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Tales of Little Women

Tales of Little Women (愛の若草物語, Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari, "Love's Tale of Young Grass"), also simply known as Little Women, is a Japanese animated television series adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's 1868-69 two-volume novel Little Women, produced by Nippon Animation.[1] It was first aired in 1987 (January–December) by the Fuji TV network.[2]

Tales of Little Women
The March sisters, clockwise from upper left: Jo, Meg (in chair), Amy, and Beth.
愛の若草物語
(Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari)
GenreHistorical drama, Civil war drama
Anime television series
Directed byFumio Kurokawa
Produced byJunzō Nakajima
Taihei Ishikawa (Fuji TV)
Written byAkira Miyazaki
Music byKazuo Ōtani
StudioNippon Animation
Original networkFuji TV
English network
Original run January 11, 1987 December 27, 1987
Episodes48

A sequel series, Little Women II: Jo's Boys, premiered in 1993.

Plot

The animated series is loosely derived from Part One and partly on the beginning of Part Two of the book, and introduces new material and characters.[3] The series begins with the introduction of the March family happily living near Gettysburg (the nearby town of York in the English version), until one day during a picnic, Mr. March notices Confederate scouts at a riverbank. As an officer of the Union Army on leave with a broken arm, Mr. March hesitantly leaves his family to inform his superiors and to prepare for the upcoming battle. Meanwhile, his family endures the Confederate occupation and even helps an escaped slave named John from being forcibly recruited to fight for the Confederacy.

Eventually, Union forces arrive and in the ensuing battle the March family home is destroyed and their investment (which had also been their savings) stolen. With no other options, the family leaves Gettysburg to Newcord, where they hope to be taken by an estranged aunt of father. Upon arriving in Newcord, they are coldly received by the old woman and even less so by David, an egotistical nephew who constantly asks for loans and antagonizes the family. Despite the reception, Aunt March allows the family to stay at home until they can get back on their feet.

Determined to have a sense of normalcy and persevere their hardship, Meg finds work as a Governess while Jo alternates between being a companion to Aunt March and Author. During a sales pitch to sell a short story to a local newspaper, her work and her character are presumptuously criticized by Anthony, a local reporter. Upset and resolute, Jo throws herself into her writing ultimately earning the respect of Anthony and forms an amicable relationship.

In time, the March family moves into a new home and the events that follow begin to reference the plot of the original novel: The 18th episode is based on Chapter 3 and follows the first part of the book. The storyline from Chapter 1 (Christmas 1863) begins in episode 21.

Characters

For more information on the main characters, including the March sisters, Laurie, and Mary, see Little Women.

  • Eiko Yamada (Heidi Lenhart in English dub) as Josephine "Jo" March (ジョセフィン「ジョオ」マーチ, Josefin "Jō" Māchi)
  • Keiko Han as Margaret "Meg" March (マーガレット「メグ」マーチ, Māgaretto "Megu" Māchi)
  • Mayumi Shou as Elizabeth "Beth" March (エリザベス「ベス」マーチ, Erizabesu "Besu" Māchi)
  • Rei Sakuma (Rebecca Forstadt in English dub) as Amy March (エイミー・マーチ, Eimī Māchi)
  • Nobuo Tobita (Joshua Seth in English Dub) as Theodore "Laurie" Lawrence (シオドア「ローリー」ローレンス, Shiodoa "Rōrī" Rōrensu)
  • Taeko Nakanishi as Mary March (メアリー・マーチ, Mearī Māchi)
  • Osamu Saka (Michael Forest in English dub) as Frederic March (フレデリック・マーチ, Furederikku Māchi)
  • Hisako Okata (Barbara Goodson in English dub) as Hannah (ハンナ, Hanna), the March family's servant
  • Kazuyuki Sogabe (Dave Mallow in English dub) as Anthony Boone (アンソニー・ブーン, Ansonī Būn)
  • Ranko Mizuki (Melodee Spevack in English dub) as Martha March (マーサ・マーチ, Māsa Māchi)
  • Kohei Miyauchi (Mike Reynolds in English dub) as James Lawrence (ジェームス・ローレンス, Jēmuzu Rōrensu)
  • Toshihiko Kojima (Ardwight Chamberlain in English dub) as John Brooke (Carl Brooke (カール・ブルック, Kāru Burukku) in Japanese)
  • Kozo Shioya as David Fowlet (デーヴィット・フォーレット, Dēvitto Fōretto)
  • Ryuji Saikachi (Milton James in English dub) as Henry Murdoch (ヘンリー・マードック, Henrī Mādokku)
  • Miyoko Aoba as Annie Moffatt (アニー・モファット, Anī Mofatto)
  • Maria Kawamura (Wendee Lee in English dub) as Sallie Gardiner (サリー・ガルディナー, Sarī Garudinā)
  • Toshihiko Seki (Dan Woren in English dub) as John (ジョン, Jon), the runaway slave
  • Rumiko Ukai (Lara Cody in English dub) as Esther (エスター, Esutā), Aunt March's maid
  • Asami Mukaidono as Dorothy (ドロシー, Doroshī), Aunt March's cook
  • Masashi Hirose (Michael McConnohie in English dub) as Ben (ベン, Ben), Aunt March's coachman
  • Fushigi Yamada as Polly (ポリー, Porī), Aunt March's pet bird (credited as Kyoko Yamada)

Writer Akira Miyazaki introduced several new supporting characters not in the original novel:

