The 3 Musketeers Jussac second hand figure (Loose)

The Three Musketeers: when Dumas meets the animal kingdom

Premiering in 1987, the animated series The Three Musketeers (co-produced by BRB Internacional and Nippon Animation) reimagined Alexandre Dumas’ swashbuckling tale in a striking way: all the characters are anthropomorphic animals, mostly dogs.

This creative choice reshaped the story’s tone. Making D’Artagnan a hot-headed dog perfectly captured his impulsive and loyal personality, while Athos, Porthos, and Aramis embodied different canine traits — wisdom, strength, elegance — that made them instantly relatable to children.

Even the villains benefited from this approach: Cardinal Richelieu and Milady became larger-than-life caricatures, menacing yet still fun to watch thanks to their animated animal designs.

The animal reinterpretation gave the series a comedic lightness (dog-like brawls, cartoon chases) without losing the heart of Dumas’ novel: friendship, loyalty, courage, and justice.

With Japanese animation quality blended with European storytelling, the series became a nostalgic cult classic, remembered as both entertaining and an unusual gateway to classic literature for kids of the late 80s.