Ningyo Hime Marina no Bouken

Aired: 1991

A fantasy anime adaptation loosely inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid, broadcast in Fuji TV's early morning slot. Marina, the bright and optimistic mermaid princess of an undersea kingdom, befriends the kindhearted human Prince Justin, and the two embark on adventures spanning sea and land. Court intrigues, sea-monster encounters, and a tender romance shape the series, presenting a more hopeful counter-tale to Andersen's bittersweet original and earning a fond audience among young viewers. Yumi Hiroki's theme song Yumemiru Mermaid, sung with delicate clarity, lends the show its dreamy, fairy-tale atmosphere.