Little Women II: Jo's Boys


Little Women II: Jo's Boys, also known as Wakakusa Monogatari Nan to Jō Sensei is a 1993 Japanese animated television series based on Louisa May Alcott's Little Men, produced by Nippon Animation. The title is taken from Jo's Boys, the title of the sequel to Little Men, on which the series is also partially based.
The series is the sequel to the studio's 1987 Tales of Little Women, an adaptation of Alcott's novel of the same name.

Plot

Josephine March has grown into womanhood about ten years since Tales of Little Women and is now married to the German Professor, Friedrich Bhaer. In the Plumfield farm-house that Aunt March had left her, Jo Bhaer has established a new school for her two sons, Robby and Teddy, nephews, niece and a gang of orphaned children, including Annie "Nan" Harding and a rough, street-wise adolescent named Dan. With the experience of a model childhood and a faithful and caring husband, Jo guides her pupils in their young lives; with song, music and play, the children are led through the joys and sorrows of life, work and play, rewards and punishments, getting involved in all sorts of mischief and adventure.

Cast and characters

The original voice cast is:
;Bhaer familyAnnie "Nan" Harding : The main character of this anime.Josephine "Jo" Bhaer : Second main character of this anime.Fritz Bhaer : Jo's husband.Robin "Rob" Bhaer : Jo and Friedrich's five-year-old son.Theodore "Teddy" Bhaer : Jo and Friedrich's three-year-old son.
;Brooke familyMargaret "Meg" Brooke : Jo's eldest sister, John Brooke's wife, and Daisy and Demi's mother.John Brooke : Meg's husband and Laurie's former teacher, he dies in the story.Margaret "Daisy" Brooke: John and Meg's daughter, and Demi's twin sister.John "Demi" Brooke : John and Meg's son, and Daisy's twin brother.Josephine "Josie" Brooke: John and Meg Brooke's two-year-old daughter, Jo and Friedrich's niece, and Daisy and Demi's sister.
;Laurence familyAmy Curtis Laurence : Amy attends the funeral of Meg's husband, John.Theodore "Laurie/Teddy" Laurence : Amy's husband and good friend of Jo.
;OthersJack Ford : A boy who stole Tommy's money and ran away, leaving a letter confessing of his crime.Franz Hoffman: One of Fritz's nephews.Emil Hoffman: Franz's fourteen-year-old brother.George "Stuffy" Cole: An overweight boy.Daniel "Dan" Kean : A rebellious friend of Nat.Mary-Ann Tommy Bangs Nat Blake : A boy who is a violinist.

Broadcast

Jo's Boys aired on Fuji Television on Sundays from 17 January to 19 December 1993 as part of Nippon Animation's World Masterpiece Theater.

International titles

  • Mulherzinhas II
  • Los chicos de Jo
  • Missis Jo und ihre fröhliche Familie
  • Petite bonne femme
  • Una classe di monelli per Jo
  • Wakakusa Monogatari Nan to Jou Sensei
  • Маленькие женщины
  • نوار
  • جني
  • 新小婦人

Music

The opening theme is performed by Akiko Kosaka.

Episode list and original air dates in 1993

The original broadcast list of episodes is:
  1. Welcome to Plumfield
  2. Rivers and fields are the best classrooms!
  3. Picking strawberries and the dark forest
  4. The appointed box
  5. The violinist's performance
  6. Tommy Bang's business
  7. I am Robinson Crusoe
  8. First time making pumpkin pies
  9. Gift for the toy king
  10. The big war in pajamas
  11. The rotten youth from town Dan
  12. Plumfield's thunderstorm
  13. Duel! Emil got angry
  14. Dan and Teddy's secret
  15. Buttercup's mayhem
  16. The school's on fire!
  17. So long, Dan!
  18. Mother's here
  19. Welcome to the dance
  20. If we grow up what shall we be?
  21. Please hit the teacher!
  22. Letter from Mr. Page
  23. The abandoned flower garden
  24. Afraid to freely speak
  25. Establishing a museum
  26. I am not the thief!
  27. Broken friendships
  28. Words of explanation
  29. Won't lose to a boy!
  30. Clock sounds of a little wedding
  31. Best way to use five dollars
  32. I want to be a doctor!
  33. Regarding father's decision
  34. The ambassador on a snowy day
  35. In the middle of a blizzard
  36. Dan searches for a strong horse
  37. Premonitions of going on a journey
  38. Everybody's decisions
  39. Naughty Jo riding a bicycle
  40. Goodbye, Plumfield!

Reception

The series received generally positive reception, and it was described as "beautiful" and "thought-provoking", with a story that can appeal to both younger and older audiences. The French website Planet Jeunesse gave a positive review, mainly commending its fidelity to the source material and the focus on the main character Nan.