Maya the Bee

Sulevi Riukulehto suggested that the book may have carried a political message. This view depicts the beehive as a well-organised militarist society and Maya as an ideal citizen. Elements of nationalism also appear when Maya gets angry at a grasshopper for failing to distinguish between bees and wasps (whom she calls "a useless gang of bandits" [Räubergeschlecht] that have no "home or faith" [Heimat und Glauben]) and at a insulting fly, whom Maya threatens to teach "respect for bees" and with her stinger. Riukulehto interprets this to mean that respect is based on the threat of violence. Collectivism versus individualism is also a theme. Maya's independence and departure from the beehive is seen as reproachable, but it is atoned by her warning of the hornets' attack. This show of loyalty restores her position in the society. In the hornet attack part of the story, the bees' will to defend the hive and the heroic deaths of bee officers are glorified, often in overtly militarist tones.[9]

After World War II, adaptations toned down the militarist element considerably, reduced the hornets' role. The 1975 anime added the character of Willy, a lazy and quite un-warlike drone bee. In the cartoon series, the briskly marching, but ridiculously incompetent ant armies provide a parody of militarism.

German director Wolfram Junghans made a 1926 silent version ("starring" real insects). The film was lost for a decade until the only original copy of the film was found in Finland.[10] The material was restored in 2005 with a new musical score and released on DVD in 2012, in collaboration with the KAVI and the Bundesarchiv-Filmarchiv, and the film was screened in both Hamburg and Helsinki.[11][10]

Perhaps the most popular and widely known adaptation of the story is the Japanese anime Maya the Honey Bee (みつばちマーヤの冒険, Mitsubachi Māya no Bōken, "The Adventures of Maya the Honeybee"). Originally aired on Japanese TV in 1975, the anime has been dubbed into 42 languages[12] and screened on television in various territories. The Japanese TV series was preceded by Tokyo Kodomo Club's musical play based on the short story, presented as Mitsubachi Māya ("Maya the Honeybee"), distributed on an LP album.

The original theme was composed by Karel Svoboda and sung by Karel Gott in the German, Czech and Slovak versions; Zbigniew Wodecki in the Polish version.[13][14]

In 2012 Studio 100 Animation produced a 78-episode, 13-minute TV series.[15] The series was rendered in CGI animation.[16] A second 52 episode season aired in 2017.

A 2014 film adaptation based upon the 2012 series was released.[17] In 2018, a sequel to the 2014 film, titled Maya the Bee: The Honey Games, released on March 1, 2018, in Germany and May 1, 2018, in United States.

In 2021, third film, titled Maya the Bee: The Golden Orb was released on January 7, 2021, in Australia. It was delayed from its original 2020 release date due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maya the Bee also served as the basis for a children's opera written by the Croatian composer Bruno Bjelinski in 1963. In 2008 it was staged in Villach, Austria, as part of their Carinthian Summer Music Festival.[18] This performance was distinguished by having the "bees" played by children and not professional opera singers as it is usually the case.[19]

Singer-songwriter Nancy Harrow created a jazz-musical version of the story, called The Adventures of Maya the Bee, that featured puppets by Zofia Czechlewska. Harrow's adaptation was produced in New York City by The Culture Project in 2000,[20] and was revived in 2012.[21]

On October 10, 2016, Belgian company Studio 100 (the current owners of the series) created a Flemish stage musical called "Maya en de Pollenbollen" based on the 2012 series that has the people dressed in costumes for the characters from the show. The show contains songs made by Studio 100 with a few news songs created exclusively for the show. The musical centers around Maya alongside Flip and Beatrice celebrating Willy's birthday. The musical later returned in the Spring of 2017.

Since 2016, live actors from the original stage show make numerous appearances at numerous stage shows and special events held by Studio 100. Notably Studio 100's annual "De Grote Sinterklaasshow" held from late November till early December featuring Sinterklaas and Zwarte Pieten watching various Studio 100 Characters such as Kabouter Plop, and Piet Piraat (including Maya and friends) perform musical numbers on stage. The same actress that portrayed Maya in the musical is also the official Flemish voice of the character and reprised her role for Studio 100's "De Liedjestuin" where Maya is singing various Dutch children's songs and nursery rhymes. In The French and Walloon version "Le Jardin des Refrains", Maya is played by a different actress.

The origins of the Maya the Bee video games originated from a South Park video game for the Game Boy Color developed by Crawfish Interactive in development in 1998.[22] But was eventually cancelled due to South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker stating that the game would not be fitting on the Game Boy Color as that console was marketed towards children. A year later in 1999, the unreleased game's engine and assets were reused for two additional Game Boy Color titles from Crawfish and Acclaim - Maya the Bee & Her Friends, based on the Maya the Bee franchise which was released in Europe, and The New Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley, based on Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and was released in North America,[23] being the first of the various video games based on the duo.

• Maya the Bee & Her Friends (Game Boy Color – 1999)

Developed by Crawfish, published by Acclaim.

• Maya the Bee – Garden Adventures (Game Boy Color – 2000)[24]

Developed by Neon Studios and Kiloo, published by Acclaim and Plan-B Media.

• Maya the Bee: The Great Adventure (Game Boy Advance – 2002)[25]

Developed by Shin'en Multimedia, published by Acclaim.

• Maya the Bee: Sweet Gold (Game Boy Advance – 2005)[26]

Developed by Shin'en Multimedia, published by Midway.

• Maya the Bee and Friends (mobile – 2006)[27]

Developed by Kiloo and co-published by Plan-B Media.

• The Bee Game (Game Boy Advance,[28] Nintendo DS[29] – 2007)[30]

The Bee Game is an adventure video game released for Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance, developed by German studio Independent Arts Software. The game lets players experience the adventures of Maya the Bee and her friend Willie as they search for their friends, lost from a strong storm that has blown through Corn Poppy Meadow.[31]

• Maya (Nintendo DS – 2013)

Developed by Studio 100 and Engine Software, published by Bandai Namco Games Europe.

• Maya the Bee: The Nutty Race (iOS and Android – 2019)

Mobile racing game. Developed by Midnight Pigeon in cooperation with Studio 100.