  • Anthony Boone (アンソニー・ブーン, Ansonī Būn) is a Newcord reporter and friend of Jo's. He and Jo get off to a bad start when he criticizes her writing, but eventually become close friends, and Anthony helps her family find a new house in Newcord. He also encourages Jo to keep writing and improve. He leaves for New York in the second-to-last episode, and inspires Jo to do the same. In some episodes he appears to have feelings for Jo, who, in her single-minded quest to become a great writer, does not reciprocate or even seem to notice.
  • Henry Murdoch (ヘンリー・マードック, Henrī Mādokku) (possibly named after Rupert Murdoch) is the owner and publisher of The Newcord Times, and Anthony's boss. He has a high opinion of Jo's talents and reassures her whenever she is discouraged by Anthony's criticisms.
  • David Fowlet (デーヴィット・フォーレット, Dēviddo Fōretto) is Aunt March's nephew, a money-grubbing gambler and ne'er-do-well who appears only to care for his aunt because she loans him money. He antagonizes the March family, and Jo in particular, out of fear that he will lose his place as her sole heir.
  • John Marty (ジョン・マーティー, Jon Mātī) is a runaway slave. In an early episode, the March family hide him in their house from Confederate soldiers. In a later episode, he returns and gets a job at the Newcord newspaper.
  • Milky Ann (ミルキーアン, Mirukī An) is the March family's pet kitten. She first appears in episode two, when Beth discovers the abandoned kitten half-drowned and nearly frozen to death in the rain. Beth and her sisters nurse the kitten back to health, and Milky Ann becomes a treasured member of the family.
  • Aunt March had several additional servants introduced in this anime in addition to Esther the maid, including Ben the coachman and Dorothy the cook (who appeared in only one episode). Also, in addition to her bird, Polly, Aunt March has a dog, a poodle named "Harry" (「ハリー」, "Harī").

Name and character changes

In addition to the town of Concord itself being renamed "Newcord" for the anime version (which carried over into the English dub), several characters also underwent name changes in this series. For example, the March parents, named Margaret and Robert in the original novel, are Mary and Frederic in this series, and Mr. Brooke is renamed from John to Carl in Japanese and some of the European dub versions (although the English dubbers changed his name back to John). Also, the March family's live-in help, Hannah, is African-American in this version instead of Irish and Caucasian, perhaps to draw more attention with Japanese viewers to the plight of black Americans in the 19th century.[4]

Broadcast

Little Women aired on Fuji Television from 11 January 1987 to 27 December 1987 as part of Nippon Animation's World Masterpiece Theater. The series features contributions from several well-known Studio Ghibli staffers, including co-character designer Yoshifumi Kondo and animation director Atsuko Otani. The chief director was Nippon Animation/WMT veteran Fumio Kurokawa with storyboard duties handled by various other directors, and Akira Miyazaki is credited with scripting all 48 episodes. Kurokawa, Otani, and character designer and chief animation director Toshiki Yamazaki had all been involved in the previous WMT series Princess Sarah, as had Jo's voice actress, Eiko Yamada. The series was broadcast aired across Asia by the anime satellite television network, Animax.

Little Women 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 it one of only three WMT serials to have been broadcast on television in the United States. From 2009 to 2017, the series aired in the United States on Smile of a Child and in the Philippines on DZOZ-TV. Unusual for a Saban Entertainment dub of an anime series, the English dub version of Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari kept the original Japanese musical score by Kazuo Otani, although the theme songs were replaced with a new one by Haim Saban and Shuki Levy, who also composed some additional music for the series itself. The series has not yet been released on DVD in English, although a compilation of two episodes was released on VHS in the United States in 1992 as Little Women's Christmas Story. The full series was released in 2017 on Amazon Prime under the title Tales Of Little Women.[5]

The series has also achieved a high level of popularity in Europe, Israel, Iran, Arab World, and Latin America.

Staff

  • Original work: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
  • Executive producer: Koichi Motohashi
  • Producer: Junzo Nakajima (Nippon Animation), Taihei Ishikawa (Fuji TV)
  • Planning: Shoji Sato (Nippon Animation), Eiichi Kubota (Fuji TV)
  • Director: Fumio Kurokawa
  • Script: Akira Miyazaki
  • Storyboards: Yoshio Kuroda, Fumio Kurokawa, Norio Yazawa, Shinichi Tsuji, Kozo Kuzuha, Hiromi Sugimura, Shinichi Matsumi, Takeshi Yamaguchi, Eiji Okabe, Shigeo Koshi, Takao Yotsuji, Shin Namioka, Fumio Ikeno
  • Character design: Yoshifumi Kondo, Toshiki Yamazaki
  • Animation director: Toshiki Yamazaki, Takumi Koyama, Atsuko Onuki
  • Art director: Masamichi Takano
  • Color coordination: Akiko Koyama
  • Editing: Hidetoshi Kadono, Shinichi Natori, Yoshihiro Kasahara
  • Layout: Shohei Kawamoto
  • Director of photography: Toshiaki Morita
  • Recording director: Etsuji Yamada
  • Music: Kazuo Otani
  • Production desk: Shunichi Kosao
  • Production manager: Mitsuru Takakuwa
  • Sound effects: Akihiko Matsuda
  • Special effects: Masao Yoshiyama
  • Production: Nippon Animation, Fuji TV

Theme songs

Opening Themes
  1. Invitation of Young Grass (若草の招待状, Wakakusa no Shōtaijō) (eps 1-14)
  2. Someday, for Sure! (いつかきっと!, Itsuka Kitto!) (eps 15-48)
Ending Themes
  1. Sunset, Wind and Melody (夕陽と風とメロディ, Yūhi to Kaze to Merodi) (eps 1-14)
  2. A Lullaby for Father (お父さまへのララバイ, Otōsama e no Rarabai) (eps 15-48)
    • Singer : Satoko Shimonari
    • Lyricist : Yumi Ōkubo
    • Composer and arranger : Kōichi Morita

Episode list

Toshiki Yamazaki is animation director for the first five episodes, for odd-numbered episodes 7 through 17, and for even-numbered episodes 20 through 48. Takumi Koyama is animation director for even-numbered episodes 6 through 16 and for odd-numbered episodes 19 through 47. Atsuko Otani is animation director for episode 18 only.

All episodes are written by Akira Miyazaki.

