If you are tired of the predictable endings of fairy tales and all their retellings and want something more sinister to satiate your taste, then The Grimm Variations will be perfect for you. Produced by Wit Studios, this six-part original net animation (ONA) anthology series retells classic Grimm fairy tales such as Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood with a little twist.
The stories begin with the two Grimm brothers, Jacob and Wilhelm, who are working on their new stories when their little sister Charlotte approaches them and says that she would love a story that is not a fairy tale or nice. The six stories go from there, each picking up a different backdrop in which they are set, taking the audience on a whirlwind ride around some fairy tales that are definitely not nice but highly enjoyable nonetheless.
What are the stories featured in The Grimm Variations?
The Grimm brothers’ collection of stories known as The Grimms’ Fairy Tales is arguably one of the most adopted pieces of media across cultures. Some may know that although most of these adaptations provide the stories with a happy ending, the original Grimm stories were anything but.
However, if you think The Grimm Variations take the same path as the original twisted tales, you will be wrong. Even though the series adapts six well-known stories, the narrative and backdrops change into something completely different, giving the stories an ominous quality.
The first story of the bunch is Cinderella, which tells the story of a girl named Kiyoko Otawara and her father’s new wife and daughters. The story seems to progress similarly to the original; however, in the end, we stumble upon a sudden twist that flips our understanding of the story on its head. The second episode adapts Little Red Riding Hood, another beloved children’s classic, but it focuses on a sadistic serial killer instead of a wolf.
Hansel and Gretel take place in a creepy orphanage where something is not quite right. The Elves and the Shoemaker bring the setting to a contemporary world, with the central character being a struggling older author. The two final stories are The Town Musicians of Bremen and The Pied Piper of Hamelin, which bring their own sinister charm to the series.
A Dark retelling done well
A darker retelling of classic stories often tries to keep true to the originals while adding gore and violence to the mix. Even though some parts of The Grimm Variations can be gory, its shift from the originals to twists that did not originally exist in the stories makes it a worthwhile watch. With Cinderella, the story almost becomes a psychological thriller.
Complete with different settings that keep your attention on the screen until the end and characters that seem to have sprung from nightmares instead of fairy tales, The Grimm Variations is truly a great watch for people who love sinister endings to happy ones.
Michiko Yokote also did a great job on the scripts, which change perfectly according to time, age, and characters. If you are a fan of fairy tales but want a taste of something a bit different, The Grimm Variations might be a great fit for you. All episodes of The Grimm Variations are available to stream on Netflix.
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