Recent PostsLittle Women
愛の若草物語
(Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari)
Genre
Drama, Historical
TV anime
Director
Yoshio Kuroda
Studio
Nippon Animation
Other networks:
Animax
HBO
Antena 3
RTL II, tm3, Tele 5
ORF 1
Original run
1987 – 1987
Episodes
48
Little Women (愛の若草物語, Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari, literally “A Tale of Love’s Young Grass”?) is a 1987 Japanese anime series produced by Nippon Animation, based upon Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel Little Women, which premiered across Japan on Fuji Television as part of Nippon Animation’s World Masterpiece Theater staple, which adapted classic works of Western literature into anime television series.
Nippon Animation’s adaptation was not the first anime based on Little Women, being preceded by a 1980 TV special produced by Toei Animation and a 1981 TV series made by Toei, in association with Kokusai Eigasha Wakakusa Monogatari Yori Wakakusa no Yon Shimai.
The series has been broadcasted in many countries and has been dubbed and subtitled in English and numerous other languages.
Contents
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Story
Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy are four loving March sisters living with their mother in the USA during the Civil War. Their father is a military doctor fighting in the Union Army. After a terrible battle in a neighbour town, the Confederates pass through their town and burn it. Over the ruins of their house the March family also learn that the factory in which their father invested all his money has been burnt too. Homeless and penniless, the family heads towards Newcord (Concord in the original novel), where the father’s aunt lives, hoping for the old lady to help them. The girls try to adjust to their new life, face many hardships, meet new friends and wish to the war to be over at last.
Although this series was not the first anime based on Little Women (it was preceded by a 1980 TV special produced by Toei Animation and a 1981 TV series made by Toei with Kokusai Eigasha), it is likely the most popular anime adaptation of the story, and many fans who have seen all three anime versions consider this one to be the best.
Cast
- Eiko Yamada as Josephine ‘Jo’ March
- Keiko Han as Margaret ‘Meg’ March
- Mayumi Shou as Elizabeth ‘Beth’ March
- Rei Sakuma as Amy March
- Nobuo Tobita as Theodore ‘Laurie’ Lawrence
Distribution
Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari premiered across Japan in 1987 on Fuji Television as part of Nippon Animation’s World Masterpiece Theater staple. The series was also later aired across East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and other regions, by the anime satellite television network, Animax.
The series was first dubbed into English by Saban Entertainment and was broadcast across the United States by HBO in 1988, under the title Tales of Little Women, making this one of only three WMT serials to have been broadcast on television in the U.S. As the 1981 Kokusai Eiga TV series was also aired in the United States (on CBN cable) and also partially released on video, the two series are sometimes confused.
Themes
Opening Themes
- “Wakakusa no Shoutaijou ” by Eri Nitta (eps 01-14)
- “Itsuka Kitto! ” by Keiko Han, Eiko Yamada, Mayumi Shou, Rei Sakuma (eps 15-48)
Ending Themes
- “Yuuhi to Kaze to Melody” by Eri Nitta (eps 01-14)
- “Otousama eno Lullaby” by Satoko Shimonari (eps 15-48)
Comparison
1]The anime covers only Part 1 (or the first book) of Little Women
2]Concord is called Newcord and moved to the shore.
3]The first adaptation of a chapter from the novel starts in episode 18, it is the adaptation of Chapter 3, The Laurence Boy. The episodes before are mixture between introducing each character, involving small details from the book into an own story (Like: How Amy got the clothpin and why she’s using it) and – history lessons about the civil war.
4]Additional characters are introduced. Jim, a slave hidden by the Marchs from the soldiers; David, another nephew of Aunt March and Anthony, a reporter from the Newcord press.
5]Beth owns only one kitten
6]Hannah is black
7]After being struck by the teacher, Amy is not taken from the school. On the way home she meets Laurie who persuades her to return to school. Amy even begs Laurie not to tell her family about it.
External links
- Animax Asia’s official website for Little Women
- Animax South Asia’s official website for Little Women
- Little Women (anime) at the Internet Movie Database
- Little Women (anime) (anime) at Anime News Network’s Encyclopedia
World Masterpiece Theater
Calpis Comic Theater
Dororo · Moomin · Andersen Stories · New Moomin · Fables of the Green Forest · Heidi, Girl of the Alps
Calpis Children’s Theater
A Dog of Flanders · 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother · Rascal the Raccoon
Calpis Family Theater
The Story of Perrine
World Masterpiece Theater
Anne of Green Gables · The Adventures of Tom Sawyer · The Swiss Family Robinson: Flone of the Mysterious Island · Lucy of the Southern Rainbow · Alps Story: My Annette · Katri, Girl of the Meadows · Princess Sarah
House Foods World Masterpiece Theater
Pollyanna · Little Women · Little Prince Cedie · Adventures of Peter Pan · My Daddy Long Legs · Trapp Family Story · The Bush Baby · Jo’s Boys
World Masterpiece Theater
Tico of the Seven Seas · Romeo’s Blue Skies · Famous Dog Lassie · Remi, Nobody’s Girl
House Foods World Masterpiece Theater
Les Misérables: Shōjo Cosette · The Long Journey of Porphy
Related articles
Hayao Miyazaki · Nippon Animation · Isao Takahata
Retrieved from “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Women_%28anime%29”
Categories: Anime series | Anime of 1987 | Historical anime and manga | Romance anime and manga | World Masterpiece Theater series