All episodes are directed by Fumio Kurokawa, who also drew storyboards for episodes 2, 3, and 48. Other storyboard artists included:

  • Yoshio Kuroda (1, 28, co-storyboard duties on episode 31)
  • Norio Yazawa (4, 7, 9)
  • Shinichi Tsuji (5, 8, 12, 14, 18, 22, 26, 29, 32, 35, 38, 42, 44, 47)
  • Kozo Kuzuha (6, 11, 15, 17, 20, 25)
  • Hiromi Sugimura (13, 19, 30, 34, 37, and co-storyboarded episodes 10, 23, 31)
  • Shinichi Matsumi (co-storyboarded episodes 10 and 16)
  • Takeshi Yamaguchi (co-storyboarded episodes 16 and 23)
  • Eiji Okabe (21, 24)
  • Shigeo Koshi (27, 33, 40)
  • Shin Namioka (39, 41)
  • Takao Yotsuji (36)
  • Fumio Ikeno (43, 45, 46)
# Original title English title Original air date
01"Papa Came Home!!"
Transcription: "Papa ga kaette kita!!" (Japanese: パパが帰って来た!!)
The March FamilyJanuary 11, 1987 (1987-01-11)
02"Milky Ann Has Been Found"
Transcription: "Mirukī An o hirouta" (Japanese: ミルキー・アンを拾った)
The War Draws CloserJanuary 18, 1987 (1987-01-18)
03"Watch Out! Escape Quickly!!"
Transcription: "Abunai! Hayaku nigete!!" (Japanese: あぶない!早く逃げて!!)
The Deserter / The Hidden GuestJanuary 25, 1987 (1987-01-25)
04"The Battle Begins!"
Transcription: "Sensō ga hajimaru!" (Japanese: 戦争がはじまる!)
The Gift of FreedomFebruary 1, 1987 (1987-02-01)
05"The Town Burns Down!"
Transcription: "Machi ga moete shimau!" (Japanese: 町が燃えてしまう!)
The Friendship PinFebruary 8, 1987 (1987-02-08)
06"Goodbye Hometown!"
Transcription: "Sayonara furusato!" (Japanese: さよなら ふるさと!)
Running from the WarFebruary 15, 1987 (1987-02-15)
07"Auntie is Ill-Tempered!"
Transcription: "Obasama wa ijiwaru!" (Japanese: おば様はいじわる!)
The Unwelcome MatFebruary 22, 1987 (1987-02-22)
08"A Loan for a House, Please!"
Transcription: "Oie o kashite kudasai!" (Japanese: お家を貸して下さい!)
Living With Aunt MarchMarch 1, 1987 (1987-03-01)
09"Short-Tempered Jo!"
Transcription: "Okorinbō no Jō!" (Japanese: 怒りん坊のジョオ!)
Nice Work If You Can Get ItMarch 8, 1987 (1987-03-08)
10"Praise and Critiques"
Transcription: "Homerarete kenasarete" (Japanese: ほめられて けなされて)
Jo's Civil War StoriesMarch 15, 1987 (1987-03-15)
11"Aunt Martha is Pitiful!"
Transcription: "Māsa-obasama wa okinodoku!" (Japanese: マーサおば様はお気の毒!)
A Heart to Heart TalkMarch 22, 1987 (1987-03-22)
12"I Hate Thunder!"
Transcription: "Ikazuchi nante daikirai!" (Japanese: 雷なんて大嫌い!)
The Worn-Out WelcomeMarch 29, 1987 (1987-03-29)
13"Our Strange House"
Transcription: "Watashitachi no hennaie" (Japanese: 私たちの変な家)
A Home At LastApril 5, 1987 (1987-04-05)
14"Amy and Bad Friends"
Transcription: "Eimī to nikui tomodachi" (Japanese: エイミーと悪い友だち)
New Friends / A New Life In A New TownApril 12, 1987 (1987-04-12)
15"The Strange Boy Next Door!"
Transcription: "Otonari kara nozoku fushigina shōnen!" (Japanese: お隣からのぞく不思議な少年!)
The Boy Next DoorApril 19, 1987 (1987-04-19)
16"Terrible! Meg is Not a Thief!!"
Transcription: "Hidoi! Megu wa dorobō nanka jinai!!" (Japanese: ひどい!メグは泥棒なんかじゃない!!)
Meg's First DanceApril 26, 1987 (1987-04-26)
17"Jo and President Lincoln's Speech!"
Transcription: "Jō to Rinkān-daitōryō no enzetsu!" (Japanese: ジョオとリンカーン大統領の演説!)
Lincoln's Gettysburg AddressMay 3, 1987 (1987-05-03)
18"Meg and Jo's Debut at the Ball!?"
Transcription: "Megu to Jō butōkai ni debyū!?" (Japanese: メグとジョオ舞踏会にデビュー!?)
Invitation to the DanceMay 10, 1987 (1987-05-10)
19"The Burnt Dress and the Nice Gentleman"
Transcription: "Okoge dress to sutekina shinshi" (Japanese: おこげドレスと素敵な紳士)
A Formal AffairMay 17, 1987 (1987-05-17)
20"Vigorous Jo's Visit!"
Transcription: "Jō no mimai wa genki ippai!" (Japanese: ジョオのお見舞いは元気いっぱい!)
A Neighbor In NeedMay 24, 1987 (1987-05-24)
21"Announcement! Jo's Enthusiastic Work of Self-Confidence"
Transcription: "Happyō! Harikiri Jō no jishin saku" (Japanese: 発表!はりきりジョオの自信作)
One Dollar Christmas PresentsMay 31, 1987 (1987-05-31)
22"A Hungry Christmas"
Transcription: "Onakanosuita Kurisumasu" (Japanese: おなかのすいたクリスマス)
A Christmas DinnerJune 7, 1987 (1987-06-07)
23"Beth! The Great Joy of an Unexpected Gift!!"
