Abstract

A year after its broadcasting on Italian television, in 1986 Japanese anime Kiss Me Licia (Aishite Naito/Love Me Knight, 1983-84) was transposed by the Italian company Reteitalia in a live-action series titled Love Me Licia. Following an unprecedented success, which led to the series being renewed for another three years plus a three-season spin-off, the media franchise built around the character of Licia (played by Italian singer Cristina D’Avena) is now considered one of the most iconic «Italian» imageries of the ’80s. Almost 40 years after its debut, this article realigns the social, cultural and productive strands that underpin the penetration of this paradigmatic Italian/Japanese franchise. Combining historical and bibliographical research with original interviews with the cast, the authors provide an in-depth view into the production process of the Kiss Me Licia and Love Me Licia series, discussing their cultural reception across genres and generations. In doing so, the essay rehabilitates the complex transcultural dynamics that nurtured Italian anime imports of the mid ’80s