When I first heard about Anne Shirley, the new Anne of Green Gables anime series from The Answer Studio, I knew exactly which scene from L.M. Montgomery’s 1908 novel I was looking forward to the most: Anne smashing her slate across the head of cocky classmate Gilbert Blythe after he teases her about her bright red hair. Fans of the books know that this is just the start of Anne and Gilbert’s relationship, which turns from bitter childhood rivals to romantic partners over the course of the entire series. It’s one of the best love stories in literature, and it starts with a smack on the back of the head that sets the tone for their entire relationship.

And the anime scene did not let me down. In fact, it’s actually become one of my favorite interpretations of the scene. Many adaptations decide to have Anne deliberately ignore Gilbert’s taunting, but Anne Shirley stays true........

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