my first go-around with world masterpiece theater and, suffice 2 say, i was deeply impressed with the series' simple, yet economic production values, consistently magnificent artistry, and masterful storytelling instincts. here we have a show tailored towards japanese schoolchildren (who seemingly once had a greater attention span than most modern-day anime fans) that takes its time in fleshing out both a wide cast of characters—of which none ever once feel stock or cheap—and a world brimming with personality. case in…