Pony's Home—if not for seeing her prince appearing at some grand rose gates with the same crest as her pendant: that of the Ardley family. Once again, he disappears seemingly into thin air once she's laughing and smiling again, paying her the same compliment as before. Instead of going to Pony's Home, Candy skips happily singing back into the Leagan home.
7
Am I Elegant?
Nov 11, 1976 · 25 min
When Mrs. Leagan and her children return from their outing, Mr. Leagan notices Candy, who is confined in the attic, is not amongst them. After an argument with Mrs. Leagan, Mr. Leagan listens to Candy and she procures his consent for Klint to live in the stables and garden. Candy exercises night and day to walk elegantly, in accordance to her resolution to become more elegant in order to please Mrs. Leagan, who is compelled to take notice and yet puts Candy's efforts down. When Eliza points out that Candy constantly seeks out the company of the servants and refuses to be her playmate, Mrs. Leagan decides to downgrade Candy to a servant, while Mr. Leagan is away on business. Distressed, Candy wanders to the closed gates of the Ardley estate, in the hope to meet her prince. Instead she meets Archibald Cornwell in adventurous circumstances. Even if Archibald is not her prince, it seems that the Ardley estate houses plenty of interesting and friendly people.
8
Invitation of Happiness
Nov 18, 1976 · 25 min
Eliza takes Candy as porter into town on a shopping excursion with Neil to buy a new ballroom dress. When Neil and Eliza leave her behind, she encounters Archibald's brother, Alistear Cornwell, on her walk back to the Leagan house. Alistear offers her a lift in his car. However, neither his driving, nor the car are in the best shape. Alistear suggests a shortcut through the forest, both hopping from tree to tree. Back home, much earlier than Neil and Eliza expected, Candy learns that the old Ardley matron will take her residence in the Ardley estate and there will be a ball to welcome her. Both Alistear and Archibald send an official invitation for her to Mr. Leagan. Despite Eliza's protests, Mr. Leagan will not ignore two personal invitations and orders Eliza to gift a dress to Candy. Eliza gives one that is much too small to fit. Dorothy soothes Candy's mind by reminding her that Candy's conduct will be of far greater importance at the party than an expensive dress out of Eliza's closet.
9
The Dance Where I Met Him
Nov 25, 1976 · 25 min
Upon entering the ball, Candy finally meets her prince, Anthony Brown. Strangely enough, Eliza's favorite remembers the encounter at the rose gates, but not the hilltop meeting. Great-aunt Elroy chastises the Leagans for bringing their maidservant in such informal dress if she is Archibald's and Alistear's special guest. The two Cornwell brothers and Anthony intercede on Candy's behalf. Tricked by Eliza, Candy gets locked up inside a dark room in a hallway that fits the description of Archibald's ghost story. Meanwhile, Eliza detains Anthony from searching for Candy by dancing with him. In a panic Candy manages to break down the door and Anthony finds her. The brothers gift her a ballroom dress and Anthony gifts her some of his late mother's jewelry. Candy joins the dancing with all three young bachelors, making a good impression. Candy asks Anthony whether he knows Pony Hill, but he tells her no, confirming that, though he looks like her prince, Anthony cannot be the hilltop prince after all.
10
The Barn Princess
Dec 2, 1976 · 25 min
Mrs. Leagan banishes Candy to sleep in the barn. While the horses and she appreciate each other and Candy is happy to sleep with Klint, Candy hopes to conceal the truth from Anthony, as well as from little orphan John and Sister Mary when they visit unexpectedly. Mrs. Leagan agrees to the charade in the face of Sister Mary. But Candy's dirty and bruised working hands cannot hide the truth. Sister Mary reveals to Candy what she knows and wants to take Candy back home with her. But after meeting the Cornwell brothers, she thinks Candy has all she needs to be truly happy: friends. Realizing that Anthony must know too, Candy fears he will avoid her from now on. But Anthony enters the barn, apologizing for not being a gentleman the day before and letting her carry his load when he knows she works so hard already. He presents her a rose, promising that he will give her a more beautiful one on her next birthday, which will be in May from now on.