Transcription: "Besu! Omoigakenai okurimono ni ōyorokobi!!" (Japanese: ベス!思いがけない贈物に大喜び!!)
A “Grand” OfferJune 14, 1987 (1987-06-14)
24"The Beginning of Meg's Little Love?"
Transcription: "Megu no chīsana koi no hajimari?" (Japanese: メグの小さな恋のはじまり?)
Lost in the MusicJune 21, 1987 (1987-06-21)
25"Novelist Jo's $2 Masterpiece!"
Transcription: "Shōsetsuka Jō no kessaku!" (Japanese: 小説家ジョオの2ドルの傑作!)
Jo Shares Her FortuneJune 28, 1987 (1987-06-28)
26"Shy Beth and the Old Gentleman Next Door"
Transcription: "Kowagari Besu to otonari no oi shinshi" (Japanese: 怖がりベスとお隣の老紳士)
It's Downright UprightJuly 5, 1987 (1987-07-05)
27"Amy is Punished at School!"
Transcription: "Gakkō de oshiokisareata Eimī!" (Japanese: 学校でお仕置されたエイミー!)
Forbidden SweetsJuly 12, 1987 (1987-07-12)
28"Amy! What Are You Doing!"
Transcription: "Eimī! Nante koto suru no!" (Japanese: エイミー!なんてことするの!)
Amy's RevengeAugust 2, 1987 (1987-08-02)
29"Don't Die! Amy Has Fallen in the River!"
Transcription: "Shina naide! Eimī ga kawa ni ochita!" (Japanese: 死なないで!エイミーが川に落ちた!)
Skating on Thin IceAugust 9, 1987 (1987-08-09)
30"I Wish I Could Say I'm Sorry!"
Transcription: "Kowagari Besu to otonari no rō shinshi" (Japanese: 怖がりベスとお隣の老紳士)
Forgive And ForgetAugust 16, 1987 (1987-08-16)
31"Meg is Not a Doll!"
Transcription: "Meg wa kisekaeningyou ja nai!" (Japanese: メグはきせかえ人形じゃない!)
Out of CharacterAugust 30, 1987 (1987-08-30)
32"Aunt Martha is a Worrywart"
Transcription: "Komata Māsa-obasan no seikaku" (Japanese: 困ったマーサおばさんの性格)
Jo's Spoiled PlansSeptember 6, 1987 (1987-09-06)
33"A Fun, Fun Outdoor Party!"
Transcription: "Tanoshī tanoshī yagai pāti da!" (Japanese: 楽しい楽しい野外パーティだ!)
Laurie's Lake PartySeptember 13, 1987 (1987-09-13)
34"Amy Had a Bad Dream!"
Transcription: "Eimī wa nikui yumewomita!" (Japanese: エイミーは悪い夢を見た!)
Amy's NightmareSeptember 20, 1987 (1987-09-20)
35"Meg, So That's Love!!"
Transcription: "Megu, sore wa yappari koi na no yo!!" (Japanese: メグ、それはやっぱり恋なのよ!!)
Meg Falls In LoveSeptember 27, 1987 (1987-09-27)
36"Jo's Story is in the Newspaper!"
Transcription: "Jō no shōsetsu ga shinbunninota!" (Japanese: ジョオの小説が新聞にのった!)
Jo in Black and WhiteOctober 4, 1987 (1987-10-04)
37"Father is Dying... Jo Sells Her Hair!"
Transcription: "Chichi kitoku... Jō ga kami wo utta!" (Japanese: チチキトク・・・ジョオが髪を売った!?)
A Small Price To PayOctober 11, 1987 (1987-10-11)
38"The Telegram of Bad News!"
Transcription: "Warui shirase no denpo ga kita!" (Japanese: 悪い知らせの電報がきた!)
A Sign Of HopeOctober 18, 1987 (1987-10-18)
39"Letters, Letters, Letters We All Wrote"
Transcription: "Minna ga kaita tegami, tegami, tegami" (Japanese: みんなが書いた手紙、手紙、手紙)
Letters From HomeOctober 25, 1987 (1987-10-25)
40"Beth Caught the Scarlet Fever!"
Transcription: "Besu ga shokonetsu ni kakatta!" (Japanese: ベスが猩紅熱にかかった!)
Scarlet FeverNovember 1, 1987 (1987-11-01)
41"Mother, Come Home Quickly!"
Transcription: "Okāsama hayaku kaette ki te" (Japanese: お母さま早く帰ってきて!)
Marmee, Come Back!November 8, 1987 (1987-11-08)
42"God, Please Save Beth!"
Transcription: "Kamisama, dōka Besu o tasukete!" (Japanese: 神様、どうかベスを助けて!)
Shout For JoyNovember 15, 1987 (1987-11-15)
43"Go to New York, Jo!"
Transcription: "Daitokai Nyūyōku e ikō! Jō" (Japanese: 大都会ニューヨークへ行こう!ジョオ)
In Search Of A DreamNovember 22, 1987 (1987-11-22)
44"The Case of the Fake Letter - Who's the Culprit?"
Transcription: "Nise tegami jiken - hannin wa dareka?" (Japanese: ニセ手紙事件・犯人は誰か?)
The Case Of The Forged LetterNovember 29, 1987 (1987-11-29)
45"Grandfather Hit Laurie!"
Transcription: "Ojisama ga Rōrī o nagutta!" (Japanese: おじいさまがローリーをなぐった!)
Laurie Pays the PriceDecember 6, 1987 (1987-12-06)
46"An Unexpected Christmas Present"
Transcription: "Omoigakenai Kurisumasu puresento" (Japanese: 思いがけないクリスマスプレゼント)
A Very Merry ChristmasDecember 13, 1987 (1987-12-13)
47"Goodbye, Anthony!"
Transcription: "Sayonara! Ansonī" (Japanese: さよなら!アンソニー)
The ProposalDecember 20, 1987 (1987-12-20)
48"Springtime! Everyone Sets Out"
Transcription: "Haru! Sorezore no tabidachi" (Japanese: 春!それぞれの旅立ち)
The End, And A BeginningDecember 27, 1987 (1987-12-27)

