The First Easter Rabbit

The First Easter Rabbit is a 1976, American-Japanese, animated, made-for-T.V., holiday/Easter special. It is a loose adaptation of The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. It was co-produced by Rankin/Bass Productions and Topcraft. It is the second in Rankin/Bass's Easter special trilogy with the two others being Here Comes Peter Cottontail and The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town.

Plot
Reminiscent of The Velveteen Rabbit, a girl named Glinda receives a stuffed rabbit she names Stuffy as a Christmas gift. But due to him being a health risk to her, he is later set outside to be burned along with several, other toys. Then, a fairy named Calliope becomes his savior when she brings him to life and he becomes real, but there's more. Stuffy is tasked with protecting the Golden Lily, which is in a place called Easter Valley, to prevent the location from being frozen over by the snow-and-ice wizard, Zero, and save the holiday.

Why It Rocks

 * 1) The art is in that typically crude art style, like most other traditionally animated Rankin/Bass specials. But the animation is lively enough throughout most of it.
 * 2) The writing of this adaptation is an example of one of those based on The Velveteen Rabbit that combines the story with an Easter theme. As a result, the plot line has some creativity to it.
 * 3) Again, the characters are designed in that crude art style. Even though some may not consider the look of them to be the best, they're not too bad.
 * 4) Many likable, unforgettable characters. Even Zero, who becomes less villainous and his icy heart melts later.
 * 5) All the musical numbers are just marvelously excellent.
 * 6) Most of the voice work sounds just right.
 * 7) Funny and emotional moments.
 * 8) The lines of dialogue are well-written.
 * 9) It's one of the various, great imaginings or re-imaginings of how the Easter bunny came to be associated with the holiday.
 * 10) The whole thing is plainly cute.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) At times, the animation can be middling and it's not 100% perfect. Although minor, there's the animation goof of when Flops repeats "I said, I think we're barking up the wrong tree" a second time, Spats speaks with Flops's voice.
 * 2) The voice acting of Dina Lyn, who voiced Glinda, is alright but can be considered mediocre and could've been better.

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