Sonnawood (1992 anime)

Inner Creatures (Japanese: 魔法の森ソナウッド, Hepburn: Mahō no Mori Sonawood lit. "Magic Forest Sonawood") is a 1992 fantasy adventure anime series created by Toshihiro Chiba and produced by Studio Axel.

The series originally aired in Japan on NHK from October 3, 1992 to March 27, 1993 for an initial run of 26 episodes. Due to interest from international buyers, a second and final season consisting of 20 episodes was commissioned and broadcast later from 1993 to 1994.

An English dub was broadcast in US syndication starting July 1994 and on the Family Channel in Canada the following October, with the series title being changed and the character's names changed to suit the English-language market and be more alliterative with the character's animal forms.

Premise
Itsuki (Forrester in the English dub), a young adult whose mother had gone missing many years before, lives with his father into a home with a new step-family, particularly their younger son Benjiro (Oliver in the US dub). Life becomes hard as both heads of the family constantly treat both boys with no respect, particularly the matriarch Kurohime (Sally in the US dub). Fed up with misery in the household, Benjiro finds out about Itsuki's book (a possession given to him by his mother before she vanished) containing a map of the hidden forest community Sonawood and convinces him to look for it, hoping to find happiness in a new life there, despite Itsuki's insistence that such a place doesn't exist.

The two sneak out one night to look for the forest community to discover a large stone barrier with a doorway entrance that seems to have nothing inside. Upon entering through the doorway, Itsuki and Benjiro are transformed into an anthropomorphic fox and ocelot respectively and it turns out to be a forest occupied by other anthropomorphic animals, whose form is an extension of their personality when inside the community. Under the guidance of the wolf Nozomi (Wisteria in the US dub), who turns out to be Itsuki's biological mother, the two join various other animal-folk in situations wherein the two learn from social conflicts.

Plot
In a small house in a half-abandoned neighborhood, young adult Itsuki and his younger foster brother Benjiro are frequently abused by Itsuki's foster and Benjiro's parents, Kurohime and Zenaku. Itsuki's mother Nozomi disappeared when he was 5 years old and has never been heard from again ever since, leaving him in the care of Zenaku and his wife. After being abused for the last time one night, Itsuki reads a storybook given to his mother before her disappearance on the magic forest community, Sonawood, whose residents inside the community become anthropomorphic animals based on an extension of their personality upon entering through the entrance. Benjiro discovers the book and becomes fascinated with Sonawood, thinking about searching the community if it exists to find happiness in a new life there. Itsuki claims that the place is only a fairy tale and refuses to go, but Benjiro insists, prompting a reluctant Itsuki to sneak out of the house and search for the community using a map inside the book.

After a day of searching, the two come across a large brick wall amidst a huge forest with doorway that seemingly leads to nothing inside. Itsuki, now with potential proof that Sonawood doesn't exist, puts his hand and face through the doorway for them to turn into a fox head and paw-like hand inside the barrier, shocking him. Upon putting his and Benjiro's limbs through the entrance, the latter's parts turning into an anthropomorphic ocelot's when inside the barrier, Itsuki and his brother decide to enter the community despite Itsuki's reluctance to accept the fact that Sonawood actually exists, where they are fully turned into an anthropomorphic fox and ocelot respectively, and discover a huge community of other anthropomorphic animals hidden behind a magical barrier that hides them from the rest of the human world. After taking a few steps, the two are suddenly caught in a trap set up by the community prankster and raccoon, Shun, who is later sent off by bear Hana, who unties them and directs them to Nozomi's house when Itsuki tells her about his mother's book given to him. Upon meeting Nozomi, who is a grey wolf inside the community, Itsuki reveals the book to her and, upon realizing it's her son, both share a heartfelt reunion.

Upon asking Nozomi why she left when Itsuki was 5, Nozomi explains that 4 years prior to meeting his father, she left Sonawood to explore more of the human world and fell in love with Zenaku. After giving birth to Itsuki, however, Zenaku began to constantly abuse her, which prompted her to return to Sonawood when Itsuki was young, leaving him a book she made about Sonawood in hopes of him joining her one day. Itsuki is distraught over her explanation and blames himself for his mothers disappearance. After a conversation with Benjiro, who expresses his enjoyment in living in the forest, Itsuki realizes that it was never his fault for his mother leaving him and forgives her for having to leave. Under her suggestion, Itsuki and Benjiro decide to look around Sonawood and know more about the woods. While exploring the woods with Nozomi, the three are caught in another prank by Shun, but is later stopped by arctic wolf Reiji, whose intimidating appearance scares Shun away.

Characters
See List of Inner Creatures characters

English

 * Robert Clanny as Itsuki/Forrester
 * Julian Bailey as Benjiro/Oliver
 * Kathleen Fee as Nozomi/Wisteria
 * James Rankin as Shun/Roddy
 * Tracey Ulman as Hana/Bibi
 * Steve Blum as Reiji/Waylen
 * Kristina Mariano as Chiaki/Vivian

Production
(TBA)

International broadcast

 * Argentina - Magic Kids
 * Australia - ABC
 * Brazil - SBT, Nickelodeon, Cultura, HBO Family, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, TV Brasil
 * Canada - Global, ASN, Access, Family, Canal Famille, Treehouse, TVO, Knowledge Network
 * El Kadsre - BTV, BTV Me
 * France - France 3, Canal J
 * Germany - kabel eins, KiKA
 * Ireland - RTÉ
 * Israel - Arutz HaYeladim
 * Italy - Rai, Junior TV
 * Japan - NHK
 * Malaysia - Cartoon Network, Astro Ceria
 * Mexico - ZAZ, Nickelodeon, HBO Family, Canal Once, Cartoon Network, Boomerang,
 * Netherlands - RTL 4, Kindernet
 * Philippines - ABS-CBN
 * Poland - TVP1
 * Portugal - RTP1, Canal Panda
 * Singapore - Cartoon Network, Kids Central
 * South Africa: M-Net
 * South Korea - KBS, Daekyo Children's TV, Tooniverse
 * Spain - Antena 3, TVG, TV3, Canal 9, Telemadrid, ETB1, K3
 * United Kingdom - TCC, Pop
 * United States - Syndication, HBO, HBO Family, KidsClick, Tubi TV