Alternative Titles

  • Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari (Japanese Title)
  • As Mulherzinhas (Portuguese Title)
  • Eine fröhliche Familie (German Title)
  • Les Quatre Filles du Dr March (French Title)
  • Love's Tale of Young Grass (English Title)
  • Mujercitas (Spanish Title)
  • נשים קטנות Nashim Ktanot (Hebrew Title)
  • Onder Moeders Vleugels (Dutch Title)
  • Piccole donne (Italian Title)
  • Tale of Love's Young Shoots (English Title)
  • Tales of the Little Women (English Title)
  • Una per tutte, tutte per una (Italian Title)
  • Маленькие женщины (Russian Title)
  • زنان کوچک (Persian Title)
  • نساء صغيرات (Arabic Title)
  • 小婦人 (Chinese Title)
  • 愛の若草物語 (Japanese Title)
  • 작은 아씨들 Jag-eun Assideul (Korean Title)

See also

References

  1. ^ Alberghene, Janice M.; Lyon Clark, Beverly (2004) [1st pub. 1999]. Little Women and the Feminist Imagination: Criticism, Controversy, Personal Essays. Routledge. p. 379. ISBN 9781135593254.
  2. ^ Dollase, H. T. (2010). "Shōfujin(Little Women): Recreating Jo for the Girls of Meiji Japan". Japanese Studies. 30 (2): 247–262. doi:10.1080/10371397.2010.497588. S2CID 145246498.
  3. ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. p. 824. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  4. ^ Morrissy, Kim (February 3, 2016). "How would a black woman speak in anime? A case study of Little Women". frogkun.com. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  5. ^ "Tales Of Little Women". www.amazon.com. Retrieved December 26, 2017.

