Italian Disco Anime: When Robots Danced to the 4/4 Beat

The early Italian localizations of anime themes were all about disco and cosmic sounds.

In February 1978, a secluded cabin in the Alps became the ultimate aspiration for Italians with a TV set. Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki’s Heidi was debuting on national TV, and it also stood out for its opening theme. Unlike the Japanese original, which bears a striking similarity to Snow White’s “Whistle While You Work,” the Italian one, penned by F…