Little Women (1981 TV series)

Little Women, also known as Wakakusa no Yon Shimai (若草の四姉妹), is a 1981 Japanese animated television series adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. The series is directed by Kazuya Miyazaki and produced by Toei Animation.

The series was produced as a follow-up to a TV special based on Alcott's novel the previous year by the same animation studio. The TV series character designs differ slightly from those of the TV special; Jo, for example, while she is blonde in both versions, has curled hair rather than straight hair in the TV series.

This series is sometimes confused with Nippon Animation's 1987 World Masterpiece Theater TV series based on Little Women, Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari, as both series were dubbed in English and broadcast on U.S. cable TV in the 1980s (the 1981 series on CBN, and the 1987 series on HBO). In addition, both TV series share a seiyuu: Keiko Han, who plays Beth in this TV series, was cast as Meg in the 1987 series.

Characters

 * Mami Koyama as Jo
 * Yuko Takagi as Meg
 * Chiyoko Kawashima as Amy
 * Keiko Han as Beth
 * Shoko Tsuboi as Mrs. March

Staff

 * Series Director: Kazuya Miyazaki
 * Script: Eiichi Imado
 * Character Designs: Joji Kikuchi
 * Animation Directors: Joji Kikuchi, Takeshi Shirado
 * Backgrounds: Tadami Shimokawa

Music
The score was composed by Takeo Watanabe. The opening theme ("Shiawase ga ite") is performed by Takida Jun; the ending theme ("Joo no yume") is performed by Tsubota Shigezo and Takida Jun.

Broadcast
Little Women aired on TV Tokyo from 7 April 1981 to 29 September 1981, totaling 26 episodes.


 * Episode list
 * 1) Christmas Eve in the March House
 * 2) Angels in Boots
 * 3) Jo's Boyfriend
 * 4) Beth's Transformation
 * 5) Stuck-up Amy's Expulsion Incident
 * 6) Confrontation: Jo vs. Amy
 * 7) Dance at the Lawrence Home
 * 8) Meg Caught in a Trap
 * 9) Editorial Meeting in the Attic
 * 10) Jo's Cooking Duty
 * 11) Picnic
 * 12) Laurie's Troubles
 * 13) A Group of Refugees
 * 14) Beth and the Canary
 * 15) Jo's Secret
 * 16) Meg, Now an Adult
 * 17) Mrs. March Chooses a Foster Daughter
 * 18) The Field Hospital Raised in Town
 * 19) Lawrence's Tales of Old Times
 * 20) Jo's Fantasy
 * 21) Jo's Fantasy 2
 * 22) Ominous Telegram
 * 23) Don't Die, Beth
 * 24) Angel's Lullaby
 * 25) Amy's Will
 * 26) Spring in Concord