External links

tales, little, women, this, article, about, 1987, animated, adaptation, nippon, animation, 1981, animated, adaptation, toei, animation, little, women, 1981, series, other, uses, little, women, disambiguation, 愛の若草物語, wakakusa, monogatari, love, tale, young, gr. This article is about the 1987 animated adaptation by Nippon Animation For the 1981 animated adaptation by Toei Animation see Little Women 1981 TV series For all other uses see Little Women disambiguation Tales of Little Women 愛の若草物語 Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari Love s Tale of Young Grass also simply known as Little Women is a Japanese animated television series adaptation of Louisa May Alcott s 1868 69 two volume novel Little Women produced by Nippon Animation 1 It was first aired in 1987 January December by the Fuji TV network 2 Tales of Little WomenThe March sisters clockwise from upper left Jo Meg in chair Amy and Beth 愛の若草物語 Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari GenreHistorical drama Civil war dramaAnime television seriesDirected byFumio KurokawaProduced byJunzō NakajimaTaihei Ishikawa Fuji TV Written byAkira MiyazakiMusic byKazuo ŌtaniStudioNippon AnimationOriginal networkFuji TVEnglish networkUS HBO Smile of a ChildOriginal runJanuary 11 1987 December 27 1987Episodes48A sequel series Little Women II Jo s Boys premiered in 1993 Contents 1 Plot 2 Characters 2 1 Name and character changes 3 Broadcast 4 Staff 5 Theme songs 6 Episode list 7 Alternative Titles 8 See also 9 References 10 External linksPlot EditThe animated series is loosely derived from Part One and partly on the beginning of Part Two of the book and introduces new material and characters 3 The series begins with the introduction of the March family happily living near Gettysburg the nearby town of York in the English version until one day during a picnic Mr March notices Confederate scouts at a riverbank As an officer of the Union Army on leave with a broken arm Mr March hesitantly leaves his family to inform his superiors and to prepare for the upcoming battle Meanwhile his family endures the Confederate occupation and even helps an escaped slave named John from being forcibly recruited to fight for the Confederacy Eventually Union forces arrive and in the ensuing battle the March family home is destroyed and their investment which had also been their savings stolen With no other options the family leaves Gettysburg to Newcord where they hope to be taken by an estranged aunt of father Upon arriving in Newcord they are coldly received by the old woman and even less so by David an egotistical nephew who constantly asks for loans and antagonizes the family Despite the reception Aunt March allows the family to stay at home until they can get back on their feet Determined to have a sense of normalcy and persevere their hardship Meg finds work as a Governess while Jo alternates between being a companion to Aunt March and Author During a sales pitch to sell a short story to a local newspaper her work and her character are presumptuously criticized by Anthony a local reporter Upset and resolute Jo throws herself into her writing ultimately earning the respect of Anthony and forms an amicable relationship In time the March family moves into a new home and the events that follow begin to reference the plot of the original novel The 18th episode is based on Chapter 3 and follows the first part of the book The storyline from Chapter 1 Christmas 1863 begins in episode 21 Characters EditFor more information on the main characters including the March sisters Laurie and Mary see Little Women Eiko Yamada Heidi Lenhart in English dub as Josephine Jo March ジョセフィン ジョオ マーチ Josefin Jō Machi Keiko Han as Margaret Meg March マーガレット メグ マーチ Magaretto Megu Machi Mayumi Shou as Elizabeth Beth March エリザベス ベス マーチ Erizabesu Besu Machi Rei Sakuma Rebecca Forstadt in English dub as Amy March エイミー マーチ Eimi Machi Nobuo Tobita Joshua Seth in English Dub as Theodore Laurie Lawrence シオドア ローリー ローレンス Shiodoa Rōri Rōrensu Taeko Nakanishi as Mary March メアリー マーチ Meari Machi Osamu Saka Michael Forest in English dub as Frederic March フレデリック マーチ Furederikku Machi Hisako Okata Barbara Goodson in English dub as Hannah ハンナ Hanna the March family s servant Kazuyuki Sogabe Dave Mallow in English dub as Anthony Boone アンソニー ブーン Ansoni Bun Ranko Mizuki Melodee Spevack in English dub as Martha March マーサ マーチ Masa Machi Kohei Miyauchi Mike Reynolds in English dub as James Lawrence ジェームス ローレンス Jemuzu Rōrensu Toshihiko Kojima Ardwight Chamberlain in English dub as John Brooke Carl Brooke カール ブルック Karu Burukku in Japanese Kozo Shioya as David Fowlet デーヴィット フォーレット Devitto Fōretto Ryuji Saikachi Milton James in English dub as Henry Murdoch ヘンリー マードック Henri Madokku Miyoko Aoba as Annie Moffatt アニー モファット Ani Mofatto Maria Kawamura Wendee Lee in English dub as Sallie Gardiner サリー ガルディナー Sari Garudina Toshihiko Seki Dan Woren in English dub as John ジョン Jon the runaway slave Rumiko Ukai Lara Cody in English dub as Esther エスター Esuta Aunt March s maid Asami Mukaidono as Dorothy ドロシー Doroshi Aunt March s cook Masashi Hirose Michael McConnohie in English dub as Ben ベン Ben Aunt March s coachman Fushigi Yamada as Polly ポリー Pori Aunt March s pet bird credited as Kyoko Yamada Writer Akira Miyazaki introduced several new supporting characters not in the original novel Anthony Boone アンソニー ブーン Ansoni Bun is a Newcord reporter and friend of Jo s He and Jo get off to a bad start when he criticizes her writing but eventually become close friends and Anthony helps her family find a new house in Newcord He also encourages Jo to keep writing and improve He leaves for New York in the second to last episode and inspires Jo to do the same In some episodes he appears to have feelings for Jo who in her single minded quest to become a great writer does not reciprocate or even seem to notice Henry Murdoch ヘンリー マードック Henri Madokku possibly named after Rupert Murdoch is the owner and publisher of The Newcord Times and Anthony s boss He has a high opinion of Jo s talents and reassures her whenever she is discouraged by Anthony s criticisms David Fowlet デーヴィット フォーレット Deviddo Fōretto is Aunt March s nephew a money grubbing gambler and ne er do well who appears only to care for his aunt because she loans him money He antagonizes the March family and Jo in particular out of fear that he will lose his place as her sole heir John Marty ジョン マーティー Jon Mati is a runaway slave In an early episode the March family hide him in their house from Confederate soldiers In a later episode he returns and gets a job at the Newcord newspaper Milky Ann ミルキーアン Miruki An is the March family s pet kitten She first appears in episode two when Beth discovers the abandoned kitten half drowned and nearly frozen to death in the rain Beth and her sisters nurse the kitten back to health and Milky Ann becomes a treasured member of the