# Maya the Bee 50th anniversary

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/maya-the-bee-50th-anniversary
> Updated: 2026-09-09T04:00:00.000Z. Sources: 13. Developments: 2.

The animated series ‘Biene Maja’ (Maya the Bee) is marking its 50th anniversary. A co-production involving Germany, Austria, and Japan, the series first premiered in Japan on TV Asahi in April 1975, followed by its German television debut on ZDF on September 9, 1976.

The series became a major success, reaching an average of three to four million children per episode. Production details include international collaboration involving American designs by cartoonist Marty Murphy and animation by Nippon Animation. Technical aspects of the show included using a small electric motor to simulate the sound of buzzing bees.

In the German production, the character Willi was voiced by Eberhard Storeck, who also handled the dialogue, while Maja was voiced by eleven-year-old Scarlet Cavadenti. Although a computer-animated version was produced between 2013 and 2017, the original series remains a cultural staple.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-09: Biene Maja celebrates 50 years of television history

The animated series ‘Biene Maja’ celebrates 50 years since its 1976 debut, highlighting its international production between Germany, the US, and Japan.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/biene-maja-celebrates-50-years-of-television-history-1

### 2026-09-06: Biene Maja celebrates 50 years of television history

The classic anime series ‘Die Biene Maja’ marks its 50th anniversary, celebrating its legacy as a German-Austrian-Japanese co-production that first aired in Germany on ZDF in 1976.

10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/biene-maja-celebrates-50-years-of-television-history

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Cite as: Maya the Bee 50th anniversary. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/maya-the-bee-50th-anniversary