The Grimm Variations is a Japanese animation series based on the novel by The Brothers Grimm.
From Cinderella to Little Red Riding Hood, making a detour at The Pied Piper of Hamelin, Netflix presents a Japanese series that radically alters the Grimm Brothers’ narratives and adapts them in an entirely distinctive, twisted, macabre, and thrilling way.
The tales shape-shift, leading us with Little Red Riding Hood into an ultramodern world filled with perversities, Cinderella seen as a manipulative girl, the celebrated Pied Piper of Hamelin in an extremely romantic rendition, and an action-packed manga version of the Musicians of Bremen.
An uproariously fun and refreshing series that is sure to delight anime aficionados.
About the Series
Six narratives that bear no semblance to the original Grimm Brothers’ tales. Except for the title and some loosely borrowed parts of the story, these are completely different tales, more like a parody of the original narratives. There’s nothing wrong with this, the classic Grimm Brothers’ tales have been told and this series shares six distinct stories that, full of parody spirit, draw inspiration and imagine entirely new, creative, and diverse worlds.
“The Grimm Variations” is a series brimming with humor: from the illustrations to the soundtrack, everything is imbued with a broad sense of humor, even the most grotesque and terrifying parts of the series.
Each episode has a style completely different from the others, and they all share a presentation between two brothers who narrate the story, stemming from the classic past of the tales. Later, with successive stories, imagination takes over and we enter into a world of parody, humor, audacity, and provocation.
The series steers us by one question: What will they come up with next? It does this well and manages to surprise, most notably in the Little Red Riding Hood episode, which we enjoyed most for its perverse and imaginative side.
But there’s something for everyone and every taste.
Definitely, anime lovers will enjoy this series much more than others, because this combination is sure to please manga enthusiasts more than those who prefer the classical European Grimm stories. Notably, the Grimm Brothers’ tales were never as innocent as we were led to believe.
Our Opinion
A truly entertaining, fun, and creative take on the Grimm Brothers’ tales.
A series brimming with talent and ideas.