family Aunt March had several additional servants introduced in this anime in addition to Esther the maid including Ben the coachman and Dorothy the cook who appeared in only one episode Also in addition to her bird Polly Aunt March has a dog a poodle named Harry ハリー Hari Name and character changes Edit In addition to the town of Concord itself being renamed Newcord for the anime version which carried over into the English dub several characters also underwent name changes in this series For example the March parents named Margaret and Robert in the original novel are Mary and Frederic in this series and Mr Brooke is renamed from John to Carl in Japanese and some of the European dub versions although the English dubbers changed his name back to John Also the March family s live in help Hannah is African American in this version instead of Irish and Caucasian perhaps to draw more attention with Japanese viewers to the plight of black Americans in the 19th century 4 Broadcast EditLittle Women aired on Fuji Television from 11 January 1987 to 27 December 1987 as part of Nippon Animation s World Masterpiece Theater The series features contributions from several well known Studio Ghibli staffers including co character designer Yoshifumi Kondo and animation director Atsuko Otani The chief director was Nippon Animation WMT veteran Fumio Kurokawa with storyboard duties handled by various other directors and Akira Miyazaki is credited with scripting all 48 episodes Kurokawa Otani and character designer and chief animation director Toshiki Yamazaki had all been involved in the previous WMT series Princess Sarah as had Jo s voice actress Eiko Yamada The series was broadcast aired across Asia by the anime satellite television network Animax Little Women 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 it one of only three WMT serials to have been broadcast on television in the United States From 2009 to 2017 the series aired in the United States on Smile of a Child and in the Philippines on DZOZ TV Unusual for a Saban Entertainment dub of an anime series the English dub version of Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari kept the original Japanese musical score by Kazuo Otani although the theme songs were replaced with a new one by Haim Saban and Shuki Levy who also composed some additional music for the series itself The series has not yet been released on DVD in English although a compilation of two episodes was released on VHS in the United States in 1992 as Little Women s Christmas Story The full series was released in 2017 on Amazon Prime under the title Tales Of Little Women 5 The series has also achieved a high level of popularity in Europe Israel Iran Arab World and Latin America Staff EditOriginal work Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Executive producer Koichi Motohashi Producer Junzo Nakajima Nippon Animation Taihei Ishikawa Fuji TV Planning Shoji Sato Nippon Animation Eiichi Kubota Fuji TV Director Fumio Kurokawa Script Akira Miyazaki Storyboards Yoshio Kuroda Fumio Kurokawa Norio Yazawa Shinichi Tsuji Kozo Kuzuha Hiromi Sugimura Shinichi Matsumi Takeshi Yamaguchi Eiji Okabe Shigeo Koshi Takao Yotsuji Shin Namioka Fumio Ikeno Character design Yoshifumi Kondo Toshiki Yamazaki Animation director Toshiki Yamazaki Takumi Koyama Atsuko Onuki Art director Masamichi Takano Color coordination Akiko Koyama Editing Hidetoshi Kadono Shinichi Natori Yoshihiro Kasahara Layout Shohei Kawamoto Director of photography Toshiaki Morita Recording director Etsuji Yamada Music Kazuo Otani Production desk Shunichi Kosao Production manager Mitsuru Takakuwa Sound effects Akihiko Matsuda Special effects Masao Yoshiyama Production Nippon Animation Fuji TVTheme songs EditOpening ThemesInvitation of Young Grass 若草の招待状 Wakakusa no Shōtaijō eps 1 14 Singer Eri Nitta Lyricist Yasushi Akimoto Composer Toshihiko Takamizawa Arranger Jun Satō Someday for Sure いつかきっと Itsuka Kitto eps 15 48 Singers Keiko Han Eiko Yamada Mayumi Shō Rei Sakuma Lyricist Yumi Ōkubo Composer Kōichi Morita Arranger Kazuo Ōtani Odd times are first section even times are second section Ending ThemesSunset Wind and Melody 夕陽と風とメロディ Yuhi to Kaze to Merodi eps 1 14 Singer Eri Nitta Lyricist Keiko Asō Composer and arranger Masataka Matsutōya A Lullaby for Father お父さまへのララバイ Otōsama e no Rarabai eps 15 48 Singer Satoko Shimonari Lyricist Yumi Ōkubo Composer and arranger Kōichi MoritaEpisode list EditToshiki Yamazaki is animation director for the first five episodes for odd numbered episodes 7 through 17 and for even numbered episodes 20 through 48 Takumi Koyama is animation director for even numbered episodes 6 through 16 and for odd numbered episodes 19 through 47 Atsuko Otani is animation director for episode 18 only All episodes are written by Akira Miyazaki All episodes are directed by Fumio Kurokawa who also drew storyboards for episodes 2 3 and 48 Other storyboard artists included Yoshio Kuroda 1 28 co storyboard duties on episode 31 Norio Yazawa 4 7 9 Shinichi Tsuji 5 8 12 14 18 22 26 29 32 35 38 42 44 47 Kozo Kuzuha 6 11 15 17 20 25 Hiromi Sugimura 13 19 30 34 37 and co storyboarded episodes 10 23 31 Shinichi Matsumi co storyboarded episodes 10 and 16 Takeshi Yamaguchi co storyboarded episodes 16 and 23 Eiji Okabe 21 24 Shigeo Koshi 27 33 40 Shin Namioka 39 41 Takao Yotsuji 36 Fumio Ikeno 43 45 46 Original title English title Original air date01 Papa Came Home Transcription Papa ga kaette kita Japanese パパが帰って来た The March FamilyJanuary 11 1987 1987 01 11 02 Milky Ann Has Been Found Transcription Miruki An o hirouta Japanese ミルキー アンを拾った The War Draws CloserJanuary 18 1987 1987 01 18 03 Watch Out Escape Quickly Transcription Abunai Hayaku nigete Japanese あぶない 早く逃げて The Deserter The Hidden GuestJanuary 25 1987 1987 01 25 04 The Battle Begins Transcription Sensō ga hajimaru Japanese 戦争がはじまる The Gift of FreedomFebruary 1 1987 1987 02 01 05 The Town Burns Down Transcription Machi ga moete shimau Japanese 町が燃えてしまう The Friendship PinFebruary 8 1987 1987 02 08 06 Goodbye Hometown Transcription Sayonara furusato Japanese さよなら ふるさと Running from the WarFebruary 15 1987 1987 02 15 07 Auntie is Ill Tempered Transcription Obasama wa ijiwaru Japanese おば様はいじわる The Unwelcome MatFebruary 22 1987 1987 02 22 08 A Loan for a House Please Transcription Oie o kashite kudasai Japanese お家を貸して下さい Living With Aunt MarchMarch 1 1987 1987 03 01 09 Short Tempered Jo Transcription Okorinbō no Jō Japanese 怒りん坊のジョオ Nice Work If You Can Get ItMarch 8 1987 1987 03 08 10 Praise and Critiques Transcription Homerarete kenasarete Japanese ほめられて けなされて Jo s Civil War StoriesMarch 15 1987 1987 03 15 11 Aunt Martha is Pitiful Transcription Masa obasama wa okinodoku Japanese マーサおば様はお気の毒 A Heart to Heart TalkMarch 22 1987 1987 03 22 12 I Hate Thunder Transcription Ikazuchi nante daikirai Japanese 雷なんて大嫌い The Worn Out WelcomeMarch 29 1987 1987 03 29 13 Our Strange