Lucy Maud Montgomery was a Canadian author born on November 30, 1874, in Clifton, Prince Edward Island, now known as New London. She is the original creator behind numerous literary works that have been adapted into various anime and manga series. Montgomery was raised by her maternal grandparents in Cavendish after her mother died of tuberculosis when Montgomery was two years old and her father moved away. She began writing at a young age, completing her education at Prince of Wales College in Charlottetown and later studying literature at Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Montgomery is best known for her novel Anne of Green Gables, which she completed in 1905. The manuscript was rejected by five publishers before finally being accepted by the Page Company of Boston and published in 1908. The novel became an immediate international success and has since been translated into dozens of languages. The story follows Anne Shirley, an imaginative orphan girl with red hair who is sent to live with siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert at their farm called Green Gables on Prince Edward Island. Montgomery wrote numerous sequels to Anne of Green Gables, including Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, Anne of Windy Poplars, Anne's House of Dreams, Anne of Ingleside, Rainbow Valley, and Rilla of Ingleside. She also wrote other novel series, including the Emily of New Moon trilogy consisting of Emily of New Moon, Emily Climbs, and Emily's Quest, as well as the Pat of Silver Bush series and other standalone novels.

The anime adaptation history of Montgomery's works is extensive. The 1979 anime Anne of Green Gables was produced by Nippon Animation as part of their World Masterpiece Theater series. This adaptation is well-regarded for bringing Montgomery's storytelling to Japanese audiences. A more recent anime titled Anne Shirley, produced by The Answer Studio, premiered in 2025 and adapts the first three volumes of the Anne series. The producer of this adaptation has stated she was drawn to Montgomery's focus on the small joys of daily life and the protagonist's courage in facing challenges without running away. There is also an anime titled Before Green Gables, which serves as a prequel to the original story. The Emily of New Moon novels were adapted into an anime series as well. One blog discussion notes that the 1979 Anne of Green Gables anime included a tribute to another Montgomery novel, incorporating a scene from Emily of New Moon that did not appear in the original Anne book.

Manga adaptations of Montgomery's work also exist. A manga version of Anne of Green Gables was published as part of the Manga Classics series, and this adaptation is noted as the only authorized manga adaptation by the Heirs of L. M. Montgomery. Another manga adaptation titled Qing Xiu Jia Ren, which translates to a Chinese version of the story, was produced with Montgomery credited as the original author and a different artist providing the manga illustration.

Recurring themes in Montgomery's work include the experiences of orphaned or imaginative young girls finding their place in the world, the beauty of nature, and the importance of community and friendship. The protagonist Anne Shirley is characterized by her vivid imagination, her ability to find joy in small things, and her resilience in the face of adversity. These elements have translated effectively into anime adaptations, with the 2025 producer noting that the story's focus on small slices of life and the protagonist's growth over time are key aspects that inspired her adaptation.

In addition to direct adaptations of her literary works, Montgomery herself appears as a character in the manga and anime series Bungo Stray Dogs. In this series, a character named Lucy Maud Montgomery is depicted as a young woman with long red hair styled into braids, similar to descriptions of Anne Shirley. She possesses an ability named Anne of Abyssal Red, which allows her to create an alternate reality called Anne's Room. This character is a former member of the Guild organization and shares background elements with the author's creation, such as having grown up in an orphanage.

Montgomery died on April 24, 1942, in Toronto, Ontario, at the age of sixty-seven. Her legacy as a creator has extended far beyond her lifetime through numerous adaptations across different media, including anime and manga, which continue to introduce her characters and stories to new generations of audiences worldwide.