When I went to Prince Edwards Island about ten years ago, I made the rounds of the various "Green Gables" attractions. What I discovered was that Japanese girls had fallen in love with Anne's story.

I can't remmeber whether "Anne" was an assigned book in school, or just an extra-curricular book, but I do know that I was told hundreds of Japanese couples each year chose to get married on PEI. Or should I say, the women chose it for themselves and their fiances.

I don't know if that craze is still going on, but considering Anne's spunkiness, I'm not surprised that Japanese girls would be so attracted to her character.

And Japanese gay guys!

Once, at a gay bar in Kyoto I used to go to, the topic of Canada came up - and sure enough, a roomful of Japanese gay men began to talk about their love of red-haired Anne of Green Gables! Haha!

Fun times...

MaryAnn:

When I went to Prince Edwards Island about ten years ago, I made the rounds of the various "Green Gables" attractions. What I discovered was that Japanese girls had fallen in love with Anne's story.

... I was told hundreds of Japanese couples each year chose to get married on PEI. Or should I say, the women chose it for themselves and their fiances.

I don't know if that craze is still going on, but considering Anne's spunkiness, I'm not surprised that Japanese girls would be so attracted to her character.

I just came to the Fray after reading the article to post the very same thing. If anything, the phenomenon is bigger now. Huge buses packed with young Japanese women and, in some cases, boyfriends and husbands, flood PEI every year. Yes, the Japanese wedding industry is still thriving there and some businesses specialize in arranging weddings for Japanese couples. Some signage in Cavendish (home of Green Gables and the heart of the Las Vegas - meets - Beatrix Potter Anne tourism industry) is in English, French - and Japanese.

The reason for the attraction is clear. Not only is Anne a rebel, she is a rebel in a society with very strict rules and expectations of behaviour for young women, and she is surrounded by people who disapprove of her, yet she refuses to give up her spirit and insists on living life on her own terms. I imagine a few million Japanese teenagers wish they had the courage to do the same.

Interesting perspective w/r/t the Japanese teenagers.

When I inquired into the Anne phenomenon after my bar experience, I remember being told one take, that Anne's bright ("akarusa") outlook on life despite her difficult childhood came to represent Japan's own post-war reconstruction and positive forward-looking outlook.