Stream It Or Skip It: 'The Grimm Variations' on Netflix, an anime that turn the classic Grimms' fairy tales on their head (2024)

Grimms’ Fairy Tales are some of the most recognizable stories in the world. This collection of stories, written by the German Grimm brothers Jacob and Wilhelm, was published in the 1800s, but has been delighting children and adults ever since with numerous adaptations. That includes everything from Rapunzel to Cinderella and several other familiar characters that have seen hit Disney movies or success in other forms. The newest to add to the list is the original Netflix anime The Grimm Variations, an anthology series based on the same fairy tales spanning six episodes. Each episode explores a different story, with character designs by famed Japanese art outfit CLAMP and animation by Wit Studio. Now that it’s landed on Netflix, is it worth revisiting these classic stories through a new lens?

THE GRIMM VARIATIONS: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: In an idyllic bookshelf setting, we see the brothers Grimm (Damian Mills and A.J. Beckles) discussing a new manuscript. Their little sister Charlotte (Anairis Quinones) comes to see them, wanting to hear about the latest fairy tale they’ve been working on. The brothers describe the tale, Cinderella, to an empathetic Charlotte, and give her hope that Cinderella will find a positive ending to her story.

The Gist: Each episode of The Grimm Variations features a new take on a classic Grimm brothers tale. The first is Cinderella, introduced after the brothers explained to their sister Charlotte what it entails – though it’s a different take on the classic story.

Viscount Otawara (Mick Lauer) asks a woman named Tsuruko (Dorothy Fahn) to come live with him and his daughter Kiyoko (Abby Espiritu) as her new mother as Otawara says she “desires a new mother.” Tsuruko is promised the world as she is told she’ll live without a care, and thus she goes to live with Otawara, bringing her two daughters with her. It’s a seemingly idyllic situation, unlike the original Cinderella, and it seems that at first both families will get along beautifully. She even asks that her family get along with her porcelain doll as well.

The sisters take Kiyoko’s kindness for naivete, and immediately begin scheming to take advantage of the young girl. When the Otawaras’ true nature is revealed, the servants of the house gossip about them and how much of a disgrace they are to the Otawara household. This sows the seeds of turmoil between the family as one sister is blamed for theft, bringing the already strained relationships to a head.

Despite all the bad blood, Kiyoko doesn’t waver in her affection for her new sisters. It’s soon revealed that Kiyoko’s doll can move and speak on her own and has something important to do with the way her owner carries on trying to make the entire family love her and get along together. The tables are soon turned as it seems she’s the one pulling the strings behind all of the disturbing happenings in the Otawara household so that everything positive happens to her instead of her new sisters.

When it all comes to an end, we get a twisted version of the classic Cinderella story that finds the “evil” stepsisters victims of their own horrific story woven by Kiyoko in an exciting psychological thriller that completely turns the story on its head.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? If you’re a fan of CLAMP series like Chobits or Cardcaptor Sakura, you’ll appreciate the Grimm brothers’ interludes at the beginning of the series. The story’s sinister tone feels a bit more like something you can expect from a JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure side story or even a horror story from Junji Ito’s animated tales at some points, and that’s just the first episode.

Our Take: This twist on the traditional Cinderella story is so much more interesting than what so many other adaptations have attempted. You’re always wondering what’s going on with Kiyoko from the very beginning, because it isn’t clearly spelled out at first, but the creeping horror sets in once you realize what she’s up to.

This is a fun, exciting take on what many might see as a boring, stagnant story that’s been iterated on time and time again to no real avail. It’s turned into more of a psychological thriller that challenges your perceptions here, which makes it easy to watch to the very end.

Sex and Skin: None here at all.

Parting Shot: Kiyoko speaks to her doll while sitting in the bedroom with her latest conquest. Her doll asks what kind of game she’ll play next while Kiyoko talks to her prince, mentioning all the “fun” she’s going to have as she goes to kiss him with sinister music stirring.

Sleeper Star: Makiko and Sawako, voiced by Shara Kirby and Reba Buhr respectively, are interesting foils to Kiyoko, and both actresses give believable consternation and incredulity in their roles, especially when you realize they aren’t the “evil” ones in this story.

Most Pilot-y Line: “I’ve been dreaming about this day! I’ve been waiting and wondering so long what my new family would be like. I swear, I’ll be the best little sister either of you ever had!” Kiyoko is the picture of an eager child who acts as if she’s thrilled to have a new family, and she’s more than a little sinister when she delivers this line. It colors the rest of the story and gives you a hint at how things might really be.

Our Call: STREAM IT. There are few bells and whistles when it comes to the Grimm brothers’ introductions to each story or their involvement, but the animated versions of the stories come to life in bright, eye-popping color. Cinderella comes to life in a way that you’d hardly recognize with gorgeous visuals and plenty of reasons to stick around to the very end. If this is the direction this series is going in, we may need a second season, STAT!

Brittany Vincent (@MolotovCupcake) has been covering video games and tech for over a decade for publications like G4, Popular Science, Playboy, Variety, IGN, GamesRadar, Polygon, Kotaku, Maxim, GameSpot, and more. When she’s not writing or gaming, she’s collecting retro consoles and tech.