House Transcription Watashitachi no hennaie Japanese 私たちの変な家 A Home At LastApril 5 1987 1987 04 05 14 Amy and Bad Friends Transcription Eimi to nikui tomodachi Japanese エイミーと悪い友だち New Friends A New Life In A New TownApril 12 1987 1987 04 12 15 The Strange Boy Next Door Transcription Otonari kara nozoku fushigina shōnen Japanese お隣からのぞく不思議な少年 The Boy Next DoorApril 19 1987 1987 04 19 16 Terrible Meg is Not a Thief Transcription Hidoi Megu wa dorobō nanka jinai Japanese ひどい メグは泥棒なんかじゃない Meg s First DanceApril 26 1987 1987 04 26 17 Jo and President Lincoln s Speech Transcription Jō to Rinkan daitōryō no enzetsu Japanese ジョオとリンカーン大統領の演説 Lincoln s Gettysburg AddressMay 3 1987 1987 05 03 18 Meg and Jo s Debut at the Ball Transcription Megu to Jō butōkai ni debyu Japanese メグとジョオ舞踏会にデビュー Invitation to the DanceMay 10 1987 1987 05 10 19 The Burnt Dress and the Nice Gentleman Transcription Okoge dress to sutekina shinshi Japanese おこげドレスと素敵な紳士 A Formal AffairMay 17 1987 1987 05 17 20 Vigorous Jo s Visit Transcription Jō no mimai wa genki ippai Japanese ジョオのお見舞いは元気いっぱい A Neighbor In NeedMay 24 1987 1987 05 24 21 Announcement Jo s Enthusiastic Work of Self Confidence Transcription Happyō Harikiri Jō no jishin saku Japanese 発表 はりきりジョオの自信作 One Dollar Christmas PresentsMay 31 1987 1987 05 31 22 A Hungry Christmas Transcription Onakanosuita Kurisumasu Japanese おなかのすいたクリスマス A Christmas DinnerJune 7 1987 1987 06 07 23 Beth The Great Joy of an Unexpected Gift Transcription Besu Omoigakenai okurimono ni ōyorokobi Japanese ベス 思いがけない贈物に大喜び A Grand OfferJune 14 1987 1987 06 14 24 The Beginning of Meg s Little Love Transcription Megu no chisana koi no hajimari Japanese メグの小さな恋のはじまり Lost in the MusicJune 21 1987 1987 06 21 25 Novelist Jo s 2 Masterpiece Transcription Shōsetsuka Jō no kessaku Japanese 小説家ジョオの2ドルの傑作 Jo Shares Her FortuneJune 28 1987 1987 06 28 26 Shy Beth and the Old Gentleman Next Door Transcription Kowagari Besu to otonari no oi shinshi Japanese 怖がりベスとお隣の老紳士 It s Downright UprightJuly 5 1987 1987 07 05 27 Amy is Punished at School Transcription Gakkō de oshiokisareata Eimi Japanese 学校でお仕置されたエイミー Forbidden SweetsJuly 12 1987 1987 07 12 28 Amy What Are You Doing Transcription Eimi Nante koto suru no Japanese エイミー なんてことするの Amy s RevengeAugust 2 1987 1987 08 02 29 Don t Die Amy Has Fallen in the River Transcription Shina naide Eimi ga kawa ni ochita Japanese 死なないで エイミーが川に落ちた Skating on Thin IceAugust 9 1987 1987 08 09 30 I Wish I Could Say I m Sorry Transcription Kowagari Besu to otonari no rō shinshi Japanese 怖がりベスとお隣の老紳士 Forgive And ForgetAugust 16 1987 1987 08 16 31 Meg is Not a Doll Transcription Meg wa kisekaeningyou ja nai Japanese メグはきせかえ人形じゃない Out of CharacterAugust 30 1987 1987 08 30 32 Aunt Martha is a Worrywart Transcription Komata Masa obasan no seikaku Japanese 困ったマーサおばさんの性格 Jo s Spoiled PlansSeptember 6 1987 1987 09 06 33 A Fun Fun Outdoor Party Transcription Tanoshi tanoshi yagai pati da Japanese 楽しい楽しい野外パーティだ Laurie s Lake PartySeptember 13 1987 1987 09 13 34 Amy Had a Bad Dream Transcription Eimi wa nikui yumewomita Japanese エイミーは悪い夢を見た Amy s NightmareSeptember 20 1987 1987 09 20 35 Meg So That s Love Transcription Megu sore wa yappari koi na no yo Japanese メグ それはやっぱり恋なのよ Meg Falls In LoveSeptember 27 1987 1987 09 27 36 Jo s Story is in the Newspaper Transcription Jō no shōsetsu ga shinbunninota Japanese ジョオの小説が新聞にのった Jo in Black and WhiteOctober 4 1987 1987 10 04 37 Father is Dying Jo Sells Her Hair Transcription Chichi kitoku Jō ga kami wo utta Japanese チチキトク ジョオが髪を売った A Small Price To PayOctober 11 1987 1987 10 11 38 The Telegram of Bad News Transcription Warui shirase no denpo ga kita Japanese 悪い知らせの電報がきた A Sign Of HopeOctober 18 1987 1987 10 18 39 Letters Letters Letters We All Wrote Transcription Minna ga kaita tegami tegami tegami Japanese みんなが書いた手紙 手紙 手紙 Letters From HomeOctober 25 1987 1987 10 25 40 Beth Caught the Scarlet Fever Transcription Besu ga shokonetsu ni kakatta Japanese ベスが猩紅熱にかかった Scarlet FeverNovember 1 1987 1987 11 01 41 Mother Come Home Quickly Transcription Okasama hayaku kaette ki te Japanese お母さま早く帰ってきて Marmee Come Back November 8 1987 1987 11 08 42 God Please Save Beth Transcription Kamisama dōka Besu o tasukete Japanese 神様 どうかベスを助けて Shout For JoyNovember 15 1987 1987 11 15 43 Go to New York Jo Transcription Daitokai Nyuyōku e ikō Jō Japanese 大都会ニューヨークへ行こう ジョオ In Search Of A DreamNovember 22 1987 1987 11 22 44 The Case of the Fake Letter Who s the Culprit Transcription Nise tegami jiken hannin wa dareka Japanese ニセ手紙事件 犯人は誰か The Case Of The Forged LetterNovember 29 1987 1987 11 29 45 Grandfather Hit Laurie Transcription Ojisama ga Rōri o nagutta Japanese おじいさまがローリーをなぐった Laurie Pays the PriceDecember 6 1987 1987 12 06 46 An Unexpected Christmas Present Transcription Omoigakenai Kurisumasu puresento Japanese 思いがけないクリスマスプレゼント A Very Merry ChristmasDecember 13 1987 1987 12 13 47 Goodbye Anthony Transcription Sayonara Ansoni Japanese さよなら アンソニー The ProposalDecember 20 1987 1987 12 20 48 Springtime Everyone Sets Out Transcription Haru Sorezore no tabidachi Japanese 春 それぞれの旅立ち The End And A BeginningDecember 27 1987 1987 12 27 Alternative Titles EditAi no Wakakusa Monogatari Japanese Title As Mulherzinhas Portuguese Title Eine frohliche Familie German Title Les Quatre Filles du Dr March French Title Love s Tale of Young Grass English Title Mujercitas Spanish Title נשים קטנות Nashim Ktanot Hebrew Title Onder Moeders Vleugels Dutch Title Piccole donne Italian Title Tale of Love s Young Shoots English Title Tales of the Little Women English Title Una per tutte tutte per una Italian Title Malenkie zhenshiny Russian Title زنان کوچک Persian Title نساء صغيرات Arabic Title 小婦人 Chinese Title 愛の若草物語 Japanese Title 작은 아씨들 Jag eun Assideul Korean Title See also EditLittle Women 1981 TV series Toei Animation s adaptation of Louisa May Alcott s novel References Edit Alberghene Janice M Lyon Clark Beverly 2004 1st pub 1999 Little Women and the Feminist Imagination Criticism Controversy Personal Essays Routledge p 379 ISBN 9781135593254 Dollase H T 2010 Shōfujin Little Women Recreating Jo for the Girls of Meiji Japan Japanese Studies 30 2 247 262 doi 10 1080 10371397 2010 497588 S2CID 145246498 Erickson Hal 2005 Television Cartoon Shows An Illustrated Encyclopedia 1949 Through 2003 2nd ed McFarland amp Co p 824 ISBN 978 1476665993 Morrissy Kim February 3 2016 How would a black woman speak in anime A case study of Little Women frogkun com Retrieved December 27 2017 Tales Of Little Women www amazon com Retrieved December 26 2017 External links EditLittle Women at Nippon Animation s English website through the Wayback Machine Little Women anime at Anime News Network s encyclopedia Little Women at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tales of Little Women amp oldid 1141655576, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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