Version française
Version française
The story takes place ten or so years after Little Women. Jo March married German professor Fritz Baher, and now lives in Aunt Marthe's former house (Plumfield) where she established a school she directs with her husband and uses "modern" methods of education. Outside lessons, sport, games and activities making them aware of their responsibilities are the lot of the children Jo takes in. Her goal is to develop their personality and their autonomy, and to help them to "find their own path". Everything is going rather well and one can say life is pleasant in Plumfield until the arrival of a new pupil: Dan, a teenager who spent most of his childhood in Boston's streets and now refuses any kind of authority.
The major strength of "Little Men" is probably its high technical qualities and its beautiful character design. Yoshiharu SATÔ, who had been the designer of Pollyanna, and animation director in Totoro and Omohide poro poro (two great classics from the studio Ghibli) did one of his best works here. Though some WMT have more expressive faces, very few reach such a smoothness in the shapes, and watching these beautiful children on the screen is a pleasure renewed episode after episode.
You have probably understood it while reading the synopsis, the story is focused on the theme of education. Plumfield finds its origin is an old dream of Amos Bronson Alcott, Louisa May's father (the writer of the original novel). This famous philosopher of the 19th century was opposed to the methods of education used at that time, which didn't respect the tastes and the personality of the children in his mind, and didn't allow them to blossom. His model of ideal school was then taken up by his daughter Louisa May in her book and by Nippon Animation in this series. The episodes often tell little stories where Jo is confronted to a problem with her children and looks for a fun and original solution, agreeing with her principles. These little cautionary tales make the series a bit too episodic, and I must confess they never managed to catch me. The characters and the situations they are confronted with are often very simplified, and Little Men doesn't have IMO the deepness of the best WMT. The main problem must be that everything is going on too well, and that Jo usually rather easily manages to solve the problems her pupils pose her, which makes things rather unrealistic. The only character who gives her true difficulties is Dan, and the episodes where he plays a central role are by far the best.
The series was shown on TF1 in 1996; but the broadcast was stopped before the end. Only TMC (on the cable in 1996), and Manga (on the satellite in March 99) showed it completely.
The German broadcast channel is RTL2, where the series is often on the air; always after Little Women. The last broadcasts took place in December 97, April and June 98, March and September 99, and finally on February 2001. Austrians could see it on ORF 1 for Summer 2000. The German version has two songs: the opening is close to Little Women's, and the ending is derived from the Japanese song (same melody, but German lyrics). Both have kept the original pictures.
"Little Men" has been shown twice on Italia 1 in June - July 1995 and August - September 1999. The series has an Italian opening interpreted by Cristina D'Avena, with pictures coming from various episodes of the series.
Back to the World Masterpiece Theater listing
Frédéric Goetzinger
(goetz@starnet.fr) Opening date: March 30, 1998 - last update: September 23, 2001